# Contract Killer (minor midround/latejoin antagonist) ## Abstract Contract killers are a midround and latejoin minor antagonist, picked from the crew much like sleeper agents/Syndicate infiltrators. They are antagonists with a very simple mission: assassinate one randomly-chosen member of the crew. As killing some members of the crew, such as heads of staff, may prove challenging, the contract killer has help available to them. By spending time around their target, they can "gather intel" - once enough is gathered, they can summon a special gear kit. Using this kit, they can attempt to kill their target off once and for all. When this is done, their mission is "concluded", and they can go back to being a member of the crew. ## What is a "minor antagonist"? This is a somewhat new term, but it is simply meant to differentiate from "major" antagonists like Traitor and Heretic. Minor antagonists are not intended as round-defining threats, but instead are intended to provide some spice and shake things up. They are not supposed to cause major collateral damage, and should not escalate past what their role asks of them (in this case, doing whatever is necessary to kill off one person). Ideally, minor antagonists should *never* purposely try to cause a shuttle call. A good example already in the game are revenants - they cause chaos and mess with the crew in silly ways, but they are almost never the "main event". ## Goals 1. Broaden the cast of potential threats hidden among the crew, including shoring up the tiny, tiny list of latejoin antags. 2. Give an interesting gameplay experience that performs similar evil to traitors but in a much more focused way. 3. Introduce a new sort of uncertainty into the gameplay loop of SS13 by having another way your co-workers might be out to betray you. ## Non-Goals 1. Make the contract killer incriminate themselves. The "prototype" version of this antag required you to do goofy tasks like take pictures of the target that blatantly marked you as a contract killer. This is not particularly fun for anyone. 2. Make things excessively hard for the contract killer. The point of the killer being able to unlock a gear kit is so that they are not completely unprepared if asked to do a difficult assassination. A gun or some other fun tools might make all the difference in the world. 3. Provide a lot of "busy work" objectives. Contract killers are here to do one thing, and that should be the *entire* focus. No thefts, no side murders, nothing but preparation and execution. 4. Force you to do anything specific with the body. Round removal is neither necessary nor disallowed - the focus is simply on creating an interesting story (so silently tossing your target into the supermatter is at least discouraged). The third objective given to contract killers is a suggestion on what to do with the body, but it is just that - a suggestion. ## Objectives ### 1: Gather Intel "Gather Intel" is an objective taken and modified from the permanently disabled (and frankly upsetting) Obsessed antag. It requires you to spend a certain amount of time close to (within 7 tiles of) your assassination target in order to "gather intel" on their behavior and the like. While the timer for this may need adjustment, the current assumption is 5 minutes - enough time that you may need to put effort in, but not long enough to be grueling. While gathering intel, you receive a small mood boost. Once the timer has run out, you receive a larger mood boost that lasts for 10 minutes, but you can no longer improve your mood simply by standing near the target. Once this happens, you *also* gain access to the ability to summon gear (see below). This objective serves a few purposes. First, it gates receiving your fun murder kit behind having to put in some effort to prepare - so you can't simply summon a gun seconds after you roll contract killer and start blasting. Second, it creates some nice opportunity for RP and foreshadowing. Spending 5 minutes around someone is not hard, but should encourage having a scene with them, setting up for your murder attempt being less out of nowhere. Finally, it provides a unique sort of objective not seen elsewhere in the game, which should provide nice variety. ### 2: Assassinate Target This one needs little description. It is a classic assassination mission like many other antags used. As usual for Orbstation, it is up to you whether you want to permanently kill your target or not, though your decision may be colored by the next objective. ### 3: Special Instructions Your employer has a special request for you. This is, largely, a freeform RP objective that makes a suggestion about what to do during or after your kill. There may be a fair number of these - examples may include "make it look like an accident", "plant a calling card and leave the body in a certain place", "make sure they find the head", "anonymously publish a photo of the body to a newscaster", and so on. This provides a springboard for adding more trouble to the round, giving ways to reveal to the crew that a murder has occurred. However, it is not meant to be restrictive - if the player has a more interesting idea, then like always, they may do that instead. ## Contract Killer Gear Upon completing your first objective, you gain the ability to call in special gear to help you on your mission. These will be special, thematic sets, like Syndie-kits but on a smaller scope. Each contract killer will be offered a choice of 3-5 kits (TBD), and the selected one can be summoned (via a UI button) in a secure briefcase that only they know the code to. This will either be summoned via bluespace pod, or appear somewhere in maintenance as a dead drop (one of thes should be decided on). As a small added bonus, this briefcase has surprisingly decent damage as a thrown weapon. Gear kits include the following: * Hitman Kit: Silenced Makarov with one spare ammo magazine. Some coins. A nice suit. (11 TC equivalent) * A Box of Assorted Knives and Sharp Objects: A wide variety of knives, randomly selected. Will always include a combat knife and an edagger. Also contains boots and a fannypack for knife storage. (No clear TC equivalent) * Disguise Kit: A chameleon kit, an Agent ID, and no-slip chameleon shoes. (6 TC equivalent) * Power Fist Starter Kit: A power fist and a pre-pressurized oxygen tank. Punch your target across the room! (6 TC equivalent) * Briefcase of Holding: The briefcase itself has the capacity of a bag of holding. Use it to store whatever you want on the path to murder! (No TC equivalent) * KILLING KIT FOR STRONG ASSASSINS: A Zetan-themed kit. Has a completely random Zetan-themed weapon (not always useful) and some other goofy shit. Rare. * Prop Hunter's Kit: A chameleon projector. A rush gland implanter (for if you get caught). (7 TC equivalent) * Miniature Poisoner's Kit: A bottle of a random deadly poison and a bottle of antitoxin (for killing jellypeople). A dart gun. A few piercing syringes. (4 TC equivalent, but the poison is nice). * Briefcase Full of Loose Viscera: Contains a large assortment of Lavaland monster bits, from which you can craft a variety of armor and weapons. Not subtle at all. * Cheese Rusher's Kit: Contains implanters for a ratfolk stomach and a cheese implant, along with three entire cheese wheels. Maybe an evil mousetrap? * Wizard Federation Contraband Kit: Contains 2 wizard items chosen randomly from a list. They fell off the back of a wizard truck. Don't ask questions.
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Xenoarchaeologist (New Research Job)

Abstract The Xenoarchaeologist is a new job in the Research department, focused on the retrieval and research of artifacts from Lavaland (and Icemoon). The xenoarchaeologist travels to the mining world, seeks out relics to dig up, and brings them back to the station to research them. Artifacts come in a number of tiers, from relics that are purely for flavor (to be placed in display cases or sold), to various levels of "useful" artifact that can be recovered to a functional state and used to help various station departments. Recovery is a major focus of the job - different types of artifacts will require different steps to recover, many of which may require interaction with other departments. There is also an emphasis on the different cultures that have inhabited Lavaland over the millennia, intentionally or otherwise - each will come with distinct types of artifacts to discover. Goals Add interesting new content to Lavaland that isn't purely focused on fighting monsters and collecting loot. Give Research an engaging new job that is less formulaic than every single science job that currently exists - there is a degree of randomness that should always keep things interesting rather than rote. Inject unpredictability into the items available to the crew each round, as nothing from xenoarchaeology is guaranteed to be found. Encourage cross-department interaction. Not only between Research and Mining, but with other jobs too (other departments can help activate artifacts, and artifacts can be given to other departments in turn). Add fun and flavorful objects to discover that can be put on display to be seen even in future rounds.

5/14/2023
Orb Traitor / Traitor Escalation

Problem Statement Orbstation players have expressed a general dissatisfaction with the effect of Progression Traitor on the pacing of rounds and actions of antagonist players. A particular issue is the tasks of lesser impact provided by the progression system, which encourage people to accidentally expose themselves early and then create confusion amongst the crew about how to treat them from that point onwards; knowing that they are probably going to become exceedingly dangerous in the future OOC but unable to particularly justify acting on it IC. Additionally, the breakneck pace of task accomplishment encouraged by the infinite treadmill of secondary objectives (with a strong incentive to do as much as possible) could seem overwhelming and stretch belief in terms of what one person is doing. On a low population environment, this can often be quite difficult to detect or to stop even if it is detected, allowing players to "snowball" in a way that isn't that satisfying. Other players have expressed that they benefit personally from the mechanical guidelines and reward structure giving them a framework on which to base their play. Additionally, some few of the tasks presented by Progression Traitor are both very cool but also undesirable to give to a player as soon as the round starts (weakpoint exposure, final objectives). We need to attempt to solve the issues of the former while still maintaining some elements enjoyed by the latter group. In terms of Final Objectives we also want to preserve some concept of scarcity for them, such that they do not occur in every available round as traitors themselves appear in most rounds (1 in 4 or 5 may be more appropriate).

4/30/2023
Troublemaker (minor roundstart antag)

Abstract NOTE: This design doc is pending complete rewrite. Reason: progression traitor is likely to be completely changed soon, and the original purpose of the troublemaker may no longer matter. The "troublemaker" is a new minor antag that is intended to stir up low-level conflict and provide a smokescreen to other, more serious antags by having similar objectives to them. At the start of the round, a number of troublemakers are drafted depending on the crew population, potentially including zero. They do not consume threat, and interact as little as possible with the dynamic system. They have 1-3 objectives, at least one of which always duplicates a more serious antag type's objective. Finally, troublemaker status does not prevent someone from becoming a different antag later via the dynamic system. Goals Provide a "nuisance"-level antagonist that is still mostly on the side of the crew, for variety. Give an extra source of minor trouble/conflict for the crew and security to worry about, without being excessively disruptive. Give plausible deniability for low-level antag objectives, such as early Traitor objectives, to disconnect actions such as "putting up rude posters" from the foregone conclusion of "will try to kill you and blow up the station later".

4/26/2023
Biosynths (new roundstart species)

Abstract Biosynths are a new roundstart species, designed to be a balanced take on a "robotic" species in the vein of androids, IPCs, and so on. They consist of a soft "core" of artificial mycelium-like fibers contained within a self-customized, humanoid outer shell. As they are designed to mimic a number of the functions of living organisms, they still play similarly to other species, without a laundry list of immunities to things like toxins, hard vacuum, and so on. As a non-silicon artificial intelligence, they provide interesting role-playing opportunities, and their obviously-artificial, customizable appearance should appeal to a variety of players interested in playing robots. Goals Allow players to play as a robotic species that is not bound to laws. Introduce a new species with interesting and unique gameplay mechanics and story opportunities. Give a wide variety of customization options to let players make biosynths look how they want. Non-Goals Create a "true" robotic species with the laundry list of immunities that that would entail. Biosynths have most of the same needs as organic beings to avoid them being a "superior" choice mechanically.

3/24/2023
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