Drop the genetics testing paperwork/arrests/etc

JKJudgeX · September 16, 2015

I would like to see the genetics "self-testing gets you arrested if you leave genetics" thing dropped.

Reasoning:

I play Geneticist from time to time. It is actually the least fun job on the station because of that requirement.

Think about it for a second:

You spend about an hour discovering and upgrading parts of the genome by clicking a couple of buttons, shining a flashlight in eyes, and repeating the process... it's tedious even when you've mastered it.

Then, you finally have these powers isolated down to blocks, and can make them. Cool. So, now that that's done... that's cool. Log out.

Why just log out?

Well, because on Aurora, the geneticist is apparently despised and his work not valued. It seems extremely sensible to me that if I had x-ray vision granting powers that I would offer it to the detective or the HoS so that they can track down criminals more easily (some servers give the HoS and/or detective goggles for this). Both of the times I've asked permission from the CMO or HoS to distribute this power, I've been told "No" without any reasoning. Engineers and atmospheric techs? I'd like to offer you heat resist. You are in bad conditions frequently, and that power could actually be useful to you. But no. Don't give that out either...

By comparison, the scientist is over there making weapons for security, building people new computers, upgrading machines, has access to chemistry, telescience, toxins, etc...

but no, not you, geneticist. Stay in your hole. You have telekinesis and we'll allow invincible IPC dudes to run around all day, but not you, guy who can move a screwdriver with his mind... oh no... not you.

I'm not asking for unfettered access to just give out powers... I'm just saying i should be able to walk around with all powers but hulk without anyone batting an eye if I am the geneticist. If a roboticist or a miner can walk a Ripley down the hall, why can't I have a glowing body, head, and eyes as a geneticist, since it's my work? Why can't I empower the crew in responsible and reasonable ways so that we are all safer and more secure?

If you're saying I can't use my injectors on myself and leave genetics, AND I can't hand out the injectors to help others, then what is the point of the DNA machine? You guys know there's no CMO a lot, right? If you are playing in a no CMO or a CMO who defaults to "no" situation, or hell, even just have a very busy CMO, WHY even play geneticist? It equates to: "Play with numbers on a screen for an hour and then remain in one room that nobody visits for the remainder of the round."

I can't think of a worse job, and it's one of my favorites, but not the way it's played on Aurora.

JKJudgeX · September 16, 2015

I would like to see the genetics "self-testing gets you arrested if you leave genetics" thing dropped.

Reasoning:

I play Geneticist from time to time. It is actually the least fun job on the station because of that requirement.

Think about it for a second:

You spend about an hour discovering and upgrading parts of the genome by clicking a couple of buttons, shining a flashlight in eyes, and repeating the process... it's tedious even when you've mastered it.

Then, you finally have these powers isolated down to blocks, and can make them. Cool. So, now that that's done... that's cool. Log out.

Why just log out?

Well, because on Aurora, the geneticist is apparently despised and his work not valued. It seems extremely sensible to me that if I had x-ray vision granting powers that I would offer it to the detective or the HoS so that they can track down criminals more easily (some servers give the HoS and/or detective goggles for this). Both of the times I've asked permission from the CMO or HoS to distribute this power, I've been told "No" without any reasoning. Engineers and atmospheric techs? I'd like to offer you heat resist. You are in bad conditions frequently, and that power could actually be useful to you. But no. Don't give that out either...

By comparison, the scientist is over there making weapons for security, building people new computers, upgrading machines, has access to chemistry, telescience, toxins, etc...

but no, not you, geneticist. Stay in your hole. You have telekinesis and we'll allow invincible IPC dudes to run around all day, but not you, guy who can move a screwdriver with his mind... oh no... not you.

I'm not asking for unfettered access to just give out powers... I'm just saying i should be able to walk around with all powers but hulk without anyone batting an eye if I am the geneticist. If a roboticist or a miner can walk a Ripley down the hall, why can't I have a glowing body, head, and eyes as a geneticist, since it's my work? Why can't I empower the crew in responsible and reasonable ways so that we are all safer and more secure?

If you're saying I can't use my injectors on myself and leave genetics, AND I can't hand out the injectors to help others, then what is the point of the DNA machine? You guys know there's no CMO a lot, right? If you are playing in a no CMO or a CMO who defaults to "no" situation, or hell, even just have a very busy CMO, WHY even play geneticist? It equates to: "Play with numbers on a screen for an hour and then remain in one room that nobody visits for the remainder of the round."

I can't think of a worse job, and it's one of my favorites, but not the way it's played on Aurora.

September 16, 2015

Or, you know. Fill out the simple little form. Research usually requires forms for you to get those weapons and neat little devices you talk about. I've seen rounds where geneticists are able to hand out powers because guess what, forms do wonders.

Through the probably several good geneticists we have, we've also had many more people that chucklefuck with powers. The other day we had the prison event, and one geneticist made sure to snag TK so he could fuck around with it during the prison event.

September 16, 2015

Or, you know. Fill out the simple little form. Research usually requires forms for you to get those weapons and neat little devices you talk about. I've seen rounds where geneticists are able to hand out powers because guess what, forms do wonders.

Through the probably several good geneticists we have, we've also had many more people that chucklefuck with powers. The other day we had the prison event, and one geneticist made sure to snag TK so he could fuck around with it during the prison event.

JKJudgeX · September 16, 2015

Umm. I'd say 50% of the time I play geneticist the CMO is absolutely unavailable to process forms/the forms aren't around... if you want to play it so that no CMO = automatically assumed signed forms, I'm okay with that. Otherwise, what I said stands. Genetics is the job of poking at a computer continually, and getting LITERALLY NOTHING that you can functionally use as a result, which makes it a uniquely worthless job.

And yeah, science doesn't generally fill out forms for protolathe/autolathe requests. I know this because I work science pretty much daily on the aurora, and I don't bother with paperwork, and neither do most other scientists... for anything... because as much as anyone insists upon it, paperwork isn't fun for most people, and we just won't bother with 5 minutes of shitplay to avoid a stern talking to about how we should have used paperwork. Also, RD is only available 50% of the time at best.

Permission over science comms? Sure, sometimes, when it seems like a bad idea (assistant is requesting protopistols, Y/N?). Security Officer is requesting stun revolver? Sure.

I'm sort of realizing that the command whitelist really undercuts the paperwork thing by making those positions rarely filled, yet the need for that paperwork remains consistent. I don't think you can really have both, realistically. Either when i need the paperwork I can ascend to the position because no one else has, or I don't need the paperwork, or as is current: nobody cares about paperwork.

JKJudgeX · September 16, 2015

Umm. I'd say 50% of the time I play geneticist the CMO is absolutely unavailable to process forms/the forms aren't around... if you want to play it so that no CMO = automatically assumed signed forms, I'm okay with that. Otherwise, what I said stands. Genetics is the job of poking at a computer continually, and getting LITERALLY NOTHING that you can functionally use as a result, which makes it a uniquely worthless job.

And yeah, science doesn't generally fill out forms for protolathe/autolathe requests. I know this because I work science pretty much daily on the aurora, and I don't bother with paperwork, and neither do most other scientists... for anything... because as much as anyone insists upon it, paperwork isn't fun for most people, and we just won't bother with 5 minutes of shitplay to avoid a stern talking to about how we should have used paperwork. Also, RD is only available 50% of the time at best.

Permission over science comms? Sure, sometimes, when it seems like a bad idea (assistant is requesting protopistols, Y/N?). Security Officer is requesting stun revolver? Sure.

I'm sort of realizing that the command whitelist really undercuts the paperwork thing by making those positions rarely filled, yet the need for that paperwork remains consistent. I don't think you can really have both, realistically. Either when i need the paperwork I can ascend to the position because no one else has, or I don't need the paperwork, or as is current: nobody cares about paperwork.

Frances · September 16, 2015

I was always under the impression the harsh restrictions over genetics existed to curb both the ridiculous power of geneticists as well as the marked immersion break of having your regular coworkers running around with superpowers.

In the end, it's a patch on a bigger problem, but genetics wasn't really planned with HRP or seriousness in mind. In the meantime (until genetics gets fully reworked or removed), the strict regulations on genetics testing ensures that the people who do play around with powers are capable of playing their role with a modicum of seriousness... or end up in the brig.

Frances · September 16, 2015

I was always under the impression the harsh restrictions over genetics existed to curb both the ridiculous power of geneticists as well as the marked immersion break of having your regular coworkers running around with superpowers.

In the end, it's a patch on a bigger problem, but genetics wasn't really planned with HRP or seriousness in mind. In the meantime (until genetics gets fully reworked or removed), the strict regulations on genetics testing ensures that the people who do play around with powers are capable of playing their role with a modicum of seriousness... or end up in the brig.

Eliot Clef · September 16, 2015

In the end, it's a patch on a bigger problem, but genetics wasn't really planned with HRP or seriousness in mind. In the meantime (until genetics gets fully reworked or removed), the strict regulations on genetics testing ensures that the people who do play around with powers are capable of playing their role with a modicum of seriousness... or end up in the brig.

So, I'm going to be pretty blunt about this. Having to get paperwork in order to leave the Genetics lab with superpowers is essentially a rules-sanctioned form of meta metagrudging against Geneticists.

This sounds ridiculous, but think about it: The kinds of Geneticists the paperwork is attempting to select against are the kinds who inject themselves with Hulk/whatever else and go rampaging through the station, causing problems and going SSD when caught. These people will do this no matter what. It happens routinely, even since these rules went in.

The paperwork exists only to offer a chance for an "off" switch to be flipped, but the only people that switch will be flipped against are going to be the kind of people who wouldn't go on an unmitigated rampage with Hulk in the first place.

The paperwork doesn't solve a problem, and takes an OOC cultural bias IC.

Eliot Clef · September 16, 2015

In the end, it's a patch on a bigger problem, but genetics wasn't really planned with HRP or seriousness in mind. In the meantime (until genetics gets fully reworked or removed), the strict regulations on genetics testing ensures that the people who do play around with powers are capable of playing their role with a modicum of seriousness... or end up in the brig.

So, I'm going to be pretty blunt about this. Having to get paperwork in order to leave the Genetics lab with superpowers is essentially a rules-sanctioned form of meta metagrudging against Geneticists.

This sounds ridiculous, but think about it: The kinds of Geneticists the paperwork is attempting to select against are the kinds who inject themselves with Hulk/whatever else and go rampaging through the station, causing problems and going SSD when caught. These people will do this no matter what. It happens routinely, even since these rules went in.

The paperwork exists only to offer a chance for an "off" switch to be flipped, but the only people that switch will be flipped against are going to be the kind of people who wouldn't go on an unmitigated rampage with Hulk in the first place.

The paperwork doesn't solve a problem, and takes an OOC cultural bias IC.

$jackfractal$ · September 16, 2015

We could just remove genetics entirely. We're looking at a pretty big code rework in the near future, it could be arranged.

$jackfractal$ · September 16, 2015

We could just remove genetics entirely. We're looking at a pretty big code rework in the near future, it could be arranged.

Eliot Clef · September 16, 2015

We could just remove genetics entirely. We're looking at a pretty big code rework in the near future, it could be arranged.

I, and others, have already explained on many, many occasions why removing Genetics entirely is a bad idea. The balance of the game is too built around death being cheap and cloning being available. I'd accept this if Genetics just became a big sprawling cloning bay that Medical Doctors had access to, but I wouldn't really be happy with it.

Eliot Clef · September 16, 2015

We could just remove genetics entirely. We're looking at a pretty big code rework in the near future, it could be arranged.

I, and others, have already explained on many, many occasions why removing Genetics entirely is a bad idea. The balance of the game is too built around death being cheap and cloning being available. I'd accept this if Genetics just became a big sprawling cloning bay that Medical Doctors had access to, but I wouldn't really be happy with it.

Contextual · September 16, 2015

Chemistry is not allowed to bring chemicals out of the lab, aside from medicines, without paperwork.

Same with research. No chemicals, guns, laser scalpels, any of that outside of research without paperwork.

Same with engineering. Walk around in a firesuit, gasmask, and fireaxe? Expect trouble.

Same with security. No weaponry without paperwork on code green.

Same with botany. No anomalous plants outside hydroponics without paperwork.

Same with the bartender. No shotgun outside bar without paperwork.

Same with roboticists. No robots outside the lab without paperwork. No mechs at all without paperwork.

Same with xenobiologists. No slimes outside the lab without paperwork.

Geneticists are not special. They do not get exempt from this rule just because they have 'feelings.' Do the paperwork, present your case, and move on. If you see others breaking the rules of paperwork, report them to security. If security doesn't care, file an incident report. I promise you the DOs care. A lot.

Contextual · September 16, 2015