You wake up to the bothersome feelings of planetary reentry, and are confused. The Prime Crystal...
Crystalline Quest
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Cycle 0
You wake up to the bothersome feelings of planetary reentry, and are confused. The Prime Crystal shouldn't be anywhere near a planet, last you'd checked in with the navigation sector. There certainly hadn't been any announcements to do so. Theres absolutely no responces to your attempt at contacting the network either.
...The entire network is missing? Partially down for maintenance sure, but missing? The Prime Crystal is big enough to impersonate a small sun and has done so on at least one occasion! And there is light shielding to protect against loose space debris breaking things. How could it all go missing? The pirates can't do anything effective and they were the only aliens within reasonable communications range. Maybe there was an asteroid collision or something that didn't bounce off the shield and hit the surface, that does happen sometimes. Nothing of importance results from those, the repairs last less than a cycle and rarely even hit the same region as you, much less local sector. Although the crystalline nearby do get some free asteroid material to use afterwards.
Time to get back to work then...right. Planet. Gravity. This early-cycle is not off to a good start for you. Do you at least have your scanning array intact?
...Well this place is a mess, even by Crystalline experiment standards. There is the remains of at least a dozen empires down there, not to mention all of the accursed interference and leaking energies from who-knows-where...and your network access is still drawing a blank so you can't even get the name of the damn planet you'll soon lithobrake upon! There's still other crystal around you, so the network should be right..there...
...There's only some basic crystal surrounding your core. Which means something broke you off the Prime Crystal's surface. Which means you are on your own. Alone. Without the centuries of accumulated research data you had access to (not to mention all the data you would've gotten approved in a couple cycles!) only a single sleep session ago. This is going to suuuuuuuuck.
---
Where exactly on this ruined planet do we land, and what is our name?
Crater location:
[] This is fine: Crash in one of the few minimally-ruined areas. Which is not to say things are intact, but at worst it's just old tech that is both old and broken. Easy start, room to grow in peace.
[] A Wizard Did It: Crash near some magitech artifacts, things leaking magic, holes in reality, potential lost logia, the whole nine yards. Early access to Arcane research tree from all the interesting-but-magical surroundings. Non-magical artifacts are either trapped in pocket dimensions or require a lot of travel to find. Good luck.
[] Quantum Fuckups: Crash near some crashed spacecraft, malfunctioning high-tech death turrets, buildings that are larger inside than out, those sorts of things. Most of it is ruined, inoperable, or out of power, but what is still operational hasn't had maintenance since their source civ died and almost certainly considers you Not Friendly. Early access to High-Tech Materials research tree from all the nearby shinies. Magical artifacts are either trapped in alternate realities or require a lot of travel to find. Good luck.
[] Aggressive Negotiations: Crash near a suspiciously-new looking xeno-archaeology base placed midway between an extensive battlefield full of ruined technological terrors and a large floating island. Being a geological entity from space, having to deal with aliens (in both diplomacy or war) early on before you have significant energy reserves is not your forte. You'd rather research things in peace and occasionally ruin asteroids during your experiments. And they'll probably want to mine you and do other offensive things just because you aren't them!. Start with either Trait: Communicative Augmenta, or two of the following Warfare tree traits: Dampening Fields, Absorption Fields, Offensive Export, Explosive Entry. Hard mode start due to the competing nearby sentients.
Name:
[] Write-in.
---
Some background: We're a crystalline being (aka a space rock alien), unintentionally detached from the biggest collection of them in existence: the Prime Crystal. Crystalline generally take up about 10m of space in some form or another, the map is in squares because its easier to make the map using squares, not because we are sqaure. The Prime Crystal is a sphere, for example. Anyway, aside from consuming energy (or generating a small amount in emergencies), most true crystalline aboard are either bored or curious about what they're flying past in space. This has gotten the Prime Crystal as a whole a reputation as a highly-mobile scientific death trap full of crystal aliens to the parts of the galaxy unlucky enough to have been passed by.
Our protagonist however, does not have the amplified fusion reactors, capital ship-grade weaponry, or sheer mass of the Prime Crystal. They have their core, a small, quickly breaking up shell of basic-grade power and storage crystal, and a desire to get the hell off this planet, or at least meet back up with their research companions via hyper-range comms and get some colonial schematics. Preferably both, with some new artifacts to research on their way back. In the meantime, since they did not keep a full database of tech on them locally they need to rebuild their tech from the ground up to get off-planet. Perhaps learn some new stuff on the way there.
Also this is my first time running a quest, but not my first time running something on a forum: I've got an older version of this on the dwarf fortress forums. The two are on completely separate planets and the old mechanics are sorta a mess, so I'm not gonna link it here. Feel free to point out if I've screwed up and made something too cheap or other feedback on stuff, since while I did have help rebuilding the mechanics I wouldn't be surprised if something is a bit off with the numbers.
Most of the time we'll be exploring or tinkering with things as we find them (unless we start near the alien base or discover others), but all of the mechanics relevant to the quest (except the High-Tech Materials and Arcane trees, which I'll add as we discover them) are here, if you want to see what we can make from our own tech instead of stealing from what exists here after we land and explore our surroundings.
...The entire network is missing? Partially down for maintenance sure, but missing? The Prime Crystal is big enough to impersonate a small sun and has done so on at least one occasion! And there is light shielding to protect against loose space debris breaking things. How could it all go missing? The pirates can't do anything effective and they were the only aliens within reasonable communications range. Maybe there was an asteroid collision or something that didn't bounce off the shield and hit the surface, that does happen sometimes. Nothing of importance results from those, the repairs last less than a cycle and rarely even hit the same region as you, much less local sector. Although the crystalline nearby do get some free asteroid material to use afterwards.
Time to get back to work then...right. Planet. Gravity. This early-cycle is not off to a good start for you. Do you at least have your scanning array intact?
...Well this place is a mess, even by Crystalline experiment standards. There is the remains of at least a dozen empires down there, not to mention all of the accursed interference and leaking energies from who-knows-where...and your network access is still drawing a blank so you can't even get the name of the damn planet you'll soon lithobrake upon! There's still other crystal around you, so the network should be right..there...
...There's only some basic crystal surrounding your core. Which means something broke you off the Prime Crystal's surface. Which means you are on your own. Alone. Without the centuries of accumulated research data you had access to (not to mention all the data you would've gotten approved in a couple cycles!) only a single sleep session ago. This is going to suuuuuuuuck.
---
Where exactly on this ruined planet do we land, and what is our name?
Crater location:
[] This is fine: Crash in one of the few minimally-ruined areas. Which is not to say things are intact, but at worst it's just old tech that is both old and broken. Easy start, room to grow in peace.
[] A Wizard Did It: Crash near some magitech artifacts, things leaking magic, holes in reality, potential lost logia, the whole nine yards. Early access to Arcane research tree from all the interesting-but-magical surroundings. Non-magical artifacts are either trapped in pocket dimensions or require a lot of travel to find. Good luck.
[] Quantum Fuckups: Crash near some crashed spacecraft, malfunctioning high-tech death turrets, buildings that are larger inside than out, those sorts of things. Most of it is ruined, inoperable, or out of power, but what is still operational hasn't had maintenance since their source civ died and almost certainly considers you Not Friendly. Early access to High-Tech Materials research tree from all the nearby shinies. Magical artifacts are either trapped in alternate realities or require a lot of travel to find. Good luck.
[] Aggressive Negotiations: Crash near a suspiciously-new looking xeno-archaeology base placed midway between an extensive battlefield full of ruined technological terrors and a large floating island. Being a geological entity from space, having to deal with aliens (in both diplomacy or war) early on before you have significant energy reserves is not your forte. You'd rather research things in peace and occasionally ruin asteroids during your experiments. And they'll probably want to mine you and do other offensive things just because you aren't them!. Start with either Trait: Communicative Augmenta, or two of the following Warfare tree traits: Dampening Fields, Absorption Fields, Offensive Export, Explosive Entry. Hard mode start due to the competing nearby sentients.
Name:
[] Write-in.
---
Some background: We're a crystalline being (aka a space rock alien), unintentionally detached from the biggest collection of them in existence: the Prime Crystal. Crystalline generally take up about 10m of space in some form or another, the map is in squares because its easier to make the map using squares, not because we are sqaure. The Prime Crystal is a sphere, for example. Anyway, aside from consuming energy (or generating a small amount in emergencies), most true crystalline aboard are either bored or curious about what they're flying past in space. This has gotten the Prime Crystal as a whole a reputation as a highly-mobile scientific death trap full of crystal aliens to the parts of the galaxy unlucky enough to have been passed by.
Our protagonist however, does not have the amplified fusion reactors, capital ship-grade weaponry, or sheer mass of the Prime Crystal. They have their core, a small, quickly breaking up shell of basic-grade power and storage crystal, and a desire to get the hell off this planet, or at least meet back up with their research companions via hyper-range comms and get some colonial schematics. Preferably both, with some new artifacts to research on their way back. In the meantime, since they did not keep a full database of tech on them locally they need to rebuild their tech from the ground up to get off-planet. Perhaps learn some new stuff on the way there.
Also this is my first time running a quest, but not my first time running something on a forum: I've got an older version of this on the dwarf fortress forums. The two are on completely separate planets and the old mechanics are sorta a mess, so I'm not gonna link it here. Feel free to point out if I've screwed up and made something too cheap or other feedback on stuff, since while I did have help rebuilding the mechanics I wouldn't be surprised if something is a bit off with the numbers.
Most of the time we'll be exploring or tinkering with things as we find them (unless we start near the alien base or discover others), but all of the mechanics relevant to the quest (except the High-Tech Materials and Arcane trees, which I'll add as we discover them) are here, if you want to see what we can make from our own tech instead of stealing from what exists here after we land and explore our surroundings.
Last edited:
Cycle 1 - Neighbors. Unfortunate.
[X] Aggressive Negotiations
Cycle 1
OW.
Damn planet and its solid ground. Solid ground hurts. At least its not a liquid, liquids would be a rather difficult start indeed. Now where exactly are we...
Oh. Of-prime-damned-course you land near possibly the only intentionally-active structure on the entire planet. Its not like you didn't already have enough trouble with the scattered-from-impact crystals and the not being in space and the losing your research! You also have to deal with things! That are not dead! Competition!
After a fair bit of depressed mental sighing at your unluck today, you get to work organizing what you have left. You can't hide the crater, but you can ignore the surface if you feel like it. Hopefully they've got better things to examine than meteorites.
Trait choice (Communicative Augmenta, or a max of two others.):
[] Communicative Augmenta - Their language can't be that hard to decode. Its worth at least attempting to communicate with them, you suppose.
[] Offensive Export - Fuck this, lasers! All you need is some extra power to boost it.
[] Explosive Entry - No, wait. They probably have laser defense. They look high tech enough for it. And explosions are fun.
[] Absorption Fields - They look pretty high tech from what you can tell. Lets make sure we can at least try to protect against energy weaponry.
[] Dampening Fields - Anti-mining defenses are just as important. You use energy far more than they do, you can shrug it off you think.
What do we do first, after we calm down and have finished checking what we've got?:
[] Expand - You require more energy! Time to make this dirt relevant to the cause. (And by how much? You've got a decent chunk of energy for such a crap day, at least)
[] Explore - if you use directional scanning, you could see further. But which way to look? (This will produce a text description of the chosen area, but use up the entire cycle)
[] Ex-communications - Start on capturing and decoding the competition's communication signals instead. (Spending energy on this will speed things up, but give you less to expand with)
[] Write-in - We could do with a name still, too.
Current map:
Cycle 1
OW.
Damn planet and its solid ground. Solid ground hurts. At least its not a liquid, liquids would be a rather difficult start indeed. Now where exactly are we...
Oh. Of-prime-damned-course you land near possibly the only intentionally-active structure on the entire planet. Its not like you didn't already have enough trouble with the scattered-from-impact crystals and the not being in space and the losing your research! You also have to deal with things! That are not dead! Competition!
After a fair bit of depressed mental sighing at your unluck today, you get to work organizing what you have left. You can't hide the crater, but you can ignore the surface if you feel like it. Hopefully they've got better things to examine than meteorites.
Trait choice (Communicative Augmenta, or a max of two others.):
[] Communicative Augmenta - Their language can't be that hard to decode. Its worth at least attempting to communicate with them, you suppose.
[] Offensive Export - Fuck this, lasers! All you need is some extra power to boost it.
[] Explosive Entry - No, wait. They probably have laser defense. They look high tech enough for it. And explosions are fun.
[] Absorption Fields - They look pretty high tech from what you can tell. Lets make sure we can at least try to protect against energy weaponry.
[] Dampening Fields - Anti-mining defenses are just as important. You use energy far more than they do, you can shrug it off you think.
What do we do first, after we calm down and have finished checking what we've got?:
[] Expand - You require more energy! Time to make this dirt relevant to the cause. (And by how much? You've got a decent chunk of energy for such a crap day, at least)
[] Explore - if you use directional scanning, you could see further. But which way to look? (This will produce a text description of the chosen area, but use up the entire cycle)
[] Ex-communications - Start on capturing and decoding the competition's communication signals instead. (Spending energy on this will speed things up, but give you less to expand with)
[] Write-in - We could do with a name still, too.
Current map:
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 1000
Storage Status: Fine.
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 16 @ 50/cycle - 800/cycle
Total Energy production: 1,800/cycle
Research Production: 1/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: Undiscovered.
Location: In a crater. Near some xenos.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 1000
Storage Status: Fine.
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 16 @ 50/cycle - 800/cycle
Total Energy production: 1,800/cycle
Research Production: 1/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offense category, Defense category.
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research: Research Crystal, Processor Crystal
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research: Research Crystal, Processor Crystal
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: Undiscovered.
Location: In a crater. Near some xenos.
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Last edited:
Cycle 2 - Security? Whats that?
Cycle 2
[X] Explosive Entry - No, wait. They probably have laser defense. They look high tech enough for it. And explosions are fun.
[X] Absorption Fields - They look pretty high tech from what you can tell. Lets make sure we can at least try to protect against energy weaponry.
[X] Ex-communications - Start on capturing and decoding the competition's communication signals instead. (Spending energy on this will speed things up, but give you less to expand with)
No research started or progressed.
---
As the solar object (you add a note to the list to find out what the xenos archeologists call it here) reaches around the middle of the sky, you've finished your inventory. Of particular interest to this situation is the explosive armaments for the occasional asteroid testing ground clean up, and energy absorption tech (though that was originally for investigating if it had any relation to wireless power potential) And as much as you'd like to start investigating the nearby wreckage field...Competition! You need to know what they are and what they're doing and why they're here and how they got here and...and well, you should probably make a list. That could've been a very long sentence otherwise.
Some time later in the cycle, apparently not yet having attracted their attention, you manage to solve their language puzzle after spending all of your reserves on overclocking the process in favor of less time spent, although you're still rather wary about the whole thing. What sort of fools leave the majority of their communications unencrypted while investigating a world that has pretty clearly reached the point (numerous times) of having spying devices, even if the vast majority of them are probably dead or dysfunctional? You downgrade the unknown xenos in your priorities from Competition to Dubiously threatening as a result before continuing to listen in.
While the last one is the most interesting (Some sort of vehicle that collapses down into its physical components when unpowered, perhaps?), that third one is probably a manager of somekind, you expect. If you want physics-defying explanations you have to do your own science, after all. Trying to listen to others explain things that disagree with the universe tends to make no sense at all. This is why the others tend to just agree with whatever the reactor engineers are saying when they get going on talking about how they're getting more energy out of the same fusion reaction by just adding more weirdly-specific crystal lines...augh.
Having their help would be amazing right now, from an energy viewpoint. Them not being here means you'll have to figure out that arcane technobullshit yourself if you want it instead of just relaxing and doing more Science, doesn't it. At least the reactor itself shouldn't be too difficult to find, considering the general tech level of the ruins...
---
New Coretech research topics: Dampening Fields, Offensive Export, Fusion Amplification.
So, what do we go for next?
[] Outproduce them - Competing (if unknowingly) with a Crystalline in base building? Hehehe... (Focus on digging straight down and converting materials to Base crystals as energy allows to build up our per cycle generation.)
[] Outgun them - its only a few dozen...dozen missiles to the face. You're sure they won't mind if you build them such a generous present, even if it takes a few cycles to do so. (Line the crater with missile-launcher crystals and defensive ones as energy allows. Requires some new crystal types be designed for the purpose)
[] Spy some more - As long as they haven't noticed you yet, you don't really need to do your own investigations, do you? Lets log their comms and compile our own points of interest for later.
[] Write in - Maybe theres an idea you're missing.
Also in case people missed it in the status spoiler last time: We need a research project to focus on, they aren't going to figure out themselves!
Map: Unchanged, no energy leftover for expansion.
[X] Explosive Entry - No, wait. They probably have laser defense. They look high tech enough for it. And explosions are fun.
[X] Absorption Fields - They look pretty high tech from what you can tell. Lets make sure we can at least try to protect against energy weaponry.
[X] Ex-communications - Start on capturing and decoding the competition's communication signals instead. (Spending energy on this will speed things up, but give you less to expand with)
No research started or progressed.
---
As the solar object (you add a note to the list to find out what the xenos archeologists call it here) reaches around the middle of the sky, you've finished your inventory. Of particular interest to this situation is the explosive armaments for the occasional asteroid testing ground clean up, and energy absorption tech (though that was originally for investigating if it had any relation to wireless power potential) And as much as you'd like to start investigating the nearby wreckage field...Competition! You need to know what they are and what they're doing and why they're here and how they got here and...and well, you should probably make a list. That could've been a very long sentence otherwise.
Some time later in the cycle, apparently not yet having attracted their attention, you manage to solve their language puzzle after spending all of your reserves on overclocking the process in favor of less time spent, although you're still rather wary about the whole thing. What sort of fools leave the majority of their communications unencrypted while investigating a world that has pretty clearly reached the point (numerous times) of having spying devices, even if the vast majority of them are probably dead or dysfunctional? You downgrade the unknown xenos in your priorities from Competition to Dubiously threatening as a result before continuing to listen in.
While the last one is the most interesting (Some sort of vehicle that collapses down into its physical components when unpowered, perhaps?), that third one is probably a manager of somekind, you expect. If you want physics-defying explanations you have to do your own science, after all. Trying to listen to others explain things that disagree with the universe tends to make no sense at all. This is why the others tend to just agree with whatever the reactor engineers are saying when they get going on talking about how they're getting more energy out of the same fusion reaction by just adding more weirdly-specific crystal lines...augh.
Having their help would be amazing right now, from an energy viewpoint. Them not being here means you'll have to figure out that arcane technobullshit yourself if you want it instead of just relaxing and doing more Science, doesn't it. At least the reactor itself shouldn't be too difficult to find, considering the general tech level of the ruins...
---
New Coretech research topics: Dampening Fields, Offensive Export, Fusion Amplification.
So, what do we go for next?
[] Outproduce them - Competing (if unknowingly) with a Crystalline in base building? Hehehe... (Focus on digging straight down and converting materials to Base crystals as energy allows to build up our per cycle generation.)
[] Outgun them - its only a few dozen...dozen missiles to the face. You're sure they won't mind if you build them such a generous present, even if it takes a few cycles to do so. (Line the crater with missile-launcher crystals and defensive ones as energy allows. Requires some new crystal types be designed for the purpose)
[] Spy some more - As long as they haven't noticed you yet, you don't really need to do your own investigations, do you? Lets log their comms and compile our own points of interest for later.
[] Write in - Maybe theres an idea you're missing.
Also in case people missed it in the status spoiler last time: We need a research project to focus on, they aren't going to figure out themselves!
Map: Unchanged, no energy leftover for expansion.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Mood: Frustrated at engineering crystalline.
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 16 @ 50/cycle - 800/cycle
Total Energy production: 1,800/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 1800
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 1/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: Undiscovered.
The Xenos Threat:
Location: In a crater. Near some xenos of dubious security proficiency.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Mood: Frustrated at engineering crystalline.
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 16 @ 50/cycle - 800/cycle
Total Energy production: 1,800/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 1800
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 1/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research: Research Crystal, Processor Crystal
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research: Research Crystal, Processor Crystal
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: Undiscovered.
The Xenos 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...
Location: In a crater. Near some xenos of dubious security proficiency.
Last edited:
Cycle 3 - Alterin vs Floating Island
Sorry about not having updates the last few days, turns out that even short common surgery can hurt enough to knock any thoughts of getting things done out. It was pretty bleh. Still sorta is.
[X] Research: Research Crystal (0/4)
-[X] When that's done....
[X] Outproduce them
-[X] 5 Base Crystals.
[X] Spy some more
---
Cycle 3
Peace. Quiet. Twin moons. Quite nice in comparison to the daytime loudness of the xenos base. And while their comm sec is lacking, they do post guards...with insecure comms. You hold onto that idea for later as you decide now is a good time as any to investigate yourself for how those networked extensions to your researching ability went. First you'll need a copy of that part in storage...
Sub-cycle 3 - And with a bit more polishing and cleaning up loose ends, done! Its hardly even remotely close to assistants, but at least you can start properly researching things now, after you've covered the basics like extra power generation. You build a single one as a test, and enjoy the extra line of thinking. Some of these scattered crystals are even close enough to be connected already. Those 5 crystals don't take very long however, so instead you start unpacking the pile of scan data you'd gotten on your way down and examining it while you wait for them to wake up.
You stop there and sigh at the lack of detail. Yes is not supposed to be a valid answer there. But it technically is correct, the worst kind of correct for this situation. You go back to spying on the communications instead of reading further, the rest of the scan is probably just as uselessly informative.
Sub-cycle 4 - With some creative application of comms-hopping, you manage to pin down a number of central servers to look into once you have better access than hiding in voice data, and two interesting details:
1. These are Alterin (single Alteri). This base isn't completed yet, it appears to be a bit of a punishment actually. The "proper support crew" is apparently not coming until they can send back proof this planet is worth investigation, and the "worthwhile basekeeper AI" is not until they get the budget for it.
2. They do actually take research data security seriously. Along with a system to keep access logs and hand out requests as needed (a rather ancient one by your old standards, considering it can't even accept general queries, just exact results), there were several requests for password resets, and several rebukes for not doing so through email where the Records unit could respond. As for actual communications, their plan appears to be investigate the floating island.
What next?
[] Energy focus - Build more energy production, ignore the alterin until they come to you.
[] Defense focus - Prepare for them to come to you.
[] Research focus - Build more research crystals. Ponder what to research next.
[] Expansion focus - Bigger is better, and you certainly could be bigger! And relying on others to scout for you when they don't even know you are doing so is only so useful.
[] Write-in - Names, multi-cycle plans, more specific ideas. They fit in here.
Next cycle is noon to midnight, and your 'meteor impact' will soon be at the top of the list of unexpected-but-not-special events to look at.
---
[X] Research: Research Crystal (0/4)
-[X] When that's done....
[X] Outproduce them
-[X] 5 Base Crystals.
[X] Spy some more
---
Cycle 3
Peace. Quiet. Twin moons. Quite nice in comparison to the daytime loudness of the xenos base. And while their comm sec is lacking, they do post guards...with insecure comms. You hold onto that idea for later as you decide now is a good time as any to investigate yourself for how those networked extensions to your researching ability went. First you'll need a copy of that part in storage...
Sub-cycle 3 - And with a bit more polishing and cleaning up loose ends, done! Its hardly even remotely close to assistants, but at least you can start properly researching things now, after you've covered the basics like extra power generation. You build a single one as a test, and enjoy the extra line of thinking. Some of these scattered crystals are even close enough to be connected already. Those 5 crystals don't take very long however, so instead you start unpacking the pile of scan data you'd gotten on your way down and examining it while you wait for them to wake up.
Code:
System: Unknown
Planet: 2 of 4 (Rocky)
Orbital status: Cluttered.
Transmissions: Yes.You stop there and sigh at the lack of detail. Yes is not supposed to be a valid answer there. But it technically is correct, the worst kind of correct for this situation. You go back to spying on the communications instead of reading further, the rest of the scan is probably just as uselessly informative.
Sub-cycle 4 - With some creative application of comms-hopping, you manage to pin down a number of central servers to look into once you have better access than hiding in voice data, and two interesting details:
1. These are Alterin (single Alteri). This base isn't completed yet, it appears to be a bit of a punishment actually. The "proper support crew" is apparently not coming until they can send back proof this planet is worth investigation, and the "worthwhile basekeeper AI" is not until they get the budget for it.
2. They do actually take research data security seriously. Along with a system to keep access logs and hand out requests as needed (a rather ancient one by your old standards, considering it can't even accept general queries, just exact results), there were several requests for password resets, and several rebukes for not doing so through email where the Records unit could respond. As for actual communications, their plan appears to be investigate the floating island.
After that last one, you do see a smoke cloud appear above the floating island. They don't seem to have found the interesting parts of the island yet, just odd things on an odd location. Maybe it'll happen later.
What next?
[] Energy focus - Build more energy production, ignore the alterin until they come to you.
[] Defense focus - Prepare for them to come to you.
[] Research focus - Build more research crystals. Ponder what to research next.
[] Expansion focus - Bigger is better, and you certainly could be bigger! And relying on others to scout for you when they don't even know you are doing so is only so useful.
[] Write-in - Names, multi-cycle plans, more specific ideas. They fit in here.
Next cycle is noon to midnight, and your 'meteor impact' will soon be at the top of the list of unexpected-but-not-special events to look at.
---
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 25 @ 50/cycle: 1,250/cycle
Research costs: 1 @ 10/cycle: -10/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,240/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 100
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 2/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: Undiscovered.
The Alterin Threat:
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 25 @ 50/cycle: 1,250/cycle
Research costs: 1 @ 10/cycle: -10/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,240/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 100
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 2/cycle
Current Research Project:
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.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.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Last edited:
Cycle 4/5 - Beginning of Minions?
[X] Research focus
Cycle 4
As the astral light source passes the midpoint in the sky, you end up deciding that while they're distracted by the danger involved in investigating unknown magitech, you should get to researching. So you start building up your crystal network to do so, rather than immediately go for more energy generation. 3 more Research crystal nodes link up a couple more base crystals and your first external storage crystal (which need some superficial repairs), and another basic clears out the last of the energy for the cycle. You spend part of the cycle looking at the loose rocks in the crater to see if any of them could possibly be turned intodistractions minions so that you are not immediately mined at offensively. The idea has some potential, you think.
The other half of the cycle is spent researching vital things, like remembering how exactly you repair yourself without other crystalline who do it for the greater good.
New experiment: Minions! [Throw energy at the problem and see how it goes?]
+9 progress - Repair Protocols [9/20]
---
Cycle 5
As the twin moon pair slowly get more visible, you build another set of 3 research crystal nodes and a basic crystal. The remaining energy is spent experimenting with making charged rubble, essentially.
About a fourth of the way into the cycle, you get the feeling one does not simply charge minions, as your first attempts disintegrate the rocks, your second attempts crumble them into rubble, and your third attempts fracture the rocks into slightly smaller rocks. So you attach as small a crystal as you can fit to another set of acceptably solid rocks and try to charge that.
Sub-cycle 4
Damnit, why are these rocks so...fragile? Wrong word. Lacking in changability but also in durability. Try to make them hold the charge itself, falls apart. Try to integrate a storage shard, rock shatters around the meld point when you charge that. Empty out the center and refill it with crystal, too distinctively crystal in its chiming walksteps for the camouflage to be effective. Perhaps you need bigger test subjects? Either way, its slowly becoming non-morning, and the spare energy has been depleted. Time for a short nap.
Where to next?
[] More Energy - You could always do with more.
[] More Research - Less time spent without useful things, but these crystals are not the cheapest things...
[] Defensive Stance - Even more expensive, but you know it'll work, unlike the incomplete minions idea.
[] Experimentals/Write-in - Any particular path we should attempt next? The smaller of the nearby rocks have proven to not be sufficient for the easy solution.
Cycle 4
As the astral light source passes the midpoint in the sky, you end up deciding that while they're distracted by the danger involved in investigating unknown magitech, you should get to researching. So you start building up your crystal network to do so, rather than immediately go for more energy generation. 3 more Research crystal nodes link up a couple more base crystals and your first external storage crystal (which need some superficial repairs), and another basic clears out the last of the energy for the cycle. You spend part of the cycle looking at the loose rocks in the crater to see if any of them could possibly be turned into
The other half of the cycle is spent researching vital things, like remembering how exactly you repair yourself without other crystalline who do it for the greater good.
New experiment: Minions! [Throw energy at the problem and see how it goes?]
+9 progress - Repair Protocols [9/20]
---
Cycle 5
As the twin moon pair slowly get more visible, you build another set of 3 research crystal nodes and a basic crystal. The remaining energy is spent experimenting with making charged rubble, essentially.
About a fourth of the way into the cycle, you get the feeling one does not simply charge minions, as your first attempts disintegrate the rocks, your second attempts crumble them into rubble, and your third attempts fracture the rocks into slightly smaller rocks. So you attach as small a crystal as you can fit to another set of acceptably solid rocks and try to charge that.
Sub-cycle 4
Damnit, why are these rocks so...fragile? Wrong word. Lacking in changability but also in durability. Try to make them hold the charge itself, falls apart. Try to integrate a storage shard, rock shatters around the meld point when you charge that. Empty out the center and refill it with crystal, too distinctively crystal in its chiming walksteps for the camouflage to be effective. Perhaps you need bigger test subjects? Either way, its slowly becoming non-morning, and the spare energy has been depleted. Time for a short nap.
Where to next?
[] More Energy - You could always do with more.
[] More Research - Less time spent without useful things, but these crystals are not the cheapest things...
[] Defensive Stance - Even more expensive, but you know it'll work, unlike the incomplete minions idea.
[] Experimentals/Write-in - Any particular path we should attempt next? The smaller of the nearby rocks have proven to not be sufficient for the easy solution.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 30 @ 50/cycle: 1,500/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,430/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Repair Protocols [16/20]
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Durability, charging issues]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
Base Crystal: 30 @ 50/cycle: 1,500/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,430/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Repair Protocols [16/20]
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Durability, charging issues]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Repair Protocols, Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
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
Red - Diplomatic Crystalline
---
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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Last edited:
Cycle 6 - Reintegration
[X] Re-Integration
Cycle 6
One nice nap later, you take a look at the surrounding remaining crystal. Most of it is not connected with other storage crystal, which makes it not as effective as it could be. You connect to all of it anyway via assimilated matter, and double check it works correctly.
Since it appears to be working right after a few tests, you spend the remaining energy cleaning up the scatteredness by converting up to storage crystal from the matter, or shoving dirt away to make way for storage crystal. It ends up being a rather productive day as well, since you had cleared up the repair problem as well while you had been doing so. You end up listening in on the alterins as you decide what to research next.
Next cycle starts at night, so you've got at least half a cycle before they start up on their...idea. Longer if they get forced into going back there anyway.
[] More Energy - You do need additional pylons.
[] New Research - Pylons to make pylons to require additional pylons...
[] Minions! - Focus on the minion experiment. Write-in determines what way to take the experiment next.
[] Other write-in
---
a/n: I'd actually forgot you can't just build storage in normal squares while connecting more than jsut the as. matter squares, but I didn't want to recount everything to fix it. Instead you get the current picture.
Cycle 6
One nice nap later, you take a look at the surrounding remaining crystal. Most of it is not connected with other storage crystal, which makes it not as effective as it could be. You connect to all of it anyway via assimilated matter, and double check it works correctly.
Since it appears to be working right after a few tests, you spend the remaining energy cleaning up the scatteredness by converting up to storage crystal from the matter, or shoving dirt away to make way for storage crystal. It ends up being a rather productive day as well, since you had cleared up the repair problem as well while you had been doing so. You end up listening in on the alterins as you decide what to research next.
Next cycle starts at night, so you've got at least half a cycle before they start up on their...idea. Longer if they get forced into going back there anyway.
[] More Energy - You do need additional pylons.
[] New Research - Pylons to make pylons to require additional pylons...
[] Minions! - Focus on the minion experiment. Write-in determines what way to take the experiment next.
[] Other write-in
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 8 @ 20/cycle: 160/cycle
Base Crystal: 32 @ 50/cycle: 1,600/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,690/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Very fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: None!
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Durability, charging issues]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 8 @ 20/cycle: 160/cycle
Base Crystal: 32 @ 50/cycle: 1,600/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 2,690/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Very fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: None!
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Durability, charging issues]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export, Dampening Fields
Energy Generation: Alternate Power Sources, Strengthened Conduits (repeatable), Base Crystal Upgrade?
Storage: Energy Condensing, Enhanced Stabilization (repeatable).
Research:
Command Network: Delegation
Sensors & Exploration: Visual Augmentation, Wireless Theory.
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
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
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
a/n: I'd actually forgot you can't just build storage in normal squares while connecting more than jsut the as. matter squares, but I didn't want to recount everything to fix it. Instead you get the current picture.
Last edited:
Cycle 7 - Additional Pylons
Decided i was doing the minions too obtusely so yes, its voting for 'what type of minions are we going for here'.
----
[x] More Energy
-[x] 48 As. matter
[x] Research goal: Visual Augmentation
Cycle 7
As it gets darker, you finally get a working prototype minion. Its quite a bit larger than you'd first thought you'd need, but its also stable when charged. You let it stay put while debating how to program it and move on to more important things. First, energy. Most of the surrounding area is flooded with energy, along with a single basic crystal afterwards to use up the majority of the remainder.
Secondly, vision. You've spent 7 cycles worth of your (admittedly minimal) energy stores and have barely expanded your visual range at all. This will not do. This will not do at all! Most of the cycle is spent on tinkering with the refined template's optics and precision, until you hear a suspicious chuk above and to the left of you.
Around the middle of Subcycle 4
"Crystal?"
"No, metal. We can't make a meteorite sword out of crystals."
"I'm...not seeing much metal here, Ro. Lots of crystal."
"Then we'll come back tomorrow with an ore scanner. In the meantime, lets take a look around, see if the metal bits got knocked off by the impact and landed nearby. Damneded planet can't even meteorite correctly..." you hear Ro the Alteri say.
What do we do before they get back from their fruitless ore search?
[] More Energy! - You still require additional pylons. (Will default to base crystal unless specified)
[] Arm up - Armed crystals time! (requires a new crystal design with at least Trait: Explosive Entry, or something like the exploding crystals)
[] Emergency Guns - Slap Defensive offense on something and stick it on top of you before they get back. It might be cheap crap, but it'll be usable crap. Maybe.
[] Project Minions: (vote for simple type to start with)
[] Write-in - While you can't actually talk intelligibly (in their opinion) yet without giving away your hacking knowledge, it wouldn't hurt to have a name prepared.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 33 @ 50/cycle: 1,650/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 3,700/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 90
Storage Status: Very fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [15/120]
Current Experimental Project: Minions!
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 33 @ 50/cycle: 1,650/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 3,700/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 90
Storage Status: Very fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [15/120]
Current Experimental Project: Minions!
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
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
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Last edited:
Cycle 8 - Remote ear, sword-style.
Except for how I'm feeling physically, things aren't getting any better. They may get worse. Lets mess with aliens instead.
---
Cycle 8
More out of amusement than anything, you shape one of the nearby rocks into a large sword shape (with an assimilated inner core, for slightly higher durability) and turn it into a minion. Built into the hilt as decoration is a data storage component (tuned to the alterin comm frequency, so you can read it later) to listen to what they're doing, and an old solar panel idea that you turn into a working part, combined with a thermal absorption field for night time. It doesn't scale up well enough to be a decent alternate power source yet, but perhaps later.
Some reduced-capacity storage crystals are also designed and marked for explosives use.
For the rest of the cycle you simply relax and store the energy from this cycle in case you need it next cycle for some emergency explosives, since you know they're coming anyway and want to see their reactions.
Subcycle 2
"Ro. Hey, Ro. Come look at this." You turn on the data storage's recorder.
"What? Didn't you say theres just crystal over there, Das?" says Alteri Ro, as they appear to have returned from their ore trip.
"Well, there was. And now theres a sword here. Stone sword, with a shiny crystal in the hilt. About the size of a greatsword." replies Alteri Das. Theres a pretty lengthy pause.
"Well, can you lift it? With the way this planet is maybe this crystal is laying on top of a literal wishing well. Though I'm certainly not going to try swinging a stone sword at that forcefield. Wouldn't it just break?" says Ro.
"Uh...good question. Last I'd heard it did appear to let air and gently-rolled rocks through to bump on the door behind it. As for the sword, yep. Its heavy, though. Like you'd expect a stone greatsword to be. I'm not sure if i could actually use this for anything besides being a cool artifact without some serious training."
You note that function of the floating island's particular door-forcefield. It sounds like if you went in under it you'd not even have trouble getting through. Though it doesn't answer how you're getting up there to begin with! The two xenos walk off afterwards, but not before wishing for a second stone greatsword with a fancier hilt.
Subcycle 3.5
"Where have you two been all day? You said you were going to find meteor iron, not acquire a stone greatsword."
"We did say that. Turns out, there an actual chance that meteor landed on top of a legit wishing well. We went there, grumbled about the excess of crystal and lack of ore to make a sword with, and went looking for meteor fragments. When we came back to the impact crater there was this stone-with-crystal-in-hilt greatsword lying on the ground like it had always been there before." replies Das.
"Interesting, we'll add that to the list of investigation targets. Go check back on it tomorrow. Did you say anything before you left?"
"Ro had said it'd be pretty nice if there was more than one of these to examine, especially the crystal. If you look closely it shines as if it has a sun inside it, its pretty damn nice." answered Das.
So we've managed to deflect the first look at us. What next?
[] More Energy - Two cycle of energy will be a very nice chunk of additional generation to have.
[] More Research - Amp up the humming glow effect of the actively researching crystals. Maybe they'll think its part of the wishing well's functionality.
[] Write-in
Do we stay put and expand, or do we nope out of this region of the surface?
[] Move! - You've got a cycle's worth of energy and they know where you are. Time to nope out of this surface business posthaste. The rest of the energy can be spent later.
[] Expand! - Gotta build up. You need more, now. Our disguise won't hold up if they actually dig into the crater and see there is just more crystal underneath, not a well. And moving would be a waste of 3,700 energy.
Lastly, do we actually make a second Infiltrator Greatsword minion, and does it have any extra features this time? (Good enough suggestions will give a research point bonus towards Wireless Theory)
[] Minion! - Lets lead them along this wishing well deception. Maybe we won't need the explosives yet.
[] No minion! - We're pushing it as is by even letting them have that much crystal in the middle of a research base. Create something else instead and confuse them. Something that won't lead back to you.
---
Cycle 8
More out of amusement than anything, you shape one of the nearby rocks into a large sword shape (with an assimilated inner core, for slightly higher durability) and turn it into a minion. Built into the hilt as decoration is a data storage component (tuned to the alterin comm frequency, so you can read it later) to listen to what they're doing, and an old solar panel idea that you turn into a working part, combined with a thermal absorption field for night time. It doesn't scale up well enough to be a decent alternate power source yet, but perhaps later.
Some reduced-capacity storage crystals are also designed and marked for explosives use.
For the rest of the cycle you simply relax and store the energy from this cycle in case you need it next cycle for some emergency explosives, since you know they're coming anyway and want to see their reactions.
Subcycle 2
"Ro. Hey, Ro. Come look at this." You turn on the data storage's recorder.
"What? Didn't you say theres just crystal over there, Das?" says Alteri Ro, as they appear to have returned from their ore trip.
"Well, there was. And now theres a sword here. Stone sword, with a shiny crystal in the hilt. About the size of a greatsword." replies Alteri Das. Theres a pretty lengthy pause.
"Well, can you lift it? With the way this planet is maybe this crystal is laying on top of a literal wishing well. Though I'm certainly not going to try swinging a stone sword at that forcefield. Wouldn't it just break?" says Ro.
"Uh...good question. Last I'd heard it did appear to let air and gently-rolled rocks through to bump on the door behind it. As for the sword, yep. Its heavy, though. Like you'd expect a stone greatsword to be. I'm not sure if i could actually use this for anything besides being a cool artifact without some serious training."
You note that function of the floating island's particular door-forcefield. It sounds like if you went in under it you'd not even have trouble getting through. Though it doesn't answer how you're getting up there to begin with! The two xenos walk off afterwards, but not before wishing for a second stone greatsword with a fancier hilt.
Subcycle 3.5
"Where have you two been all day? You said you were going to find meteor iron, not acquire a stone greatsword."
"We did say that. Turns out, there an actual chance that meteor landed on top of a legit wishing well. We went there, grumbled about the excess of crystal and lack of ore to make a sword with, and went looking for meteor fragments. When we came back to the impact crater there was this stone-with-crystal-in-hilt greatsword lying on the ground like it had always been there before." replies Das.
"Interesting, we'll add that to the list of investigation targets. Go check back on it tomorrow. Did you say anything before you left?"
"Ro had said it'd be pretty nice if there was more than one of these to examine, especially the crystal. If you look closely it shines as if it has a sun inside it, its pretty damn nice." answered Das.
So we've managed to deflect the first look at us. What next?
[] More Energy - Two cycle of energy will be a very nice chunk of additional generation to have.
[] More Research - Amp up the humming glow effect of the actively researching crystals. Maybe they'll think its part of the wishing well's functionality.
[] Write-in
Do we stay put and expand, or do we nope out of this region of the surface?
[] Move! - You've got a cycle's worth of energy and they know where you are. Time to nope out of this surface business posthaste. The rest of the energy can be spent later.
[] Expand! - Gotta build up. You need more, now. Our disguise won't hold up if they actually dig into the crater and see there is just more crystal underneath, not a well. And moving would be a waste of 3,700 energy.
Lastly, do we actually make a second Infiltrator Greatsword minion, and does it have any extra features this time? (Good enough suggestions will give a research point bonus towards Wireless Theory)
[] Minion! - Lets lead them along this wishing well deception. Maybe we won't need the explosives yet.
[] No minion! - We're pushing it as is by even letting them have that much crystal in the middle of a research base. Create something else instead and confuse them. Something that won't lead back to you.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 33 @ 50/cycle: 1,650/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 3,700/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 3,790
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [23/120]
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 33 @ 50/cycle: 1,650/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 3,700/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 3,790
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [23/120]
Current Experimental Project: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
Arcane: Undiscovered.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Near some alterin of suspiciousness.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
Check the crystals threadmark for energy costs and details.
Cycle 9/10 - Double cycle
So it turns out I did not actually post the update I had finished a bunch of days ago. So instead of me being confused why no one responded, have a double update.
----
Cycle 9
You think over the accumulated data so far while its still asleep-time for most of the xenos.
First, they think you are above a wishing well. You can use that to your advantage, though to do so effectively would likely lead to questions of 'where did the crystal go' and 'is moving worth the energy cost'. The former you'd rather not see them ask and the latter 'probably not', so instead the energy of two cycles is better spent getting more energy.
Second, they really do not have much in the way of night guards, at least from what you get from your first infiltrator greatsword's recordings. Automated scanners near the doors and the occasional researcher experimenting with interesting and probably deadly xenotech outdoors, certainly. You can hear the explosions from here, after all. But actual defenses against the nocturnal doomy dooms of doom that must be lying around somewhere on this ruin of a planet? No more than the occasional indoor security guard. More data is probably required here.
Third, Ro is an idiot. From what you've heard so far of the recordings you aren't exactly sure how he got assigned to an archeology research station and not, say, a weapons-testing lab. Somewhere else where there is less attempting to figure out the why is this a thing and more the how does this explode. More data is certainly required here!
But eventually its fades into background noise, and you get going with the new cycle. First off, a second Infiltrator Greatsword minion. They especially wanted to see the crystal, which is the opposite of what you want. So an attempt is made to show as little crystal as possible without impairing the functionality of your eventually-out-of-power spy's recharging, while you replace the assimilated core with a storage crystal core to make it technically correct: There is more crystal. its just not visible, and liable to explode if power tested.
Next, expansion!
...Ooh. Buried, high-tech structural material, and lots of it. Outer layer is visually heavily damaged, the rest appears mostly intact to passive scanning attempts. Time for some proper science!
Subcycle 3-ish
"Huh. Theres another stone greatsword here. Feels a bit heavier than the other one, Das?" Ro says, carefully handing over the new minion. You activate its recorder.
"Eh, possibly? I'd need to weigh them to be certain. its still too heavy to hold one-handed, and...huh. This one has your name engraved on it, Ro." replies Das.
"...Should we try something else?" Ro says.
"Formally, or just asking the meteor crystal?" Das asks.
"Just ask. If it ends up not being what you wanted we'll try being more polite next." Ro answers, and steps back a bit.
"So uh, space crystal on top of a wishing well. Can you do artistic engravings?" Das asks. You bounce some sort of vague, earthy sound out of the closest crystals to the surface. It looks like they're concentrating for a bit before you get a response.
"Can you do things that aren't made out of stone, but still engraved?" Getting interestingly specific. You reply with the exact same sound however, to gauge their response.
"I can't tell if that is supposed to be a yes or a no." comments Ro.
"Might be both, considering what we're asking questions to. Not that that makes things any easier, ugh.." says Das. "What if I asked for, say, a small arcleaf shield engraved with a circle?"
A what? Arc...leaf? Its clearly a solid material (can be forged into a shield), and some sort of vegetable matter (leaf), but your first thought is 'a shield built out of electricity in the shape of a leaf, engraved'. And if you wanted to be especially literal, you could give them exactly that. Are they assuming you can pull off some sort of magical bullshit and know what material they mean without bringing said material? Now is the time you wished you had more than some receive-only comms access to the alterin systems. You adjust the reply sound slightly to be more curious-sounding and glow a bit for good measure.
"...And that made it glow. I'll assume thats a maybe and come back tomorrow, then?" Das asks, but you give no response. The two eventually walk off back towards their base as the midday point nears.
Cycle 10
The Alterin base continue to make minimal progress on what is clearly the most important chamber on the floating island as the day ends. Having two sources of recording makes it somewhat clear-ish that they've investigated most of the easily-investigated parts by now. One of them suggests mining around the door and being done with the whole thing, but gets shot down for suggesting they just casually tear down walls like there isn't a forgite-exploding forcefield right next to them.
They've also picked up a non-explosive "hexagonal pyramid of bullshit floating powers"; It seems to be the first non-explosive technological artifact they've found that still immediately functions. Something to do with defying gravity and vehicle turning radii, apparently. Das' companion was extremely agitated when they brought it up at least, and you wouldn't mind grabbing that for yourself.
In the meantime, you've built up even more basic crystals to prepare for some serious sciencing upon the new material below. There apparently is a pocket of empty space below it too...
So, what shall we concern ourselves with next?
[] More energy! - Because its kinda your thing.
[] More research crystals! - That stuff won't speed itself up, after all.
[] Write-in
What will we consider 'Arcleaf' to be, for wishing well purposes? (Ro & Das will arrive roughly around late morning, or sometime in subcycle 3, to see the results)
[] Literal arcs of electricity (or other energy) in leaf-shaped shield form, somehow engraved. (Describe how we managed to engrave it)
[] Highly-charged vegetable matter in shield form, engraved. (What is it charged with?)
[] Neither of the above, its clearly some form of rock! But its still engraved, of course. (Explain how we're supposed to be getting away with simply using more stone)
[] Other (Write-in) - Do you have a more interesting option to suggest?
Lastly, should we go about testing the new material in the traditional fashion of the crystalline (throwing energy at it until it submits to assimilation or explodes, or both), or in a different way?
[] The usual
[] Not the usual
----
Cycle 9
You think over the accumulated data so far while its still asleep-time for most of the xenos.
First, they think you are above a wishing well. You can use that to your advantage, though to do so effectively would likely lead to questions of 'where did the crystal go' and 'is moving worth the energy cost'. The former you'd rather not see them ask and the latter 'probably not', so instead the energy of two cycles is better spent getting more energy.
Second, they really do not have much in the way of night guards, at least from what you get from your first infiltrator greatsword's recordings. Automated scanners near the doors and the occasional researcher experimenting with interesting and probably deadly xenotech outdoors, certainly. You can hear the explosions from here, after all. But actual defenses against the nocturnal doomy dooms of doom that must be lying around somewhere on this ruin of a planet? No more than the occasional indoor security guard. More data is probably required here.
Third, Ro is an idiot. From what you've heard so far of the recordings you aren't exactly sure how he got assigned to an archeology research station and not, say, a weapons-testing lab. Somewhere else where there is less attempting to figure out the why is this a thing and more the how does this explode. More data is certainly required here!
But eventually its fades into background noise, and you get going with the new cycle. First off, a second Infiltrator Greatsword minion. They especially wanted to see the crystal, which is the opposite of what you want. So an attempt is made to show as little crystal as possible without impairing the functionality of your eventually-out-of-power spy's recharging, while you replace the assimilated core with a storage crystal core to make it technically correct: There is more crystal. its just not visible, and liable to explode if power tested.
Next, expansion!
...Ooh. Buried, high-tech structural material, and lots of it. Outer layer is visually heavily damaged, the rest appears mostly intact to passive scanning attempts. Time for some proper science!
Subcycle 3-ish
"Huh. Theres another stone greatsword here. Feels a bit heavier than the other one, Das?" Ro says, carefully handing over the new minion. You activate its recorder.
"Eh, possibly? I'd need to weigh them to be certain. its still too heavy to hold one-handed, and...huh. This one has your name engraved on it, Ro." replies Das.
"...Should we try something else?" Ro says.
"Formally, or just asking the meteor crystal?" Das asks.
"Just ask. If it ends up not being what you wanted we'll try being more polite next." Ro answers, and steps back a bit.
"So uh, space crystal on top of a wishing well. Can you do artistic engravings?" Das asks. You bounce some sort of vague, earthy sound out of the closest crystals to the surface. It looks like they're concentrating for a bit before you get a response.
"Can you do things that aren't made out of stone, but still engraved?" Getting interestingly specific. You reply with the exact same sound however, to gauge their response.
"I can't tell if that is supposed to be a yes or a no." comments Ro.
"Might be both, considering what we're asking questions to. Not that that makes things any easier, ugh.." says Das. "What if I asked for, say, a small arcleaf shield engraved with a circle?"
A what? Arc...leaf? Its clearly a solid material (can be forged into a shield), and some sort of vegetable matter (leaf), but your first thought is 'a shield built out of electricity in the shape of a leaf, engraved'. And if you wanted to be especially literal, you could give them exactly that. Are they assuming you can pull off some sort of magical bullshit and know what material they mean without bringing said material? Now is the time you wished you had more than some receive-only comms access to the alterin systems. You adjust the reply sound slightly to be more curious-sounding and glow a bit for good measure.
"...And that made it glow. I'll assume thats a maybe and come back tomorrow, then?" Das asks, but you give no response. The two eventually walk off back towards their base as the midday point nears.
Cycle 10
The Alterin base continue to make minimal progress on what is clearly the most important chamber on the floating island as the day ends. Having two sources of recording makes it somewhat clear-ish that they've investigated most of the easily-investigated parts by now. One of them suggests mining around the door and being done with the whole thing, but gets shot down for suggesting they just casually tear down walls like there isn't a forgite-exploding forcefield right next to them.
They've also picked up a non-explosive "hexagonal pyramid of bullshit floating powers"; It seems to be the first non-explosive technological artifact they've found that still immediately functions. Something to do with defying gravity and vehicle turning radii, apparently. Das' companion was extremely agitated when they brought it up at least, and you wouldn't mind grabbing that for yourself.
In the meantime, you've built up even more basic crystals to prepare for some serious sciencing upon the new material below. There apparently is a pocket of empty space below it too...
So, what shall we concern ourselves with next?
[] More energy! - Because its kinda your thing.
[] More research crystals! - That stuff won't speed itself up, after all.
[] Write-in
What will we consider 'Arcleaf' to be, for wishing well purposes? (Ro & Das will arrive roughly around late morning, or sometime in subcycle 3, to see the results)
[] Literal arcs of electricity (or other energy) in leaf-shaped shield form, somehow engraved. (Describe how we managed to engrave it)
[] Highly-charged vegetable matter in shield form, engraved. (What is it charged with?)
[] Neither of the above, its clearly some form of rock! But its still engraved, of course. (Explain how we're supposed to be getting away with simply using more stone)
[] Other (Write-in) - Do you have a more interesting option to suggest?
Lastly, should we go about testing the new material in the traditional fashion of the crystalline (throwing energy at it until it submits to assimilation or explodes, or both), or in a different way?
[] The usual
[] Not the usual
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 98 @ 50/cycle: 4,900/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 6,950/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 40
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [39/120]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], Arcleaf [Electrical leaves? What?]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
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.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Pretending to be a wishing well. Near some suspicious alterin.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 98 @ 50/cycle: 4,900/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 6,950/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 40
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [39/120]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], Arcleaf [Electrical leaves? What?]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
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.
High Tech Materials: 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.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Dark gray - Unknown high-tech structural material
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 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[/color] - [Unknown tech]
Dark gray - Unknown high-tech structural material
Black - Unknown
---
Red cross-shaped overlay - Damaged
Red X overlay - Heavily damaged
Last edited:
Cycle 11 - Anti-glow.
Cycle 11
In the end, you decide to not (yet?) be quite so obviously techno-magical and discard the 'actually electrical arcs' plan. Instead, although you aren't a fan of how variously-ruined the metals nearby are (by mage, by bomb, or both), you make it out of titanium, drawn out of the nearby rubble and bombarded until it melts, then shaped into a shield-shaped collection of leafed titanium arcs.
The circle is added later, after an interesting development: You appear to have literally burned out any residual traces of magic in the process of blast-reforging the collected titanium, though you appear to also have made any leftover irradiation worse, leading to an interesting arrangement of glowing and anti-glowing lines throughout. Perhaps its worth deeper investigation than just discarding the vast majority of nearby metals as ruined?
It certainly looks pretty for an unintentional addition, anyway. You quickly attach a metal-plated Infiltrator Minion section as the handhold and consider it done.
More importantly, it is time for science upon the new material! Some basic tests later confirm its usefulness, but not anything amazing. That completed, you slowly ramp up the tried and tested method of Crystalline Material Testing: blast it with energy until it submits to the next stage (assimilation-testing), explosively refuses, or explosively submits. And this material is very good at none of the above...until it abruptly shatters into shrapnel outwards relative to you instead of collapsing inwards into your grip.
This is a new result.
You spend the rest of the cycle either staring at the roughly meter-wide pile of suddenly suspicious shrapnel with all sorts of sensor configurations or re-examining the test data for the exact point it fractured and why, and don't notice the two alterin falling on top of you unconscious after staring too closely at the anti-glow lines for too long.
The new material reacts...unexpectedly to your usual methods of investigating new material. After we've realized its the next cycle and we have two alterin still here, which thing gets priority?
[] The material - While it could just be some old empire's anti-energy armor here with all the tech and relics and so forth, things you're trying to break down for science always break towards you, thats how this method works. Otherwise you'd lose it into space if you were still on the Prime Crystal. And thats not good.
[] The xenos - What the hell are they still here for? Your artwork can't be that good, all you did was what they asked for with a couple unintentional but pretty embellishments. They need to take their wish and go away, you have important research to continue.
---
I don't really have any excuse for this taking so long to update besides having too much stuff I want to do and forgot to update it. So instead, I've got a quick question: Would you guys like to see an alterin-perspective thing, or continue to only see them through the (probably-biased, but energy-optimized) lens of our crystalline friend here?
In the end, you decide to not (yet?) be quite so obviously techno-magical and discard the 'actually electrical arcs' plan. Instead, although you aren't a fan of how variously-ruined the metals nearby are (by mage, by bomb, or both), you make it out of titanium, drawn out of the nearby rubble and bombarded until it melts, then shaped into a shield-shaped collection of leafed titanium arcs.
The circle is added later, after an interesting development: You appear to have literally burned out any residual traces of magic in the process of blast-reforging the collected titanium, though you appear to also have made any leftover irradiation worse, leading to an interesting arrangement of glowing and anti-glowing lines throughout. Perhaps its worth deeper investigation than just discarding the vast majority of nearby metals as ruined?
It certainly looks pretty for an unintentional addition, anyway. You quickly attach a metal-plated Infiltrator Minion section as the handhold and consider it done.
More importantly, it is time for science upon the new material! Some basic tests later confirm its usefulness, but not anything amazing. That completed, you slowly ramp up the tried and tested method of Crystalline Material Testing: blast it with energy until it submits to the next stage (assimilation-testing), explosively refuses, or explosively submits. And this material is very good at none of the above...until it abruptly shatters into shrapnel outwards relative to you instead of collapsing inwards into your grip.
This is a new result.
You spend the rest of the cycle either staring at the roughly meter-wide pile of suddenly suspicious shrapnel with all sorts of sensor configurations or re-examining the test data for the exact point it fractured and why, and don't notice the two alterin falling on top of you unconscious after staring too closely at the anti-glow lines for too long.
The new material reacts...unexpectedly to your usual methods of investigating new material. After we've realized its the next cycle and we have two alterin still here, which thing gets priority?
[] The material - While it could just be some old empire's anti-energy armor here with all the tech and relics and so forth, things you're trying to break down for science always break towards you, thats how this method works. Otherwise you'd lose it into space if you were still on the Prime Crystal. And thats not good.
[] The xenos - What the hell are they still here for? Your artwork can't be that good, all you did was what they asked for with a couple unintentional but pretty embellishments. They need to take their wish and go away, you have important research to continue.
Integrity: Intact
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 98 @ 50/cycle: 4,900/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 6,950/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [47/120]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], New Material [SUSPICION.]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
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.
High Tech Materials: 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.
Location: In a crater. Pretending to be a wishing well. Near some suspicious alterin.
Core Armor: Unarmored
Energy Generation:
Core: 1000/cycle
As. Matter: 56 @ 20/cycle: 1,120/cycle
Base Crystal: 98 @ 50/cycle: 4,900/cycle
Research costs: 7 @ 10/cycle: -70/cycle
Total Energy production: 6,950/cycle
Max single crystal cost: 10K
Current Stored Energy: 0
Storage Status: Fine.
Research Production: 8/cycle
Current Research Project: Visual Augmentation [47/120]
Current Experimental Projects: Minions! [Infiltrator Greatsword type], New Material [SUSPICION.]
Available Research:
Core:
Warfare: Offensive Export (1000), Dampening Fields (1000)
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: Visual Augmentation (120), Wireless Theory (2000).
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.
High Tech Materials: 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.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
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.
Available traits:
Energy Generator (Basic), Energy Storage (Basic), Data Storage, Absorption Fields, Defensive Offense, Explosive Entry, Repair Protocols.
Check the crystals threadmark for energy costs and details.
---
I don't really have any excuse for this taking so long to update besides having too much stuff I want to do and forgot to update it. So instead, I've got a quick question: Would you guys like to see an alterin-perspective thing, or continue to only see them through the (probably-biased, but energy-optimized) lens of our crystalline friend here?