Kyet's Tier Guide for RD / Research Director

[Kyet]

This is a guide to how to, and how NOT to, play Research Director (RD).

Starting off from the lowest (worst) tier, and working our way up towards the best, we have:

 

F Tier: The Mad Scientist

• These are the RDs that are self-antagging, or otherwise taking actions which obviously violate server rules. They don't care about anything, they just do whatever they want, consequences be damned.
• Examples include: adding custom laws to the AI without clearing it with anyone, chasing antags through maint in their own personal combat mech, leaving genetic disability syringes laying around labeled 'XRAY', provoking an extensive standoff with sec over hoarding high-tier weapons in science, declaring the independent nation of 'scientopia' outside of an event round, giving toxin bombs to anyone other than miners, releasing the slime hordes 'to see what would happen', using certain extremely destructive reactions in scichem, or combining two bags of holding.
• This sort of RD is actively harmful to the station. They give all RDs a bad name, even though they likely only got to play RD once before being banned.

E Tier: The Checked-Out Scientist

• These are the RDs that are neglecting their jobs to the point that their department suffers greatly, and the damage may spread to the rest of the station.
• They're not necessarily breaking the rules, they're just utterly failing to do their job to the point you could call it negligence.
• They're not actively trying to make the station worse, but either they have absolutely no clue what they should be doing, or they genuinely don't care.
• One example is RDs who spend the entire shift messing around in scichem, never leaving, not even to deal with other science matters that require their attention, such as rogue AI.
• Another example is RDs who simply never respond to comms in a timely fashion.
• A third is RDs who act like petty kings of science, throwing Security out, just because they can, even though security is trying to apprehend a criminal who is in science and for all the RD knows, may be quite dangerous to their department.
• RDs who completely fail at interacting with the rest of their department, such as wordlessly stepping in and taking over their job just because they can, also fall into this category. This type of RD makes other players hate them, and avoid signing up to play in a department "led" by them.
• They are the sort of RD who completely ignores even major station-wide crises that are clearly their job to deal with, such as rogue AI/borgs, or who ignore their department entirely, acting more like an assistant than even a member of Science.

 

D Tier: The Under-Prepared Nerd

• This is the type of RD who understands that the job of the RD is to manage science, but is totally under-prepared for the task, often not even understanding the basic mechanics of science.
• They'll respond to command radio, though often only after you call them several times. They'll report clear hostile activity in their department, but otherwise do nothing about it. They'll understand the basics of their items, but use them inappropriately, and often in SOP-violating ways, like wearing their tele armor from shift start on green, or getting themselves spaced by trying to combine a bag of holding with the hand tele. They might maybe have a go at R&D, only to frustrate their scientists with their slow progress, eventually giving way to a scientist who finishes it much faster.
• They'll check in on robotics, but have no clue it is full of traitors, because they don't know how to recognize an emagged borg, or never even bother to check the borgs. They'll verify nobody was murdered recently in xenobio, but fail to realize that slimes being out of their pens is a bad thing. They'll report over the radio that scichem blew up, but make no effort to figure out which scientist was to blame, or have them demoted for blowing a hole in their department. They'll beat a rogue borg with their baton, possibly without even extending it, because they don't know you need to flash the borg first, or even better, lock them down on their console.
• This type of RD is at least trying to do their job, but they still fail miserably because they just don't have the basic game knowledge required. There is hope, though. Their attitude is good, they just need to get more experience and knowledge under their belt, and they might be a good RD someday.
• In the meantime, though, this type of RD is a blueshield's worst nightmare. They're constantly poking their nose into things, but super-ineptly, and frequently die horribly as a result. They're the type of RD that needs to be cloned multiple times per shift because they were always in the room when the X went off, never seeming to get out of the way, or be able to prevent it happening. They also frequently end up as a loot pinata for antags.

 

C Tier: The Super Scientist

• Like the D-tier, this type of RD understands that the primary job of the RD is to manage Science. Unlike the D-tier, they actually do know the basic mechanics of the science department. Unfortunately, they often struggle with the mechanical knowledge and skills required to play command. They make mistakes, but those mistakes tend to be command mistakes, rather than simple science mechanic mistakes.
• For example, where a D-tier RD would not realize the borgs are rogue, or have no idea how to fight them, a C-tier RD would realize, and try to do something about it, but wouldn't use their command abilities effectively. For example, they might fail to inform the robotocists, fail to report suspicions that one of the robos emagged the borgs to the HoS, fail to communicate to the station that the problem has been fixed (leading to unnecessary destruction of borgs/AI), etc.
• The hallmark of a C-tier RD is having a decent grasp of science mechanics, never violating server rules, generally following SOP... but struggling with the finer points of playing command, and being prone to having communication problems. Most commonly, prone to failing to communicate enough.
• This type of RD realizes that R&D needs to be done, and will do it themselves if necessary, but they might not check on genetics, or fail to ask  Robotics to make genetics a medibot. They realize that having the clown in scichem is bad, and they'll kick him out, but they might not realize this should probably be reported to the HoS.
• This is the most common type of RD. Experienced enough at science to understand most science mechanics, but not experienced enough at command to be very effective at managing the science department. Their attitude is in the right place, generally, but they may forget things, and are usually not very proactive.

 

B Tier: The Science Manager

• This type of RD has a good grasp of how to play command. They're competent and effective managers, but they're not super memorable.
• This sort of RD can be identified by how they interact with other roles and departments. They always respond on comms, give orders that make their department more useful, welcome visits from NTR/IAA (who are their natural allies in keeping their department up to snuff), and generally both listen and give direction.
• They're the sort of RD who will quiz people in their department about whether they're doing things correctly, with specific questions. They'll ask Robotics to show their consent paperwork for borging people. They'll check with R&D that the ORM, cloner and robotics have been upgraded. They'll ask xenobio if red/yellow slimes are available, and if they can give the CE a red slime potion, or make yellows for the borgs. They'll make a fuss if they see robotics making combat mechs without permission on green. They'll generally actively work to minimize the number of problems that occur in science.
• When a problem does occur, such as a scientist detonates scichem, they will not only ensure that the problem is fixed, they'll actively try to make sure it does not happen again, e.g. by demoting the relevant scientist, or, if it was a genuine accident, ensuring the responsible partly truly understands what they did wrong, and does not repeat it.
• This type of RD can be identified by their good communication, effective management of the department (which tends to result in the department being problem-free much of the time), effective teamwork, and general helpful nature.

A Tier: The MacGyver

• This type of RD is like the B-tier, except that they have mastered all the mechanics, including the mechanics of playing command, and as such are able to do hugely beneficial things you'd never expect. They're the ones who will surprise you by macgyvering a solution to a problem that was previously thought to be totally unsolvable, or run their own player-led mini-event which is surprisingly creative and rewarding.
• A classic example recently was when there were 20+ rogue borgs on station. The RD's office was unusable due to a ton of AI/borg sabotage, and borgs were going full murderbone all over the station. At least 3 murderous borgs armed with 30 damage/hit energy swords were sweeping science, killing everyone they saw. It was pandemonium. Command and sec were long dead, and the rest of the crew was quickly joining them. All that stood between a new synthetic dawn was one lone RD, who stepped up to handle the situation in dramatic fashion. First, he used an RCD to create some walls, to keep out the murderous borgs. Not just to stop them reaching him, but also to stop them seeing him, or the controls in the room he was in. He also cut the cameras to stop the AI seeing him, and turned off his sensors so they could not track him. He also made sure, via hacking if necessary, that his room had power, and he had breathable air. These things done, he constructed a new robotics console. Since there were so many, many borgs, it was not practical to lock them all down, especially since the AI might be able to undo it. So, he ahelped for permission to blow the borgs. All 25 of them. All over the station. Given the situation, admins said yes, and he blew them. By doing this, he single-handedly saved the lives of every remaining living crew member, and they were able to safely evacuate on the shuttle. It wasn't just that he saved much of the crew single-handedly. It was also that he used quick thinking, science knowledge, and a multitude of tools, including communication, to do it. He correctly recognized that if he did not do this everyone was dead, so he made it happen.
• Another less dramatic example was an RD who heard that the AI was killed in a raid on the AI sat. He went to EVA, suited up, went to the AI core, carded the AI, took the AI back to his office, then used the integrity restorer to fix the AI. Hacking the APC as necessary to ensure his office was powered. Then he constructed the AI a second core in a very secure room (R&D server room). This enabled the AI to effectively be revived, where it served as a major ally in defeating the attacking nuclear ops team. The RD made clever use of their abilities to provide major help to the crew, help that nobody but the RD was in position to provide. The help that the RD provided was nonviolent, and based in science, but it still turned the entire round around. Prior to the AI being reactivated, the nuke ops were everywhere, and the station was in chaos. After the AI was reactivated, the nuke ops suddenly found every door stealth bolted, every firelock awaiting its chance to crush them, and every room full of crew laying in wait for them to stumble in. The entire nuke ops team was wiped out by co-ordinated tactics by the AI and crew, which was only possible as a direct result of the RD's efforts reviving it and hiding it, to protect it from nuke op counterattack.
• A third example was an RD who arranged weapon demonstrations for Security, walking them through the mechanics of a variety of science-issue weapons, how they work, and how to deal with them. Aside from being fun, and good RP, this was really helpful to, and enjoyed by, the security players who typically had no idea how these rare weapons worked. It gave them something to participate in during downtime, and was really useful knowledge for them. Beyond the round that it happened in, events like this create a better relationship between security and science, which is always good.
• A fourth example was a RD who spent much of his shift teaching newer scientists how to do R&D. It is very easy to just take over, as RD, lacking the patience to teach newer players. It is a lot harder, and more time-consuming, to properly teach other people who to do science right. The people who are willing to devote the time to teach, not only make science a nicer department to play in, but they really enhance the experience for newer players. This story actually comes from years ago, when I myself was new to Paradise, and it was this RD who first taught me how to do R&D. Such is the strength of this that they're the only RD I remember from that period all these years later. Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do, the most epic thing, is to show kindness and help people, even a little bit. It creates the most lasting memories.
• Last story of an A-tier RD: in one shift years ago, a vampire killed all of security and command - except for the RD. The RD had stayed in science all shift, dutifully doing their job of managing science. When the RD realized that no other members of command were responding on comms, the RD realized they had all been murdered, and it was up to the RD to assume acting captaincy, and call the shuttle. So they made an anti-vampire weapon for self-defense, and proceeded to the bridge to call the shuttle. The vampire had deliberately left the RD, and science in general, alone for the whole shift up to this point. The one time the vampire had approached the door of science, their smartest thrall had warned them: this RD is so incredibly dangerous that he would "destroy" the vampire near-instantly if the vampire was foolish enough to attack. Turn back, the thrall said, and the vampire laughed, unsure what threat a mere RD could pose, but decided to take the thrall's advice, just in case. That was much earlier in the round, though. That thrall was long dead now, and now, the vampire happened to walk past the bridge, and saw the RD there, calling the shuttle. Alone. The vampire decided to attack. The vampire had recently taken out the HoS, who was armed to the teeth, and inside of a fully armed durand mech. How much challenge could the RD be, compared to the HoS in a mech? The RD did not know who the vampire was, but upon seeing someone mist in front of the bridge, he figured it out instantly, moved a bit to prevent the vampire coming out of mist form on top of him, and then unloaded a shot or two of his specially designed anti-vampire science weapon into the still-materializing vampire. The vamp died almost before he finished phasing in. The RD had almost effortlessly annihilated the vampire who had slaughtered every member of sec, and every other member of command. Just as the thrall had warned the vampire he would. The RD shrugged and proceeded to calmly evacuate the rest of the crew, leaving the corpse of the vampire, still burning, on the bridge, like no big deal. Ghostchat erupted in laughter. "You were warned!", they said. That round, the RD played at an A-tier level, but NOT because they killed the vampire. That was only one small part of it. They were A-tier that round because they stuck to their job of managing science, but, when the situation required them to step up and call the shuttle, they not only did, but they did not let a small thing like a mech-destroying vampire stop them, for they had SCIENCE on their side. They annihilated the aggressive vampire, then just got on with their job.

[Veterankyl]

I'm curious what that secret Anti-Vampire weapon was from the last story.

[Lalchi]

I'm curious too

Can't be holy water cause the vampire probably was full powered at this point, being immune to holy water.

Maybe Sarin with Phlogiston. Seems pretty deadly.

[McRamon]

Very likely anti vampire weapon was in fact 1% anti vampire and 99% anti anything

[Biolock]

I was the AI during the 25 borg detonation, and that made me the big sad.

[henriquekill9576]

Something tells me that the weapon was just a combat shotgun, 2 shots are enough to kill