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[1 Dismissal] New Job/Add duty to existing job (Telecommunications Officer)


Tomiix

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Telecommunications

 

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Ladies and gentlemen, I feel like we have untapped potential when it comes to communications on and outside the station. Nanotrasen has provided us with state of the art and complex radio communications (when it's working) and convenient instant messaging software (when it's used). As it stands right now, all of this traffic is managed by the AI. This, as proven time and time and again is fairly dangerous. The lawset in of itself hampers an AI's ability to be able to interpret the nature of communications and make decisions freely when given information. The AI is busy, and is focused on making sure the crew doesn't choke on their own vomit or accidently blow up the space station. The AI is incapable of doing things outside of it's limited access to do things a human can do, and an AI lacks the creativity that a Telecommunications Officer can bring to the station.


I propose the new job/role of Telecommunications, a Science level position that works independently of the science department in monitoring all communications in and around the station. This position would report to the Research Director and the Head of Security depending on what incidents would arise.


This person would have the following responsibilities

 

- Assist security in politely reminding employees to follow regulation i107 Misuse of Public Radio Channels and any other radio procedures the Heads of Staff wish to put in place, and to report abuse of the privilege of communications to Security. AKA be a comms nanny, and inform crew of other means they can be achieving the same goal. Help eliminate radio clutter.


- Be tasked with monitoring communication channels in and outside the station, and be a early warning system for fuckery. For example listening to station sensor equipment to detect shuttle traffic passing by, and be able to give advanced warning on unusual anomalies approaching the station before centcom realizes it. Or monitoring PDA channels and reporting suspicious traffic. (They would of course, be counted on to maintain confidentiality of what was in non-suspicious messages, or else fall victim to Regulation i118 Violation of privacy laws. With the added severity of possibly being job banned.)


- Learn, study, and understand multiple languages, (over the normal three limit and outside of the species limit since this is their job) and be able to effectively communicate with outside forces in a first contact scenario. Able to be socially neutral, and be a mediary between command staff and first contact aliens. This would be their during the round procedure. Like a scientist they would research different kinds of alien communications, and be able to construct devices to add to the comms system that can translate languages the crew can't understand. This can be as simple as the aforementioned example of a system that automatically translates Unathi languages to something as advanced as being able to sense alien communications like changelings. They would also be tasked with attempting to learn the cultures of other species and assisting Security and Command staff in cultural sensitivity. Their station would most likely be provided with books (links to the race lore pages) which would assist them in that task.


-Assist crew in being aware of station events, and actively maintaining a station feed on the newscasters to inform crew on station objections and news. Essentially be the 'news person' of the crew in a professional capacity. Crewman can submit forms to request adverts to be said over the station's loudspeaker. For example: 'Attention crew, the quartermaster would like you to know that cargo is having a yard sale. During your break, feel free to stop by and browse through cargo' or 'Attention crew, the Chaplin will be performing religious services during the next half hour.' They essentially become someone who helps organize station events and helps raise crew morale, while also making sure they do not conflict with the objectives of the heads of staff.


-Take messages for the Heads of Staff to pass on if people are not able to get in contact with them. Make sure the heads of staff receive these messages... or don't if they are determined not mission important. 'There are Xenos in medical' vs 'Captain your a shitstain' type of difference.


-Possibly others, I would love to hear ideas on how we can utilize this very important and underutilized part of our game.

 

 

What would be done to facilitate this new job?

 

The communications officer would have their own office, separate from science but with science access. Preferably equidistant between Security and the Bridge so that they can report new science findings (new languages, strange readings) to the director and security issues (suspicious communications) to the Head of Security in person. Comms would be able to be managed from this office. Including systems like the message of the day and how the crew is welcomed automatically. They would have terminals that would let them do things like a scanner that scans all frequencies looking for traffic, and monitor PDA messages going through the station. They would also have access to station sensors to take readings from outside the station to process and research into useable data. This data can aid R&D with research points, towards different technology. Perhaps the telecommunications officer accidentally steals plans from a unknown alien species, and they attack the station to try and secure them? They would also have a station that can talk on each departments radio and hear each departments radio. (However, this is a station and not a earpiece, so that it is less likely to fall into the wrong hands.)

 

 

Preemptive answers to possible questions

 

Q: Won't this make being a antag harder on this server then it already is?

A: At the beginning of the round, and even during the midgame this job should be balanced in a way that they will have little to no way to be able to decrypt your line of communication yet. They may find out the presence of your communication and can know there is unauthorized communications happening, but won't know the content. By the time they decrypt it you should be aware of the fact that there is one stationed this shift and have developed a code as to not leak out information. AKA better roleplay more of that sweet emersion.


Q: We've already got dumb AI reading out personal information regularly what will stop this character?

A: The fact that they are staff, accountable, and not nearly as important as the AI so they can and will be bridged for doing so.


Q: Would they be able to be a antag?

A: I would hope. The whole 'mole' thing sounds very interesting to me. You can't really do that with a HoS or a security guard for obvious reasons, but this person is less dangerous in a armed way, but can be dangerous in a intelligent way if they play their station correctly and feed misinformation into the system.


Q: Why science?

A: Because I feel like this is definitely not a job who's primary purpose is security, and to lock it behind a whitelist seems like a waste and unnecessary for the severity. Their primary duty is to understand the world around them and improve the way the station communicates, both on an efficiency level and on a understanding level. A crew that understands each other and works well together is a productive crew. That sounds very science to me.

 

 

Please, let me know what you think and feel free to add on with your own suggestions. If we reach a consensus on a 'good thing' I'll pin it on this post. Another possiblity is that we can shirk this responsibility onto another job. However I feel like this idea has potential to blossom on it's own.

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There's the ~5 month old meme of the IT department brewing. With TComms now on station, it might be an idea to roll this job into there. The future of the IT department project will be discussed in a development planning meeting later this month, I'll post results then.


Until then, discuss as usual I guess.

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