Xenoarcheology

This page needs revising! This page contains information that is either out-of-date or from a different source (e.g. Upstream SS14). Some information on this page may differ from how it actually works on Delta-V. Reason for revision: "Information may be outdated due to the Rebase Update. It could also use more information on how to activate things."

Xenoarcheology is a method of point generation for R&D utilizing randomly generated artifacts. It is the job of scientists to discover and activate the secrets of these artifacts.

Equipment

The actual experimentation of artifacts uses a variety of equipment that can be found scattered around the station. This specifically focuses on the specific items used and contained within the xenoarcheology lab.

The analysis console ui before a scan.

Analysis Console

The analysis console is the main method of getting information about the artifacts that are being researched. In order to properly use it, it must be linked to an artifact analyzer via multitool as well as have a research server selected.

From the console itself, the screen displays information about the last artifact scanned. The buttons along the side perform various functions:

Button Name	Description
Server List	Opens a menu for selecting a research server.
Scan	Scans the artifact currently on top of the linked pad. Scanning has a large energy intake and takes about a minute to complete for base-level artifact analyzers.
Print	Prints a paper copy of the scan. Can only print one copy per scan. Useful for manually organizing scans.
Extract	Extracts the research points from the artifact. The amount of points is based on how many nodes have been activated and will increase the glimmer count.

Artifact Analyzer

The artifact analyzer is a machine used in conjunction with the analysis console to scan artifacts to discover information about them. It can be upgraded with machine parts in order to reduce its power intake as well as the duration of its scans. Artifacts are scanned by placing them on this machine and then pressing the "scan" button on the console, which will cause it to scan. The scan will be interrupted by either the artifact being moved off of the artifact analyser or by the artifact being activated.

Node Scanner

The archaeologist's friend. It's able to identify the node ID of the artifact.

Artifacts

Artifacts are the core of Xenoarcheology and are what scientists will be analyzing and experimenting on. Artifacts can take on a variety of random appearances and can be acquired in various ways, such as through finding them in the lab at the start of the round, purchasing them from Logistics, getting them from Salvage, or finding them from the Bluespace Anomaly station event.

Artifacts consist of randomly generated "trees" which dictates the artifacts behavior. Each tree consists of various "nodes" which the artifact can be inside of. Nodes each contain a "trigger" and an "effect". Effects can be both passive, constantly occurring while inside the node, or active, occurring only when the artifacts trigger is met. Triggers cause the artifact to shift to a random adjacent node in the tree.

The activation of the various nodes is the main goal of Xenoarcheology. Unlocking the nodes of an artifact increases its value, both in research points and in spacebucks.

Analysis Interpretation

Each scan of the artifact analyzer gives various data about the artifact:

In-Game Phrase	Meaning	Description
NODE_ID	ID	A unique ID number corresponding to each node. Can be used for identification.
DEPTH	Node tree depth	The distance from the starting node of the tree. Higher depths correspond to more dangerous and harder to activate artifacts which in turn increase the value when discovered.
ACTIVATED	Activation	Whether or not the "trigger" for the node has been activated.
STIMULUS	Trigger	A hint about the specific trigger for this node. Usually gives a good idea about what activates the artifact.
REACTION	Effect	A hint about the effect for this node. Usually is vague and non-specific.
EDGES	Neighboring nodes	The number of nodes that are adjacent to the current node. This is the number of different options for traversal when the artifact is activated.
CURRENT_VALUE	Point value	The number of research points that the artifact will give if extracted.

It is important to note that each scan functions as a static snapshot of the current node. It does not update with the artifact and will only update when scanned again.

Stimulus

Some of the given hints for triggering an artifact are used for different scenarios, see Physical trauma which can vary from hugging it to attacking it.

• Electricity:

  • Touch it with a multi-tool.
  • Have the artifact receive 500 power from a Medium Voltage cable.

• High temperatures:

  • Hot items: Use a lighter, welder or similar items with flames on the artefact.
  • High temperatures: Place the artifact in a room that is more than 373 kelvin degrees.

• Physical trauma:

  • Brute damage: Punch the artifact or hit it with a blunt object via Combat Mode. This may take several hits.
  • Interaction: Touch or pull the artifact with your hands.
  • High Damage: The artifact must receive 500 points of damage.

• Tool usage:

  • Anchor or/and unanchor the artifact using a wrench or similar tool.

• Sonic vibrations:

  • Play a musical instrument close to the artifact. You can also sing as a harpy to activate this.

• Hydro-reactive:

  • Reacts to water! Spray water on it using a spray bottle or fire extinguisher.

• Reaction with Hemoglobin:

  • Reacts to blood! Otherwise the same to Hydro-reactive.

• Magnetic waves:

  • Magboots: Equip magnetic boots and walk near the artifact.
  • Salvage Magnet: Activate the salvage magnet near the artifact.

• Life essence:

  • Kill something near the artifact, like a mouse.

• Radiation:

  • The artifact must take at least 50 points of radiation damage.

• Extreme pressure:

  • Low Pressure: Put the artifact in a room with less than 50 kPa pressure. Carry the artifact into space or space the room it is in. Most artifact chambers have an outlet to space, and if they don't, you can suck the air out with the pumps near it.
  • High Pressure: Put the artifact in a room with more than 385 kPa pressure. You may want to contact an Atmosian to create a high pressure gas, or cause a plasma reaction.

• Standard atmospheric gases:

  • Place the artifact in a room with either Oxygen, Nitrogen or Carbon Dioxide gas. If it doesn't activate automatically due to this node (most air on station is a mixture of oxygen/nitrogen), get a Carbon Dioxide canister.

• Gaseous plasma:

  • Place the Artifact in a room with Plasma gas.

• Active deceleration

  • Throw the artifact. It must land on something.

• Examination:

  • The artifact can activate every time you examine it.

• No Stimulus:

  • Time based, it will have a chance to activate every 5 seconds.

Reaction

All the possible reactions of the artefact and what they might mean.

• Cerebral influence :

  • Instrument: the artifact becomes an instrument of a random type.

• Environmental disruption :

  • Throw: the artifact throws things close to it around the place, including tiles.
  • Explosion: the artifact generates an explosion that looks scarier than it is.
  • Shatter: the artifact has a 75% chance to give 200 Structural damage to every windows around it.
  • Gas: the artifact generates a random gas from: Plasma, Carbon Dioxide, Tritium, Miasma, Nitrous Oxide, Frezon.
  • Heal: The artifact heals 300 BRUTE and 300 BURN damage of nearby creatures.
  • Boom: The artifact generates a violent explosion.

• Electrical interference :

  • Light: The artifact makes the light flickers.
  • Knock: The artifact opens all nearby doors.
  • EMP: The artifact lets out a EMP wave draining and knocking out all nearby electrical devices.

• Metaphysical displacement :

  • Movement: The artifact starts randomly moving about the place.
  • Blink: The artifact teleports somewhere it has line of sight.
  • Shuffle: The artifact exchange people's place around by teleporting them.

• Matter creation :

  • Junk: Creates a bunch of various trash items.
  • Banana: Creates from 3 to 6 bananas in a puddle of Potassium.
  • Instrument: Creates up to 5 random instruments.
  • Monkey: Creates a monkey with a small chance of creating a gorilla.
  • Ore: Creates a maximum of 3 silver, plasma, gold and uranium ores each.
  • Carp: Creates up to 5 angry holocarps or magicarps.
  • Cash: Creates from 10 to 1750 zorkmids.
  • Materials: Creates up to 90 of either: Steel Sheets, Glass Sheets or Plastic Sheets
  • Mitosis: Creates another random artifact.
  • Anomaly: Creates a random anomaly.

• Energy consumption :

  • Cold: The artifact reduces the temperature in the room to 50 kelvin.

• Energy Release :

  • Power: The artifact becomes a power generator that generates 20kW.
  • Heat: The artifact makes the temperature in the room go to 500 kelvin.
  • Battery: The artifact recharges nearby batteries.
  • Light Radiation: The artifact becomes radioactive with an intensity of 2.
  • Strong Radiation: The artifact becomes radioactive with an intensity of 6.
  • Ignite: The artifact sets people near it on fire.

• Biochemical disruption :

  • Chemical: The artifact creates a random puddle of chemical.
  • Foam: The artifact generate a foam of a random chemical.
  • Rare Chemical: The artifact creates a random puddle of chemical medicinal in nature.

• Station-wide destruction :

  • Singulo: the artifact creates a singularity on itself.
  • Tesla: the artifact creates a tesla-ball and ball-lightnings on itself. Due to Tesla being removed from Delta-V when it came out, this is the only way to see one, and is commonly referred to as a "Teslaloose."

• Noöspheric disturbance :

  • Bad Feeling: the artifact makes you have a bad feeling.
  • Good Feeling: the artifact makes you have a good feeling.

• Small entity accelerator :

  • Gun: The artifact acts like a revolver with seven shots using magnum ammo.

• Utility conglomerate :

  • Multitool: The artifact becomes a very powerful omni-tool with multiple uses such as screwing, mining, prying, cutting, pulsing. It is also twice as fast as other tools. (This effect is quite rare and currently bugged at the time of writing.)

• Internal chamber :

  • Container: The artifact acts like a storage container with a capacity of 50 units.
  • Beaker: The artifact acts like a beaker with a capacity of 150 units.

• Serrated rotator :

  • Drill: The artifact starts acting like a mining drill and is able to deal 22 BRUTE.

• Long-distance communication :

  • Radio: the artifact behaves similarly to a hand-held radio. You can select channels on it like an intercom, and often it has access to all channels including CentCom's frequency.

• Structural phasing :

  • Phasing: the artifact can phase through walls and other structures.

• Neurological activity :

  • Sentience: the artifact becomes sentient. This means they become a ghost role and are able to talk and randomly activate nodes. You are not told when this happens.

• Transmogrificational activity :

  • Monkey Polymorph: targets within a 2 tile range will be transformed into a monkey for 20 seconds.
  • Lizard Polymorph: targets within a 2 tile range will be transformed into a lizard for 20 seconds.
  • Luminous Person Polymorph: targets within a 2 tile range will be transformed into a blinding figure of pure light for 20 seconds.

• No Reaction

  • Light: it will start acting as a light source, blinding people within a 8 tile range when triggered.