Cogmap 2: *** UPDATE TO BYOND 509 ASAP ***

[UmmonTL]

I had an idea for the new map, since we have those neat mechanics toys nowadays why not include some of that in the station?
A network of telepads could really improve many "X is too far from Y" problems. A teleporter room at the main intersections would make it easy to get from on edge of the map to the other. Sec could also have send only telepads to deploy quickly or an incoming pad in a separate sec-locked room to get prisoners back. 2x2 telepad rooms would also make it easy to take something along you're dragging behind you.

The design I tend to use for telepad networks is 2 telepads, 1 microphone and 1 button/handscanner. One telepad is send-only, activated by the button and the microphone changes the ID. The other telepad has a fixed ID and is just there as a receiving end.
A simpler to use design would of course be to have one (labeled) button per destination although that would mean a lot more parts and make it harder for mechanics to add further locations. Also, in the voice activated variant you can easily follow anybody fleeing through a teleporter since all you have to do is hit the button again without saying anything, with multiple buttons you have to see them use it.

The big problem with these telepad networks is how easily they can be hijacked or broken since anyone can change IDs and part connections with a multitool or detach parts with a wrench. Building new pads somewhere deadly and giving them a common ID is also a possibility. If the network can't be trusted nobody will use it. I have a bunch of ideas on how this might be mitigated, the easiest and most effective would be if the parts were cardlocked like APCs. You'd need at least mechanic access to do much with them directly or remove them. Giving the AI some manner of control over them might be good as well so it can keep people from blindly teleporting into danger. The one thing I'm not sure about is how to keep people from just adding new pads with the same ID as those in the network in deadly locations short of making those IDs random each round. Depends how easy it is for non-mechanics to get telepads since I'm guessing mechanics would be able to find out the IDs anyways.

[Cogwerks]

Made the bridge area much more shamefully decadent:

http://i.imgur.com/hQaFNQy.png

That teleporter idea is interesting, I will think about it.

[Zadeon]

The HoS spawns as an Owl now?

[DyssalC]

Oh god why have you exposed the HoP's room to the harsh mistress of space? Now the syndies are gonna kick MY butt!

[Cogwerks]

Due to budget overruns in the bridge, assistants will spawn in a somewhat low-rent district.

http://i.imgur.com/GKItkjK.png

[Embolism]

Heh, space slums. Nice contrast to the spartan-yet-neat crew quarters.

Really cool. I love all the detail you've put in to everything.

[pizzatiger]

3 things

1.I noticed that the captain and hos has escape pods in their office + captain maintence leads to a room with fancyy green escape pods. Will escape-pods be given added purposes such as a chance to make it to nanotrasion.

2.I noticed in the mini-map in the corner that there are two kinda big seperate faclitys in space.Are thre going to be faclitys the require you to space/walk or use some sort of transport pod to reach

3.In the slums map are the Giant X's where assitants are going to spawn? If so i approve of all the locations

[Frank_Stein]

I love that the Detective has a public office.

[Cogwerks]

2.I noticed in the mini-map in the corner that there are two kinda big seperate faclitys in space.Are thre going to be faclitys the require you to space/walk or use some sort of transport pod to reach

Ignore that stuff, it's mostly just cogmap 1 rooms copypasted around the edges so it's easy to make sure offices have all the right doors and contents.

The little green craft are NanoPutts, not escape pods.

[DyssalC]

Made the bridge area much more shamefully decadent:

http://i.imgur.com/hQaFNQy.png

That teleporter idea is interesting, I will think about it.

I just noticed, is that a fanny pack in the HoP's office?
If not, please give fanny packs to the HoP.

[RAWK_LAWBSTAR]

Nice Cogwerks. Can't wait to see it in action.

[Cogwerks]

Giant stitched Cogmap2 WiP screenshot

http://i.imgur.com/3WA9m47.png

Gonna work soon on moving sections a bit closer together along the vertical axis.

[Amuys]

Only complaint I have is that the arrivals receiving area is a bit small and the non maintenance route is completely windowed. May suck if you start out as a scientist and all the glass is broken.

[Embolism]

Only complaint I have is that the arrivals receiving area is a bit small and the non maintenance route is completely windowed. May suck if you start out as a scientist and all the glass is broken.

Well Scientists always start with a gas mask and tank so.

[QP Evergrande]

A brisk low-atmo jog every now and then builds character.

But, I do question the placement of the arrivals shuttle. Like other people have said, it's pretty far from any area that players frequent. But what if you switched the arrivals shuttle and the escape shuttle? Put arrivals on the south side of the station, next to mining. Simple enough, and then it's right next to the supply sector.

Related to that, I'm going to make a bunch of quickfire suggestions. Move the information desk down into that open space to the east of the electronics bay, and you should have room left over to put in a customs desk too. Move the owlery into the same open space on the north side of the station, then move the AI core rooms down to where the owlery and information desk are. Then you could move the slum from north of the bar over to that area west of the escape shuttle, make it larger, squarer and more slummy. The way it's just a small area at the very edge of the station makes it look... less than it could be. I think it would be better if it were deeper. And having a more developed slum would make that corner of the station much more interesting. In the current design it'd be basically deserted, except for the odd person looking to subvert the AI or pick up an owl suit. Sure, there are a couple supply rooms in there, but they're so out of the way I doubt people would use them often. Plus it would give people plenty of hiding space to prepare something interesting for when the escape shuttle comes. And really, why wouldn't we put the escape shuttle next to a slum? It's not like we expect to ever need it :downs: . The escape arm being an afterthought by NanoTransen would also handily explain why escape pods are so shitty.

The VR pods in the rec room look kinda weird the way they're split up like that. Maybe they could get their own room? They are basically their own thing.

In the cargo bay, I'm not sure about that configuration of manufacturers. What that second gray-yellow one? A gas extractor? As someone who plays QM a lot, I'll accept having one of those if you're offering, but I thought the only one on Cogmap 1 was in an area as secure as engineering for a reason. But anyway, having them split up into two groups like that makes it kinda awkward now that communal mode is gone. For example, one of the things we're likely to do every round is move all the fabric from the uniform manufacturer into the mining manufacturer to make engineering suits. It'd be annoying to have them on opposite sides of the room. So I'd suggest putting all five(?) of them against the east wall. Move the fabricator/workbench to where the disposal chute is. Put the portable reclaimer in the fax machine's space. Then a table with a mechanical toolbox and labeler in the mail chute's space. Move those three things so that they're along the west wall, along with the cargo teleport pad and the table with recharger and cargo teleporter. (Although, looking at the map, I don't see any cargo teleport pads anywhere. Is that intentional?)

I'd do a mockup of all of this right now, but that image isn't in full resolution, so working with it would be a pain. Although I may end up doing that anyway later. I do think the map as a whole is starting to look great, though.