Unknown Artifacts

[Khall]

Rare unidentified objects found in hidden rooms or escape pods. Requires a pawn to take it back to a research bench to research it. When the object is fully researched it can be activated on the bench (or maybe just being automatically activated is better, not sure). Research speed and outcome is influenced by the research skill. Several outcomes could happen:

Examples:
- Could turn into a neurotrainer, psychic lance etc.
- Causes the activator to go berserk
- Causes a psychic wave event (good or bad)
- Spawns a scyther (or several) which wakes up after a few seconds
- Identified as a high value, but otherwise useless, object
- Infects some pawns with a disease
- Small incendiary explosion
- Emits an EMP, shutting down power temporarily (not as long as a solar flare)
- Gives temporarily buffed stats to the activator.

Just some quick examples. There's a lot of potential for different outcomes. But it would give the research skill some more usefulness, and generate some more risks that couldn't be countered by a killbox.

[Toggle]

Sounds like an interesting idea, support.

- Could turn into a neurotrainer, psychic lance etc.
- Causes the activator to go berserk
- Causes a psychic wave event (good or bad)

Good ideas.

- Spawns a scyther (or several) which wakes up after a few seconds

I don't think it would be big enough to spawn them from it, but it could activate an event saying "A signal has seemed to be broadcasted from the strange artifact into space, a mechanoid pod is dropping nearby!"

- Identified as a high value, but otherwise useless, object
- Infects some pawns with a disease
- Small incendiary explosion
- Emits an EMP, shutting down power temporarily (not as long as a solar flare)
- Gives temporarily buffed stats to the activator.

Good ideas overall. If all these were added it's a good balance, since researching and activating the artifact would be a tough choice for some people, risk their colony or a colonist activating it if it's bad, or gain riches or buffed colonists if good?

[Khall]

- Spawns a scyther (or several) which wakes up after a few seconds

I don't think it would be big enough to spawn them from it, but it could activate an event saying "A signal has seemed to be broadcasted from the strange artifact into space, a mechanoid pod is dropping nearby!"

This is actually one of my favourite outcomes. I agree that having several scythers spawn would be a bit unbelievable, but 1 could be conceivable if you imagine it was a scyther huddled in a "closed" state within the artefact. Ideally, smaller mechanoids like the crawlers from the More Mechanoids mod would be perfect. Could even be some other kind of hostile creature or organism.

Though the point of it is to make the player fight within his own base, even in mountain colonies which would stop drop pods. And the idea of accidently unleashing a monster in your base appeals to me.

Edit:
Another quite evil outcome occurred to me. The artefact temporarily takes control of your turrets after a short delay (allowing you enough time to run or turn them off if you're quick), randomly disabling them or turning them hostile. Might screw over bases that rely too heavily on turrets.

[StorymasterQ]

The artefact temporarily takes control of your turrets after a short delay (allowing you enough time to run or turn them off if you're quick), randomly disabling them or turning them hostile. Might screw over bases that rely too heavily on turrets.

Or: turning a random one of them hostile. Only one of them. Which one? You'll soon find out

MUAHAHAHA