Mutant Fruit and Xenobotanist Changes

[Korinra]

So this came up as a result of a comment in Discord.

Xenobotany has the ability to make Modified and Mutant fruits/plants. However, unless there is something specific about them that makes them look mutant, why should people KNOW they're mutant? I mean, a yellow apple is clearly mutant, but a red apple that produces cyanide isn't. When you bite it, sure the taste is a give away, but then it's too late. However, as it is now, "You see a mutant apple, it looks delicious... maybe?" Well why on EARTH would you ever willingly eat that?

Here's my proposed change:

1st) All mutant/modified fruit continue to keep the unique numbers they do now, so the system knows what they all are, however they all look like, "Apple" or "Orange" or whatever. A xenobotanist can use the scanner to identify it as unusual, and it's properties, but otherwise they look normal (unless you mess with obvious traits like color or bio-luminescence).

2nd) The fridge will need an overhaul, as it should also identify the different mutations/modifications. I'd recommend adding a console in the room where the table is, something that lets you catalog/name all of your fruit. So in the computer, when you add a new apple, it identifies it as Modified Apple #45, but you can rename it to "Juicy Apple" to identify that it has a high output. Of course, this ONLY names it in the storage, when you take it out it still just says "Apple". Think of how the Virology system works, except now with plants. You could even have a simple notes field for adding notes about the plants. The RD could have access to this list too, so a traitor would have to have a clever way to code the information for himself to know what it means. This also allows extremely bureaucratic xenobotanists to print out their work and hand it in to the RD at the end of shift (like THAT really matters).

3rd) For added bonus, make the Xenoflora paper able to be filled out on the same console, and then printed pre-filled out. It wouldn't really change anything, except aesthetically it would feel more futuristic than a piece of paper on a clipboard. Plus the console can except the RD stamp/signature remotely from the RD office. Again, that allows the RD to look over the research results remotely, like a real science lab would have. This one is more optional, as is the RD having remote access to any of this, but it would be a nice touch.

[Chada1]

This turns the old system into a much higher RP and more believable Science. It seemed like a minor change when reading the proposition on Discord that made sense, but now i'm fully onboard even beyond that minor change.

I think this'll mostly help traitors not be completely foiled when they try to feed poisonous fruit to people, which'll help as well.

[Bygonehero]

Naming plants is a must, the crew will love the taste of my butternut squash.

[Gangstafary]

This is needed in order to avoid MG and to give XB antags more possibilities.

[Kaed]

Hey, this is a great time for my to nudge forward the New Plant Sprites I started work on in Ancient Times of Yore.

https://imgur.com/a/k3HNm

Maybe while we're at it, we can also revise the whole awful plant system to not have procedurally generated names and use actual colored sprites, instead of grayscale generic blobs with a color overlay Wouldn't that be nice.

Take a look, this is what our current botany draws off of! Isn't it awful?

 

[Gangstafary]

So, after some time, what can the people in charge of the suggestions say about this? As someone who also plays XB sometimes, this is quite needed if you ever want to antag (although, with some imagination, modified fruits could be used to defend yourself against an antag)