Xenoarcheology

Xenoarcheology (aka Xeno) is a branch of R&D, providing a method of point generation utilizing randomly generated artifacts. It is the job of scientists to discover and activate the secrets of these artifacts.

Artifacts

Artifacts are mysterious objects Science can study and experiment on, unlocking their potential in variety of effects, whilst generating points to advance research. Their appearance varies, size included.

One or few artifacts are usually available round-start in «xeno» part of Science. More can be bought at Cargo for 2,000 a piece, found by Salvage, found from a Bluespace Artifact station event or assembled from artifact fragments.

Each artifact has a set of «nodes» — each is an effect that can be activated via a corresponding trigger (or triggers). Nodes are assembled into a tree-like structure, with distinct layers. Each layer inherits previous layer's triggers, while acquiring one or few new ones. This means that for more in-depth nodes it is gradually harder to activate them. Point output also scales with depth.

For each activation attempt, a time window of 5 seconds is given to activate any trigger. Once a trigger is activated, 5 seconds added to the clock. This happens for each activated trigger, meaning the more triggers a node has, the wider the activation window.

Once a node is unlocked, its effect is activated and it becomes active. An active node cannot be activated again via its triggers, but it can be activated manually. By left-clicking an artifact (or pressing Z while holding one), all active nodes activate all on once, consuming one durability in each node. Once durability of a node is depleted, it can no longer be activated (not by triggers nor manually). Unlocking next in-depth connected node will lock the current node, even it has more durability left.

Unlocking all nodes of an artifact currently has no reward, but you still get points from each node.

Equipment

To start experimentation only two pieces of equipment are needed: Analysis Console and Artifact Analyzer.

Analysis Console

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 (usually already selected).

From the console itself, the screen displays information about an artifact laying on top of linked Artifact Analyzer.

Left side of the window displays information about the currently selected node. Right side is the tree-like representation of all the nodes inside an artifact, starting from the bottom going up.

To view information about a node, click on it. To get the full picture (effects and triggers), all of the predecessor nodes must be unlocked first.

Analysis Console Interface

Element	Description
ID	Unique node identificator. Useful for the node scanner.
Class	Layer name. Nodes on the same layer (horizontally) share the same layer name.
Status	Node status: Locked initially. Active when first activated. Unlocked when a more in-depth connected node is unlocked (blocking manual activations).
Durability	Amount of available manual activations once a node is unlocked.
Effect	Effect that will happen once a node is activated or with every manual activation.
Triggers	Triggers needed to activate a node for the first time.
Server	Allows to choose a server to extract points to.
Extract points	Extracts points from unlocked nodes.

Artifact Analyzer

Artifact Analyzer automatically scans any artifact placed on top of it (no need to wrench) and relays that information to connected analysis console.

Two can be connected via a multitool.

Node Scanner

Node Scanner is used on artifact to display its state as well as nodes with activated triggers. It is activated by left-clicking on an artifact.

Artifact state is its readiness to being triggered, it is displayed at the bottom of the window. The state cycles between idle, resonating and resting — see the process for details.

Seeing which nodes are being triggered can be useful to prevent interference between them. This can happen when multiple nodes have a same trigger (or triggers), which causes them to try to activate all at once. Starting from a more «rare» trigger (that doesn't occur within as many nodes) can prove helpful.

• 
  No artifact selected
• 
  Artifact is idle, ready to be experimented on
• 
  Interacting with an artifact by activating one of its triggers
• 
  Artifact comes to a resting state after an interaction

Artifact Containers

Artifact Containers are containers for artifacts. There are 2 variants: standard, for big and small artifacts, and handheld, for small artifacts. As the name suggest, the latter can be carried in hand (and inventory), while the standard variant can only be dragged.

Artifact Containers offer protection from almost all artifact effects (such as radioactivity), as well as prevent anyone but crew with science access to mess with the artifact by triggering its nodes or manually activating it (granted the container is locked).

Both containers can be closed and locked. Unlocking a container requires R&D access. While unlocked, anyone is able to open it.

One or few artifact containers are usually found at Xeno round-start, but more can be ordered from Cargo for 500 , both standard and handheld. Artifact containers cannot be fabricated.

Artifact Crusher

Artifact crusher is a machine used to crush artifacts to artifact fragments.

Requires research

Requires Artifact Recycling, a Tier 2 Experimental research.

To crush an artifact, open the crusher, move or place an artifact in, close it and activate (Alt+Mouse Left) or through the Mouse Right-menu). Crushing any artifact will yield 1-4 artifact fragments.

Artifact fragments can be assembled into a new random hand-sized artifact through the build menu → «artifact», requiring 4 fragments.

Unlocking nodes

Closets often found an Xeno containing protective equipment

Start by opening Analysis Console.

Select a locked node. Check out both the triggers and the effect. If needed, prepare suitable equipment (radiation suit, biohazard gear, bomb suit, mask, etc.).

Activate any of the listed triggers, then the next, until all triggers for a node are activated. Note that the initial «window» for activating more triggers is 5 seconds and it increases with each activated trigger by 5 more seconds, resetting once the time runs out.

It slows down before uneventfully stopping.

― Artifact, activation failed

After a first trigger is activated, watch the artifact «react» with shimmering colors and a message popup:

It begins to shift in strange ways...

― Artifact, starting to resonate

Order of trigger activation does not matter for a particular node, but might matter in relation to other nodes. If a trigger is common (meaning it is present in multiple/many other nodes), once activated, it might interfere with the activation attempt just because of how many other nodes with the same trigger there are. In short, if having trouble, try to start with a more «rare» trigger.

Once node is unlocked, the artifact will make an «unlocking» sound and the unlocked node will become active.

It slows down, visibly changed.

― Artifact, successful activation

Manual activation, by touch (or with Z key)

Once node is unlocked, a number of research points can be claimed with Extract points. The more deeper the node was, the higher would be the amount.

Triggers

Trigger is a node unlocking action performed near an artifact by a crew member, other entity or environment. Nodes on deeper layers require multiple triggers to unlock.

Most triggers require being near the artifact with the triggering action.

Triggers

Trigger	Difficulty	Description	Notes
Harmonical sound vibrations	Easy	Play a musical instrument near the artifact.	Does not require to play any actual MIDI's. Opening instrument's UI is enough to activate the trigger.
Close inspection	Easy	Examine the artifact.	Use right-click menu → Examine or shift+left-click the artifact.
Low pressure	Easy	Drop pressure below 50 kPa.	Xeno chambers are usually equipped with blast doors to space, togglable by a nearby button. Opening them for a few second should drop the pressure enough. Do not forget to close before going in! Mind the pressure dropping too low, potentially interfering with the Oxygen-free environment trigger.
Death	Medium	Kill something near the artifact.	Catch a mouse, steal a monkey, make a kobold from a cube. Animal cubes are an easy way to get a supply of flesh beings to assassinate. Ask kitchen for some. Handcuffs are recommended for animals that can fight back (such as monkeys and kobolds), unless you feeling adventurous. makeshift handcuffs are easy to make, available in build menu and requiring only 15 LV cable coil.
Physical damage	Easy	Damage the artifact.	Anything that can do damage will do. Keep in mind that artifact crusher does 10 blunt damage.
Being thrown	Easy	Pickup and throw the artifact.	Handheld artifacts only.
Blood	Easy	Splash blood onto the artifact.	Syringe and a beaker as a go-to combo for this, both made at an autholathe. Often found round-start in R&D. Draw some blood using a syringe on yourself, your fellow colleague (consent is optional) or a puddle of blood. Transfer contents to beaker (by clicking on the beaker; if does not work, make sure the syringe is set to inject). Enter harm mode and "punch" the artifact with a beaker, splashing 5u from it.
Radiation	Medium	Irradiate the artifact.	Use an uranium shiv or uranium spear to poke the artifact. Both can be made using build menu and require uranium to make. Uranium is usually available at Engineering round-start as a reserve fuel for the generators. Tip Using other radiation sources (such as other radioactive artifacts, damaged RTGs, etc.) currently does not work, pending https://github.com/space-wizards/space-station-14/issues/37209
Magnetic waves	Medium	Induce magnetic waves near the artifact.	Use magboots. Don't forget to turn them on. Magboots are available round-start at Engineering. They can be researched later with a T1 Experimental research and made on a protolathe.
Water	Easy	Splash water onto the artifact.	Water bottle is available round-start in survival kits. Open, splash. If empty or lost, water coolers are pretty abundant.
High temperature gas	Easy	Raise temperature around the artifact.	Welder is the easiest way to activate this trigger, found laying around, in vending machines, robo-vend, etc. Can be made at an autolathe. Grab a welder, activate, hit the artifact a few times. Alternatively, use a heater and a canister of some gas, or ask Atmos to get a canister of heated gas.
Oxygen-free environment	Easy	Get rid of any oxygen around the artifact.	Space the artifact room (see notes for the low pressure trigger for details) until there is no air left. This might interfere with the Low pressure trigger, since when pressure is near zero both can activate.
High pressure	Medium	Pressurize the artifact room above to 300-500 kPa.	Use canisters of gas and gas systems setup for the Xeno chambers. Usually requires at least 2 canister to achieve the desired pressure. Can be trivialized with a holofan by placing a holo on the artifact chamber vent and pressurizing. Because holofan restricts movement in and out of a cell, all the gas going into the chamber will accumulate in that one tile with the vent. Can be trivialized even further by placing a holo on any tile, moving a gas canister in and opening a valve at desired pressure. holofan is available round-start in limited count to Atmos techs, but can later be researched with Advanced Atmospherics, a Tier 2 Industrial research. Don't forget to move the artifact into the holo!
Screwing	Easy	Screw the artifact.	Use a screwdriver on the artifact (can be fabricated on an autolathe).
Pulsing	Easy	Pulse the artifact.	Use a multitool on the artifact (can be fabricated on an autolathe).
Low temperature gas	Medium	Decrease temperature around the artifact.	Requires a cooled down gas (e.g. with a freezer) or a cooling gas like frezon (hard to produce, thus usually not available early round). Ask your fellow Atmos friend to help if no freezer setup is available at R&D or make a freezer (requires Atmospherics, a Tier 1 Industrial research).
Prying	Easy	Pry the artifact.	Use a crowbar on the artifact (can be fabricated on an autolathe).
Tightening	Easy	Tighten the artifact.	Use a wrench on the artifact (can be fabricated on an autolathe).
Carbon dioxide	Medium	Apply carbon dioxide.	A CO2 canister sometimes is available round-start at R&D. If not, ask your nearest Atmos technician for one. Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.
Non-solid plasma	Medium	Apply non-solid plasma.	A plasma canister sometimes is available round-start at R&D. If not, ask your nearest Atmos technician for one. Alternatively, get solid plasma and grind it in a grinder (sometimes available round-start at R&D; if not, easy to make). One solid plasma grinds for 10u. Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.
Nitrous oxide	Medium	Apply nitrous oxide.	A nitrous oxide canister rarely available round-start at R&D. If not, ask your nearest Atmos technician for one. Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.
Regular self-activation	Medium	Wait for the artifact to activate itself.	Artifacts with this trigger have a «timer» on them. Inspect the artifact to see what it's currently at. When it runs out, the trigger will activate.
Tritium	Medium	Apply tritium.	Ask Atmos for a canister. Sometimes they have a canister round-start, sometimes they have a tritium miner. Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.
Frezon	Hard	Apply frezon.	Frezon is never available round-start, it has to be made by Atmos. Sometimes, Botany manages to make some. Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.
Ammonia	Medium	Apply ammonia.	Sometimes available at Atmos. If not, ask a Chemist for a some (liquid form). Same holofan tips apply as for the High pressure trigger.

Technical

Weights

A table displaying chance of specific triggers generating in an artifact.

Name	ID	Weight	Chance
Harmonical sound vibrations	TriggerMusic	1	≈5.865%
Close inspection	TriggerExamine	1	≈5.865%
Low pressure	TriggerPressureLow	1	≈5.865%
Death	TriggerDeath	1	≈5.865%
Physical damage	TriggerBruteDamage	1	≈5.865%
Being thrown	TriggerThrow	1	≈5.865%
Blood	TriggerBlood	1	≈5.865%
Radiation	TriggerRadiation	1	≈5.865%
Magnetic waves	TriggerMagnet	1	≈5.865%
Water	TriggerWater	1	≈5.865%
High temperature gas	TriggerHeat	1	≈5.865%
Oxygen-free environment	TriggerNoOxygen	1	≈5.865%
High pressure	TriggerPressureHigh	0.5	≈2.933%
Screwing	TriggerScrewing	0.5	≈2.933%
Pulsing	TriggerPulsing	0.5	≈2.933%
Low temperature gas	TriggerCold	0.5	≈2.933%
Prying	TriggerPrying	0.5	≈2.933%
Tightening	TriggerWrenching	0.5	≈2.933%
Carbon dioxide	TriggerCO2	0.5	≈2.933%
Non-solid plasma	TriggerPlasma	0.5	≈2.933%
Nitrous oxide	TriggerN2O	0.5	≈2.933%
Regular self-activation	TriggerTimer	0.25	≈1.466%
Tritium	TriggerTritium	0.1	≈0.587%
Frezon	TriggerFrezon	0.1	≈0.587%
Ammonia	TriggerAmmonia	0.1	≈0.587%

Effects

Effect is something that artifact does when a node is unlocked or through a manual activation.

Effects

Effect	Danger	Notes
Obtains ability of container for chemical solutions	None	Becomes a 150u solution storage.
Creates musical instrument	None
Cools down surrounding gas	Minor
Minor implosion	Minor
Produces puddle of chemical mixture	tbd
Creates primate	None
Create money	None
Charges up batteries	None	Charges all batteries in a 15-tile radius.
Creates anomaly	Minor	Creates a random anomaly.
Produces flora	None
Create friendly fauna	Medium	Creates a random animal. Tip Can create non-friendly fauna too, such as slimes. Fix pending https://github.com/space-wizards/space-station-14/issues/37302
Minor electromagnetic interference	None	Causes lights to flicker.
Create recyclable junk	None
Broadcasts sublime message	None
Break windows	Medium
Becomes mildly radioactive	Medium
Produces chemical foam	Medium
Produces potassium	Minor
Explosion	Major
Expels nitrous oxide	Minor
Starts to move sporadically	None	Moves in random direction every 1-3 seconds.
Expels carbon dioxide	Minor
Creates wave of helpful foam	Medium
Obtains ability of omnitool	None	Available on handheld artifacts only.
Create hostile fish	Medium
Obtains ability of drill	None	Available on handheld artifacts only.
Improves holder movement speed	None	Improves walking and running speed when holding/dragging the artifact by 1.2 and 1.3 times respectively.
Heats up surrounding gas greatly	Medium
Mild electromagnetic interference	Minor	Causes lights to flicker.
Create plastic	None
Create steel	None
Create glass	None
Becomes highly radioactive	Medium
Switch places of sentient beings	tbd
Expels ammonia	Minor
Becomes sentient	Medium
Create short-living bluespace portal	Minor
Expels tritium	Medium
Expels plasma	Medium
Temporarily reshape flesh to scale	Minor
Becomes phased	None
Temporarily reshape flesh to fur	Minor
Temporarily reshape flesh to light	Minor
Create small gravity well	None
Creates wave of harmful foam	Medium
Create plasma	None
Creates puddle of helpful chemicals	None
Dangerous electromagnetic interference	Minor	EMP pulse in a 5-tile radius, disabling affected devices for 1 minute/
Pyrokinesis	Major
Teleportation	tbd
Create gold	None
Create rare materials	None
Expels frezon	Minor
Small scale high-speed nuclear reaction	Major
Miraclous healing	None
Create light interference	None
Create uranium	None
Create artifact	Minor

Technical

Weights

A table displaying chance of specific effects generating in an artifact.

Name	ID	Weight	Chance
Obtains ability of container for chemical solutions	XenoArtifactSolutionStorage	10	≈3.497%
Creates musical instrument	XenoArtifactRandomInstrumentSpawn	10	≈3.497%
Cools down surrounding gas	XenoArtifactColdWave	10	≈3.497%
Minor implosion	XenoArtifactThrowThingsAround	10	≈3.497%
Produces puddle of chemical mixture	XenoArtifactChemicalPuddle	10	≈3.497%
Creates primate	XenoArtifactMonkeySpawn	10	≈3.497%
Create money	XenoArtifactCashSpawn	10	≈3.497%
Charges up batteries	XenoArtifactChargeBattery	10	≈3.497%
Creates anomaly	XenoArtifactAnomalySpawn	10	≈3.497%
Produces flora	XenoArtifactFloraSpawn	10	≈3.497%
Create friendly fauna	XenoArtifactFaunaSpawn	10	≈3.497%
Minor electromagnetic interference	XenoArtifactEffectLightFlicker	10	≈3.497%
Create recyclable junk	XenoArtifactEffectJunkSpawn	10	≈3.497%
Broadcasts sublime message	XenoArtifactEffectGoodFeeling	10	≈3.497%
Broadcasts sublime message	XenoArtifactEffectBadFeeling	10	≈3.497%
Break windows	XenoArtifactShatterWindows	8	≈2.797%
Becomes mildly radioactive	XenoArtifactRadioactive	8	≈2.797%
Produces chemical foam	XenoArtifactFoamMild	8	≈2.797%
Produces potassium	XenoArtifactPotassiumWave	7	≈2.448%
Explosion	XenoArtifactBoom	5	≈1.748%
Expels nitrous oxide	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasNitrousOxide	4	≈1.399%
Starts to move sporadically	XenoArtifactWandering	4	≈1.399%
Expels carbon dioxide	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasCarbonDioxide	4	≈1.399%
Creates wave of helpful foam	XenoArtifactFoamGood	4	≈1.399%
Obtains ability of omnitool	XenoArtifactOmnitool	4	≈1.399%
Create hostile fish	XenoArtifactAngryCarpSpawn	4	≈1.399%
Obtains ability of drill	XenoArtifactDrill	4	≈1.399%
Improves holder movement speed	XenoArtifactSpeedUp	4	≈1.399%
Heats up surrounding gas greatly	XenoArtifactHeatWave	4	≈1.399%
Mild electromagnetic interference	XenoArtifactKnock	4	≈1.399%
Create plastic	XenoArtifactMaterialSpawnPlastic	3.3	≈1.154%
Create steel	XenoArtifactMaterialSpawnSteel	3.3	≈1.154%
Create glass	XenoArtifactMaterialSpawnGlass	3.3	≈1.154%
Becomes highly radioactive	XenoArtifactRadioactiveStrong	3	≈1.049%
Switch places of sentient beings	XenoArtifactShuffle	3	≈1.049%
Expels ammonia	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasAmmonia	3	≈1.049%
Becomes sentient	XenoArtifactGhost	2	≈0.699%
Create short-living bluespace portal	XenoArtifactPortal	2	≈0.699%
Expels tritium	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasTritium	2	≈0.699%
Expels plasma	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasPlasma	2	≈0.699%
Temporarily reshape flesh to scale	XenoArtifactPolyLizard	2	≈0.699%
Becomes phased	XenoArtifactPhasing	2	≈0.699%
Temporarily reshape flesh to fur	XenoArtifactPolyMonkey	2	≈0.699%
Temporarily reshape flesh to light	XenoArtifactPolyLuminous	2	≈0.699%
Create small gravity well	XenoArtifactMagnetNegative	2	≈0.699%
Creates wave of harmful foam	XenoArtifactFoamDangerous	2	≈0.699%
Create small gravity well	XenoArtifactMagnet	2	≈0.699%
Create plasma	XenoArtifactRareMaterialSpawnPlasma	2	≈0.699%
Creates puddle of helpful chemicals	XenoArtifactPuddleRare	2	≈0.699%
Dangerous electromagnetic interference	XenoArtifactEmp	2	≈0.699%
Pyrokinesis	XenoArtifactIgnite	2	≈0.699%
Teleportation	XenoArtifactTeleport	2	≈0.699%
Create gold	XenoArtifactRareMaterialSpawnGold	1.8	≈0.629%
Create rare materials	XenoArtifactRareMaterialSpawnSilver	1.8	≈0.629%
Expels frezon	XenoArtifactEffectCreationGasFrezon	1	≈0.350%
Small scale high-speed nuclear reaction	XenoArtifactExplosionScary	1	≈0.350%
Miraclous healing	XenoArtifactHealAll	1	≈0.350%
Create light interference	XenoArtifactStealth	1	≈0.350%
Create uranium	XenoArtifactRareMaterialSpawnUranium	1	≈0.350%
Create artifact	XenoArtifactArtifactSpawn	0.5	≈0.175%