Lack Of EMS - Discussion

[Cambin]

As of late, there are either 4 EMS available and hanging out at Legion, or none during US peak play times (5-10pm EST). The past few days alone, there have been 4-6 LSPD and 0-1 EMS clocked on. If people aren't finding the role enjoyable or worthwhile and won't clock on, then there's an underlying issue.

Perhaps EMS needs tweaks to make it more engaging, fun, or possibly the pay/incentives need to be adjusted to promote people to clock on more frequently? 

Edited November 15, 2018 by Dale Firebird

[ImVexal]

They were given the ability to deal with local calls when on duty to make it not so boring.

[Victor]

15 minutes ago, ImVexal said:

They were given the ability to deal with local calls when on duty to make it not so boring.

I dare you to become EMT and do those local calls. See how much you will love em.

[ImVexal]

17 minutes ago, Victor said:

I dare you to become EMT and do those local calls. See how much you will love em.

Ill pass, i made a comment to the OP mentioning that something was implemented to assist. I have no idea how good it is, or how it really operates. 

Edited November 15, 2018 by ImVexal
Altered

[Flori]

Ok, this is the thing:
Most people join EMS for the fun in the RP, that is when we get calls and actually get to treat patients. When we clock on, we never know how many calls we will get, often it gets busy, and at many times it gets reaaaally quiet, which makes us idle. On duty medics can't just freely go do whatever they do as civs, so at some point after a while of just waiting for calls, they would rather just clock off and play as civilians.

We have been bringing extra activities for those who choose to do them while waiting for calls, but like Victor said, not everybody finds them fun, because at the end of the day, they are not engaging in any RP directly with other players.

Monetary incentives are not something we will consider for this kind of issue for several reasons, after all we already have a good paycheck and a bonus for every revive.

We are moooore than open to ideas to make our shifts more entertaining when there are no calls, this is something we discuss pretty much on a weekly basis... the things we came up with were already implemented but we have to remember we are still on the clock and obviously can't just start doing things for fun that go against our own SOPs.

All that being said, we try to encourage our EMTs to stay busy RPing (not just hanging out at legion, I know many see this but not everybody does this while on duty) driving around, hanging out at the hospital, there are plenty of things that can me done (medical RP wise) blood drives, fire department inspections, some people do this kind of activities and they are the ones that normally stay on duty longer. It is at the end of the day, up to each one of us to deal with the facts as they are now, (knowing that we are always working to make things better) and still have fun while helping the population of Badlands.

[Flori]

36 minutes ago, ImVexal said:

They were given the ability to deal with local calls when on duty to make it not so boring.

Im gonna hire you to do the marketing for our recruiting campaigns!

Both whitelisted factions are necessary to have a fun and balanced RP experience. I am one hundred million thousand gazillion percent sure that it's up to the members of this community to help with this in whatever role they want to play. 

[ImVexal]

I am here for the fun & RP, I ain't here for the paycheck. We all are. You know i have put 7 months into LSPD and have made quite a bit of cash from it. If I had spent 7 months running drugs I would be sitting on a fat paycheck but I ain't, I chose the RP  instead to the grinding you are absolutely correct it is up to the community how they want to play. 

 

Personally, I don't know why no one is going on EMS. My statement was just in reference to show that something was implemented to occupy them when on duty. 

[Victor]

5 minutes ago, ImVexal said:

Personally, I don't know why no one is going on EMS.

ImVexal: "Maybe they get bored standing at legion for hours on end!

27 minutes ago, ImVexal said:

I am here for the fun & RP

Yet, you just suggested that EMS could do NPC taxi job where there is no RP what so ever.

29 minutes ago, ImVexal said:

I chose the RP  instead to the grinding

With your paycheck you dont have to grind.

But I agree that money is not going to fix lack of EMS issue.

Number one reason why I clock off EMS is when every encounter I get is "Just get me up real quick" - person.

Number two reason is that we have nothing to do outside calls. (Yes like Lili said you can do inspections and all that stuff but once again it depends on people and vast majority of people dont care to interract with us or are too busy doing something else)

[speed]

I think saying that there are no EMS on is a bit of an overstatement. There are downtimes for sure, and I’d have to run some numbers to confirm, but I actually believe EMS availability is better (or roughly as good) than ever.

We've been putting a lot of thought and effort into making the faction as valuable as possible, and I believe it’s been paying off. That said, people getting bored is and always will be an issue. It’s a well accepted fact in the senior EMS and dev teams that EMS need more to do on duty to make their job more fun. But it’s not easy coming up with content that fits well with their role. As Lili said, if you have any ideas we’re always more than willing to listen. Don’t take it the wrong way, but simply saying “EMS needs to be more fun” really isn’t helpful.

[Victor]

Something changed though Speed. When I was EMT (4-5 months ago), we had a lot of calls. But right now there are times where you can be on duty for hours on end and no calls at all. Id be happy if we just get calls tbh. After business update everything became so quiet and calls became less and less. Also I think many EMS that are on duty atm are same people over and over because when new person starts doing EMS and finds herself/himself waiting for call for hours. He will go apply for PD or just stops clocking on. But its just my observation.

[luna]

I've not been clocking on as much as I used to as I clock on for the RP and come across way too many people that make it obvious to you that they don't want your EMS RP and would rather you just be a "revive-bot".

Similarly, when people tell me things like "my head was smashed in with a hammer" but then proceed to rush you/sound like they aren't injured in the slightest. I understand that this isn't a serious RP server, but it does ruin my initial motivation to clock on and my own immersion into a role (how am I as an EMT supposed to say "oh ok, I can see that your skull is cracked open, but lemme just bandage you up here and send you on your way").

I hear a lot of people complaining when EMS are at legion, not doing much (I've had shifts were 3+hrs there are no calls or maybe 1 somewhere) or I've heard many times "EMS are lazy" but then these same people are the ones that don't want any RP (leading to EMS becoming bored/de-motivated) and then complain when EMS aren't clocked on much. And then there are the people that keep doing the same thing that makes them need EMS, and if we decide they have a "no-value life" attitude and not respond anymore, then we get berated by said people. This goes back to being made to feel like a "revive-bot".

Yes it would be great for us as a faction to come up with and suggest more things to be implemented to do on duty, but in the end it's the community RP that I value.

 

(I'm not saying everyone does this, but it does happen often enough to personally be a deterrent from clocking on).

[ImVexal]

6 minutes ago, Victor said:

Something changed though Speed. When I was EMT (4-5 months ago), we had a lot of calls. But right now there are times where you can be on duty for hours on end and no calls at all. Id be happy if we just get calls tbh. After business update everything became so quiet and calls became less and less. Also I think many EMS that are on duty atm are same people over and over because when new person starts doing EMS and finds herself/himself waiting for call for hours. He will go apply for PD or just stops clocking on. But its just my observation.

Perhaps people are valuing their lives more, and I know it can be frustrating rocking up on a scene and itas rushed because the civilian doesn't want the interaction. I dont know what the admins can do at this point to assist because people arent dying.  

[IAmOptimistic]

So the way I look at this is I originally signed up for EMT and had a blast for about a month. Then it started becoming slow during the time I was clocked in. I was patient at first but it was every time I clocked on from there on. I then applied for PD and ever since I became an officer I haven't clocked in much. 

So maybe there's a way we could get EMS and PD to work together on a few things. I'll explain more later.

[Kota]

I am telling you in my opinion, I think allowing EMT's to treat the injured state at the hospital after said person was just scrapped up off the ground would give them more to do in the downtime between calls. Also help promote multiple EMT's on duty as one could sit at the hospital if they wanted too and could be the doctor/nurse while the other attends to calls in the streets.... So long as calls are being covered. As so many people end up needing to use that thing daily it would just further the RP interactions of the faction and eliminate the nonplayer to player interaction for 500 bucks at central. 

 

Edited November 15, 2018 by Kota Taylor

[Flori]

@Kota Taylor this would only work if we eliminate pills and players are forced to either call EMS for us to treat them on site, or have to be treated at the hospital. As long as pills exist, the hospital walk-in patients will not fill our down times.

I will try to compile a few ideas that have been floating around for a while and post them on this thread to see if there is anything valuable there that can be reviewed again.

[Connor O'Shea]

2 minutes ago, Flori said:

@Kota Taylor this would only work if we eliminate pills and players are forced to either call EMS for us to treat them on site, or have to be treated at the hospital. As long as pills exist, the hospital walk-in patients will not fill our down times.

I will try to compile a few ideas that have been floating around for a while and post them on this thread to see if there is anything valuable there that can be reviewed again.

After reading this, I have some Ideas floating around in my head @Flori I plan to make a separate suggestion once I get them all compiled and typed out

 

[Kota]

Eliminate pills? That's actually a great idea... As it would force you to go see a doc or risk being caught with weed. Maybe eliminate or nerf weed effects too. 

Eliminating pills will for sure accomplish 1 thing. EMS will have way more calls. And possibly would allow for the walk-in treatment which I so badly want to see. And it could also give a boost to weed production and make that drug more relevant again. As it's really not a thing people do very often on the illegal side of things. 
 

The more I think about it the more benefits I see from doing away with pills. 

1. Boosts the number of interactions EMS will have. 

2. Opens the door for walk-ins and more RP for EMS

3. Put a spark in the dying weed production

4. Give PD more to do with more weed out on the streets. 

 

Also maybe bring back Fires? I mean I would totally sign back up for EMS to be a firefighter in a heartbeat. But that is a complication in itself for sure. Last time it was more of an inconvenience to EMS if anything.  

Edited November 15, 2018 by Kota Taylor

[Dreadstar]

So what I am hearing is that it's not the pay or really the job. What seems to be a reoccurring theme is that most medics feel they dont get good RP or feel like a revive bot. So let's change that. Police can give deductions for good RP. Develop a mechanic that gives medics the ability to reward people for good RP and apply a negative effect for bad RP.

For example. Let them apply a negative status or statuses for bad RP or heal bot RP that can only be removed by going to the hospital. For example half health max. Slower than normal walking speed. 2x speed of food and water use. Things like that. 

For good RP let the medic apply a positive buff. A very slow HP regen for an hour. 1/2 food and water use. Increased carry capacity until the next storm. Things like that.

Simply have two options in the medic menu. Revive Bad Rp and Revive Good Rp. Depending on which they use you get a random buff or debuff.

Maybe even make 4. Those two and Really Bad and Really Good. Maybe you randomly get 2 or 3 bluffs or debuffs.

I think this would promote better RP for the medics which is what I believe they are really wanting when they login.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Dreadstar

[Flori]

Also, just a quick thing I forgot to say, it's not all about finding ways to hurt players or have them killed to give the guys in EMS something to do... whatever we bring to the table and eventually implement if staff agrees, ideally needs to be in balance with fun roleplay for everybody. Stuff that will get people engaged in different levels not just in relation to getting revived by EMS. I know this thread is particularly dedicated to that, but I think we will accomplish more if we think globally.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Flori

[Victor]

Pills could have decay effect. For example you take pills and you get full health but effect starts to decay and eventually go back to what your health was when you took pills. To stop decay you get treated by EMS, or at hospital. More EMS is on duty, higher hospital bill.

[luna]

6 minutes ago, Victor said:

Pills could have decay effect. For example you take pills and you get full health but effect starts to decay and eventually go back to what your health was when you took pills. To stop decay you get treated by EMS, or at hospital. More EMS is on duty, higher hospital bill.

Really love this idea 

[Victor]

Allow players approach EMS and donate blood. For every 10 sec doner get some small ammount of money. 1-2 leters max /day (server reset). Blood is then taken to hospital by EMS.

[Reuben ~ Reckonity]

33 minutes ago, Kota Taylor said:

Eliminate pills? That's actually a great idea... As it would force you to go see a doc or risk being caught with weed. Maybe eliminate or nerf weed effects too. 

Eliminating pills will for sure accomplish 1 thing. EMS will have way more calls. And possibly would allow for the walk-in treatment which I so badly want to see. And it could also give a boost to weed production and make that drug more relevant again. As it's really not a thing people do very often on the illegal side of things. 
 

The more I think about it the more benefits I see from doing away with pills. 

1. Boosts the number of interactions EMS will have. 

2. Opens the door for walk-ins and more RP for EMS

3. Put a spark in the dying weed production

4. Give PD more to do with more weed out on the streets. 

 

Also maybe bring back Fires? I mean I would totally sign back up for EMS to be a firefighter in a heartbeat. But that is a complication in itself for sure. Last time it was more of an inconvenience to EMS if anything.  

In all seriousness if though I use pills like everyone else and they obviously are life savers i'm down to scrap them completely and make it so they need to go to Mount Zonah Hospital to get treatment from doctors in there. Pills are something that at times will prevent RP from happening whether it be saving someone from an EMS pickup or just straight up not going up to an EMT for a checkup. With this I feel like making it so Mount Zonah is used completely with 1 doctor every 2 paramedics (Paramedics can treat people in the hospital when doctors aren't available) While it's something that would take consideration from everything it's something to definitely think about. I can see a lot of reasons why it might be bad but reasons to why it can further RP in a good way. More people will want to RP as an EMT and clock on as it gets better. I just read about the Decay Effect and i'm all for that too as it sounds interesting.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Reuben ~ Reckonity

[Kota]

Decaying pills is a good idea. But I still see people just stocking up on them and using them rather than wanting to go get checked out. Unless once decay set in pills wouldn't work anymore until you got treated. 

[Reuben ~ Reckonity]

2 minutes ago, Kota Taylor said:

Decaying pills is a good idea. But I still see people just stocking up on them and using them rather than wanting to go get checked out. Unless once decay set in pills wouldn't work anymore until you got treated. 

I know it's a straight up weird thing to say but what about a relapse situation were if you take too many it becomes a problem.