ERT and Death Squad Rework

src/design-proposals/ert-ds-rework.md

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+# ERT and Death Squad Rework
+
+| Designers   | Implemented | GitHub Links |
+|-------------|--------|---|
+| ALooseGoose | :x: No | TBD |
+
+## Overview
+
+This design docs is a revamp on the current functions of ERT and death Squad to make them more compatible with the atmoshpere and allow them to be a more common feature in the game as opposed to how it currently stands as an admin only feautre.
+
+## Background
+
+Right now as it stands ERT and Death Squad are only really used by admins to end rounds or at round end. And I think that they could be made more interesting. Especially Death Squad as they are almost never used due to the MRP nature of Funky.
+I don't think this is terribly bad how they are treated now. Death Squad is in a rough place, yes, but ERT isn't terrible and does set a good baseline that can be expanded upon.
+Death squad as it is, is completely flawed though. It rewards the crew being dumb by giving interesting, unqiue individuals to come to the station. Bad behaviour by individuals shouldn't be rewarded.
+Also Epsilon alert might as well not exist. There's literally no reason for Epsilon to exist because it's just the go ahead for a mass murder. That's not RP. That's just mass murderbone.
+With ERT and Death Squad being admin only, however, I feel like there's potential to add an interesting mechanic that command members have control over and can set interesting gameplay scenarios.
+
+## Features to be added
+
+<ins>**Rebalance**</ins>:
+Death Squad would have most of the command gear taken away (such as the Hypospray and Advanced Magboots) alongside any Syndicate Contraband like the Esword and Eshield. Their armor would be nerfed to make them less nigh unkillable. I don't know the current stats but they would need to be lowered drastically. 
+The Pulse rifle/Whatever it's called would be drastically nerfed too, removing/lowering the shock (technically AP) damage and making it a 20 charge rifle. Taking inspiration from Monolith, it would recharge all it's rounds after a considerable time of firing the first shot. Think of it like Caps gun but 5x longer and it's the entire mag rather than just one shot.
+ERT would lose their AA and would be given departmental access dependent on their department, on top of NTR access and general command access. I'll get more into this later. ERT would spawn with packages similar to the thieving satchel where they can select a variety of equipment to help diversify their loadouts. These care packages would also be departmental based. They would have a selection of 3 choices out of 7-9 different bundles for each department.
+ERT would be changed from Crew Aligned to Familiar just like Death Squad, where they obey Command and Central Command. Both ghostrole texts would be tweaked to mention they are not allowed, even if commanded to by command, to directly go against Nanotrasens best interests. Exempt if Central Command tells them to or if they are turned Antag for whatever reason.
+ERT would be considerably less strong as well, their armor would not protect as much, though the Sec armor wouldn't need to be nerfed too badly. Everything else would need to be lowered.
+This is less important and more optional, but ERT would be renamed "Emergency Reinforcement Team" rather than "Emergency Response Team". Again, I'll get into this now.
+
+<ins>**Emergency Reinforcement Console**</ins>:
+This console would spawn in the Bridge and NTR's room. This would be used to call in ERT.
+It is directly linked to a budget. This would be called efficiency.
+Efficiency is earned through satisfying the higher ups at NT. On a different tab on this console would be a task. Can range from many things. Here's a couple I thought of off the top of my head.
+~ Prevent the crew from dying. The crew won't do any good if they aren't breathing. Avoid having (X) amount of people die for (X) minutes.
+~ Make a profit. Cargo needs to pull their weight, nobody likes a slacker. Earn the station (X) amount of Spesos in (X) minutes.
+~ Make scientific advancements. The science department has proven to be inefficient before. Prove that it is profitable by researching (X) pieces of technology in (X) minutes.
+Alternatively, efficiency can be bought per 10k spesos given to the console. This is for when you can't for whatever reason satisfy NTs higher ups and implies the reinforcements come out of your own budget.
+There would be an ERT team for each department. Some already exist but here's the ones that would be added. Science ERT, Service ERT, Cargo ERT.
+If a department lacks in members or needs extra backup, you can spend different amounts of Efficiency to call in ERT. They would be bluespaced in shortly after through a portal created in the NTR's room.
+You can provide a reason and they would be told, on a piece of paper or through some other means, what their job is and what they are there to do (which would be identical to the reason to encourage people to add one)
+Each ERT member would have less equipment as not all are designed for fighting. Even security ERT won't have much on them.
+For fairness reasons, only one squad can be on station at a time.
+When the NTR or other members of command see it fit to send ERT members back, they can press the Recall ERT button on the ERT console to forcefully bluespace lifeline all ERT members. This would effectively RR them like it used to, to prevent EORG or them acting silly/being bored on CentComm.
+
+<ins>**Gamma Alert Revamp**</ins>:
+Gamma alert would now be fully metashielded. General crew members, including command, would not know of the existance of Gamma Alert. Only Central Command would know what it meant.
+This is used to signal Death Squad's arrival. They are designed to fill the hole ERT left. This would remain admin only, of course.
+Death Squad are designed to be intimidating and cause panic and fear amongst the general crew while tackling any station/world ending threats.
+Death Squad are familiars to Central Command only. They do not listen to command. Their primary goals would be to stop threats and protect members of Central Command at ALL costs.
+They would be fully Non-Crew. Borgs can go nuts. I think that would lead to some interesting interactions.
+
+## Game Design Rationale
+
+<ins>**There is no Winning or Losing**</ins>:
+If you look at this wrong there can be winning or losing. But this isn't the intention of the ERT revamp. ERT right now are designed to win. Death Squad right now are designed to win. I don't like it. While Death Squad are kinda still designed to win, ERT have been changed to focus more on providing a helping hand when times see it fit rather than to just steam roll a nukie team. Death Squad should do that, the best of the best, not ERT.
+Death Squads nerf also helps to make the game fair and not just have them walk over anyone in their path.
+
+<ins>**Maintaining Authenticity**</ins>:
+I doubt if the NTR was frantically scribbling faxes begging for help, ERT or CC would just ignore it. Nor a strongly worded letter.
+This hopes to add more interaction behind the calling of ERT and make them a more common and frequent mechanic rather than just something Admins use when they want.
+Emergency Reinforcements also makes thematic sense. These people are doing so great but they've started falling behind. So let's reward them by sending in a team to help them pick up their socks. Nanotrasen is designed about profit above all else and I can see them using ERT to help increase profit.
+
+<ins>**Take things slow**</ins>:
+ERT and Death Squad is meant to end a round. While not bad, why can't they do more?
+Death Squad maintains this feature. If Gamma alert is called, round end is practically imminent already.
+ERT on the other hand are just meant to help get a department back on track. Science is running too slow? Call science ERT to help streamline the process.
+Salvs died on an Exped? Call Cargo ERT and they will take over for the Salvs until more can be picked out.
+Medical is overwhelmed with bodies? Call Medical ERT and they will help stop the backflow.
+The list goes on. ERT are no longer meant to just kill whoever they're expected to kill, now they are expected to actually help.
+
+<ins>**Maximizing Roleplay Potential**</ins>:
+Already I can see how this can bring in such interesting RP.
+You can have the good, positive RP. People talking with ERT thanking them for their help or trying to offer them something for their service. Or just casually chatting in general commute as you work alongside them.
+Then you can have the hostile RP. Command just spent 50k to call in Security ERT? Well, everyone can start screaming at Command now!
+This can diversify RP for ERT so much more than just having them shoot stuff.
+Then for Death Squad, as stated earlier, Gamma alert would be metashielded, so you can already imagine the panic and confusion spreading amongst the crew while command tries to get the situation under control.
+This opens so many more doors to RP that the original Death Squad or ERT simply didn't give.
+
+<ins>**Dynamic Environment**</ins>:
+Anything can happen with the ERT. Especially with all their fancy gear.
+Having ERT be more frequent and less hostile can help make a much more dynamic environment.
+
+## Roundflow & Player interaction
+
+This shouldn't be apart of every round. On shifts where things are quieter there's no point to call in ERT. And if they see no reason to be there, they can and should recall themselves.
+On shifts where things have hit the fan though, then it should be applied.
+This feature is made to be interacted with Command and the NTR.
+General crew would know ERT exists but would still not know Death Squad, which can open more possibilites for interactions when Gamma alert is called.
+There are lots of ways players can interact with ERT both in a positive IC way and a negative IC way.
+
+## Administrative & Server Rule Impact (if applicable)
+
+I doubt it would. ERT would be taken off their hands and instead it would be their discretion to call in Death Squad. The only way I can see this being abused is ERT being called in for no reason, of which would be against the NTRs SoP to make sure ERT are recalled if they no longer serve a purpose.
+If the NTR or command is not recalling ERT once they've served their purpose, then yes, this can be bad.
+Futhermore, ERT or Death Squad killing people randomly for no reason could open griefing potential, which would need to be considered.
+
+# Technical Considerations
+
+There shouldn't be any performance issues but new systems and UIs would be needed for the console and ERT calling.
+Death Squad should remain mostly the same as they are still admin only.
+Nerfs would be needed for both ERT and Death Squad, but that should not be too difficult at the end of the day.