User:Susan/Mecha Madness

Preparation
So, you want to build a mech? Luckily for you, our intrepid roboticist, this guide will teach you exactly how. Firstly, you must determine which kind of mech you want to build. While you can create some sort of monstrosity from mismatched parts, keep in mind:


 * Light exosuit parts have: fast speed, low durability, and low power consumption.
 * Regular exosuit parts have: average speed, durability, and power consumption.
 * Combat exosuit parts have average speed, high durability and high power consumption.
 * Heavy exosuit parts have low speed, very high durability and very high power consumption.

Additionally,


 * The Landmaster treads have a very high speed but delay the suit when it has to turn, as well as very high power consumption.
 * The Spider legs have average speed and quick turns, with high power consumption.

Mechs have a constant power draw while a pilot is in the chassis. Consider this when equipping and arming your mech. Have you decided which type you want to build? Great! Now, from your mech fabricator, you must build...


 * 1x heavy vehicle frame
 * 1x manipulators of your chosen type
 * 1x propulsion of your chosen type
 * 1x sensors of your chosen type
 * 1x body of your chosen type
 * 1x exosuit control module
 * 2x robot actuators
 * 1x robot radio
 * 1x robot diagnosis unit
 * 1x robot camera
 * 1x exosuit armor of your chosen type

While your parts are printing, it is then suggested you head over to the circuit imprinter and print the exosystem software for what you wish to build. There are five types: Engineering, Utility, Medical, Weapons, and Advanced Weapons. The type of software you install in your exosuit determines the attachments it can use. Only two types of software can be installed at a time.

Exosuit Construction
Now that you have all your parts, it's time to get down to business.

To make, begin with the heavy vehicle frame:


 * Use Cable-coil.png cable coil to wire the frame.
 * Neaten the wiring with your wirecutters.png wirecutters.
 * Use regular Metal.png metal as internal plating.
 * Secure the plating with your wrench.png wrench.
 * Weld the plating in with your welder.gif welding tool.

Next, begin preparing the separate parts for installation.

For the body:
 * Install the robot diagnosis unit.
 * Install the exosuit armor plating.
 * Install a power_cell.png cell of your chosen type.

For the sensors:
 * Install the robot camera.
 * Install the robot radio.
 * Install up to two software boards of different types into the exosuit control module and then install the control module into the sensors.
 * IMPORTANT! Failure to install a control module will result in an exosuit too stupid to use any modules!

For the arms and legs:
 * Install a robot actuator in each.

Finally, attach all the parts to the heavy vehicle frame and use your to finish the exosuit!

Exosuit Repair
Inevitably your suit will become damaged. To repair your exosuit, you may either use:
 * Cable-coil.png Cable coil to repair burn damage to the machine.
 * welder.gif A welding tool to repair brute damage to the machine.

If for some reason during an altercation a component in the suit was damaged, such as an actuator or other internal part, it must be replaced. To dismantle an exosuit:
 * Enable maintenance protocols.
 * Use a wrench.png to dismantle the suit.
 * Re-print and reinstall the damaged component in the proper place.
 * Re-attach everything and use your screwdriver_tool.png to finish the exosuit.

To replace an exosuit battery on the fly:
 * Enable maintenance protocols.
 * Use a crowbar.png to remove the power_cell.png battery.
 * Install a new power_cell.png battery.

Piloting an Exosuit
Now you've built one, how do you operate one? Well, thankfully, it isn't hard at all. To begin with, it is recommended you christen your exosuit with a new name. You will notice the hud overlay on your screen shows you your power cell, the health of each of your parts, as well as whatever equipment you have attached to your suit. The buttons on the left side of your screen are very important.


 * Open/Close: Open or shut the hatch. This is necessary to not die in space, along with making sure your air is on. The RIPLEY or Regular exosuit is an open cockpit and has no air.
 * Lock/Unlock: Lock or unlock your hatch. People can drag you out of the suit, so locking it makes sure no one can yank you out.
 * Radio: Interact with your exosuit radio.
 * Camera: Certain exosuit sensors have special functionality. This will enable them at a high power cost.
 * Rename: Self-explanatory.

The upper left portion of your screen has your hardpoints, or the slots for your mech equipment. To use one, click on the box surrounding it to ensure it is enabled, then:
 * If the tool is used on something else, like a drill or clamp, simply click on whatever you wish to use it on.
 * If the tool has an alternate function, ALT-CLICK to enable it.
 * CTRL-CLICK on the hardpoint box to eject whatever equipment you have.

Exosuit Equipment
Various tools and weapons can be attached to exosuits, providing them with ability to perform different tasks. To attach a tool or weapon, simply click with it on an exosuit. However, certain exosuits only have specific slots.


 * Light: Left hand, right hand, back, left shoulder, right shoulder, head.
 * Regular: Left hand, right hand, back, left shoulder, right shoulder, head.
 * Combat: Left hand, right hand, back, left shoulder, right shoulder, head.
 * Heavy: Left hand, right hand, back, head.

Exosuit Equipment comes in several categories:

Utility:
 * Hydraulic clamp (left hand, right hand).
 * Click on crates and things to pick them up, harm click on people you don't like. ALT-CLICK to eject things from your cargo compartment.
 * Drill(left hand, right hand).
 * Click on things to drill them. The drill bit is replaceable, you can make one from any material that is strong enough. Stronger drills can drill faster and go through reinforced walls. ALT-CLICK to rev it menacingly.
 * Flare gun (left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * Click to shoot flares. They light things up. How nice.
 * Headlamps (head).
 * ALT-CLICK to turn on and off and blind anyone in the vicinity. They only broadcast forward though!
 * Gravapult (left hand, right hand).
 * Launch things around. ALT-CLICK to toggle between single and area targeting.

Medical:
 * Sleeper (back).
 * It's a sleeper. Scoop people up, ambulance them around. ALT-CLICK to interact with the sleeper interface.
 * Health analyzer (left hand, right hand).
 * Scan people.
 * Crisis drone (left shoulder only).
 * A small drone that heals anyone within 3 tiles of your mech slowly, so long as they're above a 30 damage threshhold. Works even when the mech is unpiloted. USES A LOT OF POWER. ALT-CLICK to deploy or undeploy.

Engineering:
 * RFD-C (left hand, right hand).
 * What it says on the tin. ALT-CLICK to change modes.
 * Extinguisher (left hand, right hand).
 * Put out flames. Hooray.

Weapons:
 * Taser (left hand, right hand, left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * Click and shoot.
 * Laser (left hand, right hand).
 * As above.
 * Ion rifle(left hand, right hand).
 * ALT-CLICK to change between stun and kill settings.
 * Mounted LMG (left hand, right hand, left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * ALT-CLICK to change firerate.
 * Flashbang launcher (left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * Blinded by the light.

Advanced Weapons, not normally found on station:
 * Missile rack (left shoulder, right shoulder, back).
 * Fire missiles, blow things up.
 * Pulse rifle (left hand, right hand, left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * ALT-CLICK to change settings.
 * Frag grenade launcher (left shoulder, right shoulder).
 * Blow yourself up.
 * X-Ray Gun (left hand, right hand).
 * Pew pew.