With the removal of ling tests and following the “improve don’t remove” motto, what would your suggestion for revealing a ling beside witnessing ling actions? Do you even think there should be a test?
On the one hand, having a test which outs an antag gives you definite proof and would hopefully prevent shit like this MMI test.It removes all doubt. On the other hand, you’d have to rely on witnesses/evidence as proof and this could work in the ling’s favour if they frame someone. This creates doubt.
I’m conflicted, if there were a test, I would like it to be something like:
The Thing movie (1982)
The Thing game
Or the fillings test from The Thing movie (2001)
Those these process could take time as an animation, rather than be instant (See mannitol on brain mechanic) and for balance have a chance to fail (User drops the beaker/lighter ect) or in the case of multiple tests, the test is allocated to fail at roundstart, different each round. Or a chance to return a false negative.
I think these give the ling an out, be it with the time taken (restores chems to use abilities and escape and change identities) or passing the test (what a nail bitter, not knowing if you will pass).
I don’t think a ‘expose valid’ mechanic will ever be fun or work well, especially not for a stealth antag who’s only defense is outwitting the opponent.
While other stealth antags need to make a mistake (heretics) or fail to hide their gear (IAA), lings get exposed by simply being lings and failing the ‘valid check’. There is really no way for a ling to escape CBZ, and once you’re in brig, it’s over, none of your powers can save you. And there’s really no downsides to ordering shitload of the cheap CBZ, and just testing every single person.
Plus, security already has a plethora of methods of exposing a ling. First of all, there’s tracking implants. If your ling is dead, you can check their brain before they revive. Finally, you can always find the target they are impersonating (dead or alive) and prove they are the real one. The detective has a tool that makes this really easy. Not to mention there’s also mind reading, xray eyes, and other mechanics that make hunting lings rather easy.
A ling test would be moderately okay if ALL IT DID was reveal that they’re a ling. Forced them to take a random identity or drop back to their default identity or something.
I mean the ideal use case is lings are being ultra stealthy and impossible to pick out (not using their powers at all besides spawning a shitton of tomas in maint and dragging on the round) but it can still be used for other shitty reasons.
What if it was a double-edged sword? What if it empowered lings? What if it increased their chem recovery speed for a short time and made them stronger in exchange for revealing them?
It had a host of effects exclusive to lings like suffocation and points drain, which made it an effective CHEM to incapacitate a ling with as well as revealing one. The PR even states that it could be used as a “support chemical” against revealed lings, which to me sounds pretty dumb.
changeling tests force changelings to abandon their bodies and start transforming into horror forms, where they become ungodly strong murder creatures but will shortly revert if they can’t eat enough people. you can, for sure, guarantee if somebody is an antag – if you’re prepared to handle the consequences