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Bluespace Null Field Machine - Solution to the Telescience Problem


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Right I got home from university and discovered there was uproar about exploiting telescience to end rounds early or steal items easily. I didn't see most of the discussion however, the issue was brought to dev chat.


The solution we came up with is a powered machine that nullifies bluespace incoming signals and pushes them somewhere else. It's like a radio jammer for bluespace. The generator will cover an area the size of the screen, so anything that teleports into that area is "pushed" out by rerouting their direction, and anything that is meant to be teleported from the area will instead take items from another tile instead. The machine itself is unique and cannot be produced by science, yet.


3 of these machines will exist on the map. One in the vault. One in the AI core. One in the armory. This will affect all non-admin sources of teleportation including ninja teleport, wizard teleport, telescience teleport, and bluespace dust teleport.


PR: https://github.com/Aurorastation/Aurora.3/pull/5652

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This should not affect cultists. Their teleports require setup and rune placement, and also use the Veil, or whatever.


I'm against them blocking wizards, though. It's a largely pointless addition for them, because wizards have so many mobility talents that blocking one of them is meaningless and blocking all of them essentially makes their talents worthless. Since NInjas use tech rather than magic, and also rely more on station equipment than wizards, I don't see why it wouldn't block them, though.


This should be about stopping telescience abuse, not slipping in broad-spectrum antagonist nerfs.

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-1 from me, mainly on the grounds that there's not a real problem with telescience, just one person abusing it.

However, knowing how the server's been going, saying no means essentially nothing. I feel like this device should have to be an actively activated one that uses up power faster than the apc can charge, meaning you can't just flip it on and be protected forever.

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I feel like this device should have to be an actively activated one that uses up power faster than the apc can charge, meaning you can't just flip it on and be protected forever.

 

I'm into this idea. If it was balanced like this, I wouldn't mind it also blocking wizards and shit. There should be a way for someone to turn it on, though. Like a button in the HoS's office, in the AI's core, and... somewhere for the vault. Maybe the captain's office or inside the vault itself?

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Guest Marlon Phoenix

Sounds rad to me. This already exists in lore as the Bluespace Interdiction Drive so name it that and we're golden.


Also make it so it doesn't effect vamp, cult and cult accessories.

 

[mention]BurgerBB[/mention] What Zundy said. There's lore precedent, so the name change will make this a good miniaturization of the current tech, this improve consistency and intersectionality with lore and mechanics.

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As I mentioned in the discord announcement and multiple discussions:

At the moment I do not see the need for this (or any other changes) as the first step to try and solve the current tsc issues is to increase the awareness that there are certain actions which we do not want to see as a recurring theme with tsc.


In addition the mods and mins have been advised to keep an eye out for specific behavior and talk to the players about it, if it is noticed.


Only if these actions turn out to have no effect, then mechanical solutions will be considered.

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can't speak for gameplay balance, but i'll speak for lore

 

I mean, this kind of technology makes a lot of sense lore-wise. If there's nothing to combat, say, bank safes being teleported out, wouldn't telescience be illegal? I really doubt that telesci is only practiced at NT.

telescience is some of the newest bluespace technology to date, utilizing teleportation without a bluespace gate or drive. that's pretty crazy, can only be done in a small area, is HIGHLY dangerous to the teleporter, and is extremely hard to predict and control, requiring top-of-the-line scientists to do ANYTHING.

 

Sounds rad to me. This already exists in lore as the Bluespace Interdiction Drive so name it that and we're golden.

the bluespace interdiction drive is explicitly stated as not existing within Tau Ceti, with the one and only (known) existing model existing in Sol's capital. it requires the energy of an entire station far, far larger than the aurora alone just to keep it active.

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As I mentioned in the discord announcement and multiple discussions:

At the moment I do not see the need for this (or any other changes) as the first step to try and solve the current tsc issues is to increase the awareness that there are certain actions which we do not want to see as a recurring theme with tsc.


In addition the mods and mins have been advised to keep an eye out for specific behavior and talk to the players about it, if it is noticed.


Only if these actions turn out to have no effect, then mechanical solutions will be considered.

 

I saw a problem in gameplay so now I'm fixing it. Regardless of whether or not people will do this again, it should be implemented.

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That's a capital interdiction drive which is capable of pulling even the Unathis monster ships out of blue space. Weenie pirates have access to standard interdiction drives. @Ornias

 

the undying shame i now feel at being proved wrong makes me disgusted , and throws me into a tragic state of despair

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Could we also get a much smaller handheld version with a range of 3-5 that can be purchased with TC from the traitor array? (And maybe give one to raiders)

There is somewhat of a meme to give invader antags a trojan horse with a teleport beacon in it then pile the entire security team into the teleporter the moment they take it, and as yet, 0 way to counter or disrupt this tactic.

Edited by Kaed
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