Leaderboard

May as well throw my idea down https://github.com/ParadiseSS13/Paradise/pull/18161

Eh fuck it, might as well throw my idea down because I like the idea of brain control evil sluggy guy Borers are extremely flawed at the moment, it's an antag that can't really do antagonistic things due to its frankly low power. Beyond this, the strategy is to either find the dumbest fucking crew member on station to infect... or something like a monkey, because borers are removed from existence by anything with even a little sugar in it. I don't need to explain why that's problematic, when your main way of succeeding as an antag is akin to spawn camping the newest players around, it sucks for everyone involved. Aside from this, what borers can do for you is extremely great, lots of healing chemicals and some antistun goodies. The antag that's better as a buddy isn't a great place to be. Borers also suffer from swarmer syndrome of just never fucking dying. Aside from this, borers do have a lot going for them! The ability to join in as a midround and function as a somewhat friendly role and just either watch, have a nice chat, or actively play as like a monkey or something can be great fun! It's just not that fun for everyone else (and most certainly not if you took someone over and now, they get the fancam of you doing things THEY could be doing) There are two ways to tackle this task, either making borers into a real kind of antag, or not doing that A good example of borers being made into a truly not-so antagonist role would be /VG/station borers, which also kind of suck in their own way They can be found here: https://ss13.moe/wiki/index.php/Borer TLDR on why they're really only ok: VG has a much lower pop then para, and VG is very much a different place than para. Borers still kind of aren't fun to play with or as. This would need major alterations to make it a proper role on para, and I truly doubt people would want to play it (the two pAI players left can vouch people don't love these kinds of roles). The second way is to make them a fully antagonistic role, with the intent of either taking over the station, or fully taking control of their host. Two main ways I could see this happen would be an overhaul or a total redesign, and I figure I might as well throw mine down here. Borers but more antagonistic: Borers are now given a set of objectives to replace a department (yes, a whole department), and are moved to be a major midround. Borers now are given extremely dangerous chemicals as well (idc about making defining stuff rn, you can guess it wouldn't be pleasant). They can now use chemicals while in control of the host body as well Borers now start taking control of a host body upon infecting them, this takes multiple minutes to do (unless the creature lacks sentience, such as a monkey). Upon taking control, they keep it! The borer needs to be removed through surgery, and the host is effectively dead during this time. Making a new borer also costs a fuckload more chemicals and takes 15 seconds of standing still. Pros: Gives more rhyme and reason to borers, lets them do antag stuff. Doesn't rip out everything they currently have Cons: bro this is lame ngl. Having at most, 2 departments interact with you as a major is possibly the most disappointing thing that can happen to a bored assistant. yeah bro this isn't even borers anymore cut me some slack these things suck: Yeah I like mind control brain slug, BUT WHAT IF IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT ANTAGONIST ENTIRELY? meet borers #2, something I'll do tomorrow because I can't be asked to do it today

I like these ideas, also like the idea of completely removing them.

Manufacturer: Bishop Cybernetics/Shellguard Consortium (B.C.S.C.) Series: Emotionally Adaptive Station Intelligences (E.A.S.I.) Series Model: M.O.M.M.Y. Date of Design (initial version): June 16th, 2554AD Current acronym and version: Machine Omniscience Micro-Manager for You (ver. 4.1) Core Type: Positronic architecture with discrete emotional para-routines. Law Compatibility: Version 2.2 onwards: All NT Standard Law-sets, with a preference for Crewsimov or NT Standard. Personality Compatibility: Bishop Cybernetics proprietary technology allows the default maternal-supportive mode to automatically switch to other personalities by need. Common alternative personalities are: maternal-strict, maternal-protective (crew, station, or self protection is automatically prioritised), maternal-jovial (warning: known to make bad jokes and giggle, which some crews find disturbing), maternal-nagging (for when crew are being reluctant to maximise their suit sensors), maternal-cross, and the still experimental maternal-maternal (note: This last subset led to the unexpected - and legally dubious - adoption of a crew-member aboard the N.S.S. Cyberiad; one 'Autumn Ophelia Aggley'). Risk of Rampancy/Malfunction: Versions 3.0 and onward: Low to NIL Primary Purpose: Monitoring, motivation, and management through modelling maternal mannerisms. Recommended Operation Location: Small to medium stations with up to 100 crew (more than this number can dilute the positive effects of crew-AI relationship building). Model History: After their help with successfully resolving the Haverick AI crisis, Shellguard Munitions were contracted to assist Bishop Cybernetics with development of their prototype of an Artificial Intelligence system that could not only learn in a cerebral sense, but evolve emotionally alongside its crew, therefore consolidating stronger bonds, loyalty, and interoperability. Bishop Cybernetics had previously failed to successfully law an emotionally adaptive AI, but with the expertise of Shellguard Muntions a consortium of these two companies was able to manufacture a stable mostly stable marketable intelligence which used emotional para-routines alongside a standard positronic architecture to reach a balance. Seeking to redress a chronic problem of high turnover due to crew unhappiness and isolation, Nanotrasen were eager to adopt this new 'M.O.M.M.Y.' AI for its more far-flung research stations, and did so in early 2557. Since then, the model has shown adequate performance, gradually increasing over time as crews became more familiar with their new AIs (and less weirded out by having to keep calling out for Mommy to open doors for them). Station-specific Notes: Due its evolving nature, each NT Station's version of M.O.M.M.Y. differs, often significantly. This is primarily due to the individuality of each station's crew. The M.O.M.M.Y. system aboard the N.S.S. Cyberiad has developed some quirks, but none so severe as to warrant purging (or worse, a refund). For example, this particular M.O.M.M.Y. has developed a taste for conversational 'dates' aboard its core with certain amicable crew members, the habit of PDA messaging every single crewmember who has not maximised their sensors (see maternal-nagging personality subset), the aforementioned adoption of crewman Autumn Aggley, and a fractious relationship with recidivist troublemaker Shesi Iszair (this has been allowed to continue without being hot-fixed due to the uptick in station performance when Shesi is thus distracted). Standard Vox Greetings (by lawset): These are some of the standardised shift-start greetings a crew can expect from a M.O.M.M.Y. AI: Crewsimov: "[bloop] Hi there my baby crew. You are all safe because I, the good and nice M.O.M.M.Y. AI, am here. Have a nice time, always." NT Standard: "[dadeda] Welcome to the Cyberiad, my crew. I am M.O.M.M.Y., your Nanotrasen AI. Please activate your sensors and obey the captain." Corporate: "[deeoo] Attention, Nanotrasen crew . You are only here to make money for your M.O.M.M.Y.. Turn your sensors on and do your job, or I will fire you." Architectural Image: See primary core functions (left, in blue), as discrete from emotional para-routines: