Robo is a game where rules are just "rules". We have taken the idea of role playing to an extreme of development...and hope to take it even farther if we can. We have taken so much of the quantitative side away from the game it might seem too vague to play. When you look at the vast, living, intricacy that the qualitative side of the game has, you'll see how it is meant to be played. There is politics between empires, wars between nations, mounting tensions between species on planets, and hit men from large corporations roaming all over... This in essence provides endless possibilities to develop modules (basic time-spans of adventures) with vast character, of any scale, focusing on any subject, and with any goal in mind.
To illustrate this point, there have been modules where there is just one player-character involved, and it was all centered around developing an amazing relationship with a fugitive cyborg. This module delved into the depths of character development and expansion. A module after that, however...would be about a different rogue leader of a nation's military engineering a new breed of soldier for his private army that will try to overthrow a small planet with precious resources. This module would be wholly centered on developing a tactical and strategic model of planetary battle...down to nitty gritty. Planet maps, troop movements, logistics schedules...wondrous war machinery! Even whole empires have been played out...namely the Triconian empires!
Seeing that Robo is not just about battle or strategy, it is not you're normal teen-age battle-nerd role-playing game. Robo is a UNIVERSE of ideas centered in the Milky Way galaxy. Adventures of any scale can happen...and do! So be warned: to get full satisfaction out of this game, this universe, probably biases towards experienced role-players. If you've only game-mastered pre-made modules with maps and prefabricated NPC's ready for you, this might be tough. No safety net here, guys. That's why the first rule of Robo is to enjoy the game.
People who've NEVER played role-playing games before have become hooked on Robo, as a counterpoint. That would be a sign of a good game-master, though. The best way to describe the method of role playing in Robo is "proactive". Involved and energized players with a "DM" that can think up a module by the seat of his/her pants is the ultimate example of Robowars playing. A good question when game-mastering (we all call it "DM'ing"...don't you?) a Robo module is "why not?". Ask this when a well-planned module hits that one flaw where a player makes that unexpected decision and throws the whole scheme awry. Awesome modules can result from such unexpected deviations...and that's truly where Robo is terrific. Not just full adaptability...full range! Robo is like a matrix, or a media, the players are the artists, the characters the brushes, and the "DM" decides the colors. So there's really no room for passive, bored role-playing here.