Guide to Genetics

The Department

Ready to play with the human genome? Good! Because it's about to get very interesting.

The Genetics department is in Medbay. It has a pen full of monkeys, some cloning equipment, and a couple of DNA modifiers for experiments. This is where you'll be spending most of your time.

Cloning

Cloning is one of the main aspects of your job. Bringing people back from the dead is a delicate science, so read on. The Chief Medical Officer has the final say about what happens here, rather than the Research Director.

You can clone people from scans made while they are alive and well (which is preferred), or from a corpse (which happens more often than not). Feel free to call people to get their backups made, especially for Heads of Staff.

Cloning consumes biomass, 150 points per clone. The cloning pod starts with 150 points and you can get more biomass by feeding meat to the machine (any type of meat works). Each meat slab adds 50 points.

Scan

The first thing that a clone needs is a record in the cloning console. Scanning requires a dead or live human body with its brain still in place (monkeys or decapitated corpses won't work), whereas making the actual clone requires the person to be dead.

1. Make sure the person is not wearing anything. (Optional)
   • If the person is alive, have them strip.
   • If the person is dead, click+drag their body onto yours to bring up their clothing window, then click on the links identifying each piece of clothing to remove it.
2. Grab the person.
3. Click on the DNA scanner to place them inside.
4. Click on the cloning console to bring up its menu.
5. Click Scan.
6. Click View Records to make sure their record is listed in the cloning database.

Making the Clone

Remember, a clone can only be made when the person you're making a clone for is dead and logged in. If they aren't dead or have logged out, you'll see an "Unable to initiate cloning cycle" error in the Cloning System Control.

1. Head to the cloning console beside the cloning pod, and click on it to open its menu.
2. Click View Records, select the person you wish to clone, then click Clone.
3. Make sure the cloning pod has enough biomass to produce a clone. Each clone consumes 150 biomass points.
   • Note: After clicking "Clone" the dead person will get a pop-up window asking if they want to come back to life. If they choose "No", the console will say "Unable to initiate cloning cycle". If they choose "Yes", the console will say "Cloning cycle activated", and their body will be remade in a few minutes. You do not need to ask in OOC. Doing this is now considered IC in OOC.
   • Note #2: When a new clone is made, that person's record is deleted from the database, so they must be scanned again if they are to be cloned a second time. You can use diskettes to save a record of their backup.

Finishing a New Clone

1. Grab the new clone and take it to Cryo, the room with large File:Cryo.gif cryo cells.
2. Click on one of the cells to place the clone inside and set the Cryo status to On.
3. Take a nearby beaker filled with Cryoxadone and then click on the same cell you placed the clone in to load the beaker into the cell. Note that Clonexadone heals them faster and should be used when possible. Get some from the Chemist.
4. Use the nearby wrench on both O2 canisters to secure them (if they aren't already).
5. Set the freezer's Target gas temperature to its lowest amount by clicking on the far-left "-" until the number in the center no longer decreases.
6. Set the freezer to On.
   • Note: At this point, the clone will begin to heal slowly if cryo was set up correctly, shown by the increasing health indication in the cryo cell's menu.
7. Click on the cryo cell to check on your clone. When its health reaches 100, it is considered finished and can then be ejected (right-click > Eject Occupant).
8. Don't forget! when you're done with the cryo room, turn the cryo cells to Off so you don't waste Oxygen! Also, if you still have their old body, drag it to the morgue to prevent Clone Memory Disorder (which is purely for role-play purposes).
9. Clones may often suffer from brain damages, once they're removed from the cryo cell, make sure to inject them with Alkysine if they suffer from this.

DNA Modification

Let's start with a quick practical example to learn how to be a Geneticist, and to learn what you should do at the start of every round:

1. Grab one of the monkeys from the pen.
2. Click on a DNA Modifier to stuff the monkey inside.
3. Click on the DNA Modifier Access Console to open its menu.
4. Click Modify Structural Enzymes.
5. Click Block and enter the number of the last block - 27.
6. Click Radiation continuously until the first sub-block in block 27 has a number less than 8.
   • (Optional) After this step is done, you can right-click the DNA Modifier and Eject DNA Scanner to remove the monkey. It looks human!
7. Glance at all of the 1st sub-blocks (the first character) of all 27 blocks and make sure they are all less than 8.
   • If any blocks are higher than 8, move to it using the arrow links, then radiate it until it is lower than 8.
8. Click Main Menu, then click View/Edit/Transfer Buffer.
9. In the first Buffer section - Buffer 1 - click SE to save the Structural Enzymes of that monkey.
10. Click Edit Label and enter Clean.
11. Click Injector to create a syringe with that monkey's genetic DNA inside it.
    • The syringe will spawn on top of the DNA Modifier Access Console. Click on it to pick it up.
12. Store your syringe in a place you'll remember (backpack or pocket is fine).

You now have a way of reverting your genes to a clean set without disabilities or powers. This will be extremely useful for all future genetic alterations you do to yourself or others in case you make any mistakes. To inject yourself, simply put the injector in an open hand and click on yourself. Your Structural Enzymes will immediately become like the ones in the injector.

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, you can stop, since (for example) E00 is higher than DAC. For this reason, it is usually recommended to simply radiate the first sub-block and to leave the other two sub-blocks alone.

Unique Identifiers (UI)

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

Blocks 1-3

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

Blocks 4-6

4 - Eye color R 5 - Eye color B 6 - Eye color G

Block 7

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

Blocks 8-10

8 - Beard Color R 9 - Beard Color B 10 - Beard Color G

Block 11

11 - Gender

• < 800 = Male
• > 800 = Female

Block 12-13

12 - Beard Style 13 - Hair 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 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 - 26

These are all randomized powers (minor and major) or disabilities.

Block 27

This block governs the race of the subject.

• Human = below 800
• Monkey = above 800

Powers and Disabilities

Any of blocks 1-26 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.

Minor Powers

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

• X-Ray Vision (30%): The walls suddenly disappear. You can see everything in your sight range, even through walls.
• Temperature Resistance (30%): Your body feels warm. You aren't affected by temperatures. This, combined with "No Breathing", means you only need a hardsuit to protect against pressure, in space.
• Remote Viewing: Your mind expands. You can remotely observe other people.
• Regeneration: You feel strange. Doubles your nutritional health regeneration.
• Quickness: You feel quick. You are unencumbered by space suits or anything else that slows you down; does not increase your base movement speed.
• Telepathic Communication: You expand your mind outwards. You can talk to people through their minds over long distances.
• Morphing: Your skin feels strange. You can change your skin tone, hair, and styles at will.

Major Powers

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

• Hulk (5%): 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.
• Telekinesis (15%): You feel smarter. Allows you to move objects with your mind and affect things in your sight range. Cannot be used with Remote Viewing
• No Breathing: You feel no need to breathe. You do not require oxygen to breathe.
• No Fingerprints: Your fingers feel numb. You leave no fingerprints.
• Small Size: Your skin feels rubbery. You can climb over tables.
• Shock Immunity (50%): You feel strange. You are immune to shocks.

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.

• Epilepsy: You get a headache You randomly have seizures.
• Coughing: You start coughing. You cough a lot and drop things when you do so.
• Tourette's Syndrome: You twitch. You twitch and swear randomly.
• Stammering: You feel nervous. You stammer when you talk.
• Deafness: It's kinda quiet.. You can't hear anything.
• Short Sightedness: Your eyes feel weird... You have reduced vision, and require glasses, medicine, carrots or surgery to see better.
• Blindness: You can't seem to see anything. Your vision is nearly non-existent and restricted to an extremely tiny area.
• Clumsiness: You feel lightheaded. You drop things a lot, are generally clumsy, and guns explode in your face.
• Strangeness: You feel strange. You start randomly mutating, which can change your blocks numbers.
• Hallucinations: Your mind says "Hello". You start to hallucinate.

Side Effects

Altering your DNA is a dangerous prospect and one not completely without risk; each time your genes are altered, there is a small chance you may suffer a side effect. These effect are independent of the block are working.

• Genetic Burn You start turning very red... You'll typically fall over, if not treated, you'll start taking burn damage all over. Cure: Dexalin.
• Bone Snap Your limbs start shivering uncontrollably You'll fall over then get up after a short time, if not treated you'll take some brute damage and a random bone will break. Cure Bicaridine.
• Monkey You have drool running down from your mouth If not proper treated, you will be converted into a monkey; reconverting to a human will kill the subject. Cure Anti-toxin.
• Confusion You have drool running down from your mouth Causes you to run around randomly, making travel to any destination next to impossible. Cure Anti-toxin.

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 the File:First aid anti toxin.png Anti-Toxin First Aid kit 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.

Notes: This is a good sign. Because disabilities have a 100% of manifesting above 800, having nothing happen means two things: A) The block is either a minor or major power, and B) You will find the power if you continue to radiate block 1 above DAC. See the above percentage chances that a power will manifest while continuing to radiate that same block above the required hexadecimal.

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.