The Organics Module
The Organics Module allows for various forms of plant life to be grown in a tightly controlled environment and harvested for profit. The basic requirements for farming are soil, fertilizer, seeds, and water, all of which can be purchased at garden supply stores that will be located in most major landing zones or, in some cases, mined or otherwise extracted from the environment.
Farming is a labor intensive process that requires a fairly meticulous attention to detail. There are two parts to the basic puzzle: ascertaining exactly what a particular plant species requires in order to thrive, and giving that to them at the appropriate time. The variables include the quality of the soil, the type of fertilizer, the temperature, the amount of water, and the type and quantity of radiation.
An Organics Module consists of two Biodomes, each of which consists of multiple discrete sections – gardening beds – where different species can be planted. Each section has growth lights above it, and a command console that allows the type and quantity of radiation to be specified and the application therefore automated. The temperature of a Biodome – but not the individual sections – can be specified, so if multiple species are grown alongside one another it’s best to ensure that they have similar tolerances with regard to temperature. The application of water, fertilizer, and the harvesting of the plants is done manually.
Many of the sturdier plant species will grow and prosper in standard, run-of-the-mill soil with a basic nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium fertilizer, a temperate climate, a moderate amount of water, and 8-10 hours per day of standard radiation from the growth lights. In order to reach their full potential, more exotic – and lucrative – species may require a higher quality soil, a specialized type of fertilizer, warmer or cooler temperatures, more or less water, and a particular type and quantity of radiation.
Each species of plant is effectively a puzzle, and the job of a farmer is to figure out the optimal solution in order to produce the highest quality plants at the lowest price. Most plants are valued for their end result – the fruit or vegetables that they produce, their use as an herb or spice, their fragrance, or a medical compound that can be extracted. Some, however, are valued simply for their appearance. While some of these outputs can be preserved for extended durations, others have a very short shelf life, and must be delivered to their destination soon after having been extracted or else their value will diminish appreciably.
A productive farmer that focuses on the basics will often be able to earn a solid living, but the most profitable opportunities in this field will revolve around figuring out how to grow more exotic species that are notoriously difficult to reproduce, but for which there is high demand and very limited supply. Attaining such mastery will not come easily or cheaply, as short of procuring the elusive and expensive seeds oneself the repeated trial-and-error sessions that will be necessary will cost a small fortune.
Features inevitably evolve over the course of development, and one of the more interesting ones currently under consideration is whether or not some sources of radiation – critical for the development of some of the more valuable types of plant life – might be cost prohibitive to artificially generate, and thus players might have to seek out natural sources within a given solar system. Some species might respond favorably to being bathed in a star’s corona, which would tax the shielding of a ship to its limit, and others to the soft glow of a nebula, which would likely attract others that would seek to control such a valuable piece of real estate.
The Discovery Module
The Discovery Module is geared towards the aspiring astronomer. It contains a powerful 16-meter telescope mounted on a rotatable base that is capable of scanning the Heavens in the infrared, visible, and gamma spectra as well as dual ejection ports for an array of long-range probes. Wayward comets, asteroids fields rich in valuable ore, derelict ships worth a fortune to a salvager, and primordial black holes that are the Holy Grail of scientific research are just a few of the things that a patient observer might eventually discover.
Detection of something of interest typically consists of selecting an area of the sky and slowly searching for anomalies. An object that appears to be nothing more than another in a dense sea of stars might eventually reveal itself to be something different via its ever-so-gradual motion against the static backdrop. Alternatively, an object might emit a radiation signature that suggests something out of the ordinary, or in the case of a large field of asteroids its most detectable aspect might be the fact that it blocks a portion of a background star’s radiation, which might be noticed by the slight twinkling it imparts upon the light from that particular star.
Increasing the magnification of the telescope can often help ascertain what an object might be if not always what it definitively is. Such adjustments, however, take several seconds to perform and, additionally, any increase in magnification implies a commensurate decrease in the field of view, which means that scanning the entirety of the sky at a high magnification isn’t particularly feasible within a reasonable period of time. Thus, the ability to discern subtle clues at a higher level of magnification that indicate a fair probability of finding something of interest if one were to probe deeper into the cosmic tapestry with the Endeavor’s telescope is one of the most valuable abilities a Discoverer can learn. When coupled with a methodical approach to analyzing a volume of space, a regular stream of discoveries – and a steady source of income – is all but assured.
While some objects – comets in particular, with their long and wispy tails – can be definitively identified if viewed at sufficient magnification, others will require a long-range probe to be dispatched in order to attain such certainty. Once a positive identification has been made, a Point of Interest representing the discovery will appear on the player’s navigational map of the solar system. At that point, the information can be shared with other players or sold to an information broker.
