Welcome back, Engineers!
Following our last discussion on the intricacies of building your Rigs, today we are delving into what you’ll be processing with them, the very essence of the gas giant itself, raw elements and compounds. SkyRig isn’t just about construction, it’s deeply rooted in the scientific endeavour of discovery and compound synthesis.
The Elements of Discovery: Extraction
A core principle of SkyRig is the scientific pursuit of discovering and synthesising rare elements and compounds within the complex atmosphere of a gas giant. The game features its own mini-periodic table of elements, many of which are hidden at the beginning, awaiting your discovery.
As you expand your capabilities, you’ll find that each layer of the planet contains numerous sectors, each teeming with useful elements that can be extracted from the atmosphere. Your primary method of gathering these resources is through atmospheric filtering using gas intakes which draw the elements into your pipe networks.
It’s important to note the resource depth dynamics: certain critical elements are only available in the planet’s deeper layers. These areas are naturally more hazardous and demanding on players, creating a greater need for strategic decision making with regards to when, and how players gather these essential materials. Expect to encounter familiar elements along the way such as Oxygen, Hydrogen, Carbon Dioxide, Methane and more which will allow you to increase and extend your capabilities into more advanced or efficient gameflows.
Chemical Reactions: Synthesising Compounds
Beyond simply extracting basic elements, you’ll be tasked with combining and processing them into more advanced resources. This combination and processing forms a significant part of your industrial operations. For Example, combining Hydrogen and Oxygen will allow you to produce water, which can then be used in a variety of other processes within your Rigs.
Be mindful that resource processing isn’t a free endeavour, it may consume a significant amount of your power reserves. This necessitates strategic planning of your resource chains to ensure you are carefully balancing the need for more advanced materials against the risks of deeper exploration and the energy costs associated with creating new materials.
Understanding Gas Properties
To add a layer of complexity and engagement to your resource chains, gases in SkyRig will possess a series of potential properties. These properties will influence how you process and combine them, leading to more intricate and rewarding industrial puzzles.
These properties will take various forms, such as:
Temperature: Requiring gases to be heated or cooled for optimal reactions.
Pressure: Dictating the pressure conditions needed for certain synthesis processes.
Ionisation: Introducing electrical charges to alter gas properties.
Purification: Ensuring gases are clean enough for specific high-grade reactions.
These dynamics mean that simply having the right raw elements isn't always enough; you'll need to manipulate their conditions precisely to achieve the desired compounds.
The Heart of Production: Combiners and Recipes
To truly unlock the potential of your collected gases and compounds, you'll rely on specialized Combiner buildings. Modules such as the Ionizer, Atomic Assembler, Synthesis Chamber, and Centrifuge all play a major role in allowing you to create new compounds and elements.
Within each of these buildings, you'll be able to select specific recipes you want to create. Your job, as the engineer, is to then use the buildings in conjunction with the robust gas flow system to ensure the correct elements are being provided to these recipes at the right time and in the right quantities.
Recipes will start relatively simply to ease you into the game's flow, gradually introducing you to the mechanics of gas management and synthesis. However, as you progress through SkyRig, the complexity of these recipes, the required part combinations, and the specific elements needed will significantly increase. This escalating challenge is designed to keep you engaged, encourage you to interact with wider game systems, and truly test your capabilities in designing the most efficient systems possible to reach your desired goals or fulfil in-game contracts for Thorne Industrial.
Looking Ahead
The interplay of discovering, extracting and precisely synthesising elements and compounds forms a vital and engaging loop in SkyRig. It's about more than just building structures; it's about understanding and manipulating the very fabric of the gas giant's atmosphere to advance Thorne Industrial's ambitious goals.
We're eager to see the innovative ways you'll discover and utilise these resources!
Stay tuned for more updates as we delve deeper into other aspects of SkyRig's development.