Help with LINGS and others

[Das_Boot]

There was an incident I was involved in earlier that caught me off guard, mostly because I'm so used to playing on more rule-relaxed and less RP-Heavy servers. The fact is, I know all about most of these aliens, and can play off "Oh my god what is that!" pretty well, but when it comes to a quieter, less action-oriented and RP-heavy situation, I'm completely caught off guard. It's a shame that it had to happen like that, but there it is.

So, my question is, how should I RP the different aliens, especially Changelings, who are apparently completely unknown for the most part and yet who can look and act human and camouflage so well? It just seems like unless a Xenobiologist or the ling itself says so, I'm supposed to assume....what? An agent with advanced abilities? That it's a genetics issue? I mean, how would I even know to jail a changeling or someone with a bore? How would I even RP suspecting something like that? It just seemed like if I even narrowed my eyes at them I was meta-gaming. Which, untill I get a decent explanation, I just don't understand.

Examples would be a huge help.

[Thundy]

This has actually been a huge problem for me also. I played a peaceful ling one round. Ate roughly about 17 protohumans before someone wised up. Was taken to the brig. Explained that I was a peaceful alien race but that I needed to eat human and that protohumans were a nice alternative to nomming on the crew. Still, they locked me up until transfer. Reasoning? 17?! 17 protohumans?!? Must be dangerous...

I don't know. I don't play security, as I have a terrible internet connection and so cannot play security. I'm sure that if I did, I would be a lot more sympathetic, however as an outsider looking in, I have a hard time working my way around the minefield that is security. An easy to understand concept would help both sides of this, I'm sure.

[Guest]

-snip-

 

They locked you up because they can't have an unknown alien species running around the station. They are called security, not police.

[Guest]

tl;dr, being a security risk makes you a liability and a loose end.

[Das_Boot]

So wait...what was the original charge? I mean..did they lock you up for cannibalism or something? Because they couldn't of known you were a changeling untill you said you were.

[Guest]

You can still brig someone for their conduct, even if they technically didn't break any corp regs

[Jamini]

You can still brig someone for their conduct, even if they technically didn't break any corp regs

 

Do you have a link to someplace it actually says that. Because I'd personally make absolutely certain to do anything in my power to get someone brigging without a valid charge fired (ICly). You can bet your ass I'd explicitly find every opportunity to put up incident reports on people doing things like that.

Security should not have the capability or authority to simply brig people because they feel like it. Such a thing is terribly exploitable and would open NT up to tons of legitimate lawsuits.

In an OOC note, no department should have that sort of power. It's like saying engineering can simply shut down any department they want at any time, even without a valid reason, or that medical can simply declare people unfit for duty at any time without even performing a proper psych evaluation. Security is just as beholden to regulations as everyone else. If no reg is broken and you have no proof that someone is a non-employee when they carry an ID card and are on the manifest, then it's really not justifiable to brig a person.

Mind, hooliganism is against corp regs. It doesn't take much to FIND a reason to brig if someone is acting up. But you always, always need a reason to detain.

[Guest]

It's like saying engineering can simply shut down any department they want at any time, even without a valid reason, or that medical can simply declare people unfit for duty at any time without even performing a proper psych evaluation.

 

No, it's not. You mistook my statement as though it's something a security officer can decide on their own.

It's strictly command staff (read as: HoS, Captain, perhaps HoP if neither are present) that can decide that. In addition, they had better be very extreme cases or cases that consistently occur over the course of several shifts.

[Jamini]

It's like saying engineering can simply shut down any department they want at any time, even without a valid reason, or that medical can simply declare people unfit for duty at any time without even performing a proper psych evaluation.

 

No, it's not. You mistook my statement as though it's something a security officer can decide on their own.

It's strictly command staff (read as: HoS, Captain, perhaps HoP if neither are present) that can decide that. In addition, they had better be very extreme cases or cases that consistently occur over the course of several shifts.

 

The CE can't order a department shut down unless he has a good reason. If he did, I'd expect him to get an incident report filed and eventually fired or demoted if such behavior continues.

The CMO cannot declare someone unfit for duty without performing a psych evaluation, which requires a reason for said evaluation. If they did so, I'd expect them to get an incident report filed and eventually demoted or fired if such behavior continues.

The HoP cannot terminate the contract of an employee without a valid reason, if they do I'd expect them to eventually have IAA involvement and demotion or dismissal if such behavior continues.

The RD cannot change the laws of the AI without authorization and a very, very good reason. If they do so I'd expect IAA involement and demotion or dismissal if it continued.

The HOS cannot detain without a regulation violation or direct orders from a higher power. If they do so, I would expect IAA involvement and incident reports, and dismissal or demotion if it became a reoccurring incident.

Being a head of staff does not give you unlimited freedom. That is why the general orders initiative is being developed, in part, and why corporate regulations exist in the first place. Even those at the top have limits on what they can and cannot do. The HOS is beholden to corporate regulations, just like everyone else.

That said, an "Extreme" case as you mentioned (wherin the conduct of one employee is acting in an improper manner) easily falls under "Hooliganism" and potentially "Battery", "Slander", "Sedition", or possibly even higher crimes. Even "Suspicious Conduct" permits the search and questioning of an individual (though If I recall correctly, it does not permit brig time.) It is not difficult to find a broken regulation if someone is misbehaving.

[Guest]

That said, an "Extreme" case as you mentioned (wherin the conduct of one employee is acting in an improper manner) easily falls under "Hooliganism" and potentially "Battery", "Slander", "Sedition", or possibly even higher crimes. Even "Suspicious Conduct" permits the search and questioning of an individual (though If I recall correctly, it does not permit brig time.) It is not difficult to find a broken regulation if someone is misbehaving.

 

Indeed, yet it still requires further investigation on the matter in order to find a breach of protocol, as subtle or obvious as it is. And while also not against the rules per se, you probably will be questioned for attempting to follow through with an investigation without any evidence or indication besides a gut feeling.

There is nothing wrong with having a gut feeling and following it through, though.

Still, anyway. If you'd like to discuss this detracted topic further, PM me I suppose, or ask for my Skype info. The original focus of this thread was asking about how to roleplay either lings or non-sentient aliens.

The thing is, the lore is undeveloped for these particular antags, so that a player can have some freedom antagging with them. Kind of the same for nuke ops, you don't have to be edgy grimdark assassins, you can be salesmen of waffles if you so desire. You can be a benign genetic oddity, or even a walking Typhoid Mary that spreads a hallucination virus upon making contact with other humanoids.

Reacting to this when you don't know the antag's gimmick? That's a bit harder, but all you really need to focus on is identifying the issue and figuring out how to properly solve it. This is conflict, ladies and gentlemen. It's not about shooting the ling that keeps regenerating itself in stasis over and over again, it's about having meaningful interaction with an antag and making it a point to see the inevitable outcome through.

Even if you're turned into an alien queen by a fucking wizard, just have fun. Do what you want because you are now free from being a responsible human... provided you still follow the rules for RP, of course.

[SierraKomodo]

Still, anyway. If you'd like to discuss this detracted topic further, PM me I suppose, or ask for my Skype info. The original focus of this thread was asking about how to roleplay either lings or non-sentient aliens.

The thing is, the lore is undeveloped for these particular antags, so that a player can have some freedom antagging with them. Kind of the same for nuke ops, you don't have to be edgy grimdark assassins, you can be salesmen of waffles if you so desire. You can be a benign genetic oddity, or even a walking Typhoid Mary that spreads a hallucination virus upon making contact with other humanoids.

Reacting to this when you don't know the antag's gimmick? That's a bit harder, but all you really need to focus on is identifying the issue and figuring out how to properly solve it. This is conflict, ladies and gentlemen. It's not about shooting the ling that keeps regenerating itself in stasis over and over again, it's about having meaningful interaction with an antag and making it a point to see the inevitable outcome through.

Even if you're turned into an alien queen by a fucking wizard, just have fun. Do what you want because you are now free from being a responsible human... provided you still follow the rules for RP, of course.

 

I always just try to play along the lines of 'I have no idea what this is or whats going on, oh hey, people are going mute randomly with no outward signs of injury? Maybe its a pathogen. Oh, it only happens around this guy? He must be the disease carrier. Virology needs to quarantine and investigate him and everyone showing these symptoms of becoming mute' for example, in response to a ling that used silence sting on half the security team throughout a round.

[Das_Boot]

I always just try to play along the lines of 'I have no idea what this is or whats going on, oh hey, people are going mute randomly with no outward signs of injury? Maybe its a pathogen. Oh, it only happens around this guy? He must be the disease carrier. Virology needs to quarantine and investigate him and everyone showing these symptoms of becoming mute' for example, in response to a ling that used silence sting on half the security team throughout a round.

 

See, now that is an excellent answer. Hadn't even thought of that, it fits so perfectly.

Thanks!

[Jakers457]

Unknown species and intruders aren't covered by Corporate regulations. If you're an abomination of nature or came aboard without clearance..... Well, let's say the mice will have more rights than you.

You can't honestly tell me that you expect Security or Command to allow a massive liability to walk freely. Nor will IA side with a liability, they'd sooner have any loose ends cut off to benefit the company.