LogFAQs > #942129075

If they wanted D:BH to work...

1) They shouldn't have used human androids. They could still use humanoid designs, but making them be so close to humans from the get-go makes it... way too obvious.

2) Should have had them start off non-sentient or only debatably sentient. Imagine if the first mission was, say, a dishwashing machine that went rogue and destroyed the house/family. It was only following it's programming but errors arose which caused the issue. While it seems straight-forwards loose ends don't quite add up and, as the game unfolds, you discover that the errors were the result of it developing sentience which conflicted with it's programming and said conflicts as it tried to reconcile everything were what lead to the attack instead of it finding out it was going to be replaced or something like that. It would make for a better mystery and the question of robot intelligence wouldn't be poisoned from the get-go. Especially if the sentience was external and not developed by the robot (like via a download or virus or something).

3) Present characters who have things to gain and lose by the sentience in different ways. Like, say, a factory owner who has to deal with the sentience. The sentient robots prove to be more capable but then refuse the treatment they were getting before meaning he needs to either risk human lives or close his factory. Especially if the final decision impacts other plotlines (like closing it down means someone else lacks a crucial material they need in their plotline). Or an older man with a near-perfect recreation of his wife in robot form living a happy life, caring for the robot, and treating it as he did his old wife in what would, otherwise, be a loving relationship. But the sentience results in the robot discarding the 'wife' protocol and developing a radically different persona ruining the one good thing he has left in the world. Or on the alternative end of the scale, some loner making a robot girlfriend and striving to make her sentient. He legit loves her and everything else but since she's non-sentient he's unsatisfied (EX: He could propose to her but he knows she's programmed to say 'yes' which robs it of meaning). If the robot becomes sentient he gets a happy ending and things work out for him, but it ruins the life of the old man and the factory owner. You could easily work in a lot more unique narrative choices revolving around the issue of robot sentience without ever touching upon the issue of 'race' or racial allusions.

4) Show some more 'real' human reactions. I don't know about you but a LOT of people would be overjoyed at the thought of a robot friend. Sure, they may be thinking of Data or Bender or something but they'd be more than willing to acknowledge and accept robot sentience, especially if the robots didn't engage in some form of uprising/revolt.

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I am the gentle hand who heals, the happy smile who shields, and the foot that will kick your ***! - White Mage