Allow researchers to upgrade components (RPED+Usefullness of components)

[EMT321]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary):
Allow the researcher/CMO to upgrade existing machinery (Cryo/Sleeper/Autolathes/Freezer/SMES/Etc.) with components made from the protolathe. Currently, components do not factor into the efficacy of a machine: micro-manipulators and pico-manipulators exhibit no change. Additionally, add the Rapid Part Exchange Device (RPED) to facilitate this.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole):
It would allow for researchers to proactively help the entire crew, outside of making 2 laser scalpels and then becoming a grenade factory. This is an already-existing functionality which would greatly improve the ability for researches to positively provide for the crew on the sulaco, at minimal change.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc):
In the same manner as on regular Baystation (or really any TG codebase derivative), utilizing upgraded manipulators/matter bins/scanning modules/Micro-lasers allows for increased functionality; examples include cheaper material costs or lower freezer temperatures, and increased healing for medical machinery.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it):

As with most every other codebase (Baystation included), there is existing code which allows for components to positively impact the operation of machinery they are in. I have been told by staff that they are unsure as to why the components do not affect the operation of machinery they are in- leading me to believe they are commented out. Additionally, I can see concerns raised with auto-cloners (phasic scanning modules enable cloners to insta-clone upon death). A solution to that would be to either directly forbid upgrades thereof (perhaps a friendly note in cloning?) or make cloners incapable of being disassembled, much like current chem dispensers are. A tertiary solution (which I would advocate less for) would be removing phasic scanning modules from the craftable protolathe list.

I believe this is the relevant code: https://goo.gl/9A28fB

[username123]

+1, current r&d is crap and you can't really make usefull things, best you can do in r&d is grenades or clonning pad circuits that are not that useful, it takes an eternity to print a lot of components and upgraning the machines does not increase the efficiency on the use of materials, we literally have the worst r&d system of all the servers of ss13 and this needs to change with the r&d update that apop is going to implement.

[MauroVega]

+1 but protolathe CAN be upgraded,manually

[EMT321]

No, components dont actually do anything. Even dissasembling/reassembling with better parts changes nothing. I've tested a few times.

[username123]

No, components dont actually do anything. Even dissasembling/reassembling with better parts changes nothing. I've tested a few times.

For the prolathe and autolathe, the super matter bins upgrate the capacity of materials you can pu in them, but the upgraded manipulators does nothing.

[EMT321]

I mean, besides the awful UI for proto/autolathes (no menus, no queing items), this seems like it would make researcher semi-functional

[Azmodan412]

An update was said to be incoming.

[Snypehunter007]

Old topic, lack of support.

Asking this to be locked.

[Crab_Spider]

Snype this post has my support! With the powers invested in my bank account, I demand this thread be bumped!

+1 Because we need to be able to upgrade our machines quickly and efficiently. Having to constantly place the new parts in a container isnt very practical, plus, Marines need to dismantle that autolathe in robotics, but without knowledge for creating such tech, they cannot do so. An RPED would remove some of the meta tagging on this subject and encourage researchers to send down upgraded parts for these machines.

Bumping this thread

[Jembo]

The code for this already exists on open source servers so I don't see how this isn't an easy fix to overall improve a dull department. +1

[Snypehunter007]

We are currently rethinking research. I am locking this for now.