So you're going to be the caretaker of a bunch of lobotomy patients with access to some of the most dangerous things on the station! This is a brief overview of the Research Director's job, what he or she will inevitably face and how they can overcome adversity.
Bare minimum requirements: Upgrade important Medbay equipment, know who has 6 maxcap bombs, and know how to deal with the silicons if they become less than friendly
Get It All Together
As the Research Director, your job is obviously to direct research. You have access to all things scientific.
Your Office
You arrive on the station inside your office next to toxins mixing. You have the front seat if(read: when) it catches on fire. So sit back and enjoy the view. Remember that you have two of the most important consoles on the station - the AI integrity restorer and Robotics Control consoles. Guard them with your life. In your office you have:
- An AI System Restorer (Revives dead AIs)
- A Robotics Control console (AI is rogue, blow the borgs!)
- An Exosuit Control console
- A camera monitor for supervising your laboratories
- Teleporter and AI Core circuit boards
- An Intellicard (Download the AI from its core, wipe it if it's rogue, steal it if you're rogue)
- A pAI
- A locker stocked with some alternate outfits and a flash
- A Reactive Teleporter Armor (Remember to turn it on before wearing)
- Your pet facehugger, Lamarr
You may wish to periodically check how many cyborgs there are on the robotics console and if any are no longer slaved to an AI, or has stopped functioning.
Directing Research 101
Scientists will be your primary subordinates. They will be working with the R&D, Toxins, and Xenobiology laboratories. You may want to ensure that all three labs are manned by assigning your scientists roles at the start of the shift. Toxins and xenobio labs usually don't need more than one scientist working there at a time, unless they're requesting help. Familiarize yourself with all sub-departments of Science and be prepared to fill in when something is needed.
Periodically sync the research computer in R&D so Robotics has access to the latest data. This also backs up your research data to the server, so if something happens to the research console the data can be easily restored. DO NOT FORGET THIS!
Don't forget to check on the Roboticists every now and again to ensure they are doing their jobs which is building and maintaining cyborgs, bots, and exosuits. Sync their research console if they haven't already, as well as their fabricators. Make sure they aren't building combat mechs without authorization, and try to convince them to put tracking beacons on their creations.
Geneticists have the habit of monkeying themselves or abusing superpowers. If they manage to bypass your supervision and start abusing their powers, notify security immediately and have them stripped of rank.
Your Defense
At the start, the Research Director is possibly the most vulnerable head of staff on station. Given enough time, however, he can develop into a powerful, destructive force. You start with access to the Toxins and Xenobiology labs, which both can be used to your advantage if you're smart.
There is a Reactive Teleporter Armor in your locker - It is both a fantastic tool and a hilarious deathtrap. When it is activated, any physical contact (Hugging, stripping, grabbing, hitting) will cause the armor to shunt you away in a random direction. While can be incredibly useful, it can also be incredibly dangerous if you're near space. It can easily fling you out into the void, so be mindful of when you keep it on or off.
While you can produce a vast array of weapons, a large majority of them require a Firing Pin. These can be found in the Armory, or ordered from Cargo. Currently, the only pins you can personally produce are Testing Range Pins, which allow the guns to function on the range and the range alone (Bear in mind you can use those guns at said location to bust open a crate of standard firing pins!). But you can still emag guns to override the firing pin. If you're even luckier, mining will bring along ore that will allow you to make big stompy mechs
Lamarr
Inside the display case in your office is a surgically modified facehugger. It can no longer kill and implant its embryos inside a host body, but it still feels the need to leap on anyone in reach. It's usually best kept in its case. With a chameleon projector, Lamarr can be scanned to act as a fearsome disguise.
There's No I In Team
Your official responsibility is to ensure that nobody does anything they shouldn’t. This means making sure the Geneticists don’t turn the Captain into a monkey, that Roboticists don’t kidnap and borg the Clown, that Xenobio doesn't spawn angry mobs everywhere, that Telescience doesn't steal the nuke disk, that R&D doesn't see what happens when they put two bags of holding together, and that Toxins does not destroy the Station.
Do not try to stop Toxins from igniting itself; if they are stupid enough to set themselves on fire, no amount of shouting or threatening will stop them from doing so. As long as the fire is contained to Toxins, nobody gets hurt.
Nobody important, anyway.
In Case of Wizard, Assume Brace Position
When it comes to Nuclear or Wizard, you need to sit back and do your job as best you can without dying. Leave the fighting to Security, but never hesitate to stock up on acid in case of emergency. If you come face to face with the Wizard or a Syndicate, there’s no harm in ruining their day. Except for the harm of exploding just afterwards, usually.
Computer Maintenance And You
In the event of AI damage or deactivation, there is a computer in your office which can be used to restore and repair its systems. Simply put an IntelliCard loaded with an AI into the console and start the process. The AI should be functional again at 50% integrity. This is a long process, but it is still usually better than having no AI at all.
In addition, it is possible to build a new AI from the circuit also found in your office. Using plasteel and glass, it is constructed just like any other computer up until the human brain is inserted (only if you want a new AI, else you'll get an empty core you can transfer existing AIs into). Keep the existence of the human component hush-hush! It's a trade secret! Please be aware that a freshly constructed AI comes with the default Asimov laws, unless you put a law circuit with a different lawset in during construction.
ROGUE AI – When the Spotlight Shines Your Way
The Robotics Control in your office will be your primary weapon against the deadly worldwide gangster communist frankenstein computer god! Using it, you can lock and detonate cyborgs, as well as view their relevant stats: This includes charge, selected module, operational status, and arguably most importantly, their status as slaved or otherwise to the AI(s). An unslaved Cyborg almost always warrants investigation if you have not received a notice from Robotics about unslaving a borg!
If you have reason to believe a cyborg is rogue, lock it down so you can find the cyborg and check its wiring. You can also deconstruct the borg frame in entirety to retrive and question the MMI, although whether or not it cooperates varies heavily. Only detonate the borg as a last resort - And even when you are considering doing so, remember that the detonation is a rather powerful explosion can severely injure nearby humans. Under no circumstances are you to waste valuable equipment to paranoia or rumors.
KNOW YOUR SILICON
There are three types of rogue silicons that you should be familiar with. Each has a slew of different options regarding how you can deal with it.
- Subverted: A traitor (Or unscrupulous Captain) has used either a Freeform module of a Hacked Law Module to upload a law (or several) that is dangerous to the crew
- Subverted AIs can be fixed very easily via using a Purge and Default board on an Upload Console.
- Subverted AIs cannot hack their cyborgs
- Subverted AIs can be downloaded to an Intellicard
- Traitor: The AI was supplied with a Zeroth law to acomplish it's objectives. This law cannot be removed.
- Traitor AIs cannot be turned into normal AIs. Capture/destruction is the only option.
- Traitor AIs can hack their cyborgs.
- Traitor AIs can be downloaded onto an Intellicard.
- Malfunctioning: The AI has an irremovable hacked law and the ability to hack APCs. It can access several special powers by spending it's CPU.
- Malfunctioning AIs cannot be fixed. They must be destroyed. They can and will shunt into a hacked APC before dying, requiring you to deconstruct the APC (ENTIRELY) to finish it off.
- Malfunctioning AIs can hack their cyborgs.
- Malfunctioning AIs have grown too strong and cannot be downloaded onto an Intellicard.
How To Tell A Traitor From A Disillusioned Doctor
Revolution is dangerous to the director. Med-Sci is, more often then not, a seething hive of dangerous communists seeking to take your head. Robotics is a prime target because of their flash supply and larger than normal access. Genetics is desired because of their cloning and genetic empowering capabilities. Avoid Medbay entirely if you must. If you notice any suspicious individuals in med-sci, message the Captain as covertly as you can and tell him to be wary.
AI Overpopulation: The Core Circuit And You
Whether to reduce the load on primary AI, circumvent AFKing players, increase your chances of survival during AI malfunction or just to increase information chaos, with this nifty AI Core circuit board found in your office and some additional components, you can make a second, working AI. Be sure to place it near an intercom or radio and you now have two working AIs on the station.
Assistant with Science
In the rare event that nothing bad is happening, and you aren’t going to die a horrible death, you can be of great help as an assistant with large amounts of access. Collect flashes and power cells for robotics and useful items that can be used for R&D.
Tips
- Lamarr can be used for internals.
- If you are doing srs research as RD, remember that you can delete each technology from each server. So, end research, sync servers, go to this little room of mysteries and freezed air and delete them Durands from robotics server. Or better, just mech weapons.
- You can restore dead AIs using the AI system integrity restorer consoles! There's one in the RD office, and one DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE AI UPLOAD FOYER. That's right! When your AI dies, you don't have to fart around and say "uh, so, like, should we call the shuttle or something? or build a new one? herp?" Just use an intellicard on the destroyed AI core and slot it into the console! Wow! You're a helpful little furless monkey!
- Unlike what some roboticists says, they must answer to the RD. If they are too stubborn to remember that, make yourself the joy to demote them so they remember next time. Otherwise, sync your research often, and go check on 'em to eventually congratulate them on their job. Bring them sulfuric acid so they don't ask you for boards too often. Don't hesitate to steal some materials if the miners are dragging it all to robotics: and remember, 10 sheets of everything is enough to make a good chunk o' stuff.
- Tweak to the guide: 15 sheets of metal into the protolathe, 10 of glass into each of protolathe and circuit imprinter. Make 2 rods from a sheet of metal. Dump your acid to the imprinter.
- Micro Manip, Capacitor/Tatobattery, High-Cap cell, analyzer, flamethrower (screwdriver your welder, stick rods to it, done). Print tracking beacon, mesons, mining drill, decon each in turn. Get teleporter board, decon. Print an exosuit fabricator board, decon.
- Synchronize: Engineering 4, Data 4, Materials 3, Bluespace 3, Combat 2, Plasma 2
- Now, my very silly way to avoid having to print a third mech syringe is that you ask medical for a health scanner. If they're being stupid and won't give you one (no seriously they have like 10 in the vendors) open O2 lockers until you can take one from an oxygen dep kit. Decon it for bio 1, the print and decon a Med HUD for bio 2. It's much cheaper than deconning a third syringe gun or MMI.
- So you decon 2 super caps, 2 mech syringe guns, 2 mech tasers, 1 wormhole gen, then one each gold, uranium, and diamond pickaxe.
- This allows you to build anything, even the more arcane things like MRSPACMAN generators (who wants to BURN DIAMONDS?) at minimal additional cost.
- Episkopos' RnD Guide:
- The two non computer parts of a teleporter use telecrystals in their design, so you can get more than enough for max telesci by cannibalizing one of the abandoned ones in space.
- Sync up before upgrading your machines in RnD. ...fuck.
- If you have an assistant or extra Science crew, give one a RPED full of parts for said machines and a screwdriver, then send them to Medical to be useful. Fully upgraded clones spit out perfect clones. No retards, no defects. They can get dressed and back to bustin' heads.
- Timrod's RnD Guide:
- Mandurrrh RnD Guide:
- Bluespace RnD Guide:
- Imblyings's RnD Guide:
- RG4's RnD Guide:
Tips for Traitoring
- Traitor RD : you have so many ways to screw the station over...Bombs, guns, a possible access to chemistry, the power to make EVERY POSSIBLE AI UPLOAD BOARDS, the power to call back the shuttle by using a foreign comms board, bags of holding (and thus singulos), extra tracking beacons for your teleporting needs, a spacesuit and a jetpack from telecomms, mechs, an excuse to emag borgs...You can tear the station apart and make them stay on it.
- Illegal modules for cyborgs, which unlocks their locked module (laser for Secborg, pacid for medborg, diamond drill for minerborg, etc.) at the cost of damaging their interface, making it seem like they're emagged. You can also make the clusterbang launcher, for mechs, and the T.Y.R.A.N.T. module for AIs, with that illegal tech you got.
- Don't forget illegal borg modules, which emag a borg without adding any laws. Unlocks the special borg robusting tools like lasers and electric stun-arms. For fighting changelings and other xenos I guess, or nonhuman'd revs/cultists
- Even better - an illegal-module borg CANNOT BE EMAGGED because the interface is already damaged.
- Anonymous's Bomb Code Research
Mad Science
The research director, like all heads of staff, make extremely dangerous traitors just by virtue of their access and departmental loyalty. While your underlings are less likely to fall in line than security or a horde of clowns ordered to create chaos, a majority of the time they'll let you get away with truly wicked deeds just for the sake of SCIENCE!
R&D becomes your personal armoury. With an emag you can override the firing pin on the guns you make and use them anywhere you please. A Bag of Holding is so big it can even hold shotguns and ion rifles. Technological shells can be used to produce some very special shotgun shells. If you go through the effort to build telescience equipment, you can teleport anything you want from and to anywhere you want. Finally, with a portable chem dispenser, bluespace beakers and large grenade casings, you can have a wider range of grenades than Team Fortress Classic.
Remember these words: toxins, and genetics. Toxins will grant you highly explosive substances and Genetics can make you an all-seeing, all-powerful, superhuman murderer.
You hold a lot of power, and at the same time, a decent amount of responsibility. It is easy to bring the Station to it’s knees, if you know what you’re doing. Great if you’re a traitor, dickish if you’re not.
Less useful but still dangerous, robotics is a hive of scum and villainy even when staffed by decent sorts. If a head of staff drags in a corpse and orders it to be borged or just takes out the brain himself, generally speaking no questions will be asked and the deed will swiftly be done. The corpse and/or brain of your victim can then be given to the chef who generally believes meat is meat.
