TGMC:Guide to engineering

This page is a part of the TGMC wiki. TGMC is a project based on the CM-SS13 codebase.

Tool:	Use:
Screwdriver	Rotates sentries, open panels on vendors and doors.
Blowtorch	Used for cutting through walls, and repairing damaged sentries and barricades.
Crowbar	Used for Opening unpowered doors and displacing girders so you can move them.
Wirecutters	Cuts wires.
Wrench	Used for securing and unsecuring many things.
Multi Tool	Used for pulsing wires for hacking, and disarming mines,
Cable Coil	Used as wiring, and repairing burn damage on robotic limbs.
Insulated Gloves	Prevents electrical shock from tampering with electronics.
Light Replacer	Replaces broken lights quickly.
T-Ray Scanner	Displays vents and piping through floor tiles.
Welding Goggles	Used to prevent burning out your eyes while staring at bright lights, like from welding.

Power systems

Ship-side Fusion and Geothermal Reactors

The ship-side fusion reactors will start off in perfect condition and pre-loaded with a fusion cell at the beginning of each round, making it a simple matter of turning them on. The planet-side geothermal reactors however, will always be in the maximum state of damage. In the event that you need to repair or, for the ship-side reactors, replace the fusion cell with a fresh one, here's the simple steps to doing so.

• First, assess the damage. If the reactor is undamaged, move onto the second step.
  • If the reactor looks like this /, simply use the blowtorch to repair it to the next level of damage.
  • If the reactor looks like this /, simply use the wire cutters to repair it to the next level of damage.
  • If the reactor looks like this /, simply use the wrench to repair it to mint condition.
• Second, assess the power level (This only applies for fusion reactors, if the reactor you're repairing is a geothermal one, skip to the last step). This can be found out in two ways, the first is by examining it and getting a percentile readout, and the other is by looking for the bright blue bar on the right side of the reactor that gives a rough readout. If the reactor's on, the central screen will flash and turn red when the cell is running low.
  • If the power is out or running low, first turn off the reactor, if it is running, by clicking on it with an empty hand.
  • Next, crowbar open the maintenance panel and the power cell will drop on the ground beneath you.
  • After that, grab a fresh cell from one of the tables to the north or south side and take the discarded cell to the recycler to the right, the recycler will recharge it for later.
• Finally, turn it on. If you did it right, the reactor should turn on. If it did not, read and review each step. If it still doesn't turn on, consider asking for help.

APCs and the Bench Test of Robust Engineers

The Only Engineer says: "Uhh . . . SL! I don't know how to repair the APC!"

The Livid Squad Leader says: "WHAT THE FUCK YOU MEAN YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO REPAIR THE APC?! DON'T THEY TEACH YOU THAT IN MCES (Marine Corps Engineer School)?! NEVER MIND, JUST READ THE FUCKING MANUAL, YOU DAMN USELESS SON OF A BITCH!! YOU THINK YOU JUST BUILDING BARRICADES, DIGGING UP SANDBAGS, WRENCH FUCKING SENTRIES, AND BUTT FUCKING HSG WITHOUT HAVING TO FIX APCS?! GOD DAMN, WANT ME TO YELL AT YOU HOW PATHETIC YOU ARE AGAIN?!"

Repairing Broken APC

If its wires are simply cut (such as from a xeno swipe), simply use the wire cutters and mend every wire and replace the panel with a screwdriver.

Repairing/Relocating APC

Deconstruction

In order to relocate/repair a completely destroyed APC () you will need to deconstruct it.

• Screwdriver the APC to unexpose the wires if they are exposed (), make sure the wires are mended first using wirecutters (). (Or just hit the APC with any tool to remove the cover if it's destroyed)
• (Only if the APC isn't destroyed): Unlock the cover by swiping your ID (or pulsing the right wire with a multitool if your ID doesn't have access) and disengaging the lock on the APC window, and use the crowbar on it to open the cover.
• Remove the power cell with an empty hand.
• Crowbar the floor tile underneath the APC to expose the terminal. (If it is not already exposed)
• Wire cut the APC to disconnect the terminal. (You will get 10 cable coil)
• Screwdriver the APC to loosen the power board.
• Crowbar the APC to remove the board. (You won't get a power control board if it's from a destroyed APC)
• Weld the APC to get 1 metal and deconstruct it (WARNING: Some areas can have another APC taking over if deconstructed, preventing you from placing a new APC). Or click it with an APC frame (made with 2 metal) to replace and repair it.

Construction

To construct a new APC you will need to:

• Make an APC frame with 2 metal, dismantle surrounding tables (if any) using wrench if you do not have 2 metal.
• Attach APC frame to a wall (On a more strategic location ideally)
• (Optional) Crowbar the floor tile underneath the APC. (If it is not already exposed)
• (Optional) Use 10 Cable Coils on the APC to make a terminal. Connect the terminal to the colony's cable power grid if it's powered.
• Insert a Power Control Module (APC) Board. (You can also use the General Circuit Boards if you multitool it to turn it into a APC Board)
• Screwdriver the APC to secure the board.
• Insert power cell into APC, make sure it has charge.
• Crowbar the APC to close the cover. If left open, xenos can slash the APC to destroy the battery.
• Unlock the APC using an ID with access, or expose the wires and pulse the right wire using multitool if your ID does not have access.
• Turn the main breaker on it starts off by default.

Replacing an APC power cell

• Assuming the APC is undamaged, first unlock the APC by swiping it using an ID with access/pulsing the right wire using multitool.
• Access the interface and disable the cover lock.
• Crowbar open the cover.
• Remove the drained power cell (if there is one) with a free hand.
• Install a charged power cell.
• Crowbar the cover closed.
• (Optional) Lock the APC with the ID. The cover lock will automatically engage.

SMES

SMES is short for Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage, but most people just call them power storage units. They're effectively similar to power cells but scaled up to the industrial level and are designed to store power and transmit it across power cables to the APCs, which powers the doors, lights and most everything else.

The SMES on the ship, at the beginning of the round, are fully charged and already set to output enough power to operate every APC on the ship, but in the event they are not, simply set the input side to "Auto" and then "MAX". For the output, you'll want to set each SMES to be anywhere between 50,000W and 150,000W - This ensures the SMES receives more power than it uses and provides the ship with enough power to fully operate. Make sure to do the same for the two on the upper deck of engineering.

The principle is exactly the same for the planet-side SMES units. While they shouldn't be damaged, it's possible a stray explosion from one of the PFCs or Specialists damaged the wiring. Don't worry, just remember that SMES will only receive power from one side, every other side will output it. You can identify this side by the power terminal, just lead a cable from the reactors to this terminal and follow the steps and you'll be fine.

Hacking

Presently, disabling AI controls do nothing.

APCs

Wires

Name	Cutting	Mending	Pulsing
Power (2 wires)	Disables power. May shock!	Restores. May shock!	Disables power for 2 minutes. You must cut and mend the wire to restore power.
ID lock	Disable toggling the lock with an ID card.	Restores.	Unlocks APC interface for 30 seconds.
AI control	Disables AI control.	Restores.	Very briefly disables AI control.

Status window

Name	Status	Shows that
Lock	The APC is locked.	APC is locked.
	The APC is unlocked.	APC is unlocked.
Power	The APCs power has been shorted.	APC is not working.
	The APC is working properly!	APC is working.
AI control	The 'AI control allowed' light is off.	AI/borgs can't interact with APC.
	The 'AI control allowed' light is on.	AI/borgs can interact with APC.

Airlocks

Wires

Name	Cutting	Mending	Pulsing
Main power	Disables main power. May shock!	Restores. May shock!	Disables main power for 1 minute.
Backup power	Disables backup power. May shock!	Restores. May shock!	Disables backup power for 1 minute.
ID scan	Nothing.	Nothing.	Flashes lights on the door, as if someone without access tries to open it.
Bolts	Drops door bolts.	Nothing.	Drops door bolts if they are up. Raises them if they are down and door is powered.
Bolt lights	Disables bolt lights.	Enables bolt lights.	Toggles bolt wires.
Open	Nothing.	Nothing.	Opens the door if it either requires no access or if ID scan wire has been cut.
AI control	Disables AI control.	Restores AI control.	Very briefly disables AI control.
Shock	Electrifies the door.	De-electrifies the door.	Electrifies the door for 30 seconds.
Safety	Disables safety.	Enables safety.	Toggles safety.
Timing	Causes the door to close almost instantly after opening.	Restores.	Toggles door timing.

Status window

Name	Status	Shows that
Power	The test light is on.	Door is powered.
	The test light is off!	Door is not powered.
Bolts	The door bolts look up.	Door bolts are up.
	The door bolts have fallen!	Door bolts are down.
Bolt lights	The door bolt lights are on.	Door bolt lights are on.
	The door bolt lights are off!	Door bolt lights are off.
AI control	The 'AI control allowed' light is on.	AI can control the door and hasn't hacked it.
	The 'AI control allowed' light is off.	AI either hacked a door or can't control it.
Safety	The 'Check Wiring' light is on.	Door safety is off.
	The 'Check Wiring' light is off.	Door safety is on.
Timing	The 'Check Timing Mechanism' light is on.	Door timing is broken.
	The 'Check Timing Mechanism' light is off.	Door timing is normal.

Vendors

Wires

Name	Cutting	Mending	Pulsing
Contraband	Nothing.	Nothing.	Toggles illegal/rare goods availability on/off (shown by a green light).
Access	Rescinds access restriction (shown by a purple/yellow light).	Restores access restrictions.	Nothing.
Shock	Causes the machine to electrocute people (shown by an orange light).	Restores.	Electrifies the machine for 30 seconds.

Minor Repairs

So you're guarding the barricade at the FOB and a big red xeno rushes at it, swipes your turret and barricades and dies. Whilst it's good that it's dead, your turret and barricade are now damaged and enough swipes like that will knock both of them out of commission permanently. No worries, you're an engineer (I'm assuming you are if you're reading this guide), you can repair damages like that easily.

Barricades and Turrets

These are easy fixes and simply only require a blast from the blowtorch. Simply examine the structure you wish to repair and assess the damage and how many blasts it will take.

If the structure is heavily damaged, you need to use metal or plasteel sheets to patch it up before you use blowtorch.

If the structure is destroyed, then you will have to rebuild it from scratch. Destroyed barricades will yield some metal to help rebuild it with but it is always less than what it was built with.

Security Cameras

Screwdriver open the panel and use a pair of wirecutters to mend all the wires. Close the panel with the screwdriver if you want when done.

Light frames

Either remove the broken light with an empty, free hand and slot in a replacement bulb from a box of spare light bulbs. Or, simply use a Light Replacer to remove and replace the broken light in one swift action.

Airlocks

Open the panel with a screwdriver, mend all the broken wires with a pair of wirecutters and the door should begin operation. Unbolt the bolts and repair the APC as needed.

Windows

When windows get smashed to pieces, they will need to be repaired. Upon a window's destruction, it will fall into a number of shards equal to the number of sheets used to make it (and if it was a reinforced window - an equal number of rods). A blowtorch can be used to reshape the shards into sheets to make glass sheets, clicking the sheets whilst you have rods inhand will convert one sheet and rod into a reinforced window. You may then either use the sheet in hand to make a directional window, or use them on a window frame. At time of writing, there is not a way to repair damaged but undestroyed windows

Pro tip: do not repair windows on the planet. They will be damaged by xenos pretty easily, and block the firing lines of your fellow marines.