# Design Guidelines for Microbiology Effects

## 1. Effects primarily concern objects, turfs, and reagents.
**A microbiologist is not interested in enhancing the crew themselves: geneticists do that!**
In general, microbial cultures should focus on enhancing or supplementing the equipment, machines, and structures of the station. Microbes also may act as a production agent for chemicals and gases.

## 2. Respect the balance of systems related to your effect.
**Do not overlap mob effects with genetics.**
Avoid effects that would be well-suited as a genetic mutation.

## 3. A conspicuous, nonharmful effect that acts on mobs is a 'tell'.
**Infected players use tells to know that they are infected.**
Tells should be unique and discernable from other systems.

## 4. Only effects under the 'malevolent' datum may cause harm.
**Malevolent effects are reserved for nuclear operatives only.**
Antag microbiologists cannot, by any means, obtain harmful effects to create a deathplague.
Mass disease only works in fast-paced nukeop rounds.

**Balance your effect so that infected players have ample time to recognize their illness and receive help.**
Use this scenario: an injured player (50% to crit) receives an infection.
Balance effects such that this injured player has at least 2-3 minutes before they are crit.

**Effects that directly harm playability are forbidden.**
Effects that disrupt player inputs or create false inputs (like a hellban) are not fun.

**Effects with the sole purpose of harming player interaction are forbidden.**
Effects that interfere significantly with speech or force players to isolate are bad design.

## 5. Transmission-enabling effects must include infect messages.
**Players must be alerted if they have been exposed.**
Communicating to players that transmission occurred is proper design.
Transmission should not be obscured to players.

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## 6. Avoid stacking ifs as much as possible.
**Use early returns to filter out unwanted conditions.**

## 7. Use established string defines when applicable.
**Repeated use of text is intentional, as it prevents direct memorization.**
A microbiologist should not be able to identify effects by the may_react_to text alone.
Effect identification should involve testimony, visual cues, and reagent tests.

## 8. Create new string defines when convenient.
**String defines should be general enough to apply to different effects.**

## 9. Use the microbe's variables efficiently.
**Duration and Probability should be the two main variables used in controlling the effect.**

if (src.probability >= 3)                  //conceptually equivalent to Stage 3+
if (src.duration < src.durationtotal/2)    //During the first half of illness...
if (prob(src.probability/2))               //Half the chance to act
var/add_reagent_amount = src.probability   //Reagent production varies with progression

...and so on.
## 10. Write adequate documentation for your effect.
**Provide a short description of how your act function works.**
If auxillary functions are needed for your effect, provide documentation there.