Conspiracy game mode

[Calebc789]

This is my first time on the forums so bear with me if I miss a few things.

I have had this idea for a while. A few people on SS13 said it might be good so I thought I would leave it here, see what you guys think about it. The game mode is inspired by John Carpenter's They Live.

The game mode involves two teams, the aliens, and the rebels.

The aliens (disguised as humans and generally in higher up positions in the chain of command) are to subvert the crew using subliminal messages that can be placed on anything (how this works I am still working out, but a few aliens will get a handheld device capable of doing just that) and generally avoid getting revealed. They must also protect the source of their disguises and possibly the source of the subliminal messages aswell, a machine that is either fixed and can be disguised as an object, or portable and must be carried by a trusted member of the alien team.

Meanwhile, the rebels, making up a select few of the lower parts of the chain of command, must combat the alien occupation in secret by either assassinating the aliens, or revealing them by destroying the disguise machine and thus unseat them. The rebels get glasses (can also be or can be upgraded to contact lenses like in the movie) that reveal subliminal messages and aliens to the wearer. They will also get a device that can erase subliminal messages (disguised as an analyser or equvialent). Both teams will get their own frequencies to coordinate their operations.

If all the crew is subverted, or if all the rebels are eliminated, the alien team will win (Bonus reward for doing both, dont know how this will work either), if the aliens are all killed (either by assassination or by exposure and subsequent crew revolt), the rebel team will win.

All up for constructive criticism here, so what do you guys think?

[atomic1fire]

Might be cool if the subliminal messages showed up as centcom announcements to the crew. Most people would think they were official and wouldn't pay any attention to the guy screaming about lizard people, or worse yet just believe he's a griefer attacking sec.

Metagaming wise, all lizard people announcements should be regarded as official until deprogrammed, the crew should have no interest in actually helping one guy who "centcom" is calling a greytider or a racist.

[BruiseCruise]

Does one of the rebels get a Wrestling Belt and a Roddy Piper outfit?

Seriously though, not sure how I feel about this as a game mode. I think if this was going to be used it would work best as a gimmick round rather than an actual game mode. On paper it kinda sounds like a more complex Revolution, and that probably isn't coming back any time soon. The subversion mechanic needs to be fleshed out, but the problem is that Rev probably handled that mechanic the best. Metagaming-wise, even if the updates were sent via Centcomm, a bunch of violent and aggressive people wearing sunglasses saying 'IT'S A CONSPIRACY' will either A) give away the round quickly or B) incite random acts of violence against authority/the station. Both of these aren't TERRIBLE, per se, but I can see it becoming old really quickly.

, but yea

[Calebc789]

Does one of the rebels get a Wrestling Belt and a Roddy Piper outfit?

Seriously though, not sure how I feel about this as a game mode. I think if this was going to be used it would work best as a gimmick round rather than an actual game mode. On paper it kinda sounds like a more complex Revolution, and that probably isn't coming back any time soon. The subversion mechanic needs to be fleshed out, but the problem is that Rev probably handled that mechanic the best. Metagaming-wise, even if the updates were sent via Centcomm, a bunch of violent and aggressive people wearing sunglasses saying 'IT'S A CONSPIRACY' will either A) give away the round quickly or B) incite random acts of violence against authority/the station. Both of these aren't TERRIBLE, per se, but I can see it becoming old really quickly.

, but yea

I am planning the subversion mechanic to be so that anyone who sees or examines an object with a subliminal message on it (The device wouldive worked like a labeler, which would be able to place the message on literally anything) would get a message that is basically an order that they cannot avoid doing, such as "CONSUME", "OBEY", or perhaps even more direct orders like "KILL X WITH Y" or "CARRY ON" and generally whatever the antag put in as the message. It may sound good on paper, but it assumes the guy seeing it would actually cooperate instead of going "CONSPIRACY!" (Look at how many times you usually see an AI mess up a "do not state this law" law). A revised version of this may work, but I am currently not seeing if this will work despite the potential for shenanigans.

Also, a heavy emphasis on stealth is the key here, because (on paper, anyway) people openly saying that it is all a conspiracy like that would not really accomplish anything other than making themselves easy targets for the alien team (not to mention the aliens could counter with a "DONT BELIEVE THEIR LIES" subliminal message. You do have a point though, it is probably more suited as a gimmick round than an actual game mode.