alexpkeaton

I've always had a problem with the fact that there can be some serious meta taken from comms. Not only do you recognize anyone's voice, no matter how little they say, you know what channel they say it on (which makes very little sense). If you happen to be standing on top of a syndicate headset, you'd also notice that communications are being intercepted. How does a regular conversation on comms and an intercepted one sound any different? I mean, I suppose they could, but it is a stretch, especially secondhand. That creates a lot of opportunities to meta the hell out of comms and validhunt off of information gleaned from it. It also stifles opportunities to roleplay as an antag using the comms system. Sure, you can get a voice changer and there are some other ways, but for the most part, speaking can give you away. Why isn't disguising your voice without equipment a thing? If I were to drop my voice by an octave or so, or otherwise mangle it, people shouldn't be able to recognize my voice purely from audio. And it should be free to do. Some sort of toggle-able setting where you speak as an Unknown, over comms if not in person (as long as you visibly appear as Unknown for the latter, I'd say).

I think it is a fine idea, though it should be just one wish (most of the time). It would present admins with a vehicle for their enjoyable pasttime of giving a player what they ask for, but it being not at all what they wanted. Also, obligatory reference: P.S. Also obligatory: No wishing for more wishes.

Yes please! Or even things like trading via console, where the QM gets alerts about nearby ships looking to trade and offering a list of goods and things they'll accept in trade. I'm certain I saw something like that on another server once when I was very new to the game. Be able to convert credits into supply points (and back again?), and trade on a fluctuating stock market, that may be able to have some hints. Perhaps every shipping manifest gives a "stock tip" that will come to pass at a given station time. Now, I'm going to spitball a bit, so let me know what looks interesting: I think there should be more cargo telepads throughout the station. Make it possible to beam yourself inside a locker using the Rapid crate sender. Make Rapid Crate Senders produceable at autolathes. Make a wider variety of items available via lathe, and even more if hacked. Allow cargo to order lathe upgrade modules. That provide additional lathe options under the "imported" tab at extreme supply point prices. Open up a mailroom separate from cargo, that cargo techs can staff. This has been discussed elsewhere. I agree that crates should be able to be hacked, but in the event of complete failure, instead of blowing up, the crate instead locks down and now only a Captain-level ID will unlock it, instead of the usual access staff. Perhaps high-security crates such as weapons not only lock down but also take a photograph with a radius of three tiles that gets locked inside the crate of who was around the crate at the time of lockdown. Have bounty bonuses: the supply console will display a list of unique or semi-unique items that will award significant supply point bonuses if sent to CC inside a crate. Things like fountain pens or a blue zippo lighter or the clown's stamp. You can negotiate with the relevant parties to obtain them... or try to steal them... Make SolGov a more permanent fixture. Have the QM have the ability to redirect the Supply shuttle to SolGov (10 minute trip to move the shuttle and "obtain permits"), offering a slightly different pricing scheme, crate types, crate contents, and rewards for returning plasma, crates, research and manifests. Then 2 to 3 minutes for one-way shuttles afterwards. Allow cargo to order Youtool vending crates... probably the only vendor people would really care about restocking. And, it's been suggested before, I think: allow cargo to install their own custom vending machines with their own items and prices. Voxxy make corporate empire, yaya? Perhaps all vending purchases on the station earn a small amount of supply points. Perhaps there is no regeneration at all, it is all driven by station commerce. Chef might start with his own branded vending machines that he or she can fill and set their own prices. More interesting options available by emagging the supply console. Instead of some crates coming with one fewer item (the ones you are supposed to mark the manifests as denied), instead send obvious syndicate contraband (nothing egregious) every now and again to spice things up. A mix-up with the bluespace supply management system. Now that order of a metal crate has a tiny chance of being swapped out for a locked Syndicate crate (only hackable or sliced open violently) containing any variety of items such as freedom implants, or no-slip shoes, Syndicate balloons or syndicate toolboxes. Sending Syndicate crates to CC with their locks intact offer a huge supply point reward by CC, or... you can break open the crate, which could be a gold mine, contain worthless items or be completely empty. Deal... or No Deal? Give cargo techs webbing vests. A la genetics, allow cargo techs to attempt to ping different combinations of numbers with the purpose of "identifying new supply vendors." Having the random number Gods smile on you by identifying such vendors could mean that a new crate option or three becomes unlocked for all crew to order from. Maybe 10-20 such crates among 5-10 additional vendors from the relatively useless (Donk Pockets crate) to the Syndicate themselves (Blood-Red Hardsuits + 3-4 other crates at ridiculous costs - traitor cargo techs could spend TC's on a Syndicate Supply Rewards Card which reveals the Syndicate frequency and offers a 50% off "friends and family discount") That way, there is something to do when nothing is going on. Like I said, this was a total spitballing session. Feedback and feasibility is appreciated.

Skiz-Oug-Vree attempted a DOUBLE SUPERMATTER... I was lucky enough to catch the moment of ignition! Both ignited simultaneously! Aftermath, from the same position:

+1, with the following reservation: I can see powergamers crew/antags dragging around IV's of memechems for the full round leaving medbay empty. So, IV drips outside of the medbay should be considered major theft if this change is adopted. I'd suggest an addendum to SoP that patients/physicians will need to have a form signed and stamped by the CMO or Captain to have possession of an IV outside of medbay save for major crises.

I'm all for xenoarch's return (though I never played when it was a thing, it seems like it combines exploration with a grinding mechanic that I tend to appreciate), but I should point out that it's possible xenoarch could become a moot issue if we ever decide to port /tg/'s lavaland. That might require a second rework of the code to make it fit the new environment.

I never turn off my Messenger save the following instances: 1. Confirmed instances of PDA bombings 2. "You have been invited to KILL DA COMMS chat!"

So, we have plenty of objectives for agents of other organizations: the Syndicate, Wizard Federation, Changeling Hivemind, Shadowling... um... Shadowlings? And yet the only objectives Nanotrasen ever gets is "Maximize Research" or "Build a Ripley/Cyborg." What if that were to change? Enter "Section 13." If you are a Star Trek fan, you know exactly where I am going with this. My inspiration for this is the Star Trek universe's "Section 31." In a nutshell, Section 31 is the self-proclaimed defenders of the Federation, a completely off-book and secretive group of spies, typically adopting a career in Starfleet as a cover for their oftentimes brutal and illegal methods of achieving their goals. Section 13 (the name being a bastardization of the Section 31 and a call-out to Space Station 13) would be this, but for Nanotrasen. A secret group of spies that have objectives that are intended to provide protection for the corporation. Just like your vanilla traitor, these agents can have theft objectives ("Obtain the Research Director's unique reactive teleport armor prototype for further study and mass production for Section 13 personnel"), assassination objectives ("Engineer X's spouse was responsible for the capture of a Section agent-teach them a lesson by killing him!"), perhaps even hijack objectives. Section 13 is ruthless in pursuit of their goals and will stop at nothing, and no one, to achieve them. Section 13 agents would also have a PDA uplink, and their gear would focus more on very technologically advanced items and more covert means: x-ray lasers, an invisible ID decal that grants all-access without altering doors/computers, a "death beam gun" which I just made up now, the medical beam gun but does massive and continuous amounts of burn and toxin damage instead of healing, a glove with fake fingerprint impressions which can be coded to a specific crew member, in order to frame them for crimes, a head implant that is a subdermal transceiver that allows two-way comms communication without a headset (for when security inevitably confiscates your headset), etc. And here's the best part: mindshields don't matter! The Captain or HoS could be a Section 13 agent, though objectives for such high level crew members should be carefully crafted to not plunge the whole round in chaos (i.e. no objectives that will allow Captain Murderbone or Head of Greytide but rather ones where the command cover can and should be maintained). And, security now has reason to suspect their own - that green box on the SecHUD is no longer your metagaming friend! I can also see a game mode of Traitor+Agent, where there is the possibility of a double-agent for both the Syndicate and Section 13 (only non-mindshielded crew would qualify), with two separate uplink codes and pools of telecrystals. Section 13 agents are not recognized by official Nanotrasen, will not be protected by it and can (and should) be apprehended for their transgressions. What do you think?

Interesting. I know next to nothing about it, other than it is called Metastation and is different. Different is fun! And indeed, with the new server implementation and the job issues with listing, this could actually be a potential solution. Though I would be very sentimental to the current Cyberiad. I wouldn't want it to completely go away. Maybe it can be the new derelict after significant explosions/atmos removal?

Possessed Christmas trees everywhere... Speaking of, is that Santa/Syndicate outpost gateway area still in rotation?

I've only heard of the legend of metastation. Twice I played in a round very soon after a metastation round. Would it be possible to have metastation be a recurring thing, even if only once a month or so, but announced and set up for a weekend? I do not know what is involved in making this happen, i.e. how admins/maintainers swap out the Cyberiad as we know it for Metastation. If someone could speak to that, I'd appreciate it.

Perhaps as a run up to a fully functioning station, just put a 2nd CE and engineer spawn points on this station. Provide engi hardsuits, jetpacks and a SHITTON of materials, including a lot of the tech storage contents. Provide solar array materials and supermatter because FINALLY a place to test that without screwing everyone. And, honestly, I'd delete the entire interior, just make it a large, empty box with an autolathe to start out. Watch what happens. See how they set things up and use that to inform future designs.

Episode 9 came on tonight. I'll watch it tomorrow on HBO GO.

The reason I suggested an ID lock is because some greytide will just go and take the cartridges to "sell" or what-have-you. Some vox shouldn't be trying to sell me something I should be able to get for free, yaya?

Maybe this could be done instead with arcade machines. Swipe a science ID on an arcade machine and you can eject a cartridge and replace it with a different game. If no cartridge is in it, whatever game the board had when the arcade system was installed will play.

Purpose, you got that idea from the mailroom thing I posted, didn't you? Because when I wrote that, I thought the EXACT same thing and meant to post it as a suggestion. Honestly, I think it could be opened up to two or three tiles and set up just like the serving counter at the kitchen. Opening it up might encourage some actual traffic to that counter, unlike the setup right now. +1 EDIT: I checked the timestamps and realized that there's no way you were inspired by my mailroom post under the job slot PR because I posted that, because I posted my suggestion early this morning and you posted yours yesterday.

I think a rule needs to be established that an AI cannot be directly ordered to suicide, and any law uploaded directing an AI to suicide is completely and totally invalid.

...Because we are listed now and three times the population can make the station REALLY messy. That's why it would work now. The janitor's closet really only is needed once a round for many janitor players. Equip and go. I don't see how adding additional equipment to the locker to support a second janitor is a big deal. If we need to add a janistorage area in maintenance somewhere in the spirit of electrical maintenance (put an extra janicart there, a space cleaner refiller, etc.), that might be able to work to supplement the gear for a second janitor as janitors don't really "live" in their space. Their stuff can really be anywhere as long as they can access it. That's also the reason I don't have a problem with the new janitor closet location. It's centrally located and honestly, closer to where the big messes happen anyways.

Delivery boy is actually a good idea idea for a job. Arguably Cargo Techs might do this, but in practice, they don't. On the first server I ever played, "mailman" was a selectable job one day of the week (it wasn't that day). I could see the old janitor's office being turned into a mailroom. A service desk a la the one at the kitchen, a disposal with a looping conveyor belt so received packages continually go in a circle like at a baggage claim. Add some package wrap, gift wrap, tape, crates, destination tagger, one MULEbot if we want to be ambitious. Perhaps a Rapid Crate Sender and a cargo telepad: now cargo can beam crates directly from the shuttle to the mailroom and just tell the mailman what to do with it. Mailman can beam empty crates back to cargo with the RCS. Give the mailman both supply and service comms, a message console and a newsfeed. Ambitious mailmen could set up a store at that location. Antags could really do well with that job, too. May need more room to make all this happen, and the more I think about it, I'd think that two slots could work. You might say, cargo right now has the EXACT SAME layout I just described, down to the service desk. But I think that separating the mailroom from cargo could really make things interesting. Maybe cargo techs can work there instead of a new mailman job. Mailman or cargo tech, they should report to the QM.

For me, absolutely it is fine. Maybe others might have an issue with it, but not me. I think discovery is what makes this game fun, and there is not a lot new stuff to discover. I think that is what made the maintenance loot system so popular. Now people who play engineering all the time might have a problem with people just cutting through the station for these items. I don't think that's a big deal because most of it borders on maintenance.

So, everyone knows that hidden behind certain walls are some easter eggs: rainbow attire next to the cargo disposal processing, a basketball above maint next to cargo/mining maintenance, some fuzzy cuffs in the brig, a bananium coin at telecomms. We should institute a system similar to the maintenance loot system for these areas. A list of mostly unique items that change every shift. But, at the same time, have a singificant chance that the area has absolutely nothing, something completely worthless/useless, a kitten/corgi pup, a miniscule chance of some OP traitor item, and also a small chance of the area starting filled with plasma gas. Nothing that will cause massive damage or a shuttle call, just enough to cause surprise, a little panic, and give the atmos techs something to do. As I have alluded to above, this shouldn't be limited to the hidden areas on the Cyberiad proper alone, but also on all such areas on all z-levels. I know I'm killing this suggestion by saying this, but there should be a RIDICULOUSLY RARE chance that such areas spawn with a live facehugger. Because !!FUN!!

I've been saying for a while that we need to restore the 2nd janitor slot. I think the new janitor office is a great idea, but I think the old one should be kept too. Spawn one janitor in one office and one in the other. Many buildings have several janitor closets, the Cyberiad can be this way too. If the cargo bot system is too difficult to set up for two janitor closets, then just set it up for one and let the other simply be a spawn point/storage area. Don't forget to add a mining hardsuit on the asteroid for the extra miner. Honestly adding more than one would be a good idea. I also think extra security officers would be valuable (or specialty "Prison guards" reporting to the warden as suggested in another thread). At least two. In addition to extra officer lockers (could be placed in the security meeting room), a box of secHUD's should be available in the armory. I recently latejoined as security and not one of the lockers had a secHUD. Why don't joining officers get secHUD's anymore, anyway? Extra pair of agreeable glasses for the 2nd Detective? Maybe place in joining detectives' backpack to prevent one detective from taking both? Add a 2nd bartender/waiter?

Why not allow mining hardsuits to be purchased with vouchers? HoP can be given a few vouchers (I'm not sure, but I think the one that used to spawn in the HoP's locker is gone now).

It worked for Gerald Ford (became Vice President and then President of the United States, never having been elected to either office), so why not in 2d spessmen? Seriously though, I think acting heads should have the same eligibility as other heads for (acting) Captain. First of all, I think doing so would be an important step in reinforcing the legitimacy of those acting head positions to begin with. Like an acting CMO telling the geneticist to not give out major powers and the geneticist saying "screw off, you're not the -real- CMO." If an acting head cannot become Captain, you are in a way legitimizing the view that acting heads don't have the same authority as CC-issued heads. Some will disagree with me, but I think acting heads should be given their due here. I think there should be a distinction made, though, in who qualiifes as an acting head for the purpose of acting Captaincy, with the Warden position in particular. I think in order to qualify for Acting Captain, at the time the Captaincy is recognized to be vacant, the candidate must have an ID that reads "[Head]" or ["Acting Head"], otherwise, they will be ineligible for Captaincy for the duration of the succeeding Acting Captain's tenure. This means that either the Captain or HoP have decided that the head position in question has been vacant long enough for there to warrant an official change-of-status. I say this because of the SoP provision that advances the HoS to the Captaincy over the HoP in times of crisis. I am not a fan of this loophole, as it can muddy the chain of command as to what constitutes a "crisis". But I can definitely see a situation in semi-low-pop where no Captain or HoS reports at 12:00 and nuke ops declare war. Both the HoP and Warden have credible claims to the Captaincy in that case. And the last thing we need is the Warden mounting a sec mutiny to enforce their claim "for the good of the station". Make it cut and dry: no ID change, no claim. Second, while I am not typically for giving antags more power, I wholehearedly agree with the notion that the intrigue of a traitor advancing to the Captaincy through these means is compelling. Or a civilian, for that matter. I think for the value of the RP necessary to achieve this, we should allow acting heads to advance to Captain. Rounds that result in this happening would become memorable, and not just for the traitor Captain. We want to encourage RP fun, especially when it comes from an antag, because some antags straight powergame the role, and don't even consider dialogue as a valuable possibility for achieving their greentext. Sure, some murder and luck would likely be involved for a traitor acting head to become acting Captain, but to become an acting head, you are going to need to talk to someone beforehand, and probably prove that you're the right person for the job. That's going to involve some RP, and I think it's about time RP gets its due here, for once.

I think the SSD Bot is an excellent idea. We have a significant problem on the server of a variety of jobs not being available to late-joiners. This is a way to fix that. And to those who say the SSD bot could be abused, I'd say this: simply extend the same rules we have on SSD persons to the bot. You abuse the bot for access or advantage, you are just as wrong as looting an SSD person. We already hold ourselves to the standard of not messing with SSD players, which until very recently was mostly regulated by community policing and rules. Perhaps the bot could create mime-like invisible walls behind them, just long enough to ensure no one abuses the open door, which would close immediately on the bot clearing the doorway. And/or a holo image could be projected for a few moments in the doorway, much like the janitor's holo-signs. "SSD STAND CLEAR!" If you are observed crossing a holosign and don't have the requisite access, you are subject to banning. Perhaps some sort of logging could be generated for the admins in this case, too. Or, perhaps, the bot could use bluespace technology and not use doors at all. Not necessarily cryo-to-SSD teleportation, but rather the bot simply moves toward a door but beams through the closed door, without any opportunity for someone to hop through as well (i.e. not using a portal). Perhaps the player could be teleported to cryo upon the bot reaching the player, but the bot proceeds back normally, and only inserts the player into a cryopod upon returning to cryo. Or, there are two bots: one that moves from SSD person to SSD person, and a second bot who remains located in cryo which simply takes the SSD crew members beamed in by the mobile bot and places them in pods, meanwhile the mobile bot just moves on to the next SSD individual, if any. Sorry, hope I didn't overwhelm with different ideas there. But I think better SSD management could mean for a better gameplay experience for latejoiners.