Submission: Planetary Laser Tag

[whitewolf87]

"Always Look Twice"

GFX_evt_mem_ancient_mining_site

Note: Starts on a habitable planet/moon

Our survey on [planet] has indicated the present of several simple structures spread roughly equidistant from each other around the whole moon. Smaller structures also exist in-between and also an assortment of toppled objects that we can’t place a direct purpose for. Oddly enough we have seen absolutely no signs of agriculture, mining, or any other significant production concern here. We’re ready to start investigating further at any given one of the larger structures which from what we can tell are identical.

[Let’s take a shuttle down]

Stage 1: “Makes sense enough” (Difficulty=1) (GFX_archaeology_runes_D3)

GFX_evt_mem_desert_landscape

So far, we have identified the site as one of military significance. There is what appears to be a withered security checkpoint area towards the entrance and then out from that a large gathering room with a kitchen attached to what is probably dormitory style housing. In addition there is a large central spire reaching up roughly 10 stories packed densely with some kind of transmission equipment. There are then four rooms attached to this room which would serve as ready rooms given the sets of withered combat armour and small arms lying about. However, we do not have an immediate way to restore power to this facility, for which the energy requirements will be immense. As there are no surface structure for supplying power, we can only assume that the main power plant lies somewhere underground. We also assume that there must be some kind of command nexus down here seeing as none of the surface structures would suit that purpose.

Failure: None

Reward: +1 Minor artifact

[Get to digging!]

Stage 2: “Mind the gap” (Difficulty=3) (GFX_archaeology_runes_C6)

GFX_evt_mem_inferno

Venturing into the basement, we’ve found something astonishing: the main building’s power plant which is also the power plant for the other buildings on the planet. There are long conduits leading directly down to a containment sphere over the entire molten core of the moon! [Scientist] regrettably reports that s/he has of yet been able to locate the central command nexus even with the most penetrating scans. Efforts will be redoubled. In the meantime, we can start data forensics on the computers in the main facility, which are proving to be surprisingly advanced just as the core-based power plant was.

Failure: Three of our team did not properly use restraints when descending into a viaduct and fallen through. They have not been able to be relocated since, their last transmission being only ‘I’m buuuuurrrrnnning…HHUUURRRTTSSSSS!!!’. We have not been able to find hide nor hair/talon/tentacle since. That the entire dig site crew is sufficiently spooked to stop working for now is good seeing as we clearly need to review our safety protocols. (-2 clues)

Reward: +400 Engineering research

[Keep me Informed] (if success)
[Does nobody know the importance of the harnesses!?!] (if failure)

Stage 3: “Wait a minute…” (Difficulty=4) (GFX_archaeology_runes_A5)

GFX_evt_engineering_research

In a classic example of why one shouldn’t jump to conclusions, we’ve learned something interesting about the discarded weapons and tactical vests. Not only are they degraded past the point of use, but none of them actually worked for purpose in the first place. A student tech was curiously examining the internal electronics of some of the devices and realised the the power draw would not be near enough to power any of our contemporary weaponry. Indeed, the internal mechanisms seem fairly simplistic.

Building on this, we took another look at one of the vehicle husks beyond the facility we’re researching and that’s when we realised that the rotted out engine block was roughly the same as in a civilian vehicle. Definitely not enough for a mechanised platform designed to wage war. This casts a lot of our initial assumptions in doubt.

Reward: +300 Engineering research.
Failure: Generic,, -1 clue

[Go back to the main facility and wait until we get one of the computers online]

Stage 4: “Well…this is embarrassing…and fun!” (Final, Difficulty=4) (GFX_archaeology_runes_A3)

GFX_evt_engineering_research

Not only were most of our initial assumptions off. They were laughably wrong. We managed to get the facility’s computer network online after bringing in some servers from offsite to replace the existing ones in the basement and before we knew it the entire landscape of the planet had changed. Everyone outside jumped at finding themselves surrounded by the sounds of ongoing battle and feeling the heat of burning barrels.

The set of computers we chose were already locked into their last running program, when they were switched on the central spire of the facility projected its incredibly complex holosphere program to a radius of about 50 clicks on the map: roughly halfway to the next facility in any direction. After calming down everybody outside and demonstrating that the various props and sounds were not dangerous at all, it was quickly discovered by perusing some expense reports that the facility hadn’t a shred of military significance but is/was actually a giant games arena meant to project simulated environments over the entire surface of the planet! It’s still easily powered by the advanced dedicated power plant connected to the core. We might be able to siphon off some of the excess power from the core to our own interests as well. This would also explain the lack of a central command nexus.

With the cache of games programs we’ve found on these machines, it should be little matter to reboot the other facilities and put this place to work for us as exactly what it was meant to be. Whatever advanced culture originally conceived of the idea obviously had the means to skip over a perfectly habitable planet in favour of turning it into a toy. We won’t need the entire planet, just a few networked hubs will easily make an entertaining stopover for tourists; indeed there is contingency programming for this in the event of equipment failure at other hubs. Ironically, we can even modify some of the programs to be useful for military training should we desire.

The team lead had quite a difficult time getting everyone to leave, and stop running through the various pre-programmed settings such as medieval landscapes, post-apocalyptic hellholes, and even an ice world seemingly meant to depict this cultures version of hell.

Failure: We accidentally wiped one of the hard drives of the computer in the cluster. We'll have to rebuild it manually using data forensics (-2 clues)

[What fun!]

Reward: +20 minor artifacts, +400 engineering research, +200 society research, planet gets the modifier “ancient games arenas” which grants +20 amenities, +10% planet pop happiness

[whitewolf87]

ALTERNATE TEXT FOR GESTALTS AND HIVE MINDS

“Always look twice”

Note: Starts on a habitable planet/moon

The survey on [planet] has indicated the present of several simple structures spread roughly equidistant from each other around the whole moon. Smaller structures also exist in-between and also an assortment of toppled objects that we can’t place a direct purpose for. Oddly enough we have seen absolutely no signs of agriculture, mining, or any other significant production concern here. We’re ready to start investigating further at any given one of the larger structures which from initial observation are identical.

[Take a shuttle down]

Stage 1: “Makes sense enough” (Difficulty=1)

So far, we have identified the site as one of military significance. There is what appears to be a withered security checkpoint area towards the entrance and then out from that a large gathering room with a kitchen attached to what is probably dormitory style housing. In addition there is a large central spire reaching up roughly 10 stories packed densely with some kind of transmission equipment. There are then four rooms attached to this room which would serve as ready rooms given the sets of withered combat armour and small arms lying about. However, we do not have an immediate way to restore power to this facility, for which the energy requirements will be immense. As there are no surface structure for supplying power, we can only assume that the main power plant lies somewhere underground. We also assume that there must be some kind of command nexus down here seeing as none of the surface structures would suit that purpose.

Failure: None

Reward: +1 Minor artifact

[Dig]

Stage 2: “Mind the gap” (Difficulty=3)

Venturing into the basement, we’ve found something astonishing: the main building’s power plant which is also the power plant for the other buildings on the planet. There are long conduits leading directly down to a containment sphere over the entire molten core of the moon! [Scientist] reports that the group has—as yet—unable to locate the central command nexus even with the most penetrating scans. Concentrating efforts on this task. Currently we can start data forensics on the computers in the main facility, which are proving to be surprisingly advanced just as the core-based power plant was.

[Proceed to next phase]

Failure: Three drones did not properly use restraints when descending into a viaduct and have fallen through. They have not been able to be relocated since, their last transmission a death rattle [“confused bleeting” for robots]. Operations will be suspended while we reorient drone preservation contingencies. (-2 clues)

Reward: +400 Engineering research

[Harnesses must be used.]

Stage 3: “Wait a minute…” (Difficulty=4)

In a classic example of why we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, we’ve learned something interesting about the discarded weapons and tactical vests. Not only are they degraded past the point of use, but none of them actually worked for purpose in the first place. A low-tier study drone was curiously examining the internal electronics of some of the devices and realised the the power draw would not be near enough to power any of our contemporary weaponry. Indeed, the internal mechanisms seem fairly simplistic.

Building on this, we took another look at one of the vehicle husks beyond the facility we’re researching and that’s when we realised that the rotted out engine block was roughly the same as in a civilian vehicle. Definitely not enough for a mechanised platform designed to wage war. This casts a lot of the initial assumptions in doubt.

Failure: None
Reward: +300 Engineering research.

[Go back to the main facility and wait until one of the computers is back online]

Stage 4: “More of this ‘fun’ thing” (Final, Difficulty=4)

Not only were most of our initial assumptions off, but rather incredibly wrong. We managed to get the facility’s computer network online after bringing in some servers from offsite to replace the existing ones in the basement and before we knew it the entire landscape of the planet had changed. Everyone outside were suddenly disoriented surrounded by the sounds of ongoing battle and feeling the heat of burning barrels.

The set of computers we chose were already locked into their last running program, when they were switched on the central spire of the facility projected its incredibly complex holosphere program to a radius of about 50 clicks on the map: roughly halfway to the next facility in any direction. After some resets everybody outside and demonstrating that the various props and sounds were not dangerous at all, it was quickly discovered by perusing some expense reports that the facility hadn’t a shred of military significance but is/was actually a giant games arena meant to project simulated environments over the entire surface of the planet. It’s still easily powered by the advanced dedicated power plant connected to the core. We might be able to siphon off some of the excess power from the core to our own interests as well. This would also explain the lack of a central command nexus.

The recreational aspect of this facility isn’t particularly useful, so whatever can’t be used to siphon power will naturally be scrapped.

We’ve gleaned some insight about non-linked societies and culture-building through the various pre-programmed settings such as medieval landscapes, post-apocalyptic environs, and even an ice world seemingly meant to depict this cultures version of hell.

[It is ended]

Reward: +20 minor artifacts, +400 engineering research, +300 society research, planet gets the modifier “geothermal power infrastructure” which grants +5% power generation across the planet when colonized.