[Design Doc] Character Continuous Records [Medical, Criminal, Station?]

[PursuitInAshes]

The goal is to give some more information per character. Allowing players to input their own records, within reason. This will also give use to the Criminal Records Computer and the Medical Records Computer.

Implementation

This issue is just an overview of what I'm picturing implementation could look like, however this section is likely to be reworked or edited as discussion is carried out, I'll do my best to keep this issue overall up-to-date with new information as it (hopefully) comes in.

Character Editor

Add a new tab to the character editor, likely titled Records where players can edit their own records section by section. This would likely be specific fields for a characters Criminal Records, Medical Records, and so on. While I don't know if its possible in the character editor, I'd like to have a specific format to fill out when it comes to criminal/medical records to hopefully guide players in the right direction, if they possibly don't know where to start.

Console/Computer Record Editing/Additions

Authorized Staff (Ex: The Warden, Head of Security, Chief Medical Officer, Senior Staff?, Captain, HoP, etc.) should be allowed to edit their respective records from the respective computers/consoles. (Ex: Criminal Records from the Criminal Records Computer, Medical Records from the Medical Records Computer.)

These edits would likely include adding new information, but possibly editing old records if needed. Deleting information will be discussed further in the document

Due to limitations that may not be possible to work around, I'm not sure. Its likely that only place we could include a "Recommended Information" template would be on the computers/consoles. I believe that including this kind of template will help players less familiar or comfortable with lore creation/backstory, hopefully pointing them in the right direction. If possible I'd also like to include this on the character editor side of things aswell.

For both types of record computers in the game, I'd like to be able to separate "records" allowing the separation of information per incident/examination. For example:

Medical Report One

• Relevant Information (Medical Issue, Treatment Method, Doctors Involved, Etc)

Medical Report Two

• Different Information From Previous Report

These would be browsable, possibly through a list. Preventing massive blocks of texts from being all that these records are. Though I don't know how possible this is with out current system(s).

Criminal Records

Arrest Reports, If a person is combative, volatile, etc, all fall under this category. Instead of filling out paper arrest reports, wardens will be able to use the Criminal Records computer (Or some other device, syndicate objective?) to note them down. Its should also be possible to include how someone behaves while in confinement, information that I personally saw lost before. Hopefully this will be used as a tool for players to give more information about their respective characters and for security to actually make arrest reports (However brief.), not as a tool to label someone as a nuisance and nothing more.

Medical Records

Injury Reports, Deaths, Autopsies, etc all fall under this category. This gives players a lot of way to explain or elaborate on any injuries/scars their players have sustained. Even just small things like medical examinations that they undergo through out their rounds.

Syndicate/Traitor Interaction

There are some possibilities for the records system over all to interact with antagonists. Things like adding new steal objectives in the form of items that can remotely check records, seeing as the syndicate would likely be interested in possible blackmail, information on possible new hires from criminal history, etc. I'd like other people's ideas for what could happen here.

Possible New Item(s)?

Security Handheld Criminal Records Computer (Name is pending, I'd like to shorten it slightly.) This item would act similar to the handheld crew monitor, but allows for the HoS to quickly check crew criminal records (Not edit or create new ones). This could be a syndicate objective, as mentioned before. This would require discussion though.

Logging Changes & Admin Intervention

Due to the editable nature of these logs, both by the player and other members of the server, all changes to these records should be logged. If possible this should include what the text was, and what it was changed to. This should also include if any information was removed from logs once they are created.

Removing Information/Records

Due to the very accessible nature of adding information to records and how disruptive it can be if almost anyone is allowed to remove information from these records, I'm suggesting we restrict the ability to remove information fairly significantly. Likely to just the admin and the respective player the records are under. This will prevent griefing of player records.

Another point I'd like to bring up is the possibility that security may misuse criminal records if they tie into the syndicate to much or otherwise. While this could cause some good IC Conflict, its worth discussing how to handle criminal records from an administration perspective. Such as how far criminal records should go, how to handle potential issues if they are to extensive, etc.

[PursuitInAshes]

Issue updated with the design doc, for some reason my browser had issues and posted it before I was ready.

[dffdff2423]

Future TODO list for records:

• [X] Rich Text entry description
• [x] Database changes
  • [x] Move record entries to their own table
  • [ ] The record console should only get sent the entries for the kind of console it is.
• [ ] In game modification
  • [ ] Temporary entries
  • [ ] Make temporary entries persistent
• [ ] More admin tools
  • [ ] Admins should be able to modify people's records from the lobby

[dffdff2423]

Record Continuity Design

Add a "Add entry" button to each of the 3 consoles. Entries are associated with the player who placed them (not the character). They player who creates the entry can edit/delete such entries freely with changes being logged to admins. The records editor and viewer should make it clear which entries are created by the creator of the character. Entries created by the creator can be edited and deleted freely without admin logs in the record editor. The creator can edit/delete records created by other players but it will display a message informing the creator of the rules regarding record modification with the possibility to decline the change. Any changes to records created by people other than the creator shall be logged to the admins.

Ideally there should be some message at the end of the round informing players that they have new entries.

Admin Tools

During the round admins will be able to add/delete records though the console available to aghosts. Admins will have the ability to edit/delete records created by everyone. In round record additions and record modification as described above will be logged to the admin log

Unresolved Questions

• [ ] What should the required access for additions be?
  • Departmental Head + Warden for Security, HoP and Captain for Employment, CMO for Medical
    • Pros:
      • We restrict editing records to roles with playtime requirements
      • Less possibility for greifing
    • Cons:
      • Departmental heads may be overwhelmed with records additions.
      • Not very many people are able to write entries
  • Above + Senior {Phys, Officer} (and possibility psychologist)
    • Not a possibility due to requiring an extra access (see history for original text)
  • Everyone in the department (Sec for security, Med for Medical, and Command for Employment)
    • Pros:
      • Everyone relevant can edit entries
    • Cons:
      • Higher possibility of greifing
• [ ] Do admins require a record editor in the lobby?
• [x] Do we persist records at the end of the round, or as they are added?
  • Consensus: End of round is okay.
  • I am somewhat worried that it may be difficult to persist records mid round because I can't think of anything that does this. If we only persist after a round is finished how bad would it be? We would loose any record changes upon crashing. It may turn out this is a non-issue and it is easy to persist changes mid-round.
• [ ] I am likely to change how entries are stored in a way that would require some kind of migration. Should we make the migration happen all at once? Or lazily?