Fire[]
Dangers[]
Fire deals damage to crew members touching it, but most importantly, drains oxygen from the room it's in, and it inflicts constant damages upon affected installations. It will also explode any of the Oxygen Tanks or Welding Fuel Tanks on contact (especially those that are in your inventory).
Causes[]
Fire is usually caused by electricity-related mishaps, most commonly overloading. This tends to result in multiple installations catching fires, overwhelming the crew. The thermal artifact will also set anything it touches on fire. Obviously, fire can occur during reactor meltdown.
Dealing with fires[]
Fires need access to oxygen to keep going, which informs the ways used to deal with them. The Fire Extinguisher is the most obvious tool for the job, but tends to be insufficient when dealing with multiple fires at the same time.
Flooding[]
Dangers[]
Flooding is an omnipresent menace in Barotrauma. While items and installations are waterproof, the crew can easily drown; moreover, the intense pressure found in the ocean will crush unprotected crew members found in completely submerged areas, instantly killing them. On top of these immediately lethal consequences, flooding also weighs down the submarine and makes sinking easier.
Causes[]
The excess water can come from three sources: hull breaches, opened doors to the outside, and, a lot less likely, pumps being set to fill the submarine uncontrollably. In both cases, water will naturally flow toward the lowest available location not entirely flooded and begin to fill up rooms after rooms.
Dealing with flooding[]
A diving mask temporarily prevents its wearer from drowning, and a diving suit has the additional effect of protecting from pressure; putting on the appropriate equipment can save your life and give you the time necessary to take additional steps. Don't forget the required Oxygen Tank. Cautious crew members frequently store this equipment in their inventory (taking care not to use up the oxygen beforehand) just in case, to put it on quickly when needed. Without it (or access to it), swim toward breathable air hoping to reach it in time; until the flooding is dealt with (or you flee for a safer area) you will have to resurface regularly to take a breath.
Once immediate survival is ensured, the highest priority is to investigate and determine the origin point(s) of the flooding. In the case of a hull breach, the impact having caused the breach should be noticeable enough to orient the researches. The Status Monitor can help in this endeavour by mapping the flooded areas. Finally, one can follow the water falling downward or the current to locate the origin point of the flooding.
Pumps should be activated to empty out the water as possible; it may be enough to undo the first cause of the flooding, but even when this is not the case, it will obviously help fighting the raise of the water level. Once the cause of the flood is located, it must be dealt with: malfunctioning pumps and, breaches should be fixed.