Give Research a weapon charger

[Lady_of_Ravens]

As with a lot of science staff, I enjoy doing weapons testing as part of playing a scientist... this is particularly true with protopistols, and as part of combat-stim research. Unfortunately, once a weapon is discharged it becomes useless with no real means to recharge it. Reprinting the weapon for more testing seems an awful waste, and having security charge the weapon presents a series of potential problems (including releasing prototypes out of the lab).

As such, I'd like to request that a weapon charging station be added to the miscellaneous research lab, which is where most weapons testing occurs anyway.

[swat43]

*coughs* Steal from the security checkpoint in arrivals *Coughs*

[Lady_of_Ravens]

Yeah, I know about that spot. But aside from being inconveniently on the wrong side of the station, removing the weapon from research is a violation of the regs.

[Mofo1995]

So, I both like and don't like this idea as a scientist.

Pros:

*Can recharge weapons instead of printing new ones

*Facilitates weapons testing

*Helps science antags who might be going the high-tech route

Cons:

*Lab assistants

*Might encourage a resurgence of science militia

*Could encourage chucklefuckery

*Might make antagging in research too easy

I think that if this was done, the weapon charger should probably be in the RD's office. All though it would be a pain without RD's on, and possibly a pain for the RD to have to recharge weapons for researchers, I think that it would provide some balance to these issues. It would force weapons testing to be somewhat supervised by an active head in order to get them recharged.

[Killerhurtz]

I'm completely against this.

If you want to do weapons research, build a new weapon. Otherwise, it makes Science pretty much an impenetrable bastion - even if it's placed in the RD's office, people can break in. And if someone gets their hand on the RD's ID (like, say, the RD's dead), they can literally turn Science into an impenetrable bastion more dangerous to take on than Security itself - what with Robotics making security mechs, researchers with weapons and chargers, three voidsuits AND blast doors that force you to make a loud entry. And then if you somehow manage to successfully route them out? They can lift the lockdown and drag the weapons charger to the outpost for ANOTHER stand.

It's a bad idea. Science should not do weapons research without Security's approval or without a materials penalty.

[Lady_of_Ravens]

It's a bad idea. Science should not do weapons research without Security's approval or without a materials penalty.

 

The research division does not need security's approval for weapons testing within the confines of the research lab, end of story. And making tons of the same item just because they can't be recharged with equipment available is absurd even by the standards of R&D.

As for the rest of it... if you don't like the science militia, that's fine, neither do I. But there's already a solution to that: report bad roleplaying to the admins.

[Fire and Glory]

So.....wait.

If someone wants to hunker down in Science with guns, and doesn't have a weapons recharger, why not just go with the tried and true method of making more guns?

If Science gets a shipment of materials from Mining, then most likely they can churn out a lot of weapons.

I can carry over 4 Rapid Fire Lasers in my backpack Colonial Marines style, and if you want to use Laser Cannons instead for some reason, just make a Bluespace Backpack.

Science will ALWAYS be capable of being an absolute fortress, by virtue of being able to make things that no one can get anywhere else.

And if the Science Militia wants to form, they can just steal the Security Checkpoint charger before their declaration of independence.

Plus, there's the whole "If someone is going to be an asshole, it doesn't matter what you put in or take away, they're still going to be an asshole, just in a different way."

[Dreamix]

(...)Plus, there's the whole "If someone is going to be an asshole, it doesn't matter what you put in or take away, they're still going to be an asshole, just in a different way."

But, they also can be assholes in obvious, known and recognizable ways. Security will probably find out (at some point) that a recharger is missing, or straight out see a scientist with it.

And, I'm against this. As Killerhuntz already said:

It's a bad idea. Science should not do weapons research without Security's approval or without a materials penalty.

Let's not make research even more overpowered, almost independent and self-sufficient, impenetrable weapons and mech factory.

[Guest]

I don't think being able to recharge changes much in the way of powergame. I mean, when do you even get a chance to recharge during combat? If you recharge more than once you are doing things wrong anyway.

As for research itself, the senior science players already have the most efficient research paths nailed down, for them, it's an unnecessary evil that you need to get through to get the items you need for actual testing. I think it's mostly the people that don't bother with weapon tests that don't want this.

Besides, anything that can discourage people from having 90 protopistols and laser cannons with them is a good thing.

[Filthyfrankster]

General McSecurityofficer says, "H-hey science? Mind explaining why we arrested a scientist trying to break into our arrival checkpoint and make off with the charger, and WHY he had a backpack full of protopistols? What the hell are you guys doing in there?"

General RnDscienceLady says, "FUCK OFF NT ALLOWS US TO DO WHATEVER THE FUCK WE WANT IN HERE, FUCK OFF BEFORE WE REPORT YOU TO NT AND GET YOU FIRED" she says as there's twenty laser canons sitting on a desk, all in the name of science

Better yet, Science just starts fighting with lawgivers and military style shit the minute security does a smart and saves then wipes RnD

Edited December 16, 2015 by Guest

[Killerhurtz]

That's exactly my point.

[Lady_of_Ravens]

General McSecurityofficer says, "H-hey science? Mind explaining why we arrested a scientist trying to break into our arrival checkpoint and make off with the charger, and WHY he had a backpack full of protopistols? What the hell are you guys doing in there?"

General RnDscienceLadysays, "FUCK OFF NT ALLOWS US TO DO WHATEVER THE FUCK WE WANT IN HERE, FUCK OFF BEFORE WE REPORT YOU TO NT AND GET YOU FIRED" she says as there's twenty laser canons sitting on a desk, all in the name of science

Better yet, Science just starts fighting with lawgivers and military style shit the minute security does a smart and saves then wipes RnD

 

It's difficult to understand what you're saying here, but it sounds like you're describing exactly what I'm against: stealing equipment from other parts of the station and making unnecessarily large piles of weapons.

[Guest]

General McSecurityofficer says, "H-hey science? Mind explaining why we arrested a scientist trying to break into our arrival checkpoint and make off with the charger, and WHY he had a backpack full of protopistols? What the hell are you guys doing in there?"

I've said it once and I'll say it again. If scientists are taking weapons out of Science, they should be arrested. In fact, same should be done from anything more advanced than machine parts, not to mention giving out Bluespace bags out like candy. If you notice someone doing this, arrest them, confiscate the materials and bring them back to science.

Edit: For fucks sake, it's like no one knows how to play sec anymore.

[Filthyfrankster]

General McSecurityofficer says, "H-hey science? Mind explaining why we arrested a scientist trying to break into our arrival checkpoint and make off with the charger, and WHY he had a backpack full of protopistols? What the hell are you guys doing in there?"

General RnDscienceLadysays, "FUCK OFF NT ALLOWS US TO DO WHATEVER THE FUCK WE WANT IN HERE, FUCK OFF BEFORE WE REPORT YOU TO NT AND GET YOU FIRED" she says as there's twenty laser canons sitting on a desk, all in the name of science

Better yet, Science just starts fighting with lawgivers and military style shit the minute security does a smart and saves then wipes RnD

 

It's difficult to understand what you're saying here, but it sounds like you're describing exactly what I'm against: stealing equipment from other parts of the station and making unnecessarily large piles of weapons.

 

Basically that

Half of the time I see an un-needed second armory in science, all in the name of muh research

[Lady_of_Ravens]

Exactly... there's no reason to have a second armory in science unless it's for actual testing that's actually being done, not just to have weapons for their own sake. It's permitted, insofar as station regs go, and sec shouldn't be barging into R&D to try and confiscate those weapons just because they're there... but that doesn't make it good RP to make them (or to leave them unsecured in a pile on the table).

But none of this has anything to do with having a weapon charger there for when actual testing is being done... except that having such a charger precludes the need for piles of expended weapons.

[canon35]

I say no. You take the weapon, test it, deconstruct it. If you want it charged, ask security or command.