What's with the isolated roles?

[Nanako]

There are quite a few jobs on the station where people work in extreme isolation, their workstations in distant locations, with no foot traffic, and often little or no reason to leave their station.

I can't recall all of them, but a few that come to mind are:

Xenobiology

Xenobotany

Xenoarchaology

Shaft Mining/Mining Cyborg

To put it simply, i don't like these roles. I don't understand them. I've tried a couple, and they were a wholly unfulfilling experience. They kind of feel like playing a singleplayer game, even if you have a colleague.

Of course, i'm certainly not suggesting they be removed or anything. My fun is not your fun, no such thing as wrong fun.

But i'd like to understand them a little better. And more importantly, i want to understand the people who play them. Or at least, the people who enjoy playing them. I'm sure these roles have their fair share of first timers who never return, we've all been there stuck in something we hated. But i'm interested in those who pick these roles habitually.

Are you one of these people? Why? What appeals to you about these jobs?

[Mofo1995]

I really love xenobiology. All though the isolation means that you don't receive many visitors, it also means you're under less supervision and have a bit more freedom. Kicking it down in xenobio with the slimes isn't so bad because unless if you have a good RD (and even then, they're often swamped with work, and by virtue of being a good RD they're presence isn't negative to the job) you're probably going to be completely devoid of authority, making the job really laid back. Another perk is that, since it is so isolated, the only people who are going to visit you are people who are actively seeking to RP with you. Whether they're an antagonist trying to do some horrible deed to you, a friend who wants to spend time with you, a stranger with the authority to drop by, or an apprentice, being picked out for roleplay because of your secluded location is often a brightside. Alternatively, it's really fun to bring in assistants and teach them the job. Even if they're total noobs, teaching people a job is fun, and really lessens the burden of having to do slime surgery. Plus, being partners in a highly lethal and dangerous bond is a good catalyst for forming strong friendships. The last bit is a little morbid, but another nice part about xenobiology is that most guests you bring in are trapped until you decide to let them out. The merits of this last part are purely antagonistic in nature, of course, unless you're a madman.

And, finally, safety. Typically, whatever horrible and ungodly events are occurring around the place, I usually find myself completely fine in xenobiology. All though this game is not a work simulator, I love work simulation, and to be able to work for long periods of time without interruption allows for more advanced research and time for research projects.

There's also some interesting ghost roleplay. I get bored sometimes, because isolation does have the downside of loneliness, and so sometimes I sing to the slimes or shit talk them, or try to summon golems. I often get LOOC'd by ghosts who appreciate the isolation roleplay.

[Tenenza]

I got a weird answer that probably no one else will give as their reason, but I'm putting here anyways. I play 90% of my rounds as these jobs for two reasons, and both reasons have to do with being staff. First reason is that it's really really easy to disappear as these jobs. No one really notices if that anomalist goes radio silent, and no one would know where on the asteroid you'd be anyways. That makes it really convenient for me, since I can literally drop everything I'm doing if an emergence like grief pops up that requires me to zoom my view over. Second reasons is that most of the time, I just want to be a background character and not influence the round too much. This is partially because I have a heightened awareness of everything going on in the round due to adminlogs, but also because I've actually really gotten to enjoy watching other people take initiative and shape the story, especially either those new people who I see a lot of potential in, or those really old people that I know are awesome at it already and are having fun. Maybe I'm just a masochist.

[Dreviore]

I got a weird answer that probably no one else will give as their reason, but I'm putting here anyways. I play 90% of my rounds as these jobs for two reasons, and both reasons have to do with being staff. First reason is that it's really really easy to disappear as these jobs. No one really notices if that anomalist goes radio silent, and no one would know where on the asteroid you'd be anyways. That makes it really convenient for me, since I can literally drop everything I'm doing if an emergence like grief pops up that requires me to zoom my view over. Second reasons is that most of the time, I just want to be a background character and not influence the round too much. This is partially because I have a heightened awareness of everything going on in the round due to adminlogs, but also because I've actually really gotten to enjoy watching other people take initiative and shape the story, especially either those new people who I see a lot of potential in, or those really old people that I know are awesome at it already and are having fun. Maybe I'm just a masochist.

 

I get this mindset. I don't expect xenoarchelogy to involve being close to crew. The job specifically involves digging around the asteroid.

My major issue comes to Xenobiology. The only real times someone interacts with you is:

1. An antagonist attempting to harm you

2. Roboticist needs metal

3. You die, and all of security, and half the crew come rushing in only to be killed.

[Rusty Shackleford]

If they like it, what's the issue? Live and let live, some people enjoy isolation in their roleplaying experience. To get rid of these jobs ends up fixing a problem that didn't exist to begin with, and only fucks over the people who like the jobs.

[Nanako]

I really love xenobiology. All though the isolation means that you don't receive many visitors, it also means you're under less supervision and have a bit more freedom.

hmm, but freedom to do what? A roboticist could build a personal mech suit, a chemist can mix up drugs. what kind of unsupervised fun can a xenobiologist get into?

 

Another perk is that, since it is so isolated, the only people who are going to visit you are people who are actively seeking to RP with you. Whether they're an antagonist trying to do some horrible deed to you, a friend who wants to spend time with you, a stranger with the authority to drop by, or an apprentice, being picked out for roleplay because of your secluded location is often a brightside.

 

Does this happen I've not really seen it in an isolated place, orheard about it happening. Antagonists especially, rarely seem to roleplay, if they're going to do something horrible it's usually a silent ambush

I did once have someone on the radio looking to dispense surprises though. i opened the door and got a cream pie in the face

 

to be able to work for long periods of time without interruption allows for more advanced research and time for research projects.

what kind of advanced research can you do down there?

on my shift we didn't get too far with the slimes before things went horribly wrong

 

My major issue comes to Xenobiology. The only real times someone interacts with you is: ....

3. You die, and all of security, and half the crew come rushing in only to be killed.

This is basically exactly what happened. although not me. I had the bright idea of trying to take my deceased colleague's head to the medbay for cloning, and in doing so left several crewmembers unattended in xeno.

One of them went insane and released the slime horde. Seven people died

that part of the shift was certainly exciting, moreso than the slime work though, i felt

[Nanako]

If they like it, what's the issue? Live and let live, some people enjoy isolation in their roleplaying experience. To get rid of these jobs ends up fixing a problem that didn't exist to begin with, and only fucks over the people who like the jobs.

 

I don't understand why you posted this, or are getting likes for it. I believe i stated very clearly that i'm not asking for these jobs to be removed, i created this thread to learn more about players and their experiences, not to request changes or force my will upon anything. You're acting like I'm attacking you.

[Tenenza]

what kind of advanced research can you do down there?

 

[Dreviore]

what kind of advanced research can you do down there?

 

 

Needs more monkies with knives in their chest.

[Zundy]

Are you one of these people? Why? What appeals to you about these jobs?

 

Because it's fun. In the case of mining it gives you a tangible goal when people are busy armchair roleplaying I.E nothings happening. Ditto xenology. All the 'interactive' roles like sec and med are boring as fuck when nothing is happening and can tend to devolve into shit tier melodrama. With mining ya gotta get dat sweet sweet ore for central(if RnD are fucking around) and with xeno, breed dem slimes/research dem artifacts.

TL;DR

It's fun because it gives you something to do when the round is slow, and when it picks up you can jump into the fray with ease.

[Carver]

hmm, but freedom to do what? A roboticist could build a personal mech suit, a chemist can mix up drugs. what kind of unsupervised fun can a xenobiologist get into?

Set up an infinite breeding program with plasma producing slimes and monkey cube producing slimes, and from there, all limits are gone. You can make any food with enough patience, make a number of chemicals noone else can easily access, and if you're competent enough, most antagonists can't really touch you due to red slime cores. Since, if you've properly befriended the slimes, they will ignore you during the activation of a red core.

In general the appeal of Xenobiology is you're the most powerful non-antagonist role in the game, with sufficient knowledge and time, and you don't really have to deal with anyone else. If you happen to become an antagonist, or an antagonist wants you dead, you're generally quite the force to be reckoned with. It appeals to all sorts, heavy RPers who like sharing their fun "discoveries", powergamers who love to play with a bunch of chemicals that only mutation-happy hydroponicists/xenobotanists can typically access, and in general, people who just want a quiet round with minimal responsibility aside from "Don't kill yourself on the job".

Similar thing with Miners, Xenobotanists, Xenoarch, etc. They get access to a lot of fun, rare content (Energy cutlasses, chemical producing kudzu, artifacts that cause !!FUN!!, respectively) whilst always holding minimal responsibility and little need to interact with others.

[Conservatron]

i was always interested in xenobio (and science as a whole) but every time i joined up as an intern nobody ever helped me (one person actively yelled at me for not knowing what to do)

maybe i'll give it another shot on newcode though

[Dreviore]

i was always interested in xenobio (and science as a whole) but every time i joined up as an intern nobody ever helped me (one person actively yelled at me for not knowing what to do)

maybe i'll give it another shot on newcode though

 

If you're ever on when Daniel Seraph is in either Xenobiology, or Xenobotany I'm always open to teaching interns.

I'm still actively learning Xenobotany both IC and OOC though.

Xenobiology I'm one of the few who doesn't tend to ruin the round for people after learning from my mistakes a couple times.

But yeah. As long as your character doesnt get uncomfortable around killing sentient beings hit me up.

[Carver]

i was always interested in xenobio (and science as a whole) but every time i joined up as an intern nobody ever helped me (one person actively yelled at me for not knowing what to do)

Xenobio is one of those jobs you need to read the guides on wikis (Ideally the /tg/ wiki guide) before playing, or learn from someone who read one of those guides, to actually thrive and succeed in. The downside to learning via the latter method is a lot of people play Xenobiology because they want peace and quiet, though if you offer to cut open the slimes for them you'll almost always find someone who'll help teach you.