Shadowling: A gamemode from previously-run events

[Xhuis]

Lore:

Spoiler:

>Welcome to NanOS!
>Input username: eisenhowerh
>Input password: **********
>Welcome, Holt Eisenhower!
>The system time is 2:2717:15.
>The system ID is "centcom_data3951b"
>Current GLOBAL notice: "Someone needs to do something about the dumbasses we keep letting into our management team -W.H.S."
>Current LOCAL notice: "This is really getting out of hand -F.R."
>home: cd file/reports
>/home/file/reports: open_file
>File to open?: shdw_latest_rev
>Opening file "shdw_latest_rev"...

Current Information: Shadowlings

These alien lifeforms have a few unique traits that distinguishes them from their close cousins, the changelings. Shadowlings, like changeling, possess inhuman powers and can speak to each other through an innate hivemind. However, all similarities stop there. Shadowlings are seemingly eldritch in their nature and abilities. Using the darkness as their only defense, shadowlings are very similar to humans in physiology and makeup. However, unlike humans, their skin is very sensitive to the light, to the point where they will rapidly die if exposed to any considerable light levels. Shadowlings can see within the dark, making it ultimately their ally.

However, the reach of the shadowlings doesn't only extend within darkened tunnels. In fact, shadowlings can enslave the humans on board the station, simply by choking them and staring into their eyes. These humans are irrecoverable, their minds warped beyond recovery, and will do everything possible to help the shadowling. The corporate slaving implants of all organizations mean nothing to the shadowling, who will simply break past it. The influence of the shadowling overrides all previous loyalties. Those unfortunate enough to be enslaved are called thralls and may hear the shadowling over their hive communications. While shadowlings can speak on the hivemind, thralls can only hear, never communicate. The more thralls a shadowling has, the more ultimately powerful the shadowling will be.

Little is known about the abilities of the shadowling. Those who have encountered them have seen them vanish into thin air, flicker off all electrical light sources in the area, and chill an area akin to space, freezing those unfortunate enough to be nearby. However, Nanotrasen scientists have discovered one thing based on shaky security-camera footage from destroyed stations. Those enthralled by the shadowling use their life force to empower it. This does not affect the thralls until the shadowling is ready to "ascend". Upon this ascendance, all thralls will instantly die. They are irrecoverable and can never be brought back. However, their master become a force of unstoppable power. All lights on the station shatter. A wail echoes through the hallways.

However, although this may seem hopeless, Nanotrasen has discovered many tactics that can be used against a shadowling. For one, its shrieks only affect electrical light sources. If one were to use, say, a torch, the raw fire providing the light could not be extinguished by a shriek (although a lantern would simply shatter). Furthermore, light-sensitive skin samples, coupled with extensive testing, has determined that all fire will kill a shadowling. This includes lasers, welding tools, and fire itself. Flashbangs have shown incredible results, simply disintegrating skin caught in the blast radius.

While shadowlings have previously not been a threat, recent reports aboard Nanotrasen space stations has changed the corporate standpoint on these creatures. These creatures die when in the light of the stars, and seem to have developed a method of avoiding that fate. Shadowlings can, at the cost of suppressing many of their powers, disguise as a normal human for an indefinite time. However, in order to unlock their full potential, they have to go some sort of evolution process not fully understood. What is known, however, is that they develop a nigh-impenetrable chrysalis around themselves that deflects all but the most powerful of attacks. Even pulse rifles have no effect. In addition, the chrysalis, once fulfilling its purpose, will rapidly decay in a little under five minutes.

That's all we currently know. This file is strictly confidential and is to be kept within Security Class IV consoles. Do not send this information unless shadowlings are reported in the sectors at or near Space Station 13. --H.E.

>exit
>/home/file/reports: sendfile
>File to send?: shdw_latest_rev
>New message from "sysadmin": "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING"
>Reply to message?: N
>NOTICE: The file you have selected has a Security Level IV clearance requirement. Input password. *************
>Password accepted. Input destination console ID. ntss13#2
>Input method of transportation. high_confidential
>New message from "sysadmin": "Talk to me right now or im sending a fucking team down there"
>Reply to message?: N
>Sending file "shdw_latest_rev" to communications console "ntss13#2" in the Captain's Office...
>Sending complete! Display command update aboard station? N
>/home/file/reports: cd
>home: del
>Delete which file or folder? /file/reports/shdw_latest_rev
>NOTICE: The file you have selected has a Security Level IV clearance requirement. Input password. *************
>Confirm deletion of file? N
>Deletion cancelled.
>New message from "sysadmin": "Bro, you're fucked. Deathsquad is dispatched, you know you can't just give that shit out"
>Reply to message?: N
>home: set_logon_notice
>What type of notice? global
>NOTICE: Manual control of computer assumed.
>cancel_all_commands
>home: lockdown office_3951b **********
>Office of "Holt Eisenhower" (ID 3951B) locked down.
>home: chat open sysadmin
>Chat opened with user sysadmin.
>NOTICE: Manual control of computer revoked.
>CHAT: sysadmin: "why didnt you tell us first?"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "I knew you wouldn't listen"
>CHAT: sysadmin: "you think this is a fucking game? there's a deathsquad on your fucking doorstep. explain yourself"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "You know I can't do that."
>CHAT: sysadmin: "this isnt a fucking movie dude! do it now or you're gonna get KILLED for violatnig protocol"
>CHAT: sysadmin: "violating*"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "Okay, how about this. Two of our next employees for SS13 have gone missing, and their corpses were found in a closet. They're confirmed as present and about to start their next shift on SS13 now"
>CHAT: sysadmin: "oh shit what are we supposed to do, we can't get in touch with them that fast"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "We cant really do anything right now except warn them and hope they"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "sorry hit enter by accident. can you call off the squids?"
>CHAT: sysadmin: "yeah, gimme a sec"
>CHAT: sysadmin: "k, they stopped suiting up. mighty disappointed tho"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "That doesn't matter. The file is sent, and with luck the officials about to leave will see it and put it in the intercept we're gonna send anyway."
>CHAT: sysadmin: "ok man, thanks for informing us, thsi is really bad....your office is unlocked btw"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "I know. Just pray for luck I guess"
>CHAT: eisenhowerh: "/exit"
>home: shutdown
>NanOS is shutting down. Goodbye, Holt Eisenhowever, and have a safe day!

Shadowling is a gamemode based off of previously run events. In a nutshell, there are aliens aboard the station called shadowlings (go figure). These shadowlings possess the ability to 'enthrall' other humans by choking them and staring into their eyes. This will enslave the human, breaching all implants, and force the human to obey the shadowling. Shadowlings start off diguised as humans and possess only the ability to enthrall, but they can also form a chrysalis around themselves and "hatch". This will remove their disguise, exposing their glaring weakness, but also grant them new powers.

When hatched: shadowlings die rapidly in the light. When in lit areas, shadowlings will take burn damage very quickly and die within moments. They also take more damage from fire-based weaponry such as welders and laser guns. To counteract this, however, shadowlings heal quickly in the darkness and have full night and thermal vision. They are unable to wear conventional items (excluding backpacks and radios) and are immune to space. They never get hungry and any oxygen damage they take is rapidly healed. This makes them immune to hard vacuum (but not to the light of the stars).

Shadowlings also have a hivemind. All shadowlings can speak on this channel, but thralls (people who are enthralled by the shadowling) can only hear on it. The goal of every shadowling is to collectively, between all shadowlings, enthrall fifteen crew members. Once this is done, the shadowling can draw upon the life force of these fifteen thralls, killing them all. However, in the process, it will become an unstoppable force. The shuttle will be sent automatically, and the shadowling will succeed the round.

Shadowlings have a variety of abilities, from paralyzing with a glare to freezing the air around it. Thankfully, they seem to come in small numbers, and simply staying out of darkened areas may be sufficient to avoiding them.

You can keep up with the progress of shadowling in this thread. All code is free to view and will be updated as I write it, at the following link:
https://github.com/Xhuis/-tg-station/tr ... g_gamemode

Updates will be posted whenever I do them.

Current estimated time of release: By the end of April

[danno]

that night vision better be toggleable
it would be dumb if they couldn't actually tell what areas were lighted

[Cipher3]

that night vision better be toggleable
it would be dumb if they couldn't actually tell what areas were lighted

That's so obvious, why didn't I even consider that. They should definitely have some consistent way of telling light levels.

[Xhuis]

that night vision better be toggleable
it would be dumb if they couldn't actually tell what areas were lighted

Right now the night vision doesn't cover all tiles, instead covering about three. You can still tell how light levels are. I will probably make it toggleable.

[Cipher3]

What'd be really cool is if you could invert light and darkness for the shadowling player, so light looked dark and dark was bright.

[Xhuis]

What'd be really cool is if you could invert light and darkness for the shadowling player, so light looked dark and dark was bright.

That'd be hella hard. Probably not possible.

[Cipher3]

Yeah, figured. Just would've been sweet.

[Xhuis]

Today's update has been uploaded. In this change:

-Adds the first ability, Hatch. It's still broken but it has little errors left.
-Tweaked some stuff.

[Skyglazer]

>staring into their eyes
ERP when

[Steelpoint]

Pretty cool thus far. Interested in seeing how this goes.

[deathhoof]

Im concerned that shadowlings are going to be rekt by sources of stuns.

[Xhuis]

Im concerned that shadowlings are going to be rekt by sources of stuns.

They have stun reduction in the darkness. They also have abilities to vanish and such.

[deathhoof]

Could shadowlings perhaps get something like a shadow shield so that they will have a hard counter to stuns?
I think the shadow shield should work something like this:
in complete darkness:
>100% projectile block chance
>50% damage taken from blocked burning projectiles (ie lasers , thrown welders)
>minor damage taken from blocked taser shots, but stun is negated
>blocked kinetic projectiles deal no damage
(Thus its just like an eshield at this stage but it inflicts damage to the ling when hit by certain things)

in moderate darkness
>80% block chance
>70% damage taken from burning projectiles
>rest of stats like above
(At this stage stuns can still slip through due to reduced block chance)

in low darkness
>60% block chance
>90% damage taken from burning projectiles
>rest of stats like above
(at this point the shield no longer worth using for avoiding stuns due to 60% block chance, but it could still be handy aginst oponents armed with shotguns or syringe guns or even melee weapons because melee attacks will sometimes be blocked in typical shield fashion, and kinetic projectiles will only have a 40% success rate)

in light
>shield automatically reabsorbs back into the ling

[Miauw]

you could already make a PR, makes it much easier for coders to track your progress since nobody seems to use this subforum.

[Babin]

I just had a thought. What's to stop someone from just walking around with their PDA light on? Add in flashlights (which can be moved to slowly lock down a shadowling in maintain) and there doesn't seem so be much they can do about it.

[Xhuis]

I just had a thought. What's to stop someone from just walking around with their PDA light on? Add in flashlights (which can be moved to slowly lock down a shadowling in maintain) and there doesn't seem so be much they can do about it.

Shadowlings will have an ability to turn off flashlights in a small area. That, coupled with the ability to phase through walls, will make it hard for people to pen them in.

[KAP]

And How does the Starlight figure into all of this, in mait if they walk by a window they'd be exposed to light at this point.

They should have something like a 'light' resistance maybe, if the light isn't string enough for more than like three tiles, it probably shouldn't do anything to them.

[Xhuis]

And How does the Starlight figure into all of this, in mait if they walk by a window they'd be exposed to light at this point.

They should have something like a 'light' resistance maybe, if the light isn't string enough for more than like three tiles, it probably shouldn't do anything to them.

Shadowlings take damage not based on the light amount but if there's a decent amount at all. The starlight going through windows isn't enough to start damaging you.