Stupid idea: Semi-automated hop oversight

[Midaychi]

 

Tl;Dr: A semi-automated system that uses pdas and the id console, doesn't get in the way, but also allows non inconvenient other-head oversight on certain access types, and has fallbacks that allow for inactive pda servers, emag, and vacant head posts.

 

 

So here's a neutral but idiotic idea of how to both appease security concerns and utilize ss13's advanced technology at the same time.

 

Why is this neutral? It both helps and hurts heads. Helps by allowing them quick and easy notification that people are being given access, and authority over such even when they're busy.

It hurts because it also makes them the target of nefarious people who want access.

 

When the HOP changes someone's id, they now have the option of inserting a piece of paper when they go to actually apply the changes. They can choose not to, they can choose to put woody's got wood in there stamped heavily by the mime, but ostensibly they'd have a id access form stamped by authority.

 

The ID is then changed. Nothing more is required by the hop or the victim of id change (possibly the same person)

The person can receive their ID and walk off.

 

Major difference: Certain access levels on the card won't work without authentication. You can slam that card up against the captain's quarters as much as you want but it won't work until then. Levels this include are such like: Toxins Storage, EVA, Engineering, The bridge, other such high security areas. Low and medium security areas require no verification.

 

How to get it verified:

1. The easiest way: Emag the card (or the id console before you make the card)

2. The Legitimate way:

When the hop (or the clown) presses that handly little apply changes button on the id console, the id console checks if there's any added accesses that require approval. It won't count accesses that were on the card before the change.

 

It then checks if the PDA server is active and working. If not, automatically approves ID. (incentive to blow up messaging console)

 

It then checks if there's a corresponding head to said access levels. (Ie if you're trying to get access to toxins mixing, it'd check for the RD) and if they're active. If no, then it'll check for anyone who has access to that respective head's office, and choose the one that's both active and has been on station the longest.

If both are no, then it'll succeed on id change (incentive to murder them beforehand).

 

It will then check if said head has a pda active on messaging, if no, then it'll succeed on id change (incentive to steal their pda).

 

All of the above happens in an imperceptibly small amount of time and automatically.

 

If both active head and active pda, it will send them a special message somewhat like a pda message. The message will contain the name on the authorizing card and the name on the target card, and will have a button that allows the recipient to view the scanned attached piece of paper (if any). It will have three further buttons: "accept, reject, hold".

 

If either reject or hold are not pressed within 2-3 minutes, the id change will succeed.

 

If hold is pressed, the request will go on hold pending further review, and be stored somewhere on the head's PDA for further rejection or acceptance.

 

If accept is pressed, the Id change will succeed.

 

Upon id chance success or rejection, and which specific section (Ie if you got an all access card, you'd have to get engineering-type accesses from the CE but if they accepted it and RD rejected the science-aspects, then the Engineering parts would still work.)

 

both the HOP and the holder of the target of the ID change (or just the hop if both are the same) would receive a success or failure message on their pda.

 

In the event of total PDA messaging failure preventing the legitimate authentication of a card after the authentication request was recieved by the heads, the target of the id change can have their id slotted into the head's pda, and have the head run manual direct authentication on the card. (More incentive for theft and murder)

 

[Fox McCloud]

A well presented idea, but I don't like it at all; while it does curb so called "abuse" by the Head of Personnel/Captain, it will make stealing additional access damn near impossible during average and high population rounds, not to mention sometimes someone over-riding the authority of a departmental head is needed. This will ultimately add another layer of bureaucratic time-wasting at the HoP--people are already impatient enough waiting on the HoP (and him checking in to approve/deny the application); this will only exacerbate the situation even more. Getting additional access via non-murderous means is already incredibly difficult;t his will make it darn near impossible (and yes, I realize you said emag...but not every traitor has access to these; cult, rev, vamp, changeling, etc all lack emags, of course).

[SpaceTimeNow]

 

I would propose a different approach to keep some of the ideas in a changed form, in order to reduce unnecessary paperwork and coms discusions:

 

Additionally i tried to keep the programming work manageable and not make it to complex.

 

Change to visitor ID Terminal:

 

Add the abilitly to the visitor ID terminal to also change access on an exsisting ID Card. Like the HoP ID computer it will require two IDs in this this case. One to apply the access to and one to authorize giving the access. You can only add (never remove) rights to the recieving ID that are present on the authorizing ID. So the CMO could give one of his doctors chemistry access or a security officer basic medbay access. I mean it's the CMOs department he should be able to give access.

 

This system could be balanced further by only allowing Head of Staff IDs to be a authorizing id (Check for bridge access or something) otherweise the chemist could give a medical doctor chemistry access.

 

The HoPs terminal keeps completly untouched, he can still apply and remove right as he pleases, but he now has the ability to say, if you want further access, go to the corresponding department head. No need for back and forth communication between the HoP and corresponding department head.

 

 

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Semi automated access or job change request to Head of Staffs

 

Additionally there could be a list in the HoPs computer menu (on the same screen where he picks the access rights) which lists:

Captain

Chief Engineer

Chief Medical Officer

Research Director

Head of Security

Head of Personell

 

When the HoP hits the CMO button the Job title will go yellow (pending) and the CMO will recive a request to authorize. This message pops up in a new app on the CMO PDA and the message could include new job title, name of the person and list all the access granted. The CMO can now hit accept or deny which will turn the job tile on the HoP computer either Green or Red.

 

So if there would be a sec officer requesting access to engineering and medical, the HoP could just change the access and hit Chief Engineer, Chief Medical Officer, Head of Security and wait until the names turn either green or red. The HoP gets the approval in a matter of seconds and the Heads of Staff are also notifed about the ID change.

 

This functionality is 100% optional. The HoP could overrule the other Heads desicions if he seems fit and hand out the ID, or he doesn't have to send the requests in the first place. It's just a neat function for the HoP to gather the opions of the other Heads of staff via a small vote. This would remove the amount of paperwork and explanation via coms.

 

 

Paperwork is very clunky and time intensive for the HoP and the poor guy who has to run to 2 or 3 different heads of staff and has huge problems to actually reaching Heads to get a signature. This could all be avoided.

 

[Sheakhan]

I hate the idea of making the HoP's job rely on other crew members to complete, or even having the option as it implies that is "the way it should be done". However, I do like the idea of allowing department heads to provide access under their purview to their subordinates. It keeps the round moving and saves Security/Medbay/Whoever the trouble of running to the HoP desk, hoping he's there, waiting for access, waiting for the HoP to agree that it's necessary, then running back to the area they desperately needed access to only to find that the emergency situation that dictated they get expanded access has worsened/resolved itself/ended poorly.

[SpaceTimeNow]

 

I hate the idea of making the HoP's job rely on other crew members to complete, or even having the option as it implies that is "the way it should be done".

Sure, haveing a actual viable option to ask the heads for approval puts a little pressure on the HoP, but would it really be that bad? The regular good guy HoP would have nothing to worry about. He could wait for the results and if one head does not reply he would make the decision himself. Absolutly nothing wrong with that. Clean, simple, easy.

 

But it would finally allow a CMO to say: Listen buddy, you gave everyone access to my department and everything is complete chaos, i have never approved that, what's up with that? Right now it's just generally assumed by almost everyone that paperwork or getting approval has not to be done because it's to much effort. Right now the CMO could go to the Captain and 9 out of 10 Captains would not give a flying fuck.

 

I think the sweet spot is somewhere inbetween "Getting approval not beeing a viable option" and "The HoP can't do anything without approval of the department heads"