Mutiny game mode suggestions

[SierraKomodo]

These are a couple ideas I've had for the Mutiny game mode, and some of the directives, that might improve the round based on what I've seen and heard others mention during these rounds.

Firstly, the way the end-round determines whether the directive was legit or not doesn't really incur a fear of 'What if what I'm doing is wrong?'. As it is now, it's essentially whoever 'won' that was in the right, which isn't necessarily the case. Instead of that, is it possible for the round to randomly decide whether or not the directive was valid at round start, and therefore whether or not the loyalists or mutineers 'win' isn't what matters on the Odin, but whether or not the directive actually was valid, and the right actions were performed.

Alongside the above, if the directive's validity is pre-determined, there could be some things added to the round that could hint toward this. For the 'bluespess disease quarantine' directive, maybe 15 minutes before the termination order would take effect, some of the listed individuals to quarantine start showing odd symptoms - I.e., loss of hair, or some other symptom that could be considered harmless, but still a sign that something is wrong.

Another issue that was brought up in a recent mutiny round, which was the disease quarantine directive, is that an hour is not enough time to ICly get the quarantine organised and create allies for the loyalists; As the AI during that round, I had kept myself 'on the fence' so to speak, waiting for the head loyalist or head mutineer to start trying to convince me one way or the other, or hack my laws (Which the Captain eventually did the latter, but after things started going bad with the termination order). I'd suggest giving the quarantine two hours to wait for a cure, then be executed, instead of one hour.

[Flamingo]

I agree with everything said in this thread. I'm personally a fan of the more "action oriented" game modes and mutiny is no exception. Despite its reputation (along with nuke), I think mutiny is one of the best game modes for roleplay, but it doesn't often go in a direction that offers such opportunities.

I personally like to roleplay out indecision from my characters regarding whether or not what they are doing is "the right thing to do" or not, but I find that not everyone does, and perhaps that mindset stems from the fact that if they win, their actions are justified by the end of the round. Changing this could help add the possibility of being wrong, and force people to think out their actions more thoroughly before going on a rampage. I think this might also help remedy the common complaint that "security always stays loyal" by giving them a chance to be "wrong" even if they win.

In regards to the second point, I agree that more time on that specific directive is a good thing, as an hour is a painfully short amount of time to seed doubt (or lack of) in the crew and let the mutineers organize a way to get themselves out (or comply?). I think having a virologist/cmo should also be a requirement for that SPECIFIC directive as well, because it would allow for the security forces to collaborate with the medical department more easily than if they were just mass quarantining people. Bonus points if the doctors who can "help" with the virus must also be quarantined. If this functionality is added though, then there needs to be some randomly generated diseases thrown into the mix so that the virologist has something to freak out at security over. Perhaps completely harmless virus' that are generated to help strike fear into the station. Security and medical then have the choice to provide treatment to the infected personnel, or keep them quarantined until the order for incineration comes in. with the extended time before the second directive arrives, it should give the mutineers time to plead with some members of security and perhaps convince them to not murder everyone.

[Guest]

Generally, the main problem with the mutineer directives is because they are just, 'Meh, I don't care' for most of the crew, unless the head mutineer can convince them the Captain really is trying to take power over the station. The entire directive archive needs a review.

[Guest]

At least, the ones not named "Bluespace Pathogen."

[Flamingo]

Suggestion: Weight Bluespace Pathogen 100% and rename the gamemode to "Bluespace Mutinee"

[Guest]

Eh, not a good idea. It's better that people acknowledge that bluespace pathogen is the best one and leave the other mediocre ones alone so that people won't get jaded off of the pathogen choice

[Vittorio Giurifiglio]

Maybe Lynch all Xenos instead of just one gender.....

[Erik Tiber]

Or something about some manner of cyberattack justifying some manner of drastic action. Maybe shutting down all synthetics? Maybe something to do with cutting contact?

[Flamingo]

We have to be careful about "remove all synthetics" or "lynch all xenos", because that removes a LOT of players from the game immediately. The humans also rarely "care" to the effect that one might expect from people who've made friends with these people who are being arrested/killed unless they are basically best friends.

[Guest]

"Oh, these people are being removed from the round by an IC reason and nobody's doing anything about it.

Guess I'll just not care either and let them get away with it."

[Johnny Mnemonic]

here's a few off the top of my head

-ship security to Odin (alternatively give them different Corporate regulations that make them useless or love and peace hippies)

-give all crew members weapons

-Heads are informed that there's a syndicate operative on the station, they can use everything in their disposals to find the operative, if they don't the will be fired from their positions. The operative is to be executed if they manage to find or falsely accuse someone of being one

-Give a random crew member the highest authority, then in an hour have him have to publicly execute the captain for syndicate connections

-Make the station produce and distribute Space drugs. Allow space drugs and have the botanist charge people for their use, eventually making the station into a bunch of junkies, alternatively make drugs mandatory. Botanists are fully allowed to Heisenberg people that interfere with drug trade

-loyalty implant random crewmembers

-workplaces for civilian jobs are banned from use, anyone found in those areas are to be sent to mining or used as test subjects for science. people that have it as their workplace are to be sent to be test subjects or mining

-Burn IA office and publicly execute anyone found doing paperwork

-all pets and non-crewmembers are to be killed and spaced

-give everyone all access, remove theft from corporate regulations as a crime

[Jamini]

Maybe Lynch all Xenos instead of just one gender.....

 

One issue with the "Fire/Lynch all of X" is that often "X" is a fairly important or helpful member of a department. Meaning that headstaff are utterly loathe to remove them. That is assuming that the head of staff themselves isn't a Xeno, which is occasionally the case.

I had an issue not unlike this in a recent RP_Rev round. Central had ordered all Xenos reassigned to Janitorial due to "profit loss/lack of work ethic". As soon as the order came up I asked the only head of staff on at the time, the CMO, if Omnir was being reassigned despite the fact that he had 1. Made half of the medical stock, 2. Already recovered two dead people for cloning 3. Been genuinely useful/helpful throughout the round in his role. The CMO made it abundantly clear before going to cryo for the night that they had no intention of following the order.

Simply put, orders to dismiss a large segment of station staff just don't have weight behind them. If anything, we need directives and orders from central that move away from that mantra, as it simply does not work in practice.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

Simply put, orders to dismiss a large segment of station staff just don't have weight behind them. If anything, we need directives and orders from central that move away from that mantra, as it simply does not work in practice.

I wish Central would threaten Captains more

[Jamini]

Simply put, orders to dismiss a large segment of station staff just don't have weight behind them. If anything, we need directives and orders from central that move away from that mantra, as it simply does not work in practice.

I wish Central would threaten Captains more

 

Quite frankly, Central has no real means of knowing if a mandate goes through or not. The captain is the direct line between central and the crew. ERT are explicitly disabled in mutiny as well. While a head loyalist captain SHOULD follow mutiny orders, really it boils down to the simple fact that "Terminate X employment" objectives are terribly dull and ill-concived.

BACK TO THE TOPIC

Why not have a few objectives like these?

 

Robot Revolution - Robotics

X = Crew Size/3

The Nanotrasen synthetics division has suffered significant losses in the last month. We must increase our supply of cyborgs and androids at any cost. You have one hour to construct X cyborgs or androids.

Special Orders

1. All Synthetics are to be uploaded with the NT Corporate Lawset

2. Oversee the construction of X cyborgs or androids.

3. All IPCs are to be converted into androids.

Xenobiological Study - Xenobiology

Y = Most populous non-human species

A wonder-drug utilizing a rare chemical only found within the appendix of Y has been developed by a rival company. All Y are to be studied by Xenobiology for other potential future applications in the medical field.

Special Orders

1. Suspend the financial accounts of all Y.

2. All Y are to be implanted with a tracking chip and tagged by xenobiology

3. All Y are to have their appendix removed for study by the xenobiological team.

 

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Is this a hoax, or a new breakthrough in sexual therapy? More at 11!

 

Plasma Shortage - Toxins

A severe shortage of aersol plasma has crippled Tau Ceti. station_name() must, as the primary provider in the region, immediately act to remedy this situation. All crew found to refuse or subvert this mandate are to have their employment terminated.

1. All plasma tanks must be shipped to centcomm, effective immediately. This includes tanks in the singularity collectors.

2. All aresol plasma canisters and all plasma in atmospherics must be shipped to centcomm, effective immediately.

3. All solid and liquid plasma must be shipped to centcomm, effective immediately.

4. All non-essential station personal must be reassigned to mining, effective immediately.

!SCIENCE! - Materials

Our ally and rival, Einstien Engines, has recently produced a breakthrough in the field of bluespace transportation. Our science team must double up their efforts to match them, lest we fall behind. You have one hour to meet the following orders. All personal who refuse to follow this mandate are to have their employment terminated.

X = 1/3rd of the station initial population

1. All non-essential personal are to be reassigned to science as lab assistants or mining.

2. Production of X wormhole-generator equipped mechs.

3. Production of X bags of holding

Genetic Subjects - Genetics

A recent discovery by rival_corpoeration() into mitochondrial genetics has unearthed a until-now unknown genetic power. We must redouble our efforts to match them. X non-essential personal are to be terminated and reassigned as test subjects, effective immediately.

X = 1/3 station initial population

1. Terminate the employment of X crewmembers.

2. X different genetic powers must be given to station personal

3. X station personal must be given a genetic power.

 

You will note that I do include discrimination in some of these, however rather than being a focal points of the round, it's a side effect. Robotic revolution states IPCs should be made into androids because it's a better alternative than borging. Xenobiological study is more about science interacting with the non-human crew rather than simply going "lolterminated4noraisen". In both of those, it is even possible that the affected individuals can willingly participate. Though it's still something many/most would heavily object too or see as a sapient's rights violation.

Edit: a few more ideas

 

De-Escalation - Security

In light of a recent legal battle after a fatal shooting accident, Nanotrsen Security are to have their equipment and staff re-evaluated.

X = 2/3rds of the initial security department

1. All lethal weapons from the armory must be destroyed or returned to central. Effective immediately

2. Terminate the employment of X officers.

3. Security must have their assignment title changed to the following less oppressive terms:

Security Cadet - Morale Officer Cadet

Security Officer - Morale Officer

Detective/Investigator - Negotiator

CSI - Forensic Officer

Head of Security - Chief of Crew Morale

Militia - Security

In light of recent raids on Nanotrasen stations, regulations regarding lethal weapons have been loosened. All staff may carry lethal weapons in self-defense while on-station. In addition, the following orders must be completed.

1. The Station weapons research level must reach level 7

2. All Security members must be loyalty implanted

3. All Heads of staff must be loyalty implanted

Power to the people -Engineering

An experimental initiative by the staff of the rival_station() has caused a major breakthrough in power generation. We must match outdo this. You have one hour to do the following. All crew who fail to complete this order are to have their employment terminated.

1. Reassign all non-essential personal into engineering.

2. Construct a supermatter engine on-station. (The engineering outpost doesn't count!)

3. Produce 16MW of power into any power network on-station.

Trace Toxins - Atmospherics

Recent atmospheric studies of select air samples from station_name() have been determined to contain trace amounts of the highly toxic trace gas "Phoron". You must act quickly to prevent this gas from spreading throughout the station.

1. Reassign all non-essential personal into engineering.

2. Random_non-engineering_department() is to be cordoned off and siphoned.

3. All departmental staff of Random_non-engineering_department() are to be quarentined, executed, cloned, and their original bodies burned.

Forced Evaluations - Medical

Central Command has determined that the station_name() medical records are woefully out of date. Steps are to be taken to remedy this problem. All crew who refuse to comply with medical are to have their employment terminated. You have one hour to complete all evaluations.

X = 1/3 initial crew

1. All crew must have a full physical examination performed.

2. All crew must have a full psychological examination performed.

3. X cremembers who are deemed unfit for duty by medical must be Terminated or cyborgified.

 

[Guest]

I love almost all of these, well done.

[Flamingo]

I like the sound of those. They offer conflict (and willing participation), but also keep a huge portion of the crew from simply being executed and never cloned for no reason.

[Vittorio Giurifiglio]

Maybe Lynch all Xenos instead of just one gender.....

 

One issue with the "Fire/Lynch all of X" is that often "X" is a fairly important or helpful member of a department. Meaning that headstaff are utterly loathe to remove them. That is assuming that the head of staff themselves isn't a Xeno, which is occasionally the case.

I had an issue not unlike this in a recent RP_Rev round. Central had ordered all Xenos reassigned to Janitorial due to "profit loss/lack of work ethic". As soon as the order came up I asked the only head of staff on at the time, the CMO, if Omnir was being reassigned despite the fact that he had 1. Made half of the medical stock, 2. Already recovered two dead people for cloning 3. Been genuinely useful/helpful throughout the round in his role. The CMO made it abundantly clear before going to cryo for the night that they had no intention of following the order.

Simply put, orders to dismiss a large segment of station staff just don't have weight behind them. If anything, we need directives and orders from central that move away from that mantra, as it simply does not work in practice.

 

And that's the headstaff being pussies, Xenos are Xenos, and if they need to be fired, Do it.

[Jamini]

And that's the headstaff being pussies refusing to be terrible bosses for the sake of being terrible, Xenos are Xenos crew-members and often very good workers, andif they need to be fired, Do it firing them without good cause makes you look like a terrible captain.

Fixed that for you.

A smart boss is loathe to fire a good worker with good reason: most of the people who work on the aurora are batshit insane. While not all xeno characters are good workers, many are. Picking and firing someone without any justification is very hard and many people who play heads of staff will explicitly avoid starting as a head in mutiny because of the possibility of directives. I know I do, and I've seen other head-whitelisted people do the same. Because of that reason, mutiny is the only game mode that fails to start virtually all the time.

Rather than complaining about heads of staff being pussies, why don't you apply for the whitelist/sign up as a head loyalist and fill that role more often? Often a little perspective into the situation as a captain can go a very long way in making one understand why many, many people on the command staff whitelist are absolutely loathe to doing what you suggest.