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-====== Action Codes ====== 
  
-Throughout these rules you may notice alphanumeric codes tagged to pages.  These are to facilitate automation of these game rules by computer software, but they can also be used as shorthand for the Actions PC and NPC Actors decide to take using cards around a table.  The diagrams below illustrate how to interpret these codes and possible future applicability to be used in a computer program. 
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-===== Basic Action Code Structure ===== 
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-**C-A-XXX-SS-** 
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-  * **C-** //Classifier//: Combat, Mental, Social, Stealth, Research, etc. 
-  * **A-** //Action Type//: Melee, Missile, Move, Spell, Object, etc. 
-  * **XXX-** //Action//: the numerical code of the specific action taken (3 digits to allow for variety of up to 999 unique actions possible) 
-  * **SS** //Action Score//: the total [[rules:core:action-system:dbc|Action Score]] the Actor has for this action, representing the relative strength of the action being performed. 
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-Above is the most basic representation of an action code.  All actions, regardless of their //Classifier//, or //Action Type//, begin with a prefix in this format.  This code system, however, is extensible, meaning that depending on the //Classifier// or //Action Type//, additional blocks of alphanumeric characters may be present that are relevant only to that action type, such as a weapon used in the case of a Melee Action Type, or the spell chosen in case of a Mental Action Type, etc.  
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-==== Examples: ==== 
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-Below are some actual action codes with their meanings interpreted: 
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-**C-H-001-03-** 
-Interpretation:  
-  * **C-** //Combat Action// 
-  * **H-** //Hand-to-Hand Combat Action Type// 
-  * **001-** //[[rules:core:action-system:actions:punch|Punch Action]], the most basic attack type// 
-  * **03** //The Actor has a total Action Score of 3 in this Action Type// 
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-**S-P-001-01-** 
-Interpretation:  
-  * **S-** //Social Action// 
-  * **P-** //Persuade Action Type// 
-  * **001-** //Carouse Action, a basic attempt to be friendly and make friends// 
-  * **01** //The Actor has a total Action Score of 1 in this Action Type// 
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-**R-S-001-05-** 
-Interpretation:  
-  * **S-** //Research Action// 
-  * **P-** //Study Action Type// 
-  * **001-** //Reading, a basic attempt to read available materials to learn information// 
-  * **05** //The Actor has a total Action Score of 5 in this Action Type// 
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-===== Combat Action Code Structure ===== 
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-Combat is one of the most common ways the Basic Action Code Structure is extended to be more descriptive for specific Action Classes and Types.  In combat, the following alphanumeric blocks separated by dashes are appended to the Basic Action Code Structure above: 
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-C-A-XXX-SS-**PPP-SPAPFPRPIPWP-WWWW-L** 
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-  * **C-A-XXX-SS-** //Basic Action Code block//: described in the preceding section. 
-  * **PPP-** //Body Position ([[rules:core:combat:stances|stance]])//: the combat stance the Actor will assume during the action (3 digits to allow for variety of up to 999 unique defensive actions possible) 
-  * **SPAPFPRPIPWP-** //stat bid//: how many [[rules:core:actors:stats|stat points]] of each characteristic were invested in the XXX action (a component of the total SS action score above). 
-    * SP are Strength points 
-    * AP are Agility points 
-    * FP are Fitness points 
-    * RP are Reason points 
-    * IP are Intuition points 
-    * WP are Will points 
-  * **WWWW-** //Weapon type//: the weapon type used by the Actor (4 digits to allow for variety of up to 9999 unique weapons possible) 
-  * **L** //Location//: one of the 8 possible [[rules:core:combat:body-locations|body locations]] the Actor will aim for with the strike selected from XXX above (or null value if no strike action was selected). 
- 
- 
-==== Example Usage: ==== 
- 
-Now let's put the above Combat Action Code Structure into use by illustrating how it might be used programmatically to determine the outcome of an attacker and a defender's chosen actions during combat: 
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-  - Bronan the Barbarian selects through the mobile game application user interface that he intends to punch the annoying Lunarite merchant in the nose. 
-    - Behind the scenes, the game software translates the player's swiping and tapping into this Combat Action Code: **C-H-001-09-001-0001-1** 
-    - Interpretation: Combat Action-HandtoHand-Punch Action-9 Action Score-Standing stance-fist weapon type-Location 1 (left head and shoulder) 
-  - Mercatores, the NPC merchant in question, who incidentally doesn't consider himself to be annoying, is quite taken aback by this uncouth behavior, but nonetheless has the wherewithal to try and duck out of the way at the last second.  Below is his action in response as determined by the game software: 
-    - **C-M-001-03-001-0001-0** 
-    - Interpretation: Combat Action-Movement-Dodge-3 Action Score-Standing stance-Basic body defensive weapon-0 all hit locations. 
-  - **Outcome**: the mobile game software compares the Combat Action Codes of the attacker and defender and performs some logic based on looking up these codes in it's database: 
-    - C-H-001-09-001-0001-1 
-    - C-M-001-03-001-0001-0 
-    - **C-** the software evaluates both codes and determines that both Actors are taking combat actions and so continues to evaluate the outcome.  If there were a Class mismatch, for example Bronan punching and Mercatores continuing to run his mouth (e.g. a S-social Class action), the software would throw an error and likely have Bronan's punch be undefended, instead assigning a default motionless defense action to Mercatores; however, Mercatores social action would still take place, and he may in fact succeed at least in convincing Bronan to stop punching him in the face (?) 
-    - **H-** vs. **M-** the software evaluates these two Action Types and determines they are compatible, and so proceeds to the next block of characters after the dash.  
-    - **H-001 (Punch)** vs. **M-001 (Dodge)** the software identifies the two actions and that when opposing each other, the Action Scores from the Basic Action Code should be subtracted from one another to determine the outcome (i.e. whether Bronan hit Mercatores or not.) Since Bronan's Punch Action Score was 9 and Mercatores' Dodge Action Score was 3, Bronan does hit with an [[rules:core:action-system:outcomes|Outcome]] score of 6. 
-    - Weapon/Armor Type **0001 (body)** vs. **0001 (body)** is evaluated by the software which returns a null value, meaning these opposing weapons have no effect on the outcome and so the subroutine continues on to the next character block after the dash. 
-    - Location **1** vs. **0** the software evaluates the defender's body location and determines that the default value of 0 for the Dodge action indicates all body locations, and therefore the 3 Action Score from Mercatores' dodge does apply in defense to Bronan's punch to Location 1, and therefore 3 points are subtracted from Bronan's Action Score of 9, meaning 6 damage are done to Mercatores, considering he had no armor (another code block to be added to the extensible system but referenced here for illustrative purposes). 
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-==== Pencil & Paper Applicability: ==== 
- 
-If the game players are sitting around a table using cards or other tokens instead of software, each block of alphanumeric characters separated by a **dash** simply indicate another card that is to be laid by a player or GM during combat face down on the table during a [[rules:core:action-system:dbc|DBC]] from left to right. In the same way that software would evaluate the code blocks, in pencil & paper live play with cards, players evaluate the outcome of the cards when they are revealed during the DBC. The [[rules:core:gameplay:props:start|printable cards provided]] with these online rules have the corresponding action codes printed on them for easy reference.  
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-== Links to this page: == 
-{{backlinks>.}}  
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-== Tags: == 
-{{tag>action-codes}}