# Holo-Paper ###### tags: `Ideas Guy` `Design` ### WTF? A Holographic Paper [skeuomorph](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/skeuomorphism) that mimics the functionality of existing paper code, while being manipulated physically/digitally similar to credit holochips. Shift-clicking reads as normal, stamps behave as normal, but the phsyical item is created from a tablet or modular console, or provided by a storage device like a bin, folder, or clipboard. ### Why Paper code, even after the markdown refactor, is a mess. Certain features are not updated and have horrible UI/UX (clipboards/folders), form fields are missing, and stamp usage is buggy. Combine this with the bevvy of digital resources that we have at our disposal through TGUI based tablet code that we're underutilizing and we've got a pretty interesting potential for bringing a very antiquated concept into the future. ### Lifecycle of a Holo-Paper Sheet * Holo-Paper Sheets are created in any existing "printer" or paper-storage interface. * Tablets and modular consoles can print and store holo-paper * Paper bins, folders, and clipboards can store holo-paper * Storage mediums do more than just hold the data of the holo-paper, they also "own" the physical medium. * A limited number of holochips can be assigned to any one storage or printer device. * Ownership transfers when the item is placed in a different storage device than it was previously tied to. * When a holo-paper sheet's owner/container is destroyed, so is the physical holo-paper item, and the data it contained. * Holo-Paper is initailly immutable outside of a printer device with two notable exceptions: * Fields can be filled out using any pen on the holo-paper, bringing forms back to the game. * Stamps can be used on any stamp field, which "signs" the data with that stamp. * Once a sheet is either stamped or signed, it becomes fully immutable and read/copy only. * Any holo-paper sheet can be copied, but if it contains signatures, stamps, or filled form fields, it will be watermarked as a copy. * The watermark can be removed with an emag for antag mischief. ### Other areas Holo-Paper can improve * Faxes are suddenly just shunting around data instead of needing to examine physical items to open the viewer, decoupling a lot of the problems of trying to read faxes from players as an admin. * Clipboards/Folders are woefully out of date. Making a unified TGUI for the two of these would drastically improve the UX. * The Data-driven instead of Object-driven nature of this change opens up a lot of programmatic interfaces to paperwork, making "functional" forms that actually do things. * The ownership concepts could significantly drive down the overall upper-limit for paper sheets all over the place, making sigificantly less objects and thus less lag. ### Pain Points/Issues to consider * Several non-TGUI interfaces currently can print/manipulate paper, like the comms console or the cargo order terminal. * We should consider making these "emphemeral" sheets, allowed to initially go without an owner container since the creation method is bounded by specific mechanics. * Alternatively, keep them as paper, and have a blank holo-paper sheet be capable of "absorbing" the paper, to clone it without messing with ownership mechanics. * We're limited by repathing insofar as how existing maps can have their features preserved. Folders, Paper Bins, Carbon Bins, etc will all need to have their sprites, code, etc updated for this system. ### Development Roadmap #### Phase 1 * Implement basic Holo-Paper Sheets. * Restrict to Tablet-to-Tablet/Mod Console-to-Mod Console use * Implement basic features like Markdown Content, form fields, and stamps #### Phase 2 * Convert common receptacles to Holo-Paper storage devices * Sprites too! * Add TGUI for Folders/Clipboards/Paper Bins. * Phase out on-station paper from round-start sources. #### Phase 3 * Convert non-modular consoles to holo-paper printers using one of the methods outlined above. * Add "form field naming" to allow for programmatic interfaces to paperwork, like request/requisition forms, security/medical record updates, etc. * Sigificant ability to add mechanics to Captain/Command staff roles via holo-paperwork * Temporary door access passes, weapons licenses, etc.