HoS Application: GinAndJazz (Melanie Blowfist)
#1
Usual Character Name: Melanie Blowfist
BYOND Username: GinAndJazz
Recommended by (if applicable): Rocco Berry, Travis Ronick, Throrvardr Finvardrardson
Times Available:  Roughly 2pm-2am gmt 

Reason for Application (300 word minimum):
Well I've been thinking about applying for HoS for a while now, but after playing a round where it was suggested I try and apply I thought I'd give it a shot.


For me I've always considered security as almost mini moderators, there to (within the rules of gameplay) ensure that the crew behaves and everybody has fun. I really like taking this role upon myself, to roam the station and not only try to stop the really bad antagonists like syndicate operatives and wizards, but also to ensure that sensitive areas aren't broken into, that the station isn't flooded with welding fuel by the janitor's buffer or that the clown doesn't get too carried away in its harassment of the crew.


I personally think these minor crimes are just as necessary to deal with, and in my experience playing security many rounds aren't all out chaos, some can even be peaceful with you having no idea who was an antagonist until the results screen. I always try my best to deal with these smaller crimes, because even if somebody is not being hacked with a csaber they are still personally having their round interfered with, and nobody likes working in an area where there's a great big hole letting any random staff assistant walk in.


I think that being head of security, I would be in a better position to form a team that is in line with my views of trying to make sure everybody (even antagonists) have fun. Somebody throws a banana grenade? That's a talking to and depending on how much of a chase is needed a search, but I would be loathe to brig someone on that. Even when it comes to someone with a csaber or other outright violent and rampage-y set of items, I try and take them down non-lethally. But it goes a little bit deeper than this, for me. Stuff like engaging the crew when they say hi (even with it potentially being a trap), being polite and courteous, helping crew to medbay and actually roleplaying as an officer who's there to help the crew.


Overall I have a certain attitude to being security that sometimes doesn't mesh well with other officers. Some I have played with lots and know we have similar playstyles, but there have been times I'm on a security team and have to apologise to obvious traitors for things my fellow officers have done, I do not like having to shout at a fellow officer 'stop beating them!' when we have a traitor in handcuffs. I think that when a security team actually plays their role as arbiters and general helpful guys, the crew really responds to that, you spend less time dealing with people being annoying because it's a quick 'please stop that' and antagonists are more likely to not be hellish to fight when they know i'm not going to beat them to death and throw them in the crusher because I have their prints on a corpse. Being a HoS would make cultivating my ideal security team a whole lot easier I think, with a certain amount of respect given to those players that have earned the title. I know that when I have a HoS whose attitude I disagree with I try my best to follow their orders and work together, because they've demonstrated their capability before.

There's actually more I could write but I think this has gone on long enough. I'm happy to respond with more stuff if my thoughts weren't too clear!


Security Experience (300 word minimum):

I've been playing since early 2013 I think, with some significant breaks in between. I spent a fair amount of that time playing as detective, but it's only been fairly recently (perhaps the last four or five months or so) that I've played as a dedicated security officer.


While not directly related to the security experience, I have played a lot of other roles. Enough to know that a person building crushers is not necessarily an antagonist, that epinepherine is a lifesaver unless you're drooling and know there's a changeling around or that a crate in this out of the way area is a bit suspicious and at least I should scan it for prints. I don't claim to have mastery over telesci or know all the secret chems, but I think I have a fairly wide range of knowledge which can come in handy in unexpected ways.


I wouldn't consider myself robust, and in fact think that one of my major weaknesses (and a reason for me not making this application sooner) is that i'm not very robust. I have the capacity to make incredibly stupid decisions in the heat of the moment, but I try my best to learn from them.


I'd say where my strength lies is in the work that comes before the fight- the forensic work and the collaborating with other players to get the information needed. I don't think that in this game there's ever such a thing as a fair fight and when confronted with all the possible antagonists security is actually quite poorly armed (though i'm not complaining). The energy gun is pretty powerful but there's only one and really I try to keep my security work as non-lethal as possible. While stuns are king the sheer range of adversaries you can encounter and the whole not knowing what you're going to face makes being security pretty tough! I'd say my strengths lie in coordinating with other officers, gathering and sharing information and then using that as a team to take down our foes.


I think most important in my experience though is how to be patient. It's linked to why I most want to become head of security: a lot of the crew can be suspicious of security. Many (myself included) can probably remember a time when a security officer was a total butt to them, and honestly playing as sec a lot these past few months it really isn't that uncommon to see a fellow officer do something that makes me want to brig them myself. It's an unfortunate cycle where security are harassed, and in turn give no mercy to the crew that just want to enjoy they time playing this dumb game. I have encountered my fair share of really annoying crewmembers but through it I like to think I've maintained a positive and friendly attitude and I hope that other players have seen that. I'm sure that being head of security will present completely new challenges but over the years I've kept coming back to this silly game and I hope to help make a security force under me friendly, helpful and above all fun to play with!


In your opinion, what are the flaws and benefits of the current security layout (brig, cells, security room etc):

In general I'm of the opinion that we don't really need a general pop cell. I think on both Cog1 and 2 the space they take up is huge compared to how useful they are. The main issue as I see it is that the floor flushers are integral to the brig functionality, but with the fact they're timed it means you can't really have more than one crewmember per flusher, otherwise somebody is able to get flushed before their time is up. Having a general, larger holding cell is handy to have and I wouldn't suggest taking them away completely, but instead reducing their size and replacing that sfree space with solitary cells. Cog1 has the cell divider which pretty much turns the main brig into two smaller areas, which is handy but from a quick glance at the map it could be possible make the northern part two smaller solitary cells and then we'd have even more spaces in case a round gets particularly chaotic. I think this would also be handy incase of depressurisation, as right now if the main holding cells lose air you've lost a whole load of space which you can no longer put prisoners into.

For more general ideas:
I would suggest more forensic scanners (at least 5 per map, not counting the detective's) as these are by far the most useful tool sec has at their disposal.
More insulated gloves. They're really handy and honestly sec officers often have a legitimate reason to hack open doors
More standard medkits. Again, really good to have on you for emergencies, and i'm not going to carry around a toxin first aid as a general 'oh shit I need healing' item
A medical vendor. This I think would be really goshdarn helpful in so many circumstances. Station full of revs? Sec team regroups and heals up at their base. A criminal got beaten by a vigilante into crit? Heal 'em up and brig them. Prisoner's tried to kill themselves to set off their microbombs? Heal them and save your lovely brig tool! If there was one change I would like, it's having one of these badboys in every security area because the medkits that spawn sometimes just aren't enough, and when they aren't enough, it's always the worst possible time for that to be the case.


As for benefits I like Cog1's limited entrance paths. I think for security more than any other department it's really helpful to have limited routes of access and maybe it's just in my head, but I never feel quite as secure on clarion or destiny where security is pretty much surrounded by other stuff. To be honest I think for the most part they're all serviceable, and what really would help is the addition of a few items.



Previous Bans (While this will not affect your application lying about it will):

There are none that I know of, but in the past I have not always been the best player and with my fairly long hiatuses I can't say for sure what my record looks like.




Welp that was a whole lot longer than planned. Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read it!
#2
This is a very well written app. Melanie is really fun, and competent to boot. They have a great mentality and attitude about things, and I think they'd make a good HoS.
#3
Good App and Good Player. Yessirie
#4
You could have just written "hos application" 300 times in a row and I would still say yes. Give Melanie a hat STAT.
#5
Melanie is one of those officers that I really like seeing. Very fun and competent. Definitely deserves the hat.
#6
A competent, level-head, and reliable officer. 100% HoS material.
#7
Unhesitatingly yes.
#8
I LOVE having Melanie in sec, when I am PLAYING sec I love that we both agree that there is a code of conduct towards prisoners. They care more about preventing small crime than me, whereas I'm usually trying to do paramedic duty when nothing big is happening. But that is part of why I enjoy the shifts I've teamed up with them as sec, we have a similar philosophy on the broad strokes and try to cover a lot of station needs between us.

They are also just a super polite positive person, in general, really fun to have around.
#9
melanie is an excellent officer every time i've seen them, give em HoS
#10
Quote:Melanie Blowfist 

Disarming villains with words
Give this cop the hat. 
#11
Whenever I see Melanie around I try to take care of them, because I know if I need help, Melanie will try to save me. Melanie is one of the few puritains I'll take the extra time to revive using SR as well, although it takes extra work. I think Melanie would be a great HoS.
#12
10/10 yes from me, solid security player and solid just about everything else player. Eibel said it well I find that my interactions with Melanie are always entertaining and even when opposed to her I know im in for a good time. Would be a shame if this didnt happen honestly big grin
#13
This has been long overdo. What I was going to say has been said. 100% Yes from me.
#14
(03-15-2018, 01:43 PM)Ed Venture Wrote: This has been long overdo. What I was going to say has been said. 100% Yes from me.

^^^^

YES from me. Seriously, Melanie is like one of the BEST officers I've ever seen.
#15
Absolutely! Melanie is a friendly and knowledgeable security officer. She deserves a beret/hat!


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