Door hacking Nerf

[Sundance]

Yes, you have fallen for my clickbait title. A nerf! 

Jokes on you, this is actually a fairly reasonable and minor suggestion that just keeps players only slightly more on their toes than the current implementation. 

Door hacking as it stands:

Pulse every wire until you find the one that disables the test light. If wearing gloves, just spam through it without repercussion. If not wearing gloves, you'll probably be electrocuted, but no biggie, just go to a different door and don't pulse that same wire again, you dingus. 

You have found the one that disables the test light. It is the white wire, second down, in this example. Congrats, now you can hack all the doors on the station with your eyes closed. Just pulse the white wire and crowbar. 

My suggestion is twofold:


1. The positioning of wires is randomized on every door. 


No, not the function (that would suck) - the order. So the white wire will not always be second down. Its position will be entirely random. This will require the hacker to actually be a little bit more vigilant and actually remember the color rather than just the order.


2. Command (Blue) and Security (Red) doors have their own separate functions each. 


This will mean it won't be the white wire for Command or Security. Both have their own separate functions (i.e Red wire for Command, Purple wire for Sec, etc). If you want to hack into the bridge or into security seamlessly, it would be advised to figure out the wire on one of those blue or red doors away from prying eyes, such as figuring it out on the teleporter door or a security outpost respectively.

..Why?
Straightforward door hacking is mind numbingly trivial. It gets complicated when there's something wrong with the door or if the door has been previously messed with, but only slightly.

This suggestion isn't really a nerf at all, but rather a proverberbial banana peel that is designed to trip you (or shock you) if you're not paying attention.

[ZeWaka]

there's a current github PR up that does something similar like this btw

[TheMaskedMan2]

I'd argue take the Security and Command door hacking to a deeper level and have them be harder to hack. Not exactly sure how to be honest, but i'd like if breaking into the bridge or sec was a little bit more complex. Maybe you have to have another tool to pull off a plate from it, or maybe shocking it will cause it to bolt automatically?

[Sundance]

there's a current github PR up that does something similar like this btw

Which PR?
This? https://github.com/goonstation/goonstation/pull/1947

This is primarily a balance for packet / mech comp nerds, would this affect manual hacking in any way?

Also - oh shit Tam already suggested half this idea already in that thread.

[KikiMofo]

Oh no this would ruin my speed hacking grey suit shittery.......its probably a good idea to nerf it. Ill be bummed though.

[pali6]

I wouldn't mind some kind of a door hacking nerf. One very minor change I was also thinking about would be that using a screwdriver on a door wouldn't be instant and would get an action bar. That'd make it more obvious and also interruptible.

[Caro]

Eh, I don't feel door hacking needs any nerfs, and the "it's too easy lol" reasoning doesn't really convince me. Unlike some other features, there isn't really a reason to nerf it, it's one of the core gameplay mechanics, not something outright powerful or abusable

And all the proposed change does is messes with people's muscle memory. It would just be annoying to deal with at best

[Sundance]

Eh, I don't feel door hacking needs any nerfs, and the "it's too easy lol" reasoning doesn't really convince me. Unlike some other features, there isn't really a reason to nerf it, it's one of the core gameplay mechanics, not something outright powerful or abusable

And all the proposed change does is messes with people's muscle memory. It would just be annoying to deal with at best

Do you honestly think muscle memory when it comes to hacking is a good thing? I'd like to know why you think this is a good thing, because I'm not seeing it. 

I don't think I can convince you in either case, we're at opposite ends of the spectrum. 

I don't think someone finding the wire, second down from the top and then going i am speed which then said speedster finds themselves in the armory through sec main doors in less than a minute (yes, i've tested this on cog1) bears any resemblance to balance whatsoever.

It's not engaging, in fact the word "muscle memory" actually highlights that it's not engaging. 

It being a "core gameplay mechanic" even further highlights the issue. It has not been engaging for a very very long time. The last change to door hacking was the addition of the SS wire, which was many years ago. 

I wouldn't mind some kind of a door hacking nerf. One very minor change I was also thinking about would be that using a screwdriver on a door wouldn't be instant and would get an action bar. That'd make it more obvious and also interruptible.

Calm down there Satan.

[DJ-Fireball_did_this]

Access actually existing would be cool.

[Ion Mage]

I wouldn't mind some kind of a door hacking nerf. One very minor change I was also thinking about would be that using a screwdriver on a door wouldn't be instant and would get an action bar. That'd make it more obvious and also interruptible.

^^^^^

[Lurkey]

the title isn't clickbait, that's totally accurate. all this would lead to is more lazy deletions of walls, tossing bread at doors, rushing debris for tele arts, breaking in for the captain's id/robbing or killing the HoP/any of the other things that makes this pointless. doorhacking is only useful because it's polite not to leave a department wide open and because it's a little more subtle than alternatives. if it's more convenient to remove windows into space and vent a room or melt a wall and leave it wide open (nobody ever repairs walls removed this way, either) than to just bypass a door, that'll be what people start doing instead.

[Superlagg]

I think it'd work to have every door have randomized wire positions, and command/sec doors have wires all be the same color.

[Chayot]

This is disgusting, you make me sick. My door hacking is going to be slightly harder if I want to commit high crimes in SEC/Command?
How do you sleep at night? Really, I've had a strange aching in my neck and I've love to hear it. All said, I think this is a great Idea!

I'd agree with Lurkey, we'll probably be looking at a FEW more broken SEC/Command doors because of error.
But I think this will be helpful more than he gives it credit.

Sure, someone may decide to break our walls as it may be faster than learning the door. And yet that's already the case.
If someone has the capacity, they break our walls--they don't even BOTHER with the doors.
It's just so much easier to get through a wall.
If someone wants to be shit and destroy our walls, they'll do it. They do it already, why won't they if this passes?

Not to mention the packeters that walk in like they own the place, pop the HoS' locker and, howdy-do! Discount HoS at your service! Except I'm going to harass SEC and gun down anyone who looks at me funny with this dandy Egun I found in HoS' locker.

So I'd say yes to this!

[KikiMofo]

Ive had a bit to think about this and I think palis idea is the most fair because compare manual door hacking with packet nerd door hacking. I dont think making packet nerdery better than the manual way is a good idea. I do agree with a timer like almost everything else has now a days though.

[DJ-Fireball_did_this]

I stand by that packets should just need the given ID.