Editing Starter guide (section)

== Gameplay Concepts ==


{{Speech
|name=Tuterr, the Private Eye
|text=You know, as much as I like to rib the fresh meat, it doesn't really matter if something happens to them - Nanotrasen thinks death is a waste of money, they'll just get cloned or something. What? Oh, shit, I gotta go. *click* You, uh, didn't hear that - right, kid?
|image=[[File:Generic detective.png|64px|right]]
}}


Before getting into anything else, it's important to note that since SS13 is such an open ended game that has other people in it, when you get in game and try to follow the guide, things may go wrong - the station might have been almost entirely consumed by a singularity, a traitor could attack you with a powerful weapon, or something no one could have predicted will kill you. It's important to '''not let death get to you''' - Rule 10 exists for a reason! There are multiple ways you can be brought back into the game - don't get frustrated if something happens.

There's a few specific concepts that are often stumbling blocks for newer players, so let's address those first. (These are all in expandable boxes to save space, but it's not a bad idea to read them beforehand.)

=== The Hands System ===

One of the things the majority of new players have trouble with is the hands system. It's not complex once you've figured it out, but it can be difficult to understand without help.

You have two hands at your disposal. The bright box around one of your hands is the '''selected hand'''. This is the hand that's used whenever you click on something - if it's empty, you'll either pick up an item, or interact with something (like a computer terminal or vending machine).

If you have something in your selected hand, you'll use that item on whatever you click on. This can lead to confusion, because if you have something in your hand, you can't use things such as terminals or vending machines - you'll either hit the object with your item or do nothing.

This is because you're trying to directly use the item on the object - this is why you're able to use a screwdriver to open the panel on a door, use wirecutters on a grille, or similar actions.

This can also cause problems with '''backpacks, boxes, and other containers''' - if you want to open a container, alt click it. You can also pick it up, then switch hands and click on the container with an empty hand. Clicking on a container with an object will put it in the container. This also means that if you'd like to take your backpack off, you need to '''click and drag''' the bag to an empty hand - a normal click just opens the equipped bag.

=== [[Intent|Intents]] ===

The intent selector has four modes: '''Help''', '''Disarm''', '''Grab''', and '''Harm'''.

====Help Intent [[File:Intent_Help.png]]====
The '''Help''' intent is used for helpful interactions. For example, if someone is in critical condition, clicking on them (with an empty hand) will have you perform CPR. You'll also apply medication if you're holding any. In addition, if you have your intent on Help, and walk into someone who also has their intent on Help, you'll swap places with each other (instead of just pushing them in the drection you're moving). '''Be careful''' - if you have an item in your hand that isn't designed to help someone, you'll still attack them with it!

====Disarm Intent [[File:Intent_Disarm.png]]====
The '''Disarm''' intent is used to nonlethally disarm and incapacitate people. If you click on someone with an empty hand while on Disarm, you'll '''shove''' them. Shoving someone pushes them one tile away from you. If there is nothing blocking them, they are slowed down very slightly for 3 seconds. If you shove someone again while they are slowed, it knocks ranged weapons out of their active hand. If the blocking tile has a table on it, they're pushed onto it [[Status_Effects#Knockdown|knocking them over]] for 3 seconds. If it has another human on it, it knocks them both over, the collateral victim for 1 second instead of 3. If the tile is blocked by something else, it knocks them down for 3 seconds. Once [[Status_Effects#Knockdown|knocked down]], if they are shoved again it [[Status_Effects#Paralyze|paralyzes]] for 4 seconds. This [[Status_Effects#Paralyze|paralyze]] cannot be chained or extended, so shoving them again while they're [[Status_Effects#Paralyze|paralyzed]] does not extend the length of the [[Status_Effects#Paralyze|paralyze]]. 

It's also important to note that '''these actions only work if you're clicking on the target with an empty hand''', just as with all intents.

====Grab Intent [[File:Intent_Grab.png]]====
The '''Grab''' intent allows you to, as it says, grab people. Grabbing someone with Grab intent works differently from control-clicking. If you click on someone with an empty hand, you'll have a '''passive''' grab, which makes you pull people. You stop dragging the same way you stop pulling. See [[Keyboard_Shortcuts|Keyboard Shortcuts]] or click "pull" to release. Dragging prone people will slow you down. While on passive grab, clicking on the person once more upgrades it to an '''aggressive''' grab. The target can press [[Hotkeys#Hotkey-mode_Enabled|"resist"]] to try to escape from an aggressive or above grab level. Once you have an aggressive grab, you can either throw the person (by enabling throwing, then clicking somewhere), fireman carry them if they're prone (by click dragging their sprite onto yours), or click them again to slowly upgrade the grab to a level 3 '''neck''' grab. On neck grab you deal no damage, but it's harder for them to resist and get away. Click them one last time to slowly upgrade the grab to level 4, '''strangling'''. When strangling you deal [[Health#Oxygen|suffocation]] damage to the target, and the target has the lowest chance (5% per try) to successfully [[Hotkeys#Hotkey-mode_Enabled|resist]] out of the grab. Failing to resist out of a grab will deal some [[Health#Stamina|stamina]] damage to you. Grabs are harder to break out of the more [[Health#Stamina|stamina]] and [[Health#Brute|brute]] damage you have (especially stamina), but there is always at least 5% chance per try.

====Harm Intent [[File:Intent_Harm.png]]====
The '''Harm''' intent will harm. On standing targets you will attempt to punch them, which deals 1.5-15 [[Health#Stamina|stamina]] and 1-10 [[Health#Brute|brute]] damage. The chance to miss a punch increases the more stamina and brute damage you have. Punching has a chance to [[Status_Effects#Knockdown|knockdown]] the target for at least 4 seconds. The more brute and stamina damage the target has, the longer the target will be knocked down. If using harm intent on prone targets you will kick them, which deals 1.5-15 brute damage, with no chance to miss.

=== Damage ===

There are a few different damage types in SS13. If you take enough damage, you'll fall unconscious into critical condition, better known as '''Crit'''. If left untreated in this state, you'll slowly suffocate until you die.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Brute|Brute]]''' damage is received from physical attacks - punches, kicks, toolboxes, hatchets - if someone is hitting you over the head with it, it does Brute damage.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Burns|Burn]]''' damage is received from fire or exposure to the vacuum of space.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Toxins|Toxin]]''' damage is received from breathing in poison gases, attacks from enemies like giant spiders, ingesting poison, drinking too much booze, or generally having any harmful chemical in your blood.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Suffocation|Oxygen]]''' damage is received from being unable to breathe, or while in critical condition. It goes down over time by itself if you're not in crit.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Brain_damage|Brain]]''' damage is reveived from being [[Guide_to_genetics#Cloning|cloned]] or [[Guide_to_chemistry#Methamphetamine|other things]]. Can randomly cause [[Guide_to_Traumas|brain traumas]]. Those suffering from brain damage usually need [[Guide_to_chemistry#Mannitol|chemicals]] to cure their condition.

'''[[Guide_to_medicine#Cellular_damage|Cellular]]''' damage is reveived from being [[Guide_to_genetics#Cloning|cloned]] or from being fed on by a [[Slime|slime]]. Can be cured with [[Guide_to_medicine#Cryogenics_Tube|cryo]] treatment. 

Brute and Burn damage are applied to specific limbs. If you've been smacked in the head with a toolbox a few times, you'll have to aim at your head (with numpad keys) when you use a bruise pack. Most [[Guide_to_chemistry#Medicines|medicines]] can be ingested to heal damage anywhere on your body. If you take enough damage to one limb, you can be '''dismembered'''. You will need [[Surgery#Prosthetic_Replacement|surgery]] to replace lost limbs.

=== Combat ===

Combat in SS13 is very heavily focused on '''who falls over first'''. If you're prone, you've likely lost. This means items like [[General_items#Soap|soap]] [[File:Soaps.gif]] or [[Security_items#Disabler|disablers]] [[File:ModernDisabler.png]] are extremely useful.

If you get into a fight, consider your options - it may be best to try and simply run away. If you think you can disarm your opponent, you could turn the tables by taking their weapon. Combat in SS13 is fast paced and revolves around a lot of back and forth swipes, almost like a strange joust between 2D spacemen.

Getting better at combat in SS13 requires practice - there's only so much you can be taught. The rest is learning how to create and take advantage of opportunities. Hopefully, you won't have to get into many fights as you start out. 

To learn more about combat and how to win fights, see the [[Guide_to_Combat|Guide to Combat]].

=== Ghosts ===

If you end up dying, don't worry, there's a few ways to go from there.

If you try to move, you'll '''[[ghost]]''' out of your corpse. This is essentially spectator mode - you can communicate with other dead players (and talking about the round out of character is okay in this chat) by talking normally and are able to fly around the entire map. (Note that while it's okay to talk about the round in deadchat, if you're revived, '''you cannot use any information gained while dead'''. Anything you saw while alive is fair game.)

If you die, you can be [[Cloning|cloned]], revived via [[defibrillator]], turned into a [[podperson]], have your brain removed and put into a [[cyborg]], or more. There are '''ghost roles''' that can be played by dead players - some areas have objects that, when clicked on as a ghost, will spawn you as a new character. (You're a new character, so don't use any information from your past life.) There may even be alerts that pop up while you're dead, asking if you'd like to take control of a [[xenomorph]], a [[morph]], or almost anything else. These are often provided by admins, but can occasionally happen via random event. '''Please note that if you take on a ghost role you CANNOT be cloned or return to your original body!'''