Goonhub
09-30-2020, 03:51 AM
Usual character name: Gunnar Gustafsson
BYOND username: Slazzy
Discord username (if you are on our discord): Slazenger#0003
Recommended by (if applicable): Tiggersaurus, makkipakki
Goon servers you play: Roleplay #1
Reason for application: My main goal is to be a positive force on the flow of shifts, create meaningful and memorable RP moments with crew members of all roles and personalities, help reinforce good-natured security work while teaching officers critical skills to be the best they can be, and inspiring others to follow in my footsteps. Additionally, I hope to be a well-dressed, stylish beacon of hope for the station. Lastly, the damn chef cooks up that plate of spaghetti arrabbiata every shift and no one ever gets to eat it.
Security experience (300 word minimum):
I was a naïve new SS13 player that coincidentally got introduced to the game at the same time that the streamer tide hit, and given my personality and enjoyment I get from being in the middle of intense, chaotic environments, I ended up playing Security from the start. Now a couple hundred shifts in, I'm still not as robust as a wrestler, nor as witty as the radio host, not as slippery as the clown, not quite as good at pushing paperwork as the HoP...but I've developed a well-rounded skillset with experience in most roles aboard the station and developed Gunnar into what I hope is a fun, reliable crew member to interact with.
I tend to play during the evening (Eastern US) into the very early morning. I'm sure it's similar for most timeslots throughout the day, but we have a pretty tight-knit late night crew with a great mix of believable, unique characters and clever, thoughtful gimmicks/scenarios. It's unfortunately also a time where there are few mentors and even fewer Heads of Security. As a result, there is an eclectic mix of SecOffs, ranging from those that live and breathe Space Law to those that help reinforce less savory nicknames for Security. As it stands, I often find myself in a pseudo-leadership role when I play Security, helping to organize Security, bolster communication between everyone, and train/reinforce positive best practices in Security staff.
Gunnar often finds himself stepping up to the plate when needed to secure the station or handle leadership crises, and always works to deescalate situations - I typically work to show staff across the station that security is capable of conducting community policing. As such I encourage my fellow officers to be accessible, help lost Assistants find a purpose, speak before taking action when possible, and when all else fails...utilize the proper use of the force continuum to get situations under control.
On the RP aspect, I'm a big subscriber to the notion that every player's experience is important. Whether they are a staffie, a member of command, an antagonist, or even a non-human "thing"...they all ultimately have a story to tell through their gameplay and Sec should not, by default, be where their story ends. We should be a cog in the narrative they're forming, ensure that when Sec's interaction with them is over that life and (in most cases) freedom are granted, and add something to the story the player was making for themselves.
Ultimately, albeit a few weeks before my three-month milestone, I felt the time was right to submit my application in the hope that I can help be a positive presence on the Roleplay server, help improve the quality of SecOffs while encouraging more players to dive into the fun and intricacies of the job, create engaging roleplay for all players on the server, and ultimately help mentor experienced SecOffs to feel confident to apply for the role of HoS as well. I've still got plenty to learn, but with SS13 that's a lifelong endeavor.
where security dashes
before the madness
I appreciate you taking the time to read this now thesis-length application, and I hope to be helping take security to the next level soon.
BYOND username: Slazzy
Discord username (if you are on our discord): Slazenger#0003
Recommended by (if applicable): Tiggersaurus, makkipakki
Goon servers you play: Roleplay #1
Reason for application: My main goal is to be a positive force on the flow of shifts, create meaningful and memorable RP moments with crew members of all roles and personalities, help reinforce good-natured security work while teaching officers critical skills to be the best they can be, and inspiring others to follow in my footsteps. Additionally, I hope to be a well-dressed, stylish beacon of hope for the station. Lastly, the damn chef cooks up that plate of spaghetti arrabbiata every shift and no one ever gets to eat it.
Security experience (300 word minimum):
I was a naïve new SS13 player that coincidentally got introduced to the game at the same time that the streamer tide hit, and given my personality and enjoyment I get from being in the middle of intense, chaotic environments, I ended up playing Security from the start. Now a couple hundred shifts in, I'm still not as robust as a wrestler, nor as witty as the radio host, not as slippery as the clown, not quite as good at pushing paperwork as the HoP...but I've developed a well-rounded skillset with experience in most roles aboard the station and developed Gunnar into what I hope is a fun, reliable crew member to interact with.
I tend to play during the evening (Eastern US) into the very early morning. I'm sure it's similar for most timeslots throughout the day, but we have a pretty tight-knit late night crew with a great mix of believable, unique characters and clever, thoughtful gimmicks/scenarios. It's unfortunately also a time where there are few mentors and even fewer Heads of Security. As a result, there is an eclectic mix of SecOffs, ranging from those that live and breathe Space Law to those that help reinforce less savory nicknames for Security. As it stands, I often find myself in a pseudo-leadership role when I play Security, helping to organize Security, bolster communication between everyone, and train/reinforce positive best practices in Security staff.
Gunnar often finds himself stepping up to the plate when needed to secure the station or handle leadership crises, and always works to deescalate situations - I typically work to show staff across the station that security is capable of conducting community policing. As such I encourage my fellow officers to be accessible, help lost Assistants find a purpose, speak before taking action when possible, and when all else fails...utilize the proper use of the force continuum to get situations under control.
On the RP aspect, I'm a big subscriber to the notion that every player's experience is important. Whether they are a staffie, a member of command, an antagonist, or even a non-human "thing"...they all ultimately have a story to tell through their gameplay and Sec should not, by default, be where their story ends. We should be a cog in the narrative they're forming, ensure that when Sec's interaction with them is over that life and (in most cases) freedom are granted, and add something to the story the player was making for themselves.
Ultimately, albeit a few weeks before my three-month milestone, I felt the time was right to submit my application in the hope that I can help be a positive presence on the Roleplay server, help improve the quality of SecOffs while encouraging more players to dive into the fun and intricacies of the job, create engaging roleplay for all players on the server, and ultimately help mentor experienced SecOffs to feel confident to apply for the role of HoS as well. I've still got plenty to learn, but with SS13 that's a lifelong endeavor.
- What advice would you give to other sec players? Ultimately, SecOffs walk a fine balance between maintaining order and being a sort of "support staff" for the entire crew. This is SS13 after all and lunatics are all too common. When there's an incident or disturbance, timely and professional response by Sec is seen as a much-appreciated relief by your fellow station members. That being said, if we can work to build rapport with crew members, be vigilant on patrol, listen to tips from the crew and AI - we can drastically reduce the amount of "reactive policing" we do and instead focus on keeping the station operating on an even keel.
- One other thing I have noticed, there's a general vibe I get from fellow SecOffs that it's not okay to ask for help or admit that you don't know something. There is an incredible amount of map, equipment, and systems knowledge that's needed as a SecOff. You can function without some of it, but you can excel once you know it. Don't be afraid to admit when you don't know something and don't be afraid to ask for help. Sec draws in some of the most level-headed crew members on the station - use them as a resource. Ask for a second opinion. I'm still learning new things to this day.
- What was one of your favorite security moments? (Either playing as a sec officer or interacting with one): Rather than talk about a shift where I was a SecOff, I want to highlight when my typical colleagues made my experience great. Long story shorter but still very long, Gunnar is very, very rarely an antag. I turned it on for a week under my normal Gunnar character, and ended up in my first traitor round on Cogmap1. I purchased a derringer (among other things) and stashed it in my janitor uniform. We had a major kudzu outbreak, people helping to fight it kept getting severely injured by overzealous flamethrower use and I was ferrying injured down to the Med. Unbeknownst to me, the MD had mindslaved a doctor and they had turned Tech Storage into a lab for dissection. The injured employees I brought to med ended up in their torture chamber. Seeing everyone else get hurt, I asked the doctor if I could be scanned into the cloner and while I was in there, the MD came up, popped me out, flashed me, removed my headset and put on a straitjacket. I ended up bucked into a bed, watching them carve up my janitor colleague that I dragged to med just before. The Captain ends up walking into Tech Storage in the middle of this looking for kudzu, and gets taken down by the two doctors. A SecOff ends up pulling the Captain out before a second SecOff comes to trying to apprehend the doctors, he disables one of them before he too is put in a straitjacket. They saw off a couple of limbs from him before the Detective comes in, takes down the mindslave and then he too is killed by the MD. Finally the SecOff team reorganizes and finishes off the MD. Everyone is rescued except for me...I'm left sitting in the blood of half a dozen or more people, wiggling/spinning on my gurney.
- Finally freed, the SecOff who lost limbs and survived meets up with me and we both return and get our straitjackets to burn them. We do an incredible "survivors guilt" RP and go on our way. I'm still continuing being a little off-kilter due to the trauma, meet up with a regular SecOff/friend I play with, and in true expressive Gunnar fashion, I wink, pulling out my derringer while simultaneously clicking on the SecOff to pat him in response to something he said. Five seconds of us staring at each other, just outside the bar, him in crit and bleeding like crazy...he says "GUNNAR!!!" and I said "I'M SO SO SORRY". I apply pressure to his wounds and start calling for medics over the radio and get bar patrons out to help. He stabilizes, cuffs me, and drags me to MainSec, with me apologizing the whole way and the entire server slowly starting to realize what was occurring, with everyone in a similar level of shock. End up getting brigged, another SecOff tries to give me leniency for being me, I state what the appropriate punishment should be by Space Law, serve my sentence, throw Stirstir out the parole chute (killing him was my traitor goal), drag Stirstir into maintenance and shot him with my last derringer shot, before returning to MainSec, handing over the derringer and turning myself in for the murder of Stirstir. The entire round was incredible RP from the entire Sec team, three officers in particular, and it's going to take a lot to top it. In a full 120 minute round, I cleaned about three puddles, instead spending 30 minutes in the torture chamber, 45 minutes doing grief/trauma RP, and the rest atoning for my unintentional sins.
- What game improvements or changes do you think would benefit security players? Ultimately I don't feel that Security gameplay loop is lacking much. There's always plenty to do, whether it's actively working to keep the station safe and operating at its peak or just building relationships and being helpful. There's a tremendous amount of information and equipment at Security's fingertips to help them carry out their duties. My biggest suggestion would be a slight usability revamp of the Secmate system, probably by rolling out the new cleaned GUI to all terminals.
- Describe any differences in your playstyle when part of a full security team and when being the only security officer. I generally act in a communication and coordination role as a SecOff. When part of a full and communicative SecOff team, I either man the desk or hit the beat. When on desk duty, I handle the public coming up to the Security office, and pass on information and assignments to the team. When situations arise, I will abandon the desk to provide backup and help with interrogations and brigging. When on the beat or when we are half-staffed or less, I try to retain my normal communication and coordination, but actively patrol and build up those relationships on the beat rather than from the front desk. The HoS position naturally appeals to my playstyle, where I can be the communications hub for the team while allowing the Security team to have one more SecOff slot open.
- The major difference between being a full team or running solo - you have to go from being proactive to being reactive. You can still retain your communication while running solo, talking to command/AI rather than your teammates, but you will need to perform triage to identify security needs and ensure you're in the right place, responding to the right issue, all at the right time.
- What's a security gimmick that you've ran or wanted to run? I've desperately wanted to successfully turn a conspirator and use them to take down the entirety of the co-conspirators, setting up a sting operation to lull them into a containment area, utilizing all of Sec, the AI, and command if necessary to breach, and take the entire crew into custody. We'd take down the turned conspirator as well and lead them off to be released at MainSec. Sadly conspirators are very rarely willing to break rank, even when directly confronted with the fact that you're aware of their participation. Soon enough, the time will come.
- A properly formatted haiku:
where security dashes
before the madness
I appreciate you taking the time to read this now thesis-length application, and I hope to be helping take security to the next level soon.