Another introduction round has come! We welcome all new crew members and we hope you will, too, by checking out the ooc introduction and saying hello! This may be the last official introduction post and we intend to make it a good one.
This month's intro will have new crew members arriving while asleep, with much more intense dreams than the previous month. The planet seems to want to keep them and isn't going to give them up easily. Old crew members will need to dive into the dream world to rescue them while other members seek out their bodies, which have troubles of their own to contend with! The details will be on the intro post with space for plotting and questions there.
As usual, we have updates based on what was done last month, and two missions to get us started! We also have several updates on how we'll be doing applications from now on, so read below!
From this point onward, we'll be introducing a rolling application system. It means that as long as the player cap is under 50, applications will be open. The applications page will reflect the current number of players. While open, applications will be judged every two weeks.
Reserves will still be allowed. They will last one week and only prevent that character from being apped during that week. It does not promise any presently open slot. That is still first-come, first-serve.
Second (and third) characters will still be allowed for application at any point by a player already in the game. Test dive memes will still go up as scheduled regardless of player cap. In addition, the wait time for a third character will drop to two months of good activity during the time that we have rolling applications.
This system is what we've worked out to be easier on the mods while maintaining the quality we want to deliver on a regular basis to you. Mod applications will remain open, meaning that we can still get the mods we need at any point and will be able to look at raising the cap and reopening applications on a bimonthly basis.
Thanks to what you turned in for missions and what you noted on your AC posts, we have a number of updates to offer! As always, key information has been added to the Base and Biome pages, but we also have the player-run Subnautica discovery document, which we encourage everyone to use to add details! Plenty of information picked up on missions or in questions but which would be too much information for the other pages is here. Check it out!
BIOMES
Thanks to a couple of intrepid explorers, the Jelly Shroom Caves have been added to the biomes page! In addition, the new Dunes biome has been added for exploration!
BASE EXPANSION/REINFORCEMENT
Serious hurricane prep work has been done on the base itself! Its supports have been heavily built up, and the base itself has been reinforced to take damage.
An extra room has been built with shutters for privacy to function partially as a med bay and partially as a quiet resting space, equipped with PDAs to monitor patients and prototype nanomachines to heal patients. Two extra rooms have been built onto the lab! One is devoted to technological work, containing a holographic deck and a map of what the crew has currently explored, including maps of the Floater Island cave systems. The other room is set up for genetics and biology and contains a second aquarium that has a flow system into the ocean so that water doesn't need to be changed.
BASE COMFORTS
One of the observatories has been converted to a library, containing two large plush chairs stolen from the Aurora and three handmade wooden shelves, which are filled with books, medical charts, and other reading materials. It also has assorted writing materials, including traditional items like pens, pencils, and notebooks, along with two calligraphy sets, watercolors, digital writing pads, and playlists of musicals and classical music that someone from the Aurora put together with a compact, portable stereo system.
The showers and toilet now have curtains patterned with horses, records, hats, Legend of Zelda Navi-like fireflies, and Geromy (from Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff). The showers will now also run for as long as you want, though they are cold to start!
Several missions have brought back plenty of scrap metal and various foods for everyone to enjoy! Supplies are nicely stocked up! Many shiny, pretty things have been used to decorate the base to glamorous tastes. The music on the base has taken a turn towards rap and electronic remixes.
There are pumpkins everywhere. Surely this brings comfort to someone.
FARMING
Farmville is a go! It has been added to the base page. The farm's crops currently include apples, oranges, tea, apples, potatoes, carrots, apples, plants from Floater Island, bananas, tomatoes, apples, wheat, rice, broccoli, and apples. These crops are organized very badly. The farm is guarded by a robotic horse (Rapplejack) who is armed with propulsion cannon technology.
Also, a cranky sand shark patrols around the farm but doesn't enter it. Those who met it in dreams will hear it complaining about being mistreated.
CREATURE DISCOVERIES
An anaesthetic has been developed out of Light Frog venom! Several other discoveries have been found through dissecting animals. Table Coral metal has proven extremely workable, and Tiger Plant toxin has been further reinforced. The base also has a larger supply of Gasopod poison and samples of Gasopod poison glands! Many Birdogs on Floater Island will be more quick to accept humans, but they are most attached to the humans who have built personal relations with their flocks.
DREAM PROJECTION RESEARCH
Research on the dreamscape revealed to characters that while the body responds to damage done to the dream projection, it doesn't get hurt. Projections, when the person is awake, go into a 'sleep' state where they're invulnerable. Further research showed that characters can only partly control the dreamscape. They can't do anything with it their subconscious doesn't feel strongly about.
A great deal of research was done on the different personalities of the fish life in dreaming. Go Disney princesses!
The dream world appears to have a strong spiritual presence that lets some characters connect deeply to spirit magic. Two separate missions went into the Void to follow the song. One discovered a creature which, when spoken to kindly, answered back. The other came across an unsettling presence.
TECHNOLOGY
A radio has been built that will pick up several messages. These will be added to the lab's list of recordings discovered. In addition, the Lantern Tree fruit oil has been converted into convenient lamp lights!
A message was discovered on a chip and added to the lab's set of recordings.
URSULA
URSULA's code has been cleaned up. Her sensors have greater range and she can respond more quickly. Her drones are also much quicker at anticipating needs and sometimes even react before commands are given. Her media archives are now much more useable for anyone wishing to access them.
URSULA now also sometimes asks crew if they would like to hear a spooky story. Her stories are not very spooky.
As before we're going to have one main mission that lets the crew work together on different parts, and one side mission that draws on extra benefits but isn't as urgent. Remember you're also free to explore and do whatever you wish and can ask us about your own mission objectives as well.
MAIN MISSION: TERRAFORMING
URSULA SAYS:"Since there are so many of you now, it should be easier to start diverting resources to terraforming while continuing our own fun expeditions! First, though, we'll have to find a suitably barren area to look into. The Dunes Biome exists beyond the Grassy Plateaus dead west of the base. It should someday make a fine area for an island. Reaper Leviathans pass through the area occasionally, so you should be on guard. Actually... I do request you be able to defend yourself if you take this mission. Some of the creatures here aren't kind."
REQUIREMENTS: So URSULA begins her mission. She will equip anyone who takes this mission with a terraforming gun to use to put ten foot high pillars of earth anywhere they feel would be good to form an island above the water. These pillars would locate the center of the island and be expanded outward according to her. The Dunes being to the west will provide extra land close to the base, allowing them a hurricane buffer as well. She hopes this mission will prove fruitful, finally taking her a small step forward.
RESULTS: Successfully completing this mission will unlock a second mission to create the foundation for a very small island. Since this mission is considered the core of URSULA's programming, failure to complete it will cause her to become more insistent towards the crew to complete the task.
SIDE MISSION: HURRICANE PREP PART 2
URSULA SAYS: "Excellent work, everyone. The base is the best it can be for the hurricane season. I'm still worried, though. I think some barriers would be good. Land barriers could be possible and temporary through the terraform guns. But there must be other ways. Current generators placed in certain areas could also help. Can you think of ways to protect against hurricanes? Humans are ingenious after all, as are the rest of you non-humans! Oh, I mean fellows! Thank you for being my fellows."
REQUIREMENTS: The base itself is thoroughly reinforced against the incoming hurricane as best as it can be. Now the surrounding area needs to be built up to help protect the base. URSULA's suggestions are just a couple of ideas. Ways to change the water currents, temperature, building up land and other methods will work. Go ahead and get creative!
RESULTS: The base will take even less damage from the hurricane, protecting it to the optimal level. Your libraries and two-man nap rooms will be protected.
If you have any other questions or suggestions, let us know!
> A room is perfectly feasible! It can be attached with a small corridor to one of the other rooms, including the Magister's observatory. The room size itself can vary from small enough simply for a short locker and sleeping to as spacious as any of the large rooms on the base. If Jake prefers to make a smaller room, extra salvage can be converted into furniture as desired. For privacy concerns, she will also create a simple locking pad that will only unlock the room with Jake's handprint (though she adds that he may authorize it to allow other handprints in).
> To connect it to the Magister's tank, URSULA advises that they build an extension along the top of the corridor. She believes that this would ensure privacy in a way that the extension built along the wall wouldn't, although she adds that a side aquarium would be much prettier.
> They can then run the Magister's extended tank in a circle around the new room. She will encourage them to make this large enough for a human to comfortably fit in and add a hatch for Jake to enter the tank here, as she understands that the Magister has grown to like contact from its human family.
> If they do that, the path into Jake's room along the corridor should probably be made smaller than human size. Otherwise someone could just come in through the tank.
> Unless he's okay with that?
> The Aurora will have plenty of dead people's things for him to take! Dirk knows the mechanical areas of the Aurora well, so he should be able to help Jake find the robotics suite which remains rich with robotic parts and projects to bring home.
> There are a collection of comic books in one of the sleeping quarters of the Aurora. Jake may be especially interested in the X-Men comics featuring Mystique as well as a full collection of Spider-Gwen comics.
> Sadly, all of One Day More is also in this collection.
> He might be interested in these adventure stories from The Strand Magazine. If he likes, he can pick up the crime and short stories collections while he's there.
> There are plenty of clothes for him! They range from loose, baggy shorts to very tight and short ones. Or maybe Jake's just picking the wrong sizes? There are even a few shirts with skulls on them, although not Jake's stylized skull. Maybe pick up a blank shirt and ask a friend to stain it on for him?
> He might also find a fewoddcostumesaround. Weirdly, there is also an outfit awfully like this. Further investigation will find afullsetofoutfitsinthis general style as well. They'll need a bit of tailoring to fit right, but maybe get some use out of those.
> There are very few plants still living on the Aurora! Most have been eaten by scavengers or died for lack of care. But Jake will find this little pup tucked up on a top shelf in the living quarters.
(Don't) Eat the Reaper
> That's a large carcass Merrill! She and others will find that the Reaper's body will quickly start creating a miniecosystem. Rather than sinking as many large marine species corpses do, this particular Reaper was found by a group of Floaters. They have latched onto its body and begun to feed on it, keeping it close to the surface.
> This has gotten the attention of other surface-dwelling creatures. Skyrays gather on the ocean surface, diving down to tear off pieces of flesh and devour it. Stalkers swim by for an easy dish by nosing into the meat and ripping off chunks. Cave crawlers have massed on the skin to scavenge a good meal. Perhaps most dangerous if tiny is the large school of Biters that has come to the Leviathan's corpse for dinner.
> Along with all of these, there are various worms, parasites, and smaller creatures that have taken to the flesh. The bone-eating worms haven't massed yet as they have to wait for the flesh-eaters to get the problem out of the way first.
> That doesn't mean Merrill can't bring home some meat of her own! Aside from the Biters, most of the sealife feels there is more than enough to share. The Biters are particularly interested in the mandibles so she'll have to fight them off if she wants those trophies!
> The main body of the Reaper is mostly like shark meat. There is a strong scent of ammonia to it which can be dealt with by marinating the meat. Dehydrating the the meat will turn it into a crispy, crunchy meat, akin in consistency to bacon. Smoked meat will be more chewy, while salting it will help deal with the ammonia scent and leave it with a nice thick texture.
> The mandibles are primarily a strong heavy bone. This bone is actually black straight through from melanin. The red part of the mandible is meaty (and what the Biters are interested in!) so she'll need to preserve it to prevent rotting.
> URSULA will suggest that she mount the mandibles outside the base, perhaps somewhere to ward off other predators? She warns that they're too big to fit inside most rooms. After consideration, she will note that some humans do have trophy rooms and she will assist Merrill if she wishes to build one.
> Either way, URSULA will have her drones help Merrill move the mandibles into place where she chooses. The thrill of the hunt!
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subnauticaooc2016-06-29 11:53 pm
≡U.R.S.U.L.A. NAVIGATION
July July!
Updates!
Monthly Missions!
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> A room is perfectly feasible! It can be attached with a small corridor to one of the other rooms, including the Magister's observatory. The room size itself can vary from small enough simply for a short locker and sleeping to as spacious as any of the large rooms on the base. If Jake prefers to make a smaller room, extra salvage can be converted into furniture as desired. For privacy concerns, she will also create a simple locking pad that will only unlock the room with Jake's handprint (though she adds that he may authorize it to allow other handprints in).
> To connect it to the Magister's tank, URSULA advises that they build an extension along the top of the corridor. She believes that this would ensure privacy in a way that the extension built along the wall wouldn't, although she adds that a side aquarium would be much prettier.
> They can then run the Magister's extended tank in a circle around the new room. She will encourage them to make this large enough for a human to comfortably fit in and add a hatch for Jake to enter the tank here, as she understands that the Magister has grown to like contact from its human family.
> If they do that, the path into Jake's room along the corridor should probably be made smaller than human size. Otherwise someone could just come in through the tank.
> Unless he's okay with that?
> The Aurora will have plenty of dead people's things for him to take! Dirk knows the mechanical areas of the Aurora well, so he should be able to help Jake find the robotics suite which remains rich with robotic parts and projects to bring home.
> There are a collection of comic books in one of the sleeping quarters of the Aurora. Jake may be especially interested in the X-Men comics featuring Mystique as well as a full collection of Spider-Gwen comics.
> Sadly, all of One Day More is also in this collection.
> He might be interested in these adventure stories from The Strand Magazine. If he likes, he can pick up the crime and short stories collections while he's there.
> There are plenty of clothes for him! They range from loose, baggy shorts to very tight and short ones. Or maybe Jake's just picking the wrong sizes? There are even a few shirts with skulls on them, although not Jake's stylized skull. Maybe pick up a blank shirt and ask a friend to stain it on for him?
> He might also find a few odd costumes around. Weirdly, there is also an outfit awfully like this. Further investigation will find a full set of outfits in this general style as well. They'll need a bit of tailoring to fit right, but maybe get some use out of those.
> There are very few plants still living on the Aurora! Most have been eaten by scavengers or died for lack of care. But Jake will find this little pup tucked up on a top shelf in the living quarters.
(Don't) Eat the Reaper
> That's a large carcass Merrill! She and others will find that the Reaper's body will quickly start creating a miniecosystem. Rather than sinking as many large marine species corpses do, this particular Reaper was found by a group of Floaters. They have latched onto its body and begun to feed on it, keeping it close to the surface.
> This has gotten the attention of other surface-dwelling creatures. Skyrays gather on the ocean surface, diving down to tear off pieces of flesh and devour it. Stalkers swim by for an easy dish by nosing into the meat and ripping off chunks. Cave crawlers have massed on the skin to scavenge a good meal. Perhaps most dangerous if tiny is the large school of Biters that has come to the Leviathan's corpse for dinner.
> Along with all of these, there are various worms, parasites, and smaller creatures that have taken to the flesh. The bone-eating worms haven't massed yet as they have to wait for the flesh-eaters to get the problem out of the way first.
> That doesn't mean Merrill can't bring home some meat of her own! Aside from the Biters, most of the sealife feels there is more than enough to share. The Biters are particularly interested in the mandibles so she'll have to fight them off if she wants those trophies!
> The main body of the Reaper is mostly like shark meat. There is a strong scent of ammonia to it which can be dealt with by marinating the meat. Dehydrating the the meat will turn it into a crispy, crunchy meat, akin in consistency to bacon. Smoked meat will be more chewy, while salting it will help deal with the ammonia scent and leave it with a nice thick texture.
> The mandibles are primarily a strong heavy bone. This bone is actually black straight through from melanin. The red part of the mandible is meaty (and what the Biters are interested in!) so she'll need to preserve it to prevent rotting.
> URSULA will suggest that she mount the mandibles outside the base, perhaps somewhere to ward off other predators? She warns that they're too big to fit inside most rooms. After consideration, she will note that some humans do have trophy rooms and she will assist Merrill if she wishes to build one.
> Either way, URSULA will have her drones help Merrill move the mandibles into place where she chooses. The thrill of the hunt!