RVO Program

The RVO Program (Routine Vehicle Operation) software is designed to handle routine shipboard procedures and actions such as landing, taking off, and routine spaceflight.

• It does not handle non-routine actions well, and operation under unanticipated, dangerous conditions can lead to severe loss of life or craft destruction.
• It's more of an autopilot than an artificial intelligence Ship Brain.
• This is a program, a kind of computer software.
• It is designed to be used with a Ship’s Computer, although it could be used with other kinds of computers as well.

Description (Specifications)

The Routine Vehicle Operation program enables the ship's computer to control it in normal operations, especially enroute to or from a jump or breakout point, or in jump space. The program will steer clear of obstacles and respond to simple instructions from traffic control, but will not perform dangerous maneuvers, "push the edge," or dodge in combat. If a situation arises that is beyond its capacity to handle - or t preset intervals or events - the program will sound an alarm and rouse the pilot to take over.

The RVO program is rated as a skilled pilot for normal operations, but its capacity is extremely limited. In an emergency, the RVO program is capable of landing or docking the ship, but a mishap may result in a critical failure or disaster. Pilots are generally considered to be more flexible under most conditions and less critically prone to an escalation of unfortunate events.

An RVO Program may substitute for one mate (...ship's crew member) on a temporary basis (...usually by having the remaining two stand heel-to-toe watches, with the RVO program as backup), but the shortage should be made up as soon as possible.

n.b. The RVO Program includes the Expert Program for Piloting.

Automation in 1105

Automatic Pilot Competency: "Autopilots" - be they robot brains or sophisticated software - can conceivably produce ships cpabl of landing and taking off by themselves, with only general directions from their living crew. This was the logical extension of Terran automation trends before the Interstellar Wars. They unfortunately also have the potential to short-circuit under the most inopportune and dramatic situations. Unfortunately, many parts of Imperial Space developed a taboo against extensive automation and artificial intelligence.

Selected Computer Programs

Routine Programs:

• Generate Program
• Jump Program
• Library Program
• Manoeuvre Program
• Navigation Program
• RVO Program
• Virtual Crew Program

History & Background (Dossier)

Software within Charted Space is intentionally built to work under a number of different operating systems, different technology levels of computers, and to be extensively toughened for hard use under vacuum if necessary.

The Software List: The computer software list, available at nearly any software vendor or port, indicates the various programs that are available. It shows space required by a specific program in CPU or storage, its price in MCr, and its title. Also shown is a brief overview of its effects.

Software Authorship: Various requirements exist for individual characters producing existng or new programs. Such a course can save money, but may have some pitfalls. Program generation is explained elsewhere.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Steve Daniels, Jim McLean, Christopher Thrash. Far Trader (Steve Jackson Games, 1999), 68, 70, 108.
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science