Changing subject. Any thoughts on AI rulings? Two things in particular:
1: Last night, a non-Malf AI bolted xeno and refused to open it. We ended up carding him. Because slimes can be dangerous, he absolutely refused to let anyone in, even the research staff.
2: Last round, I played AI and the CE built walls around doors because atmosphere was leaking. The doors were already bolted shut and the captain had gone into space (with hardsuit) to find someone. The CE walked up and walled it over so the captain couldn't get back in except through maintenance. I suggested giving the CE a few baton hits and people start saying I'm Malf for suggesting harm - there's a difference between harm and discipline.
Clearly we need some house rules on exactly how much that First Law governs anything. I mean, if we're gonna take it to the extreme then during an AI round I should just bolt every door. Humans cannot starve, but they may injure themselves or each other, therefor locking them in small closets is the most ideal situation for protection.
People take the laws far too literally sometimes...
I'd say 1 is being deliberately annoying; in some discussion about that law in SS13 (maybe even here), someone argued that 'harm' is not what is
potentially harmful - which, to be fulfilled, would require you to bolt not only Toxins and Xenobio, but also Bar and Kitchen - alcohol is harmful, eating to much is harmful - Chemistry - all the drugs which can be made - Engineering - SINGULO IS LOOSE ABANDON SHIFT!---
And so on. If you'd accept the 'all potential future harm' option, a self-consistent AI should quickly disappear in a puff of logic due to the protection itself being potentially harmful.
On the other hand, harm being 'present harm' means no, Xenobio is not harmful RIGHT NOW, nobody is or about to be eaten, do not bolt. An assistant with a katana slashing wildly is present potential harm, i.e. someone is not being actually harmed this second, but only because the blade slipped a bit, AI should do what it can to non-lethally stop the assistant. A criminal escaping the brig is a bit hard to decide, but most AIs would probably detain him.
2. No matter if you punch someone because you want to discipline them or because you're a sadist, it IS harm to the person being hit. Also, keep in mind that we're very laissez-faire about applying electricity to people, which IRL is a very very bad idea.