Guide to Genetics

The Department

Ready to play God? Good! Because it's about to get very interesting.

The Genetics department is in Medbay. It has different sets of animal cubes to use as test subjects and a couple of DNA modifiers for experiments. This is where you'll be spending most of your time.

DNA Modification

The following will help you get started with your shift. The actual science of modifying genes to unlock powers will be described later.

• NOTE As a geneticist, you will often have a co-worker in your office. It is wise to make an arrangement on who works on which blocks before you do anything. This typically means one geneticist working his way up from block 1 and the other working his way down from block 54.

1. Get a monkey cube from the box of monkey cubes on your nearby desk. (Or whichever other animal you wish to torment with your experiments)
2. Unwrap the monkey cube and hold it under the sink in the nearby pen.
3. Grab whichever animal you have.
4. Click on a DNA Modifier to stuff the animal inside.
5. Click on the DNA Modifier Access Console to open its menu.
6. Click Modify S.E. (S.E. meaning Structural Enzymes).
   • In this menu you will see 55 seperate blocks. The first sub-block of block 55 dictates whether an animal is a lower lifeform or humanoid.
7. Click the first sub-block of block 55 and use irradiate block to irradiate it.
   • This step will need to be repeated until the first sub-block has a value that is under 8, then one above 8 then one below 8 again.
   • (Optional) After this step is done, you can right-click the DNA Modifier and Eject DNA Scanner to remove the test subject. If everything was done correctly, it should be a humanoid. Try to keep the test subject out of the modifier as shortly as possible as the effects of DNA modification may have caused it to become irradiated.
8. Have a look at the first sub-block of all blocks, 1 to 54. Make sure all values are below 8.
   • If they are not, modify the first sub-block until they are all of a value 8 or below.
9. Once all the first sub-blocks from blocks 1 to 54 are below a value of 8, go to the transfer buffers menu.
   • You want to save Subject S.E. in buffer one of the three available buffers.
10. Click the text next to Label: and set it to Clean S.E.
    • Congratulations, you now made a fail safe should you inject yourself with one of the many disabilities!
    • NOTE: This clean S.E. can also be used to treat certain disabilities in newly cloned crewmembers.
    • NOTE: You can also use a block injector of your clean S.E. to clear a specific disability block.
11. Click Injector to create a syringe with the test subject's S.E. inside it.
    • The syringe will spawn on top of the DNA Modifier Access Console. Click on it to pick it up. Or if it spawned under it for some reason, right click the DNA Modifier, move your mouse over the syringe and pick it up like that.
12. Store your syringe in your workplace or on you. It is best to have a complete clean S.E. around at all times.

Notes:

1. To inject yourself, simply put the injector in an open hand and click on yourself.
2. As you modify DNA, whatever you are working on has a chance to be irradiated. A well-prepared Geneticist makes sure to keep an irradiated subject within the DNA Modifier and to keep a modest stash of charcoal around to treat the inevitable toxin damage.
3. A block injector will only inject the block you select. For example, Block 24 is Mute and Block 25 is Xray vision. If you use a normal injector, you will be mute and have Xray vision. However if you use a block injector and select Block 25, you will have Xray vision and NOT be mute. It's a great way to stack all the overpowered powers and seemingly ignore the subject's crippling defects!

Hexadecimals

The number format in each block is a Hexadecimal. In summary, the numbers and letters are organized like this, from lowest to highest:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F

Each block has 3 sub-blocks of hexadecimals. For the purpose of this instruction, saying to set a specific block "below 800" means that the first sub-block of that block must be less than 8 - the other two characters in that block don't matter. In another example, setting a block to "above DAC" means:

• The first sub-block must be equal to or higher than D (E or F)
• The second sub-block must be equal to or higher than A (B, C, D, E, or F)
• The third sub-block must be equal to or higher than C (D, E, or F)

Note: If the first sub-block is E or F, the potential of the entire block will already be active, it will not require the editing of the second or third sub-block.

Unique Identifiers (UI)

Unique Identifiers are your cosmetic details - eye color, skin color, hair style, hair color and gender. All colors are in RGB, with 0 meaning absence of that color, and F meaning the highest value of that color.

Although all species have the same number of Unique Identifiers, some blocks will have no effect on certain species. For example, only species with scales or fur will be affected by changes to blocks 8-10 while block 7 only applies to species with varying skin tones such as humans. This same rule applies to head accessories and body markings, as not all species may have them.

Blocks 1-3

1 - Hair Color R
2 - Hair Color G
3 - Hair Color B

Blocks 4-6

4 - Beard Color R
5 - Beard Color G
6 - Beard Color B

Block 7

7 - Skin tone 1(0)-220(F)

Blocks 8-10

8 - Fur/Scale Color R
9 - Fur/Scale Color G
10 - Fur/Scale Color B

Blocks 11-13

11 - Head Accessory Color R
12 - Head Accessory Color G
13 - Head Accessory Color B

Blocks 14-16

14 - Body Marking Color R
15 - Body Marking Color G
16 - Body Marking Color B

Blocks 17-19

17 - Eye Color R
18 - Eye Color G
19 - Eye Color B

Block 20

20 - Gender

• < 800 = Male
• > 800 = Female

Blocks 21-24

21 - Beard Style
22 - Hair Style
23 - Head Accessory Style
24 - Body Marking Style

Unique Enzymes (UE)

Unique enzymes determine your identity, basically the name that people see you as when they examine you, and when you talk. These are separate from unique identifiers, but usually are changed together.

Structural Enzymes (SE)

Structural Enzymes contain data relevant to your genetic structure. This governs your race, powers, and disabilities. For those that handle genes with care, however, great benefits are to be had.

Blocks 1 - 54

These are all randomized powers (major, minor, and intermediate), disabilities, and a few empty blocks.

Block 55

This block governs whether the subject is a humanoid or not.

• Humanoid = below 800
• Animal = above 800

Powers and Disabilities

Any of blocks 1-55 may be the block for a special power or disability. Powers and disabilities are calculated at round-start, thus are not different for each person. Some blocks don't have powers and will give nothing even when at FFF on the sub-blocks; there are more blocks then disabilities/powers.

Major Powers

These require a block of DAC or higher to have a chance to activate.

Trait	Sensation	Effect
Cryokinesis	You notice a strange cold tingle in your fingertips.	Causes minor burns and lowers the body temperature of an individual. Will not effect those with the Cold Resistance mutation.
Empathetic Thought	You suddenly notice more about others than you did before.	Tells you the pain-level, intent, and random thoughts of another person. Can be blocked by Psy-Resist.
Hulk	Your muscles hurt.	You turn green and become super strong. You can't be stunned and your punches can break through reinforced walls. You will lose this power and can collapse if you get below 25% health. Cannot be used with Dwarf.
Jumpy	Your leg muscles feel taut and strong.	Allows you to leap roughly a screen and 1/4.
Matter Eater	You feel hungry.	Allows you to eat almost anything, including people's limbs.
Dwarf	Everything around you seems bigger now...	You can walk over tables as if they were floor tiles. Cannot be used with Hulk.
No Breathing	You feel no need to breathe.	You do not need to breathe.
No Prints	Your fingers feel numb.	You leave no fingerprints.
Psy-Resist	Your mind feels closed.	You cannot be telepathically spoken to, spied on with Remote View, and Empathetic Thought cannot read your thoughts.
Telekinesis	You feel smarter.	Allows you to move objects with your mind and affect things in your sight range. Cannot be used with Remote Viewing.

Intermediate Powers

Intermediate Powers require a block of BEA or higher to have a chance to activate

Trait	Sensation	Effect
Chameleon	You feel one with your surroundings.	You become invisible while not moving. Cannot be used with Cloak of Darkness.
Cloak of Darkness	You begin to fade into the shadows.	You are partially invisible depending on the lighting of your current environment. Will over-rule Chameleon if both mutations are active.
Cold Resistance	Your body is filled with warmth.	You are no longer effected by cold environments and Cryokinesis cannot harm you. Cannot be used with Heat Resistance.
High-Pressure Intestines	You feel bloated and gassy.	Can send people near you flying away in a blast of gas with the fart command.
Morphism	Your body feels if can alter its appearance.	You can change your skin tone, hair, eyes, and gender at will.
Polymorphism	You don't feel entirely like yourself somehow.	Allows you to mimic the appearance and voice of others, a bit like a changeling without the death. You may only mimic a person immediately next to you.
Regenerate	Your wounds start healing.	Doubles your nutritional health regeneration. So when you eat you heal more.
Remote Viewing	Your mind expands.	You can remotely observe other people. Can be blocked by Psy-Resist.
Super Speed	Your leg muscles pulsate.	You are unencumbered by space suits or anything else that slows you down; does not increase your base movement speed.
Telepathy	You feel you can project your thoughts.	You can talk to people through their minds over long distances. Can be blocked by Psy-Resist.
X-Ray Vision	The walls suddenly disappear.	You can see everything in your sight range, even through walls.
Speed Boost	You feel swift and unencumbered.	Allows you to move in hardsuits without movement penalties.

Minor Powers

Minor Powers require a block of 802 or higher to have a chance to activate.

Trait	Sensation	Effect
Heat Resistance	Your skin is icy to the touch.	You are no longer effected by hot environments. Cannot be used with Cold Resistance.
Shock Immunity	Your skin feels strange.	You are immune to shocks. These include events such as touching an electrified door.
Sober	You feel unusually sober.	You cannot become drunk, but feel free to try to anyways.
Strong	You feel buff!	Doesn't do anything. But at least you're buff now.

Disabilities

As tempting as those powers may seem, there is also a very high chance of you getting a disability. These always manifest when the block is at 802 or higher.

Trait	Sensation	Effect
Blindness	You can't seem to see anything.	Your vision is nearly non-existent and restricted to an extremely tiny area.
Chav	Ye feel like a reet prat like, innit?	A number of words are replaced with their British counterparts.
Clumsiness	You feel lightheaded.	You drop things a lot, are generally clumsy, and guns explode in your face.
Comic	Uh oh!	You speak like a clown, oh the horror.
Coughing	You start coughing.	You cough a lot and drop things when you do so.
Deafness	It's kinda quiet.	You can't hear anything.
Dizzy	You feel very dizzy...	Your movement direction becomes randomized
Epilepsy	You get a headache.	You become prone to debilitating seizures.
Hallucinate	Your mind says 'Hello'.	You start to hallucinate.
Horns	A pair of horns erupt from your head.	Causes you to have horns; does not negatively effect health in anyway.
Incendiary Mitochondria	You suddenly feel rather hot.	Causes you to spontaneously ignite when used.
Lisp	Thomething doethn't feel right.	Replaces every 's' you say with 'th'.
Loud	YOU FEEL LIKE YELLING!	All shouting, all the time.
Mute	You feel unable to express yourself at all.	You lose the ability to speak.
Nearsightedness	Your eyes feel weird...	You have reduced vision, and require glasses, medicine, a clean SE block, carrots or surgery to see better.
Nervousness	You feel nervous.	You stutter when you speak.
Obesity	You feel blubbery and lethargic!	You become fat.
Radioactive	You feel a strange sickness permeate your whole body.	You emit radiation, causing toxin damage to yourself and all organics near you.
Swedish	You feel Swedish, however that works.	All W's are replaced with V's, and you occasionally say 'Bork Bork Bork!'.
Tourettes	You twitch.	You curse randomly and twitch, which causes temporary paralysis.
Toxic Farts	Your stomach grumbles unpleasantly.	Creates a gas of space drugs around you when you fart.
Unintelligible	You can't seem to form any coherent thoughts!	Rearranges your speech, making it difficult for others to understand you.

Radiation

Continuing from the above practical example with the monkey (that now looks human) still inside the DNA Modifier, you have a few options on how to change the monkey's genes:

• Radiation Emitter Settings
  • Change how long and how harshly the monkey gets blasted by radiation. Default settings are adequate.
• Pulse Radiation (Main Menu)
  • Inaccurately and randomly modify any of the monkey's UI or SE with a single pulse.
• Radiation (Inside the Modify Unique Identifier or Modify Structural Enzymes sub-menus).
  • Accurately modify a single sub-block.

The idea is to start at Block 1 of the Structural Enzymes and radiate that block until the number is "DAC" or higher. Then, remove your monkey and see if anything seems strange with him. The catch is - not all disabilities or powers are easily visible. For a dangerous disability like Blindness, you can check your monkey's eyes to make sure their pupils narrow with the penlight you should have:

1. Move the penlight to an open hand.
2. Click on the penlight to turn it "On".
3. Click on the Damage Zone in the top-right corner of your HUD to indicate that you want to target the eyes.
4. Click on the monkey to "direct the penlight" into their eyes.
   • If you see "pupils narrow", the monkey's eyes are normal. An "eerie glow" means X-Ray Vision, and "no reaction" means the monkey is blind.

If you notice something wrong with your monkey, like twitching, you know that block is a disability. Make a note of it, then Radiation that block until it's back below 800 to make it normal again. You can also use your injector, or Transfer Buffer > Transfer to > Occupant. Both the injector and occupant-transfer cause a small amount of toxin damage (about 4-5, which can be identified by the occupant's Health %) and between 20-50% radiation (identified by the Radiation Level %). The radiation level can be reduced by using Inject Rejuvenators, and the toxin damage can be cured by using the pills or syringes contained within Anti-Toxin First Aid kits on your subject.

Then, continue down the line of blocks until you have a structural enzyme string of only powers with zero disabilities. Saving this buffer is highly recommended unless you don't want someone else to find it (in which case, you could edit the label to something like "All disabilities" to fool people).

Example Scenario

1. Block 1 is radiated to DAC
2. Monkey is removed to check for disabilities, but appears to be clean.
3. Geneticist saves the monkey's SE, outputs it into an injector, and injects himself to see what the block does.
4. Nothing happens.

Note: This is a good sign. Because disabilities have a 100% of manifesting above 802, having nothing happen means one of two things: A) The block is one of the few blank blocks in the genome or B) The block contains a power but conflicts with some mutation you currently have active on yourself.

Random Mutations

At all times, there is a chance that radiating a specific sub-block will not work. Instead, a different random sub-block will be radiated. Furthermore, this chance increases as your subject's Radiation Level increases. This is most identifiable then you radiate a sub-block, but it doesn't change, in which case either:

• (Likely) A different, random sub-block of either Unique Identifiers or Structural Enzymes has been modified.
• (Unlikely) The radiated sub-block just happened to land on the same number.

This can be easier to control by using Inject Rejuvenators, which will slowly lower the monkey's Radiation Level. Only 90 units of rejuvenation are allowed in the subject. Rejuvenator overdoses do not negatively affect the subject at this time, so it is recommended to keep your subject on Rejuvenators while radiating them to ensure that radiation levels immediately and continuously decrease.

Due to this chance of random mutations, you must get in the habit of "cleaning the SE", which involves reading over the first sub-block of every block in the Structural Enzymes to make sure that no other blocks are over 800. For example, if you're testing block 1 and you finally got it above DAC, your process to do so may have inadvertently modified block 2 to 900 (which would cause a disability or a minor power). This would make it difficult to determine what block 1 is doing to your monkey.

Cleaning

In order to "clean" a subject of unwanted disabilities or powers, the key is to make ALL of the Structural Enzymes blocks that you want to be normal less than 800. Unfortunately, this can be challenging, as radiating the subject too much will likely cause random blocks to change, making your effort infinite if their radiation level is not kept in check with Rejuvenators.

Transfer Buffer

The Transfer Buffer is a useful tool for saving your work, though it is always recommended that you take written notes on each block as you modify them. Furthermore, as stated in the practical example, it is highly recommended to keep a clean buffer saved just in case.

• Save
  • UI (Unique Identifiers)
  • UI+UE (Unique Identifiers and Unique Enzymes)
  • SE (Structural Enzymes)
• Transfer To
  • Occupant - Transfers the saved data from that buffer into your subject in the DNA Modifier. Causes a large amount of radiation to blast the subject.
  • Injector - Creates a syringe that you can carry around with you to inject yourself or others. Causes a small amount of toxin damage, but requires time to produce new injectors..
• Disk - Take a disk from the nearby Diskette Box and click on the DNA Modifier Access Console to load it.
  • Save To - Saves the data from that buffer to the disk.
  • Load From - Loads data from an existing disk into the DNA Modifier Access Console.
  • Eject Disk (Main Menu) - Remove the disk.