Give borgs a tool to pick up department related items, similar to ghost drones.

[FULLDEMOCRATICCOMMUNISTFASCISM]

Presently, The civilian borg module is basically worthless because it's impossible to actually pick up the food and do anything with it. Chemistry has the same problem but it has some tools to get around it. I suggest that, similar to the "magnetic gripper" drones get, civborgs get a device that can only pick up food and ingredients.

[Zamujasa]

Expansion idea: Make slots 1 and 3 for borgs act as actual hands if no tool is equipped, but carrying items drains additional power depending on the size of the item. Certain arms would also only be capable of carrying certain classes of items; light only able to hold tiny and small, for example, with standard able to carry most non-bulky things and heavy being able to carry (or grab?) anything... with additional power penalties.

[NateTheSquid]

Expansion idea: Make slots 1 and 3 for borgs act as actual hands if no tool is equipped, but carrying items drains additional power depending on the size of the item. Certain arms would also only be capable of carrying certain classes of items; light only able to hold tiny and small, for example, with standard able to carry most non-bulky things and heavy being able to carry (or grab?) anything... with additional power penalties.

+1

[aft2001]

Hm. That certainly would make for more interesting borg gameplay! I especially think that Zamujasa's suggestion is something that should be explored. As someone who loves the concept of silicons - essentially a role dedicated to serving other players and helping out wherever possible - I'd very much so like to be able to interact with the station more.

However... Borgs in their own right are already pretty robust, so giving them the ability to hold things raises concerns about balance issues for when the borgs inevitably get subverted. This isn't a reason to not give them hands, but instead should be an invitation to give more counterplay to rogue silicons. Flashes and EMPs are pretty debilitating but are limited in use. Perhaps there could be some weapons in Security that really just 'stun' a borg? Not halting them, but causing their equipment to malfunction a bit and giving them confused movement, potentially dropping things.

Also notably, borgs still wouldn't really get any inventory. A borg can't just conceal a phaser, because they have nowhere to put it. Inventory is a massively important mechanic when dealing with hands, so it would be important to remember that borgs would only be able to keep two things not built into them at any given time.

[Wisecrack34]

Maybe stun batons/guns, when used on a borg, would cause said borg to gain a random, borg exclusive debuff (Having the screen freeze for them, losing an eye, losing arm/leg control, etc.)

[aft2001]

Maybe stun batons/guns, when used on a borg, would cause said borg to gain a random, borg exclusive debuff (Having the screen freeze for them, losing an eye, losing arm/leg control, etc.)

I quite like this idea. They shouldn't be TOO debilitating, but definitely enough to hamper any plans they had.

Seems like the beginnings of a balance for the original idea presented by OP. Definitely worth considering if the idea is implemented.

[FULLDEMOCRATICCOMMUNISTFASCISM]

@aft2001 Most servers get around that by making the borgs only able to pick up module-relevant items. Like if you choose civ you get a little claw that can only interact with edible things but it can't grab a gun or something.

[Zamujasa]

There is already an ultimate weapon against rogue Cyborgs and that's the Robotics console, which allows you to no-questions-asked kill any (non-Syndicate) Cyborg after two minutes, and all you need is a head ID.

Also, maybe I'm just not understanding properly, but I never got the whole "Cyborgs are extremely robust" thing. They're immune to fire and suffocation, but they have fairly low HP. Light cyborgs are extremely easy to destroy, and unlike humans, there's no critical health, they just die, and destroying the head unit also means that they're completely deleted from the round. They're also vulnerable to anyone with Robotics access on their ID, who can unlock their interface and eject the brain with three clicks (ID, screwdriver, empty hand). They can also be stunned like humans.

They're also incapable of self-healing outside of the upgrade that provides it, and can't be doped up on stimulants or healing chems.


The idea behind my suggestion of limiting pick-up capability depending on arm reinforcement was that reinforced parts carry a larger health bonus but also a speed penalty. Try asking anyone how much fun it is to play a full heavy Cyborg -- they're slow as hell.

[Kovirii]

For medical borgs specifically: A limb (only) gripper and staple gun for performing surgeries.

[FULLDEMOCRATICCOMMUNISTFASCISM]

For medical borgs specifically: A limb (only) gripper and staple gun for performing surgeries.

Organs too maybe?