This guide is not intended to cover advanced construction. For a list of advanced machinery and their parts, see the Guide to Advanced Construction.
Guide to Construction
In order to fill many roles (such as Station Engineer), or to just snazz up your sweet maintenance bar, you're going to need to know how to build things!
This guide will cover all the basic tools and their uses (as well as special things they can do) along with a list of basic structures and how to build/deconstruct them.
First and foremost it's important to become familiar with all the tools involved in construction! Please consult the list below.
Construction Tools
A quick rundown of basic tools and their more advanced counterparts.
Combat RCD issued to ERT engineers. Has improved magazine (500 material)
Can select from a variety of different structures
Can deconstruct most basic structures (walls, windows, floors)
Pipe Dispenser
Rapid Piping Device
Dispensing disposal/air pipes.
Dispenses unfastened pipes
Dispenser must be anchored to dispense pipes.
No magazine/material limit on RPD or dispenser.
Bluespace RPD upgrade can dispense pipes at range.
Wiring
An engineer doing some wiring. Note the insulated gloves and his position to the tile he's wiring.A demonstration of wire placement based on character position.An example of proper or 'smooth' wiring.An example of a node. The round circle is a place to connect machinery like emitters.An example of improper wiring. These wires aren't actually appropriately connected and may not transfer power as a result.An example of 'spaghetti' wiring. This image demonstrates how directional wiring can be manipulated.An example of standard station wiring.
Now that we've gone over the list of tools, it's important to understand how wiring in SS13 functions.
Outside of its use in repairing robotic limbs, mechs, and other things, cable coil is primarily used to route power to APCs and SMES arrays around the station.
APCs are the power terminals located in each room that provide electricity to the Lighting, Equipment, and Environment systems for a designated area.
APCs utilize a charging system and contain a single cell (a battery) that charges from the power grid that it's connected to.
APCs which are not connected to the grid by wiring, or APCs which receive insufficient levels of power, will lose battery life.
Wiring is used to connect APCs to the SMES arrays which gain charge from power sources (such as the engine) and distribute electricity.
As we can see, making sure we're properly wiring things is integral to the function of equipment and the station in general. If things are wired inappropriately, the APC may not receive power and the area you're either creating or repairing will be left in the dark.
There are a few important caveats before you start any wiring project.
Wires connected to an active electrical grid will shock you and cause burn damage.
Budget insulated gloves will either reduce or multiply damage from shocks.
Insulated gloves will protect from electrical shocks entirely.
Basic Wiring
(Note: Regular tiles on the station will have floor tiles on top of them. You will need to use a crowbar to remove these tiles in order to place any wires down).
Wiring is fairly straightforward, though there's a few things to keep in mind when you're doing it.
Wires can only ever be placed on plating or catwalk tiles.
Wire placement is directional and will always orient toward your character.
If you're placing a wire on a tile you're standing on it orient according to the direction you're facing.
In order to place wires you will need to be facing a catwalk or exposed plating with some cable coil in your hand.
Once you're ready with cable coil in hand, simply click on an adjacent tile with the wire in your hand to place down the wiring.
Here's a quick table explaining the different results you'll get based on your character's position.
Tile Direction refers to which direction the tile is from the player's current position (the wire always points toward the player).
Tile Directions such as Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest indicate the tile is diagonal to the player.
Tile Direction
Wiring Result
Tile Direction
Wiring Result
West
East
North
South
Northeast
Northwest
Southeast
Southwest
Now that we understand how directional placement of wires functions, we can start wiring things together.
Before we do however there's two important features of wiring that need to be discussed!
In any wiring project there are "nodes" and "wires" which both serve special functions.
Wires are what actually transfer power while nodes allow special machinery (like SMES arrays, emitters, and shield generators) to hook up to the power grid.
Wiring Type
Explanation
Smooth Wiring
Smooth wiring allows power to flow from point A to point B.
This is the basic, efficient, and accepted wiring configuration.
In order to produce smooth wiring, move to the opposite side of the tile and click on the little circle (or wiring node) on the ground.
IE: If the tile was to the West of you initially, move two tiles West so that it's now facing East from you (the wire should be pointing away from your character).
If you don't smoothly wire your cables (and leave those little ball-shaped nodes everywhere), you're unlikely to create connections between pieces of wiring.
Make sure there's no unwanted nodes and all your cables are smooth, otherwise your wiring system likely won't transfer any electricity.
Wiring Type
Explanation
Node Wiring
Node wiring is used for special equipment and electrifying grilles.
Exposed nodes can cause electric shocks when touched.
In order to produce a wire node, click on a tile already occupied by a smooth cable.
You should always do your standard smooth wiring before creating any nodes to make sure your cables are properly connected.
If you're trying to make a node in the middle of a section of wire, it must be smoothly wired first.
