Merging lings and vamps with tator tots

[UltraNumeron]

Basically, the suggestion is to remove changelings and vampires from the secret rotation, and making them 20tc items in the uplink that turn you into them. Similar to how psionics were made into an uplink item.

Changelings and especially vampires are already a bit notoriously janky and ill fitting, so making them fit in autotraitor and offship antags however the gimmick demands would give alot more room for them to get good use. Along with this change giving them access to BC which would allow them to make announcements to start a narrative for the round and make their powers fit in it. While also allowing them to get things like chameleon kits to set their outfits and so on.

I feel merging these pretty outdated antags into the uplink system would pretty much only improve them and the rounds they're in, and give room for more and better gimmicks. Along with allowing offships like burglars and mercs to make use of them in their gimmicks.

[zha everything broken]

...I really like this fwiw

[MattAtlas]

It could be trialed but I think this is a far bigger change than it might seem.

[UltraNumeron]

I think this is slightly beyond my abilities to make myself, so set up a request on the discord requests board if anyone who knows code is willing to try their hand at it. 

[dessysalta]

Not sure what to say to this other than I support it. I'd rather it be just as open-ended as most antag stuff. Giving the option for other antagonists like merc to get it only makes it more versatile and relieves admins from some stress. Particularly since mercs can buy 3 (with 4 mercs) or 4 (with 5-6) at most. I think although the abilities both antags get are strong as fuck, we have rules in place for powergaming that'll minimize most of it. 

I think it could run the risk of being too much given what mercs start with? But I definitely don't see an issue with giving it to operatives and traitors. I really doubt people will be playing souped up vampires/changelings with assault rifles; if it ends up being a concern an OOC blurb or reminder would be nice.

[UltraNumeron]

6 minutes ago, dessysalta said:

Not sure what to say to this other than I support it. I'd rather it be just as open-ended as most antag stuff. Giving the option for other antagonists like merc to get it only makes it more versatile and relieves admins from some stress. Particularly since mercs can buy 3 (with 4 mercs) or 4 (with 5-6) at most. I think although the abilities both antags get are strong as fuck, we have rules in place for powergaming that'll minimize most of it. 

I think it could run the risk of being too much given what mercs start with? But I definitely don't see an issue with giving it to operatives and traitors. I really doubt people will be playing souped up vampires/changelings with assault rifles; if it ends up being a concern an OOC blurb or reminder would be nice.

One thing that should be noted is, that a full ling/vampire gimmick for mercs is not particularly possible anywho if the items cost 20tc. Since they start with 15 each, at most three would have it (which would deprive the remaining guy of all tc) And so we would likely only see 1-2 of them if mercs do decide to include them in their gimmicks.

[Arbiter_Ambrose]

While I think this is going to be somewhat large in scope as MattAtlas said, I agree with the sentiment, I have many times had a gimmick based on these ideas and I can't because I don't have the ability, like diona do not have the capacity to spawn as ling or vamp, where they are a few possible gimmicks that are quite interesting to explore there, I am quite interested to see how it would be implemented and if it would only include organics or if more synthetic natures would be included, though I presume not, just a thought on my end.

Edited August 5 by Arbiter_Ambrose

[NerdyVampire]

I love when things get more dynamic! I can see how this could open a lot of doors.

In particular I like that this allows for "emergence" gimmicks, where we try to roleplay becoming a vampire or changeling through some external means (mysticism, science, ect.), where previously we just started out as that, and had to keep it hidden all the while.

[Alaunus_Lux]

I like this a lot and it actually solves a problem I was having with a gimmick I had in mind - access to announcements is super helpful for setup, as you said. 

My only concern, which might actually be a positive, is that this means every traitor round is potentially traitor + ling + vamp. We don't often get multiple traitors, but in the case that we do, if one wants to go ling, another vamp, and another classic traitor, then the round might get chaotic. The reason I say this might be a positive is because I've seen people walk straight to cryo/lifts when they learn it's a ling round. This keeps it interesting - just because there's a ling doesn't mean that's all that will happen in the round.

I'm taking a look at this in code to see how difficult it would be to trial. 

[Alaunus_Lux]

https://github.com/Aurorastation/Aurora.3/pull/21179

[Sniblet]

Two fewer gamemodes that everyone dreads, and a bright future featuring something like twice as many merc rounds.

Putting this in all uplinks is weird and, although I'm already thinking of two modestly interesting merc gimmicks, I hope it doesn't get bought often by non-traitors - though if psionics are any indicator, we should be safe from constant heavy-armored changeling invaders.

Edited Wednesday at 22:10 by Sniblet