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Re-examining the Ling, a case study
#1
Lings seem to be the antag that causes the most derision, argument, and discussion. I thought it would be prudent to just list a few things about lings that I feel I see as common complaints, suggest any counters I have, and get feedback from others, possibly bringing someone to an inspiration to tackle the onerous project.


Common complaints I hear

-Hive mind is boring
-Making victims unclonable makes them the most direct target and basically gurantees death in any instance
-Poisons are not always satisfying
-High visibility, easy trackability
-Kit limitations lead to formulaic loop


My suggestions to these things:

-Make body parts a ghost tag that they can toggle on or off as they wish to allow body parts to become animated by a new ghost to hive mind spirit which can then be popped at will. This could allow a ling to also get 'backup parts' to pop off in case of am ambush instead of just one of each, imagine trying to cuff the ling and their arms and legs all fell off at the same time and attacked in a swarm.

 that change would also let the hive mind be an opt in ghost role, allowing for people to not 'have' to be in the hive mind. It also means that if a ling spits out a bodypart they know 100 percent its going to be taken by someone that wants to be the part.

-Make it so a long could get less but leave corpses unmarked and harder to determine less cause, for example you can get like, 6 points but leave no sign, 10 points and leave a husk as normal, or who knows maybe like...immobilize you while your chest splits in half and you shove a corpse in for an additional 5 points, making you defenseless and making alot of noise but eliminating evidence and getting more points for a risk

-I think the sting should be a single timer, I think it should take from a central pool of resources that slowly recharges but auto refills eating, I think it should be the 'cost' of the pool rather then a cool down. Like... Capuletium 70 out of 100 neurotoxin 60 out of 100 solpizine 50 out of 100 lsd 30 mimitoxin 25 or such. Let a ling play with perceptions and ideas, give them varied ways of hunting and dealing with targets, and adaptability. Ya know some secoff is gunnin for ya with a smelling salt in hand? Vanish with solpizine instead and plan your attack.

-I think a lings DNA should show as unknown if scanning their blood or bodyparts. I think this should extend to ling parts. I think handprints should stay the same. The ling itself isn't even the original person. I feel that making their dna from normal non print dna evidence harder to pinpoint without finding the ling will open up the ling to doing some more daring stuff or using bodyparts more often. As is a bodypart is a 100 percent trap to catch the ling. Plus being able to scan someone and say 'you're nolt who you say you are' is fun.


ANYWAY those are the things I've observed people having complaint with and my own ideas for possible alterations or additions to alleviate those. I'd love to hear your feedback or others' ideas or perceptions! Kinda want just a...round table ling discussion here.
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#2
(11-04-2023, 03:48 PM)Silent Majority Wrote: -Hive mind is boring

That really depends on how the ling is playing. Are they detaching limbs, letting the hive mind actually play and discussing things with them? Or are they off doing antag stuff while they ignore the hivemind chat?

Having the ghost role being opt-in could help ensure that anyone actually talking is interested in being a part, but it could also do the opposite where the ling assumes that everyone they absorb just leaves immediately. TIL there's actually a command to leave the hivemind..

I'm not sure if it would be the best solution, but if a changling who isn't going to use the limbs anyways was able to absorb the hivemind members for additional points (like 1 or 2) that could alleviate the idea that hivemind is boring. You're either part of a plan, or DNA fodder.

The rest are points on fighting or being the ling, which I don't do (I'm usually dead pointing out random things for the ling! Mainly because I let it happen for RP..)
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#3
Oh thats not a bad idea either..I'd more.imagijed all of the hive was opt.in
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#4
(11-04-2023, 03:48 PM)Silent Majority Wrote: -I think a lings DNA should show as unknown if scanning their blood or bodyparts. I think this should extend to ling parts. I think handprints should stay the same. The ling itself isn't even the original person. I feel that making their dna from normal non print dna evidence harder to pinpoint without finding the ling will open up the ling to doing some more daring stuff or using bodyparts more often. As is a bodypart is a 100 percent trap to catch the ling. Plus being able to scan someone and say 'you're nolt who you say you are' is fun.

My biggest issue with lings is they are incentiviced to NOT use DNA crazily.
Changing your form is free.. but changing form, then dropping a limb critter, then changing back is so much time and work.. it's not worth it.

Heck limb critters alone aren't worth it. I love spawning them, but if one gets killed...I am basically busted.
Sure the idea is... kill then change into a new form, rinse and repeat...
But the problem is... you lose DNA due to your critters dieing.
There is a reason I love spamming eyes, they slip things and explode and are free.

But the moment I give up a hand... they die, I get busted, I lost my arm for a while...all of it is "dead air"

If you don't wanna be busted for deploying a limb critter...you still need to hide in a corner and hide possible missing limbs (wich can be easily found out by an examine). So...  the most optimal hand critter deployment would be:
- Change into victim, wait till fully changed.
- Deploy arm critter.
- Wait for arm to regrow
- Wait to change back to normal.
- Resume working.
- Now your limb critter can die but you then waste precious DNA.

And that is.. THE MAIN PROBLEM.
To get DNA you gotta kill humans and absorb em. Wich takes time.
The only other way costs DNA and if killed , reveals who you are. This is why hivemind is boring... cause the dead players can easily betray the ling by getting killed.
By simply changing it to: "Limb critters dont give DNA prints or false ones." would already increase the use of it.
Heck even if you regrow your limb instantly but it's a "random limb" helps a lot too.

To fix hiveminds, limb critters need to be changed. That or... gain DNA points differently too insted of just killing.
Like for example absorbing random limbs to gain very low DNA points.
This will make the ling more willing to use DNA to take more risks with critters to pay off with even more DNA/victims.

Also if you fear this will make a "passive horrorform farming ling" ... Horror form gets weaker the less hivemind it has. As the more people are absorbed... the more can spit acid during the form.
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