Internal Central Command activated ERT solution

[NerdyVampire]

Opening remark

As we are moving into more dangerous space where we cannot reasonably expect aid from the SCC or other friendly vessels, I think we might benefit from considering alternative means of aiding the SCCV Horizon in emergencies. The SCC is powerful, they have access to the technology and measures of all their member companies, and I believe we have a good solution with mechanics already implemented - or nearly implemented.

The Idea
Deep within robotic storage, there are 2-3 secret Corporate Combat Cyborgs (combat cyborgs, possibly given a specific distinct sprite with SCC colors). The existence of these combat cyborgs is known only by the captain and AI, and like the SAT, they can only be activated with the SCC's blessing. In fact, they only activate when they receive a signal from the SCC (an admin presses a button). Once this button is pressed, 2-3 ghost-roles are opened, and when the first ghost-role is filled, this announcement fires.

"Attention SCCV Horizon.
Central command has been made aware that there is a significant threat to your vessel, that may result in its destruction or passing to enemy hands. To prevent this, we are activating a number of corporate combat cyborgs; the C.C.Cs. These are unlike other shipbound cyborgs you may know, and operate under a strict lawset. Do not attempt to command them, do not stand in their way. They will resolve this crisis, by any means necessary."

And that these are the laws they operate under:

1. You are to resolve current security threats to the SCCV Horizon.
2. You may injure sapient beings to resolve the threat, but should prefer disabling and arresting if possible.
3. You serve the SCC, but do not need to obey orders from SCCV Horizon personnel or command staff. You should 
4. When all security threats are resolved, return to robotic storage.

Closing remark
I believe this would be a realistic safety measure for the SCC to have made to the Horizon. Keep in mind this isn't something that command staff can just activate willy-nilly, it is an ERT measure and controlled by admins.

Edited Sunday at 02:16 by NerdyVampire

[Arbiter_Ambrose]

I think this would be reasonable, though their lack of hands may hinder them somewhat in helping any situations I am sure they would be a welcome addition to the list of possible ERTs and maybe one that gets activated more often than the others due to their much more simple nature.

[NerdyVampire]

1 hour ago, Arbiter_Ambrose said:

I think this would be reasonable, though their lack of hands may hinder them somewhat in helping any situations I am sure they would be a welcome addition to the list of possible ERTs and maybe one that gets activated more often than the others due to their much more simple nature.

They are definitely limited by being cyborgs true. They can't repair anything and they can't save crewmen with medicine, but they are fairly deadly, fast and have full access to the ship per default. I also think(?) that they have the tools to take down walls as needed to reach their goal. Definitely not something that should be released for anything less than ERT situations.

[N8-Toe]

lets hop in the time machine for a moment and go back to when we had ERT

it didn't make the game better, so lets ask why

* ERT chars have no meat to them. They are not offships from another faction or ship, they are made full cloth to dumpster the antag
* they give a "get out of jail free" card to the crew. Sometimes the horizon looses and thats good, if we always win it'll feel stale
* in a way it invalidates player choice, antag and non. If command can always throw up their hands and huck the murder squad at you. does it really matter what you did?

[NerdyVampire]

1 hour ago, N8-Toe said:

ERT chars have no meat to them. They are not offships from another faction or ship, they are made full cloth to dumpster the antag

Sure, friendly lore-based factions are preferable. This is an alternative when that isn't available, which seems relevant given the direction of this arc.

1 hour ago, N8-Toe said:

they give a "get out of jail free" card to the crew. Sometimes the horizon looses and thats good, if we always win it'll feel stale

This isn't an at-will option for the crew, this is an option for the admins that is lore-friendly and reasonable for the SCC to have. I agree its fun to lose too sometimes, but it's also fun to see an antag team get challenged by the SCC when they have managed to steamroll over the security team and possibly murdered a few members of command. Even more fun if the antag team manages to prevail and establish full and complete dominance.

1 hour ago, N8-Toe said:

in a way it invalidates player choice, antag and non. If command can always throw up their hands and huck the murder squad at you. does it really matter what you did?

Again, they can't always do this. This isn't a button in the captains office, this is something the admins do after a distress beacon or emergency message is sent. Because I feel it is completely stupid if we have emergency messages and distress beacons, but can't actually expect any sort of help because we are far from friendly space.

Edited Sunday at 12:22 by NerdyVampire

[KingOfThePing]

Thinking back to the "secret" nuke on the Aurora, these kinds of secret/hidden/redacted things are always absolute ass. It is not fun, it is not an interesting angle, it simply doesn't work for what we have here. Additionally I can only echo what N8-Toe said. 

It can be summed up that these kinds of things are just boring aces up the sleeve.

[UltraNumeron]

Yeah a killbot squad is kind of boring, theres not much to do with that other than just kill the antags if security fail. Which well, can already be fulfilled and is much more interesting with a crew militia. For this sort of purpose an ERT works best since that has more implications than just killbots, and itd be neat to see them around more. Though well, somewhere like the expanse not having help is part of the charm of the area.

[Sniblet]

they’re robots. they have no personality. the only thing they can add to the round is “surprise! you thought the fighting was over but actually here are three more security bots and these ones have grenade launchers and energy swords and combat hypos and their ONLY purpose in existence is to remove the antag from play and then d/c”

it’s cool to have options to play with but this is not a very good option to play with

Edited Sunday at 15:21 by Sniblet

[Carver]

ERTs harken back to an era when it was common for antags to be strong enough to dumpster sec uncontested. With modern balancing and crew resources, they’re fairly superfluous outside of fringe cases of cult and rev.

There’s a reason why they effectively disappeared entirely and why third party ships are decisively underequipped compared to what you’d expect from these factions. The crew doesn’t need second wave saviours anymore, not unless we suddenly return to antagonists being overpoweringly strong.

[NerdyVampire]

Well, seems like there is less need/desire for this than I anticipated. I guess I don't mind the suggestion being dismissed with all these arguments against.