Action Test

<p data-rte-fromparser="true"><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BFile%3AAction_test.png%7Cthumb%7C242px%7CThe%20action%20test%20as%20it%20appears%20during%20the%20game%5D%5D%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Action_test.png%22%2C%22params%22%3A%7B%22thumbnail%22%3Atrue%2C%22alt%22%3A%22Action%20test%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22The%20action%20test%20as%20it%20appears%20during%20the%20game%22%2C%22width%22%3A242%2C%22captionParsed%22%3A%22The%20action%20test%20as%20it%20appears%20during%20the%20game%22%7D%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" alt="" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140407150403/spyparty/images/9/9c/Action_test.png" width="242" height="43" class="image thumb withCaption" data-image-name="Action test.png" data-image-key="Action_test.png"  type="image" />
<!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->The <b>action test</b> is a game mechanic that takes place whenever a <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22spy%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22spy%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5Bspy%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Spy" title="Spy">spy</a> attempts any spy action except <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22bugging%20the%20ambassador%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Bug%20Ambassador%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BBug%20Ambassador%7Cbugging%20the%20ambassador%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Bug_Ambassador" title="Bug Ambassador">bugging the ambassador</a>.
</p>
<h2 data-rte-spaces-before="1" data-rte-spaces-after="1" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> Description </h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">When the action is started, a horizontal bar will appear on the screen. Most of it is red, part of it is white, and inside the white section is a green mark. A slider will start at the left side of the bar and start moving towards the right. At any time during the action test, the spy may click the right mouse button or press B on their controller. The color of the bar at the slider's position at that moment determines the result of the action test. In order to ensure that action tests rely on conscious reactions rather than muscle memory, the placement of the white and green sections are randomized, and the slider accelerates as it moves further down the line.
</p><p data-rte-fromparser="true" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">If the slider stopped on the green mark, the spy gets the most desirable result. White is less desirable, and red is least desirable. The better the action test, the more subtle, quick or effective the spy will be in performing the action. If the spy allows the slider to move over the entire bar without stopping it, the action test is said to be ignored, and has the same result as a white action test. If the spy moves while the action test is running, the action is cancelled, often with some sort of penalty for the spy.
</p>
<h2 data-rte-spaces-before="1" data-rte-spaces-after="1" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> Effect by Action </h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">An action test can have the following effects on spy actions; see the action's corresponding article for details:
</p>
<table class="wikitable" data-rte-attribs=" class=wikitable">

<tr data-rte-empty-lines-before="1">
<th data-rte-spaces-before="1">Action
</th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1">Green
</th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1">White
</th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1">Red
</th><th data-rte-spaces-before="1">Cancelled
</th></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Contact%20Double%20Agent%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Contact%20Double%20Agent%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BContact%20Double%20Agent%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Contact_Double_Agent" title="Contact Double Agent">Contact Double Agent</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">no talk animation
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">talk animation
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">cough
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">cough
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Fingerprint%20Ambassador%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Fingerprint%20Ambassador%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BFingerprint%20Ambassador%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Fingerprint_Ambassador" title="Fingerprint Ambassador">Fingerprint Ambassador</a><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3EFingerprint%20Ambassador%20has%20no%20action%20test%20unless%20exactly%20one%20NPC%20has%20touched%20the%20fingerprint-bearing%20object%20before%20the%20spy%20can%20get%20to%20it.%20The%20action%20bar%20has%20only%20green%20and%20red%20sections%3B%20the%20white%20section%20is%20absent.%20The%20results%20of%20cancelling%20the%20action%20depend%20on%20the%20object%20held.%20See%20%5B%5BFingerprint%20Ambassador%7Cthe%20mission%20article%5D%5D%20for%20details.%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" type="ext" />
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">prints lifted
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">n/a
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">prints ruined
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">prints not lifted (if statue, prints are ruined, and statue is dropped with a clang)
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Inspect%20Statues%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Inspect%20Statues%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BInspect%20Statues%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Inspect_Statues" title="Inspect Statues">Inspect Statues</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">fast
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">normal
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">slow
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">statue dropped with a clang
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Purloin%20Guest%20List%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Purloin%20Guest%20List%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BPurloin%20Guest%20List%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Purloin_Guest_List" title="Purloin Guest List">Purloin Guest List</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">completed by <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22NPC%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22NPC%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BNPC%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/NPC" title="NPC">NPC</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">normal
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">list blinks
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">crashing sound
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Seduce%20Target%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Seduce%20Target%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSeduce%20Target%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Seduce_Target" title="Seduce Target">Seduce Target</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">flirt more effective
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">flirt less effective
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22target%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Seduction%20Target%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSeduction%20Target%7Ctarget%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Seduction_Target" title="Seduction Target">target</a> leaves
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">nothing happens
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Swap%20Statue%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Swap%20Statue%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BSwap%20Statue%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Swap_Statue" title="Swap Statue">Swap Statue</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">completed by <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22NPC%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22NPC%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BNPC%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/NPC" title="NPC">NPC</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">statue morphs slowly
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">statue morphs several times
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">statue dropped with a clang
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Time%20Add%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Game%20Clock%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Afalse%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BGame%20Clock%7CTime%20Add%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Game_Clock" title="Game Clock">Time Add</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">time dilates for sniper
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">time adds immediately
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">time adds immediately with beep
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">nothing happens
</td></tr>
<tr>
<td data-rte-spaces-before="1"><a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Transfer%20Microfilm%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Transfer%20Microfilm%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BTransfer%20Microfilm%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Transfer_Microfilm" title="Transfer Microfilm">Transfer Microfilm</a>
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">transfer is very subtle
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">transfer is less subtle
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">transfer is sloppy
</td><td data-rte-spaces-before="1">cancelled, arms wave
</td></tr></table>
<h2 data-rte-spaces-before="1" data-rte-spaces-after="1" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> Example of Results </h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true"><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22image%22%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BFile%3ASpyParty_Good_Normal_Bad_Microfilm_Hide_Animation%5D%5D%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22SpyParty_Good_Normal_Bad_Microfilm_Hide_Animation%22%2C%22params%22%3A%7B%22alt%22%3A%22%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22%22%7D%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" alt="" src="http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140407154459/spyparty/images/c/c3/SpyParty_Good_Normal_Bad_Microfilm_Hide_Animation" width="480" height="269" class="video thumb" data-image-name="SpyParty Good Normal Bad Microfilm Hide Animation" data-image-key="SpyParty_Good_Normal_Bad_Microfilm_Hide_Animation"  type="video" />
<!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} -->The video to the right illustrates the differing results for the action test for removing or planting the microfilm. The green result is on the left, white is in the middle, and red is on the right.
</p>
<h2 data-rte-spaces-before="1" data-rte-spaces-after="1" data-rte-empty-lines-before="1"> Background </h2>
<p data-rte-fromparser="true">The action test mechanic was borrowed by <a data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22internal%22%2C%22text%22%3A%22Chris%20Hecker%22%2C%22link%22%3A%22Chris%20Hecker%22%2C%22wasblank%22%3Atrue%2C%22noforce%22%3Atrue%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%5B%5BChris%20Hecker%5D%5D%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" href="/wiki/Chris_Hecker" title="Chris Hecker">Chris Hecker</a> from <i>Gears of War</i>, where it was called an "active reload."<img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Cref%3E%5Bhttp%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.spyparty.com%5C%2F2011%5C%2F01%5C%2F04%5C%2Fhow-i-celebrated-the-igf-nomination%5C%2F%20SpyParty%20Blog%3A%20How%20I%20Celebrated%20the%20IGF%20Nomination%5D%3C%5C%2Fref%3E%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" type="ext" /> The significant difference between SpyParty's action test and Gears of War's active reload is the random placement of the "good result" on the timing bar.
<!-- RTE::{"spaces":0,"type":"LINE_BREAK"} --><img data-rte-meta="%7B%22type%22%3A%22ext%22%2C%22placeholder%22%3A1%2C%22wikitext%22%3A%22%3Creferences%5C%2F%3E%22%7D" data-rte-instance="555026-1249231100544573d592693" class="placeholder placeholder-ext" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" type="ext" />
</p>