Department Security Alarms

[Reimoo]

So when you see a security alert in movies and games or whatever, someone always has to scramble off their feet to pull an alarm first. I thought that would be cool to implement, seeing as though the only way to alert security as a non security personnel is to shout over the radio which may or may not have a chance of being noticed among a wall of text. It's very frustrating to have some greyshirt break into your workspace, kill your pet, steal your hat, and only be able to inform security after the intrusion has passed or while you're being beat into critical.

A departmental alarm would be an ease of life thing more than anything else, as having someone shout over the radio "HELP GRIFF" and half a dozen people ask their location is simply frustrating to witness, and personal experience as a security officer has led me to believe more trivial and annoying crimes would be stopped if a simple alarm was implemented in order to inform security of only where they need to be. However, balancing reasons may require there only be one alarm for every department, and department access may be required to pull said alarm in order to prevent too many false/prank alarms.

The way I see it, here are the pros and cons of implementing such a system are as follows:

Pros
++Shitler/greytide activity may be suppressed
+A security presence to a summon is more likely if the alarm is noticeable enough
+Helps with security coordination issues (more officers may respond to a general alarm than a vague cry for help over the radio)
+great distraction method for antagonists
+muh realism

Cons
-it's a nerf to antagonists, some alarm sabotage may be required beforehand before executing a plan
-may annoy security if false alarms are too frequent

[MisterPerson]

The only problem is that if just clicking on it pulls the alarm, it might be too easy to accidentally do it. But if it brings up a menu (like fire alarms) then it becomes hard to use in an emergency. Having said that I like the idea, although I think most people will just continue to yell for help over the radio especially if they get stunned.

[Reimoo]

If accidental pulls are an issue, then place a protective glass over it. One click to raise the glass, a second click to pull the alarm, perhaps with a slight delay in between. True, people will still probably call out for help, but in the time there's something too dangerous to stop moving to say something or for whatever reason comms is disabled, people still have a chance of summoning someone to help without screwing over antags too badly.

[bandit]

>alarm is pulled
>security rushes to the scene
>it's just the clown/mime/graytide pulling it

[Cipher3]

well, you could arrest the greytide. Or any of them, for false alerts. That's illegal somehow.

[MisterPerson]

One idea to make it less tempting to pull them fnr is that it then makes all the doors in the area sec-access (temporarily) so security can get in. Could also log who pulls the alarm and allow security to look at the records somehow.

[iyaerP]

Fingerprints on the alarm. Or have it be like a school fire alarm where is sprays indelible ink on your hand.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

I actually had the same idea myself. I was gonna suggest an alarm system where you could use it to declare Security emergency, Medical emergency or Engineering emergency. Because seriously the latter two NEVER fucking come. Well, I guess some doctors do actually come. Actually quite a lot of doctors come if there are any, because they are just happy to have something to do. Kids, instead of dragging a dude to medbay, call for a doctor and do CRP.

However, I was gonna put it in shitty ideas thread because

>alarm is pulled
>security rushes to the scene
>it's just the clown/mime/graytide pulling it

Fingerprints? Seriously?

Scanner found:
Fibres from grey jumpsuit
Fibres from (budget) insulated gloves

Good luck.

I mean you could add ID swipe to it, but it kind of ruins the point of it being for emergencies. Still, I guess that and logging is the way to go.

Could also log who pulls the alarm and allow security to look at the records somehow.

And how the hell does it recognize the person? You'd need an ID swipe.

One idea to make it less tempting to pull them fnr is that it then makes all the doors in the area sec-access (temporarily) so security can get in.

Doesn't that block doors for everyone else?

[Steelpoint]

It could add Sec access alongside the normal access for the duration of the alarm plus an extra 5 minutes, plus the doors could give off a red alarm to denote the access change.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Is that even possible? I thought adding additional levels of access to airlock would only restrict it more

[Steelpoint]

Doors can have many access levels, for example a door could have RnD access, Robotics access, RD access and CE access. If we added Brig access to that door then anyone with Brig access (Sec Officer/Warden/HoS/Detective/Lawyer) would now have access to that door.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

So I was thinking about it all wrong. Sure, that's the way to go.

And consider Medical/Engineering alarms too.

[Reimoo]

Department access may be required to pull said alarm in order to prevent too many false/prank alarms.

This is so the cluwne/any random greyshirt can't wander in and pull the alarm for shits and giggles. The only downside is that someone who doesn't belong to that department and needs to pull it is screwed over.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Well without alarms everyone is screwed over, so yeah.

[Atticat]

So when you see a security alert in movies and games or whatever, someone always has to scramble off their feet to pull an alarm first. I thought that would be cool to implement, seeing as though the only way to alert security as a non security personnel is to shout over the radio which may or may not have a chance of being noticed among a wall of text. It's very frustrating to have some greyshirt break into your workspace, kill your pet, steal your hat, and only be able to inform security after the intrusion has passed or while you're being beat into critical.

A departmental alarm would be an ease of life thing more than anything else, as having someone shout over the radio "HELP GRIFF" and half a dozen people ask their location is simply frustrating to witness, and personal experience as a security officer has led me to believe more trivial and annoying crimes would be stopped if a simple alarm was implemented in order to inform security of only where they need to be. However, balancing reasons may require there only be one alarm for every department, and department access may be required to pull said alarm in order to prevent too many false/prank alarms.

The way I see it, here are the pros and cons of implementing such a system are as follows:

Pros
++Shitler/greytide activity may be suppressed
+A security presence to a summon is more likely if the alarm is noticeable enough
+Helps with security coordination issues (more officers may respond to a general alarm than a vague cry for help over the radio)
+great distraction method for antagonists
+muh realism

Cons
-it's a nerf to antagonists, some alarm sabotage may be required beforehand before executing a plan
-may annoy security if false alarms are too frequent

First of all I love this idea.

Second of all I think (if it's possible) a camera should be triggered that snaps a picture whenever the alarm is pulled and should accompany the alert in the warden's office so he/she can determine if it is worth responding to. Antags can cut the camera and pull the alarm to fuck with sec etc.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

To be honest, there already are request consoles. We could place more of them. They have three priority levels and the ability to use IDs and stamps. We just need to make people use them.

[Reimoo]

The problem with that is nobody will ever use request consoles, no matter how many fancy features you put on them. They simply aren't noticeable.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Resprite and rename them. The functionality is there. Just need to modify it for your needs.

How would you make alarms noticeable? Do the same for request consoles. Add sound alarms. Add automatic message into department radio if it's priority request. Other things.

Add just plain "alarm" buttons to those consoles. That'd work too.

[Cipher3]

Requests consoles also aren't one-click easy alarm calls.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Add just plain "alarm" buttons to those consoles. That'd work too.

[Steelpoint]

Request Consoles require multiple mouse clicks and plop up a screen, a alarm should just function like hitting a button or flasher

[Lo6a4evskiy]

They don't require anything. You can bloody well code them from scratch if need be. Or just add some functionality on top of existing one.

You have a piece of equipment that already has similar functionality and is barely used. Why not just modify it however you please and use that?

It's really really confusing me as to why would you not do that

[Psyentific]

Will they shout something over Security/Engi/Medical radio? Because they should.

[AssassinT90]

It could add Sec access alongside the normal access for the duration of the alarm plus an extra 5 minutes, plus the doors could give off a red alarm to denote the access change.

This.

[Miauw]

Make the UI a fancy nanoui that requires you to drag your mouse down for MAXIMUM REALISMS

[MisterPerson]

The access can be made however you want. Sec only? If you want. Sec and something else? Sure, but why? Sec or normal, either is fine? You bet. No access restrictions? Sure, go ahead champ. Just tossing this out.

Sadly airlocks are omnidirectional at the moment, so there's no "anyone can leave but only sec can enter" option, which I would say is ideal.

Could also log who pulls the alarm and allow security to look at the records somehow.

And how the hell does it recognize the person? You'd need an ID swipe.

There's a proc that handles this. I think it looks at the target's face and if that's obscured gives what their ID says and if there's no ID it just spits out Unknown. No ID swiping needed.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Then why don't we use that everywhere we can, if that sort of facial-recognition tech exists? Why ID if you can just note person's access in crew manifest and just use their face as an ID?

Seems stupidly convenient for me. I have no doubt that we can CODE that, I mean, duh, but should we?

[Reimoo]

Then why don't we use that everywhere we can, if that sort of facial-recognition tech exists? Why ID if you can just note person's access in crew manifest and just use their face as an ID?

Are you seriously suggesting something safe, easy, and convenient belongs on SS13?

[Lo6a4evskiy]

Seems stupidly convenient for me. I have no doubt that we can CODE that, I mean, duh, but should we?

...no, I'm suggesting the opposite

[Rolan7]

It's the same thing Beepsky does when looking for people set to arrest. Facial recognition is fine, but it wouldn't work for access checks - Access is only tied to ID cards, not identities. There's no ID equivalent to the central med or sec records.

The request consoles aren't verifying any access with the facial recognition, just conveniently adding your (apparent) name.

[Lo6a4evskiy]

I guess it's fine if you can still cover the face. Still, I'd rather not. It's too convenient.

[Cipher3]

When newscasters did this I fooled them by swapping IDs without even covering my face.