Killerhurtz

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Alright, listen here you scrubs. You want to do science? Here's how to do science. First, some ground rules: Rule number one: this is science. Not "generic station helping department". The goal is not just to finish Research and make bombs. DISCOVER shit. For reference, here's a link to one time someone actually discovered something inherently useful and documented it. Rule number two: the threshold for a stupid idea is VERY high. Which means unless you outright kill someone/yourself (or harm someone that didn't sign up for it), GO FUCKING NUTS. I mean - just to list a few things that I, a RD, did in the name of science: -Almost accidentally exploded myself by playing with smokes because IPCs absorb chemicals. I was wounded but it's all good. -Accidentally got a CMO drunk, after signing a waiver. -Accidentally almost plasma-poisoned two of my scientists while setting up the test for the link above. -Killed god knows how many protohumans testing new weapons/tools/stuff. -OBLITERATED the Toxins test area. As in, there was nothing left. -Accidentally filled Misc Science's test area with flammable fluid while testing something -Accidentally caused a breach, in the same event, by trying to ignite the fluid without taking out the welder fuel tank that spawns in there -Got 33% damage, twice, by letting myself get shot with a pneumatic cannon. That was loaded with glass shards. And that had an overpressurized container. Just to see how far I could be from the shooter/wall before I got pinned. And that was to test it's efficacy against IPCs. Rule number three: What happens in Science stays in science. Don't leak anything that shouldn't be leaked - stuff that could panic the crew, dangerous equipment, so on. Rule number four: Always warn the crew when you're playing with explosives, and always explode explosives either in the toxins test range or in a remote area of the asteroid. Rule number five: For the love of all that is holy, PLEASE let the RD know if you're going to mess with Telescience. So much can go wrong it's not even funny. (Just kidding it's hilarious but seriously it can fuck things up) Alright, now that's out of the way. Now let's get to the heart of it: SCIENCE. And how to properly man every department for maximum fun/usefulness, by role. Lab Assistant: If you're picking this, you're most likely very green. Ask some other scientists (or, if available, the RD) to show you the facilities and maybe teach you the basics of some departments. As Sybil, my RD IPC character, I've already helped five people get directed to learning proper roles in Science. One xenoarcheologist, one anomalist, two xenobiologists and one telescientist (which also happens to be an AI). Seriously though - unless the science crew is particularly indifferent, you're bound to find someone to teach you. If there's not - just try messing around with the research console in the Research and Development laboratory - which is the only place you have access. Scientist/Researcher/Plasma Researcher/other titles that I might be forgetting: So you decided to be part of the soul of the department. Good. First thing you want to do, to maximize the fun for EVERYONE, is to max out as much as you can the research levels. You can seek an optimal route, or you can throw things at the destructive analyzer and see what sticks to maybe discover something new. Personally, I'm 90% certain that with a fully staffed (and cooperative) science department (or as a RD teehee :3), you can elevate ALL tech branches, except plasma (which maxes out at 3 - xenobiologist or chemist, in medical, can help you get there) to at, or above five just with things that are found, or made, in the area (Robotics is your friend, by the way. So is the autolathe and circuit printer. Use all of them.). Yes, that includes 'illegal' tech because of two main loopholes explained later. Don't forget to synchronize your machines, for two reasons: one, Robotics need your data for new parts in the fabricator and the circuit printer - two, if there's a power failure or antag action or anything that resets the console, any data that's not in the Research servers is gone. And so you finally maxed out tech and synchronized servers. From there, depending on your definition of fun, you can assume three technical roles in Research: The Technician - Definitely the most laid-back role. Ever played Cargo? It's pretty much the same, except that you're distributing Science equipment within (and sometimes, for very specific things unless the RD approves it, outside) Research. That includes, but is not limited to handing out PDAs to those that broke them, things from the autolathe (with a proper NCF-1000, or whatever the equipments form is) or even nanopaste to the various IPCs of the station, giving Robotics certain components, and managing the distribution of any eventual materials yield from Mining - and dealing with the RD to distribute more limited equipment. Otherwise, lounge around, make friends, watch other people work until either the RD gets mad at you for not really doing anything, or you find something that piques your interest. The Researcher - My favorite. The motto of this role is 'It's not chucklefucking if I note it down'. Yes, pretty much Mythbusters in SS13 - you just think about things to try, try them and note the results down. That includes finding ways to make things that shouldn't happen, like having an oxygen tank reach huge pressures (my record is 1200kPa), or testing different kinds of grenades, or find new, exciting ways to brutally murder protohumans with use tools for new, unexpected purposes.. Research is your playground - you have access to a small chemistry lab, usually lots of materials, a toxins bay, and more. Find new things. Break the game's code if you can. But above all else - have fun and learn. And quick reminder: the Research and Development laboratory has two components. Research, which you have completed by now most likely. And development. The RnD lab has BOTH a protolathe and an autolathe to create whatever components you might need. And for research's sake, most RDs I know will allow you to make the paperwork to hack the autolathe for more fun stuff. The Telescientist - You can also wander off to Telescience and learn it's mysteries. If you were lucky, in phase one, you got the materials and technology to create more teleporter crystals, which allow you to find even more things! Just don't forget to make people sign an expedition waiver before sending them through. Just two things to note: crewmembers generally don't like you to target the station itself with the teleporter (especially when you accidentally steal things or accidentally send risky materials to unwanted places), and your range is pretty limited without telecrystals. Xenoarcheologist/Anomalist: Most RP-based Science role. As a Xenoarcheologist, you don expedition clothing and go seek out artifacts on the asteroids. Most of the time, you'll find mundane things - decorative items, pottery, plant fossils. Note them down properly and move on (if you need a bit of help, the Baystation wiki has a rather comprehensive guide on how to do Xenoarcheology). Sometimes you'll find more interesting things - bear traps, components. Scientists like those because sometimes they give a head-start. And then, there's two class of REALLY fun artifacts. There's the weapons. Sometimes laser/ion pistols/rifles, sometimes swords of all kinds (even cult swords!). Science loves these as well, because they provide them with two very important things: essential weapons tech data, and sometimes illegal tech (which is the first loophole mentioned above). Either way, once you get your hands on one of those (if it works fine), you get to watch Science either tear it apart or test it on some protohumans for giggles. The second class of artifacts that are really fun are the machines. They come in different shapes - but they can never be picked up, and their effects are various - and almost always useful to someone in the station... once you figure out how it works. Which is the second thing to do (the first being making sure that it is not immediately harmful and does not interact with atmosphere) when you get one of those - get them to the anomalous materials laboratory and find out what it does (if it's not already known), and how it operates. Then you discuss with RD/the rest of command and the rest of science as to how to use it properly. Examples of machines that I have met on Aurora: a machine that forced nitrogen to become nitrous oxide - laughing gas. Even remotely, through walls. Then there was an alien autolathe which seemingly randomly generated items - useful for materials. And finally, there was this annoying object which projected a 5x5 force field - which meant you had only 3x3 (minus the middle because of machine) to move into when active, and it randomly toggled when touched with ungloved hands. Absolutely amazing. Xenobiologist: If Scientists are the soul of Science, Xenobiology is the heart. You deal with slimes, you probably knew that much already. But the fun thing is, with RD approval, you also technically have a small operating table to experiment with doing things to the inside of protohumans, AND there's a lot of chemicals you can test on slime cores as well (unless you looked in the code, cheater. I haven't, but all of the reactions are probably somewhere in there). The best part about Xenobiology is that if you're lucky, you can easily become EVERYONE's friends because of how useful slimes are. Telescientists and Science will thank you for bluespace slimes. Robotics and Engineering will adore you if you manage to get metal slimes. Science, medical, cargo and engineering will revere you if you breed purple slimes. OR you can ask for protohumans and feed them to the slimes for valuable data to Medical as to how to treat you if you get mauled. Overall, a pretty calm job if you don't do many mistakes. Roboticist: I'm not going to lie. Aside from occasionally repairing robots/IPCs that were damaged, and making mechs, there isn't much to this job except talking and trying to hook up a laser cannon to a Ripley somehow. And even then, you have to wait on the Scientist to do that. So until then, just hang around - and if you hear the scientists having trouble, try to print them about two super-capacity power cells and three syringe guns (your power cells are immune to scanning failure, and your mech syringe guns cover high levels of about four or five tech branches). And then when they have a lot of good research, give them an energy relay to get them started on illegal research (the second loophole of Research). Though I suppose, if you were so inclined (and had the supplies to do it), there's nothing preventing you from requesting an autolathe in Robotics then making five hundred Cleanbots and Medibots. Geneticist/Bioengineer: See, you're in a unique position. You're part of both Medical and Research. Anything to do is up to you - want to see a scientist blow up a protohuman? Give them one. Want to figure out the next magic pill that can fully restore someone from crit? You can ask either Chemistry or a scientist to get you the chemicals you need. Or you could go old-fashioned and actually do genetics research. Or team up with either the roboticist or xenobiologist to see what happens when you graft the groin and legs of a proto-unathi onto the torso and upper body of a protohuman. The choice is yours. ----- But whatever you do, the bottom line is always this: unlike most other roles (I can see Engineering being an exception because of the construction area, and eventually more when they fix the APC code), there IS no pre-determined way to do science beyond the very basic research and robotics. You make your own science - you make things happen. And as long as you document it properly to the RD and get the right authorizations, it's not technically chuckefucking! Anyone got any thoughts to add to this?

Addendum: the game does NOT know the difference between an action and a sentence. For instance: /me dances is valid, as it will return "Robot McMetal dances". /me cha-cha , however, is invalid. It will not, AFAIK, return "Robot McMetal does the cha-cha", but instead "Robot McMetal cha-cha". Everything you put after a /me will appear as text. So don't forget to type out a full action, otherwise you look silly. ALSO. Quotation marks work. So if you want your character to speak after, or during an action, it's simple. You can do something like this (as long as they're not mute): /me stares at the dancing robot. "Why are you dancing, robot?" Will yield, in game: People McFlesh stares at the dancing robot. "Why are you dancing, robot?" Use that to your advantage. ALSO don't be afraid to /me facial expressions or other body movements. A lot can be said with just that. SECOND addendum: /me's are a fancy tool. But guess what? You have TWO other friends (depending on your species). The first one is *. Yes, the asterisk. I'm 90% there's a command to show what emotes are available to your species. For instance, if you are a cyborg, you can do this (if I am not rusty): say "*beep*" And the log will return this: Robot McBorg beeps. (And for bonus points - some emotes have sound! Like beeping. Or angrily flapping with aflap.) Second of your friends? BANG. The ! symbol. The ! is pretty much an embedding of /me in /say. For instance, say "!dances will return Robot McMetal dances. Just like a /me. BUT this is where it gets REALLY fun. It stacks with the other tags. Which means by typing THIS: say ";!giggles." You will giggle... OVER THE PUBLIC RADIO CHANNEL. And everything ELSE still happens (okay maybe except languages. I haven't tried languages). So for instance, this: say ":c!giggles again. "DICKS!" will return this: Captain McGiggles [Command] giggles again. "DICKS!" On the command channel. Now go wild my child. Go wild and express yourself. Third addendum: people can't see your motion over the radio, so don't do that. However you are free to make other people hear sound effects like explosions if there's an explosion close to you. But seriously though. You can't blink over the radio.

For bartenders: Party equipment. Party poppers, party hats, boxes of snap-pops (or whatever they're called). More colors of flower hair pins? Colored labcoats. I know Phoebe always finds, somehow, a purple one. For engineers(?) and science (maybe?): A (silver?) coin. To get more insulated gloves, or just as a lucky charm. IIRC there's already a silver coin hidden somewhere in maintenance anyway. Also, while it MAY be hard to code, an option for "random food item" - because I feel it just makes sense that some people, sometimes, would come aboard the station with a random snack or something. For kitchen/bartender: A spare damp rag, just in case. A cup of coffee. Toys (toy monkey, toy mechs, toy singulo). Spare emergency oxygen tanks. ...Think that's all for now.

Botany, IMO, is just fine as it is. In Aurora, at least, it's meant to feed the station, not much else. While the RP of a smoke shack sounds interesting - it would be just as interesting to have some sort of vegetables market from botany, where people could come and take fruit and vegetables as they like. IIRC, the corn pipe thing already works right now. Finally, botanists already can have a VERY easy way to antag. I know, by name, four different plants that could kill someone (two of them are mushrooms). And "reefer from dried grass injected with ambrosia space drug" is COMPLETELY illegal in Aurora, and you would most likely get arrested for it - so that's a huge no. Then there's the issue of Botany actually distributing chemicals they're not supposed to. There's a reason that there's only two locations with a chemmaster - both restricted. They're powerful. So overall, I am COMPLETELY against this because it sounds like it's just a ploy to turn botany into a massive drug lab.

You know - TK is only considered 'antaggy' BECAUSE security refuses it. But I've done tests yesterday - and, with proper security, TK and XRay makes them very useful - possibly even too useful against antags. I say keep it in personally.

TIL hairstyles were gender-restricted. This is 2457. I say let's unlock these hairs.

Just putting this out there: active posibrains understand all languages. So it's not a brain restriction. It might not be lore, but there's SOMETHING in the body that prevents them from speaking other languages.

Just putting it out there: I've played with protopistols. Anyone who claims balance has NOT done so. Because with NO mining, I can make a one-shot-kill laser six-shooter with a scope. With mining? I can make a 30-shot one-shot-kill (even with armor) laser guns that puts you on fire... from across the station. Oh, you got friends? They're down in two seconds flat unless you brought an army. Protopistols are NOT balanced.

To be fair, though - the shuttle DOES leave 3 minutes after the announcement of it's arrival. On foot, while running, it's possible to make the trip from Arrivals in 2:30 I believe. So anyone who's stuck station-side only has themselves to blame. I can even see this being counterproductive - "Oh, I have one more minute, I can finish this and catch the shuttle".

As someone who started, on Aurora, as a shrink and has started being one again, all of my yes. To me, the current room is so small it feels like characters are constantly stepping on each other's toes.

OMG COVERT IS BACK HI COVERT <3

I need to remind myself to screencap all of my funny shit...

Yeaah no, I have to say - sometimes, outside opinions even though there's not personal stakes can be useful (like, for instance, people saying whether this is a recurrent issue or if the player/character usually doesn't react unless provoked). Plus there's the whole censorship thing with which I disagree.

WELP sounds like I have to get a new editor now. But yeah - Skull, don't worry about RL stuff taking priority - I'm 99% you're volunteer, so don't sweat it. (Unless you're driven by your own desire to see it happen. THEN DO IT )

In chronological order (and these are only those I played/liked enough to remember). ALSO most of you are probably going to learn things about the characters you've met : Kelly McKenzie, Human Psychologist: A shrink who, more often than not, daydreams when she's not needed. She is big into forms of spirituality and mindfulness - and tends to use that to make her patients better. Gets salty when things don't go her way, and due to incidents involving them, dislike Mulebots. Sybil/Sybil-S/Sybil-R/Sybil-T/Sybil VX.X (various versions), AI: An AI project that was designed, and built, from the spare parts of an obsolete server system. Proved it's reliability at a small station before being moved to the NSS Aurora, where it had a good service record - at least, until Version 2.92, at which point additional features started degrading performance. Version 2.68 was considered to be the peak development of the project. Due to it's high modularity, three modules were made, with various degrees of success: Module Starcross, which was designed to (and failed horribly at) assist security with proactive recommendations, scanning and heuristics, Module Type-R - which was discontinued due to making Sybil, and I quote, 'a complete creep' by scanning the station and actively reaching out to crew which may need assistance, and Module Tensen, which was a relative success involving making Sybil's speech seem more organic to make crew more comfortable. Service discontinued due to classified events. (AKA ask her IC to know the full story XP) Sybil-M/Sybil Tensen-Two/Sybil, QM/Scientist/RD: After the success of the Sybil AI platform, it's creator had decided to start working on an adaptation of the software for IPC platforms, based on Version 2.68. It was a success - while it had less processing power and no permanent database access, it had better social processing algorithms and the mobility of an actual body, and excelled at Quartermaster and Researcher duties due to how much focus it could put. An eventual revision updated Sybil to a Tensen-Two configuration, further improving it's speech and social analysis and heuristics, helping it cement itself as valuable crew - to the point that an event involving a very distressed CMO locked in somewhere with a non-functional door eventually offered, and negotiated, for Sybil (name of product final) to be a free, independent IPC, including a few years of pre-paid facilities with Nanotrasen. Eventually succeeded at getting the certifications required to attain the role of Research Director. Technically discontinued for lore reasons (again, I'm only telling this IC. Yes I'm mean, deal with it.) Cruz Newbern, Bartender:A soft, chill bartender who's there to listen and tell stories. He literally can't be made angry, he's too soft. That and the fact that the last time he got angry he lost a few limbs to a Ripley in cargo. He's deathly afraid of both Cargo and Ripleys. And conveyor belts. Played him twice I believe? Kaidan Bouchard, Geneticst/Scientist: My little snowflake. A genius scientist who works relentlessly on... whatever he works on. Completely unstoppable - nothing short of a catastrophe, a Head interrupting him or him falling over in hunger (because he forgets to eat) will stop him. A bit nervous. Don't play him much anymore. Cacophony, Virologist: Slightly crazy IPC virologist who keeps misplacing everything. Played it once. Sybil Rosetta-Sigma, RD: The final (again, lore reasons - yes I have a lot to tell) update to Sybil. Complete with the most advanced socio-emotional module she's ever ran, a completely new shell gift, and more features. Almost over-reactive when she's involved in new science, violence against those who harm the people her software deem important, and selfless when needed. She's almost always processing a specific thing, and unless she's directly distracted with something or you need her, it may make her look distant. Just don't give her a reason to be violent. (Instead, give her a reason to defend you - I won't say much because again lore reasons, but it's a mutually beneficial thing. It helps her, and it helps your character by making it that much harder to kill because Sybil will almost always be there to get shot instead of you) Ebba Sailor, Engineer: Pretty normal engineer. Except for the fact she's a daddy's boy - learned to love engineering because of him... and he passed on the mildly inappropriate habit of swearing more than a sailor with a stubbed toe. Pretty competent as long as you don't piss her off, and not afraid to face administrative consequence if it means letting karma do it's job on you. She's currently studying to be a Chief Engineer, one day - but still has no idea how to work atmos, so that will be a work-in-progress. Lua Saudosa, Chemist/Nurse/Psychiatrist: A soft-spoken medical IPC (and I quote Tainavaa here) "with the cotton candy color scheme". Knows biochemistry, basic organic body care and psychology enough to be a complete helping hand in medical when needed - and has already people vouching for her efficiency in Chemistry. Also has basic combat and weapons training for lore reasons (ICness!). Bonds easily with people, and when she's a psychiatrist, she doesn't consider her work done until her patient not only feels better, but is PUMPED. There's certain triggers which may make her forget everyone between shifts, but shhhh that's a secret :3. She is planning on learning advanced care, such as surgery and cryogenics and cloning, to eventually be able to fill the role of CMO. Ashton Murphy, Captain: If Reggae was a white captain, it would be Ashton. Civilian captain by trade, he's laid back - and unless something goes horribly wrong, he doesn't meddle in departments because the heads in place have infinitely more experience than him (except the HoP - he will DRILL into the HoP if he needs to). Works for his crew, not over them. Loves looking dapper, loves a good cigar, and loves learning. Farreipshi Tup'Tesh: Skrell scientist. To be honest, I'm not sure who she is quite yet aside from the basics.

I give this player my approval. Geradine was a delightfully animated character - and from OOC conversations, they enjoy very much the RP aspects (and is capable of reading other characters quite nicely). Too, they proved themselves reliable - I, as a RD, approved a Security genetics testing plan (which involved a very limited number of people getting x-ray and telekinesis), and not once did they abuse it, which to me shows good will. As security, also had impeccable response and protocols. And they /me'd actual emotes, too. Honestly, I'm looking forward to seeing what this player can do. 10/10 has all of my yes.

I'm 90% certain that every office that has a 'privacy' feature uses blast doors, for two reasons: one, it's always useful to protect Heads, and second, it might be a hassle to code in a completely new privacy shutter just for that. I say it's fine as it is. The closure is fast, and it does what it's designed to do - there's nothing beyond that to say.

I also very much like this idea - because it can especially be a problem when, in an antag round, a borg you didn't even KNOW you had gets subverted and starts deconstructing the AI core.

On the flipside, AIs ARE, for the most part, designed by organics. If the creator (and I can think of at least 3 IPCs/AIs to which that could apply) actually wanted them to emulate organic thought processes, they may very well have some form of emotion simulacrum coded in. Logically speaking, there IS no reason for IPCs to be. But their designers are not entirely logical.

I figured as much. Something will be figured out eventually. (PS: While I was willing to do it, I'm still glad our head dev's got that much integrity)

I have to agree with Nursie here. As much as I like Extended, it's not for everyone. Extended is rare because people vote - and most people don't want extended because, in their eyes, nothing happens. While I disagree with it, I understand it - and I stand firmly against anything that stands to make a gap between what the players want and what happens. (Also, extended event rounds are technically not extended - 90% of the time they're just special antag rounds, hence why they're popular)

The question, for me, is how much we want to respect Goon's decisions. I'm a crafty/shifty person - I am 99% certain that I could find a way to obtain Gooncode without either them knowing, or them needing to interact with us (I already got a few ideas). That would most definitely violate their decision/right to preserve their code, though, and it might create some bad blood between the servers if discovered.

I have an idea. It may be hard to implement, but here goes: Vending machines that, instead of using ID, uses a number generated for a given prisoner. Mechanics-wise, this means two things: prisoners get fed, and they don't have/need their IDs for unscrupulous deeds (like abusing the newscaster or breaking walls with their ids. Yes I've seen it happen.) Lore-wise? It makes sense - give the prisoners a number, on which the 'funds' they use are noted down - and once they are freed, they are fined the amount of funds they have used.