Content Suggestion Ability for CCTV Stations to access Headcam Feeds

[Emilia Foddg]

What does this suggestion change/add/remove:​

Add the ability to view headcam feeds to CCTV stations.

Additionally in this context, consider cross-faction implications: For example, CCTV stations inside the facility would be able to see headcams on F roles if accessed with an F CL3 keycard. Should then for example, a CI with an F CL3 keycard be able to look through the headcams of Foundation jobs in this manner? A decision should be made as to whether only the faction who is using the CCTV, can view that faction's headcams (GOC/CI would not be able to view F headcams when viewing via CCTV stations in F) or if there are circumstances under which the other GOIs could access F's headcams.

Spoiler: Addendum To Cross-Faction Implications - Potential Metagame & Balancing Considerations

If it is decided that GOIs could access F headcams in this manner, then for preventing metagaming DCs and such (i.e. if they use the CCTV station and it literally shows for the player that "MCOM Jobson Jay Moor-Ohrdr" is viewing their headcam), in the circumstance where the player whose headcam is being viewed showing who is on their headcam, exclusively for access from CCTV stations, show "LCZ/HCZ CCTV" or in the case of FL3/some other IC sensitive location with a CCTV station, "[REDACTED]" instead of the specific player's name.

If it is deemed too powerful for GOC/CI to simply be able to access headcams via CCTC stations by simple virtue of having an F CL3 keycard - Or otherwise not valuable/useful enough of a feature for them, as they would be instantly be given away by the player being told that someone is on their cams from CCTV, consider any or a mix of:

• CI/GOC getting headcam access via CCTV stations must be done exclusively via an item that can only be acquired via Warfunds, to then be used on the CCTV station, which would grant them that headcam access for a set length of time.
  
  • Alternatively, said item could make their access silent (Not showing to the player that they're on their headcam)
    
• Either of the above, but accomplished by using the hacking tool on the CCTV station instead.

Has something similar been suggested before? If so, why is your suggestion different?:​

There have been headcam and CCTV suggestions in the past, but nothing like this specifically.

There's this active suggestion for deployable cameras to add to headcam system, which this could harmonise well with.

Possible Positives of the suggestion (At least 2):​

• + More value to and use of (at least F's) CCTV stations - Which are largely considered to be underused features & locations
  
  
• + Additional places of interest for CI/GOC DCs - Promoting less directly confrontational and more passive-style intel gathering type gameplay for them
  
  
• + Somewhat more value to and use of headcams

Possible Negatives of the suggestion:​

• - Significant development work required - May require large reworks of the existing CCTV system and/or headcams system to make it work, with potential performance concerns, may be too much work for too little result, may not be possible/feasible
  
  
• - Abuse - If this is only viewing the feeds the same way personnel tablets do, CCTV as-is is already particularly abusable (i.e. Players getting access to CCTV rooms and minging by just repeatedly opening D-Class doors). Although with headcams, there is already a lot of "X get off my headcam" that happens with existing headcams, this could further exacerbate that
  
  
• - Underutilisation
  
  
• - Potentially Undesired Ramifications on related Gameplay Loops

Based on the Positives & Negatives, why should this suggestion be accepted:​

A thought I had. I remember there being recent discussion about the use of CCTV and its place in server content. I wondered if adding headcams to it would accrue any interest in it as a fixture? I think that being able to

Admittedly, this is an F-centric feature; There's a little for GOC/CI if it's decided that CI could use F CL3 keycards on CCTV to access F headcams, which I think could have some tactical value - And from there, there's the need to then check CCTV for intruders if people see that someone is on their headcam at CCTV. That's potential additional extra gameplay variety for CI/GOC/GSD/DEA/Nu7/E-11/AO.

With that, I will state off the bat that I am not specifically advocating for one way or the other with the cross-faction implications, as while I recognise the potential benefits of doing so, I also can appreciate the inherent issues with allowing that from both implementation and gameplay perspectives.

Additionally on that front, consider the following and feel free to discuss:

• F can always easily confirm whether or not an ally would be viewing their headcam from a CCTV station via the use of comms (Would this be considered metagaming?) - And that locations such as FL3 CCTV are very difficult for CI to both get to and maintain presence at, by virtue of being right next to A-1 bunks.
  
  
• Is this at all tactically valuable for CI/GOC? Could you send a DC in ahead of an MR to get into CCTV and get on headcams of C1 responders to feed info to MR? Would the relevant roles then just consider turning off their headcams and/or shooting cameras as part of initial C1 response? Is there anything interesting here or am I being crazy? I think there's something there, I don't know.
  
  
• And more!