Cycle 22 - Detailed Wish Exploration
Cycle 22
One of the alterin walks forward to you after the star has decided it would rather be lower in the sky for now and is working on it, with what appears to be a large written scroll of all things. They open it and begin to announce it like its an announcement rather than a wish.
"Wishing well of Crystal Meteor! We would like a forcefield modification device! But not just any forcefield modification device! One that is a cube of exactly 1.5 meters in each direction in size, with emitters of exactly the strength and frequency outlined in this scroll of blueprinting, with circuitry sufficiently hardened to resist explosions without failing, with an artistically engraved outer shell so it looks nice, with a power input port as described in the scroll of blueprinting, with a reasonably solid set of control keys, with liquidproofing, and which can also produce good drinks if toggled from device to drink mode. Now, here is the scroll of blueprinting for your inspection!" They end the speech with a flourish, and the scroll is dropped on top of you after being flung into the air. Its a surprisingly large piece of writing material, and is almost ridiculously detailed, after you scan it while Annoucer Voice walks back to their small camp confidently.
Some sections appear to be direct computer printouts grafted into the scroll, while others appear to have been written by someone with a calligraphy hobby. Its remarkably considerate of them to give you such a blueprint after just assuming you knew what they wanted last time.
It is also, despite very clear effort, flawed: They did not specify the building material of the outer shell, only all of the critical components or likely necessary ones. You could easily confound their wish while also satisfying two requirements at once by simply looking specifically for the enchanted bits of metal around and replicating your Anti-glow results for the entire casing. You could go even further and construct all the sufficiently-large components from the various kinds of metals required, but only of the kinds that produce the lines, to make it rather uniquely bad to use or attempt repairs on for them while only looking mildly worrying from your perspective.
More importantly, its free tech! All you need to do is upscale it and replace that abominably space-inefficient power source with an output link. Your version of the device will not require the entire inside bottom of the device to be a high-tech battery when storage crystals are far better at the job and do not require space inside the device. The control interface can also be torn out and replaced with a control link with freed space given to something else, and these emitters could, if your own experiments in dampening fields are at all applicable, be modified like so and produce fields instead of modifying them, those circuits could be all replaced with crystal lines of higher bandwidth for the same space requirement, those ones could be miniaturized and duplicated for higher-power output if you had enough time to spend focused on it or a nanoforge...
...
...oh. Right. You had more to check up on this cycle than forcefields, possible relations to wireless technologies, and how much you could improve on their design as a more static device instead of a mobile unit, since you're the only one here. Stupid interfering whatever-it-was that knocked you down and dropped you here without any assistants or support or at least something to delegate the less important things to while you got on with the experimenting!
So with a whole lot of mental grumbling and a quick skimming of the overall status of yourself, you turn to the other, now more dubious but still worthwhile use of energy: The potentially-doomy bunker exploration. First priority being to investigate the open area the Farseer crystal was within. Having no light sources in it and no difference between the top and the bottom of the area nor the walls, this was either an open space above the actual ceiling or an extremely large ventilation shaft. One trio or armite sections taken later, you find your first two actual rooms.
The left room was full of small ceramic installations, about a third of which were damaged. It also appeared to be water damaged in places after who-know how long of broken ceramic and light flooding. Only the now-exposed armite of the doorway looked untouched by age. The door itself was completely ruined, but still attached by a single upper-corner piece to its former doorway defiantly. The handle/lock area if it ever had one, along with the majority of the door, there was no trace of. Near the damaged ceramics were large, rather worrying scorch marks torn into the armite in the floor. The micro-rooms for those ones had been completely vaporized by whatever attack was used.
The right room was some sort of common area, and not at all flooded or littered with ceramic shrapnel. It was instead, full of random junk. Weirdly but very precisely organized junk, like something had been trapped in here and had started methodically organizing, labelling, reorganizing, and perfecting the piles to keep from panicking. Even the garbage is so.
The door was fully intact, but entirely covered in sets of lines that were remarkable careful at the top and very erratic near the bottom. You really would like to see if there is anything interesting to get from them, but the whole room gives off a 'must be exactly perfect' vibe, and its a bit worrying how just unbroken it is compared to the room only a single wall apart. You go looking elsewhere before you disturb the place any further and trigger some sort of vengeful perfectionist spirit that may or maynot be there; the bunker will not have changed next cycle, and you need a break from the dissonance of those first rooms.
---
So, how polite are we going to be to the formal wish-request, given the potential hole in their formulating and the tech gift?
[] Exact Words - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. The missing specification was filled entirely by Anti-glow-affected material as a hint, whether they can actually stand to use it is entirely up to them.
[] As Intended (by the letter) - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. The local material being very messy is not your fault, and they'll just have to cover up the parts that ended up with anti-glow if they want to use it. Might need a bit of decontamination too.
[] As Intended (by the spirit) - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. it is also cleanish and only minimally a cognitohazard, even if they won't actually thank you for the extra work you did.
One of the alterin walks forward to you after the star has decided it would rather be lower in the sky for now and is working on it, with what appears to be a large written scroll of all things. They open it and begin to announce it like its an announcement rather than a wish.
"Wishing well of Crystal Meteor! We would like a forcefield modification device! But not just any forcefield modification device! One that is a cube of exactly 1.5 meters in each direction in size, with emitters of exactly the strength and frequency outlined in this scroll of blueprinting, with circuitry sufficiently hardened to resist explosions without failing, with an artistically engraved outer shell so it looks nice, with a power input port as described in the scroll of blueprinting, with a reasonably solid set of control keys, with liquidproofing, and which can also produce good drinks if toggled from device to drink mode. Now, here is the scroll of blueprinting for your inspection!" They end the speech with a flourish, and the scroll is dropped on top of you after being flung into the air. Its a surprisingly large piece of writing material, and is almost ridiculously detailed, after you scan it while Annoucer Voice walks back to their small camp confidently.
Some sections appear to be direct computer printouts grafted into the scroll, while others appear to have been written by someone with a calligraphy hobby. Its remarkably considerate of them to give you such a blueprint after just assuming you knew what they wanted last time.
It is also, despite very clear effort, flawed: They did not specify the building material of the outer shell, only all of the critical components or likely necessary ones. You could easily confound their wish while also satisfying two requirements at once by simply looking specifically for the enchanted bits of metal around and replicating your Anti-glow results for the entire casing. You could go even further and construct all the sufficiently-large components from the various kinds of metals required, but only of the kinds that produce the lines, to make it rather uniquely bad to use or attempt repairs on for them while only looking mildly worrying from your perspective.
More importantly, its free tech! All you need to do is upscale it and replace that abominably space-inefficient power source with an output link. Your version of the device will not require the entire inside bottom of the device to be a high-tech battery when storage crystals are far better at the job and do not require space inside the device. The control interface can also be torn out and replaced with a control link with freed space given to something else, and these emitters could, if your own experiments in dampening fields are at all applicable, be modified like so and produce fields instead of modifying them, those circuits could be all replaced with crystal lines of higher bandwidth for the same space requirement, those ones could be miniaturized and duplicated for higher-power output if you had enough time to spend focused on it or a nanoforge...
...
...oh. Right. You had more to check up on this cycle than forcefields, possible relations to wireless technologies, and how much you could improve on their design as a more static device instead of a mobile unit, since you're the only one here. Stupid interfering whatever-it-was that knocked you down and dropped you here without any assistants or support or at least something to delegate the less important things to while you got on with the experimenting!
So with a whole lot of mental grumbling and a quick skimming of the overall status of yourself, you turn to the other, now more dubious but still worthwhile use of energy: The potentially-doomy bunker exploration. First priority being to investigate the open area the Farseer crystal was within. Having no light sources in it and no difference between the top and the bottom of the area nor the walls, this was either an open space above the actual ceiling or an extremely large ventilation shaft. One trio or armite sections taken later, you find your first two actual rooms.
The left room was full of small ceramic installations, about a third of which were damaged. It also appeared to be water damaged in places after who-know how long of broken ceramic and light flooding. Only the now-exposed armite of the doorway looked untouched by age. The door itself was completely ruined, but still attached by a single upper-corner piece to its former doorway defiantly. The handle/lock area if it ever had one, along with the majority of the door, there was no trace of. Near the damaged ceramics were large, rather worrying scorch marks torn into the armite in the floor. The micro-rooms for those ones had been completely vaporized by whatever attack was used.
The right room was some sort of common area, and not at all flooded or littered with ceramic shrapnel. It was instead, full of random junk. Weirdly but very precisely organized junk, like something had been trapped in here and had started methodically organizing, labelling, reorganizing, and perfecting the piles to keep from panicking. Even the garbage is so.
The door was fully intact, but entirely covered in sets of lines that were remarkable careful at the top and very erratic near the bottom. You really would like to see if there is anything interesting to get from them, but the whole room gives off a 'must be exactly perfect' vibe, and its a bit worrying how just unbroken it is compared to the room only a single wall apart. You go looking elsewhere before you disturb the place any further and trigger some sort of vengeful perfectionist spirit that may or maynot be there; the bunker will not have changed next cycle, and you need a break from the dissonance of those first rooms.
---
So, how polite are we going to be to the formal wish-request, given the potential hole in their formulating and the tech gift?
[] Exact Words - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. The missing specification was filled entirely by Anti-glow-affected material as a hint, whether they can actually stand to use it is entirely up to them.
[] As Intended (by the letter) - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. The local material being very messy is not your fault, and they'll just have to cover up the parts that ended up with anti-glow if they want to use it. Might need a bit of decontamination too.
[] As Intended (by the spirit) - It is a forcefield manipulator built to specification. it is also cleanish and only minimally a cognitohazard, even if they won't actually thank you for the extra work you did.
Original compressed name: Shining-in-the-Space, Prime Crystal, Outer Layer Omega-Current, Xenotech-Specialist/Experimentals-Researcher True Crystalline.
Current revised compressed name: Shining-in-the-Space, Unknown, Unnamed Crater, Unintentionally-Lost Xenotech-Specialist/Experimentals-Researcher True Crystalline.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 0 @ 20/cycle: 0/cycle
Base Crystal: 169 @ 50/cycle: 8,450/cycle
Research costs: 71 @ 10/cycle: -710/cycle
Total Energy production: 8,740/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 18,110
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 71/cycle
Current Research Project: Dampening Fields [559/1000]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], Forcefield Modifigenerator (Alterin-scale)
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Improved Self-Repair (250) (looked over the coretech image earlier and saw I had missed adding this into the status after we got repair tech, sorry!)
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources (Experiment), Strengthened Conduits (250,repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade? (1000), Fusion Amplification (??)
Storage: Energy Condensing (250), Enhanced Stabilization (250,repeatable).
Research: None, see tech tree
Command Network: Delegation (500)
Sensors & Exploration: Vis-Link (500), Improved Matter Output (750), Wireless Theory (2000).
High-tech Materials:
Armor Iteration: Enhanced Absorption (1000), Energy Redirection (750), Enhanced Durability (1500),
Extended Analysis: Armite Weakpoints (250)
Minions Status:
Infiltrator Greatswords (2x): Plenty of reserve power, recording. Shape of a stone greatsword with crystalline hilt components. Tiny solar panel and thermal absorbers. Out of command range.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
The Alterin Threat:
They are bad at communication security here.
They are at least somewhat organized (managers)
They appear to lack an answer on the more arcane-bullshit sort of thing around here. Though we hardly know much either, how is that island floating...
They do take research data security seriously, and have a logging system.
Current base is not a full one.
They appear to not be concerned with nighttime security outside of basic measures.
They have a different definition of 'wishing well' than you do.
Location: In a crater. Pretending to be a wishing well. Near some suspicious alterin.
Current revised compressed name: Shining-in-the-Space, Unknown, Unnamed Crater, Unintentionally-Lost Xenotech-Specialist/Experimentals-Researcher True Crystalline.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 0 @ 20/cycle: 0/cycle
Base Crystal: 169 @ 50/cycle: 8,450/cycle
Research costs: 71 @ 10/cycle: -710/cycle
Total Energy production: 8,740/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 18,110
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 71/cycle
Current Research Project: Dampening Fields [559/1000]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], Forcefield Modifigenerator (Alterin-scale)
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Improved Self-Repair (250) (looked over the coretech image earlier and saw I had missed adding this into the status after we got repair tech, sorry!)
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources (Experiment), Strengthened Conduits (250,repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade? (1000), Fusion Amplification (??)
Storage: Energy Condensing (250), Enhanced Stabilization (250,repeatable).
Research: None, see tech tree
Command Network: Delegation (500)
Sensors & Exploration: Vis-Link (500), Improved Matter Output (750), Wireless Theory (2000).
High-tech Materials:
Armor Iteration: Enhanced Absorption (1000), Energy Redirection (750), Enhanced Durability (1500),
Extended Analysis: Armite Weakpoints (250)
Minions Status:
Infiltrator Greatswords (2x): Plenty of reserve power, recording. Shape of a stone greatsword with crystalline hilt components. Tiny solar panel and thermal absorbers. Out of command range.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
The Alterin Threat:
They are bad at communication security here.
They are at least somewhat organized (managers)
They appear to lack an answer on the more arcane-bullshit sort of thing around here. Though we hardly know much either, how is that island floating...
They do take research data security seriously, and have a logging system.
Current base is not a full one.
They appear to not be concerned with nighttime security outside of basic measures.
They have a different definition of 'wishing well' than you do.
Location: In a crater. Pretending to be a wishing well. Near some suspicious alterin.
Normal:
Assimilated matter
The quick, dirty solution to your lack of range.
Template: Matter
Energy production: 20 per cycle
Fabrication cost: 50 energy, nearby material.
Basic Crystal
Created by converting solid materials, like rock or assimilated matter.
Energy production: 50/cycle
Template: Refined
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, nearby solid material or crystal.
Storage Crystal
A stabilized hunk of additional crystal, giving you more room to store energy without side effects.
Template: Space-filling
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, empty space.
Research Crystal
Because doing everything yourself is slow and complicated.
Template: Space-filling
Traits: Data Storage (replaces Energy Storage: Basic)
Fabrication cost: 700 energy
Research Output: 1/cycle, Research cost 10 energy/cycle.
Repair Crystal
A good helper.
Energy production: 50/cycle
Template: Refined
Traits: Repair Protocols
Fabrication cost: 1,200 energy
Mine Crystal
Storage crystal stripped down and prepared to explode via overcharge.
Template: Space-filling (minimal energy storage)
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, empty space.
Farseer Crystal
An excellent companion to scouting crystal. Energy production alignments have been realigned for exceptional sensory range instead.
Template: Intrusive
Traits: 1st Visual Augmentation
Fabrication Cost: 750 energy
Scrying Crystal
I see you.
Template: Intrusive
Traits: 2nd Visual Augmentation
Fabrication cost: 2250 energy
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols, Visual Augmentation
Check the crystals threadmark for energy costs and details.
Assimilated matter
The quick, dirty solution to your lack of range.
Template: Matter
Energy production: 20 per cycle
Fabrication cost: 50 energy, nearby material.
Basic Crystal
Created by converting solid materials, like rock or assimilated matter.
Energy production: 50/cycle
Template: Refined
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, nearby solid material or crystal.
Storage Crystal
A stabilized hunk of additional crystal, giving you more room to store energy without side effects.
Template: Space-filling
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, empty space.
Research Crystal
Because doing everything yourself is slow and complicated.
Template: Space-filling
Traits: Data Storage (replaces Energy Storage: Basic)
Fabrication cost: 700 energy
Research Output: 1/cycle, Research cost 10 energy/cycle.
Repair Crystal
A good helper.
Energy production: 50/cycle
Template: Refined
Traits: Repair Protocols
Fabrication cost: 1,200 energy
Mine Crystal
Storage crystal stripped down and prepared to explode via overcharge.
Template: Space-filling (minimal energy storage)
Fabrication cost: 200 energy, empty space.
Farseer Crystal
An excellent companion to scouting crystal. Energy production alignments have been realigned for exceptional sensory range instead.
Template: Intrusive
Traits: 1st Visual Augmentation
Fabrication Cost: 750 energy
Scrying Crystal
I see you.
Template: Intrusive
Traits: 2nd Visual Augmentation
Fabrication cost: 2250 energy
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols, Visual Augmentation
Check the crystals threadmark for energy costs and details.
Navy Blue - Crystal core
Light Blue - Base crystals
Orange w/ black S - Storage Crystal
Turquoise with small diamond - Farseer Crystal
Black with Turquoise diamond - Scrying Crystal
Purple/Orchid - Focusing Crystal
Darker Purple - Overseer Crystal
Blue w/ gold R - Research Crystal
Purpleish - Repair Crystal
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
Dark purple - Armite Half-Crystal
---
Dark Brown - Empty underground space
Light Brown - Dirt or other non-solid material
Grey - Rock
Sky Blue - Empty aboveground space
Teal w/brown diamond - Assimilated matter
(Background) w/ question mark - [Unknown tech]
(Background) w/ small diamond - Mobile Thing (Purple for Alterin)
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Light Blue - Base crystals
Orange w/ black S - Storage Crystal
Turquoise with small diamond - Farseer Crystal
Black with Turquoise diamond - Scrying Crystal
Purple/Orchid - Focusing Crystal
Darker Purple - Overseer Crystal
Blue w/ gold R - Research Crystal
Purpleish - Repair Crystal
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
Dark purple - Armite Half-Crystal
---
Dark Brown - Empty underground space
Light Brown - Dirt or other non-solid material
Grey - Rock
Sky Blue - Empty aboveground space
Teal w/brown diamond - Assimilated matter
(Background) w/ question mark - [Unknown tech]
(Background) w/ small diamond - Mobile Thing (Purple for Alterin)
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
