# Request to Community: Description of the latest features for the built-in Help

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [November 9, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900 "2016-11-09T21:42:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/1 "2016-11-09T21:42:59Z")

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As stated in [Issue #16734](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/issues/16734), we need to update in-game Help sections about the recently added features:

- magazines;
- vitamins;
- aiming system;
- other important changes not described in Help sections.

It’s really easy to update help text from coding side; my main issue with this is lack of good write-ups, so I’ve decided to request some help here.

Please post your variants of the write-ups about any significant topics for adding it to the in-game Help (and any other propositions for Help topics also) and I’ll incorporate it to the game (with your credits, of course).

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2016, 1:28am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/2 "2016-11-10T01:28:18Z")

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Well, here’s a first 2nd draft for magazines:

Most firearms in the game require compatible magazines to hold the ammunition. Compatible magazines are listed in a given firearm’s description. Fortunately, a firearm often spawns with one such magazine in it. You can eject a magazine from a firearm and load it with compatible ammunition separately, or if you have a firearm with a partially filled magazine in it, and some matching loose ammo in the inventory, you can simply order a reload, and your character will automatically eject the magazine, fill it with as much ammo as possible, and then put the magazine back in. You don’t have to worry about chambering a round though. Of course all this takes some time, so try not to do it if there are monsters nearby.

Be aware that you can give the reload and unload commands to both firearms and also magazines.

While magazines are often firearm-specific, on some occasions a magazine is compatible with several other firearms. The firearms in the game should often reflect real-world firearms in terms of caliber and compatibility. Below are some examples of “identical” ammo:

.308 = 7.62x51mm  
.223 = 5.56 NATO  
.270 = 30-06  
.40 S&W = 10mm

Magazine descriptions also list the compatible ammo.

Note that while several ammo types exist for a given caliber and magazine type, you can’t mix and match these types into a single magazine. You can’t for example load 9x19mm JHP and 9x19 FMJ ammo into the same magazine. Or .223 and 5.56 NATO. A magazine always requires identical rounds to be loaded in it.

Magazines can be stored inside several worn accessories for quicker access, such as chest rigs and ammo pouches. All these compatible storage items are listed in a given magazine’s description. At the moment, you can only store one magazine per clothing item.

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/3 "2016-11-10T01:46:51Z")

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On vitamins and nutrition:

The game includes a basic vitamin system. Your character can develop various vitamin deficiencies if he/she eats poorly. These deficiencies come in stages, so for example you won’t go from perfectly good health into a full-blown scurvy in an instant. Any developing and on-going deficiencies will be reported in the character sheet. Deficiencies will inflict various penalties, but luckily deficiencies are also always reversible. The game also contains multivitamin pills that can correct any deficiencies. You can also ingest too much vitamins, and that too can create problems. Be sure to have a balanced diet, or at least not a completely atrocious one. You can and should examine food items to view their nutritional facts.

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2016, 9:59am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/4 "2016-11-11T09:59:52Z")

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Thank you! I’ll put it in PR on the weekend.

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 5:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/5 "2016-11-12T17:09:31Z")

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Oh, add to magazines something like:

To store a magazine into a clothing item, 'a’ctivate the appropriate clothing item, at which point you’ll get to choose which magazine to store.

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/6 "2016-11-15T19:44:09Z")

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BeerBeer, thank you, I’ll incorporate this as well, and sorry I’m not doing it now. This week is the worst one in my entire life and I simply not able to do anything for the project now. Anyway, I hope this will be a short break in my project’s activity and I’ll come back soon.

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**Author:** ![Taberone](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/taberone/32/515_2.png) [@Taberone](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Taberone)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/7 "2016-11-17T04:47:07Z")

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I can think of two descriptions. Should NPCs get a description, too?

On wielding times:

Items with higher volumes, such as rifles, take more time to wield than items with lower volumes, such as pocket knives. Wield times can be shortened by holstering weapons in certain pieces of clothing, such as holsters, scabbards, and sheaths.

Aiming system:

Aimed shots can be taken with firearms to improve the chances of hitting a target. A regular aimed shot takes the least amount of time, a carefully aimed shot takes a moderate amount of time, and a precisely aimed shot takes the longest amount of time, but is the most accurate.

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 17, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/8 "2016-11-17T15:16:28Z")

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Description of vitamin system from BeerBeer is included in [PR #19321](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/19321).  
Further updates (including magazines description) will be done in next PRs.

> [@Taberone](#):
>
> I can think of two descriptions. Should NPCs get a description, too?

I guess so, it’s always good to have a proper description for all important parts of the game.  
And thanks for additions about aiming / wielding, I’ll try to utilize them too.

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/9 "2016-11-19T14:33:53Z")

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Speaking of the caliber mess, help me list the “identical”, or “often interchangable” calibers in the game.

.308 = 7.62x51mm  
.223 = 5.56 NATO  
.270 = 30-06  
.40 S&W = 10mm

Anything else? I think this could or even should be included in the help.

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 9:50am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/10 "2016-11-27T09:50:44Z")

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I agree these interchangeable calibers can cause some confusion but I’m a little bit worry about size of Help text (it shouldn’t be way too big).

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/11 "2016-11-27T14:42:28Z")

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Studying might be unavoidable. This is a pretty complex game after all 😕  
Edit: Also, edited my ammo/mag post above. Hopefully it’s more concise.

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/12 "2016-11-27T18:09:48Z")

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> [@BeerBeer](#):
>
> Also, edited my ammo/mag post above. Hopefully it’s more concise.

I’ve put it [into a PR](https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/pull/19506) with some minor changes. Thank you, BeerBeer!

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**Author:** ![BeerBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@BeerBeer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/BeerBeer)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/13 "2016-11-28T03:09:25Z")

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It occurred to me that sections of the help text might get outdated at some point. Maybe it would be wise to add dates at the start/end of each section? Such as:

Created: 2016/01/01  
Last checked / edited: 2016/11/27

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**Author:** ![illi-kun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/illi-kun/32/224_2.png) [@illi-kun](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/illi-kun)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 9:22am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/request-to-community-description-of-the-latest-features-for-the-built-in-help/12900/14 "2016-11-28T09:22:26Z")

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I don’t see how this will be helpful. Even if it show you that some sections were completed a couple years ago, this knowledge is useless until we have someone who actually want to revise and update it.

It’s much better to create a bug reports about outdated content if you found some or even better to write an update for obsolete sections (here or in github repo directly). It’s not necessary to create a PR if you (or someone else who want to update Help) have any issues with that, and the most valuable part is description how to update it.