Emergency Response Team: Feedback

[Steelpoint]

This thread is to garner feedback from the Emergency Response Team and get people's opinions on the unit.

Link to implementation PR: https://github.com/tgstation/-tg-station/pull/6705

Thank you.

[Snakebutt]

Why isn't it called an Emergency Response Party? Can command message Centcom via comm console to request one?

[DemonFiren]

Even on Bay the ERT needs a Red Alert style cardswipe.

[Steelpoint]

I'm going to give the Med Officers a Defib, I'll see if I can scale it down in size to fit in their backpack.

I'll write up a more comprehensive observation list latter, but we did find a bug where if a admin gives the ERT a custom objective then they won't spawn.

[Steelpoint]

Some changes I'm making from feedback: https://github.com/tgstation/-tg-station/pull/7164

• Giving Med Officers a Compact Defibrillator, can fit in your backpack.
• Giving all Officers All Access to the station
• Replacing the Eguns in the ERT Armoury with Pulse Carbines.
• Making it more obvious which lockers grant you what role. (Med locker using a med locker sprite)
• Lowering the Pulse Carbine/Pistols recharge time significantly.

I may also grant the ERT access to Syndicate style Jetpacks (fit in backpack), possibly I'll give two to the Engineering Officers and put four more in the ERT Armoury. To be used in case movement will be hard.

[Balut]

Totally should be named the ERP. Like, I am serious.


That sounds like a lot of buffs. Why the pulse carbines for everyone, when I thought they were specifically supposed to be just for ERP sec? Why the buff to making the pulse weapons more robust? If you want a deathsquad, just hit the deathsquad button.

why not just give the ERP Medic the ability to hold a medkit in his armor slot and give him a stocked medbelt? On that note, what are you going to do once whoever figures out whatever they're gonna do with Medbay? (possible nerfs to tricord, ointments/bruisepacks, creation of a healing tool that recharges with a medbay charger)

[Steelpoint]

I guess I should elaborate.

The ERT Armoury is a off limits area that only the admins can open up, this area is intended in scenarios where the admins want to send in a friendly force (Read: Not the Deathsquad) and have sufficient firepower.

On the issue of the Medical Officer, I will have to wait for newchem to be balanced out until I do further revision to the Med Officer. However the Combat Injector should see the Med Officer through this period.

[NikNakFlak]

I personally think the map area is rather bulky and kind of ugly. While having no actual effect on any gameplay, the ERT area of centcom is just kind of an outstretched branch. It could really be condensed. One notable thing is the lockers next to the mech blast door and deathsquad door really makes things cluttered. One tile away from the locker to a one tile hallway is bad mapping.

[Scones]

I like the ERT area. Actually, I can access it post-round if I move fast enough. I have yet to see one deployed, though

[Vekter]

Fuckin' Nanotrasen Power Rangers. I love it.

Someone brought up a good point: ERT REALLY needs to spawn with bowman headsets. Just in case.

[Balut]

What's the diff again?

[Snakebutt]

difference of what? Emergency Response Party and deathsquid?

ERP exists to save the station and bring the round back on track. Deathsquid exists so admins can murderbone.

[Stickymayhem]

Make the commanders area only accessible by the commander

Give admins full lockers of ERT kits for each type of ERT

[Cipher3]

Bowman headsets are extremely important because they counter the 'bang' in flashbang. AKA they protect your ears.

[Balut]

Ah.


I just worry that having the ERP around runs counter to the whole 'station is expendable' flavor that I'm pretty sure is a thing, and also sorta something that would just shit on a successful loud traitor. And yes, if the successful loud traitor just sits around with his thumb up his ass instead of fucking off in the shuttle, it kinda sucks, but that IS what Deathsquad is for, as I understand. Also shitty: if they prolong a round by fixing shit and making evac unnecessary, no?

[Snakebutt]

Ah.


I just worry that having the ERP around runs counter to the whole 'station is expendable' flavor that I'm pretty sure is a thing, and also sorta something that would just shit on a successful loud traitor. And yes, if the successful loud traitor just sits around with his thumb up his ass instead of fucking off in the shuttle, it kinda sucks, but that IS what Deathsquad is for, as I understand. Also shitty: if they prolong a round by fixing shit and making evac unnecessary, no?

Deathsquid is a very different thing from the ERP. The squid is there to purge the entire station of witnesses and evidence. The ERP is basically a team of special forces to deal with threats the crew can't, like a massive vine invasion or a cult that just murders and refuses to into conversion, or aliums that just can't quite commit, particularly any of the above if there isn't any security present. Calling the ERP over a traitor means you did a fucking AMAZING job as traitor, as it means the rest of the crew couldn't deal with what you did. Be proud.

But again, ERP IS NOT DEATHSQUAD. One is ghosts given good gear and told to save the station. The other is admins given the bestest speshul snowflake murderbone gear with the goal to murderbone.

[Loonikus]

I'm really liking the ERT. As Captain, I hate calling the shuttle during stalemates with antagonists, but traditionally the balance of the round is goes straight from "Crew has the upper hand" to "CALL THE SHUTTLE" with nothing in between. The ERT gives the station a chance to overcome snowballing threats such as out of control cults and whatnot while at the same time bringing ghosts back into the round.

[Steelpoint]

I thought the helmets protected from flashbangs? Though I guess if a ERT wanted to rock out without one they should be able to.

I'll add in bowman headsets to their personal lockers, I'll also restrict the Commanders room to the Commander.

I might even add in a "admin room" that has a empty NPC in there that a admin can control who is essentially a "Admiral" or something, you could open the ERT Armoury as well as go in and talk to the team. Just in case.

[Saintish]

With each squad member, spawn a drone with an ion law to follow their assigned squaddie around and repair/deconstruct obstacles they face.

I think that'd be cool.

[Cik]

it's pretty good i liked it

ert came to station then got murdered for absolutely no reason as far as i could tell, mostly by security

don't know why that happened, was kind of cool any 8/10

[Loonikus]

it's pretty good i liked it

ert came to station then got murdered for absolutely no reason as far as i could tell, mostly by security

don't know why that happened, was kind of cool any 8/10

Killing the ERT seems like the #1 fastest way to have a platoon of deathsquad officers activate the on-station nuke.

[Ikarrus]

I'm going to say what I said to the admins, which was to warn from buffing the ERT too much.

The stronger they are, the less versatile they become, and admins won't spawn them as often. It's far easier to give them equipment than it is to take it from them.

[Steelpoint]

If some aspects of the ERT are too powerful please elaborate and I'll look into it.

When I did my initial implementation of the ERT I could only balance them based on my own personal ideas and experience with the game, I need more feedback to better balance out the ERT hence why I've created this thread and have pushed for more feedback in game.

[Snakebutt]

which is why I think pulse weapons are a bit much. Giving them access to anything from the station, like advanced egun, some kind of improved taser, shotguns, smgs, stechkins, all good choices. Giving them deathsquad-light weapons is a bit much.

Is there a centcom announcement when they are sent, and if so, what is it? Should be something along the lines of 'We have sent a group of specialists to help, do everything you can to assist them. Hindering them will result in your contracted being voided(jobloss has less direct threat than an execution)'

[Steelpoint]

I do still think Pulse Weapons can be better balanced out. I made the new Pulse guns in mind with easy balancing and tweaking, mainly by having their ammo usage drawn up individually so its easy to change numbers around.

For example, we could balance out the Pulse Pistol to be able to fire 20 Stun Rounds, 10 Laser Rounds or 5 Pulse rounds.

Right now the guns are pretty simple, all guns can fire 20 rounds of any type EXCEPT the pistol that can only fire 10 Pulse rounds. My intention was to wait for feedback on the guns and balance them out from there. I did give the Pulse Guns Loyalty Firing Pins so the crew can't disarm the ERT and use their guns though.

[peoplearestrange]

Really enjoyed interacting with the ERT the other day, station was totally over run with cult and shit (non cult round), they came in just before the shuttle arrived and cleared a path for the escapers. Actually felt like a proper rescue squad, firing backwards at the cult whilst we evac'd into the shuttle.
It was definitely a welcome sight as a HoS with only one other sec guard at any rate.

[Steelpoint]

Planned changes in the upcoming balance patch 2.0, based on feedback.

• ERT Commander will spawn in with his Hardsuit on, to better show off he is the commander.
• All locker rooms will be secured behind a ID lock. This is to prevent rampant stealing of equipment from other roles. Its getting annoying.
• Text to tell the ERT Officers about the secured armoury.
• Give the Gygax a downgraded Pulse Gun to use.
• Give the ERT Engineers a box of metal foam grenades each.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

[*]All locker rooms will be secured behind a ID lock. This is to prevent rampant stealing of equipment from other roles. Its getting annoying.

What prevents everyone from grabbing best equipment from everywhere though?