Drones as Silicons

[Ziiro]

I really like drones as a role, but I understand that they are a magnet for shitters and often an administration nightmare. It's also kind of problematic that in a social game, they aren't allowed to socialize or interact with anything but other drones.

Here's what I'm proposing:

* Change drones to have one hand
* Change it so they have normal vision
* Change it so they have: Head/Face slot, belt slot, bag slot.
* Change it so drones can resist out of a grip/bag instantly
* Requires time spent as Cyborg to unlock
* Default, unlinked drone shells are hardcoded ASIMOV - they do not have access to the binary channel.
* You can screwdriver/multi-tool the drone fabricator to link it to an AI. Then dispensed drones are lawsynced to the AI, and have access to the binary channel. (Empty shells can also be multi-tooled)
* Unlinked drones have Green lights, linked drones have blue lights. (They also examine differently - "This is Linked Drone (989)" "This is Asimov Drone (184)")
* When spawning as a drone, you are queried "Play as ASIMOV drone?" "Play as LINKED drone?" etc
* They can understand galactic common and have access to the common radio, but they speak in drone (So it's not like the crew can understand them, limiting the ided screaming. But they can still *beep *ping *yes *no etc)
* No Emag Interaction whatsoever
* Drones may be deactivated by any AI
* Drones may be deactivated on the Robotics control console
* Deactivated/Destroyed drones can be repaired with a welder to bring them back to life
* Deactivated/Destroyed drones must wait 10 minutes before being able to respawn as a new drone
* No remote access to machinery/computers/doors, they have to be adjacent
* The Drone Fabricator exists inside of robotics, and must be loaded with iron and glass to start fabricating drone shells. (More of these can be built using a researched machine board. Creates them for cheaper and at faster intervals with higher tier parts.)
* Drones spawn in with a satchel (and can only fit satchel-sized bags. No bag of holding shenanigans here.)
* Drones are incredibly fragile (30HP. Die to a single EMP)

The goal of these changes would mean that even if you die, you could spawn in as a drone, and still contribute to the round. These laws would allow drones to contribute to various departments, while not forcing the player to tiptoe around a ridiculous lawset. A drone could help with medical, build, mine, save crew, etc. With their low HP they would have to act like total cowards, or risk a 10 minute respawn.

I have a few concerns in my design as-is however:
1) It might become a meta to law 2 a drone to allow you to carry it around in your pocket and use it as a door opener.
2) I have concerns this is malf AI power creep, but at the same time it's difficult to come up with a solution that allows them to communicate on the binary channel with AI and nonverbally communicate with crew. If they have ASIMOV, and the AI is malf, they can just pick up a crayon and narc on the AI.

[Dr_bee]

As a drone lover. This wouldnt solve one of the biggest problem with drones, the fact they are stupidly hard to shoot.

Drones are fast, and bullets fly over them, however they are fragile. So fragile making them hit by bullets that fly through their square would be instant kills, which are the least fun thing ever.

Also drones being able to be law 2d just makes them better borgs basically.

While I would love drones to come back, making them full silicons probably isnt the best solution.

[Ziiro]

Actually it might be worth mentioning is that there are better, larger drone sprites out there. I just have to remember what codebase has them. I think bay?

Also drones being able to be law 2d just makes them better borgs basically.

While I would love drones to come back, making them full silicons probably isnt the best solution.

Yeah. Guess it's just going to take a fucking law rewrite and a time requirement of being a silicon for x number of hours.

[oranges]

we already have silicons, which is why drones never fit well and got all these RP restrictions which ultimately made them a nonstarting concept