Idea: Turn Disposals into a job

[Timrod]

I had this idea during a round for how Disposals could be turned from an automated system into a slightly less automated system that is also a job. Rather than being a starting position, it would be a position availible to anyone with maint access (there could be a machine inside that turns assistant IDs into "Reclamation Technicians").

The idea would be that the Disposals room would now contain a few new machines and one big one - the Tractor Beam. Instead of going into a grinder, trash would flow into sorting bins by material, which can then be put into a machine to reclaim small amounts of resources. All those bottles that chemistry throws out? You can turn them into a little bit of glass. Old machine parts from R&D? Turn them into metal and/or glass. The reclaimed mats can then be shipped to departments via disposals mail.

The Tractor Beam is a large device that automatically pulls in random "space debris" - anything from destroyed ripleys to borg wreckage to dead xenos. Some of these can be pulled apart using traditional tools - welders, crowbars, screwdrivers, and wrenches. Others can be dissected (xeno corpses) and brought to Xenobio or R&D. There could even potentially be surprise items (crates full of random items, space artifacts, etc) that could be of actual use.

I think this would allow more people to do something productive, and allow for fewer bored people on large-pop rounds.

[bandit]

I like this -- could it be merged with the old Mail Sorter position?

[Staub]

This sounds really fucking good if you ask me. Sounds like something i'd play.

[Reimoo]

I like it - only we need to keep the grinder. Or some other deadly equivalent. Without it, how will I relive the experience of kidnapping someone, strapping them to a chair and cackling maniacally as I pull the grinder lever?

[Timrod]

Actually, Reimoo, one of the machines in my initial idea for this (that I forgot to mention) is a machine I call the Base Matter Converter. The idea is that the BMC converts anything that can't normally be converted into something useful into "base matter" that can be shipped in blocks to Centcom via the Cargo Shuttle for extra supply points. The idea is that you can put people into the BMC like the Gibber, and it'll convert their entire body to base matter, possibly spitting out the brain because it's useful in R&D. I suppose in theory you could have a conveyor belt leading up to the BMC that you can strap people to and watch them die.

[kosmos]

This sounds awesome. Excellent combination of being a loner, when disassembling/dissecting matter, and social gameplay, when you deliver those things to R&D, Kitchen and wherever. Even more awesome if this can be combined with mail sorting!

[TheTerbs]

Actually, Reimoo, one of the machines in my initial idea for this (that I forgot to mention) is a machine I call the Base Matter Converter. The idea is that the BMC converts anything that can't normally be converted into something useful into "base matter" that can be shipped in blocks to Centcom via the Cargo Shuttle for extra supply points. The idea is that you can put people into the BMC like the Gibber, and it'll convert their entire body to base matter, possibly spitting out the brain because it's useful in R&D. I suppose in theory you could have a conveyor belt leading up to the BMC that you can strap people to and watch them die.

i like this
stealin everything for cargo points