Specialist Request System

[driecg36]

The Specialist Request System, or SRS, would be a new function available to members of command, via a special console on the bridge, where they would be able to call a team or more of specialists who would be drawn from the ghost pool (ghosts would be informed of the type of SRS team, as well as be jobbanned if they pick a role they don't know how to play). These specialists would be called in for a SPECIFIC purpose, then leave once their job is completed. They should also only be called in situations of urgency, though not outright catastrophe like ERTs. They would also be directly under the authority of the captain/acting captain, instead of the respective head of staff.

This would effectively be a "light" non-combat ERT that could be requested in specific circumstances where crew is either incompetent or absent, such as a viral outbreak or no power an hour into the round. They would either cost money mechanically from the command account, or simply cost money lore-wise to prevent their abuse.

A few ideas for teams:

Quote

1. Virology Team - A singular virologist equipped with all the basics needed for virology, as well as his own lab on the Odin (for in case the on station lab is destroyed).
2. Medical Team - A surgeon and a paramedic, both equipped with standard medbay gear, as well as a surgery kit and roller beds.
3. Mental Health Team - A single psychiatrist with a variety of low-level psychology drugs.
4. Engineering Team - Two engineers, equipped with basic engineering supplies.
5. Atmospherics Team - Two technicians Equipped with construction supplies, inflatable bags, and pipe layers.
6. Forensics Team - One Forensic Technician, with complimentary gear.
7. Janitorial Team - Two Janitors.

I'm sure there are more or better ideas out there, but just to give you an example of what I'd like to see. A lot of these jobs, especially virologist and forensics, are so rarely needed that no-one plays them as they have nothing to do most rounds. When they are needed however, they are almost always empty for the exact same reason.

This would give people the opportunity to play jobs they like in situations where they know they'll have something to do, as well as prevent annoying situations like no power or an untreatable viral outbreak.

[Carver]

The idea of a random ghost being trusted with virology is frightening to me. As it stands, I like the idea but I'd leave forensics out and maybe merge the engineering/atmospheric team. For engie/atmos, if you need one you usually need the other for anything aside from engine set-up (which either can really do). For forensics, if you don't have one available then either (for lab shit) ask the Detective or (for autopsies) ask a Doctor/Surgeon. Having a 'delivery on demand' Forensic Specialist is basically asking for the guy who just got killed to solve his own murder.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

1 hour ago, Carver said:

The idea of a random ghost being trusted with virology is frightening to me. As it stands, I like the idea but I'd leave forensics out and maybe merge the engineering/atmospheric team. For engie/atmos, if you need one you usually need the other for anything aside from engine set-up (which either can really do). For forensics, if you don't have one available then either (for lab shit) ask the Detective or (for autopsies) ask a Doctor/Surgeon. Having a 'delivery on demand' Forensic Specialist is basically asking for the guy who just got killed to solve his own murder.

All jobs are populated by randos. There is no difference from a random ghost spawning in on this system when prompted, and spawning in of their own initiative. All this does is let them know they're wanted.

[Carver]

1 hour ago, Senpai Jackboot said:

All jobs are populated by randos. There is no difference from a random ghost spawning in on this system when prompted, and spawning in of their own initiative. All this does is let them know they're wanted.

There's one difference. Being that this both gives the possibility of a second Forensic person if the first one dies (and if the Detective dies too I guess), and that this gives the possibility of someone who was murdered coming back in as a new character intended to solve their last character's murder. Forensics is the only specialist on OP's list I explicitly disagree with being able to call in, as it's still something of an anti-antag role by design.

[Arrow768]

12 hours ago, Carver said:

The idea of a random ghost being trusted with virology is frightening to me. 

I believe JB was mostly referring to that part, and I am curious to hear why you think that there is a difference between a virologist that spawns via normal means and a virologist that spawns via the specialist system. (If it is added)

[driecg36]

14 hours ago, Carver said:

There's one difference. Being that this both gives the possibility of a second Forensic person if the first one dies (and if the Detective dies too I guess), and that this gives the possibility of someone who was murdered coming back in as a new character intended to solve their last character's murder. Forensics is the only specialist on OP's list I explicitly disagree with being able to call in, as it's still something of an anti-antag role by design.

The list I provided was just a few examples that could easily be adjusted or shifted around. I personally put FT in there because it's a role that is used so sparingly, but is sorely missed when it is actually required. I do see what you mean but this problem is already applicable to ERT, and I don't think it's impactful enough to warrant the exclusion of FT entirely.

[VTCobaltblood]

Should also have AI Maintenance team consisting of a single scientist/roboticist with some AI lawboards and an intellicard. Liking this idea all in all. 

[Huenererschrecker]

I hate it actually. I see the idea and usefulness for a specialist requesting service but I'm very much against dumping all rarely played jobs into a 'on demand' case and calling it a day instead of giving said jobs more to do. It just feels lazy and like bad design to me and could further remove those jobs from the playerpool.

[driecg36]

On 06/01/2019 at 05:39, Huenererschrecker said:

I hate it actually. I see the idea and usefulness for a specialist requesting service but I'm very much against dumping all rarely played jobs into a 'on demand' case and calling it a day instead of giving said jobs more to do. It just feels lazy and like bad design to me and could further remove those jobs from the playerpool.

The problem is that a lot of these jobs really have inherently nothing to do on most shifts (like forensic technician or virologist). It's not like we can give forensic technicians more things to do, considering the station is either completely quiet or is complete chaos, and that the detective takes a large portion of the few investigations there are. Same with virologists - viruses are really rare, and making them more frequent would just be annoying for everyone else. I'm not against improving these jobs, but this just seems like a much easier and more immediate way to make them more enjoyable. Complete reworks are difficult and take a lot of brainstorming to get right.

If you'd like an alternative, command could simply mark jobs as "high priority," which would alert all ghosts and make the roles stand out in the "join now" screen, like having them be red or bolded. You're also ignoring the other half of this suggestion, which is meant to prevent the extremely frustrating situations where a necessary job is absent, and the entire station goes without power, or a section of the station stays vented, or trauma patients pile up in medbay, etc. These rarely provide good rp or are fun, they're simply inconvenience and frustration.

Edited January 8, 2019 by driecg36

[Huenererschrecker]

9 hours ago, driecg36 said:

The problem is that a lot of these jobs really have inherently nothing to do on most shifts (like forensic technician or virologist). It's not like we can give forensic technicians more things to do, considering the station is either completely quiet or is complete chaos, and that the detective takes a large portion of the few investigations there are. Same with virologists - viruses are really rare, and making them more frequent would just be annoying for everyone else. I'm not against improving these jobs, but this just seems like a much easier and more immediate way to make them more enjoyable. Complete reworks are difficult and take a lot of brainstorming to get right.

If you'd like an alternative, command could simply mark jobs as "high priority," which would alert all ghosts and make the roles stand out in the "join now" screen, like having them be red or bolded. You're also ignoring the other half of this suggestion, which is meant to prevent the extremely frustrating situations where a necessary job is absent, and the entire station goes without power, or a section of the station stays vented, or trauma patients pile up in medbay, etc. These rarely provide good rp or are fun, they're simply inconvenience and frustration.

Some of those jobs are also not needed at all and will only come into play when they are actually on station. And in some cases, it is just straight up more helpful to not have the job on station at all. Deadly viruses will not spawn at all while a virologist is not on board for example, so having someone play virologist increases the chance to spawn realy bad viruses. 

I am also not ignoring the other half of your suggestion. Some of those situations are just already fixable by a single ghost. No power on the station because there is no engineering? Join as a drone and wire the solars. Same for if a whole section of the station is vented. The only cases where maintenance drones aren't already fixing this problem is for medical related works. For that, sure, I concede, it could be useful to have that. For everything else? Drones.

[driecg36]

8 hours ago, Huenererschrecker said:

Some of those jobs are also not needed at all and will only come into play when they are actually on station. And in some cases, it is just straight up more helpful to not have the job on station at all. Deadly viruses will not spawn at all while a virologist is not on board for example, so having someone play virologist increases the chance to spawn realy bad viruses. 

I am also not ignoring the other half of your suggestion. Some of those situations are just already fixable by a single ghost. No power on the station because there is no engineering? Join as a drone and wire the solars. Same for if a whole section of the station is vented. The only cases where maintenance drones aren't already fixing this problem is for medical related works. For that, sure, I concede, it could be useful to have that. For everything else? Drones.

While drones are a thing, there are two main problems - not many people play them, and you can't really order them around to specific areas. They kinda just do whatever they want, and if whatever they want isn't fixing whatever problem you have then you're out of luck.

If we do implement this system, the fact that we have drones should not be enough to exclude engineering specialist teams.

[ben10083]

1 hour ago, driecg36 said:

While drones are a thing, there are two main problems - not many people play them, and you can't really order them around to specific areas. They kinda just do whatever they want, and if whatever they want isn't fixing whatever problem you have then you're out of luck.

If we do implement this system, the fact that we have drones should not be enough to exclude engineering specialist teams.

 

Maint Drones can be pinged to go to a certain area via drone control console.

[Snakebittenn]

Here's a better idea, shamelessly copied from a fetish server.
On Vorestation, you can take a department role (colored, though it doesn't have to be,) and there is a #company-bulletins channel that will occasionally ping. Like. '@Medical, Medical staff have been requested to assist with a critically injured patient. '

[driecg36]

@ParadoxSpace

I actually like that, but I think I'm still partial towards the original idea because it's more immediate and gets ghosts into the round quicker.

Though that discord integration thing is very cool, and I think it could maybe work with this system, the admins may not be a fan of automated IC in OOC...

Edited January 15, 2019 by driecg36

[DronzTheWolf]

I like the idea, and Paradox's shameless suggestion just because I can imagine @Supply Get some miners here ASAP Science needs their materials you filthy animals.

[GreenBoi]

VORE isn't the only station that has it smh. They also weren't the first, and I know Apollo has a form of it but that's more a necessity because Apollo is DEAD.

On 08/01/2019 at 14:19, driecg36 said:

While drones are a thing, there are two main problems - not many people play them, and you can't really order them around to specific areas. They kinda just do whatever they want, and if whatever they want isn't fixing whatever problem you have then you're out of luck.

If we do implement this system, the fact that we have drones should not be enough to exclude engineering specialist teams.

Third Problem: Maintenance Drones cannot leave the station at all. They're meant for pure ONSTATION maintenance meaning you can't wire solars as them either.

[Huenererschrecker]

18 hours ago, GreenBoi said:

Third Problem: Maintenance Drones cannot leave the station at all. They're meant for pure ONSTATION maintenance meaning you can't wire solars as them either.

Wrong. Maintenance drones can wire the 3 solar arrays around the telecoms and do so often during deadhours. Only the roof will kill them.