Every time we would have pulled a random ghost into a mob, we will poll the ghosts for volunteers first.

code/__HELPERS/game.dm

@@ -295,27 +295,42 @@
 			return M
 	return null
 
-// Will return a list of active candidates. It increases the buffer 5 times until it finds a candidate which is active within the buffer.
+// Will poll ghosts for volunteers
+/proc/get_candidates(be_special_flag=0, rolename=null, wait_time=200)
+	var/list/mob/dead/observer/volunteers = list()
+	var/list/client/candidates = list()
+	var/time_passed = world.time
+
+	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in player_list)
+		spawn(0)
+			if(!G.client)
+				return
+			if((G.client.prefs.be_special & be_special_flag) && !jobban_isbanned(G, get_roletext(be_special_flag)) || (be_special_flag < 0))
+				switch(alert(G,"Do you want to be considered to be a [rolename ? rolename : get_roletext(be_special_flag)]?","Please answer in [wait_time/10] seconds!","Yes","No"))
+					if("Yes")
+						if((world.time-time_passed)>wait_time)
+							return
+						volunteers += G
+					if("No")
+						return
+					else
+						return
+	sleep(wait_time)
+
+	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in volunteers)
+		if(G.client)
+			candidates += G.client
 
-/proc/get_candidates(be_special_flag=0, afk_bracket=3000)
-	var/list/candidates = list()
-	// Keep looping until we find a non-afk candidate within the time bracket (we limit the bracket to 10 minutes (6000))
-	while(!candidates.len && afk_bracket < 6000)
-		for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in player_list)
-			if(G.client != null)
-				if(!(G.mind && G.mind.current && G.mind.current.stat != DEAD))
-					if(!G.client.is_afk(afk_bracket) && (G.client.prefs.be_special & be_special_flag) && !jobban_isbanned(G, get_roletext(be_special_flag)))
-						candidates += G.client
-		afk_bracket += 600 // Add a minute to the bracket, for every attempt
 	return candidates
 
-/proc/pick_from_candidates(be_special_flag=0)
-	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(be_special_flag)
+/proc/pick_from_candidates(be_special_flag=0, rolename=null, wait_time=200)
+	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(be_special_flag, rolename, wait_time)
 	if(candidates.len)
 		var/client/C = pick(candidates)
 		return C
 	return 0 //Unable to find a valid candidate
 
+
 /proc/get_roletext(role) //Translates role flag to role text
 	var/roletext
 	switch(role)
@@ -326,6 +341,8 @@
 		if(BE_REV)			roletext="revolutionary"
 		if(BE_CULTIST)		roletext="cultist"
 		if(BE_MONKEY)		roletext="monkey"
+		if(BE_NINJA)		roletext="ninja"
+		if(BE_ALIEN)		roletext="alien"
 	return roletext
 
 /proc/ScreenText(obj/O, maptext="", screen_loc="CENTER-7,CENTER-7", maptext_height=480, maptext_width=480)

code/game/gamemodes/antag_spawner.dm

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 	throw_range = 5
 	w_class = 1.0
 	var/used = 0
+	var/polling_ghosts = 0
 
 /obj/item/weapon/antag_spawner/proc/spawn_antag(var/client/C, var/turf/T, var/type = "")
 	return
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@
 	..()
 	var/mob/living/carbon/human/H = usr
 
-	if(H.stat || H.restrained())
+	if(H.stat || H.restrained() || polling_ghosts)
 		return
 	if(!istype(H, /mob/living/carbon/human))
 		return 1
@@ -53,7 +54,10 @@
 			if (used)
 				H << "You already used this contract!"
 				return
-			var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_WIZARD)
+			H << "You send out a call for aid into the realms! It will be about 20 seconds before you get a response."
+			polling_ghosts = 1
+			var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_WIZARD, "wizard's apprentice")
+			polling_ghosts = 0
 			if(C)
 				src.used = 1
 				spawn_antag(C, get_turf(H.loc), href_list["school"])
@@ -122,10 +126,15 @@
 	var/TC_cost = 0
 
 /obj/item/weapon/antag_spawner/borg_tele/attack_self(mob/user as mob)
+	if(polling_ghosts)
+		return
 	if(used)
 		user << "The teleporter is out of power."
 		return
-	var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_OPERATIVE)
+	user << "<span class='notice'>Standby for reinforcements... ETA 20 seconds.</span>"
+	polling_ghosts = 1
+	var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_OPERATIVE, "Syndicate cyborg")
+	polling_ghosts = 0
 	if(C)
 		used = 1
 		spawn_antag(C, get_turf(src.loc), "syndieborg")

code/game/gamemodes/blob/blobs/core.dm

@@ -73,16 +73,17 @@
 
 	var/client/C = null
 
-	if(!new_overmind)
-		C = pick_from_candidates(BE_BLOB)
-	else
-		C = new_overmind
+	spawn(0)
+		if(!new_overmind)
+			C = pick_from_candidates(BE_BLOB)
+		else
+			C = new_overmind
 
-	if(C)
-		var/mob/camera/blob/B = new(src.loc)
-		B.key = C.key
-		B.blob_core = src
-		src.overmind = B
-		return 1
-	return 0
+		if(C)
+			var/mob/camera/blob/B = new(src.loc)
+			B.key = C.key
+			B.blob_core = src
+			src.overmind = B
+			return 1
+		return 0
 

code/game/gamemodes/cult/cult.dm

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
 //		grant_runeword(cult_mind.current)
 //		grant_secondword(cult_mind.current)
 		update_cult_icons_added(cult_mind)
-		cult_mind.current << "<span class='notice'>You are a member of the cult!</span>"
+		cult_mind.current << "<span class='userdanger'>You are a member of the cult!</span>"
 		memorize_cult_objectives(cult_mind)
 		cult_mind.special_role = "Cultist"
 	..()
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@
 //	grant_runeword(cult_mind.current,"blood")
 //	grant_runeword(cult_mind.current,"hell")
 
+/datum/game_mode/proc/greet_cultist(mob/M)
+	M << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Your blood pulses. Your head throbs. The world goes red. All at once you are aware of a horrible, horrible truth. The veil of reality has been ripped away and in the festering wound left behind something sinister takes root.</b></i></font>"
+	M << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Assist your new compatriots in their dark dealings. Their goal is yours, and yours is theirs. You serve the Dark One above all else. Bring It back.</b></i></font>"
+
+
 /datum/game_mode/proc/equip_cultist(mob/living/carbon/human/mob)
 	if(!istype(mob))
 		return

code/game/gamemodes/cult/runes.dm

@@ -117,17 +117,19 @@ var/list/sacrificed = list()
 					M.visible_message("<span class='warning'>[M] screams horrifically before falling limp, his mind clearly broken by something he saw.", \
 					"<span class='userdanger'>You are currently jobbanned from Cultist.</span>")
 					M.ghostize(0) //Jobbanned players are force ghosted
-					var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_CULTIST) //Try to find a suitable observer to replace the jobbanned player
-					if(C)
-						M.key = C.key
-						M << "<span class='warning'>Who are you? How did you get here? You can't seem to remember anything but...</span>"
-					else
-						M.resting = 0
-				if(M.key)
+					M.resting = 1
+					spawn(0)
+						var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_CULTIST) //Try to find a suitable observer to replace the jobbanned player
+						if(C)
+							M.key = C.key
+							M << "<span class='warning'>Who are you? How did you get here? You can't seem to remember anything but...</span>"
+							ticker.mode.add_cultist(M.mind)
+							M.mind.special_role = "Cultist"
+							ticker.mode.greet_cultist(M)
+				else
 					ticker.mode.add_cultist(M.mind)
 					M.mind.special_role = "Cultist"
-					M << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Your blood pulses. Your head throbs. The world goes red. All at once you are aware of a horrible, horrible truth. The veil of reality has been ripped away and in the festering wound left behind something sinister takes root.</b></i></font>"
-					M << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Assist your new compatriots in their dark dealings. Their goal is yours, and yours is theirs. You serve the Dark One above all else. Bring It back.</b></i></font>"
+					ticker.mode.greet_cultist(M)
 
 			else
 				M << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Your blood pulses. Your head throbs. The world goes red. All at once you are aware of a horrible, horrible truth. The veil of reality has been ripped away and in the festering wound left behind something sinister takes root.</b></i></font>"
@@ -339,12 +341,11 @@ var/list/sacrificed = list()
 	body_to_sacrifice.gib()
 
 //	if(ticker.mode.name == "cult")
-//		ticker.mode:add_cultist(corpse_to_raise.mind)
+//		ticker.mode: corpse_to_raise.mind)
 //	else
 //		ticker.mode.cult |= corpse_to_raise.mind
 
-	corpse_to_raise << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Your blood pulses. Your head throbs. The world goes red. All at once you are aware of a horrible, horrible truth. The veil of reality has been ripped away and in the festering wound left behind something sinister takes root.</b></i></font>"
-	corpse_to_raise << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Assist your new compatriots in their dark dealings. Their goal is yours, and yours is theirs. You serve the Dark One above all else. Bring It back.</b></i></font>"
+	ticker.mode.greet_cultist(corpse_to_raise)
 	return
 
 
@@ -435,8 +436,7 @@ var/list/sacrificed = list()
 		ticker.mode.cult+=D.mind
 
 	D.mind.special_role = "Cultist"
-	D << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Your blood pulses. Your head throbs. The world goes red. All at once you are aware of a horrible, horrible truth. The veil of reality has been ripped away and in the festering wound left behind something sinister takes root.</b></i></font>"
-	D << "<font color=\"purple\"><b><i>Assist your new compatriots in their dark dealings. Their goal is yours, and yours is theirs. You serve the Dark One above all else. Bring It back.</b></i></font>"
+	ticker.mode.greet_cultist(D)
 
 	var/mob/living/user = usr
 	while(this_rune && user && user.stat==CONSCIOUS && user.client && user.loc==this_rune.loc)

code/game/objects/items/devices/flash.dm

@@ -88,13 +88,15 @@
 									M << "<span class='userdanger'>You are currently jobbanned from Revolutionary.</span>"
 									user << "<span class='warning'>This mind was unable to survive the rigors of conversion and has been wiped clean!</span>"
 									M.ghostize(0) //Jobbanned players are force ghosted
-									var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_REV) //Try to find a suitable observer to replace the jobbanned player
-									if(C)
-										M.key = C.key
-										M << "<span class='warning'>Who are you? How did you get here? You can't seem to remember anything but...</span>"
-									else
-										M.resting = 0
-								if(M.key)
+									M.resting = 1
+									spawn(0)
+										var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_REV) //Try to find a suitable observer to replace the jobbanned player
+										if(C)
+											M.key = C.key
+											M << "<span class='warning'>Who are you? How did you get here? You can't seem to remember anything but...</span>"
+											M.mind.has_been_rev = 1
+											ticker.mode.add_revolutionary(M.mind)
+								else
 									M.mind.has_been_rev = 1
 									ticker.mode.add_revolutionary(M.mind)
 							else if(revsafe == 1)

code/modules/admin/verbs/one_click_antag.dm

@@ -146,35 +146,10 @@ client/proc/one_click_antag()
 	return 0
 
 /datum/admins/proc/makeWizard()
-	var/list/mob/dead/observer/candidates = list()
-	var/mob/dead/observer/theghost = null
-	var/time_passed = world.time
+	var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_WIZARD)
 
-	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in player_list)
-		if(!jobban_isbanned(G, "wizard") && !jobban_isbanned(G, "Syndicate"))
-			spawn(0)
-				switch(alert(G, "Do you wish to be considered for the position of Space Wizard Foundation 'diplomat'?","Please answer in 30 seconds!","Yes","No"))
-					if("Yes")
-						if((world.time-time_passed)>300)//If more than 30 game seconds passed.
-							return
-						candidates += G
-					if("No")
-						return
-					else
-						return
-
-	sleep(300)
-
-	if(candidates.len)
-		shuffle(candidates)
-		for(var/mob/i in candidates)
-			if(!i || !i.client) continue //Dont bother removing them from the list since we only grab one wizard
-
-			theghost = i
-			break
-
-	if(theghost)
-		var/mob/living/carbon/human/new_character=makeBody(theghost)
+	if(C)
+		var/mob/living/carbon/human/new_character=makeBody(C.mob)
 		new_character.mind.make_Wizard()
 		return 1
 
@@ -216,42 +191,22 @@ client/proc/one_click_antag()
 
 /datum/admins/proc/makeNukeTeam()
 
-	var/list/mob/dead/observer/candidates = list()
+	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(BE_OPERATIVE)
+
 	var/list/mob/dead/observer/chosen = list()
-	var/mob/dead/observer/theghost = null
-	var/time_passed = world.time
-
-	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in player_list)
-		if(!jobban_isbanned(G, "operative") && !jobban_isbanned(G, "Syndicate"))
-			spawn(0)
-				switch(alert(G,"Do you wish to be considered for a nuke team being sent in?","Please answer in 30 seconds!","Yes","No"))
-					if("Yes")
-						if((world.time-time_passed)>300)//If more than 30 game seconds passed.
-							return
-						candidates += G
-					if("No")
-						return
-					else
-						return
-
-	sleep(300)
+	var/client/C = null
 
 	if(candidates.len)
 		var/numagents = 5
 		var/agentcount = 0
 
 		for(var/i = 0, i<numagents,i++)
-			shuffle(candidates) //More shuffles means more randoms
-			for(var/mob/j in candidates)
-				if(!j || !j.client)
-					candidates.Remove(j)
-					continue
 
-				theghost = j
-				candidates.Remove(theghost)
-				chosen += theghost
-				agentcount++
-				break
+			C = pick(candidates)
+			candidates.Remove(C)
+			chosen += C.mob
+			agentcount++
+			break
 		//Making sure we have atleast 3 Nuke agents, because less than that is kinda bad
 		if(agentcount < 3)
 			return 0
@@ -319,34 +274,16 @@ client/proc/one_click_antag()
 
 // DEATH SQUADS
 /datum/admins/proc/makeDeathsquad()
-	var/list/mob/dead/observer/candidates = list()
-	var/time_passed = world.time
 	var/mission = input("Assign a mission to the deathsquad", "Assign Mission", "Leave no witnesses.")
-
-	//Generates a list of commandos from active ghosts. Then the user picks which characters to respawn as the commandos.
-	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in player_list)
-		spawn(0)
-			switch(alert(G,"Do you wish to be considered for an elite Nanotrasen strike team being sent in?","Please answer in 30 seconds!","Yes","No"))
-				if("Yes")
-					if((world.time-time_passed)>300)//If more than 30 game seconds passed.
-						return
-					candidates += G
-				if("No")
-					return
-				else
-					return
-	sleep(300)
-
-	for(var/mob/dead/observer/G in candidates)
-		if(!G.key)
-			candidates.Remove(G)
+	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(-1, "member of a Nanotrasen strike team")
 
 	if(candidates.len >= 3) //Minimum 3 to be considered a squad
 		//Pick the lucky players
 		var/numagents = min(5,candidates.len) //How many commandos to spawn
 		while(numagents && deathsquadspawn.len && candidates.len)
 			var/spawnloc = deathsquadspawn[1]
-			var/mob/dead/observer/chosen_candidate = pick(candidates)
+			var/client/C = pick(candidates)
+			var/mob/dead/observer/chosen_candidate = C.mob
 			candidates -= chosen_candidate
 			if(!chosen_candidate.key)
 				continue

code/modules/events/alien_infestation.dm

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 			if(temp_vent.network.normal_members.len > 20)	//Stops Aliens getting stuck in small networks. See: Security, Virology
 				vents += temp_vent
 
-	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(BE_ALIEN, ALIEN_AFK_BRACKET)
+	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(BE_ALIEN)
 
 	while(spawncount > 0 && vents.len && candidates.len)
 		var/obj/vent = pick_n_take(vents)

code/modules/mob/living/carbon/alien/special/alien_embryo.dm

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ var/const/ALIEN_AFK_BRACKET = 450 // 45 seconds
 	icon_state = "larva0_dead"
 	var/mob/living/affected_mob
 	var/stage = 0
+	var/polling_ghosts = 0
 
 /obj/item/alien_embryo/New()
 	if(istype(loc, /mob/living))
@@ -70,23 +71,20 @@ var/const/ALIEN_AFK_BRACKET = 450 // 45 seconds
 			affected_mob << "<span class='danger'>You feel something tearing its way out of your stomach...</span>"
 			affected_mob.adjustToxLoss(10)
 			affected_mob.updatehealth()
-			if(prob(50))
+			if(prob(50) && !polling_ghosts)
 				AttemptGrow()
 
 /obj/item/alien_embryo/proc/AttemptGrow(var/gib_on_success = 1)
-	var/list/candidates = get_candidates(BE_ALIEN, ALIEN_AFK_BRACKET)
-	var/client/C = null
+	polling_ghosts = 1
+	var/client/C = pick_from_candidates(BE_ALIEN)
+	polling_ghosts = 0
 
 	// To stop clientless larva, we will check that our host has a client
 	// if we find no ghosts to become the alien. If the host has a client
 	// he will become the alien but if he doesn't then we will set the stage
 	// to 2, so we don't do a process heavy check everytime.
 
-	if(candidates.len)
-		C = pick(candidates)
-	else if(affected_mob.client)
-		C = affected_mob.client
-	else
+	if(!C)
 		stage = 4 // Let's try again later.
 		return