Summary: Add a new verb that gives an overview of a faction's knowledge about the opponents and when that fact was learned.
Details: Using that verb would open a new window with a list of commonly mentioned points that would constitute metagaming in the eyes of many people. Next to that fact would be an indicator showing the knowledge state regarding said fact. If a fact is known, players are free to act on this. If not, anyone acting on this knowledge is punished via the guidelines for banevasion during the first two weeks after this is implemented, in order to hammer in the fact that a new era has dawned; after the introductory phase, regular metagaming punishment will be applied.
To reduce arguing in ahelps, a timecode is also added next to the indicator to show when knowledge became available. When for example talking about meta-targeting, admins can then compare the timecode of attack logs on T3 castes with that meta-timer. When pointing out that a boiler was shot before that fact became known to snipers, offenders will instantly falter and accept punishment for their disgusting behaviour. Conversely, it would protect marines from having to argue that the fact was already known when they shot their HPR.
The proposed lists for metafacts are as follows. The first section is what that fact is using as a string to be represented in the fact window, the section after the first "--" shows what exactly is being checked. The third section, after the second "--", lists what differs from normal gameplay before the fact becomes known, the last section what happens extra when it is known.
Xenomorphs
- Reincarnation -- A xenomorph has witnessed a dead host transition back to life by a medically trained human's use of a defibrillator. -- Xenomorphs can only drag dead marines for 15 tiles at a time, after which they will drop them and can't pick up the body for another 5 minutes. This applies to devouring as well. Dropping or regurgitating after 14 tiles does not reset the range limit. -- Xenomorphs move 50% faster dragging a dead marine that can still be defibbed.
- Individuality Equals Power -- A xenomorph has witnessed an order being issued, a special weapon being fired (spec weapons, smartguns), a metal barricade being constructed, or a marine being defibrillated. -- Slashes against non-PFC roles only do 95% damage. -- For xenomorph players, a 3px wide border is drawn around the sprite of (a)SLs, Command roles, specialists, engineers, medics, and smartgunners, making them easier to click and identify.
- Lasers Summon Explosions -- A xenomorph has seen a laser and was in earshot when ordnance fired on that marker has dropped. -- Xenomorph players see the laser dot with 90% transparency. -- Xenomorph players can stand on the dot, blocking it for pilots. Whenever a dot gets created within 10 tiles of a xenomorph, a special sound is played for that player and an arrow sprite points at it for them only; the arrow points at a screen edge when the dot is not in view range. Attached to the arrow is a 24px high "CAS!" sign, flashing in bright colors.
- Red Rocks Lead to Death -- A xenomorph has witnessed an orbital beacon firing and was in earshot when the ordnance landed. -- Xenomorph players see deployed OBs with 90% transparency. -- Whenever an OB fires, the arrival of the shell is delayed until xenomorphs have repositioned so that none take more than 50% damage. OBs can be molten by acid when deployed.
- Will to Selfdestruct -- A xenomorph has witnessed a marine being hit by explosive damage from a grenade, rocket, tank round, or claymore. -- Xenomorphs can not slash the SD APC. -- On the Almayer, xenomorphs will run 20% faster when moving east on the upper deck while the SD APC has not been disabled.
- Electrical Hivemind -- A xenomorph has heard the *crrrk* of a marine headset. -- The APC of the Telecomms area on the Almayer and groundlevel can not be slashed. -- While a xenomorph exists on the same z-level as a Telecommunications APC, that APC every 5 minutes has a 20% to malfunction, needing a new circuitboard.
- Wildlife Is Hostile -- Ten marines have died to xenomorph slashing or bursting. May become known from survivor RP. -- All weapons have zero accuracy when checking to hit xenomorphs. Melee attacks do not occur, instead "Why would you harm this docile animal?" is pushed to the marine trying to attack. -- Weapons behave regularly regarding xenomorphs.
- Crabs Knock Out -- Marines were hugged by facehuggers and fell unconscious. -- Facehuggers can not be killed, eggs not destroyed. May become known from survivor RP. -- Weapons behave regularly regarding facehuggers and eggs.
- Crabs Infect -- Larvas have burst from marines' chests. Colony bodies do not relay this knowledge without a formal autopsy. May become known from survivor RP. -- Medical equipment does not identify infections. Exploratory surgery mistakes larvas for extra-healthy intestines. Marines can not commit suicide by gun. -- Weapons behave regularly regarding suicide.
- They Have a Hive -- 20 marines have been conscious in a nest and have seen the queen with an ovipositor. -- Marines physically can not enter xenomorph areas, i.e. cross the river on LV, move past timed gates on PS, enter the underground on IC, or enter the caves on BR. -- Weapons behave regularly regarding invisible walls.
Implementation:
For the xenomorph side:
The xeno hivemind automatically updates whenever a xenomorph is close enough to sense the respective action happening. Any time a marine gets revived, for example, a check is performed to see if a xeno is in range - this uses the same system as the pushing of visual information to a player's textlog; if they would receive the text, the fact is toggled to "witnessed". The toggling of the metafact is announced via queen-message-like texts.
For the marine side:
Commanders receive the option to toggle the knowledge state of metafacts when giving an announcement. This functionality is limited to whitelisted players only to prevent abuse - should they toggle a factstate without mentioning it and how it became known to them in the announcement, they will lose their whitelist and their private address will be leaked. Rounds without COs will be refreshing by having marines rely on their survival capabilities instead of their offensive robustness.
The indicator for a fact being available to a side should be this (image to scale):
► Show Spoiler
It can not fail, is 100% foolproof, will maximise the fun and end salt about metagaming forever, is the saviour of RP and CM in general. Suggestions for additional metafacts welcome.
This is a medium effort shitpost. Please do not spam the gitlab with joke suggestions. Even after cleaning this of the obviously facetious elements.
Chibi Leon by Okand37. Huge thanks to her!