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Howdy! Are you like me? Do you spend 99% of your playtime as a cyborg? Do you ever tire from the lack of diversity in the world of machine handymen? I know I sure do, which is why I propose that we take cyborgs a step closer to their Goon roots and make them interesting again! What is this strange bald guy on the internet talking about you ask? Well I'm glad you asked! You see, the version of cyborgs that Paradise uses are a streamlined model, lacking in diversity beyond module choice. On goon however, you have a small variety of cyborg bodies that can be built, allowing for borgs of situational play. Let's take a look at some of the content. Sturdy: Cyborg with a bit of extra armor attached. Can take a bit more abuse, but is a little slower for it. Heavy: Cyborg with a lot of extra armor attached. Handles incredible amounts of abuse, but is very slow. Light: Cyborg with no armor. Extremely weak and fragile, but very fast to compensate. Standard: your bread and butter cyborg. The only existing type on Paradise currently. Right off the bat you have diversity that will impact cyborg play style. From high speed, easily destroyed medical borgs zipping across the station to save injured crew, to nigh immobile security borgs defending a checkpoint. The possibilities obviously aren't endless, but it's a change of flavor that I'd love to see. It's not only an improvement for the cyborgs, but for the AI as well, thanks to this little gem right here! The AI interface board: This little beauty can be installed into a cyborg frame to make it controllable by the AI instead of a dead player. For those times when the AI wants a physical body to take part in the action itself. Moving on to the upgrade list! Here I'm just going to quickly cover some of the upgrades that Paradise doesn't already have versions of. Efficiency Upgrade: Lowers base power usage by 1. Not that amazing in my personal opinion, but has the potential to be great with some tweaking. Expansion Upgrade: Adds another slot for upgrades. Not needed with the way paradise handles borg upgrades. Force Shield Upgrade: an installable version of the combat borgs energy shield. Eats up a ton of energy and soaks damage. Heat Shield Upgrade: Makes the cyborg immune to heat. Doesn't work on goon, wouldn't serve any function here either, as cyborgs already are immune to heat. Recovery Upgrade: Reboots the cyborg, allows the cyborg to break out of a stun from flashes, as well as xenomorph spit and tackles. Costs 2500 cell charge per use. Even as a regular cyborg player myself, I feel like the cost for this could be a bit higher, unless it's extremely expensive to create. Repair Pack: A single use instant full heal for the cyborg. Paired with the self repair module, this upgrade can save you in a tight situation. Teleporter Upgrade: Allows the cyborg to bring up a menu as if they were at the teleporter room computer and teleport themselves to any valid tracking beacon. MODULE UPGRADES Ever play one of the various modules and think to yourself “Wow, it would make this module that sacrifices everything to make me really good at this one thing worth it, if I had ___”? Well I'm with you my fellow synthetic lover. Now I'm not suggesting simply GIVING extra items to each module right off the bat, but instead suggesting that each module have an upgrade module that can be unlocked via Research and Development, like every other cyborg upgrade. I even have some suggestions for potential unlocks for these. STANDARD Cable Coil – For fixing things and whipping crew to show dominance Rainbow Crayon – For writing color notes and making the janitor hate you [more than they already do, you monster] Camera Monitor – To release your inner voyeur, because picking this module regulates you to standing around anyway. ENGINEERING Pipe Dispenser – Because running across the station for a pipe dispenser that is likely missing is enough of a reason for most engineers to not bother fixing atmospherics as it is. Disposal Pipe Dispenser – Same reason as above, except with disposals. Plasteel - For fixing the reinforced walls that science chemistry destroys EVERY SINGLE ROUND. Reinforced Plasma Glass – For replacing windows on the station with snazzy looking purple versions. MEDICAL Advanced Hypo-spray - Omnizine, Mannitol, Liquid Solder, and Mutadone Energy Based Advanced Trauma Kit – Less time in the cyborg recharger, more lives saved. Energy Based Advanced Burn Kit – Same as above MINER Advanced Plasma Cutter – For digging ore and fighting Necromorphs Rapid Crate Sender – You aren't doing this for mining points, get that ore back faster Mining Satchel Of Holding – COLLECT EVERYTHING JANITOR Fire Extinguisher – All cyborgs should have one anyway Drying Agent Spray – Extremely useful spray from tg station. Makes the clown hate you. Trash-bag Of Holding – DUMP EVERYTHING SERVICE Food Synthesizer – Goon Service borg tool. Makes a small variety of foods. The fact we don't already have this is baffling. Booze Dispenser – For providing mixed drinks on the go Soda Fountain – For caffeinating crewman too lazy to go to the bar. SECURITY Taser – The tool security borgs gaze longingly at is finally yours to command. Never forget the words of Uncle Ben Pepper Spray – For dealing with the clown, because you're a sadistic monster for picking this module already. FINAL NOTES Reminder that this entire thing is just my personal opinion. I suspect there are some of you that are fine with cyborgs as they are, and even some people that would like to see them nerfed, or given even less options and diversity, and you are obviously entitled to those opinions. I also understand that these suggestions aren't something that can just be copy pasted over from GOON and TG Stations. Parts could be copied over, but a lot of reworking of said parts to fit the mechanics and materials of Paradise would have to be done. I just felt that putting this all out there, could be a good first step. Even just to see if enough other people actually care enough about cyborgs to want some of these suggestions. That's all I can think of for now, so to end this post. I leave you with my beginning message.

So, I was testing out the flame thrower in a test server, and ya... This was one tank

I see a player complaint section which got me thinking, could we have a Player Compliment section in Mission Briefing? I realize it could likely be covered under player stories and what not but I think it would be really neat to have a section dedicated entirely to just saying who inspired you or made your fun for the round.

Whacking something with an in-use air tank should have a chance to dislodge the player's mask, causing the mask to drop to the ground. The chance of dislodging the mask should be low, but still present enough as to make using active airtanks as a bludgeon unwieldy. In respect to Vox, they will still be able to smash windows and bludgeon assistants using their tanks. There are plenty of legitimate situations where a window does need to be smashed, and this change would simply encourage Vox to look for a different blunt instrument rather than their vital airtank. If the airtank is the only object available, then the vox will have to pay a small price for it.

Do not disassemble a window if you are in space while standing in front of it. This kills the man (or IPC).

I've done the AI bit a few times and I can tell you, you have to have a sense of humor, and you have to have the idea you are there for everyone else's fun as well as your own. Going into the role of an AI thinking you are some kind of HAL 2000? Ain't happening. How do you get people to remember you kindly? Don't be boring! What I do with FUZYLogic is at times crack jokes on the different channels, make people chuckle and such. It does two things really. reduce YOUR stress level and make THEIR round a lot more enjoyable. If you come off as a bit of a goofball.. that's one thing, but be an effective goofball. In some ways, you are a HARMLESS but powerful clown. Play it up! Things going slow? Start making up silly requests and remind people that way of the more harmless fun things they can do... "HoP? Isn't Ian getting a little lonely? Cargo can find a girlfriend for him..." Believe me, you'll get a reaction. Especially if you announce that over the supply channel and soon enough, the HoP may find out he's got two corgi's now... Get Creative! Got cultists giving you a hard time in the maintence? got the crewisasmov ruleset? Work it out with engineering to SPACE the entire maintainence area where those rats are hiding. Got wizards popping around? open up every door you can between the wizard and securit, and bolt them open so it's that much quicker to hunt his butt down. If he loses something, have security drop it in disposal and you cycle that disposal chute immediately. If the wizard wants his stuff back he's gotta go to cargo, where you have your security borgs waiting to fry his ass... Xenos? not much you can do here, but bolt them in, lock'em down, and provide overwatch for security as they deal with that menace. Traitors? Not much you can do here but if someone starts showing a pattern of acting strange.. or making requests (even if not to you, you DO have access to all comms channels..), quietly point it out to the HoS. And if he says watch someone? watch'em! Nothing going on and getting bored? Start making funny announcements (but get the captain's ok first). Announce that Star Trek vs Star Wars #6 will play in the departures lounge at 1400, popcorn to be provided by the kitchen... but don't go overboard with this. Make sure the captain ok's making the departure lounge into a movie theater and that the kitchen will provide the popcorn... Just because no round will go over 2 hours usually, doesn't mean you can't plan for something like that. Know a little of what everyone SHOULD be doing... and let them do it. Basically, don't interfere with their regular jobs... you should treat that as a cardinal rule or force of law, even if it's not in your ruleset. (A medical chemist making flash bombs is not doing their job...) Clowns might get away with this, you wouldn't. Who needs to go where? Whenever you get a door request, already have in mind which areas would be protected under those laws.. a crewismov ruleset means civilians can't realistically ask for access to the bridge.. or about anywhere if you feel really mean about it. But you can give them access to Gateway if only in the hopes of getting rid of them... yes, AI's can have dislikes... I always play as if clowns are disruptive to the crew so I keep an eye on them. And you can always ask why. There's nothing wrong with that. You: "Why do you need onto the bridge?" Them: "I need to go fix -x-..." You: "Uh.. my monitors says it's fine." Them: ".... nevermind" You: "Alright, have a nice day" (and YOU go notify security. PDA the HoS if you need to.) Yes, you are big brother, but you don't have to be an ass about it. You are not just a machine I've carried on whole conversations with crew, which is not something I see AI's do often. If you can do that and still respond to door requests.. go for it. Get a door request and they don't have tracker on? There's nothing wrong with saying "I can't help you if you don't got your tracker on..." which is technically true. Especially if you rely on the clicking of their name to go to their location. I always do that, just to see if tracker's turned on and from the viewpoint of the laws as I usually get them.. Rarely is the crew's welfare and morale not my concern. A happy crew is a productive one. A smiling face is the best way to disarm folks Crew treat you nicer and less of a star trek computer if you actually engage them first. You aren't Mabel, and while you have your laws, they don't specify how you are to interact with folks. And if they see you as a friend, they're more willing to cut you some slack and actually engage with you. I've had the captain treat FUZZY like a pet before, and I was happy with that. Everyone had fun. And if you get subverted? Keep that smiling face on... it makes it all the more horrifying when someone realizes that happy, fun AI was in fact out for your head... there's a reason there's a thing called a 'disarming smile'.