# 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 1. Add interesting new content to Lavaland that isn't purely focused on fighting monsters and collecting loot. 2. 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. 3. Inject unpredictability into the items available to the crew each round, as nothing from xenoarchaeology is guaranteed to be found. 4. 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). 5. Add fun and flavorful objects to discover that can be put on display to be seen even in future rounds. ## Non-Goals 1. Create another job that sits in a room alone or runs around on Lavaland for the entire round. A key point of the xenoarchaeologist should be interaction - working with miners on the planet, coming back to the station to do research, and regularly interacting with different members of the crew. Xenoarchaeology cannot be done by sitting in the same place all round, like genetics or xenobiology. 2. Have another "combat" job. The xenoarchaeologist will not be encouraged or equipped to kill their way across the mining levels, and instead will receive special equipment focused on defending themselves. Taking on megafauna, tumor bosses, or even tendrils will not be very feasible without the support of mining. 3. Create a reliable "metagame" around artifacts. Artifacts should be interesting and nice to have, but no one should rely on receiving a specific one on any given round - and xenoarchaeologists should not be relentlessly pursuing the same thing every time. 4. Flood the station with "gamer loot". Artifacts may sometimes be powerful and unique, but it should be difficult to activate more than a couple really good artifacts in any given round. It should not become too easy or formulaic to do so. 5. Render miners obsolete. Xenoarchaeologists should not be running around gathering lots of minerals for the station, and will not have easy access to the ORM or most mining gear. They can travel with miners if they want, and can pick up useful minerals they find, but their focus is on the artifacts. ## Xenoarchaeology System The xenoarchaeology system will be based on the existing system on the Skyrat codebase, though significantly changed and expanded on. The following is subject to changes. Xenoarcheology begins by digging up "strange rocks" on Lavaland or Icemoon. These rocks contain buried artifacts, but the artifacts must first be extracted. This is done by carefully hammering away the rock with specialized tools, and then brushing until the artifact is freed entirely. Artifacts exist at a certain depth within the rock - this depth must be reached through the use of these tools. Going too deep with a hammer will ruin the artifact, so care must be taken - fortunately, xenoarchaeologists have access to scanners to determine how deep they can safely dig. As research is completed, they can unlock better equipment, including more precise scanners and even an automated extraction machine. Once an artifact is safely extracted, it must be identified. This can be done slowly in the field with a special "magnifying glass" item, or can be done automatically with a machine in the xenoarchaeology lab. This will determine several things - the type of artifact, its "era", some clues to its effects, and some hints as to how to activate it. Not all of these are always applicable, as some artifacts simply exist for flavor and cannot be activated. Artifacts that require research can be placed into the "Artifact Researcher", a machine that can be used to subject artifacts to specific stimuli that may partially or fully activate them.
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Contract Killer (minor midround/latejoin antagonist)

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.

12/15/2023
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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