Tame the Emag, Buff the Agent Card

[Boa Jacque]

No, no no.
Add new features sure, but not everything has to be changed or adjusted on a frequent basis. Too many classic features are getting a rework as it is, IMO.

Just my two cents.
There are certain features of the game that seem integral to the SS13 experience, exploring the Emag and all it can affect is one of those things to me.
I don't always buy an emag, in fact often times I do not. I still haven't even used it to its full capacity yet.

Emagging every door open isnt even advantageous to the traitor. You've got all access, but any door you open for you, you open for all.
That kinda balances it out itself. No one traitor has enough inventory space for the entire armory anyway.

[Noah Buttes]

Fun fact: you CAN fix emagged doors using packet shenanigans.

[atamusvaleo]

The syndicate ID is useful in that it also makes you untrackable by the ai, they have to manually track you.
Its also a budget item, one of the few cheap syndicate items and it serves its purpose well on that front.
That said SOME of the uses for emag needs to be looked at.
1. The permanent hacking of doors. Lockers are fine, but doors really compromise security. Someone could literally run into security and emag all the doors and they have effectively ruined secs round with 0 effort. A fix for this would be either make the doors return to normal state after some time or make them fixable.
2. The emagged defib. Its not abused so much thank god, but I feel like what was meant to be an assassination tool is instead an outright rampage item. Its not balanced to have an instant kill item that's also disguised. A fix for this would be for this to inflict a ton of o2 damage.

Anything that is emaggable should be fixable too. It could be implemented through the hacking interface that already exists. 

Side note: I know (by reading, not experience) you can use packets to unlock lockers already but it would be neat to have another way to do so and repair emagged lockers in the process.

[The Grim Sleeper]

I agree that the Emag needs to be made way less annoying. Seeing a department basically become a public corridor is a complete pain, doesn't help anyone and ruins any pretence of stealth, which will then escalate to the noob-traitor Emagging everything on the station (if he uses the Emag like an All-access ID is isn't very skilled, qed).
A cooldown timer or a battery-based limit both sounds like good ways to nerf without wrecking the core functionality.
A chance for the Emagged item to 'go rogue' sounds like a lot of fun, but also very frustrating; no strong feels bout it.

I disagree that the agent card needs a buff, but I wouldn't object to some new features. THESE FEATURE SHOULD NOT BE THE SECOND HAND EMAG FEATURES!!!!

Fun fact: you CAN fix emagged doors using packet shenanigans.

I've tried this (in the past) and could NOT get it to work. You can't ping Emagged doors, nor can you screw of the cover to read the address. Sending the secure_open command also didn't seem to have an effect. Is there a technique to it (apart from the basic packet magic stuff), or a recent change?

[NateTheSquid]

As far as I know, the AI can do it's hacking magic on emagged doors. No one ever asks though...

If it can, I don't know how.

AI door hacking is literally just 1. click on door 2. wait.
If the door is unusable by the AI normally e.g. that broken airlock/the armory, it will automatically hack the door after a bit. The only way AI can't hack doors is if the wires are cut.

EDIT: Nope you can't actually hack emagged doors at all, I swear you used to be able to.

[Noah Buttes]

Fun fact: you CAN fix emagged doors using packet shenanigans.

I've tried this (in the past) and could NOT get it to work. You can't ping Emagged doors, nor can you screw of the cover to read the address. Sending the secure_open command also didn't seem to have an effect. Is there a technique to it (apart from the basic packet magic stuff), or a recent change?

There's also a secure_close command.

But uh, I could've sworn that stuff worked before.

Then again, it's been over a year since I tried.

[Grek]

I've tried it previously, it didn't work. Even if you have the syndicate netpass to authorize it. Nothing.

[Noah Buttes]

I've tried it previously, it didn't work. Even if you have the syndicate netpass to authorize it. Nothing.

Them that should definitely be changed/fixed.

[misto]

if you guys still thing emag is 2good i had thoughts

maybe the emag could be changed into an item that no longer works wirelessly on all items. so youd still want to bring a screwdriver to open a door panel first then emag the wires to pop it open. this also puts additional steps into other interactions ie - youll need a proper id and a crowbar or to convince a borg to unlock itself and open up before you can emag it.

most handheld items, emaggable consoles/computers/etc. and mini drones like firebots and securitrons dont really have a maintenance panel type of interaction so they can be left as is

its a minor thing but every click can count, and its easy to lose track of your screwdriver in an emergency

[pizzatiger]

ALL i want is for the agent ID to be reuseable, letting you remake it on the fly after the AI figures out that the elusive -Insert clever pun name here- is actually a traitor

[poland spring]

ALL i want is for the agent ID to be reuseable, letting you remake it on the fly after the AI figures out that the elusive -Insert clever pun name here- is actually a traitor

if there was anything an emag should work for it would be this

[Grumpchkin]

ALL i want is for the agent ID to be reuseable, letting you remake it on the fly after the AI figures out that the elusive -Insert clever pun name here- is actually a traitor

Two or maybe three uses would be great.

[medsal15]

ALL i want is for the agent ID to be reuseable, letting you remake it on the fly after the AI figures out that the elusive -Insert clever pun name here- is actually a traitor

Two or maybe three uses would be great.

Emag it for more re-uses. Can be repeated.

[Vitatroll]

What's the most dangerous thing an emag can do? Emagged hypos? Perma-close doors? Emagged bots? I don't really see people yelling about emag rampages on the radio. EMP nades outshine Emags at almost every turn.

The agent card is lame; it needs an upgrade. Unlimited name/color change is the way to go, I think. It would allow for clever tactics which most people won't use, but those that do will be fun to watch. I'm not even sure it would require a tc increase given the usage.

[Lady Birb]

What's the most dangerous thing an emag can do? 

Clearly you have never seen how deadly an emagged defibrillator can be. Severe burn damage, stuns for slightly longer than it take for the defib to recharge, and a small chance of instant cardiac arrest.