SYNDIE HEADSET KEYS HOLY SHIT

[PKPenguin321]

Make it so the first time you buy a syndicate headset encryption key, it is free. As in, 0 TC. Free.
We live in an age where a single traitor on his own can't do much in terms of going loud unless they get extraordinarily lucky. What fixes this and makes traitors the threat we want to see? Some people think nerfing the AI would do it. Others think giving traitors some kind of crazy-ass new weapon would do it. Both of those ideas probably would fix it, too, but neither fix it the best way possible.
Alliances! They're what make unrobust antags strong and strong antags a force to be reckoned with. Picture it now, if you will: A couple of traitors get their one free headset key. They radio in, unsure of each other at first. Should they team up? Should they just grab an RCD and hide in a pod for an hour? Should they try to assassinate someone and get dunked instantly? "NO," says the veteran player who has rolled traitor 1,000 times before. "No," he says, "Today we make the shift interesting." He takes them under his wing. They gather up at the vacant office, the engineering traitor (who only needs to steal an RCD) cutting cameras along the way.
Once the last person from the syndicate channel shows up, they get to work. One person buys noslips, adrenals, a chameleon projector. He's a doctor, the guy that makes sure nobody on the team goes down. The assistant gets an ebow and an emag. He breaks in, he leads the charge with a few quick stuns. The engineer, a standup guy who isn't all too sure of himself in combat. He gets an emag and some bombs, with intent of organized sabotage. Finally, there's the bartender: The dried up veteran, the man with the plan. He gets himself a double esword. He's the man that makes the heavy hits.

IMAGINE THE POTENTIAL! There are a million different ways that that ragtag team of traitors could end up going out. Regardless, it would most likely be a story for the ages! Imagine a gang of traitors roving together, having a shootout with security in the halls, bullets and electrodes flying everywhere. Out of all the things traitors can do, alliances give them the most life and potential to do something cool. What better way to get them to ally up than with a private headset frequency (that won't be so private if a sec officer gets their hands on one)? We can make traitors robust and something to be feared again!

As a balance, we could make headsets with the key in it appear tampered with upon examination. This would give anybody who got their hands on a headset a sign that there's a traitor key in it, and would allow security to tap into the syndie channel. Also, instead of making the syndie headset key free (since it gives access to all radio channels, not just the syndicate one) we could make an alternate key that JUST gives the syndicate channel and is only purchasable once for 0 TC.

Pair this up with the idea of giving security better lethal options and I guarantee traitor rounds will be very, very exciting compared to how they always go nowadays.

Discuss.

[invisty]

And if you make them free, you can have fun times with mass-crate purchases and all the shenanigans that entails.

[Takeguru]

Oh hey I bought this headset key
Oh, okay, this veteran guy wants us to meet up
Oh, he killed me after I unlocked my PDA and stole my TCs
Fun.

[Scones]

I don't see why not

[onleavedontatme]

Dont think we should turn traitor in to a team mode.

Making all the double agents get headsets might be funny though.

[lumipharon]

Team work should always be optional for traitor.
Otherwise the logical end point is just circlejerk traitors every round as they roam the corridors murderboning with 6 dudes with revolvers.

[Cik]

at 2tc they are already one of the best items on the uplink, and some of the more robust traitors have figured that out, i think. for 2 tc you get

access to the security channel holy fuck is that useful and probably worth 2 tc on it's own, you can hear the AI tracking you usually and security chatting about where they are, who to go after etc.
access to the traitor channel; kind of nervous because you might get betrayed but even as a passive listener it's useful
a chance for the grand prize: ability to secretly chat to a traitor AI without a more expensive binary key. if it's even marginally helpful this is literally the jackpot, while it can still kill you due to law 0 if it's helpful the possibilities are limitless.

[PKPenguin321]

Oh hey I bought this headset key
Oh, okay, this veteran guy wants us to meet up
Oh, he killed me after I unlocked my PDA and stole my TCs
Fun.

backstabbing could totally happen too, that's why it's an optional 0 TC item and you don't start with it already in the headset

edit: how cool would it be to have this kind of scene happen in game (the lone dude with the tons of guns would be the HoS)

[TechnoAlchemist]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

[Zilenan91]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

That's the thing, since DA rounds are now ambiguous about whether or not they're regular traitor rounds or not, by communicating with people you're opening up huge opportunities to get dunked by other traitors, so it's a risk using it in the first place. Therefore, it's not free because you have a good chance of straight up dying by having a meetup with other traitors.

[PKPenguin321]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

Also, instead of making the syndie headset key free (since it gives access to all radio channels, not just the syndicate one) we could make an alternate key that JUST gives the syndicate channel and is only purchasable once for 0 TC.

[Void Slayer]

But, this removes the need for the funny phrases to confirm other syndicates.

No more need to ask the bartender for a spicy vodka martini for Karl Anderson?

[TechnoAlchemist]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

Also, instead of making the syndie headset key free (since it gives access to all radio channels, not just the syndicate one) we could make an alternate key that JUST gives the syndicate channel and is only purchasable once for 0 TC.

You should have to pay for the ability to do teamwork/rat out your teammates IMO.

[Bombadil]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

Also, instead of making the syndie headset key free (since it gives access to all radio channels, not just the syndicate one) we could make an alternate key that JUST gives the syndicate channel and is only purchasable once for 0 TC.

You should have to pay for the ability to do teamwork/rat out your teammates IMO.

No one purchases it because it has a cost. I bet if there was statistics on it the amount of purchases would be like 5 a month

[whodaloo]

i think i've gotten one person to reply to code words in the last year and a half
and that guy was halfway through murdering me before i could yell RESEARCH DIRECTOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR

[Void Slayer]

What about, when someone purchases a syndi headset, it alerts/can alert the other traitors that someone bought one, so they can buy one?

[lumipharon]

They shouldn't be free, you should at least have to pay a minimum price to spy on all channels, there shouldn't be any free traitor items.

Also, instead of making the syndie headset key free (since it gives access to all radio channels, not just the syndicate one) we could make an alternate key that JUST gives the syndicate channel and is only purchasable once for 0 TC.

You should have to pay for the ability to do teamwork/rat out your teammates IMO.

No one purchases it because it has a cost. I bet if there was statistics on it the amount of purchases would be like 5 a month

You havin a laff m8?

Seriously, people buy them almost every single traitor round (if not every single one). They've become hella common - the advantage of being able to talk exclusively to your traitor buddies (even when comms get blown up) is a fucking huge advantage.

[Incomptinence]

Has perks other than intertraitor comms should have price.

[Amelius]

What about, when someone purchases a syndi headset, it alerts/can alert the other traitors that someone bought one, so they can buy one?

I like that idea. 'A syndicate has purchased a syndicate key'.

The biggest problem with the key is it's a huge crapshoot if any other traitors use it. Having a notification for all tators would help IMMENSELY.

[Gun Hog]

I seem to see people using it more often now, since traitors no longer see it as a wasted investment. As long as a traitor believes that there is a good chance that another traitor bought a key also, he will keep the cycle alive and buy his own key. There is also the chance of being able to get in touch with a Traitor AI, who have them by default. Players are taking the plunge with them now that they have dropped to a mere 2TC.

Benefits include:
- Being able to monitor department channels to more easily determine the best chance to complete a given objective (such as hunting someone or know when Science has juicy loot)
- Monitoring Security channel to know if they are after you.
- Ability to covertly contact another agent for support.

[Lumbermancer]

Ye, do it. I can't wait to rat out all the other syndies for personal enjoyment!

[bandit]

A scaling cost system that goes up for every traitor who purchases the key. Nobody on the channel? Sure, have this shit for 1 TC (not free, you get all other radio channels with it, I actually think that part should be removed because it ruins most balance proposals.) Each successive traitor bumps up the cost.

[Scones]

Keys have really just pushed the fact that traitors are actually not that bad (WHOA) into the spotlight

I played a traitor round the other day and a gang of us roamed around killing people. Wasn't hard, objectives were completed for everyone.

At this point I tailor my buys AROUND getting a key because it's so effective for the cost. I just never speak first on the channel.

[Lumbermancer]

Why are you so hellbent on artificially making Traitor a team mode? There are already ways to cooperate. There are keywords, but no one ever uses them. I can scream "I'm going to bar to drink some VODKA MARTINI, who wants to join me" on common channel but everyone remains oblivious, both traitors and security. There's IRC that no one is using too, no matter how many times I say on OOC between rounds to join #syndicate.

If you want high level of cooperation, why not make it a new game mode. Traitor is fine, leave it alone. Don't make it Ling 2.0.

[lumipharon]

Every time I'm traitor, I am so utterly blatant with my code word drops, yet Ive only had like, 1 guy respond in the past 6 months.

That said, I think code words are much better for traitor mode if people actually use them.
Syndie keys are too safe and lingchatty for my taste.

[Lumbermancer]

Syndie keys are too safe and lingchatty for my taste.

Exactly my point. For traitors, cooperation should take effort. Not round-start ":h hey guys, how many people we have, what's the plan, ok let's do this".

[PKPenguin321]

Syndie keys are too safe and lingchatty for my taste.

Exactly my point. For traitors, cooperation should take effort. Not round-start ":h hey guys, how many people we have, what's the plan, ok let's do this".

As it stands, cooperation is pretty much entirely based on luck because literally anybody but security could be a traitor and you have no good way of knowing who is or is not a traitor (before you say codewords, note that i said good way of knowing).
>For traitors, cooperation should take effort.
This is both an opinion and also pretty much wrong, considering you can already just buy a syndie headset key and instantly have some traitors to ally with at no real effort. I just want to make the headset key free so there's actual incentive to buy it, since a lot of traitors will just buy a few things and then leave 2 TC in their uplink "just in case" because the meta for headset keys is so underdeveloped. Hell, if you made headset keys free for a few days and then reverted it, that'd have pretty much the same effect in encouraging traitors to make alliances.

We just need something that will make traitors better so that people can stop complaining about the AI and the million other weaknesses they have. Alliances will do that. Why not let traitor be a team game mode, at least for a little while?

[Scones]

If you don't think traitors are good right now I don't know what to tell you honestly. Recent changes to items in departments (See JETPACKS among other things) have made traitors able to purchase items to compliment what they already have from their job instead of the other way around.

They're good, they can complete their objectives, they can do all sorts of shit.

Seriously wake up

[PKPenguin321]

If you don't think traitors are good right now I don't know what to tell you honestly. Recent changes to items in departments (See JETPACKS among other things) have made traitors able to purchase items to compliment what they already have from their job instead of the other way around.

They're good, they can complete their objectives, they can do all sorts of shit.

Seriously wake up

Traitor rounds aint fun for shit though, because despite how "good" traitors are for how many RCDs, jetpacks, and hand teleporters they ask the AI for and walk away without consequence before idling in a pod for an hour "steal" not a lot of them really do anything that makes the round better, and those that do get dunked instantly. Unless of course they have a buddy that helps them not get dunked instantly. A buddy they could get from a certain syndicate headset key.

>(See JETPACKS among other things)
You mean for doing sorts of things like idling in space for an hour and a half with your ill-gotten RCD?

All I know is that I have had very, very few decent or memorable traitor rounds lately, except for ones where I/the traitors have made some kind of an alliance with other traitors. (I'm bolding this next sentence because it's pretty much a tl;dr of my point:) If traitors are so good on their own as you put it, then why are the rounds without allied traitors so bad? A battle between sec and an angry force of syndicates is hundreds of times more exciting than a single syndie emagging into the armory and getting bolted in by the AI and shot to death instantly.

Again, the solution to this is giving traitors a tool that lets them ally. In this case, that tool is the syndie headset key.