Artifact Activation Issue

[Wraithcraft]

Ah, then I've been tricked by that too.

Sometimes, though, hijacking this topic, I run into artifacts that don't react to radiation, heat, electricity, human touch, cyborg touch, or getting smacked by a crowbar.  I figure these are the artifacts that only react to BIG hits like explosions and guns, but usually when I get those I get "the <artifact> emits a soft sound" or something like that when I crowbar it, meaning I need to hit it harder.  Sometimes I don't get that message.  Is that message supposed to only happen sometimes, or am I actually mistaken and there is some other activation method I should try?

some artifacts can only be activated with activators, iirc. some artifacts also react to cold. if the artifact gives off a message like "emits a soft sound", then it needs force to activate. if you can't get that with melee damage, the most scientist conducive method of activation is an explosion!