This record proposes the following usability improvements for one-shot item enhancements, including ROMs, barrels, etc.

• Usable items should always be known in shops, and buying such an item makes it known to the player. The only exception should be shops that explicitly sell salvaged or unknown items.
• If the player uses an unknown item, the item should be consumed and become known, even if it had no effect.
• For known items, the player should be told of its effect before using. For example, if the player uses a weapon enhancement on a damaged item, the player should be told that the damaged item will be repaired.
• If a (known) enhancement has no effect on a target item, the player should be told that and prevented from consuming the item. For example, if we try to add radiation immunity to armor that is already immune, then we tell the player that the enhancement is unnecessary and refuse to consume the item.
• For known, cursed (defective) items, the player should be warned, but not prevented.
• In general, players should be able to pick the item to apply an enhancement to (including uninstalled items in cargo).

Effects

Armor Enhancements

This table shows the results when trying to enhance an armor item that is already enhanced (or already defective):

                             EFFECT ON TARGET
TYPE          ENHANC/SAME ENHANC/OTHER  DEFECT/SAME DEFECT/OTHER
----------------------------------------------------------------
Damage Resist    Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
HP Bonus          Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Immunity           N/E         N/E         Remove        N/E
Reflect            N/E         N/E         Remove        N/E
Regenerate       Better      Replace       Remove      Remove

Damage Vul.      Remove        N/E          Worse        N/E
HP Penalty        Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Vulnerability    Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
Absorb           Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
Decay            Remove        N/E          Worse      Replace

Shield Enhancements

                                 EFFECT ON TARGET
TYPE            DAMAGED  ENHANC/SAME ENHANC/OTHER  DEFECT/SAME DEFECT/OTHER
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damage Resist     Apply     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
Efficiency       Repair     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
HP Bonus         Repair      Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Immunity          Apply       N/E         N/E         Remove        N/E
Reflect           Apply       N/E         N/E         Remove        N/E
Regenerate       Repair     Better      Replace       Remove      Remove

Damage Vul.       Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse        N/E
Inefficiency      Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse        N/E
HP Penalty        Apply      Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Vulnerability     Apply     Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
Absorb            Apply     Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
Decay             Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse      Replace

Weapon Enhancements

                                 EFFECT ON TARGET
TYPE            DAMAGED  ENHANC/SAME ENHANC/OTHER  DEFECT/SAME DEFECT/OTHER
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Efficiency       Repair     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
Faster            Apply     Better        N/E         Remove      Remove
HP Bonus         Repair      Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Omni/Swivel       Apply     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
Special Damage    Apply     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E
Tracking          Apply     Better        N/E         Remove        N/E

Inefficiency      Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse        N/E
Slower            Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse      Replace
HP Penalty        Apply      Stack        N/E          Stack        N/E
Stuck             Apply     Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
No Special Damage Apply     Remove        N/E           N/E         N/E
No Tracking       Apply     Remove        N/E          Worse        N/E

Notes

• Same implies the same enhancement type and the same damage type if appropriate. (Other means different types and/or different damage types).
• Apply: Apply the enhancement. If the item has an existing enhancement or defect, use the table to determine result.
• Better: Take the better of the two enhancements. For example, the item has +10% and we enhance with +15%, the result is +15%.
• N/E: No effect.
• Remove: Enhancement is removed, leaving item with no enhancement.
• Repair: Device is repaired.
• Replace: New enhancement replaces existing enhancement.
• Stack: Add the two bonuses. For example, if the item has +10% and we enhance with +5%, the result is +15%. Similarly, if the item has -10% bonus and we enhance with +5%, the result is -5%.
• Worse: Take the worst of the two enhancements.