FAQ

This is a compact table list of frequently asked questions and unique CM server features that you may want to learn. If you have a question that is not covered by this article, please Ahelp in-game and a member of the staff will assist you.

What you'd like to know:	How To:
General	This section contains the general information that is useful for both teams: Gamemodes and Maps Infestation The infestation gamemode is Aliens vs Marines, this gamemode ends upon the eradication of one side. Custom events started by admins can sometimes take place during this mode.This is the default gamemode of CM. Typically however the Server and Hub will show the Map Name as the game mode instead of Infestation. Hunter Games The Hunter Games gamemode is split into two modes, the first one being a deathmatch style with random weapons, mostly melee or thrown, scattered about, typically with admins spicing it up. The second mode is where there are still weapons scattered about and it is still a free for all deathmatch however RP is encouraged due to how multiple 'Tribes' are spawned in at certain areas of the designated map to play on. From there the tribes can go to war, conduct diplomacy, execute their prisoners of war, go looting, etc. Nearing round end the remaining players of the tribes are told to get to more of a 'There can be Only One' styled of gameplay, with the last player standing wins. This is a gamemode that needs one of the heads of staff to be online in order to play this mode properly. Remember, this is a gamemode that can only be playable from round start. Whiskey Outpost During the Whiskey Outpost gamemode you play as one of the Marines in the USCM battalion 'Dust Raiders' who were previously in charge of 'keeping the peace' in the Tychon Rift sector. The aim of the mode is for the Dust Raiders to hold the outpost for as long as possible (Until Wave 10) against the xenomorph hordes, the game ends if either the aliens annihilated the Dust Raider marines or the Dust Raiders survived 10 waves against the xenomorphs. Requires one of the heads of staff to be online in order to play. Take note that after the round starts, you cannot late join onto the marine side and as such are forced to observe or play as a xeno. Extended The Extended gamemode does appear in CM, but it's reserved for admin events only. Normally xenomorphs aren't spawned in extended rounds, however it's up to the admin hosting the event. An example event that uses extended would be the CLF vs USCM. Maps Colonial Marines has 5 maps. The foggy, tropical warzone colony of Lazarus Landing on Planet LV-624. The harsh, cold winter environment of Ice Colony on Planet LV-343 'Ifrit', also known as Shiva's Snowball. The modern, hot areas of the research facility Solaris Ridge on the Planet 'Big-Red'. The everfloating, maximum security station is known as the Florina Orbital Penitentiary or simply, Prison Station. And the soon-to-be overrun Whiskey Outpost in the Tychon Rift sector. Ladders & Wall Holes How to look up or down a ladder or wall hole Click and drag the ladder or wall sprite onto your character, to cancel this view you can either walk away from the ladder or you can go into the OOC tab and click "Cancel camera view". Combat How to get a trap off your leg Go to the IC tab then click on resist or type resist into the chat bar. Note that if you're an alien you can just press the resist UI button. Setup Character The WO Role The WO role is a custom preference for the map Whiskey Outpost (WO). If you have it set to yes, you may be chosen to become a Doctor or Commander on that map instead of a standard grunt. Interacting with the map How to climb over obstacles Click and drag your character onto the obstacle and you'll start to climb onto it. A example of an obstacle being a window frame, table and barricade. How to flip tables Stand next to the table. Right-click -> Flip table. OR Click and drag on the table with an empty hand and release with your cursor on a tile adjacent to the table in the direction you wish to flip the table. Make sure you are standing on the proper side for the direction you wish to flip it. To set the table back, repeat the procedure but drag and release towards your character. Also, keep note that only regular tables may be flipped; reinforced tables can be flipped but it requires an engineer to weld them first. Preferences & Others Turning off xenomorph preference Go to the Preference tab for verbs (top right) and click on Toggle SpecialRole Candidacy and select xeno. After you've done this you'll have disabled your xenomorph preference meaning that you won't be placed into a larva body automatically. Check ping Enter .ping in the chat bar.
Marine	This section contains information for marine players: Ladders: How to throw a grenade up or down a ladder Without priming the grenade, click on the ladder with a grenade in your hand, the grenade will be automatically primed and thrown up or down to the ladder. How to throw a flare up or down a ladder Activate the flare in your hand so that it's providing light then click on the ladder and you'll drop it up or down the ladder. Also applies to Flashlights. Wall Holes How to throw a grenade through a wall hole Without priming the grenade, click on the wall hole with a grenade in your hand, the grenade will be automatically primed and thrown through the wall hole. How to throw a flare 'through a wall hole Activate the flare in your hand so that it's providing light then click on the wall hole and you'll throw it through to the other side. Also applies to Flashlights. Reloading: Tactical Reload (reloading with one hand) You can "tactically reload" your weapon with a magazine. Hold your weapon in your active hand and then drag a magazine onto that weapon. Reloading weapon attachments You can reload weapons attachments by toggling the attachment on, then feeding the attachment with its relevant ammo type. Underbarrel grenade launchers take M40 grenades(Typically HEDP), Masterkey Shotguns take buckshot shells, and Mini Flamethrowers take flamethrower tanks. Refilling Incinerator Tanks Once emptied, Incinerator tanks can be refilled by clicking on a fuel tank, welder pack or welding tank. Reloading Heavy Weapons (Smartgun and M5 RPG) You can only reload Heavy Weapons by standing still, as moving will interrupt your reload. Combat: Firing a weapon To fire a weapon, point at the cursor to the target you want to shoot and click to fire. If you cannot fire your weapon, then this will explain the following: *Click* The weapon is out of ammo or a loaded magazine/shell/rocket has not been loaded. Hold a gun and its respective ammo with two hands and click the weapon while your ammo is in the active hand, this will load the weapon or using any reloading methods listed above with their respective weapon. If the weapon does not have an auto-unload system (the gun blares beeps to signify the weapon ran out of ammo), you unload the empty magazine manually by clicking on the unload magazine button. A shell from a recently fired pump-action shotgun is not 'pumped' or loaded. Activate Unique action to the shotgun to unload the spent shell and load a new one. A bullet inside the revolver is not in the right chamber. Either pull the trigger (fire) or activate Unique Action to the weapon a few times until the bullet is in the chamber. You need two hands to fire [Weapon]! Two hands are required to fire two handed weapons (Like rifles, shotguns, any one hand weapon with a Forward Grip etc.), use the two handed gun to wield it with both hands. A one handed weapon (Such as pistols, SMGs, any two hand weapon with a Gyroscopic Stabilizer etc.) can be fired without two hands, allowing you to duel wield two weapons at the same time. A Gyroscopic Stabilizer attachment will make a two handed weapon one handed and a Forward Grip will make a one handed weapon to a two handed gun. You don't know how to use [Weapon]... You're either holding a Smartgun or a Specialist Weapon with a role that does not have the knowledge to use this weapon. Only a Smartgunner (as well as a Commander) and a Specialist can use these weapons respectively. A simple squad marine cannot use the Smartgun without smartgun training, a Smartgunner cannot use the M5 RPG without heavy weapons training and so on. Grenade Throwing Priming a grenade automatically sets it to throw. Just prime and click; toggling the throw button after that will mean the grenade stays in your hand when you click, which is probably not what you intended. How to shoot point-blank Switch your intent to Harm, click on their sprite/tile. There is a bug where buckshot weapons and weapons that fire bursts will treat pointblank firing into one shot. Mounting Emplacements You can mount the M56D emplacement by dragging it onto your sprite. Abilities: Orders The "issue-order" verb in the IC tab lets leaders (Squad Leader and LT+) issue an order (temporary buff) to marines around them. To read more about the order ability click here. Friendly on Fire You can help put someone out if they're on fire by using help intent and clicking on them with an empty hand. Using Rail Scope There are two ways to use the rail scope, Toggle Rail Flashlight and Activate Weapon Attachment . You can also make a macro for this action by using the command 'load-from-attachmentt Pumping a shotgun. Click Unique Action Button to pump. Since it has no hotkey you need to make a macro to blind it with a key. The command is unique-action Walking You can choose to 'Walk' instead of run, trading movement speed for increased accuracy. Best used when behind cover. While rarely relevant, this will also let you go over wet tiles without issue, instead of slipping and falling over. Helping a recently facehugged marine regain consciousness After the facehugger has fallen off, repeatedly shake the marine by clicking them with an empty hand and Help intent. Non-Combat: Squad Hud As a non-combat role, you are able to see the squad HUD by toggling it to enabled, by right clicking your headset. Medical Hud: HoloCards You can use the medHUD to add a visible holocard onto someone by shift-clicking them and using the holocard option at the bottom of their examine description. Intercomms You can directly speak into an intercom without having to enable it by prepending your text with :i. For example, ' :i I'm speaking into an intercom. ' Headsets If you are a member of command (SO, PO, etc), you can listen to marine squads' channel by activating the headset then click "engage". Note that all radio channels and how to use them with a headset can be found here. Removing equipments from other marines Drag their sprites onto yours to open their equipment window, click the item names to strip. Removing weapon attached with Magnetic Harness Remove armor first then the weapon. Throwing other marines Grab or Pull a marine in active hand then click (or press Z in hotkey mode) two times (there is a few seconds cooldown in between) to upgrade it to . Then you can use throw to throw them up to 7 tiles away and over unbarbed wire barricades but it doesn't pass over window frames and tables. To overcome window frames and tables, click the window frame or the table next to you to put them on it when it's . Removing Facepaint Pick up a piece of paper, target the mouth and click on yourself. Mutinying Mutinies are allowed, but should only be reserved for extreme situations. To follow the correct procedure so that you aren't banned while attempting one check out the rules page. Righting a fallen vendor Click on the fallen vendor with an empty hand. Restocking Items To restock/refill certain items, you click and drag them onto an appropriate vendor. Doing this will refill them, with the exception of most magazines and other sources of ammo. Useful restockable items are Powerpacks to vendors, Tricord in Nanomed and hot drinks to vendors. Turning on floodlights Click the floodlight with an empty hand. Unlocking locked dropship by Xeno In case the Queen locked the dropship, it can be unlocked by having a command role (SL, PO, SO, XO and CO) access the dropship console. Inventory: Containers and you You can view the insides of a container (backpack, belt, armor, etc) by dragging it onto your sprite. This works for containers on the floor or equipped on you, though backpacks will have to be in your hand, or on the floor. Helmets and you Your helmet can take two tiny items (protein bar/throwing knife) into it, and your armour can take two small items or weapon magazines into it. Attachments: Stripping Attachments The "field strip weapon" verb in the weapons tab lets you take off specific attachments from a weapon you are holding.
Xenomorph	This section contains information for xenomorph players: Capturing Hosts Devouring You can devour a host by Grabbing them and clicking on yourself. Evolving and Upgrading Evolving When you evolve as a xeno it means you evolve yourself to the next tier of caste. An example being a runner evolving to a hunter. You will lose any attained Upgrade statuses and revert to the Young version of your tier upon Evolve. Upgrading Periodically as a Xenomorph you will "Upgrade" to an older, more powerful form automatically. This happens on increasing intervals as you age, and the counter associated with it is not shown to the player. Note that unlike how it worked previously, it is seperate from Evolution Progress and evolution is still available in upgraded states. Non-Combat Check where a tunnel leads to Examine the tunnel by right click -> examine or shift + left click. Checking if slashing is enabled/disabled Click on the stats tab, once open it'll be clearly displayed in that tab whether or not slashing is enabled/disabled. How to knock over vendors Use Grab intent (the yellow square on the intent wheel) and click on the vendor. Dealing with welded vents You can melt the pipe you're inside to make a new exit. Said exit will be one way however! How to clear snow Use Grab intent (the yellow square on the intent wheel) and click on the snow. Wall Holes How to climb through wall holes Click and drag yourself onto the wall with the hole in and you'll start to climb through it. Keep in mind that only small xenos can climb through, this being tier 1 xenos, the hunter and finally the spitter.