New silly gamemode

[driecg36]

I know adding new gamemodes isn't a priority, nor is it very likely to happen, but I just came up with a fun idea I wanted to share.

Also some of the specifics might be ass so don't get caught up too much on those, just consider the general idea.

The round starts with 2 primary antags: the "gollum" and the "ringwraith" (obviously named differently, but names aren't my strong suit). The gollum starts with an extremely advanced syndicate weapon disguised as a basic golden ring. Gollum's goal is to take the shuttle while free and in possession of the ring, and the ringwraiths goal is to regain possession of the ring. The crew's goal is to throw the ring into the singularity/Tesla (through containment fields i guess? dunno how that would work, but it wouldn't be hard to find a work-around), or maybe take it to a remote location through advanced telescience.

The gollum would start as a normal crewmember, but as time progressed would grow more and more obsessed with the ring, which would occasionally give him nefarious objectives to complete (so that he couldnt hide the entire game). If he didn't complete these objectives in a timely manner, he would get punished by the ring (idk about semantics here, just anything to encourage the gollum to do something) Their way of speech would also be changed, and occasionally say and whisper gollum like things "my precious" etc, all so that he is easier to find out. He would occasionally put on the ring without wanting to and the like. If the gollum keeps the ring for long enough, they would eventually be forced to permanently hold it in their hand so that it would be extremely difficult for them to never lose it.

When a crewmember gets a hold of the ring, they get to use its powers (if they dare put it on). These powers are terrifying indeed. Instant invisibility when you put it on,etc. Of course, the ring has corrupting powers. The longer someone has the ring, the more entranced they become with it. It becomes harder and harder to get rid of it, and sometimes they just put it on their fingers without thinking. After a certain amount of time possessing the ring, the person would become completely enthralled by it, and their objective would shift to the same as gollum's (escape with ring) and be completely unable to get rid of the ring, unless someone were to take it from them.

Finally, the ringwraiths. Syndicate agents tasked with retrieving the ring at all costs. By-the-by traitors, or full on nazgul, would both work for this role. They would receive a variety of traitor tools, but more importantly, they would be informed whenever someone put on the ring. Where they are, who they are, everything. If they get their hands on the ring, their goal is to get the ring back to its rightful owner, the "dark lord" of the syndicate. Once this happens, its game over. How they would get this back is a little tricky. Maybe the shuttle, maybe waiting a certain amount of time with the ring, etc.

 

I'm fully aware this will most likely not get implemented in the main server, but if there are any coders out there who would want to try to code this silly idea, please tell me how it turns out, I'm curious. I don't know how to code byond, but this sees like it wouldn't be too difficult since it doesn't make any sweeping changes to already existing mechanics, nor does it add ridiculous new ones. The real problem is actually making this game mode fun, and making sure the gollum doesn't hide in a remote corner the entire game. I think gamemodes where the crew turns against itself, like slings or cult, are the most fun, and I find the idea of command going crazy over who should hold the ring very amusing. Maybe the captain goes crazy with power and tries to dominate the station for himself, or command decides to give it to the station clown to destroy it.

[Spacemanspark]

Lord of the rings reference, eh?

[driecg36]

It was a little subtle, didnt think anyone would get it.

[froz-t]

I see what you're going for with this, and I feel for it, seeing how I had a similar concept for a Predator and Prey gamemode, but I feel like there isn't much involvement for the rest of the crew, if they're not trying to actively hunt down some cretin smuggling a ring. Essentially a manhunt, with the payout being becoming the antag for crew, and a syndicate win for the hunter. Typically, the solution to such a problem is a more prevalent "conversion" factor, but this isn't always necessary.

The only other question that springs to mind is what would happen to the "Gollum" when either A) he is captured by the crew/Ringwraiths and/or B) he loses the ring and survives the encounter. Honestly, it's going to be a very quiet and boring end to the shift if the Ringwraiths just have to get on the shuttle, not having been discovered/NEEDING to be discovered. I do, however, commend the idea of a crew member, having acquired the ring, slowly converting to the new Gollum. I think that if such a thing is to be possible, you'll need to make it either A) easy enough for any crew member to capture this Gollum, or B) very rewarding, other than some temporary invisibility.

I get the references to LOTR, but I feel like some of that identical experience will be lost in an environment like SS13.

[driecg36]

Yeah, i was thinking about that. The movie fromat is focused on a small group of people, while the majority of everyone else isn't really "involved"

Perhaps a less direct approach to the story might be a good idea, so that more of the crew is involved. A gamemode where most of the crew never even feels the repercussions of the antags isn't that interesting, I agree.

I think a conversion mechanic wouldn't be that original, but perhaps having the syndicate agents grow in power the more the ring is used, and eventually become powerful enough to scour the station in the search of the ring? Perhaps even making it so that they come back upon death after a while.

I do agree the shuttle escape would be boring, but I dont really know how else the agents would be able to escape. Perhaps a cult-like ritual to summon the dark lord figure? Or, the wraith that acquires the ring becomes the dark lord after a while.

I dunno. I just find the idea of command going crazy over the ring and fighting over it very amusing. I doubt this gamemode has much merit, but I could see it being fun as a joke mode. Shame i don't have the time to learn how to code byond.

 

Edited March 13, 2017 by driecg36