A new device for the skipjack, and a few changes

[Midaychi]

 

Vox raider rounds are interesting. Objectives are bugged as heck but its still fun. Usually turns into extended RP any way it goes, with a bunch of Vox trying to get materials or equipment and the command staff trying to find ways to oppose the Vox's objectives (even if they approach reasonably).

 

I think seven changes might make it more interesting though;

 

The first: Add a one-use teleportation device that each Vox have, and a closet of various jumpsuits (or just chameleon jumpsuits).

The Vox could dress up, set their agent cards, then use the device. The device would hack the arrivals announcement computer to announce the Vox as a new arrival and their job position, and silently (without sparks or noise) teleport them onto the arrivals shuttle.

 

Not sure if it would be unbalanced to also add them to the crew manifest? Maybe maybe not. I can definitely see this method being heavily metagriff'd by the station crew. "He's Vox and not on the crew manifest! Gib-he because of a device I shouldn't IC'ly know about!!"

 

The Vox can choose not to use this method, but it gives them access to a powerful new infiltration method that takes advantage of Vox being crewmembers on normal rounds. Get lucky and convince the hop to change your job. Now only an attentive customs officer can stop them!

 

The second: Make Vox start with some sort of device that lets them control the Skipjack remotely. I dunno, or make it a verb as part of their cortical stacks (there's actually a whole part of the wiki fluff that hints at them being able to remotely control the skipjack).

As part of that, now allow them to freely go back and forth between their station and the cyberiad. That way they can go back at will to visit the station and resupply on chems.. botany.. use the surgery.. imprison people! Maybe even add a whole slave trading mechanic. Give them an objective to capture a specific crewmember and sell them on the slave market or put them to work? Skys the limit.

 

Third: Change the Skipjack doors so they are protected from ai/cyborgs, check the cortical stacks of Vox, and only open for original Vox Raider crew. Also add blast doors to the windows with a toggle that the AI/cyborgs are forbidden from. It's kind of silly that just about anyone can waltz right in. It'd also be nice if the doors had a tamper alarm that triggered in the Vox Raider's cortical stacks if someone started messing with the panels and trying to hack in or smashing the windows.

Basically, people should be able to break in as they can now, but it should be challenging.

 

Fourth: Give Vox Raider a communication channel that is entirely over bluespace, through their cortical stacks. A completely nude vox raider wearing absolutely nothing and standing in a room full of nitrogen and no oxygen with telecoms bombed to shit should still be able to communicate over it.

I know you can just use :h on the headsets but I think this would work better both mechanically and fluff wise.

 

Five: Crew Vox. This is a big Charlie Foxtrot as far as the fluff is concerned. They should technically be on the raider's sides, but they're not always(and I'm fine with that). There should, however, be some sort of voluntary procedure they can undergo that adds them to the skipjack's crew, enables their cortical stack to communicate and to access the skipjack and be included in round end objectives. It should also antag them, though, so nobody does any funny meta business.

 

Basically, ability through a voluntary procedure to get recruited off the NT crew. Would make rounds slightly more interesting. Would probably involve surgery and cortical stack manipulation.

 

Six: Probably not necessary, but it'd be nice if Vox Raiders could see each other through a floating antag flag. Like in Rev Round. It'd let them see converted crewmember as well al'a #5.

 

Seven: Make Vox cortical stacks always drop when they gib or explode. Also occasionally from disintegration. Make them carry the ghost of the Vox and have a method for implanting them in a new host or uploading them to an ai card or cyborg? Maybe give Vox Raiders grub-cubes so they can grow new Vox bodies.

Would also be pretty neat if you made Vox ghosts tied entirely to their cortical stacks, and cutting out Vox brains just kills the host body and gives you a SSD brain. Cutting the cortical stack out wouldn't kill the body, but would leave it SSD due to the ghost being in the stack.

 

Would need to add Vox surgery instructions to med wiki and Cyborgization instructions to robotics wiki though, or have a lot of rounds of frustrated dead Vox.

 

Edited June 22, 2014 by Guest

[Fj45]

Vox also need better stuff to trade. Even if its more "fluff" type items that are pretty much useless, they still need more to trade.

[Midaychi]

 

Vox also need better stuff to trade. Even if its more "fluff" type items that are pretty much useless, they still need more to trade.

Yes, very very yes. Many rare and interesting things that station can hardly refuse!

 

According to the fluff, Vox are way more advanced technologically and singularity-wise then the Humans. It'd make sense if they had extra fancy tech and PSI-related things but in small quantities due to limited resources or their involiate.