Jamini

LOGIN>PR0PH3T PASSWORD>*********** ACCESS LEVEL>Operative NET ACCESS GRANTED WELCOME This bounty has been completed. Thank you.

... part of me loves this idea. Especially if chemistry can make them. ... part of me fears that this idea will be bad for the health of the game, as getting O2 isn't really that difficult if you know where to look.

Okay, I'm going to get my initial point out nice and early so everyone can see it. Statements like this need to stop. I am sick. Utterly sick. Of various people bringing up complaints or ideas proposing strict restrictions on the skills of other players/characters. Far, far too often I see people complaining over the most basic forms of departmental cross-training. It is frustrating to deal with those allegations, and is taken to hilariously unbelievable levels in OOC, LOOC, and on the Forums. For reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-training_(business) http://www.startmedicine.com/app/coursework.asp Now, take a moment. Look over those requirements and recommended classes. Notice how the required courses edge into tangential practices? Roles that require a MS, phD, or more, often include information and training and education outside of one narrow field. This is a reoccurring theme within any form of higher education. Now, I am not saying everyone should be a super-engineer, super-doctor, or super-scientist. Clearly having weaknesses or inabilities within a character is a good thing, and it encourages interaction and growth. Nor am I saying that we should have people consistently stepping outside of their role to take over the jobs of other characters. I am, however, saying that we should not stigmatize characters with a well-rounded skill set within their department. Let's take a look at one of my characters as an example. Omnir Al-Nasser specifically, my paramedic. First thing to notice: His skill set is average for his age (23). As a first responder, his medicine skill is officially trained. Allowing him to use most medical equipment. As he is going to school specifically to become a surgeon he is also trained in Anatomy and capable of doing surgery (though he ICly should ask for permission or wait for an emergency.) Due to schooling and previous in-house training, he has a smattering of chemistry. He knows enough to make a handful of medical drugs (specifically Bicardine, Dermaline, Dexalin plus (from dexalin. He can't make dexalin), Speacillin, Tramadol, Antitoxin, and Inaprovaline). As a general rule he avoids handling plasma, and he has no idea how to make dangerous chemicals (unless he is an antagonist) or more advanced pharmaceuticals, grenades, and mood stabilizers. Of Virology, he knows enough to recognize most virus symptoms and not much more. He has no training in genetics. He has additional training outside of the medical field, amounting to roughly a third of the value of his overall skill level. Personally I feel as a rule of thumb, station staff should be expected to have one area of their field where they are highly trained (Professional or Trained level), a second area where they are capable (Trained), one or two tertiary areas where they have limited or basic training, and at least one area where they have a pronounced weakness. While there should be exceptions (The occasional savant might specialize heavily in one area at the expense of others, or a very well-rounded character could be well-versed in the bulk of operations for an entire department) I do feel that such cross-training should be the norm. Okay, so what is your point? My point is simple. We, as a community, need to recognize that we are playing characters who are supposedly highly trained individuals. We need to recognize that cross-training within a department is not rare and that as a rule most characters should be able too, at minimum, fill in for absent members of their departments. Likewise we need to recognize that people who do play specialists should be allowed to handle their specialty. In short, we need to bitch about skills and roles less overall and focus more on playing the game. Thank you.

In any organization, cross-training is often a thing. Skills should be character-specific, not determined by job. I do not see why a fully fledged atmos technician with a degree would never have taken a course or two in electrical systems. Quite the opposite in fact, I'd imagine many technicians who hold a Bachlor's degree or more in "Environmental Systems" (Which is a requirement of the job) would have had at least a handful of Electrical Engineering courses.

I never said they did. I said they recognize the catholic leadership and the Pope as leaders of their faith, in addition to having leaders of their own. I made no comment on how the traditional catholic faith views them. Quite a few "new" branches of Christianity were/are considered heretical (Pope and Antipope excommunicating each other, The protestants, Angelican Church... actually just about every non-catholic branch of Christianity.). How traditional Roman Catholics view these people would be up to people who are not me. Though I suspect that if anything some Catholics would certainly entertain the idea of recognizing the sect out of sheer practicality. (While others would be hilariously offended by the very idea) They would use the bible, though probably with rather heavy revisions. Most Christian faiths print their own version of the bible. This would be no different. Major differences would likely be the Creation Myth, the inclusion of stories of other species at the end of the old testament, and the lives of Christ.

Actually, aren't fibers inadmissible in a number of courts for how highly inaccurate they are? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_analysis

1. Would you actually be willing to excuse yourself ICly from work activities to attend the Chapel for religious reasons, and will this sect's views actively affect your character's views? That would depend heavily on the round in question, and the activities. As the character of mine who will follow this is part of medical and routinely works alone or with minimal support, excusing oneself from that department when it is understaffed would be extremely unfair to anyone who may very well need help. As most of the holidays that this character would acknowledge are in-line with real-life holidays (Christamas, Easter, etc) following them would probably be a non-issue when they do occur. This sect's views do actively affect my character's views, and they make him routinely question what he is and has done in the past. 2. Would you be willing to try and make a Chaplain character to try and spread this religion legitimately amongst the crew to attempt to spark actually IC involvement and interest of the community? Yes. Most certainly. Though I must admit I would love to snipe a particular chaplain character controlled by another player who I've seen around quite a bit recently. 3. Do you feel like you'd be able to write up some religious text as a basis for the religion itself, i.e. scriptures on bluespace etc. (If you already have, apologies, I skim-read the piratepad) I love writing, especially writing pseudo-religious legends and short stories (I am, personally, agnostic. But I really love reading religious stories and studying various religions. It's a fascinating subject.) If you will note, I've alluded to potential myths on the pad that should certainly be fleshed out more. I'd love to further develop them, or have another person collaborate in developing them.

I believe that I can state with certainty that both Prophets are very much interested in this new crime network. -Some day they may even end up on the same team. *gasp*

Generally policies like that are hard to uh... enforce in any way. It's normally better to make a mechanical solution for situations like this.

I'm pretty sure taj uh.. do not have knots. I mean... ask Sue. But I'm fairly certain they don't? Perhaps it is best to uh, not discuss this anyway. Tajara: Fuzzball, Fuzzbrain, Dumb Cat, Catbeast, Slave.

Off the top of my head the things a "Morale Officer" could use and would need. Need: 1. A wardrobe of some sort, with a fair number of costumes. (There's actually a ton of nice jumpsuits/costumes in code.) 2. A stage area of some sort. Probably incorporated into the bar or the holodeck. On the map update, the "private dining" or "smokes" room could be used as a stage. 3. Instruments. The piano or violin (assuming that people don't hate it enough to have it removed. Again.) 4. A microphone (functionally a loudspeaker) 5. Very strict anti-clown enforcement. Could Do: 1. Comedy acts (stand up) 2. Give speeches 3. Sing/Play/Act in the bar/cafeteria 4. Act as a more "secular" ear for people to speak too. Not unlike the bartender, but less busy. 5. Back up the bartender as a waiter/waitress/hostess for the bar/cafeteria. 6. Organize and throw parties. Especially considering the HOP and Captain are often too busy to really do much. 7. Act as a vehicle for non-religious lore. (Unathi or Tajaran storyteller/bard anyone? Perhaps an IPC with the entire repository of "Calvin and Hobbes" that they display on their screen, complete with voiceovers and sound effects?) 8. ERP all day erry day. I've played as an actress/singer once or twice in the past. It can be a good deal of fun to do for everyone involved if done right. That said, again, we need to keep "Entertainer" completely away from the concept of "clown". The latter has too much baggage and WILL attract chucklefucking and griefing behavior.

*rolls dice* ... I got a 31. Can I do over?

Oh god, I didn't realize Sam had a Brooklyn accent. ... I love her even more now.

Point emphasis. There have been, to my knowledge and personal experience, a bare handful of clown who have been genuinely funny and liked compared to scores, and scores of poorly done and/or outright griefing ones. Aliens, even those who are hired as headstaff, are internally consistent with our lore. Clowns as corporate employees are not. Just because you dislike how something is handled (which is really the crux of your argument. "I don't like that aliens are not a perfect analogy for the history of one nation's slavery issues and consider that unrealistic.") does not change how it is. Using a self-contained black hole (which IS silly, and which is why both RUST and SM were created. Sadly Aurora has neither due to the playerbase being unwilling to learn new engines.) is internally consistent. A child's entertainer on-staff is not.

This is very true. Nothing as operative stops you from building stungloves, stealing an AED, or breaking into the outpost to make chloral hydrate either. Nor, honestly, will or should most staff talk to operatives for doing so. Let's not forget that a single EMP grenade can completely negate 90% of all security equipment by design (and outright kill IPCs or people with prosthetic hearts). The only really highly combat-effective tools that operatives cannot readily access and station staff can (like hyposprays, telebatons, fireaxes, etc) are generally limited to one or two instances and often restricted to headstaff. Station staff who are by default high-priority targets and often will find themselves in a lose-lose-lose situation against an operative team if they are forced to go head to head directly.

Wait wait wait. You are comparing what is supposed to be an alien species hired explicitly because they are cheap, hardworking labor in a setting where they are internally consistent with the rest of the lore... to... A fairly dystopian and ruthless corporation hiring a child's entertainer who would have absolutely no skills or real positive impact on the station where people spend (lorewise) a good portion of their time, and some people may very well live for days or weeks at a time. The former makes sense in the setting, the latter is kind of rediculous. I don't mind an entertainer role. I've suggested as such to baystation before and it was fairly well-received (but not implemented). That said, clowns and mimes are goon-esq additions that have become an endemic blight on this game. They have no real place except as really shoddy comic relief, which is far better filled by the chaplain/janitor/bartender/chef. They are in-line with the original "Swedish chef" speech replacement and the more recent "Mr. Clean Has Risen" joke. Something ridiculous intended for servers that are light or no-RP. Clowns have no place here. Mimes are borderline at best. I do not object to an entertainer job personally, as long as they never get clown gear. Ever.

The AI has way, way more options than anyone except for the captain as an antagonist. Most of our AI players just don't use their tools to full effectiveness out of ignorance or a misguided sense of "fairness". Manual unbolting is a great idea, tbh, as long as doing so makes it so we have to rebuild the door.

Tried, done, boring as hell. Can we stop suggesting the same damn "Harass all of X species" objectives? It's so old that I think it's died and started growing mold. Like seriously, that horse is so beaten it's little more than a red smear.

Quick addendum. Burst-fire is your friend, as operative. As it fires three shots as one. Two bursts to incapacitate, three to kill. Not so much discrepancy as originally seen. Plus ops have access to electrodes through their own energy rifles. They aren't limited to the CR20. Part of being a good antagonist is using your tools, all of your tools, to maximum advantage.

By locking yourself in your office with the antagonist, you essentially cut off a great number of very upset crewmembers and players from having any say in the decision-making process and painted yourself as the bad guy, while also stepping well outside of your role. The borgs were mostly very confused and several were upset, and your absolute refusal to talk to anyone made the situation significantly worse. What should have been done was simple: Detain the people abusing the staff (Carton, Talia) and have the RD fix the people affected. As a head of staff part of your duty is to keep communication open and help keep order in the crew. Not lock yourself and the round antagonist away while eight or more people look on. The borgs, several of whom were not originally borgs nor did they want to be borgs, were receiving multiple conflicting orders. Overall, however, the sentiment was that you had gone rogue and were refusing to fix the transformed crewmembers. As for the operation of the staff: A member of research had spent a good portion of the round studying it to work out how it operated. Mechanically, anyone can use the staff. If nobody but a wizard is supposed to ever use a staff, then it should be made as such mechanically. Punishing players for research RP is asinine and silly.

I entirely beg to differ. Back in misc science, when the whole situation was under control. Josh had stated in LOOC that he was extremely tempted to abuse the staff as carton. To which prospekt had stated "I wouldn't blame you at all". During the shinanigans he had repeatedly failed to contain YOU, who had been running around the hallways shooting people chasing you with the staff. (Primarily ME, because I was trying to get you to stop running the damn staff out of science). Then, when I finally did stop you from running around the halls like an asshole, he took the staff and locked himself in his office. Outright refusing to allow anyone else in by abusing his office shutters, and making the whole griefy situation with the staff several degrees worse as there were a number of people who were looking to be put right. His actions and ooc chat throughout the situation served nothing but to make the situation worse, and certainly need to be taken into account.

I will add here that his actions, by taking the staff away from a goodly number of crew who were asking to be put right, basically made the situation a thousand times worse. By locking himself in his office, he essentially incited a massive riot.

The second paragraph of Directive 5 is the most important here. The bartender, or any other staff member with a department of their own, is permitted to perform cosmetic changes to their area as they see fit. These modifications may be overridden, naturally, by their superiors. As the bartender had chosen to remodel the bar to his liking and was fully within his right to do so. This, however, does not cover modifications made by personal outside of the department. As you were assigned as an assistant at the time, your modifications were not covered by that clause, and were thus vandalism unless you obtained written consent from the head of personal or captain for the area in question (the locker room). As you were indeed arrested and charged, he does not believe this to be the case. In addition, and he had to look this up, bats are considered class-C contraband (potentially deadly weapons) and are not permitted on the station unless explicitly cleared by the head of security. Which he also seriously doubts you had done as you were arrested and charged with contraband. He has worked closely with Agent Terrence Frank in the past and has found the human strict, professional, and entirely impartial in all of their work on-station. He has personally not been subject to specisim or discrimination at the hands of the agent, despite many audits, inspections, and lengthy discussions regarding his staff's activities. While there are many agents that he would question the impartiality of, Mr. Frank is not one of them. Be safe, Nasir Khayyam, CE, NSS-Aurora

In-game these uniforms and the department color change looks a /lot/ worse than it does from forum pictures. Especially once you start adding in other security gear. Like, really really bad. Atrociously bad.