Goonhub
05-10-2024, 12:56 AM
This is less of an issue about the Pharmacy, and more of an issue with how Science functions as a department.
Science, frankly, needs an overhaul or rework in terms of what function it should serve on the station. Far and wide, it is one of the most optional "major" departments because everything they do is something you can do another way elsewhere, and places like the Pharmarcy or the fact that even Bartenders sometimes have a Chem Console in their backrooms are a sign of this being the case. Chems can be made without Science being involved, and that's a crux of the issue.
Artifacts and adventure zones are another aspect of Science doing things that benefit nobody, I'm not saying to remove those features, if anything they should be more commonly involve the crew, but by and large it just aids to make Scientists do Science by themselves instead of others. And if they're not doing that, then they might be found knee-deep in Chem research basically ignoring anybody around them and just tinkering away.
What Flaborized mentioned is so unbelievably important, maps where Science and Medbay work together in tandem and close proximity are so vital and genuinely facilitate a more cooperative gamestyle because people see each other. Remember the term "MedSci"? That sure hasn't aged that well. Science has barely anything to do with the Medical department anymore, but it really should. Reintroducing these departments to one another I think is the actual key to solving the phamacy issue. The pharmacy should still be located in Medbay, but it should be operated by a Scientist whose job is to make chems.
Bar a full rework of every map and combining both departments, an intermediate solution could be to introduce a new job, or rather, make the pharmacist a main job. Tie the chem console and pharmacy to an Access via ID and introduce maybe a two-slot job like the geneticist that spawns in the pharmacy and works there with the primary role being "scientist who makes med chems" and a sub-role being "heal people who are dying outside". Basically, if Roboticists fuse Engineering and Medical, let this new role be a fusion of Science and Medical. Give the Medical Director the access too for rounds where you don't have a pharmacist so that Medbay can continue to make chems when necessary, but prevent regular doctors from making chems.
Essentially, have a "Medical Scientist" that incorporates the original definition of MedSci and cross the bridge to tie these departments together. This new role has access to Science and can enter both departments, and as such has access to advanced tools should they be necessary.
Science, frankly, needs an overhaul or rework in terms of what function it should serve on the station. Far and wide, it is one of the most optional "major" departments because everything they do is something you can do another way elsewhere, and places like the Pharmarcy or the fact that even Bartenders sometimes have a Chem Console in their backrooms are a sign of this being the case. Chems can be made without Science being involved, and that's a crux of the issue.
Artifacts and adventure zones are another aspect of Science doing things that benefit nobody, I'm not saying to remove those features, if anything they should be more commonly involve the crew, but by and large it just aids to make Scientists do Science by themselves instead of others. And if they're not doing that, then they might be found knee-deep in Chem research basically ignoring anybody around them and just tinkering away.
What Flaborized mentioned is so unbelievably important, maps where Science and Medbay work together in tandem and close proximity are so vital and genuinely facilitate a more cooperative gamestyle because people see each other. Remember the term "MedSci"? That sure hasn't aged that well. Science has barely anything to do with the Medical department anymore, but it really should. Reintroducing these departments to one another I think is the actual key to solving the phamacy issue. The pharmacy should still be located in Medbay, but it should be operated by a Scientist whose job is to make chems.
Bar a full rework of every map and combining both departments, an intermediate solution could be to introduce a new job, or rather, make the pharmacist a main job. Tie the chem console and pharmacy to an Access via ID and introduce maybe a two-slot job like the geneticist that spawns in the pharmacy and works there with the primary role being "scientist who makes med chems" and a sub-role being "heal people who are dying outside". Basically, if Roboticists fuse Engineering and Medical, let this new role be a fusion of Science and Medical. Give the Medical Director the access too for rounds where you don't have a pharmacist so that Medbay can continue to make chems when necessary, but prevent regular doctors from making chems.
Essentially, have a "Medical Scientist" that incorporates the original definition of MedSci and cross the bridge to tie these departments together. This new role has access to Science and can enter both departments, and as such has access to advanced tools should they be necessary.