[1 Dismissal] Allow borgs to move while at 0% charge

[Dreamix]

Allow borgs to move while at 0% charge, that's all.

On old code, borgs could only move, slowly, but they could. An ass-saving feature for the times when you got stuck somewhere where people don't walk by, or got your cell drained and have been forgotten.

Of course, the view should remain obscured, movement slow and the feature used to get to the nearest charger.

[Surrealistik]

Yes please.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

It may be better to have some sort of way to more easily find these powered down borgs rather than have them limp around.

A battery-powered transponder that pings your location in binary every 2 minutes when on 0% charge will let us remain shut down while not being forgotten. Unless we're the only borg on the entire station, I suppose.

[Surrealistik]

A Robotics Monitoring Console in Robotics, Sec and Bridge showing Cyborg and Robot (ED-209s, Medbots, etc) health, charge and location (as well as coordinates) would be a pretty good idea (to be clear it is basically the borg/robot orientated equivalent of a Crew Monitoring Computer).

Alternately you could integrate it with the Robot Management Console, put that console in these locations, and ID gate the lockdown/detonate commands appropriately.

[Chada1]

A Robotics Monitoring Console in Robotics, Sec and Bridge showing Cyborg and Robot (ED-209s, Medbots, etc) health, charge and location (as well as coordinates) would be a pretty good idea (to be clear it is basically the borg/robot orientated equivalent of a Crew Monitoring Computer).

Alternately you could integrate it with the Robot Management Console, put that console in these locations, and ID gate the lockdown/detonate commands appropriately.

 

This is a good idea on paper, until you consider how much it would be abused. Cyborgs couldn't be Antags anymore with this change, they'd immediately be locked down without any chance of preventing it, before they could do Anything. It's fixing one problem and causing another. The first half works, but would still be abused. Why not just give Roboticists a 'Robot Tracking' computer that also tracks 'borgs? Roboticists are the only ones who would have reason to know their locations.

I think the main issue with this problem as a whole, is most people aren't recognising that they have AIPM while disabled... The only thing stopping you from using it are your laws, Messaging Servers, or EMP potentially if that is what disabled you.

[Surrealistik]

This is a good idea on paper, until you consider how much it would be abused. Cyborgs couldn't be Antags anymore with this change, they'd immediately be locked down without any chance of preventing it, before they could do Anything. It's fixing one problem and causing another. The first half works, but would still be abused. Why not just give Roboticists a 'Robot Tracking' computer that also tracks 'borgs? Roboticists are the only ones who would have reason to know their locations.

 

So in otherwords, you like the idea, but not the part where the Bridge and Sec get access to a monitoring console.

Also I didn't even know borgs could be antags.

 

I think the main issue with this problem as a whole, is most people aren't recognising that they have AIPM while disabled... The only thing stopping you from using it are your laws, Messaging Servers, or EMP potentially if that is what disabled you.

 

I use AIPM; I'd still like to see this functionality.

[Arrow768]

Simple Question: How can a machine work, if its only power source is depleted ?

It cant.

(Also dont say emergency power source because a radio only needs a few 100 mW of Power where as a Elektro Motor used to drive a industrial robot needs a few 100W of power)

I prefer Jackboots solution, where a automatic message is sent on binary when there is a issue with the Borg (be it power, heavy damage, ...)

It´s much like the emergency beacon a blackbox sends out thats used to find its location.

I plan to add mechanics to triangulate transmissions with another project and triangulating a lost borg seems to be a nice usecase.

[Pratepresidenten]

I support the idea of a distress message (GPS ping) being sent every now and then when a borg is bumped into a non-functional state. Perhaps just not over binary, but over the general comms aswell, as a situation can arise where there is no AI or other borgs present (Or they have been disabled for that matter).

Sure you can blink your lights on and off and send PDA messages, but this isnt a feature that many are aware of.

[Surrealistik]

I think a monitoring functionality for the Robotics Control Console would be best per my earlier suggestion (albeit restricted to the RD's office and perhaps Robotics) much as I'd also like the ability for Borgs to slow move.

Edited February 5, 2017 by Guest

[Chada1]

Simple Question: How can a machine work, if its only power source is depleted ?

It cant.

(Also dont say emergency power source)

'Borgs are confirmed to have an emergency power source. It even says it when you examine them while disabled. "It's running off of backup power!" Most real-world Science in relation to 'borgs and SS13 items isn't feasible, that's a given. It's gameplay over realism, and SS13 is Science Fantasy not Science Fiction. The emergency power source is setup to last, that means it only upkeeps what's absolutely necessary to be found over an extended period, it makes complete sense IMO. You have to remember these are machines created to not only last during a shift on backup power, but also potentially last in the VACUUM OF SPACE until they're located by their owners in the event of traction malfunctions. That can take a while, dude, more than two hours. These are the reasons emergency power doesn't upkeep radio and other non-essential items, but does upkeep something that literally take near zero power, AIPM. The flashlight toggles and instantly disables due to a lack of power, meaning it's only getting a slight influx of energy and it's depleted instantly on enabling it. A beacon is practical both in realistic terms and practical terms and would probably have a similar power usage as AIPM (Near nothing)

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

It seems that there's a general acceptance of distress calls, but worries over how this will expose the borg. On one hand, can't we give the borg the option on where to transmit? Make it a button in the borg panel, where they can choose to use the handwaved 'emergency power' to send distress calls through different means: binary, PDA PM, general comms, science comms, engineering comms, etc. Basically, allowing you to give your location out over standard communication methods.

[Pratepresidenten]

It seems that there's a general acceptance of distress calls, but worries over how this will expose the borg. On one hand, can't we give the borg the option on where to transmit? Make it a button in the borg panel, where they can choose to use the handwaved 'emergency power' to send distress calls through different means: binary, PDA PM, general comms, science comms, engineering comms, etc. Basically, allowing you to give your location out over standard communication methods.

 

This shit right here.

Just slap on a recharge timer for the distress call to avoid spam and we're set!

[Arrow768]

Simple Question: How can a machine work, if its only power source is depleted ?

It cant.

(Also dont say emergency power source)

[blurb that refers to a quote that has been twisted out of context]

 

If you quote me, please quote me completely, correctly and do not twist the quote out of context.

If you would have quoted me completely you would have noticed that I am opposed to the moving, because the motors required to drive a borg require substantially more energy than a emergency radio.

[Chada1]

Simple Question: How can a machine work, if its only power source is depleted ?

It cant.

(Also dont say emergency power source)

[blurb that refers to a quote that has been twisted out of context]

 

If you quote me, please quote me completely, correctly and do not twist the quote out of context.

If you would have quoted me completely you would have noticed that I am opposed to the moving, because the motors required to drive a borg require substantially more energy than a emergency radio.

 

Welp, you entirely missed the point of what I said... I explained why the 'Emergency' power doesn't upkeep radio... and then AGREED with you on the Motor... the reason I lessened the quote was because the only bit that I was actually explaining was what I quoted, where I specifically said there Was an Emergency power source, since you implied there wasn't. You just twisted my supposedly 'twisted' quote out of context with your own quote. So I guess supposed twist-ception and i'm done.

[JKJudgeX]

This can be solved as easily as:

say ;I ran out of power, can someone please help me recharge? I'm in maint near the janitor closet.

Borgs have advantages and disadvantages. Their battery is one such, and not being able to move when it runs out is one of those disadvantages that makes it so they aren't pretty much always better. I prefer them becoming more helpless without power.

[LordFowl]

Not really necessary. Borgs should communicate if they're about to run out of power, and even if they do run out of power they can still communicate via binary or PDA. A fancy distress beacon isn't really necessary. As JkJudge so aptly states, Borgs have advantages and disadvantages. Voting for dismissal.

[Arrow768]

Seconded. As per suggestion board rules, suggestion dismissed.