EDIT 4/28/16 - With the recent gun update, and the upcoming xenomorph update, this guide is a little outdated. I will update it when I can. You can still use the information therein for your benefit.
This is an advanced macro tutorial with the intent to improve your CM or SS13 performance and enjoyment. Macros are not a complicated programming language, and there is much you cannot do with macros, but you can automate simple tasks for convenience and generally do things quickly with the help of a few modifications to the keyboard layout. This guide assumes you are familiar with and use the hotkeys on the CM server, and also that you have read and understood THIS. If you are either not familiar with the hotkeys in the game or the macro functions as a whole, I recommend you familiarize yourself first. Getting accustomed to the hotkey setup can take a bit of doing, so I recommend playing around with it before moving on to macros.
Press TAB to activate hotkey mode. You can check what each key does in the OOC tab. However, hotkey mode doesn't give you the full functionality you, or at least I, want. So for that you can add in some special macro functions to get the full benefit of using a control scheme that doesn't shred your skin and make your wretch up gallstones.
READ THIS FIRST: To get the most of out macros, you need a programmable mouse where you can reassign mouse buttons 4 and 5 to a keyboard key. If you don't have a mouse that can do that, or you don't have keys 4 and 5 on the left side of your mouse, or you're playing on a laptop/toaster, just adapt my guidelines accordingly. Also keep in mind that you cannot assign clicking functions via macroing, hence the need to re-purpose those keys to something on the keyboard. You will need to set your mouse key 4 to period (.) and 5 to comma (,) for the purposes of this guide.
Anything the game already defines CANNOT be macroed. For instance, F2 is OOC and F12 removes most of the UI to clear up your screen. It is not possible to fully automate some functions because the .click function is dependent on world time in SS13, to prevent click spamming, on everything but the UI. So you cannot chain together consecutive .click commands without delay. I take this in to account in the guide, but remember that if you want to mess around with the macro functions on your own. It is actually possible to chain together commands with an outside macro, using a programmable mouse or some other program, but this is not what this guide is about. Also keep in mind that if you play other servers that are not CM, you may encounter strange macro-related behavior or no behavior at all. Goonstation is one example. Other servers disable macros all together. The ID Tag for macros is optional, and they will work with or without it.
To find where the macros are actually stored, go into the BYOND menu hub, then click the gear on the far right, then preferences, then select the advanced tab.
Because of the way macros are handled by BYOND, this method is not optimal when it comes to managing your keylists. A possible way to automate this is through a batch script, otherwise known as a .bat file,but that is not what this tutorial is about. If you can figure this out on your own, you have graduated to the level of master. Purge some xeno scum while typing in all caps/eat some heads and caress some poor sobs. You know as much as I know, maybe more.
.bat file removed since it is now outdated and has one or two minor miscellaneous issues.
I have separated the macro list into several categories based on function, and I have tried my best to give these keys a predictable pattern so you may remember them easier. I use the following format: Key+Combination Macro-Function-Here. Most of the functions are self-explanatory, but I will add comments in the form of //Comment when I find it necessary to explain something. This list may not be all-encompassing or future proof, and some commands are purposefully omitted because they are used infrequently. Adapt accordingly.
1. Global: Applies to everything in the game, regardless of role, and is in the generic macro list. This is the only time you will use the generic list as everything else is specific to Colonial Marines.
2. Marine: Applies to playing anyone human, though not necessarily a marine. Some of the say "" commands are left vague for your own write in response. There are a lot of functions in this list, and you do not necessarily need everything to be effective.
3. Alien Global: Applies to all xeno evolutions and castes past the larva stage. All the other xenomorph commands are added to this list.
4. Alien First Tier: Applies to the larva/first stage of the xenomorph lifecycle. Not all functions will work for every caste, but it has a catch-all function list for everything you may need at this evolution stage. The other evolutions will typically lose the hide and vent crawl abilities at stages 2 and 3 respectively, though they may keep some of the other abilities. I will only list abilities that are replaced in the key layout. You can use the middle mouse button, the scroll wheel, to activate spit/pounce for sentinel and runner castes.
5. Alien Hunter: Applies to xenomorph hunters and ravagers. Ravagers do not get any benefit from stalking and they cannot ventcrawl.
6. Alien Crusher: Applies to xenomorph crushers only.
7. Alien Spitter: Applies to xenomorph spitters and praetorians. Praetorians can emit pheromones.
8. Alien Boiler: Applies to xenomorph boilers only.
9. Alien Hivelord: Applies to xenomorph hivelords only.
10. Alien Carrier: Applies to xenomorph carriers only.
11. Alien Queen: Applies to xenomorph queens/empresses only. This is the most complicated xenomorph keyboard setting and requires some familiarity with the layout.
12. Predator: Applies only to predators/yautja. I do not play predator, and this was submitted by Gelonvia. I think the button placement should be fine though.
13. Hellhound: These are the predator's lapdogs. Hellhounds have very limited interactions and they can't do custom emotes. I've noted the emotes they can use, but there are 2-3 that are unlisted. Say "*help" to see them all.
GLOBAL
- C Stop-Pulling
Space Resist
Shift+A Westface
shift+D Eastface
Shift+E .click Toggle //This will show/hide the equipment screen.
Shift+F Me
Shift+G Whisper
Shift+Q .click Close //This will close container screens (backpacks/boxes), but does not work perfectly.
shift+S Southface
Shift+T Say
shift+W Northface
Shift+Z Show-Held-Item
Shift+F2 LOOC
- V .click Marine-Combat-Boots //Will retrieve your boot knife. Use again to put it back.
, .click Eject-magazine\nActivate-Held-Object\nSwap-Hand\say "Reloading!" //Tactical reload. Hold the weapon with both hands, with the active hand on the weapon itself.
. Toggle-Burst-Fire-Mode DEPRECIATED. .click Toggle-burst-fire
`(tilde) Toggle-Aiming-Mode //Placeholder until something resembling a motion scanner is added.
Shift+1 Say "write_in"
Shift+2 Say "write_in"
Shift+3 Me "write_in"\n say "write_in"
Shift+4 Me "write_in"\n say "write_in"
Shift+,Pump-Shotgun DEPRECIATED. .click Use-unique-action
Shift+. Use-Scope DEPRECIATED. .click Activate-weapon-attachment
Shift+Ctrl+A Westface\nSay "enemy_sighting_west_write_in" //This was originally a Ctrl+ command, but I frequently ran into issues when Ctrl clicking to drag. Change it if you need to.
Shift+Ctrl+D Eastface\nSay "enemy_sighting_east_write_in"
Shift+Ctrl+S Southface\nSay "enemy_sighting_south_write_in"
Shift+Ctrl+W Northface\nSay "enemy_sighting_north_write_in"
- ` Hive-Status
Shift+1 Say "*hiss"
Shift+2 Say "*growl"
Shift+3 Say "*tail"
Shift+4 Say "*roar"
shift+E Toggle-Darkvision
shift+C Regurgitate
shift+Z Transfer-Plasma
Shift+Ctrl+A Me "write_in"
Shift+Ctrl+D Me "write_in"
Shift+Ctrl+S Me "write_in"
Shift+Ctrl+W Say "*dance"
- V Ready-Tail-Attack-(20)
, Plant-Weeds-(75)
. Secrete-Resin-(75)
Space Crawl-Through-Vent
Shift+, Emit-Pheromones-(30)
Shift+Space Hide
- , .click Mov_Intent //This makes the hunter transparent and harder to detect.
. Ready-Tail-Attack-(20)
- , Toggle-Charging
. Stomp-(50)
- , Toggle-Spit-Type
. Ready-Tail-Attack-(20)
- , Toggle-Bombard-Type
. Bombard-(200-250)
Space Toggle-Long-Range-Sight-(20)
- Space Resin-Walker
Shift+. Dig-Tunnel-(200)
- . Ready-Tail-Attack-(20)
- Space Lay-Egg-(100)
Shift+T Psychic-Whisper
Shift+V Gut-(200)
Shift+` Set-Hive-Orders-(50)
Shift+. Produce-Jelly-(350)
Shift+Space Screech-(250)
- Shift+4 Say "*roar"
, Toggle-Cloaking-Device
. Toggle-Wrist-Blades
- Space Say "*sniff"
Shift+1 Say "*howl"
Shift+2 Say "*growl"
Shift+3 Say "*tail"
Shift+4 Say "*roar" //Only this one has a SFX attached.
Ctrl+A Say "*rumble"
Ctrl+D Say "grunt"
Ctrl+S Say "whimper"
Ctrl+W Say "*dance"