Productive Extended Rounds

[Somnus]

 

While I enjoy the hectic pace and tension of the average Paradise round, I feel the server experience could be improved if once in a while there was a shift without antagonists, instead focused towards the role of the Cyberiad as an actual research station that's supposed to turn a profit when it's not being wrecked by the enemies of NanoTrasen. Current extended rounds are marred by the crew, expecting disaster, staying on edge for the entire shift and thus losing the opportunity for both leisure and productive work. Sigurd is empty and neglected, and other roleplay heavy servers lack the comfort of a familiar station and familiar friends.

 

As such, I propose the introduction of a modified extended round, with the following aspects:

 

- A rare game mode, replacing regular extended rounds, with an opening announcement stating it's extended for all joining players.

- Priority announcement at the beginning of the shift of department quotas that must be filled for NT to turn a profit. Examples include resources mined, research levels reached, solars wired, mechs built, supply points used, etc.

- Congratulations announcements from CentComm listing the status of each department's quota when one is filled.

- The vote for the crew transfer shuttle happens at one hour rather than at two hours. This allows players to pass the round quickly if they desire a regular round or become bored.

- No antagonists are spawned or introduced by the admins.

- Custom events that need an otherwise peaceful shift (Such as teaching sessions for various jobs) can be held.

- (Maybe) One karma given to all living crewmembers (But not civilians) at the end of the round, as a reward from CentComm for actually having a productive shift (If enough departments successfully fill their quotas).

 

The advantages to such a round are many;

 

- Newer players can be directed to join during this round for the opportunity to learn their chosen jobs without being inevitably interrupted by some disaster on the station.

- Regular players, relieved of the need to constantly look over their backs and prepare for antags, can relax at their jobs and even spend time drinking at the bar or on other leisure activities.

- Players can take the time to roleplay and develop relationships without interruption, or the fear their friend/coworker/partner is a changeling or traitor out to murder them.

- Griefers will stick out immediately and be readily dealt with.

- Department quotas encouraging cooperation on a station where survival of the fittest is unfortunately all too common.

 

Any disadvantages (People wanting chaos instead of peaceful shifts, boredom, etc) are mitigated by the game mode's rarity as well as being half as long as a regular round if voted for.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

 

[IamnotDave]

Sounds cool to me, but I'm a nerd who love muh arr-pee... Not sure about everyone else though...

[Habalabam]

 

You touched into it, but I feel that this could be more viable if there were station wide objectives.

 

Like a production quota.

Like away mission.

Like exploring some phenomenon / artifact.

Restoring power and atmo to the derelict.

 

This would allow the heads to direct the staff in a direction rather than having every department and every workstation being totally introvert. Science would know where to direct their efforts. Medbay would consider stuff like deploying a forwarded presence on the mining station.

 

It would be nice to see four deployed Ripleys, the only telekinesis enabled person person emptying crates into the unloader, smelter running non-stop, meeting 2000 metal quotas.

 

Also, the antag model could be scaled down. An extended round allows for more detective work. It doesn't have to be overly destructive objectives. Just a good round of who-dun-it.

 

[Somnus]

All very good points, Habalabam, though I believe they'll need admin oversight due to their complexity, and so can be considered for custom events. Reconstruction of the derelict would make for an engaging round, but isn't something that can be automated in a game mode. Similarly for a single, isolated, who-dun-it murder.

[Habalabam]

 

Yes, although most of these things can generally be automated, the "game master" role (event admin) certainly opens up a lot of options.

But that also plays into your original point about this being a rare game mode, which suggests it could be outside the ordinary rotation.

 

[Fj45]

 

As a "special" extended mode? That would be great really. Randomized objectives of:

 

"Repair the engineering derelict!"

"Repair the Russian derelict!"

"Mine blahblah minerals"

"Research blahblah artifacts"

"Stock the vault full of gold and diamonds!"

"Create an isolation clinic/docking station/warehouse close to the station"

 

Could all be some really fun objectives. One problem is airlocks, sure there are a few ghetto ways you can do it but none really work that well. They need to be able to be built. Maybe a few other things as well.

 

Engineering derelict/Russian derelict might also need a few things, like more atmos type stuff and engineering supplies.

 

[Bone White]

I'd love super-extended rounds events where we reconstruct/repair the engineering derelict for hours. Give lots of crew Engineering access and equipment, people contribute to mining too, see what we can make. Admins slowly and randomly assign traitors to people during play who have to cause, minor at first, growing amounts of specific sabotage.

[Radman2307]

 

I suggested something similar a few months back and to be honest these rounds *should* be the norm with perhaps admins adding antags as and when.

 

Every department should have a set objective, research and mining especially.

 

Cargo should have to ship various ore and equipment back to cent-comm.

 

These should be standard objectives with perhaps the odd special objective thrown in for good measure i.e "Due to a mining accident on the Terra-Prime facility Cent-Comm are requesting you dispatch three additional Ripley Units."

 

It'd be great to have the station function as a station with everyone working together as best they can.

 

[Spacemanspark]

 

Baystation hosts 'Trader ship' events during extended sometimes. This would involve them having a ship dock with the station, and they would either need a part of the ship repaired, need to refuel, or just came for trade. It usually ends with the traders being kicked out violently.

Perhaps Paradise can benefit from such an idea? It would have RP, and action.

 

[Radman2307]

 

Here was my similar suggestion a few months back.

 

Hey chaps,

 

Something that annoys me with SS13 is the lack of motivation amongst the player-base to get things done and it's obvious why, there is no reason to get anything done! Every round seems to devolve into 'waiting for the station to go to hell' and the inevitable shuttle call, the answer to this? Well in my mind implement station objectives, the primary ones being around Plasma Mining, Smelting and Research, Plasma is at the end of the day why you're there - some ideas as to the 'station objectives' could be:

 

1. Process (Mine & Smelt) X amount of Plasma.

2. Export X amount of Solid Plasma to market (using supply shuttle.)

3. Research & Build Mech for more efficient Plasma extraction.

4. Set up Singularity Drive and ensure no catastrophic failures occur with engine.

5. Ensure atmospheric pressure is maintained on station.

7. Unlock the secrets of the Genome (unlock medium/high level genetic powers)

8. Maintain Hygiene and Cleanliness on station (no-more then x amount of messes)

9. Serve X amount of food/Drink types in Kitchen/Bar

10. Prevent Emergency Shuttle Call until X amount of time has passed

 

Medical, Security and Command type roles are there to ensure the smooth running of the station, they are at the end of the day 'support staff' to the rest of the crew, setting objectives for these occupations is a little silly in my mind and would require targets which wouldn't make much sense, hence why I believe 'Station wide objectives' should be in place.

 

To stave off boredom you could have a random time limit, say forty minutes where an Antag is selected to cause trouble and stir things up a bit to prevent boredom or rely more heavily on random events to mess things up.

 

I just figured it'd be a good way to get people motivated, admins could even expand this by awarding enthusiastic players with a little extra Karma for getting things done, alot can be said for an efficiently run Cargo & Engineering bay - if you wanted to take it further you could implement a:

 

"Crewmen of the Shift" - Karma award

 

Where the shift vote for someone who did exceptionally well, the top three are displayed at the end of the round (along with their position/rank) and are awarded a Karma point.

 

SS13 just seems to be so 'anti-team work' that there really is little point at times working with one another but its odd since alot of the nuts and bolts require team work in many respects.

 

Throwing it open to the floor,

 

Cheers,

 

Radish

 

I honestly believe this style of round should be the norm with admins adding antags as and when, there should ALWAYS be objectives from Cent-Comm to keep the crew motivated and working together, with Karma incentives to get this things done for various departments (I quite like that idea - miners have a raw deal when it comes to Karma since they're pretty isolated.)

 

Again I support this suggestion 110%, the game shouldn't be about waiting for the station to go to hell, it should be about people carrying out their roles to the best of their ability.