Overall, engineering at its current state is just messing around and doing the typical stuff like stealing, DTGP. Basically just doing randoms stuff to get MP’s attention. But I can’t say that for everyone.
I’ve had some idea’s that should be implemented:
Bringing back the reactors breaking down or fuel depleting, this could go well with the navigation update that moonshanks did in #contributer projects.
Maybe some random events like a meteor strike that will break alot of lights or cause a place to be needed of going under maintenance (APC’s, walls, doors anything that can be repairable).
If you say that MT’s are not always on, my counter argument is we’ve got people traind in engineering, not just MT’s. (Synth, XO, SO, engie etc)
By actually getting them a job to do. MTs should maintain the ship to be operable. It could be done like in Barotrauma so the Almayer’s electronics, and mechanisms would get damaged if not maintained properly. The fueling system should be made more complex, now we’re having a casual system by just inserting the fuel in and forgetting about it.
Engineering should be actually an extremely important job and possibly game-changing if they don’t manage to properly control everything(like having major debuffs on cooldowns of OBs for example, maybe req would work slower, lightning would be flickering, minor explosions could happen if unchecked, a lot of things can be added, maybe even giant explosion if they really mess up with something)
Because now the MTs are just assistants like from the regular space station 13 or squad engineers that get late deployed. Almost useless role in my opinion. Has a great potential
Add atmospheres. We have the equipment so why not? And maybe it can be disabled/toned down if low pop or no ones on engineering. Would make ship-side stuff way more interesting
I completely support this
Currently, MT feels more of an optional role, even a meme role to some people hehe softgriefers. At this point, removing the MT role would have no significant effect on the ship, and I think that’s a little strange.
As the name suggests, Maintenance Technicians should be maintaining the ship. The problem here? There’s absolutely nothing to maintain, sure you can load OB, sure you can repair one broken window or two, but that’s as far as it goes.
As MTs are right now, they only have 4 choices:
Build a bar somewhere random
Hack the ASRS and get funny contraband
Become a terrorist
Deploy and turn into a ComTech
All of which are things you can get arrested for, except for the last one which still proves my point of MTs having no real importance except if they start doing another role’s duties
By adding more things for MTs to do such as random events as the OP suggested, or by making the reactor something that needs constant maintenance from time to time it could atleast make MTs a little more useful shipside
People can’t really be complaining about MTs softgriefing when there’s little to nothing to do except trespass, get alcohol vendors and commit minor acts of tomfoolery.
I think there’s good scope to make MTs more interesting, the challenge is to balance it such that:
MTs can have an impact on the round - as a shipside role you’re one less marine on the ground
During lowpop the marines can work without an MT
Especially when theres a low population on the server, having one less groundside marine can be rough. I’m looking at doing some dropship changes which would have work for the MTs and the challenge is to make it not feel like busy work.
I’d argue that it’s not an arbitrary ‘there’s one less marine on the ground for everyone who picks shipside’. By that logic anyone who goes SO, shipside doctor, requisitions, MT, MP, or CL is detracting from the core TDM loop. When often it does not mean 1 less marine on the ground, if I’m not going Working Joe or another shipside role, I am VERY unlikely to be going bog standard marine (other than to BE bait or get arrested roundstart)
we’re removing none of these roles, so may as well give MTs purpose right? cuz rn they’re CL but without any fluff faxes they can send, and cultural grief as their only actual thing they contribute these days
An idea that stirs in my mind from time to time, is a Guns workshop.
Basically would work with IO’s, Specs SG’s etc to modify weapons, basically acting as side grades. Since we already have an Explosive workshop having a guns one wouldn’t be too far-fetched, now i have not thoughtfully ran through how it would affect everything, or what exactly the side grades would be, but its just a thought i would like to share
Removal of MT’s or adding another role. Making the CE act as the ultimate fixer and his workshop friends his helpers.
I also had an idea like this on the lines, like being able to create olden weapons like the m16 or 18 from groundside. Some people do find these weapons to be more comfortable than the Mk2 or others.
The only issue I see is just the research thats gonna take a while to find each part a weapon is made out of. Overall, a lathe some workshop instruments and it should be sorted. Probably gonna take a while to code, but I like the idea.
I have to admit that I’m not a fan of the “lowpop” argument. People don’t want to add anything regarding, for example, engine maintenance or reactor maintenance, because they say that without an MT (or with bad MTs), it will cripple the Marine side.
But like, that’s the point? Look at all other SS13 servers. Without a Engineering Department, the Stations are without power after 15 minutes or so. EVERYBODY knows that SOMEBODY has to get the Supermatter/Singularity/Other type of reactor online.
Many roles already have engineering skills, including ComTechs, SOs, and so on. Even Working Joes exist now, which can hotjoin after dying. I think the argument that “without MTs playing, the marines are doomed” is hugely alarmist and ignores the whole point of a shipside engineering rework. I think that if something like this WERE to happen, it would quickly become second nature to everyone.
Yes, I agree with this, req being bald/non-existent can deny the marines the ability to literally shoot so they have to unga at the enemy with machetes, but it doesn’t get removed anyways, and for the really low low-pop, maybe add something like emergency generators to keep CIC and req running, but slowing down the machines severly? So marines can still play and get orders and murderball with infinite req ammo, but everything is just much slower.