More Slots At High Pops

[Wisecrack34]

So in the thread for if we should add a limit to the player population size, many people disagreed and proposed their own ideas for balancing it out. Two main ones that stuck with me were:

1. Better advertising of the overflow servers

and most importantly

2. Adding more job slots as the player count rises

I've seen this idea pop up quite frequently in many different forms over the course of the year (trainee rolls, generating more slots at higher populations , limiting staff assistants, etc.) and I absolutely agree that we need to open up more slots at higher populations. We could only test these ideas once a month so I think we should brainstorm a bunch of ways to handle the issue, test them all in waves, snip the worst ones, then repeat until we have the winning ideas that could actually be implemented.

I think the main things we should look for in an idea are:

1. Ease of implementation

2. Lack of effect on lower population rounds

and 3. Not giving tools or the incentive to grief, steal, assault or generally greytide. 

 I'd like to start this discussion by proposing a "random" late-join job slot that will set you as a non-command or security role, while not decreasing the amount of players in a slot. Perhaps it could spawn you in with the job ID, a random kit of tools and a random set of civilian+ clothing. They should be guaranteed a full O2 tank and mask, as there's a good chance that if they're late-joining as it is, they're likely to be thrust forth into an already bombed out station that's in need of repair or a shuttle.

[Studenterhue]

You know, I thought the "random" job slot idea was going to be random non-sec/non-command role but it sounds more like a randomly generated job?

Anyways, it's been bought up that for job slots to scale to pop, job equipment should scale to it too in some way, like how Sec starts with a token they can redeem for equipment or how Engineer and Mechanic spawn with all the essential tools on their belt + toolbox now. I think actually a fair number of jobs do relatively well in that aspect, but there's a few that are kinda preventing that vision from being fully realized.

One of them is Miner. They're still in the "all essential equipment from lockers/racks" paradigm, and barring admin spawning stuff in, lockers are static and limited by the map. That means, if the game expands amount of miner slots, the amount of lockers does not change. This is fairly bearable, because the mining fabricator lets them make equipment on the cheap, but there is definitely a better way. Security officers don't have to worry about the map not having enough equipment for them for example because they always spawn with a token they can redeem for their gear.

Thing is though, I'm not sure how they could be made less map-dependent. Give them a miner token and create a miner vendor with various gear, maybe with different options for a side item like on /tg/station? Just give a powerpick, ore scoop, ore satchel, miner belt, and space suit at spawn? Or is that too powerful? Or maybe have a vendor with a generous supply of mining gear, like how Janitor does?

[THISISANICEGAME]

I think making jobs already spawn with the stuff they absolutely need to do their job(or would just get very quickly anyway) would be good, and makes it so people spend less time getting stuff and more time acctually doing what they want to do.

Also here is some stuff I would consider good for making it so people spawn with(feel free to update the list and discuss it):

Medical doctors: Upgraded doc glasses like the Mdir spawns with.

Roboticist: Upgraded doc glasses.

Engineers: full space suit.

Miners: power pick, ore scoop with satchel and full space suit.

Keep in mind some roles dont really benefit from having more people and might acctually make the experience worst, By that I mean stuff like the bartender, chef, etc.

[GORE]

I think making jobs already spawn with the stuff they absolutely need to do their job(or would just get very quickly anyway) would be good, and makes it so people spend less time getting stuff and more time acctually doing what they want to do.

Also here is some stuff I would consider good for making it so people spawn with(feel free to update the list and discuss it):

Medical doctors: Upgraded doc glasses like the Mdir spawns with.

Roboticist: Upgraded doc glasses.

Engineers: full space suit.

Miners: power pick, ore scoop with satchel and full space suit.

Keep in mind some roles dont really benefit from having more people and might acctually make the experience worst, By that I mean stuff like the bartender, chef, etc.

Regarding the last part - - - would it be feasable to let the code check whether there has been a chef or a bartender alive in the LAST TEN MINUTES and if not open up a slot? Rounds with many players can leave some players dead for good certainly. That way certain parts of the station could be used again with the corresponding job present once more.

[THISISANICEGAME]

Regarding the last part - - - would it be feasable to let the code check whether there has been a chef or a bartender alive in the LAST TEN MINUTES and if not open up a slot? Rounds with many players can leave some players dead for good certainly. That way certain parts of the station could be used again with the corresponding job present once more.

I think it could be done, that would also solve the "there is a clwne but the chap is either dead or afk so he's stuck being clwne" problem

[Brixx79]

For miners a pick, satchel, ore scoop, and space suit are essential. But I would also add a belt with those in it, the visor, and a rad counter. Then replace their backpack with a jetpack; Saves them having to make a jetpack and most miners ditch their backpack anyways. Maybe add a backpack to the mining fab?

Should bartenders only start with the usual and a glass set? I don't think letting late bartenders having a shotgun spawn with them would be a good idea, though some might be for it.

[Wisecrack34]

I personally don't mind the bartender spawning with a shotgun, I think it would be fine.

[KikiMofo]

I personally wouldnt mind everyone starting with a shotgun

[Frank_Stein]

I personally don't mind the bartender spawning with a shotgun, I think it would be fine.

I also don't mind, but maybe we can arm additional Bartenders with bats?

Or give them ammo for the shotgun and make them all share

[GORE]

Bats for the rats!