Impose Austerity On Station To Improve The Game

[atamusvaleo]

I might just need to get used to where to get stuff now though.

Yeah, it takes time to find everything but there is an excess of toolkits and belts in the maintenance tunnels.

If the issues are accessibility (looking at you mechanic's lab, which I'm forced to turn into an unbreachable fortress every round to prevent looting) then what are our realistic options for counteracting this? What gives us a similar aesthetic without losing functionality.

Here are some options that immediately come to mind for me:
• plasma windows (look to the aviary and brig on Destiny)
• adding reinforced tables behind or in front of some windows (while this doesn't eliminate the issue it helps slow down the process, giving security time to intervene)
• adding a lockdown button to rooms for closing shutters on windows (maybe these could serve as firelocks/heatshields as well? Gone will be the days of hellfire engine burning the entire hallway by the PTL)

It's not much but it's all that comes to mind while writing this.

Now, onto some other points raised. I'd be okay with seeing almost all of the medkits removed. Instead, have empty cases spawn in medbay or be craftable in the medical fabricator. Doctors can then choose to craft medkits for general use and people can request medkits with specific chemicals from the kind doctors in medbay. (Hopefully, no traitors will be there to fill the medkits with burn patches that quite literally do just that)

What else... Drones are a nuisance in regards to people relying on other players. Part of what made playing an engineer so interesting for me, was being the cleanup crew who came in after a pipe bomb explosion to repair the ship and restore atmos to the damaged areas. Thus winning the affections of whatever depertment personnel I was assisting in the process and reaping all of the associated benefits of making these friends.

EDIT
Since the inception of assday I have been saying there should be an assbackward day with no antags and everyone has to be nice to each other. Just look at the Destiny round where we relocated the entire crew and supplies to Biodome! There was a level of cooperation that day greater than I've never seen while playing this wonderful game.

EEDDIITT
In response to Xeram's post on people having only themselves in mind:
At the risk of sounding cliché, the change starts with you and how you interact with others around you. I make it a point (as a nonantag) to always call out over the radio and ask if anyone is in need. Whether I'm an engineer or security officer. I rarely get a response but every so often someone does get that help they were desperately seeking.