For Science!

Simking124

So, we analyze fragments of wreckage, various plants and animals. I cant help but wonder how deep the science aspect will go. Personally, I want to see genetics and cloning vats or specimen tanks and ways to capture and study everything more closely. Even a research journal or pda to record all our findings. The future tech could give rise to so many amazing things!

conscioussoul

Yes!!! One of the best feature of this game is that both fauna and flora are weird and wonderful and different from Earth. I would LOVE to see a fully detailed research report on your PDA, which would unlock not only a full description of each sealife, but also how they relate in the ecology, as well as DNA information etc.

Cynder_Dragonborn

Hexaphobia

Yes! I Cant second this enough! Science based games are really starting to draw in a crowd, just look at the recent success of Kerbal Space Program. I imagine something along the lines of what was done in Metroid Prime on the gamecube. Scanning and researching animals and plants to learn their benefits or weakness. But even more than that, giving scientific information and background on plant and critters and even biomes and technology add a rich depth the game. Mass Effect is also a good example of this, I and many others would spend hours just reading the scientific and historical background of different aliens and planets and such. I would love to read about the peepers mating rituals and what it eats and what eats it an how long it lives, what defense it has against predators and so on.

AnthonyH318

If we can get to the point of automation and transportation(teleportation if we can study from the warper) we will be at a massive scientific era like none other before.

Simking124

How about a geothermal facility built on one of those volcanic vents? Unlimited energy and minerals being spewed into the ocean and wasted right there. Teleporters or even some sort of tube network connecting your bases. So many possibilities. :-) Who wouldn't want huge glass tanks that hold specimens so you can observe them?

theodoulos

If they do implement holding tanks in bases then perhaps they should break or be open ended so that if your base gets damaged and floods you would also have to deal with your captured creatures...one thing that might be possible is creatures and or kelp clogs draining system

conscioussoul

How about something like this for a science log inside the player's PDA? (repost from Story, Progress, Ecology and More)

Simking124

That looks great man, you make that yourself or find that somewhere? Any PDA style interface is well welcomed

conscioussoul

Simking124 wrote: »

That looks great man, you make that yourself or find that somewhere? Any PDA style interface is well welcomed

I captured an image of the current PDA and I overlayed everything else on it to show what it could be like
Glad you like it! I hope the developers will too!

aeroripper

I'd like to see something like that.

Reefseeker

How about somekind of higher tier analyzing/scanning tool for larger animals? Something that would require lots of rare resources. Maybe functioning in a point & scan fashion, as you can't really collect "samples" of a Reaper or a Sandshark.

Simking124

Why cant we collect samples of those species? Tranquilizing and capturing or genetic cloning would allow up close scanning. :-)

Captain_Pyro

Oh this is nice!

I think a handheld tool about the size of the welder to take DNA samples would be a good solution. These samples can be analyzed by a larger Module in your base or sub. There you can watch at all the data, like a pokedex.

i had fun bringing all the different fish to the fabricator. I think this could be a great way to motivate people to take quite some risks. Normally you'd try to avoid the big fish or whatever's out there waiting to rip you appart, but with the goal to collect DNA you have to come to them^^

@conscioussoul: I like your images, nice work! That's the kind of information i'd want to gather.
The PDA could be a good place to collect the data, though i think an module installed to the base would be better.

conscioussoul

I have developed a more comprehensive, fully fleshed out concept for subnautica science. Let me know what you think here: http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/137803/scientific-research-overhaul-proposal

Simking124

I'm not totally sold on the idea of analyzing fragments for blueprints. I mean, there's only so much you can learn from a broken chunk of circuit board or a scrap of metal. I mean, you cant gleen the blueprint of a house from a few nails.

conscioussoul

That's why on my science thread, i am offering the idea that the fragment analyzer actualy does reverse engineering, which means it can't recover a whole blueprint from a single fragment. It would require several fragments, anywhere from 5 to 10 fragments.
If we assume fragments are actual pieces of an item (like broken pieces from a stasis rifle) you basically have to find enough fragments to rebuild a full stasis rifle before its blueprint can be fully extracted.
Not perfect, but narratively a lot more adequate than right now. And more fun and challenging too!

Simking124

That would work alot better. Plus it would give a purpose to all those dozens of fragments we find.