Goonhub
03-13-2017, 07:09 AM
TL;DR: Add miscreants, don't add antags that have the option to perma-kill because they will do so and with multi-hour rounds that is no fun. Random events are cool.
I know that some events definitely still happen, as we see them now and then without admin intervention (and we see them a good deal more with admin intervention).
The criteria for them should probably change from raw player count, as people have said, and I really enjoy the non-destructive ones. I'd love to see a more comprehensive set of criteria for events, e.g.
On to the "werewolves" idea:
I play on #1 when I'm feeling like something much more casual. I don't want the full paranoia that comes with "there probably is someone out there who's allowed to kill indiscriminately, so treat everyone like they might be that person". I'm not such a fan of the idea of "werewolves", mostly because they will definitely kill people and may do so in ways such they cannot be recovered (nevermind them not being really "sci-fi").
That's fine on #2, on #1 (where rounds generally go into the 2+ hours unless something goes very wrong) that simply isn't "fun". The alternatives are either shortening the general round length (basically making the ship likely to be pretty seriously messed up by a certain timeframe) or having a pseudo-antag not allowed to perma-kill (so no gibbing bodies).
Many people view #1 as some sort of testing server, where they can try something they don't have the time to on #2 (either due to not knowing the process so wanting to learn it slowly, or due to lack of access or whatever), which drives me nuts. I am personally all for encouraging shorter rounds to stop this behaviour - there's few things more irritating than a captain/HoP who's just that for the all-access that comes with it and refuses to do their "job".
Conversely, the cool projects that people can pull off only in long rounds make long rounds worth holding on to. I've seen some really fun and innovative construction projects that take time to get the materials for, let alone constructing them.
I also find it incredibly annoying when people mess with my projects (certain players are known for this, to the point of me simply logging off/going into cryo until they're gone because there's no security and any retaliation is just met with escalating annoyance to the point of me being unable to pursue that project).
I'm probably overly vocal about this, and my immediate concern is that if those players are given the option to cause mayhem without getting in trouble then they will do so even more.
I don't think whitelisting that role would be a good idea, as that's too restrictive.
I honestly think that simply adding "miscreants" in would be a simple step that goes a long way into making things more lively without interfering with most people's fun.
I know that some events definitely still happen, as we see them now and then without admin intervention (and we see them a good deal more with admin intervention).
The criteria for them should probably change from raw player count, as people have said, and I really enjoy the non-destructive ones. I'd love to see a more comprehensive set of criteria for events, e.g.
- Electromagnetic Storm: AI/Cyborg around and active; at least one department head active. Strip out the flat "murder everyone" laws, though keep the option to rewrite Law 1. Consider implementing this patch (or similar). A perma-rogue AI is a dead AI.
- Meteor Shower: At least one engineer (or CE) active.
- Biofields: At least one medical staff active.
- Radiation (either the "all non-maintenance areas" or the "big green explosions of mutations" variant): At least one medical staff active.
- Solar Flare: Whenever
- Random wormholes: Whenever
- Merchants: Whenever
On to the "werewolves" idea:
I play on #1 when I'm feeling like something much more casual. I don't want the full paranoia that comes with "there probably is someone out there who's allowed to kill indiscriminately, so treat everyone like they might be that person". I'm not such a fan of the idea of "werewolves", mostly because they will definitely kill people and may do so in ways such they cannot be recovered (nevermind them not being really "sci-fi").
That's fine on #2, on #1 (where rounds generally go into the 2+ hours unless something goes very wrong) that simply isn't "fun". The alternatives are either shortening the general round length (basically making the ship likely to be pretty seriously messed up by a certain timeframe) or having a pseudo-antag not allowed to perma-kill (so no gibbing bodies).
Many people view #1 as some sort of testing server, where they can try something they don't have the time to on #2 (either due to not knowing the process so wanting to learn it slowly, or due to lack of access or whatever), which drives me nuts. I am personally all for encouraging shorter rounds to stop this behaviour - there's few things more irritating than a captain/HoP who's just that for the all-access that comes with it and refuses to do their "job".
Conversely, the cool projects that people can pull off only in long rounds make long rounds worth holding on to. I've seen some really fun and innovative construction projects that take time to get the materials for, let alone constructing them.
I also find it incredibly annoying when people mess with my projects (certain players are known for this, to the point of me simply logging off/going into cryo until they're gone because there's no security and any retaliation is just met with escalating annoyance to the point of me being unable to pursue that project).
I'm probably overly vocal about this, and my immediate concern is that if those players are given the option to cause mayhem without getting in trouble then they will do so even more.
I don't think whitelisting that role would be a good idea, as that's too restrictive.
I honestly think that simply adding "miscreants" in would be a simple step that goes a long way into making things more lively without interfering with most people's fun.