Goonhub
10-24-2014, 03:04 AM
I've been thinking about making genetics a job that is more fun for the people actually doing it. There are several problems with it:
Point one can't be easily dealt with, the station could get a second cloner somewhere maybe or the parts could be elsewhere so you might be able to scan and replace it even if it's blown up. But I usually just hope a mechanic comes by early so I can tell any antags that they're too late.
One improvement would be to either remove the mail chute ore move it to another corner of the room so antags have to do more than just mailing a bomb.
Point two could be improved by making a more obvious alarm for the morgue chute maybe, one that isn't tied to PDA messaging. I'd suggest a warning light if a corpse is lying around in the morgue or a window that allows you to look inside.
As for the rest of the problems, I have several simple ideas on how to deal with them. My thinking is that making it easier to give people mutations without having them in your lab is the way to go. To do that it needs to be easier to scan their DNA. I tried sending my scanning program around with PDA messaging but there is no easy way to send it to many people. Also they need to know how to actually get the scan installed on their PDA and I doubt many know how to do that either. Finally, there is no feedback if someone scans himself.
I would suggest modifying the genetics PDA cart so that you can access the research tab of the genetics console, allowing you to research mutations and view samples as you go around scanning.
My other idea is to make some sort of public scanner where people can scan themselves if they want and maybe view their own samples? What would work is giving genetics a third console and scanner but with the scanner being outside the lab. Then just give the GeneTek scanner the option to actually take a sample like the PDA does. The geneticist would still have to be the one scanning but at least he could do it safely.
I actually tried doing that in some rounds by redesigning the lab:
![[Image: ME4U0lu.png]](http://i.imgur.com/ME4U0lu.png)
This way people can hop in and out of the scanner without being able to enter your lab and you can activate their powers as well. The problem is that the scanner is now inaccessible from the inside which makes it harder to experiment with the monkeys. You can leave out the glass separating the computer but then people can mess with your computer again. A third console&scanner would be the best solution.
A little problem here, there is no way to update the DNA samples if for example you scramble a monkey or they get cloned. I'm not sure if a clone gets a new entry but after DNA scrambling someone it just says the target is already in the database. The samples also never show active mutations which would be somewhat helpful.
To improve the ease of giving people and yourself the fun mutations I would suggest a new kind of DNA injector, the DNA activator. The idea is that once you have a mutation researched you can make an activator for about 5 to 10 materials and upon injection it will activate the mutation as long as the target has the potential for it. This means you can activate your own powers without needing a partner to do it and coupled with the ability to view samples in your PDA you could go around and give a bunch of good mutations as you get them while gathering more DNA samples. This could be further improved by making a multi-activator/injector that has several charges.
It also gave me the idea for a fun geneticist traitor item, the injector gun (think syringe gun but for mutations). Not very effective since you can just get some mutadone but maybe allow it to inject multiple mutations in one shot so you can make people blind spastic monkeys. Otherwise it would have to be cheap enough that you can buy multiple.
If the activators are made a thing, the GeneTek Scanner should also have the option to just instantly activating known mutations for a small cost because people will just be using the activators anyway.
Otherwise it would be nice if you could store and share activation formulas as you get them in a better way than the easily burned paper stack. The best way would of course be an automatic database of mutations that gets updated as you go. A simpler option might be a binder item that let's you keep a bunch of papers inside so you can keep copies without cluttering your inventory.
- It is very often targeted by antags, especially early on so the cloner can't be replaced.
- People get pissed when you somehow miss their corpse and don't clone them right away/in time.
- People get pushy about you giving them powers to the point where they invade and hang around your lab which means you have to constantly watch your back.
- It's the job most focused on your computer screen which makes it harder to watch your back.
- It's very tedious and boring until you actually get some powers which is usually at the end of the round unless you are very lucky. Before that all you can do is give other people some powers.
Point one can't be easily dealt with, the station could get a second cloner somewhere maybe or the parts could be elsewhere so you might be able to scan and replace it even if it's blown up. But I usually just hope a mechanic comes by early so I can tell any antags that they're too late.
One improvement would be to either remove the mail chute ore move it to another corner of the room so antags have to do more than just mailing a bomb.
Point two could be improved by making a more obvious alarm for the morgue chute maybe, one that isn't tied to PDA messaging. I'd suggest a warning light if a corpse is lying around in the morgue or a window that allows you to look inside.
As for the rest of the problems, I have several simple ideas on how to deal with them. My thinking is that making it easier to give people mutations without having them in your lab is the way to go. To do that it needs to be easier to scan their DNA. I tried sending my scanning program around with PDA messaging but there is no easy way to send it to many people. Also they need to know how to actually get the scan installed on their PDA and I doubt many know how to do that either. Finally, there is no feedback if someone scans himself.
I would suggest modifying the genetics PDA cart so that you can access the research tab of the genetics console, allowing you to research mutations and view samples as you go around scanning.
My other idea is to make some sort of public scanner where people can scan themselves if they want and maybe view their own samples? What would work is giving genetics a third console and scanner but with the scanner being outside the lab. Then just give the GeneTek scanner the option to actually take a sample like the PDA does. The geneticist would still have to be the one scanning but at least he could do it safely.
I actually tried doing that in some rounds by redesigning the lab:
This way people can hop in and out of the scanner without being able to enter your lab and you can activate their powers as well. The problem is that the scanner is now inaccessible from the inside which makes it harder to experiment with the monkeys. You can leave out the glass separating the computer but then people can mess with your computer again. A third console&scanner would be the best solution.
A little problem here, there is no way to update the DNA samples if for example you scramble a monkey or they get cloned. I'm not sure if a clone gets a new entry but after DNA scrambling someone it just says the target is already in the database. The samples also never show active mutations which would be somewhat helpful.
To improve the ease of giving people and yourself the fun mutations I would suggest a new kind of DNA injector, the DNA activator. The idea is that once you have a mutation researched you can make an activator for about 5 to 10 materials and upon injection it will activate the mutation as long as the target has the potential for it. This means you can activate your own powers without needing a partner to do it and coupled with the ability to view samples in your PDA you could go around and give a bunch of good mutations as you get them while gathering more DNA samples. This could be further improved by making a multi-activator/injector that has several charges.
It also gave me the idea for a fun geneticist traitor item, the injector gun (think syringe gun but for mutations). Not very effective since you can just get some mutadone but maybe allow it to inject multiple mutations in one shot so you can make people blind spastic monkeys. Otherwise it would have to be cheap enough that you can buy multiple.
If the activators are made a thing, the GeneTek Scanner should also have the option to just instantly activating known mutations for a small cost because people will just be using the activators anyway.
Otherwise it would be nice if you could store and share activation formulas as you get them in a better way than the easily burned paper stack. The best way would of course be an automatic database of mutations that gets updated as you go. A simpler option might be a binder item that let's you keep a bunch of papers inside so you can keep copies without cluttering your inventory.
![[Image: N6z1tTn.png]](http://i.imgur.com/N6z1tTn.png)
