Frances

One of the concerns brought up here is in the balance of power. The power of languages comes from being able to understand others, and from being understood. There's little benefit in IPCs being able to speak other languages as they can already communicate with Tajarans/Unathis/Skrells in basic. Being able to listen in on their conversations, however, would confer them a severe advantage. One of the benefits of species-specific languages is that they give a safe haven for communication between members of this species (including humans!) Allowing IPCs to intrude in these safe spaces would defeat their purpose entirely, especially so considering many IPCs neutral and cheeky attitudes.

One of the concerns brought up here is in the balance of power. The power of languages comes from being able to understand others, and from being understood. There's little benefit in IPCs being able to speak other languages as they can already communicate with Tajarans/Unathis/Skrells in basic. Being able to listen in on their conversations, however, would confer them a severe advantage. One of the benefits of species-specific languages is that they give a safe haven for communication between members of this species (including humans!) Allowing IPCs to intrude in these safe spaces would defeat their purpose entirely, especially so considering many IPCs neutral and cheeky attitudes.

It's difficult to pull up your PDA mid-battle and start ordering items. There's the problem. If you have a combat plan in SS13, it's generally going to work with pretty much anyone, except IPCs. You have to devise different strategies for IPCs. Due to how throwaway combat encounters are (you can't really predict who you're going to run into, and combat tends to be short and decisive), people generally come up with one way to fuck up any people they expect to have to fuck up. IPCs, and IPCs only, tend to throw these plans completely off-balance. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Victory in SS13 comes from preparedness. The biggest strength of IPCs in large scale conflicts is that people don't expect them. And needing to make double plans for everything just for random IPCs or carry EMP weaponry just for random IPCs sounds honestly terrible.

It's difficult to pull up your PDA mid-battle and start ordering items. There's the problem. If you have a combat plan in SS13, it's generally going to work with pretty much anyone, except IPCs. You have to devise different strategies for IPCs. Due to how throwaway combat encounters are (you can't really predict who you're going to run into, and combat tends to be short and decisive), people generally come up with one way to fuck up any people they expect to have to fuck up. IPCs, and IPCs only, tend to throw these plans completely off-balance. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Victory in SS13 comes from preparedness. The biggest strength of IPCs in large scale conflicts is that people don't expect them. And needing to make double plans for everything just for random IPCs or carry EMP weaponry just for random IPCs sounds honestly terrible.

So you were fighting a cultist in melee range (who I assume had cult robes, if they managed to get close enough to you without being stunned instantly). That sorta seems like asking for trouble regardless of your species. Would you have expected to fare better as a human?

So you were fighting a cultist in melee range (who I assume had cult robes, if they managed to get close enough to you without being stunned instantly). That sorta seems like asking for trouble regardless of your species. Would you have expected to fare better as a human?

Again, the problem with breaking IPC limbs is that it requires firing on them with lethal lasers. Keep in mind laser carbines generally down people within two hits (I have no idea if pistols do less damage). The situations where people will fire upon others with lethals (and they have to be lasers) are relatively few, compared to the many situations where IPCs are nearly guaranteed to prevail due to being able to play their strengths best. Antags rarely if ever have laser or EMP weapons available to them on instant demand, which makes security IPCs (or really any intervening IPCs) an extremely dangerous threat to face. And if you're just a regular joe, you're at even more of a disadvantage. Even for nuke ops, having to register the target decked out in full security gear to be an IPC, switching from non-lethals to lethals, and then attempting to gun down said target would usually give the IPC opponent time to close the gap or lay down a lot of damage themselves. It's easy to say that IPCs can be countered in some situations, but having every fight feel either unfair for the IPC (because they got instantly blown up) or for their opponent (because they lost due to bullshit) seems like a sub-optimal design.

Again, the problem with breaking IPC limbs is that it requires firing on them with lethal lasers. Keep in mind laser carbines generally down people within two hits (I have no idea if pistols do less damage). The situations where people will fire upon others with lethals (and they have to be lasers) are relatively few, compared to the many situations where IPCs are nearly guaranteed to prevail due to being able to play their strengths best. Antags rarely if ever have laser or EMP weapons available to them on instant demand, which makes security IPCs (or really any intervening IPCs) an extremely dangerous threat to face. And if you're just a regular joe, you're at even more of a disadvantage. Even for nuke ops, having to register the target decked out in full security gear to be an IPC, switching from non-lethals to lethals, and then attempting to gun down said target would usually give the IPC opponent time to close the gap or lay down a lot of damage themselves. It's easy to say that IPCs can be countered in some situations, but having every fight feel either unfair for the IPC (because they got instantly blown up) or for their opponent (because they lost due to bullshit) seems like a sub-optimal design.

I still fail to understand how your roleplay was "killed" because a head refused to sign a waiver for you to bring genetic powers out of the lab. What exactly makes it essential for your character to walk around with telekinesis and x-ray vision every round?

I still fail to understand how your roleplay was "killed" because a head refused to sign a waiver for you to bring genetic powers out of the lab. What exactly makes it essential for your character to walk around with telekinesis and x-ray vision every round?

If somebody manages to break both of your arms in a fight, I can assure you you wouldn't be in a much better situation as a human. (And did this happen when you were fighting the cultist with the sword?)

If somebody manages to break both of your arms in a fight, I can assure you you wouldn't be in a much better situation as a human. (And did this happen when you were fighting the cultist with the sword?)

You can't cause a breach to combat a single IPC because breaches actually take time to cause. Lack of healing isn't an issue as you don't see other races healing themselves mid-combat either. Your limbs can be blown up more easily but you only take half brute damage as compensation, making them equally if not harder to break through most traditional means. Pretty much the one common thing that has a chance to kill an IPC is a laser to the face, and that would kill anybody else anyway. What exactly are common weaknesses you find yourself encountering as an IPC, during combat situations?

You can't cause a breach to combat a single IPC because breaches actually take time to cause. Lack of healing isn't an issue as you don't see other races healing themselves mid-combat either. Your limbs can be blown up more easily but you only take half brute damage as compensation, making them equally if not harder to break through most traditional means. Pretty much the one common thing that has a chance to kill an IPC is a laser to the face, and that would kill anybody else anyway. What exactly are common weaknesses you find yourself encountering as an IPC, during combat situations?

I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, but IPCs also take 50% reduced brute damage, and can't suffer broken limbs/infections. Anyway, the problem with EMPs is that you need to prepare for it. The ion rifle is the one of most cumbersome weapon there is, as well. But in most combat situations, you won't expect to go against one because you might not expect to have to fight at all. Like, even once, I made sure nuke ops brought along an ion rifle, and we got completely destroyed by an IPC that looked like a random tajaran because nobody realized how to fight them/it until after the fight was over.

I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, but IPCs also take 50% reduced brute damage, and can't suffer broken limbs/infections. Anyway, the problem with EMPs is that you need to prepare for it. The ion rifle is the one of most cumbersome weapon there is, as well. But in most combat situations, you won't expect to go against one because you might not expect to have to fight at all. Like, even once, I made sure nuke ops brought along an ion rifle, and we got completely destroyed by an IPC that looked like a random tajaran because nobody realized how to fight them/it until after the fight was over.

So major powers are known to exist, and one of Aurora's duties is to test them?

So major powers are known to exist, and one of Aurora's duties is to test them?

While I'm a completely neutral and uninvolved observer in this whole affair, I did hear various reports of, and I quote, "[safiya Isra] walking around with telekinesis and stripping naked to take a nap on the brig desk." As I believe this ties in with the whole "geneticist with powers" drama, I'd kinda like to see if we could get a statement on that. (And I'll explain why I'm asking after we get said statement. But I promise I'm heading somewhere with this.)

While I'm a completely neutral and uninvolved observer in this whole affair, I did hear various reports of, and I quote, "[safiya Isra] walking around with telekinesis and stripping naked to take a nap on the brig desk." As I believe this ties in with the whole "geneticist with powers" drama, I'd kinda like to see if we could get a statement on that. (And I'll explain why I'm asking after we get said statement. But I promise I'm heading somewhere with this.)

That actually raises some valid concerns. I was under the impression that IPCs by design did not have a proper culture or identity. While I've seen several IPCs form bonds of kinship, I think part of their appeal is that they're these "ronins" of the sci-fi world, that can adapt to other ideas and cultures but struggle to form an identity of their own. Other races having their own languages does bring more gameplay mechanics, but above all, it makes sense from a worldbuilding perspective (as they all come from different origins). I'm afraid IPCs having their "unique" language would bring them closer to being a reskin of other races. If a language for them is added, it would be better if it served a clear, strongly-defined purpose. If you simply give them their own language because you can it brings them one step closer to being "robot people".

That actually raises some valid concerns. I was under the impression that IPCs by design did not have a proper culture or identity. While I've seen several IPCs form bonds of kinship, I think part of their appeal is that they're these "ronins" of the sci-fi world, that can adapt to other ideas and cultures but struggle to form an identity of their own. Other races having their own languages does bring more gameplay mechanics, but above all, it makes sense from a worldbuilding perspective (as they all come from different origins). I'm afraid IPCs having their "unique" language would bring them closer to being a reskin of other races. If a language for them is added, it would be better if it served a clear, strongly-defined purpose. If you simply give them their own language because you can it brings them one step closer to being "robot people".

Replacing a stereotype no one wants for a stereotype people actually enjoy roleplaying seems to be a definite plus. However, the discrepancy between what people enjoy roleplaying as and what people enjoy roleplaying with becomes a problem here. It's a bit like how it's fun to write about Mary Sues but a lot less fun to read about them.

Replacing a stereotype no one wants for a stereotype people actually enjoy roleplaying seems to be a definite plus. However, the discrepancy between what people enjoy roleplaying as and what people enjoy roleplaying with becomes a problem here. It's a bit like how it's fun to write about Mary Sues but a lot less fun to read about them.

There's actually a few animal masks in the code as well. I'm not sure of their function, but I was able to spawn them a few months back. (And even if they did operate as gask masks, would that really be a big difference? It's basically the comparison between having a nuke op looking like a nuke op and having a nuke op looking like a monkey. Neither will be particularly inconspicuous.)