Reload Use

Introduction
Reload-Use permits, through loading a save, interacting with objects at a specific area in the map called "PlayerStartArea_1" for a frame or two during the loading screen. This can most commonly be exploited to use exit / entrance doors in maps but it could in theory be used to pick up objects too. This glitch works in all versions of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and justine to date.

Performing the Glitch
Preperation: Find out where "PlayerStartArea_1" is on the level map, and work out the direction you would need to be facing to use the door / object you can reach from this position.
 * 1) Face the direction you determined in the preperation step at any position in the map.
 * 2) Save and exit.
 * 3) Select the save to load (either through the load menu, continue, or quick load)
 * 4) Rapidly press "Use" on the load screen (Tip: Bind "Use" to the mouse wheel to make this easier)
 * 5) If the direction was correct and use was pressed at the correct frame, the object will be used.

Notes & Tips

 * This trick may take a few attempts to get even if the direction is correct.
 * This trick is easier to perform on longer loading screens, so loading from the main menu is recommended instead of quick load.
 * This trick will work with auto-saves as well as manual saves.
 * If used on a level door from a manual save (or mid level auto-save) the level will fade out as normal. However, if used on a level door from an auto save made in the OnEnter map event the level fade in & fade out is skipped and the loading screen is jumped to directly.
 * Setting up the level editor or the Debug Pannel will let you see / jump to the defined StartAreas for a map, making it easy to work out what areas are exploitable.

Explanation of the glitch
Levels in the game contain various script areas which control a variety of things such as triggers (ScriptArea) and flashbacks (FlashbackArea). One special type of area is called a "PlayerStartArea", which represents a point in map the player may start the level standing on. Therefore there are PlayerStartAreas in front of the entrance doors, and occasionally in front exit doors too.

When a level is loaded a PlayerStartArea must be specified. If none is specified, or the specified area does not exist as a PlayerStartArea then the game falls back to "PlayerStartArea_1" - if this does not exist the game will fall back to the first loaded area (the first area defined in the map file). For example, going through a door from the study to the back hall is handled using areas by specifying the name of back hall level and the start area outside the door the study in the back hall for the exit door in the study.

To save the game the player is not necessarily standing on a StartArea, so his XYZ coordinates are stored. Loading the game is then performed in two steps. '''Firstly, the map is loaded, and then the player is moved to the correct location. '''However, as the map is loaded and no area is specified the game will temporarily put the player in the default start area using the method outlined earlier. For some reason, the player's direction is set before the position, and as a result the player will be situated at the default start area facing the direction in the save.

The position and direction combination described above is held for the first frame of the map after/during the end of the loading screen. However, input can be "Buffered" during the loading screen so repeatedly pressing the use key will more often than not, allow the player to use an object from the PlayerStartArea_1 (or default area) provided they orient themselves properly prior to saving.