Robotics rework; roboticist job added

Development Feature Requests
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This is a repost
since law board have been introduced, i say we add the ability to customize borgs laws.
There should be a roboticist job, with a new roboticist access. this is because i think we should give them more power over the borgs they create.

Law Boards: law boards should be made by roboticists, these law boards when made should have default laws already inscribed into them, you should be able to choose which default law set you are printing.

Law Editing Console: There should be a law editing console, which accepts law boards that a roboticist can make. by default, the console should not be able to edit above the default lawset’s lowest ranking law. (example law 3: do not hurt yourself) this can be used to hold a borg to a specific department when not actively following an order given by a crew member, or whatever other obligations are given to them by their default lawset are. (example law 4: stay in medical and heal crewmembers).

Forensics: The log probe when used on the robotics console should be able to see who added what laws at what time.

Subverting Borgs: this would also change how subverting borgs works. emagging a borg should only disable the connection with the robotics console the same way it does now, emagging a robotics console should allow the console to edit all laws on a law board. this would allow for a more specific and low-profile way of completing tasks as a syndicate. (example law 0: prevent Fenfir Vatia from boarding the evacuation shuttle by any means necessary.)

Ion Laws: ion laws should affect the way that the borg chassis interprets laws, not the law boards themselves. this can include adding extraneous laws, changing the order of laws, removing the ability to state some laws, removing the ability to read some laws, changing words within the laws read, or replacing laws when there is a law board inserted, or just a complete override of the law board adding in the laws superficially.

Borg Construction: the physical location of the law board should be under the brain, you should have to put in a law board before a brain. the brain should be able to be placed within a chassis without a law board, but you cannot add a law board to a borg with a brain inside of it.

New Devices: A handheld law editor and syndicate equivalent for nukies to use. the RD (or Chief of Robotics) would start with it, and nukie agent would start with it or would be able to buy it. a thief may be able to start with the syndicate version of it too, but not an emag in the same bundle, maybe a nukie thief bundle? or it fits somewhere else, similar to the gorlex hypospray and the hypospray.

4 Likes
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The only thing I see that’s an issue is the ability to basically emag and infinite number of borgs, like yeah you can change them back, but it just doesn’t like its a good idea, If you needed like a special keycard or smtg to change the borgs laws that like RD or Robotics would have then it would make sense, but then I also think there should be a new role, like Chief Of Robotics, Head of Robotics or something like that. In that way RD would focus on arti’s and anom’s while CR/HOR would focus on the robots.
But everything else seems cool.

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lol warden-equivalent in science for robotics sounds cool, the same is true with borgs now though, you just need to wait for your emag to recharge. you’d still have to emag them if you want them to not be invulnerable by the robotics console.

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True, but CR/HOR is a really good idea, with the special key, and maybe CR/HOR could do stuff with the Station AI, upgrade him or smtg. I think it could be a good role.

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Law editing would be nice, especially for emergencies. Borgs have been forced pacifists during zombies and nukies for way too long now.

Random roboticists though should really not be allowed to edit the laws keep that to RD/command as Goodtry mentioned. ie responsible people (in theory). In ss13 it was captains job usually.

“used to hold a borg to a specific department” That sounds awful borg players can already do their job without weird laws about it. I can imagine being forced to do science shite all shift already (I hate science shite). =/

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i see where you’re coming from and this does make sense. i was only giving an example and i dont think that a borg would be held to science, however that is a possibillity with this proposal.
giving the ability to random roboticists who can be irresponsible could be an issue, but with a warden-adjacent role watching roboticists, maybe adding some surveillance device(s) for this role, and forensics to investigate the situation thereafter, i think it could be a good change (i think that being a borg can be boring at times, and it would be fun with a little more direction). assistant engineers can singuloose and they only have the CE to watch them. roboticists would require additional science and borg time.
in ss13 there are law racks that hold laws for all silicons, right? i think adding this is simply TOO powerful for antagonists, without more additions/changes to the AI and AI lawset first.

2 Likes
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Another thing with the CR/HOR he should a encryption key that has to be used to change the laws, it can also be a new Syndie or Thief steal objective, because I think that the normal Roboticists should be able to change the laws without the encryption key, and instead of having cap do it, they could add the CR/HOR as a new command member or a semi-head like warden, with his tasks overlooking the borgs and AI, while also maybe adding something else for him to do.

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im not exactly sure what you mean. like encryption keys used in headsets?
speaking of the AI, it would have commanding power over borgs when fully finished, and the borgs will need to be passable by the AI as well. the AI will also most likey be able to use a robotics console interface at any time, able to instantly stop any borg that is malfunctioning except emagged ones. the warden ajacent robotics lead should have access to a robotics console, as well as a new borg monitoring console? when the command to destroy a borg is sent, all monitoring components will go offline, as it does now, however this should include the new ones like camera and/or location surveillance.

as stated by izk228, i will need to write a design doc. i will use the initial post as well as these comments to write this design doc.

1 Like
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What I meant By an encryption key, its a key that CR/HOR would have to put into the robotics console so that he could changes the laws, my idea was that with out it you cant change the laws.
I like the Idea of the Lead Roboticist having a Borg monitoring console, but if its like cams but only for Borgs I don’t think it would be used a lot.
And yeah I heard that in future patches AI will have access to some computers.
The only thing I see that’s kinda bad is that the Lead Roboticist might not have a lot to do.

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tha robotics console requires that the user puts their ID INSIDE the computer, it could work like that since they are a part of the same department.
cams but only for borgs for a dude who’s job it is to watch borgs and keep them in line.
i am sure that the lead roboticist will have PLENTY to do

even still, i feel that roboticists should be trusted to edit laws on their own. if you think the lead robot guy wouldn’t have a lot to do, cleaning up after roboticists messes and having to like demote roboticists is something to do.

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That’s a good Idea, but I think the Lead Roboticist needs to have a special Item, mostly to have something new to steal, it could be like a device that can shut down Borgs if you get close enough or smtg.
Also I’m still not sure if he should be like the warden [Semi-Command] or an actual Command member.
Yeah tbh that would make it interesting, a bit more chaos.

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I though a bit more, If Lead of Roboticist would become a command he should have a special PDA, that lets him run diagnostics on Borgs to decide if they have been emaged.
The only problem is that if that was added, LR [Lead Roboticist] could just check them every single time and it be no fun, so I think it should also have a major con, like it breaks the circuits of the borg or smtg, or have a rule that he can only use it if he has really good evidence, just like the implanter rule.

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i think that a device should be used to edit the laws if a law board is inserted and the proper id is as well. a device that can shut down a borg seems too powerful to me, borgs also aren’t that tanky. but i do see a place for it. i’m just not entirely seeing the vision. how does this device get thwarted? when you emag the borg does the device stop working? or is it like you need to try destroying the borg first. maybe using this device on an engaged borg will make their circuits pop and no longer surveilled?

1 Like
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Yeah not my best Idea. But If you have an Idea for the PDA thing id like to hear it.
I also like the Idea of a device that can change laws with a law board, but then what about the Robotics console? Another thing I thought what if LR had an Ultimate law board, which makes it so that the laws cant be changed, like the Law board is so good it cant be emaged, and if it does, it sends a ping to the Robotics console, so then if syndies weren’t confirmed, that would give a reason for blue/red.

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Also I think that Roboticist need more work, like building Borgs is some work, but if there’s not an lot of ghost they cant make a lot of Borgs. They could also make upgrades for AI, but still for a average shift which is an hour plus, it wont be enough work and it’ll get boring. Maybe when the Surgery update comes they will build robotic limbs, that will be something to do, but still not enough.

Nice addition of the Handheld law editor it seems like a good item.
But one thing I thought, what if instead of printing Borg limbs, they would have to construct them, and what if there were like many versions of the borg, like Mark one [MK1], each mark would have an upgrade and be stronger.

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this idea needs to be re-thought. cyborg laws should update with AI laws, and all cyborgs should report to the AI

2 Likes
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this is how it works in most 13 servers

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thats why i said this

also because it makes more sense. the ai should represent the station itself, so borgs should be an extension of the ai and share the ai’s motives, and not have to wrestle with laws between borgs

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If you intend for this to be a genuine design suggestion, I’d make a post on the docs repo which is reviewed by maints & thus can be approved for ingame use. It’s unlikely you’ll end up getting a maintainer consensus on the forums, though you’re obviously free to post about it regardless.

1 Like