Com Tech Specializations

[hislittlecuzingames]

About the pull request

I think this should be considered for Test Merged, but I'm cool with regular merge.

Adds various Com Tech Specializations.
Adds Tool Webbing to Com Tech Closet. (makes it harder to lock yourself out of tools.)
Adds new "Folding Barricade" pouch for com techs. Only accessible by com tech specialty. Maybe I should class-lock this to prevent power creep in REQ.

This makes a huge balance change to the Com Tech Role, so I wrote a lot of info.
I think I hit a good level of balance...
IDEASGUYS, and non-maintainers, discuss on the forum, please!
https://forum.cm-ss13.com/t/comtech-brainstorming/8863

CHECK CODE FOR ACCURATE LOADOUTS IN CASE OF CHANGES

Specializations:

Essential: (unchanged.)
-40 plasteel
-50 metal
-25 sandbags
-1 c4

FOB Construction: (No need for c4.) - Someone said I should lower the price... thought maybe by 10 to make barbed free but, I think that'd make the basic kit obsolete. I could also lower the amount of metal in this package.
-REQ radio key
-50 metal
-50 metal
-40 plasteel
-20 barbed wire

FOB Defense: (coordinate with com techs so you have extra turret) - limiting to 10 points of "fun gear" since I think 15 opens too many options; open to maintainers adjusting this later. Just let marines take an extended mag, machete, or binoculars. I am stopping flamer com techs, but maybe I shouldn't if these guys are laying traps. Since turret is often set and goodbye, I didn't want to suck all the fun out of a com tech's day.
-50 metal
-24 plasteel
-20 barbed wire
-Sentry Gun (basic machine gun)
-box of claymores
-box of claymores

Rapid Repair: - Currently has compact nailgun. Mentioned Military nailgun PR below in a comment. No reloads available anywhere except on planet.
-Compact nailgun ( I heard some concerns... I think test merge is appropriate. )
-Folding barricade pouch (only holds folding cades, sandbags, barbed wire, shovel, crowbar)
-Folding barricade 3 pack
-Folding barricade 3 pack
-25 Sandbags Filled
-20 barbed wire
-50 metal
-metal foam grenade

Demolitions: (I want to trade sandbags for something... feels too "builder.")
C4
C4
Demo Charge
Demo Charge
3 pack of HEDP
50 metal
Portable Fire Extinguisher
Whistle
25 empty sandbags

Explain why it's good for the game

Com Techs are the most important class in the game and often has sub-optimal player numbers.

I added "specializations" to convince people to play more Com Tech by allowing them to get different options for different Com Tech playstyles. (aside from turret, and nailgun, it's just a trick to make people want to play com tech because I am the antag of CM13.)

Also gave tool webbing to just reduce more friction.

Philosophy:

1. Every Com Tech NEEDS metal to build SOMETHING. I think basic metal should be the standard in case they have to do comms.
2. FOBBITS don't care about c4 and sandbags-let them take more metals.
3. In high pop, maybe a fobbit will want an extra turret instead of extra cades - now com techs are coordinating with each other and talking about their loadouts before briefing.
4. The Rapid Repair and Demo classes are intended for the frontline. Neither can build as well as the basic kit nor the FOB builder, but the repair guy can keep the cades standing. The demo guy can demolish the xeno defenses.
5. Everything is based on not making the basic kit (previously "essential") obsolete. Nothing should be objectively better.
6. Different sets should feel different enough to make its choice matter. IE you cannot get a second turret ANY other way. You cannot get a nailgun ANY other way.

Concerns:

1. Basic kit may be too "sub-optimal" making marines just pick the FOB construction if they want to build.
2. Nailguns may cause too many marine majors if marine cades never fall. (IE 12 unfixable cade repairs per tech... 4 techs, 48 cades.) Considered making a different nailgun with a smaller magazine or be incapable of taking other nails. "Disposable nailgun."
3. Power creep.
4. Everyone taking turret. Maybe limit it how spec limits their kits? Maybe limit it to Bravo only?

Non-Concerns:

1. Turret - you have like no points, so have fun scavenging to cade.
2. Metal foam - giving more than 1 without point adjustment may be fine since they help for like... 3~5 seconds at most IF you can actually make use of that time.
3. Getting it right the first time - this is just the introduction of specializing com techs. It's bound to be slightly wrong at best. We'll tweak it as needed.

Backburner ideas: (Just thoughts I had for balance changes. Maybe a future PR, maybe a suggestion for fixing this PR, but... probably nothing.)

1. Make every specialization get something none of the other com tech specs can get.
2. Give FOB builder a device to get FOB coords on round start.
3. Give FOB phone instead of REQ radio key to FOB construction guy.
4. Give ONE HEFA to demo com tech - not one pack. One nade.
5. Give toolbelt with pistol holster to the basic kit. Then he can MD on armor and still be armed.
6. A tool that will disassemble what you click on until it turns into metal so you don't have to spend a bunch of time-wrenching tables and smashing windows. Do 1 click and just get the metal when it's finished. Maybe for basic Com Tech.
7. Remove turret class and just drop an extra turret or two in bravo CT prep on almeyer
8. Breaching shotgun - Debby with a J said no need since REQ never runs out. I agree.

Testing Photographs and Procedure

Screenshots & Videos

The options available.

Once you take a kit you cannot take a second one.

Good old fashioned basic Com Tech Kit.

FOB Construction:
REQ radio encryption key.

FOB Defenses:
Plasteel stack only has 24 plasteel. Enough for a tank door.

Rapid Repair:
That pouch can hold the folding cades, empty sandbags, full sandbags, crowbar, barbed wire, or shovel.
3 slots.
New pouch CANNOT take metal nor plasteel.

Demolitions:

Changelog

🆑
add: Com Tech Specializations, and tool webbing to CT locker
add: New Com Tech only pouch that holds folding barricades and full sandbags, but not metal.
balance: Com Tech Specializations/essential kit changes
/:cl:

[wshuwshuwshi]

Genuinely a great idea! I play comtech a lot and while I personally would probably stick with the 'essential' kit just out of force of habit, I can definitely see the benefits of all of these

One thing I would like to say though is that I am a bit tentative about having an entire TURRET available in the FOB defense kit. Turrets are extremely powerful and there's a reason why every comtech only gets one right now. A potential alternative could be an M56D kit, so that you can still give the FOB defense kit a relatively powerful machine gun to defend it with, without the relative strength of an entire turret.

That being said? I'm not a balancer and I wouldn't really know. Overall, looks great!

[hislittlecuzingames]

Someone seems to be working on a new nailgun.
Unsure if the military variant or the compact variant is better for my com tech class PR.
#5746

[github-actions]

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[Drulikar]

I appreciate all the effort thats going into writing the description and reasoning for all of this; but ultimately I think this stems more from you wanting a loadout system where you can pre-define what you want to take for a round to not think about what to take. As is, this is a substantial buff to comtechs, and is heavily prone to just forming a meta pick (likely the FOB Defense kit because of an extra sentry).

Comtechs should be on an equal baseline and customization in your loadout comes from your point buys. The major issues I see with this are the normal nailgun and the extra sentry. But in general I would rather all comtechs use a common baseline kit like they do now and customization past that comes from the point buys.

I am more keen on what is being done in #6650 than here, but there is a lot to evaluate for that PR.