Guide to EVA
EVA is an often used phrase that means Extravehicular Activity, which more often than not refers to going out into space, or spacewalking.
Space Suits and Equipment
In order to not succumb to vacuum and turn into a popsicle, you must wear protective equipment. Below are the different types of equipment available.
Softsuits
Softsuits are your most basic protective equipment against vacuum and space. They are commonly found in the blue emergency oxygen closets placed around the colony and in ruins. The suit and helmet are separate, but also quite fragile and susceptible to puncturing and tearing, which would render the suit useless against space; if this happens do not panic, for you can repair the breach with simple tools. They are also clunky, encumbering, and colored very brightly.
Voidsuits
See also: Voidsuits
Voidsuits are much more advanced over softsuits, and provide a slightly better range of options. While voidsuits are suits of armor they still can be damaged beyond optimal operation
Repairing Space Suits
Any tool with sealing quality will patch up both slashes and melting, this even works while you are inside the space suit making it the easiest way to repair. For melting damage from burns you may want to remove the suit and use plastic or steel sheets on it, this will instantly repair the breaches but you can not do this while wearing the space suit. For slashes and or punctures a welder may be used to repair, however like using sheets you are not able to do so while wearing the suit.
Assembly
Assembly is done by taking a voidsuit component and clicking on the main suit with it. This will attach it to the suit, and will deploy once the main suit is equipped as long as nothing is in the way, shoes being an exception for magboots. To remove components use any wrench on the suit. Assembly is optional but very much encouraged.
Voidsuit helmet: Occupies helmet slot. Removes the need for an oxygen mask as long as it's worn.
Voidsuit: Occupies exo slot.
Magboots: Occupies shoe slot. Will fit over any shoes you're already wearing.
Oxygen tank: Occupies suit storage slot. Provides breathable oxygen. Can be ejected by right clicking the suit.
OR
Suit cooler: Occupies suit storage slot, does *not* attach into voidsuits. Cools the internal atmosphere for the user. Must be held in hand to switch on and off by clicking the unit while in-hand.
RIGs
See also: Hardsuit Operation
RIG or also called "Hardsuits" are the most advanced pieces of EVA equipment. They resemble control modules that fit on your back to deploy and manage components and modules at the press of a button. RIGs also contain a detachable oxygen tank, power cell, and bone support. RIGs are much sturdier than voidsuits and even work as armor, depending on the control module you're wearing. Hardsuits have more utility over voidsuits in that they contain modules that can perform a variety of tasks, depending on the control module you're wearing. The downsides of hardsuits, however, are that they inflict a speed penalty (some of which can be negated by keeping the chestpiece undeployed or staying powered) and take a while to activate or take off. Wearing a RIG's gloves will prevent you from being handcuffed, but not from cable cuffs or zipties! RIGs, even when unpowered, will block surgery, requiring the surgeon to remove it via another surgery.
RIGs also have ablative armor, this armor slowly degrades as the plates protect you from being harmed. To repair ablative armor simply take off your RIG and open its panel, then use any welding quality tool to slowly mend and repair the damaged plates.
Jetpacks
Unless you're using a RIG with installed jets, jetpacks are necessary to navigate environments without gravity, otherwise you will drift perpetually unless another force acts on your character, such as throwing or coming into contact with an object. Activating a jetpack will allow you to move around quickly, and activating stabilization (at the cost of more propellant) will allow for more precise movement. Jetpacks must be placed on your back to work, and should not be used as internals if the paint on the jetpack is black. If you are not granted the luxury of using a jetpack, a fire extinguisher will work as well.
Suit Cycler
Suit Cyclers are dense structures that could be climbed in if needed but otherwise hold just a suit, a helmet and an air tank. The main use of these suit storage units is to disinfect plasma off the suit and gear as well as clean any blood off.
Finding space on a planet
Once your have the gear you need, you're ready to take on the elements... or lack thereof. Most of the time, exiting the any shuttle is done by cycling through an airlock, which will depressurize the room you're in momentarily and open to the outside. If the airlock has not been operated before or it is not cycled to your side of it, you must press the button on your side of the door to open it. From there, click the control panel and select Cycle to Exterior. DO NOT click any buttons that will force the doors, otherwise the whole room will depressurize and you'll probably fly out of the airlock. It is highly recommended that your activate your internals and magboots before operating the airlock in case an accident occurs during the cycling procedure. Once the vents shut off and the opposite door opens, you are free to walk through.
Outside of shuttle operations the only other way to get to space is through the Church's space teleporter. This teleporter will send you to a junk field of destroyed ships, infested with carp, pirates and drones. Despite the teleporter being the fastest and easiest way to explore space, it is not stable and using it while wearing bluespace gear can lead to you being teleported into a random area or section of space.
Exploring Space
Space is... well, space. Aesthetically and mechanically. There's no air, no floor, and no gravity. Without a jetpack, you will be forced to use magboots and cling to the exterior of anything solid to navigate.
Returning
To cycle back into the shuttle or station, simply click Cycle to Interior and wait for the room to pressurize. The door will open shortly after, and you may turn off your internals and other equipment once you are out of the airlock. For the Church's teleporter simply return through the same portal that popped you into space.
