Goonhub
03-03-2024, 07:37 AM
Pharmacy should not be as powerful as it is. Like the Chemistry lab, it features a locker with the standard six chemical precursors, an infinite supply of chemicals from the dispenser so long as there's power, a glass recycler for printing new glassware, and packaging, extraction, and heating implements. The chemistry rework did increase the differences between Chemlab and Pharmacy beyond zero by adding advanced tools like condensers, The Chem Wiggler (!!), and most importantly the barrel, which makes mass-producing chemicals a little easier for Chemistry than for Pharmacy.
I don't think the current state of chemistry-pharmacy differences goes far enough. Most jobs that have interactions with other departments or crew only get a little bit of the materials that the other department provides:
However, Medbay doesn't have this type of interaction with chemistry. Sure, scientists can go to the space diner to get drink fountain drinks, or Cargo can spend some of their budget setting up their own hydroponics system, but pharmacy is there round-start. All that's needed is a quick trip to the other side of Medbay to wrench off a 500-unit water cooler tank, and you've got yourself a replacement for the chemistry department. It breaks my heart, as a scientist main, to walk into Medbay and see the ground littered with pustules and pentetic acid bottles when I haven't had any requests all shift; I don't think that making those products should be so quick that it's worth a doctor's time to do it.
I think removing the glass dispenser would be a step in the right direction-- Large beakers are pretty useful-- but I'm also working on a project to make "crummy dispensers" that delete a few reagents from their list randomly when they're spawned, that could be useful. I wouldn't be opposed to removing the pharmacy entirely, either, but that's a huge mapping challenge.
What are your guys' thoughts? Is getting Medbay to make requests to chemistry a change worth making? Are there better ways of encouraging that interaction?
I don't think the current state of chemistry-pharmacy differences goes far enough. Most jobs that have interactions with other departments or crew only get a little bit of the materials that the other department provides:
- Fabricators, especially those in Robotics and Science, need restocking if overused, either from cargo or mining (and it must be mining if the materials are advanced)
- The chef's supply of produce is limited both in variety and quantity, and needs restocking from Botany or Cargo (and it must be Botany if the produce is uncommon)
- Botany can run out of fertilizer for their plants (esp. Saltpeter) and needs to order more from Cargo/Chemistry (usually chemistry)
- The Bartender gets an unlimited supply of a limited spread of fruit juices, and needs Botany if they want to make rare drinks from the remaining fruits (that often have no mechanical difference to other drinks)
- Science often needs the help of Botany, the Chef, or the Bartender to make secret chems
- Food from the chef and is way better than vending machine food; same with bartender/botany juices for thirst on RP
However, Medbay doesn't have this type of interaction with chemistry. Sure, scientists can go to the space diner to get drink fountain drinks, or Cargo can spend some of their budget setting up their own hydroponics system, but pharmacy is there round-start. All that's needed is a quick trip to the other side of Medbay to wrench off a 500-unit water cooler tank, and you've got yourself a replacement for the chemistry department. It breaks my heart, as a scientist main, to walk into Medbay and see the ground littered with pustules and pentetic acid bottles when I haven't had any requests all shift; I don't think that making those products should be so quick that it's worth a doctor's time to do it.
I think removing the glass dispenser would be a step in the right direction-- Large beakers are pretty useful-- but I'm also working on a project to make "crummy dispensers" that delete a few reagents from their list randomly when they're spawned, that could be useful. I wouldn't be opposed to removing the pharmacy entirely, either, but that's a huge mapping challenge.
What are your guys' thoughts? Is getting Medbay to make requests to chemistry a change worth making? Are there better ways of encouraging that interaction?