1 over-elaborate advanced quest
Quiet_Blowfish
Join Date: 2017-09-11 Member: 232955Members
Join Date: 2017-09-11 Member: 232955Members
BATHYSHPERE CRATER SIDEQUEST
LEVEL: Advanced
LENGTH: Long
LOCATIONS:
• Precursor Gun Inner Rooms
• Dunes Crater
• Crashzone Mesas
HOSTILES:
• Various higher-level hostiles encounted en-route
NEW ITEMS:
• Alien Databank
• Alien Charging Station
• Alien Signal Detector
• Alien Crystal Shield Generator
• Alien Cone of Silence
• Alien Signal Beacon
• Abandoned precursor mining equipment
• Alien Comms Station
• Alien Drill-head
• PRAWN drill-arm module 2
• Mongolian Bathyshpere wreck
• Cyclops Depth Module Mk3
SYNOPSIS:
After recovering an alien data fragment, the player learns how to locate and unearth a ruined bathysphere containing an advanced submarine module. In the process several usable alien tools are acquired. The quest stages are:
1. Receiving a lead on new quest target
2. Discovering and activating the 'Alien Signal Detector'
3. Locating the Crater
4. Discovering the quest target is protected
5. Discovering a lead on a key item
6. Retrieving the 'Alien Drill Bit'
7. Extracting the final quest reward
QUEST DETAILS:
1. Receiving a Lead on the Quest Target:
While the player is exploring the Precursor Gun Inner Rooms (eg. at 445, -92, 1150) he/she discovers some alien machinery and tools. The machines are the 'Alien Databank' and the 'Alien Charging Station'. Inserting an Ion Cube into the Databank causes it to light up. This triggers a message from the player's PDA:
'Hacking into local memory cache... Partial translation of local alien data set now available. Reads as follows: ".... ossification ray experiment successful... dispatch retrieval .........code 0111010...."
2. Discovering and Activating the 'Alien Signal Detector':
The Artefacts first appear as ornately patterned but dull-coloured metallic affairs:
Item 1: Seems like a prop from 1960's B-movie: a classic alien ray gun with a series of discs pierced by its barrel
Item 2: Looks like a Ping-Pong bat
Item 3: Appears to be a fuel funnel with a corrugated hose
Any of these items can placed in the player's inventory and even hot-keyed for use. However none will function until recharged.The player may deduce the artefacts can be recharged by placing them into the 'Alien Charging Station', which must be powered in turn by an Ion Cube. Once recharged, an artefact's ornate patterning glows green. Further experimentation may reveal the following:
Item 1: The 'gun' is actually an 'Alien Signal Detector'.
Its target beacons have unique binary codes. These can be entered by rotating 1 to 7 seven of the rings along its barrel. When the code 0111010 (mentioned by the PDA) is entered the recharged detector it begins to pulsate (see Stage 3 below)
Item 2: The 'Ping-Pong bat', irrelevant to the quest, is actually an alien 'Crystal Shield Generator'.
When equipped and used it generates a bubble of toughened glass around PC. This protects the PC but imprisons him. To escape it must be chipped away at from the inside before it shatters. Once used it needs to be recharged. If used at sea, the trapped PC will drop like stone. Its chief virtue is that is extremely resistant to impacts from the outside - even a Reaper Leviathan will not shatter it (but may choose toy with the PC nevertheless)
Item 3: This 'funnel', also irrelevant to the quest, is actually an alien 'Cone of Silence'.
To be operated it must be recharged, inverted, and placed in the player's head-gear slot. This causes all local sounds and thought wave emanations to become muffled and reduced by 50%. Approaching a predator when wearing this item lowers the chance of a hostile encounter by 50%. When used from within the glass shield all predators will lose interest. Once removed, the cone of silence ceases to function until recharged.
(NOTE: Although item's 2 & 3 are red herrings, the entire kit is used by Precursors to take samples from Reaper nests. This equipment might be useful to facilitate future quests)
3. Locating the Crater:
Using the Alien Signal Detector correctly will guide the player to an 'Alien Signal Beacon" at centre of the Dunes Meteor Crater (-1125,-390,1135). Hostiles likely to be encountered en-route include Bonesharks, Warpers, Crabsquid and Sandsharks. Using the detector: As the player turns towards the target its pulses become brighter, as the player approaches the target its pulses become more rapid. It's best used whilst swimming, as signal detection weakens substantially within a titanium sub - so the player must remain alert to surrounding predators when taking readings outside a sub.
4. Discovering the Quest Target is Protected:
Within the crater is a scattering 'Abandoned precursor mining equipment'. The player may notice an excavation of the 'meteor' had already begun, by way of a now ruined 'Alien Drill Bit' lying nearby. This produced several fissures, and close examination reveals an unidentifiable of object within. It is a huge glassy sphere (actually a Bathysphere) Any attempts by the player to complete the excavation will not succeed at this time.
5. Locating the 'Alien Drill Bit':
By searching the rim of the crater, the player may discover the small Precursor facility (already in place). This cave now includes an 'Alien field comms-station' formally used by the mining team (-1215,-395,1080). The comms-station looks like an old radio festooned with all kinds of aerials and gizmos. These might easily draw attention away from its code input-device that looks very much a carry-handle. Closer inspection reveals the "handle's" knobbly grip is actually made up of 7 discs on a spindle. To use the comms station the player turns it on by inserting an Ion Cube, then activates it by correctly in-putting a known valid binary code (0111010) by turning the 'handle' discs.
The player's PDA then plays a message;
"Alien transmission intercepted and decoded: 'Information relating to site 0111010: Requested replacement item available at Beacon 1011011"
6. Retrieving the 'Alien Drill Bit':
After entering this second code into the Alien Signal Detector its locks on to the new target. Using it correctly will guide the Player to a second beacon within the Crash Zone Mesa biome (855,-305,-1444) Hostiles likely to be encountered en-route include Reaper Leviathan, Gasopods, Bonesharks.
Investigation of the target area reveals attempts by Precursors to mine a mesa, and an Alien Drill Head' is lodged in an excavated area. This cone shaped object can easily be removed using any of a variety of tools, but it is too large to fit in the player's inventory. If the player has brought along his PRAWN suit, he may discover he can insert his PRAWN drill-arm into alien drill-head. Then, by a miracle of alien nanotech the alien drill-bit morphs to fit PRAWN's drill and fuses with it. This converts the regular 'PRAWN drill-arm module' into a 'PRAWN drill-arm module 2'. The upgrade reduces PRAWN drilling times by 50%, and allows penetration of stronger than ordinary ore bodies.
7. Extracting the Quest Reward:
After returning to the crater with an upgraded PRAWN drill module, excavation can begin. This should be a lengthy operation. As the rocky shell breaks away it becomes apparent that the object inside is a large glass bathysphere of an Alterra make. Unfortunately it now already has deep cracks throughout its dome due to impact on landing. As the final piece of the rocky shell is removed - the glass sphere abruptly shatters from all this accumulated abuse.
The player's PDA then offers an unhelpful remark.
"How unfortunate. Perhaps the words of the great Terran sages may be a comfort to you......'It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value whatsoever' - Arthur C Clarke"
However, the player can find the following items amongst the wreckage:
• Corpse of Mongolian Agent
• A sealed Ivory tube containing a parchment
• The parchment reads as follows: 'It seems our brother has now joined his Ancestors. Take all measures now to secure the property.'
• The legendary Cyclops Depth Module Mk3! (exact function to be defined)
LEVEL: Advanced
LENGTH: Long
LOCATIONS:
• Precursor Gun Inner Rooms
• Dunes Crater
• Crashzone Mesas
HOSTILES:
• Various higher-level hostiles encounted en-route
NEW ITEMS:
• Alien Databank
• Alien Charging Station
• Alien Signal Detector
• Alien Crystal Shield Generator
• Alien Cone of Silence
• Alien Signal Beacon
• Abandoned precursor mining equipment
• Alien Comms Station
• Alien Drill-head
• PRAWN drill-arm module 2
• Mongolian Bathyshpere wreck
• Cyclops Depth Module Mk3
SYNOPSIS:
After recovering an alien data fragment, the player learns how to locate and unearth a ruined bathysphere containing an advanced submarine module. In the process several usable alien tools are acquired. The quest stages are:
1. Receiving a lead on new quest target
2. Discovering and activating the 'Alien Signal Detector'
3. Locating the Crater
4. Discovering the quest target is protected
5. Discovering a lead on a key item
6. Retrieving the 'Alien Drill Bit'
7. Extracting the final quest reward
QUEST DETAILS:
1. Receiving a Lead on the Quest Target:
While the player is exploring the Precursor Gun Inner Rooms (eg. at 445, -92, 1150) he/she discovers some alien machinery and tools. The machines are the 'Alien Databank' and the 'Alien Charging Station'. Inserting an Ion Cube into the Databank causes it to light up. This triggers a message from the player's PDA:
'Hacking into local memory cache... Partial translation of local alien data set now available. Reads as follows: ".... ossification ray experiment successful... dispatch retrieval .........code 0111010...."
2. Discovering and Activating the 'Alien Signal Detector':
The Artefacts first appear as ornately patterned but dull-coloured metallic affairs:
Item 1: Seems like a prop from 1960's B-movie: a classic alien ray gun with a series of discs pierced by its barrel
Item 2: Looks like a Ping-Pong bat
Item 3: Appears to be a fuel funnel with a corrugated hose
Any of these items can placed in the player's inventory and even hot-keyed for use. However none will function until recharged.The player may deduce the artefacts can be recharged by placing them into the 'Alien Charging Station', which must be powered in turn by an Ion Cube. Once recharged, an artefact's ornate patterning glows green. Further experimentation may reveal the following:
Item 1: The 'gun' is actually an 'Alien Signal Detector'.
Its target beacons have unique binary codes. These can be entered by rotating 1 to 7 seven of the rings along its barrel. When the code 0111010 (mentioned by the PDA) is entered the recharged detector it begins to pulsate (see Stage 3 below)
Item 2: The 'Ping-Pong bat', irrelevant to the quest, is actually an alien 'Crystal Shield Generator'.
When equipped and used it generates a bubble of toughened glass around PC. This protects the PC but imprisons him. To escape it must be chipped away at from the inside before it shatters. Once used it needs to be recharged. If used at sea, the trapped PC will drop like stone. Its chief virtue is that is extremely resistant to impacts from the outside - even a Reaper Leviathan will not shatter it (but may choose toy with the PC nevertheless)
Item 3: This 'funnel', also irrelevant to the quest, is actually an alien 'Cone of Silence'.
To be operated it must be recharged, inverted, and placed in the player's head-gear slot. This causes all local sounds and thought wave emanations to become muffled and reduced by 50%. Approaching a predator when wearing this item lowers the chance of a hostile encounter by 50%. When used from within the glass shield all predators will lose interest. Once removed, the cone of silence ceases to function until recharged.
(NOTE: Although item's 2 & 3 are red herrings, the entire kit is used by Precursors to take samples from Reaper nests. This equipment might be useful to facilitate future quests)
3. Locating the Crater:
Using the Alien Signal Detector correctly will guide the player to an 'Alien Signal Beacon" at centre of the Dunes Meteor Crater (-1125,-390,1135). Hostiles likely to be encountered en-route include Bonesharks, Warpers, Crabsquid and Sandsharks. Using the detector: As the player turns towards the target its pulses become brighter, as the player approaches the target its pulses become more rapid. It's best used whilst swimming, as signal detection weakens substantially within a titanium sub - so the player must remain alert to surrounding predators when taking readings outside a sub.
4. Discovering the Quest Target is Protected:
Within the crater is a scattering 'Abandoned precursor mining equipment'. The player may notice an excavation of the 'meteor' had already begun, by way of a now ruined 'Alien Drill Bit' lying nearby. This produced several fissures, and close examination reveals an unidentifiable of object within. It is a huge glassy sphere (actually a Bathysphere) Any attempts by the player to complete the excavation will not succeed at this time.
5. Locating the 'Alien Drill Bit':
By searching the rim of the crater, the player may discover the small Precursor facility (already in place). This cave now includes an 'Alien field comms-station' formally used by the mining team (-1215,-395,1080). The comms-station looks like an old radio festooned with all kinds of aerials and gizmos. These might easily draw attention away from its code input-device that looks very much a carry-handle. Closer inspection reveals the "handle's" knobbly grip is actually made up of 7 discs on a spindle. To use the comms station the player turns it on by inserting an Ion Cube, then activates it by correctly in-putting a known valid binary code (0111010) by turning the 'handle' discs.
The player's PDA then plays a message;
"Alien transmission intercepted and decoded: 'Information relating to site 0111010: Requested replacement item available at Beacon 1011011"
6. Retrieving the 'Alien Drill Bit':
After entering this second code into the Alien Signal Detector its locks on to the new target. Using it correctly will guide the Player to a second beacon within the Crash Zone Mesa biome (855,-305,-1444) Hostiles likely to be encountered en-route include Reaper Leviathan, Gasopods, Bonesharks.
Investigation of the target area reveals attempts by Precursors to mine a mesa, and an Alien Drill Head' is lodged in an excavated area. This cone shaped object can easily be removed using any of a variety of tools, but it is too large to fit in the player's inventory. If the player has brought along his PRAWN suit, he may discover he can insert his PRAWN drill-arm into alien drill-head. Then, by a miracle of alien nanotech the alien drill-bit morphs to fit PRAWN's drill and fuses with it. This converts the regular 'PRAWN drill-arm module' into a 'PRAWN drill-arm module 2'. The upgrade reduces PRAWN drilling times by 50%, and allows penetration of stronger than ordinary ore bodies.
7. Extracting the Quest Reward:
After returning to the crater with an upgraded PRAWN drill module, excavation can begin. This should be a lengthy operation. As the rocky shell breaks away it becomes apparent that the object inside is a large glass bathysphere of an Alterra make. Unfortunately it now already has deep cracks throughout its dome due to impact on landing. As the final piece of the rocky shell is removed - the glass sphere abruptly shatters from all this accumulated abuse.
The player's PDA then offers an unhelpful remark.
"How unfortunate. Perhaps the words of the great Terran sages may be a comfort to you......'It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value whatsoever' - Arthur C Clarke"
However, the player can find the following items amongst the wreckage:
• Corpse of Mongolian Agent
• A sealed Ivory tube containing a parchment
• The parchment reads as follows: 'It seems our brother has now joined his Ancestors. Take all measures now to secure the property.'
• The legendary Cyclops Depth Module Mk3! (exact function to be defined)
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