Detective Improvements

[Surrealistik]

 

Being a Detective on Paradise is often extremely busy, thankless, and generally poorly supported. I recommend giving Detectives a couple of new toys to help them out:

 

#1: Give them Security HUDs as starting equipment in their office; why they don't have default access to these mystifies me.

 

 

#2: Give them access to Employee, Medical, Security Record and Security Camera consoles & Morgue Gear (yes they can get a laptop, but they shouldn't need to use one at their home base) in their lab/rear area, along with one Morgue slab, scalpel + surgery table (for performing autopsies; Autopsy Scanner unnecessary as the Forensic Scanner will be changed to include its functionality), sink, soap and Bodybag Dispenser. Addition of consoles unnecessary in the event of 3F's implementation.

 

 

#3: Give them the Baystation Forensics Console (also in the lab/rear area so that their computers are all consolidated). This introduces partial fingerprints (most gloves will leave partial fingerprints when manipulating things) and organizes all data collected via the Forensics Scanner into a handy searchable database featuring timestamps and locational metadata, while also indicating what sort of forensic evidence any given data features at a glance (fibres, blood, fingerprints, etc). It can also print reports and scan objects. When fingerprint samples are fed into it (taken from Forensic Scanner targets without gloves), it can translate partial fingerprints left on evidence into a full and matchable print.

 

However it could do with some improvements given Paradise's much faster pace and more demanding environment:

 

• A: A toggleable wireless mode for the Forensics Scanner activated via an interface called up by clicking on it, allowing the detective to upload data to the Forensics Console in real time where it can be reviewed by Security personnel (including from Autopsies; see below).

• B: The time the Forensic Computer requires to do an Object Scan is significantly reduced. It will now also reveal everything about an item and its functionality (for the purpose of RP regarding contraband), is able to recompile partial finger prints into full fingerprints and has a chance of finding DNA evidence on fibres if applicable (hairs, saliva, skin cells, etc). It otherwise acts as a Forensic Scanner.

C: Remove the bug that eats fingerprint samples fed into the Baystation forensics computer (of course).

D: Add filters so that the console can filter data by time, location, and/or whether it has DNA, fibres, fingerprints, chemical traces (or some combination thereof), etc...

E: The Detective's laptop can remotely access the Forensic Computer's interface. However it cannot normally print out photos and data, nor perform Object Scans.

For Added Convenience:

F: The Forensic Computer can search all records (Employee, Medical, Security) for evidence matches (DNA, fingerprints, blood types, etc...).

 

 

 

#4: Forensic Scanner upgrades:

 

 

• A: Integrated Autopsy Scanner function for the Forensics Scanner; scans faster than the Autopsy Scanner (Detectives on Paradise typically have a _lot_ to do in a very limited period of time). Reports are transmitted to the Forensics Computer if wireless transfer is enabled.

   

• B: Integrated spectrometer and reagent analyzer in the Forensics Scanner, allowing it to determine the presence of chemicals in liquid samples, including blood, as well as their quantities. This is part of scan data-package transferred to the Forensics Computer.

   

C: Integrated camera for the Forensics Scanner. It saves the image to the Forensics Computer (which can print them). Saved images can be printed out by the Scanner.

 

D: Can retrieve DNA data and fingerprint samples (if the target has no gloves and can generate fingerprints) from gibs/corpses/living creatures it scans (in addition to any blood found on the target's clothing which counts as a separate data entry). This takes several seconds and requires the target to remain still during this time.

 

For Added Convenience:

F: The Forensic Scanner's interface has the same functionality of the Forensic Computer (including making printouts) with the exception of the advanced Object Scan.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2015 by Guest

[Spacemanspark]

 

1. This is to prevent powergaming.

2. IIRC, this can't be done without giving them medical access or some shit (Or I'm just stupid and it's perfectly possible. It's not a bad idea.).

3. I /think/ we actually used to have this, but it was removed because /tg/ is Superior In Every Way.

4. Not a bad idea.

 

[Earthdivine]

 

Being a Detective on Paradise is often extremely busy, thankless, and generally poorly supported. I recommend giving Detectives a couple of new toys to help them out:

 

#1: Give them Security HUDs as starting equipment in their office; why they don't have default access to these mystifies me.

 

This is to make detectives to get security to do arrests and not do it themselves. You're not an officer, you're an investigator.

 

 

#2: Give them access to Employee, Medical, Security Record and Security Camera consoles (yes they can get a laptop, but they shouldn't need to use one at their home base) in their lab/rear area, along with one Morgue slab, scalpel + surgery table (for performing autopsies), sink, soap and Bodybag Dispenser.

 

This would need to give him a super special access to let him access these without giving him access to the area's, I believe, not to mention there's nothing keeping you from asking for the Autopsy paper from the Morgue.

 

[Surrealistik]

 

This is to make detectives to get security to do arrests and not do it themselves. You're not an officer, you're an investigator.

 

What I mean about the Sec HUD is it allows the Detective to both identify potentially suspicious crew at a glance, and trace/report them accordingly, which definitely helps him conduct his actual job; I'm not interested in it as something that indicates who should be arrested (Security usually _screams_ this out over their channel anyways, and often repeatedly at that).

 

This would need to give him a super special access to let him access these without giving him access to the area's, I believe, not to mention there's nothing keeping you from asking for the Autopsy paper from the Morgue.

 

Don't Detectives already have access to the records though? I thought that in order to access the Sec and Med records from your laptop you had to have ID access that would permit you to use their actual consoles.

 

As for getting autopsy papers from the Morgue, I really think the Detective should have autonomy here and the ability to conduct autopsies himself efficiently, because it is impossibly unreliable at worst and excruciatingly slow at best.

 

1. This is to prevent powergaming.

2. IIRC, this can't be done without giving them medical access or some shit (Or I'm just stupid and it's perfectly possible. It's not a bad idea.).

3. I /think/ we actually used to have this, but it was removed because /tg/ is Superior In Every Way.

4. Not a bad idea.

 

@ 3: Is the forensics code the Detective is currently using /tg/? Because if so, it's definitely not better than Baystation's forensics code (at least in terms of functionality); the Forensic Console helps a lot.

 

[Fox McCloud]

 

What I mean about the Sec HUD is it allows the Detective to both identify potentially suspicious crew at a glance, and trace/report them accordingly, which definitely helps him conduct his actual job; I'm not interested in it as something that indicates who should be arrested (Security usually _screams_ this out over their channel anyways, and often repeatedly at that).

 

This isn't his job; his job is to investigate crimes and report on them TO security for them to deal with it; he's not meant to identify, arrest, track down, and otherwise validhunt suspects--he's there to gather evidence---that's why he has a telebaton instead of a stun baton and a revolver instead of a taser (which stuns for less time and is more difficult to "recharge"). Detective is a supportive role, like chemist--not a catch-all (that's HoS!)

 

@ 3: Is the forensics code the Detective is currently using /tg/? Because if so, it's definitely not better than Baystation's forensics code (at least in terms of functionality); the Forensic Console helps a lot.

 

You're quite literally the first person to ever complain about it--I talked with players for porting over TG's detective system and they generally liked the idea of the new styled scanner; once it was fully ported over, it got nothing but positive feedback for being so much easier to use, less confusing, and more intuitive (plus the range boost was universally loved).

 

TG used to use the same exact code as Bay did for their forensics scanners--but TG went with a easier to use and more streamlined system. There IS less console organization with the current scanner (more printing out papers and putting data points together yourself), but aside from that it's generally a better experience for most players.

 

[veganzombeh]

I personally don't like Baystation's Forensive Console. It feels like an unnecessary additional step that just slows down a system that is already rarely fully utilized to begin with.

[Plotron]

 

I have to go with Fox this time. Your suggestions aren't improvements.

 

I played some Detective lately - and I gotta say that it's an enjoyable, streamlined job. You have shit to do and you have to do it efficiently. Slowing things down would only make it harder.

 

Even if you can't find out who murdered that friend of yours, you can at least try to produce additional evidence against people security has already caught or is suspicious of.

 

One of the cooler RP situations I've been in was a Vox chemist distributing 50u Meth pills (very dangerous!). All I had to go on was a box of evidence (pills here!) and slightly imprecise words given by the bartender. It was fun seeing security arrest the druglord. By the time he was brigged, I had managed to gather DNA prints (I think), fibers from the clothing and even confirm the contents of the pills (50u indeed), which was enough to give him a solid sentence.

It's rewarding.

 

I like how I can fit everything I need in a backpack/duffelbag and a briefcase (hand labeller, tape, evidence bags, crayon, recorder, camera). If I need to do an autopsy, I do it in the Morgue. Sure I'd prefer the peace of my own office, but lugging around bodies across the station does not seem to be a sane thing to do.

 

[Surrealistik]

 

This isn't his job; his job is to investigate crimes and report on them TO security for them to deal with it; he's not meant to identify, arrest, track down, and otherwise validhunt suspects--he's there to gather evidence---that's why he has a telebaton instead of a stun baton and a revolver instead of a taser (which stuns for less time and is more difficult to "recharge"). Detective is a supportive role, like chemist--not a catch-all (that's HoS!)

 

It is totally within the Detective's purview to trace and keep tabs on suspicious people as part of gathering evidence, and it often happens that people who get into shit with sec generally merit further inspection; that is why the Sec HUD is useful. Further, the Detective is actually meant to identify suspects; that is ultimately the entire point of the class after all: determining who did what. Tracking them down is a little more iffy, but I would still consider it within the class' purview and scope as the Forensics Scanner is quite good at it. What the Detective is concretely not meant to do is initiate arrests, chase down (not track, not trace, chase down in an active pursuit) and utilize force against suspects.

 

You're quite literally the first person to ever complain about it--I talked with players for porting over TG's detective system and they generally liked the idea of the new styled scanner; once it was fully ported over, it got nothing but positive feedback for being so much easier to use, less confusing, and more intuitive (plus the range boost was universally loved).

 

TG used to use the same exact code as Bay did for their forensics scanners--but TG went with a easier to use and more streamlined system. There IS less console organization with the current scanner (more printing out papers and putting data points together yourself), but aside from that it's generally a better experience for most players.

 

Note that I am citing Baystation as a base for improvement; I am cognizant of the fact that Paradise is a much faster paced and more demanding environment on average, which is why I proposed _extensive_ improvements and changes in light of the fact. That said, the bottomline is that Baycode here does datasifting/synthesizing right, and is much more effective at allowing players to synthesize evidence and determine guilt, so in that sense it is definitely better than existing code which doesn't even feature locational metadata in terms of actually deducing suspects. On the fly printouts are pretty much the only thing I like about the current system by comparison. With the laptop giving you the ability to access the database on the fly, and real time transmission of data, the awkward/clunky speedbumps that are specific to Baycode wouldn't really be a thing. Further, I would be surprised if most players were versed in the Baystation code to complain about /TG/'s relative deficiencies.

 

So, two things I'd edit into my initial concept:

 

 

• Mobile printouts.

• Ability to search and access all records from the Forensics Computer.

 

 

If you _really_ want to go full force in terms of power and convenience, give the Forensics Scanner the ability to replicate all of the Forensic Computer functionality, including these above revisions, except for the special Object Scan via an interface accessed by clicking on it.

 

I have to go with Fox this time. Your suggestions aren't improvements.

 

I played some Detective lately - and I gotta say that it's an enjoyable, streamlined job. You have shit to do and you have to do it efficiently. Slowing things down would only make it harder...

 

...I like how I can fit everything I need in a backpack/duffelbag and a briefcase (hand labeller, tape, evidence bags, crayon, recorder, camera). If I need to do an autopsy, I do it in the Morgue. Sure I'd prefer the peace of my own office, but lugging around bodies across the station does not seem to be a sane thing to do.

 

See, that's the thing; Baycode as it exists is absolutely a bogdown that has no place here, for sure, but that's not what I am proposing; I am proposing Baycode as a base with extensive improvements which emphasize convenience, and mobile and real time data gathering and analysis. The main point of the Forensics Computer is high power Object Scans, easier data synthesis, cross-reference and printouts.

 

Further, being able to do Autopsies in two places is definitely better than being able to do them in one.

 

[davidchan]

 

It's been ages since I played a detective, but it's important to keeping the role focused on investigating rather than instigating.

 

The job requires a bit of a run around, true, but it's balanced to give the suspect time to move. If an Unknown is caught hacking a door and books it before security can apprehend him, in what way is it fair if the Detective can scan the door and immediately know the perp's identity? All the best detectives I've played with make liberal use of their headset and relay information back and forth to the Warden/an Officer in the brig looking up the info they collect and confirming/validating.

 

Someone broke into Tech Storage? Detective scans it, finds fibers and fingerprints. Relaying the information, the Warden can confirm that the finger prints match the janitor. Officer Dale reports he sees the Janitor in the bar and can apprehend him. Security is meant to work together like this, not lone wolf it.

 

As far as SecHuds go, 99% of Security doesn't really seem to understand how they work or to best utilize them. If you've ever been arrested, cuffed and dragged to the brig only for Beepsky to beat the shit out of you, you know what I'm talking about. Shift clicking person lets you remotely view their Security status [None/Wanted/Incarcerated/Paroled/Released] as well as their records. If you witness someone committing a crime, setting their status to wanted before announcing it and quickly noting their records what they did (Breaking and Entering:Bridge. Assault:Clown, Vandalism:Bar and Kitchen, etc...) goes a long way in ensuring they wind up in a the bridge. Once a person is in cuffs and your custody, set them to incarcerated and report the arrest. If the person got away, you can always scroll up in the chatwindow and change their status back to arrest, your fellow officers, Beepsky or ED-209s will know what to do when they see the red checkbox.

 

Should detectives get SecHuds? Yes, I think it would help them and keep them uniform with the rest of Security (Warden gets a HUD and THEY shouldn't even be leaving the brig without a damn good reason.) But it's important for the Detective to remember they shouldn't be seeking out criminals to arrest, but rather intervening when they witness a crime or assist Security officer's where they can.

 

[Surrealistik]

 

I absolutely agree. The Detective is all about investigation, and the essence of these suggestions is to make investigation easier and more convenient.

 

I was initially trying to find a balance between convenience and coordination/legwork by making direct interaction with the Forensics Console required in some cases (powerful Object Scans, printing and advanced data sorting/evidence searches/matching), though some people may not find this desirable, so I've separated additional convenience measures out in the OP.

 

That said, unless a suspect is _really_ sloppy (not using gloves qualifies), a Detective is not going to insta-ID him, even with the ability to evidence match on the spot (which he can pretty well do already with the laptop). That said if he really is that careless, he deserves to be caught/IDed quickly.