ITEMS

There are several options proposed on how to deal with item interactions when tied to the intents, but one overall rule remains: items that are made to be used on a character should be easily used on them if needed. In other words:

LEFT_CLICK on an active target character, while having an item that's marked as "helpful" in hand, will result in the primary interaction of the item applied on the target character. (Works regardless of the player's current mode.)

(For example, clicking on another character with a syringe or food in your hand will make you attempt to inject or force feed them)

LEFT_CLICK on an active target character, while having an item that's marked as "harmful", either "melee" or "ranged", in hand, will result in an attempt to use the item on the target character accordingly (see section WEAPONS). (Works regardless of the player's current mode, but this action automatically enables Combat mode)

The rest is divisive. The items that were not made to be used on humans, ideally, should still be used on them in some way. For example, the toolbox.

Option true to the SS13: LEFT_CLICK on an active target character, while having an item that's not marked as "helpful" or "harmful" in hand will result in an attempt to bash the target character with this item. (Works regardless of the player's current mode.)

This, however, has a problem of player/character disconnect (RP stuff) and it generally wouldn’t make sense hurting someone with the HELP intent. For this purpose, another set of options was suggested:

LEFT_CLICK on an active target character, while having an item that's not marked as "helpful" or "harmful" in hand, will result in:

• a message "You can't help this person with your hands full" (Works regardless of the player's current mode.)

• an attempt to bash the target character with this item. In HARM mode, the rules for improvised melee weapons apply. In HELP mode, the damage is reduced to ⅓ or less, depending on the traits of the item, such as "sharp" or "chemical" or "breakable"

• an attempt to bash the target character with this item. In HARM mode, the rules for improvised melee weapons apply. In HELP mode, the damage is reduced 0, so only the effect of the hit (such as the animation and the sound) remains

• an attempt to bash the target character with this item (In HARM mode) or an attempt to drop the item and help the target character with a freed hand (In HELP mode)

• an attempt to bash the target character with this item (In HARM mode) or an attempt to offer the said item to the target character (In HELP mode)

RANGED

Holding RIGHT_CLICK, while having a ranged weapon in an active hand, will make player character to aim at the cursor.

The character should follow their aim at the location cursor points at freely, until it points at the target (human or other living being that has individual parts that can be aimed at).

If cursor overlapses with the target, the aim of the character must automatically lock on and aim at the middle of the bodypart of the target, that was selected on the UI dummy.

Aim (and the animation of the aim via IK, probably) should change if the targeted bodypart on the dummy was changed via hotkeys.

In case the part of the character that is currently aimed at is obstructed, the aim on the UI dummy should be disregarded and the aim should remain “free” as in unlocked from the target and should simply follow the cursor.

If the said part of the character is no longer obstructed while the “free aim” is still on the targeted character, it should remain that way to prevent aim jumping. To re-aim and lock onto the targeted bodypart, cursor must be moved from the target character and then moved onto it again.

LEFT_CLICK while having a ranged weapon in an active hand AND aiming (holding RIGHT_CLICK) should make the gun shoot in the direction of the current aim, free or not.

There should also be a chance to miss the body part that is aimed at within a certain radius (represented by the transparent red circle on the image below) or even miss the character entirely.

This error radius should depend on:

· type and integrity of the weapon

· condition of the aiming character’s body (especially the arm holding the weapon)

· other effects on the aiming character, such as medication, drugs, alcohol or other

- Distance between characters

Once the point of the shot is established aiming should be locked (player should still be able to move the cursor), the animation of the fired shot should play for the character, damage and force of the shot should apply to the target. After that, the aiming process should continue as normal.

In case of the automatic weapons or other weapons that fire continuously, established aiming should not be locked, but should remain “free” from the point of starting fire (both time and aim coordinates). For example, longer LEFT_CLICK while aiming at target’s chest with a flamethrower should result in continuous fire in the general direction of the target’s chest, but

LEFT_CLICK while having a ranged weapon in an active hand will make player character shoot from-the-hip style, aiming rules above applied.

LEFT_CLICK on an active target character, while having a ranged weapon in an active hand AND aiming (holding RIGHT_CLICK), will make the player character shoot, aiming at the targeted area.

MELEE

LEFT_CLICK on an active target character (any part of it), while having a melee weapon (or basically any item that can be used as one) in an active hand, will result in an attempt to make a fast hit (punch with something blunt or jab with something sharp) in the selected bodypart.

Suggestion: longer LEFT_CLICK should result in a slash attack for blade melee weapons (like swords),

longer hits with contact-type weapons (like stun-batons)

or stronger, slower heavy attack for weapons that rely on brute force (like hammers)

where the longer the time of holding the LEFT_CLICK, the wider the swing (or the longer the contact with the contact-type weapons, like stun baton or soldering iron).

The choice of the attack type might depend on the weapon’s primary (biggest) damage type or might be a completely separate thing, specifically programmed for melee.

Reference for how the melee fight should look/feel like pace-wise:

Reason for this is that in Space Station 13 the fights mostly consist of attacks that occur on click on the opponent, which means the fights are made with fast hits and instant attack startups in mind.