Station AI Removal

src/design-proposals/Station-AI-Removal.md

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+# Station AI removal
+
+| Designers | Implemented | GitHub Links |
+|---|---|---|
+| Scrambleking | :x: No | TBD |
+
+
+## Overview
+
+This PR advocates for AI removal, and challanges those who wish to keep it to argue as if it wasnt already in the game, nor in space station 13.
+
+## Background
+
+The AI is the thing you ask to open doors, and occasionaly shocks you to death for not having an ID
+
+https://discord.com/channels/1276640157511979008/1277475061909159969/1488848862184476695
+https://discord.com/channels/1276640157511979008/1276653734767755294/1490235591743508570
+https://discord.com/channels/1276640157511979008/1309034959700365312/1489107727375667261
+
+## Features to be removed
+
+Station AI
+
+## Game Design Rationale
+
+1. Station AI in its current iteration does not satisfy funky's design philosophy, and would not be added were it not inherited already. (The atmos-tech argument)
+It was only made on wiz because it was in space station 13, and we inherited it because it was the cool new thing
+
+2. Station station AI is a glorified tool to open/close/bolt/AA doors, along with doing various menial tasks such as editing air alarms. 
+This bypasses the existing job system we have implimented in the game, reducing RP for the sake of conveniance.
+
+3. Station AI gameplay loop is neither interesting, nor does it promote funky's design principles. 
+It does nothing with seriously silly
+It has fails a Winning or Losing as the AI hampers antagonist activity on a coin flip with no interesting interactions.
+It fails to maintain authenticity, at worst its a glorified door opener that NT payed (insert value here) to purchase, at best it does simple jobs that are normally done by people. I cannot give any reason why NT would create this. NT has an access card system for a reason.
+It fails to take things slow, skipping needing to request for assistance, and shortening outcomes significantly for no gameplay reason.
+It fails to maximize roleplay potential, skipping over interactions with entire departments, and trivializing events such as greytide, spacings, animal spawns, security chases, stealth antagonists, and more on top.
+It cheapens the Dynamic environments by failing to improve the station experience with so many parts into "ask AI".
+
+4. Station AI has been buggy since its initial implimentation on wizden, including the ability to access things in fog of war, other grids, or things you shouldnt have access to.
+After investigation on funky, it was found that these bugs are innate to the way the AI is coded to work and would require an indepth rework to fix.
+
+5. Station AI creates a frequent conflict in the metashield.
+The station AI has to determine every round if what it is seeing is something that would concern it enough to inform others, which it more often than not does due to it not having much else to do.
+The Station AI frequently causes CTM material to be "leaked" with no reprocusions on either end due to the frequency it happens on command coms, lessening the impact of command coms being stolen, and what CTM leaks mean.
+
+6. AI fails to fulfil the "silicone slave" themeing.
+It is closer to the crew living in fear of the AI overlord than the AI being a slave to the crew. This is more a criticism of NT default, but even without it AI tends to act more as a leering overwatch that works on the side of command, detecting and calling out crew with no visual indicator or tell.
+
+7. Combat Balance
+Currently the AI can turn the tides of any combat by merely existing, deciding on a whim who they will assist, which his usualy either the "crew" or no one at all. This turns the AI into a make or break deal when it comes to station level take overs by antagonists, reducing veriety. This also turns the AI into something every antagonist needs to be able to deal with, or account for in their power level or else they will simply lose.
+
+9. Communications
+The AI currently dominates the communication scene, providing an effective green coms to anyone looking to broadcast a message from anywhere. This cheapens our existing communication systems and the lengths we have gone to reduce station-wide communications. The only people who have all coms comunication (HoP, CC, and Captain) can pass on messages should bey be important, and direct people to assist as needed, as is their job as command members.
+
+10. The 8th command member
+Currently each major department has a department head, plus the captain as the general oversight role. Theoreticaly, and in it's 13 implimentation, the AI would be the "command member" for silicones, however this is specificaly not how we have styleised it in any way. The AI, despite having all coms, the ability to access everything the captain can, sight specificialy through borgs (and pAIs) is not in any way connected to the borg system aside from having laws, and having binary. The borgs do not have to listen to the AI, the AI cannot listen to the borgs, the AI cannot give orders to the crew, and there are no legal reprocusions for failed interactions with the AI. The AI does not know CTM secrets, and cannot know CTM secrets without causing major balance issues.
+
+## Roundflow & Player interaction
+
+Removing the AI will slow down round pacing
+Put more focus on character to character interactions
+Alow for greater stealth antagonist gameplay
+Negate the "you must deal with the AI" aspect of stealth and combat balance leading to more natural combat situations
+
+## Administrative & Server Rule Impact (if applicable)
+
+Removing AI will reduce admin load and rule complexity
+
+## Balance Considerations
+
+Given the lesser effect of lawboards, the existing lawboards in the nuclear operative and traitor shops will be reduced, and other traitor lawboards reduced in their effective cost, or removed entierly.
+
+No other balance changes should be neccesary based off of the conversations on this topic. Security already have breaching charges should they need to enter a department in a loud manner, and HoP/Captain/Engineers or even borgs can assist in other such situations.