Vox need a buff or a price decrease

[Wintermote]

 

Price: 45 karma

 

Cons:

- Must breathe nitrogen

- Can't be cloned

- Certain beneficial chemicals are apparently lethal to them

 

Pros:

- Immune to spess

- Can claw people like tajarans

- Spawn with a 2.5hr nitrogen tank that fits in a pocket

 

Here's an idea, instead of nerfing vox to hell, and then giving them a 2.5hr nitrogen tank as if that somehow justifies the obscene nerfs, we come up with some ideas that'll actually make the race stand out and be worth the price.

 

They're basically tajarans that can wear shoes and can't breathe oxygen right now. Tajarans apparently don't even cost any karma - I don't see them in the shop.

 

Why are these nerfs being applied unilaterally by one person with no discussion and kept, when they are being universally regarded by vox and other players as awful? I can't even play vox and I think the nerfs are ridiculous.

 

Edit:

I also believe the greys got a recent nerf that made their telepathy nearly pointless (requires LOS now) That could've been handled far better by just reducing their range, rather than requiring LOS.

 

Edited December 17, 2014 by Guest

[Wintermote]

 

First of all, when looking at what differentiates vox, we have to first take a look at their lore.

 

They're basically a hyper-advanced alien species that's going full-blown "transhumanist" and diving face first towards the singularity. Players play as the dregs of vox society: The labourer 'class' that apparently can hardly be considered "real" vox when compared to the hyper-augmented ones that live on their arkships and in bluespace. With that flavour in mind, some suggestions:

 

--

- Breathe a 90/10 or 95/5 mixture of nitrogen:plasma

 

This one I suggest mostly because I don't like the idea of something breathing an inert gas given that humans breathe oxygen to begin with because it's chemically reactive. So basically, switch the toxicity effects of oxygen and plasma around for vox.

 

--

- More cybernetic parts

 

Their brain's already implanted with a cortical stack, additional removable (and researchable) implants for vox may be something to look at. Possibly even EMP resistant, unlike IPC's.

 

--

- Vox specific equipment

 

From what I've seen, people playing vox don't really care about the removal of the vox magclaws so much as the fact that they lose one of the unique things vox had. It would've gone over better if they were just given magclaws that don't help them in space or when the gravity generator goes down. Likewise, having to wear a nitrogen tank on the bank was something more interesting for them. So here I'd like to suggest:

 

>Vox specific nitrogen tank/backpack. Give them nitrogen AND let that backpack carry some large items.

>Vox specific carrying belt that can hold most small items

>Give vox a chest rig that allows them to carry more small items

 

A small nitrogen tank they can put in a pocket solves some issues with vox players lacking in what they can carry, but it just smacks of "fine, shut up, here's your overpowered item that justifies your cost, now stop whining" rather than an honest attempt at making vox interesting. I don't think there's too much problem with having to use a nitrogen pack so long as there's something to help compensate for it.

 

 

I'm just throwing some ideas out there to get the ball rolling on this, because vox do need something to make up for what's seriously hurting them as a choice to spend karma on. A race that is majority downsides that costs 45 karma is something nobody wants. I don't think anyone wants to powergame as vox, they just want a race that's got some interesting upsides and downsides, and right now it's pretty much all downsides.

 

[belarion]

 

The way its been explained to me is that you don't pay 45 karma points to be a super OP bird person/have a different gameplay experience entirely, you pay it because being allowed to SKREEE at everything is cool as hell.

The idea is that they're RP things (since karma points are given for RP'ing apparently) with a few differences to make them play smoother, not like different classes or anything.

The karma cost is so high possibly in part because lore-wise vox are supposed to behave in a very different way to other species, tarajan on the other hand are just Arabic catmen (IN SPAAACE!).

 

That said a few special vox things would be pretty cool, same way some tarajan robes would be, or unathi regenerating limbs and a whole bunch of other stuff for everything else, there's like a few dozen people coding this stuff at most, species fluff is pretty low on their list for the most part.

I really don't like the idea of having to breathe plasma though, that'd make refilling tanks very tedious.

 

TLDR: The impression I've got is that Races are (meant to be) RP not gameplay things.

Obligatory "Vox are not meant for normal gameplay".

 

Edited December 17, 2014 by Guest

[PJB3005]

 

The way its been explained to me is that you don't pay 45 karma points to be a super OP bird person/have a different gameplay experience entirely, you pay it because being allowed to SKREEE at everything is cool as hell.

 

Can confirm, Vox 10/10 would SKEEE again.

 

[michellebaren]

 

- Can't be cloned

 

This is the only thing that needs tweaked with Vox, IMO. Popular argument though is "Cortical Sacks" due to lore shouldn't be cloneable..

 

Perhaps instead of cloning them the cortical sacks could be extracted & sent to Cent Comm/Shoal and after a few minutes of being in limbo in death, they respawn at arrivals at full health, with nothing on them but an N2 Tank and a breathing mask. From there it's up to them to reclaim their past belongings.

 

That or.. add some unique machine on the station that "fixes" Vox. Whichever, them dying and being stuck that way isn't cool.

 

That goes for Vox and any other race for that matter, too.

 

[Flipping Out]

 

I must say, as a race, when I first saw Vox, I knew I wanted to play them. Technologically advanced space gypsies? YES PLEASE!

 

They are different from bloody cat beasts (fist shake) with their third person pronouns and constant face clawing for comparing them to felines, and better than the COMPLETE lack of racial RP involved in slimes.

 

However, Wintermote is right. If you make them terrible gameplay wise, the RP element is redundant. I don't want to play as a bird who can be killed just by stunning and taking my tank.

 

Some Ideas -

 

1. Unique items, like magclaws, something lore related, and interesting.

2. A tether or something on the tank, meaning it must be removed BEFORE the tank comes off, buying them a little time when stunned.

3. Cortical stacks; have cloneable, or makeable Vox bodies, and just transfer that stack over. Easy Peasy

4. More things on the wiki. Teach everyone in medbay that if they give a Vox Dexalin, they will get lynched by the Vox IF it recovers. And also a Vox form of Dexalin.

5. Maybe a Nitrogen only room, for Vox to rest and relax in. Decorated like a Shoal, for more realism.

6.Fix races in general! Price ALL races, and make sure players know how to RP as that race. Im sick of seeing Tajarans named 'John Smith' who talk normally. Make sure when players play a race, they understand the lore.

 

Anyways, long story short, Vox are cool, and should be loved as much as any race in terms of nerds and buffs.

 

EDIT : Also give them a bluespace channel to talk to each other on. Its practically stated in their lore.

 

[Fj45]

 

5: Ahah, nope, don't have room on the map for that.

6: All races being karma is uneeded, man up and deal with the idiots, not like they are TRYING to hurt anyone, and really, this isn't bay.

 

[TheDemonic]

 

- Can't be cloned

honestly I don't think any race shouldn't be able to come back from death, they should give them a way to clone them even if they are more difficult to clone then other races.

 

[Wintermote]

It's basically a situation where they're intended to be clonable, but the code to make it work isn't there.

[Earthdivine]

 

It's basically a situation where they're intended to be clonable, but the code to make it work isn't there.

A big reason for that is the Vox code was mostly Copy pastah from the Raiders, which were never intended to be cloned, ever.

 

That's how it was when Vox were first introduced, but now-a-days their code might be much cleaner then how it used to be.

 

[Gibson1027]

 

5: Ahah, nope, don't have room on the map for that.

6: All races being karma is uneeded, man up and deal with the idiots, not like they are TRYING to hurt anyone, and really, this isn't bay.

 

 

 

5. so you mean like the unused embassies, the new completely unnecessary ai upload,unusued bar, library,nanotrasen recruiter hallway,the agonizingly long cargo bay, and every other place that is not used as a common place for anything. Hell we even have a z layer devoted to a clown area. With that said simply take and make embassies as traditional areas for each race. Simple places to meet and not be homesick.

 

6. I'm going to be quite blunt saying "this isn't bay" is a shit excuse. People do come onto this server for the quality of people interested in role playing and action. As this is the two primary assets that act as fundamental building blocks, I feel it is justifiable that you get over the hump of , ""If you make me angry I am going to cut your head off with the fire axe" before you are allowed to play as a race other than human. Each species has its downsides and benefits and need to reflect the qualities of each in a holistic nongame breaking manner.

 

Now onto the original topic post. I feel that vox do need a buff for price. I feel that things like the cortical stack mechanic not being available in game is quite a waste

With that said it would be a simple implementation of having r&d and science create a mid game machine that can reproduce a vox embryo by working with medical to harvesting stem cells or some other item from vox corpses, removing the stack, growing the body, and encerting the new cortical would be simple processing of already in game mechanics like development science and surgery.

 

The idea of a nitrogen and plasma based mix could be useful if you were advanced but it has its' ups and downs. The plus is that vox now require a large quantity of skill to play. (minor atmos mixing skills/or skills to acess plasma and nitrogen) the down side, is some players with vox are too inept to figure out how to open a canister without releasing the whole thing.

 

I did want to bring up some items from pokemoney that he brought up

 

1. I LOVE this idea of more unique vox based items. This would make playing them versatile and enjoyable. (maybe a boot item to introduce a leap to instead of knocking people down, to let them move over a large distance of squares quickly?)

2. The tether is a great idea. Stops greytide knocking you over and taking your can just so they can. It means you have enough time to stand and begin fighting before they get the full tank off of you. or enough time for help. (simple strap to add to glove or suit slot.

3. cortical stacks clonable is what I adressed earlier (r&d and med bay cooperative work)

4. I would love an indepth guide for how vox mechanics work with medical and other aspects that are not known! (i.e. treatment, cloning,etc)

5. It is doable but good luck convinicing them to add it. I,as i said, would use the embassies.

6. I also agree that pricing should be done. Prevents the people who play purely human from having a reason to complain or advance if they have not learned: server rules, basic mechanics, how to play the game.

 

All in all I am very optimistic for this. I have vox as well and would love to see an increase in their usefulness beyond menial roles, and see them take their place back in laberous roles (or even survive to the end of the round!)

 

+1 for good topic matter

 

[Fj45]

 

So you mean like the unused embassies, the new completely unnecessary ai upload,unusued bar, library,nanotrasen recruiter hallway,the agonizingly long cargo bay, and every other place that is not used as a common place for anything. Hell we even have a z layer devoted to a clown area.

 

 

Apart from the bar and library, I plan to change all of those. And the clown planet isn't a Z-level, its an away mission.

 

 

With that said simply take and make embassies as traditional areas for each race. Simple places to meet and not be homesick.

 

That will happen over my dead body.

 

[Gibson1027]

Why not? The embassies are NEVER used. and simply take up space. Unless you can provide , other than the idea of having (ambassadors) , a substantial reason to have them there then they can be changed to be something valuable. Right now it is simply a breeding ground for blob, xenos, and minimal hiding spots for those acclimated to figuring out how to hack doors.(which we have tons of aboard the station)

[Fj45]

As I said before, my basic plan for the embassys is to tear them out and replace them with other things.

[Fox McCloud]

 

I would remind everyone here that the purpose of Karma and the amount of Karma points has nothing nothing to do with how good/bad/strong/weak a race is and is meant to be tied with the difficulty in playing that race from a roleplay standpoint.

 

Buffing/nerfing races based on how expensive they are or granting benefits to purchased karma races is selling power, and I absolutely will not stand for it.

 

[Flipping Out]

 

I did want to bring up some items from pokemoney that he brought up

…pokemoney...

 

My name is right in the corner, next to the slowpoke 3