MedSci discussion

[Lord_earthfire]

The thing is, I don’t dislike the concept of medbay relying on other departments. The issue is that those departments are impossible to be relied upon because there is rarely anyone willing to take your requests. I’m almost never able to get science to make anything for me, even with features that are supposed to make such a thing easier (request consoles and chem interlinks).

Outside of cloning, I don’t see how the any of the things you’ve stated make medbay “overpowered”. Well, I can see the issue of people treating themselves, but I feel that usually only happens then there are no doctors around.

If neither cargo, nor chemistry, nor botany provide you with anything at the time you could reasonable expect a shortage to come up (i would aim around the 60 minute mark on a semi-stressfull round), then there are more things at disarray than just medbay running out of chems.

Keep in mind, the reason you cannot rely on these departments is: 1. them having learned that their help will get ignored and 2. Them not getting forced to do their job

It's like complaining that engineering doesn't set up power. If they feel like it's a job they have to do or they feel recognition doing it, they start doing it on their own. This is only a problem you could face in lowpop. With chems holding longer the less people there are, i don't even think it will ever become a problem in low pop anyway, if balanced properly

Chicken and egg problem. I've sat around on 90-minute RP rounds begging on radio for people to put in chemical requests and only gotten Staffie McStaffie asking for meth. It did not make me thrilled to play another chem-focused round as someone who prefers external goals.

I think if you want chemistry to be a more impactful supply line for medical, you need to make their interactions much more direct:
1. The round-start dispensary should be the first place medical staff stock up from. It should start with basic-basics (e.g. stypic, sulfadine, charcoal, epi), replacing some of the medical jars out in the open. It might be worthwhile to review NanoMed stock counts considering there are 3-4 in medbay and one in the medical booth on most maps.
2. There needs to be feedback to science when things are running low - not empty, but low - in the dispensary. Allow chemistry to be proactive to medical needs, instead of 100% relying on requests, because medical will always try to be proactive for themselves.
3. There needs to be some attaboy bonus or benefit for sci to keep the dispensary stocked. Something light like end-game round-score (% of dispensary stocked at round-end?), or a credit bonus on refilling low-supply meds.
4. It should be possible for chemists to supply auto-mender refills via the dispensary, since they're commonly used in medical and otherwise have to interact with cargo to resupply.

I fully agree with you there and i like these suggestions. Partially merging together Medivend and dispensary interlink in some way could go a long way.