Drone - controlled via VR

[rulib]

When you enter into VR in SS13, you take over a virtual body which is just like another character in the world.

Imagine if instead of controlling a virtual character in a partitioned off zone of Z=2, you controlled a robotics-built drone in the world, for whatever purpose, much like the AI shells but maybe more useful or upgrade-friendly.

Robotics would have new fabricator recipes added for a variety of parts, including control goggles, to build a remote controlled drone. The goggles would be linked to the drone body by the user, and then the goggles would work to control it from wherever. Additional upgrades, or even bot upgrades, could be used in conjunction with mining resources to give these things more capabilities, but some weaponry might by appropriate here that borgs could not equip. A taser drone with cuffs, like a controllable Beepsky or Gunbuddy would give sec that edge while also removing the options for the officer to engage in heat of the moment violence.

Firefighting, metal foam, flamethrowers, medical items, and a claw to carry wounded people or bodies might be appropriate.

If a second set of parts and everything is too elaborate, this could be implemented by placing a goggle-linked radio into a borg head in place of a brain and creating a remote-operated borg. Perhaps it would just have two or even one arm usable to make it less good, and the head could look goofy as heck.

[APARTHEID]

Simplify! Instead of a specialized shell, why not allow the Roboticists to cram a remote signaller inside a borg head to make it remote-controlled? It'd give a way to use braindead borgs or similarly disassembled ones.

[Embolism]

Simplify! Instead of a specialized shell, why not allow the Roboticists to cram a remote signaller inside a borg head to make it remote-controlled? It'd give a way to use braindead borgs or similarly disassembled ones.

That would make it too easy. You get all the advantages of a Borg without any of its downsides (e.g. law restrictions).

[UrsulaMejor]

1) make the ai shells moddable
2) have this suggestion apply to the new moddable ai shells

[Kovirii]

Simplify! Instead of a specialized shell, why not allow the Roboticists to cram a remote signaller inside a borg head to make it remote-controlled? It'd give a way to use braindead borgs or similarly disassembled ones.

That would make it too easy. You get all the advantages of a Borg without any of its downsides (e.g. law restrictions).

Add lag between the borg and puppeteer, or a range limit. Make the laws apply anyway?

[Erev]

What I'd actually like to see is for an option to run mining by way of VR from the main station. This way the miners could get up and mess around on the main station now and then between bouts of drilling rocks. They should still have the option to go to the station and slap on an exosuit and charges to mine manually if they like (or to bring back said goodies to use on a traitorous rampage). I just feel that mining is a bit too lonely and often too dull when you are off on another station entirely.

[Crumplehat]

What I'd actually like to see is for an option to run mining by way of VR from the main station. This way the miners could get up and mess around on the main station now and then between bouts of drilling rocks. They should still have the option to go to the station and slap on an exosuit and charges to mine manually if they like (or to bring back said goodies to use on a traitorous rampage). I just feel that mining is a bit too lonely and often too dull when you are off on another station entirely.

But that's my favorite part of mining. Mining is the one job where you can escape the bloodthirsty lunatics on the station and go fight sensible creatures like fermids and drones. Besides, mining pods hold up to four people. If miners cared about not being lonely they could just work together, but half the people who work mining sure as hell ain't doing it to be social.

[APARTHEID]

Simplify! Instead of a specialized shell, why not allow the Roboticists to cram a remote signaller inside a borg head to make it remote-controlled? It'd give a way to use braindead borgs or similarly disassembled ones.

That would make it too easy. You get all the advantages of a Borg without any of its downsides (e.g. law restrictions).

There's one big disadvantage: you're still prone. Your dorky body is still back there making borg noises and wrench hands.

[Embolism]

Simplify! Instead of a specialized shell, why not allow the Roboticists to cram a remote signaller inside a borg head to make it remote-controlled? It'd give a way to use braindead borgs or similarly disassembled ones.

That would make it too easy. You get all the advantages of a Borg without any of its downsides (e.g. law restrictions).

There's one big disadvantage: you're still prone. Your dorky body is still back there making borg noises and wrench hands.

It still lets you take advantage of say ChemBorgs or MediBorgs to hellchem people. And since you can still be human you can mix certain hellchems that Borgs normally cannot mix.

[Kovirii]

It still lets you take advantage of say ChemBorgs or MediBorgs to hellchem people. And since you can still be human you can mix certain hellchems that Borgs normally cannot mix.

Elaborate?

[Frank_Stein]

1) make the ai shells moddable
2) have this suggestion apply to the new moddable ai shells

This, because AI shells aren't terribly useful now, and it will let a roboticist use the cover of the AI to pull of nefarious deeds.

Mod packs for the AI shells could add capabilities to the shells like:
Medical supplies, Remote for the Port-a-Medbay, Metal foam dispensers, Fire fighting foam dispensers, a compartment for carrying items/passengers.

This way, the AI can respond to and aid the crew in responding to a crisis like a fire or depressurization. Maybe an individual shell can hold only 1 or 2 mods at a time.
A roboticist could also toggle the VR drone capabilities of the shells to either add the crew, or for nefarious reasons like smuggling erebite in the shell storage compartment and then piloting it into a fire, or using the port-a-medbay to lure potential victims to the medbay.

[Amuys]

I actually thought a cool idea for this is a similar (traitor) implant than when injected into a corpse, causes it to be able to be slaved to the person who has a special VR goggles that lets them control the body.

[Kovirii]

causes it to be able to be slaved to the person who has a special VR goggles that lets them control the body.

RC headspider?

[Frank_Stein]

I actually thought a cool idea for this is a similar (traitor) implant than when injected into a corpse, causes it to be able to be slaved to the person who has a special VR goggles that lets them control the body.

Simple. Just make emaggable whatever doohickey the roboticist can make that let's him control the AI shells, combine it with a helmet, and slap it on a corpse.