Make 079 more threatening

Mar 5, 2024
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What does this suggestion change/add/remove:

Let's SCP-079 do more with its powers, especially with regards to computers and electric power sources. [I.E. Printing Rogue Documents, displaying cognitohazards on the monitor.]

Has something similar been suggested before? If so, why is your suggestion different?:
Not to my knowledge, nothing on the dev tracker and the search function didn't yield any results.

Possible Positives of the suggestion (At least 2):
- Allows SCP-079 to do more with computers besides just draining their power.
- Lets SCP-079 be as powerful as it should be. (XK-VIP SCP and under 2 CL4 doors... currently sucks.)
- Could allow for more gameplay for technicians since lord knows they don't do enough.

Possible Negatives of the suggestion:
- Someone could turn a computer into a cognitohazard during an RP scenario and it could disrupt the flow of it.
- Devs have to code this and they are pretty swamped.
- Someone who is good at 079 can become a real nuisance to every foundation server.

Based on the Positives & Negatives, why should this suggestion be accepted:
Now before you skim through and -Support out of principle (or perhaps even hatred of 079), let me plead my case to the people of CN and also the content team.
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First, more to do with its powers:

SCP-079 is currently a somewhat weak SCP. Now I am not one to often harp about balance because I think things are currently balanced pretty well at the moment... That being said, SCP-079 could use a tune up or two.

Why is that? Well, SCP-079 is locked behind XK-VIP, which costs 80 GPB. It is also an SCP locked behind not one, but two CL4 doors. With that kind of prestige, you'd think that its breach would be catastrophic... but it isn't.

Currently, SCP-079's best way to earn energy is to run around breaking cameras and messing with keycards till they eventually level up enough to breach an SCP. It would be more interesting if 079 had more to do with the electronics around site, such as displaying cognitohazards on PCs (You can already do this with a TE-5) or printing pictures of cognitohazards (3078... or 096 if it's on.). Furthermore, it would be interesting if some kind of re-design could be worked for its re-containment (I'd leave that up to Content tbh. I think the hack is fine but I know it has haters).

Some other ideas I had and could possibly implement:
  • 079 being able to knock out generators: 079 was able to do this back when it was an invisible TE-5 with noclip. I understand why this was not implemented into the modern version as using energy is way easier than a successful CL6 hack. I believe the best way this could be implemented is at max level for 079, using up the most energy to knock generators out.

  • 079 and Site Power: Not sure if he was able to do this back then, but 079 should at least be able to knock out power for electronics such as tesla gates. This is supplementary to the whole generator stuff I mentioned in the previous point, but this would make his breach far more deadly, as not only would he turn off the lights, but also enable other SCPs to get through tesla gates unharmed.

  • 079 and the PA system: Let 079 make bogus calls on the PA system. Do not let it change Codes, but it'd be funny if 079 could cause site disruption by requesting people around site where they aren't needed. Perhaps even add specialized calls that are designed to disrupt site activity.

SCP-079 and RP implications
Next to no one RPs with this goddamn thing, and why would they? You cannot physically interact with the SCP, you cannot sample the SCP, and if it breaches, the only way to contain it is to do a CL5 hack inside its chamber where it cannot even defend itself. It is entirely reliant on an opposing faction or another SCP to defend it. How does this lead to RP? Well after the dust has settled, what is the impact of the breach? What has 079 done to the site?

Its breached an SCP or two, it jammed a door or two, and it probably caused a couple deaths in the process.

Personally, I think SCP-079 should send the site into disrepair. Something that would require coordinated effort from site staff, MTFs, and other site personnel. I don't think 079 should info-leak or set off the nuke, but it should throw foundation for a loop or two when it does get breached.

Thesis statement:
079 is a CL4 SCP that canonically has the potential to be site ruining if it spread out, but currently, it feels like its main job is to turn the lights off, breach SCPs, and jam a whole lot of doors, and while that is deadly, it certainly isn't divergent gameplay-wise or interesting for RP.
 
Mostly +support, some things I would find problematic though.
Printing Rogue Documents, displaying cognitohazards on the monitor
This is a fine change imo. Only give it some cooldown and a decent power cost, especially on the cognitohazard part, as otherwise you would be able to get every pc on site quickly. There is also the split of: showing the cognitohazard immidiatelly OR making it like the hack that it shows it once you try to open it, both seem fair but would need different stats to compensate. As for docs thats just a nieche change I dont have much against. Also printing an 096 picture should be close to, if not the same cost as breaching the SCP normally. 3078 is fine, just with some decent energy cost.

SCP-079 is currently a somewhat weak SCP. Now I am not one to often harp about balance because I think things are currently balanced pretty well at the moment... That being said, SCP-079 could use a tune up or two.
Now this is something that can or cannot be true. 079 is almost entirely a support SCP that cannot kill people on his own (outside of dropping nades from dispensers and maybe an occasional BD squish), meaning that he has to amplify another force.
This means that if you get good SCP players who are willing to cooperate and/or CI holding your chamber so you do not get RC'd, you can make breaches last much longer then they would otherwise. However if you breach from the queue at a not so good time and/or the other SCPs dont give a shit about you, you will do nothing and get RC'd easily, since you cannot defend yourself at all. You need to rely on other people doing good so you do good.
Another thing is that 079 requires you to use your brain. You cannot immidiatelly go and announce that you are breached (unless its already known with like CI in your chamber) otherwise you just waste a breach queue spot.
You need to farm levels somewhere hidden, you need your allies to do well and that is something you cannot really influence much.
Currently, SCP-079's best way to earn energy is to run around breaking cameras and messing with keycards till they eventually level up enough to breach an SCP.
And yeah, this is just slop gameplay imo, but unfortunatelly its the most optimal.

Now to the 3 other changes you proposed.
  • 079 and the PA system: Let 079 make bogus calls on the PA system. Do not let it change Codes, but it'd be funny if 079 could cause site disruption by requesting people around site where they aren't needed. Perhaps even add specialized calls that are designed to disrupt site activity.
This one is fine. Its good that you cannot change codes, but calling people using the PA system is fine. You are not hurting anyone, and you are supporting the other SCPs by diverting some combatives or allowing them to sneak somewhere unnoticed. (even then like no one listens to the PA😭).

079 and Site Power: Not sure if he was able to do this back then, but 079 should at least be able to knock out power for electronics such as tesla gates. This is supplementary to the whole generator stuff I mentioned in the previous point, but this would make his breach far more deadly, as not only would he turn off the lights, but also enable other SCPs to get through tesla gates unharmed.
Cant it already do so with teslas? I thought teslas were on a keypad toggleable by 079. Hm. But if you mean the electrical boxes, it would be too strong if it can do it by itself. Perhaps it can hack the box and an SCP can press the lever? Just something to 079 cant immidiatelly cut power to every damn system in the facility.

079 being able to knock out generators: 079 was able to do this back when it was an invisible TE-5 with noclip. I understand why this was not implemented into the modern version as using energy is way easier than a successful CL6 hack. I believe the best way this could be implemented is at max level for 079, using up the most energy to knock generators out.
Now this one is the trickiest. Turning off everything would be really strong. The only way I see this balanced is if you can turn them off one by one, with a long cooldown, while costing like all of the energy at max level. Because if it could pull that off, then it either needed to stay breached for a long while (which awards cooperation with other SCPs or skill by staying off the radar) alongside a time and resource (levels+energy) investement. Would need some balancing, but I would not fully throw it out of the picture.

SCP-079 and RP implications
Yeah, this just sucks. But the reason cannot be fixed by just Muh recontain it better. Look at the other SCPs, their RC method is B E A M or to just murder them, no RP there either. And thats because its a CL4 SCP. HOWEVER, compared to what was stated above (at least on UK), CL3 RSD should be able to know about 079, and all the other CL4 SCPs (with 008 being locked behind bio researcher), as is stated in the official [UK] Clearance Level Knowledge (approved by UK SSL). I personally think that could be fixed by a slight push from RSD leadership towards CL3 researchers, and granting them permissions to test on it and the other CL4 SCPs if the test idea is good. This would also break the stigma of CL4 SCP, must not speak, otherwise I will be fucked, as that just sucks for everyone. Yes, they should be kept somewhat secret, and will inherently be less tested on then CL1-CL3 SCPs, but they should have some interaction.
 
Cant it already do so with teslas? I thought teslas were on a keypad toggleable by 079. Hm. But if you mean the electrical boxes, it would be too strong if it can do it by itself. Perhaps it can hack the box and an SCP can press the lever? Just something to 079 cant immidiatelly cut power to every damn system in the facility.
It cant! Tesla gates are levers and it cannot interact with interactables atm.

Now this one is the trickiest. Turning off everything would be really strong. The only way I see this balanced is if you can turn them off one by one, with a long cooldown, while costing like all of the energy at max level. Because if it could pull that off, then it either needed to stay breached for a long while (which awards cooperation with other SCPs or skill by staying off the radar) alongside a time and resource (levels+energy) investement. Would need some balancing, but I would not fully throw it out of the picture.
Yeah the idea is that you'd take out one generator at a time, not all generators.
 
079 being able to knock out generators: 079 was able to do this back when it was an invisible TE-5 with noclip. I understand why this was not implemented into the modern version as using energy is way easier than a successful CL6 hack. I believe the best way this could be implemented is at max level for 079, using up the most energy to knock generators out.
079 could never disable or break any generators. He could hack them due to his TE-5, sure, but hacking them only allows you to access the boxes, which in turn allows you to break them. 079 could hack them, but he could never actually break them. No clue where the idea of him being able to originally just break them came from, or else his breaches would've been endless in the past (Just break dispenser box over and over)

Anyways, +/-Support
 
I’m gonna go point by point here cause you do bring up some valid points here but I do not think my perspective came across well.
[...]


I. I don't know if you've been encountering 079 breaches as of late but they really are hard to spot if the player knows what they're doing. Unless 079 goes out of its way to open and close doors in public or announce itself it's hard to tell, you've got a 10-20 minute window until your box flashes red, during which you can gather the power and start releasing SCPs. At which point they'll probably just come to your CC and clean house.

E-11 getting override doesn't help it by much and doesn't change the facts - The ability to breach, silently too by the way, is what makes 079 deadly and E-11 can go in its chamber 20 times if they want to but without honest suspicion or the box flashing red they can't do diddly squad.

II. This is not unrealistic at all and I can already tell you why - Firstly, the currently agreed upon price for VP is 120,000 ingame cash. This fluctuates a little typically but 120k is the set ideal. Some pay as low as 100k cus they're getting a friend to sell it to them and some pay up to 150k because THEY'RE GETTING SCAMMED and at that point it's Darwinism my man. Hell, there's a guy out there who sells them for 50k a pop just cus he can.

And another thing - You say new players can't get 1,2 mil easily.. Let me then ask, why would you expect a new player to have VIP? Especially one that high? Maybe we just disagree when VIP should be purchased and I say it's when you've established yourself within the server. If you play often enough and do good as well as involve yourself in all sorts of stuff you could have roughly 300k in your first month on the server, selling chems to the right people gets you even higher. I'm sorry but I cannot hope to shed a tear for them as I've gone down the same path.


III. The issue with this is not being fun; Often people will say "Breaches aren't meant to be convenient" as if they're supposed to replicate a monotonous real-life task. No, sitting in the dark for 10 minutes isn't 'scary' or enjoyable. It's just a disguised handicap.

Also you're in E-11, you should know that we always prio SCPs like 079 and have a squad just for it.
 
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079 could never disable or break any generators. He could hack them due to his TE-5, sure, but hacking them only allows you to access the boxes, which in turn allows you to break them. 079 could hack them, but he could never actually break them. No clue where the idea of him being able to originally just break them came from, or else his breaches would've been endless in the past (Just break dispenser box over and over)

Anyways, +/-Support
I seem to have gotten mixed up a bit.

Regardless, the way I have presented the idea is clear enough. Let him gain some semblance of being able to disrupt site power if he was able to level up in secret.