Zelmana

The portable hole is begging to be used in a few gimmicks. Ever since they armored up the AI's roof I miss busting in on malf....... Scientist, prepare the hole.

Skill systems like these, you can mess a whole lot of stuff up. Consider the amount of knowledge an average individual has. Do I know how to use syringes? Yeah. Do I know how to flush my engine and change tires? Yeah. Do I know how to field strip an AK? You bet'cha. Skills vary and restricting them in code is for me, something that should be done extremely carefully. Time-based adjustments may be fine, yes. Full restrictions I would be careful on.

I still do not like these and do not believe they fit in.

As a HoS main, and antag player, I might have a bit of insight into this. It's something I reflect on a lot when we are discussing gimmicks, and too when I try to respond to antags on station. Disclaimer, due to this I will mainly be talking about the security-antag dynamic, as in my opinion- this dynamic is the driver for a majority of roleplay actions on the server. Explosions requiring repair, Surgeons fixing ribcages all flow back through the sec-antag dynamic. Firstly, I think it is a lack of creativity. Creative gimmicks are shot down in favor of gimmicks that require less lore knowledge or adapt skillsets. Consistently while antagging, unique and insightful gimmicks are shot down due to complexity. A skilled antag who can perform a good gimmick will be outvoted for a mediocre gimmick that requires very little lore knowledge or additional effort to maintain a gag. This issue of nonunique gimmicks compound when you consider people play archetypes. Certain gamemodes lend themselves to specific gimmicks, and when there is no originality or originality is outvoted due to the issue above, you will see a 'rut' of the same gimmick being played over and over. Which is the second issue- the same gimmicks are presented over and over. When you have the first issue resulting in the same gimmicks being played over and over, people, especially security, get tired of them. No longer is it a freeform roleplay experience, but a rehearsed and choreographed dance that occurs. When the gimmick is repeatable, so too are the responses. If you were to supply a 'round equation' for each popular gimmick, a majority of those gametypes would follow the average equation. Only semi-often does the gametype break from the gimmick mold. It is the responsibility of both the security department as well as the antags to introduce uniqueness. Uniqueness not only in gimmick or antag actions, but also in response to them. The latter is hard. Antag failure to involve other deparments vs. mentality of 'play vs. security' is a hinderance as well. The latter, response to gimmicks, is especially harder for peace-antags. A peaceful antag forces security into fewer choices of response. Upon verification with central command, if CC goes with the gimmick, security will almost surely be completely pacified. The peace-antag is then wholly responsible for driving narrative for the gimmick, involving the other departments / full station as they wish. How many rounds have you witnessed where an peace-antag, say, a healing wizard, joins, is granted amnesty, and is merely monitored? They then join medical, and just become another surgeon with some magical powers. Perhaps they visit the bar? This is driving narrative at a turtle pace and is in no way entertaining after the 10th time you have witnessed such a round. What is the solution? I'm not certain, but a wise man once said do not complain unless you have a solution. So- in addition to the 2 cents of advice above I will say this; I believe that the dynamic gamemode intensity PR is going to resolve a lot of this. Introducing randomized sets of antagonists and different 'difficulty' levels will allow for new combinations that we have yet to see. Yes, we will still have classic combinations, but I believe that the playbooks will have to be set aside for some of the new combinations. This will improve gimmicks. Additionally, and this is a point that is contested and is purely my opinion-- security's use of force escalation has been messed with. I think it should be looked at.

I like the shapes on these, but I fear the dull brown hardsuit for the hazard is off. If it is a hazard (on an asteroid)- wouldn't we want something high vis? Not mute colors that blend in with hematite. Boost the red?

I like the new lawset. I am currently doing a read through of Asimov, and think that this lawset will result in some interesting roleplay.

It's Nerf or Nuthin'. Bring back cold blued firearms. Plastic-esque ballistics do not look good.

Good point. I roleplay as a regulation enforcer. That's the role.

If we remove security, what will the devs do? They're insistent on removal of security via death by a thousand papercuts. half /sarcsm

Why is the forward sight on the .45 moved up to the middle of the gun? I also don't like the plastic-ization of ballistics. There's a reason why guns are not shiny white silver, and instead are blued. These things would be filthy if regularly used.

I'd prefer to think that our firearms are not all purchased from the same vendor-- so perhaps having different color schemes / materials is a good thing? I hardly imagine every company using the same white polymer for a majority of the gun.

All a part of the learning curve. I actually am against this as it allows for new players to experience some medical surgeries etc. that they otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to in hazardous engineering/sec type jobs.

Anything to avoid dragging bodybags through the halls.

muhawir come home

I played on a round that had a test of the dynamic change stuff. I liked it a lot, and from a player perspective kept me guessing what the possibilities were, and if the round was going to get worse/trash/completely different.

Why not a big section of the antag area with tons of masks, clothing, etc? Theoretically someone could just take tons of clothes and sell them to the station or something odd- but would it not be better to make gimmicks more available without having a TC cost? Just a thought

I like the ability to play my character at different times of in-game time despite it being not that time irl. Breakfast roleplay is slightly different than middle of the graveyard shift roleplay, and although slight, I do not think one should have to login at those times to experience and roleplay those scenarios.

In game time moves faster than IRL time, no?