New Role: Security Radio Operator

[Gomp]

"The Security Radio Operator, while lacking a requisition token, can be one of the most important parts of a security team with their ability to coordinate their fellow officers and manage incoming reports of illegal activity."

I had the idea for this role because, in my opinion, the most frustrating moments with the security department happen when no one really knows who is wanted, what they did and if someone else is already dealing with them. This is also a terrible experience as an outsider, when you call for security or even worse call a security alert and no one notices. 

The Security Radio Operators job would basically boil down to keeping track of and updating security records, making sure call outs from crew on the public channel aren't missed and informing their team of loose ends and open cases. 

I can anecdotally confirm that this works wonders at coordinating a team, by recalling a round in where I did exactly that as a security assistant up to the point I got killed and the rest of the team afterwards being disorganized and also probably having a much less fun experience.
This anecdote also brings up the point that you can already do what this job would have as responisibilities, but I find it strange to give orders to officers as an assistant and actual security officers are equipped to deal with criminals, making them prioritize exactly that, thereby giving them no time to coordinate their team.
The HoS of course can also do this and usually does when one is present, but not for the entire round since the HoS tends to get distracted by Syndicates trying to duel them and other matters that require their presence.

The only thing this Role really needs is a custom radio icon and maybe a way to speak louder on the radio, otherwise I would just keep them like a regular officer without the requisition token and most of the roundstart gear exept the shield and a flash.
Here are some more pros and cons I could think off:

Pro:

• having security more organized makes playing another part security more fun
  
• having security more organized makes interacting with security more fun for the crew
  

Contra:

• coordinated security is basically a buff so antags might have a harder time (though as mentioned in my example killing the Radio Operator will disorganize security again)
  
• this is a weird overlap with the HoS's responisbilities but I would like to stress that telling someone about a criminal and ordering them to arrest a criminal are different. (I want to stress that Security Radio Operators are definetly not higher ranked then other Security Officers)
  
• I don't think this role will be considered fun to play by most people
  

I made this post for feedback of course so thoughts and opinions are appreciated, please be nice and civil .

[Frank_Stein]

Like a dispatcher?

I think it's a good idea, but might be better to make it a flex role, with some dedicated equipment and uniform any person on the Sec team can grab and slot in

[Gomp]

Like a dispatcher?

I think it's a good idea, but might be better to make it a flex role, with some dedicated equipment and uniform any person on the Sec team can grab and slot in

Well it basically already is a flex roll, all it would really need it a security megaphone or something. Losing one officer just to be properly coordinated feels kinda bad though.

[JORJ949]

I would love for security to have megaphones, I've even PRd one for the HoS so they can shout down "WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED" but unfortunately the dev opinion at the time was the megaphone should remain a captain-only thing. A Dispatcher/Organiser job can always be filled in by any security member, in fact I often see security assistants sat at the desk coordinating the team, which fits for them in my opinion, but im not sure it needs to be its own job. Perhaps a dispatcher locker somewhere in security with some gear to help do dispatch work.
Perhaps security health alerts, arrest statuses and other security mailbot things should be directed to the radio channel instead of pda group so that its easier to see (and spy on) these.

[Gomp]

I would love for security to have megaphones, I've even PRd one for the HoS so they can shout down "WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED" but unfortunately the dev opinion at the time was the megaphone should remain a captain-only thing. A Dispatcher/Organiser job can always be filled in by any security member, in fact I often see security assistants sat at the desk coordinating the team, which fits for them in my opinion, but im not sure it needs to be its own job. Perhaps a dispatcher locker somewhere in security with some gear to help do dispatch work.
Perhaps security health alerts, arrest statuses and other security mailbot things should be directed to the radio channel instead of pda group so that its easier to see (and spy on) these.

My main issues are that security assistants don't get mind protect implants, which makes derailing securtiy so incredibly easy if they are the one coordinating the team (which would be the worst experience I can imagine as an officer) and that coordinating the team is not a good way to learn how to play normal secoff in my opinion and at the end of the day that is the main point of a secass, so having the expectation be that they coordinate the team will be very bad for the roles main purpose in my opinion.

[JORJ949]

My main issues are that security assistants don't get mind protect implants, which makes derailing securtiy so incredibly easy if they are the one coordinating the team (which would be the worst experience I can imagine as an officer) and that coordinating the team is not a good way to learn how to play normal secoff in my opinion and at the end of the day that is the main point of a secass, so having the expectation be that they coordinate the team will be very bad for the roles main purpose in my opinion.

I rarely if ever see security assistants get mindhacked but if they do and are the one coordinating the team this is good subversion by the traitor that hacked them and the point of the mindhack implant, there are other less interesting ways to derail security. Secass is NOT a trainee role, if it was it would be limited to 75 rounds like the other trainee roles, it is an assistant, many security players will play assistant so as to avoid the full pressure of officer and fulfill alternative security roles such as this, organising the team is assisting. You aren't expected to fulfill the role of organiser as Secass but if you do it it would be welcomed, as HoS I even WANT others to do the organising to take some pressure off of me and so that they show if they'd be a good HoS.

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You can also do this as officer, which is honestly probably a good thing on RP as you are both stopping secball by not going and by coordinating who IS going.

[Gomp]

I rarely if ever see security assistants get mindhacked but if they do and are the one coordinating the team this is good subversion by the traitor that hacked them and the point of the mindhack implant, there are other less interesting ways to derail security. Secass is NOT a trainee role, if it was it would be limited to 75 rounds like the other trainee roles, it is an assistant, many security players will play assistant so as to avoid the full pressure of officer and fulfill alternative security roles such as this, organising the team is assisting. You aren't expected to fulfill the role of organiser as Secass but if you do it it would be welcomed, as HoS I even WANT others to do the organising to take some pressure off of me and so that they show if they'd be a good HoS.

I mean I probably was the secass you where talking about in your example since I have only very rarely maybe seen someone else do that, so I do see your point about the role not being only for trainees but organizing the team is VERY STRESSFULL and I think it requires some officer experience to do succesfully. 
Concerning the mind hacked coordinator, I think you should consider that that is very similar to mindhacking the HoS, since the Radio Officer can just make things up and other officers are so very, very likely to believe them because that is sort of what the role requires TRUST. With a HoS on the team as well this might not be the biggest issue but without one? It would make people hate the role if it was targeted for mindhacks often or just doubt every message which makes coordinating pointless since everyone will need to double check anyways. I'm not even saying this would be an immediatly issue if the role was added but once people figure out how much coordinating the team means it's an even better choice then the HoP in my opinion. I'm fine with them not getting mind protect when they get added but I don't want to see the role get removed when that inevitably gets abused by traitors, because that round would be a terrible experience for everyone exept the antag.

[JORJ949]

I mean I probably was the secass you where talking about in your example since I have only very rarely maybe seen someone else do that, so I do see your point about the role not being only for trainees but organizing the team is VERY STRESSFULL and I think it requires some officer experience to do succesfully. 
Concerning the mind hacked coordinator, I think you should consider that that is very similar to mindhacking the HoS, since the Radio Officer can just make things up and other officers are so very, very likely to believe them because that is sort of what the role requires TRUST. With a HoS on the team as well this might not be the biggest issue but without one? It would make people hate the role if it was targeted for mindhacks often or just doubt every message which makes coordinating pointless since everyone will need to double check anyways. I'm not even saying this would be an immediatly issue if the role was added but once people figure out how much coordinating the team means it's an even better choice then the HoP in my opinion. I'm fine with them not getting mind protect when they get added but I don't want to see the role get removed when that inevitably gets abused by traitors, because that round would be a terrible experience for everyone exept the antag.

I doubt most security players want to play assistant to coordinate before officer, but you can always learn relevant information for your role from just playing that role, I learnt medical doctor by playing roboticist first for example. HoS being mindhacked is dangerous due to armory access and the authority of the role, an assistant coordinating cannot issue execution orders or walk into armory or upload or other secure areas, detective already can fill the role of undermining security trust and I think thats fine, HoP and detective are the most popular mindhack targets right now and the detective is more for the gun and security access than having someone on the inside.

[Gomp]

I doubt most security players want to play assistant to coordinate before officer, but you can always learn relevant information for your role from just playing that role, I learnt medical doctor by playing roboticist first for example. HoS being mindhacked is dangerous due to armory access and the authority of the role, an assistant coordinating cannot issue execution orders or walk into armory or upload or other secure areas, detective already can fill the role of undermining security trust and I think thats fine, HoP and detective are the most popular mindhack targets right now and the detective is more for the gun and security access than having someone on the inside.

I'm gonna just take your word for it that it's not a big issue since you know what you are talking about. Mindhackers in general don't use aggresive gaslighting much and that's basically what i am affraid off, so it's probably not going to be so bad the role gets hated.

That being said do you think people might be more likely to coordinate sec if there was an actual role for it?

[Drakios]

I kinda liek the idea, in general more different gear option in sec would be cool I think an medic sec was wished for multible times, but it would also cause medbay be more empty I guess.
But an radio operator yeah could be cool if they have an headset that if they speak though it it gets highlighted for sec so it stands out more or something similar.
But there is also the point that was already mentioned you kinda can already do that and some people like doing it already, but I think having a specific role or gear would encourage more people to do it and would be cool for the people who already like doing it.

Maybe that dispatcher get a map and can click on a spot wich sends a message out to the secoff and if they click onto it they get a GPS route to it(Which I would also like in general for emergency alerts)

[444explorer]

I don't think we need a dedicated role for this. A Head of Security or an experienced Security Assistant could easily fill the role of a dispatcher and coordinator.

[Kotlol]

I don't think we need a dedicated role for this. A Head of Security or an experienced Security Assistant could easily fill the role of a dispatcher and coordinator.

Agreed but giving specific gear for it would be nice for such a function.
So if an assistant wants to play it by giving up their normal gear or an officer.. I'd approve of it.

A seperate job? NAH!

[Gomp]

My conclusion from this is and the other discussion about a second detective, is that it's time for security assistants to get different gear sets.

[jan.antilles]

I don't think Security needs another role. I'm fine with assigning a Secass to do it, or having the HoS do it, or just having equipment sit at the front desk in Sec so that whoever is manning the desk can speak over the Dispatch Mic (bigger text over Sec frequencies? switchable to general radio so Sec can make announcements?) and so antags can do it too to be cheeky

[Cogwerks]

I'd like to discourage people from thinking you're losing an officer if someone stays in the base to play dispatch or warden or desk attendant. Not all the guards need to be out patrolling or brawling at all times. It's always nice to see someone actually use the sec records and cameras from Home Base.

I don't think a dedicated Dispatch role is really needed, just like we don't have a Warden.
Perhaps the dispatch kit could have a special headset though, like the syndicate comtac military clamshells.

If a sec-ass wants to play dispatcher and they get mindhacked into giving horrible intel, that sounds awesome.

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There often is someone sitting at the front desk anyways, so yeah, like Jan said, that would be a good spot to emphasize Dispatch Tools.