An IT department on the Aurora

[nanotoxin]

So hear me out,

I think that the Aurora would do well with an IT department. I know you're gonna say "that's this persons job, or these people can do it themselves." But it's about the arpee. It'd be a great way for some interesting roleplaying.

They could replace PDA's so there wouldn't have to be as many Ahelps. It could be an IC virus or something, perhaps if the bug is fixed, a random virus could be implimented. They could replace the toners, fax machines, request consoles. They could build computers for people, and do all the circuitry for them.

I know this isn't the most in depth explanation or anything, but it's just a teeny snowflake that i'm hoping people will add to and will snowball and hopefully get thrown in

[K0NFL1QT]

That's part of an Engineers job. Or a Scientist can probably do it.

[Guest]

PDA's can be made in science. There are a few people (Nightmare for example) Who ask science for a new one rather than ahelp.

[Rechkalov]

I was actually thinking of this for a while now,because I really want to make an absurdly obvious Handsome Jack ripoff-character and takeover Aurora.

Programmers and IT guys would definitely be neat, but again, we ought to figure out something actually interesting for them to do (I mean, unless we find a way for them to have own original stuff to do and/or to interact with the station's electronics, they will be much like... I don't know. Librarians?).

I originally dropped the idea 'cause I didn't think anybody shared my sentiment, but hey - seeing this, I'll give it some more thought. Sure we can figure something out!

[nanotoxin]

Perhaps there could be more random virus events like the ones that mess with security. They could have a way to combat those. and on the flip side, if say it was an antag round, they could send virus.

IPC's are immune to diseases, and it's a staple in the IPC features, but perhaps they could get virus' or glitches that could be repaired by the IT. Nothing too harmful, possibly every third word is ****'d out or something like that.

[Rechkalov]

The thing is, I don't think it's a good idea to make more inconveniencies just so that these IT guys have something to counter.

Inasmuch as it would be cool to have your normal screens and technical stuff and whatnot break down and require maintanance and such, inevitably there would occur a round where all of the crucial medical and security and whatnot equipment would refuse to continue working, and there'd be no IT fella on board.

[SgtSammac]

The thing is, I don't think it's a good idea to make more inconveniencies just so that these IT guys have something to counter.

Inasmuch as it would be cool to have your normal screens and technical stuff and whatnot break down and require maintanance and such, inevitably there would occur a round where all of the crucial medical and security and whatnot equipment would refuse to continue working, and there'd be no IT fella on board.

Gonna go against:

I know you're gonna say "that's this persons job, or these people can do it themselves."

 

But yea,I would support more need for maintenance, but seriously? That is literally engineering/electricians job, we don't need a new job for it, it is litterally the job description of Engineering to be doing maintenance and stuff, unfortunately the game only has the worst case scenarios for engineers (Breaches) and menial construction tasks, rather than what their real jobs would be, which is day to day maintenance. (Lubrication, cleaning, repairs, replacing components, etc.

[Rechkalov]

Maybe there could be further dividation within the robotics' duties - as in, roboticist is closer to an engineer, 'the fella who puts the stuff together', while programmers would look over 'borgs' and AI's (etc.) laws.

But then, I have very little experience with the job; maybe there would be nothing to do at all, and roboticists would suffer terribly.

Perhaps a better approach would be to think of something creative the programmers might do, rather than introduce more and more ways for the station's equipment to deteoriate, so that they could prevent that.

[EvilBrage]

I would definitely like to see more in the computer hacking realm (and a use for a character being a programmer other than 'durrhurr reprogram AI.')

How would we achieve this? I have no clue.

[Guest]

Keep in mind that coding in a programming language into a game is not easy. I've looked into the programming for the Tcomms code.

[Guest]

Personally, I don't really see this as a good idea. It's adding more game stuff to what's already in-game and shoving what's in-game aside from doing what it does.

And by this, I mean, engineers fixing machines, the CE and RD ensuring the AI itself isn't a huge issue, scientists pumping out new PDAs or new cartridges in case shit breaks (which, usually it does), and so on. Maintenance techies (engineers, I mean) do the job of IT pretty well already.

If shit REALLY breaks, you contact CentCom for someone more experienced and equipped to deal with it.

I feel like the key to the majority of the roles currently in the game is to ensure the player in that role is doing their job and nobody else is doing it for them.

[Chaznoodles]

Pressgang Cargo into doing something other than riding their MULEbots all day.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Maybe we should just have equipment break down so engineering is called in to repair stuff.

[NebulaFlare]

Playing as Karima, I would love to get the chance to tinker with machines on a more technical level. But there are ways to go around it arpee wise.

like the Emag card is my 'hacker's tool'. Using vocal persuasion is applying 'logical directives'. Need to hack the AI, gimme the circuitboard to do it and I'll program the laws in. An IPC is sparking through emotes, Karima lays them on the operating table and takes out her screwdriver, and starts tinkering with them though emotes. To me, if it's got wires, it can be toyed with and hacked.

Engineers are basically the station IT. It kinda irks me as Karima when they call engineering to build a computer or unhack a vending machine. Engineers are basically knowledge powerhouse - they know how to do atmos, engineering, electical work, IT comms, and even build an AI.

What if ITs acted as an extra branch of research/engineering, like how genetics is medical/research? And their job was to fix all the glitches and bugs? (everything that justified karima yelling she didn't do it?). They can also do already ingame mechanics, like installing cameras, upgrading machines, printing out PDAs, posibrains, and pAIs. They can even optimize telecomms like install a translator or something - stuff only a CE or RD would bother with. Not actually go to the telecomms, just do it from the station, wirelessly.

Robotics is more of building, instead of conducting research. Yet I've found a TON of jobs to do as a roboticist. Everything from playing doctor for IPCs and programmer psychologist for malfunctioning androids. It's quite fun. The mechanics are already there, though arpee.