As per title, bring back plates as an item OTs can print and that’s integrated with xeno stuff from research (gaining chitin from bodies would be ideal, but could make do with the chem you gain from defenders or w/e since autopsies dont seem to be implemented enough).
- Production
The way I see it production wise you’d have OT print an 'empty plate" then add 10 metal to it, turning it into a “metal plate” or 10 plasteel for a “ceramic plate”, both need to be secured by a screwdriver but before that’s done it’d also accept the chitin or research chem addition (or skip the empty plate step straight into 10 resource into plate, no need for sprite considerations since im not sure if there’s one useable for “empty” state)
- Metal plate
Should tank like 2-4 slashes, depending on caste before breaking and apply a small slow to the marine weaing it - even after it breaks - until he takes it off, to reflect the weight.
Either unusable for light armor, limited to 1 on medium and up to 3 plates for a heavy armor - each applying a slow, so it realistically wouldn’t be of very much use to stack them. Alternatively allow 1 on light, 2 on med etc.
Research would either make it wearable with light armor, or remove the slowdown debuff, (muh chitin is lighter than steel or whatever) or(/and? - multiple diff chems per plate?) raise the durability slightly. Maybe prevent a single bone break off t3 acquired chems - would require reasonable quantities though so you’re not suddenly making 10+ off a single dead t3.
- Ceramic
Only for light armor and special variants (SL, spec), wouldn’t reduce movement speed and tank 2-3 bullets before breaking. As for research I honestly dunno besides increasing the tanked bullet amount. Maybe the single bone break prevention instead of having it on steel?
Or get rid of the bullet protection entirely and just make it a less durable steel plate with no/less slow debuff.
- Why bad back then and good now
The issue with these was that they were entirely free and for every marine, every round. Having it limited to OT with a resource cost and a drawback, it should be entirely impossible to mass produce, would result in less barricades if the resources were diverted there and have a reasonable tradeoff to not be a braindead straight improvement. Balance good.
It’s also not something particularly annoying to play against since it doesn’t directly impact the xeno player’s survival chances and fun. iirc there was also audio feedback for hitting/breaking it so you’re immediately clued in the player’s a bit tankier.
- ez code
Should be relatively easy to code since plates are already there, it’s just chem additions and minor effects. You know you want to, just to see that bravo heavy armor pfc moving at an astounding speed of 1 tile per second, being so plated up you could swear the dropship’s tilting to the side he’s sitting on.