Machinist Specific Protolathe -- Inventory Community Poll

[Noble Row]

So an idea that has been pitched is to make a machinist-specific protolathe that has a separate category of producible items than the Science protolathe. This protolathe will focus on ideas such as providing equipment that already exists and doesn't need to be researched, with attributes such as Voidsuits, Roller Beds, Stun Batons, and other existing equipment being considered.

The issue is, the protolathe is missing a lot of things for this endeavor, and it's going to be difficult for the few of us working on this to come up with every idea. So we're polling the community! We would love to hear if you guys have any ideas on what should be added! Any idea is good as we're trying to get some feedback on what you all think would be appropriate for this potential new machine.

There's no guarantee this idea takes root, but in order to make the idea more legitimate, steps like these need to be taken. Please post your suggestions below!

 

Thank y'all for your time.

(There will be repercussions for derailing the discussion too far beyond its intended task. We are polling for friendly suggestions and inventory. Nothing more.)

[hazelmouse]

I like this idea! The machinist focusing on producing more relatively mundane, practical things, while research makes the funny stuff that requires research levels to access, feels like a strong distinction. The only thing I'd question is whether this would step a little on the toes of the cargo shuttle, which I'd imagine is used for largely the same thing?

[CourierBravo]

2 minutes ago, hazelmouse said:

The only thing I'd question is whether this would step a little on the toes of the cargo shuttle

I dont think it will, depends on the list we go with. A lot of what the cargo shuttle provides is things I dont think I would see a protolathe making. Not much in the way in instruments, a lot more in the way of raw supplies or larger objects. The shuttle also provides nearly instant access to things for the cost of credits. The lathe will require materials and a machinist. Both hanger techs and machinists are fairly reliable to exist, but machinists lest so, so you still have hanger techs having the edge of "I'm always available."

[HanSolo1519]

Operations bounties > items from cargo
vs
Mining resources > items from the machinists' minifactory

that sounds like a good distinction, yeah! I like the idea of doing this, right now having them get access to the protolathe feels like it knocks research out of making protolathe things and being useful that way

[Noble Row]

I need item suggestions!!!

[greenjoe]

Maybe move the mining minecarts stuff from the miner vendor to the machinist making them?

[furrycactus]

I think keeping stock parts based on research levels would be handy (manipulators/micro-lasers/scanning modules/capacitors) as they're vital for literally building machines you make with circuit boards, almost anything you can think of that counts as a machine in the game - and it allows Machinist to go around with RPEDs and actually upgrade the machines around the ship if they care to.

Other than that though, voidsuits/roller beds/stun batons sound like some great ideas. Some other potential suggestions could include things like:
- Custodial Carts (plastic?)
- Mop Buckets (plastic?)
- Atmos Pipe Dispensers
- Disposals Pipe Dispensers
- Fire Extinguishers
- Fire Extinguisher Refill Cartridges
- Empty Reagent Tanks (Welding Fuel/Water/Fire Foam/Lube)
- Steel/Plastic Cargo Crates/Freezer Crates/Lockers/ID Lockers, Gas Canisters, etc. (perhaps with more resource efficiency compared to building them by hand)
- Empty Internals Tanks (of all the various kinds)

Perhaps even on heightened alert level, maybe they could produce ammunition similar to an autolathe but in slightly higher quantities? Not sure about that one though.

[NothingNew]

They're just aesthetic, but replacements for those little antennae things would be neat.

[Nagito Komaeda]

Probably keep the Kinetic Accelerator parts in there. They're in a weird spot where they fall between gun science and tools, but having a direct link between mining and machining for better KA's seems like it'd make sense.

Other than that, I'd say the Machinist protolathe should have the 'standard-issue' gear of departments. You should go to Research for fancy, upgraded tools. You should go to Operations for replacements for your lost/broken/expired/stolen tools. That does risk stepping on the toes of the Autolathe a bit, though.

[CourierBravo]

10 hours ago, NothingNew said:

those little antennae things would be neat.

could you be a little more specific, please? Do you mean the IPC Antennae?

[NothingNew]

2 hours ago, CourierBravo said:

could you be a little more specific, please? Do you mean the IPC Antennae?

Sure, these Loadout items:

 

 

It's mostly fluff I believe, but they could potentially be stolen or go missing which the machinist could help repair or replace in some way.

[TeslaBeam]

15 hours ago, furrycactus said:

I think keeping stock parts based on research levels would be handy (manipulators/micro-lasers/scanning modules/capacitors) as they're vital for literally building machines you make with circuit boards, almost anything you can think of that counts as a machine in the game - and it allows Machinist to go around with RPEDs and actually upgrade the machines around the ship if they care to.

Other than that though, voidsuits/roller beds/stun batons sound like some great ideas. Some other potential suggestions could include things like:
- Custodial Carts (plastic?)
- Mop Buckets (plastic?)
- Atmos Pipe Dispensers
- Disposals Pipe Dispensers
- Fire Extinguishers
- Fire Extinguisher Refill Cartridges
- Empty Reagent Tanks (Welding Fuel/Water/Fire Foam/Lube)
- Steel/Plastic Cargo Crates/Freezer Crates/Lockers/ID Lockers, Gas Canisters, etc. (perhaps with more resource efficiency compared to building them by hand)
- Empty Internals Tanks (of all the various kinds)

Perhaps even on heightened alert level, maybe they could produce ammunition similar to an autolathe but in slightly higher quantities? Not sure about that one though.

Second most of these, particularly keeping RPEDs/parts, and adding internals tanks and reagent tanks (maybe add in an empty welding backpack, along those lines).

-Other existing things to keep of note should be analyzers (cyborg for obvious reasons, plant/health for bot construction) and MMIs.
-Expanding on the crates idea, different colors of crates could be neat (hydroponics crates, weapons crates, and the yellow crate the solar assemblies spawn in come to mind).
-The advanced welding tool (not experimental, the ones engineers get at roundstart). I know you can just hack the autolathe for them, but it feels weird opening up the weapons/ammo inventory just for a slightly better welder.
-Toolboxes of assorted types.
-Toolbelts.

These next ones are just spitballs, I'm not sure if they'd be any good:

-GPS units (I don't think these can be built?). I'm not sure if building these would cause any issues, given all the ones on the Horizon spawn with a unique tag.
-Binoculars. Might be a balance issue, given how few of these there are at roundstart.
-Cameras. I don't know if they're orderable through cargo, but if they are, they probably don't need to be added here.
-Hyposprays. I don't have the protolathe list in front of me so I'm unsure if these are already in, or if having the ability to print more is even wanted.

Edited August 20 by TeslaBeam
Added hyposprays.

[Dreamix]

Most of these items should be added to the autolathe, instead of protolathe.

Protolathe should contain stuff that requires research levels, stuff that is more "advanced" than most the basic tools or items mentioned here (like toolboxes, fire extinguishers, etc).

Machinist workshop has a autolathe too, so they could print them still. But these basic items shouldn't be limited to machinist's protolathe.

Edited August 20 by Dreamix

[CourierBravo]

On 20/08/2024 at 11:32, Dreamix said:

Most of these items should be added to the autolathe, instead of protolathe.

There's plenty of basic items in the protolathe already, its fine. The autolathe already has plenty of things it can make, it doesn't need that much more.