Goonhub
I think the idea here is subtlety. Maybe instead of powers and levelling up, its just an extremely weak and defenseless parasite (and maybe some buddies) skulking around maint and in the shadows under items and equipment/tables waiting for someone hurt or intoxicated to come by. Have it so the parasite just infects its host, mindslaves them, and then proceeds to further their nefarious aims with their new pawns.
Purge chems harming the parasite is also good, maybe other chems that the parasite likes that could give them away. If you see a dude drinking phenol in a maint tunnel you'll know something's up. Maybe having the parasites be scannable by doctors is a bit too overpowered. I think it should come down to being cut out by surgery (maybe when you pop out an eye so too pops the parasite, so they can get shrapnel taken out without fear) for the crew observing their odd behavior.
A big motivation of parasites can be to establish some kind of reagent factory thing, with their hosts gaining a few abilities instead of the parasite itself who should be hands off. Hosts can build webs and obstacles and maybe rooms out of some kind of grody webs, and can then abduct a live human host to turn into a reagent factory. This reagent should power the parasites ability to reproduce, allowing them to multiply inside their host (bringing a new parasite player into their body) and implant the new parasites into freshly recruited hosts. This should be a difficult and time consuming thing to do though.
In short tiny parasites bide their time and use teamwork to get human assets and begin building a nest somewhere, defending their secret with subterfuge and cooperation. It shouldn't be seen so much as a round type but as a peril that can quickly spiral out of control if left unchecked, and in the hands of skillful and shrewd parasites maybe, just maybe, leading to ultimate victory.
Everyone loves an underdog.
No matter where this idea goes it'd sure to be a really fun gamemode in my opinion. This is an idea i hope to see implemented!
Purge chems harming the parasite is also good, maybe other chems that the parasite likes that could give them away. If you see a dude drinking phenol in a maint tunnel you'll know something's up. Maybe having the parasites be scannable by doctors is a bit too overpowered. I think it should come down to being cut out by surgery (maybe when you pop out an eye so too pops the parasite, so they can get shrapnel taken out without fear) for the crew observing their odd behavior.
A big motivation of parasites can be to establish some kind of reagent factory thing, with their hosts gaining a few abilities instead of the parasite itself who should be hands off. Hosts can build webs and obstacles and maybe rooms out of some kind of grody webs, and can then abduct a live human host to turn into a reagent factory. This reagent should power the parasites ability to reproduce, allowing them to multiply inside their host (bringing a new parasite player into their body) and implant the new parasites into freshly recruited hosts. This should be a difficult and time consuming thing to do though.
In short tiny parasites bide their time and use teamwork to get human assets and begin building a nest somewhere, defending their secret with subterfuge and cooperation. It shouldn't be seen so much as a round type but as a peril that can quickly spiral out of control if left unchecked, and in the hands of skillful and shrewd parasites maybe, just maybe, leading to ultimate victory.
Everyone loves an underdog.
No matter where this idea goes it'd sure to be a really fun gamemode in my opinion. This is an idea i hope to see implemented!