"Alchemical" transmutation sciencey stuff

[Splatpope]

From this bug thread : viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3462

normally I'd be a "omg irrealistic pls fix" kind of guy but this is pretty amazing

instead of completely removing it, let's fix the bug but integrate this transmuation mechanic in something else more sensible with drawbacks and all
(i'm completely aware the purpose of the smelter is to make alloys, but i'm talking about literal transmutation, not just mixing stuff)

post this in suggestions.

alright

So yeah the idea is :

We have a machine that lets us mix different stuff to get a mix of their properties, what I suggest is a new and complementary one with which you could try to merge materials and/or additives to get entirely different materials. Basically, chemistry but with materials instead of reagents.

I can see it done in 3 different ways :

• Keep the current materials and make it so that less fun and useful ones can be combined thanks to majik alchemical techniques to form better ones. This would probably translate into miners hauling shittons of useless shit to get very limited outputs of nice stuff. Basically : better materials are alloys made from lesser ones. (tbh i don't find this super sensible)
  
• Introduce new, basically useless materials on their own but which are required when alchemically transmutating materials into better ones. It basically means that we don't add anything to the smelter area, but instead effectively smelt the useless new materials with the old ones. Basically : making a better material from a lesser one requires X,Y,Z,etc amounts of macguffin currency materials with useless properties.
  
• Use reagents on materials in a special crucibley machine instead of combining materials. Regular olde timey alchemy in space I guess ? (this is fun because this gives the opportunity to bring in tons of new secret recipes) Basically Smelter 2.0 but additives turn materials into better ones instead of transferring their properties.
  
• Maybe a lot more ways, but my imagination is crippled

The purpose of this new thingy ?
-> this way you can get any material you want (which is great since you can then make cool alloys in the smelter) with a little bit of work, knowledge and savvy from your part (and from QM/mning's too but heck they love hauling rocks anyways). View this as a kind of refining phase for all this smelter area thing.
-> this can also be an occasion to introduce new, bizarre materials that are unobtainable with mining and QM economics (probably already done but on a much much smaller case) and convey very fun and interesting properties

Also, I think that a lot of ores aren't really used when smelting just because they're pretty useless and this would probably give them a use, I guess, who knows

Of course, let's make this have dangerous and fun side effects for hilarity purposes. (and balance i guess erh)

[DyssalC]

Hello yes I have a big dumb list of big dumb questions.

1. What is the vessel in which alchemy takes place? In one suggestion you mention a machine, but what about something more magical?

2. Whose department will this vessel be located in, or will it be an all access casual thing like the smelter, or will it have to be something you manually setup, like how people make cable "sacrifice circles"?

3. What other uses could it have? Alchemy is a concept that has been taken in many different directions, though I especially like the concept of trying to create life.

4. Would this have any sort of relation to the alchemy circle in the Biodome? If so, how?

5. What range of severity are we talking for side effects? Serious shit like a horde of angry ghosts or something small like accidentally making your gold into slag?

I really REALLY like this idea, but I'd rather see your thoughts on these before adding any input.

[Splatpope]

1. An industrial machine is fine, but working with old timey alambics, mortar and pestle and whatnot in a dirty closet can be fun too I suppose. Yet, it is better if we make it so that is relevant to the space station theme (by this, I mean let's not use old majik grimoires, getting an old wooden table full of strange apparatus covered in cobwebs is okay). (see 4) Also, having to use incantations (and thus having to expand your knowledge base) can be fun. Aspecially if some kind of minigame is involved with their discovery.

2. This implies that the smelter will be relocated in or near mining with some kind of access restriction, but I believe that placing the alchemical work area next to the smelter is better. Although I would be cool if it was relocated in some dark little room at the most crooked parts of the maintenance tunnels. The main concern is that workflow between mining, the smelter and the alchemical workplace should not be tedious.

3 and 4. I just remembered about the biodome "reward" and heck, making it work with strange arcane and powerful stuff can be great, but I believe that such darker and magical things should be the most difficult and secret things to achieve. Not sure if it's good to talk about what the biodome alchemical circle does here, but as I just said, doing such things and obtaining the same *wink* reward *wink* should eventually be very difficult and secret.

Though, it would be better off if it didn't work exactly the same way as in the biodome, since this will be in pair with the smelter mechanics, but heck, a compromise can be found.

5. I would not go as far as unleashing hordes of angry mobs, but things like curses, semi-permanent body horror, and yes, total ruinage of your materials, can be fun and not too punishing side effects. Of course, failing to perform the most arcane and obscure acts should end up in more severe horrible stuff happening.

Also, maybe it can be made so that attaining the most interesting stuff with the alchemical system can be very dangerous if a wizard gets their hands on it. In any case, let's have it so that wizards are linked to this. Also maybe link this to the new wraith gamemode ? who knows

[DyssalC]

1. An industrial machine is fine, but working with old timey alambics, mortar and pestle and whatnot in a dirty closet can be fun too I suppose. Yet, it is better if we make it so that is relevant to the space station theme (by this, I mean let's not use old majik grimoires, getting an old wooden table full of strange apparatus covered in cobwebs is okay). (see 4) Also, having to use incantations (and thus having to expand your knowledge base) can be fun. Aspecially if some kind of minigame is involved with their discovery.

2. This implies that the smelter will be relocated in or near mining with some kind of access restriction, but I believe that placing the alchemical work area next to the smelter is better. Although I would be cool if it was relocated in some dark little room at the most crooked parts of the maintenance tunnels. The main concern is that workflow between mining, the smelter and the alchemical workplace should not be tedious.

3 and 4. I just remembered about the biodome "reward" and heck, making it work with strange arcane and powerful stuff can be great, but I believe that such darker and magical things should be the most difficult and secret things to achieve. Not sure if it's good to talk about what the biodome alchemical circle does here, but as I just said, doing such things and obtaining the same *wink* reward *wink* should eventually be very difficult and secret.

Though, it would be better off if it didn't work exactly the same way as in the biodome, since this will be in pair with the smelter mechanics, but heck, a compromise can be found.

5. I would not go as far as unleashing hordes of angry mobs, but things like curses, semi-permanent body horror, and yes, total ruinage of your materials, can be fun and not too punishing side effects. Of course, failing to perform the most arcane and obscure acts should end up in more severe horrible stuff happening.

Also, maybe it can be made so that attaining the most interesting stuff with the alchemical system can be very dangerous if a wizard gets their hands on it. In any case, let's have it so that wizards are linked to this. Also maybe link this to the new wraith gamemode ? who knows

1. I like the idea of machines being used, but I also REALLY like the idea of having to do things like grind up ore and then make a transmutation circle with it. In saying this, though, I also want to say that I don't want it to come off as TOO magicky. My take on a slightly more magical process:

Step 1: Insert ore into grinder to create 10-20 powder. Powder is spread on the ground, but works like cables rather than salt.

Step 2: Spread the powder into a shape, shapes are depicted in the guide found on the table.

Step 3: Place ore in center.

Step 4: Say the magic words.

Step 5: Hope you performed steps 1-4 correctly and that the RNG gods smile upon you.

The value of the ore used to make the powder would determine the chance of the alchemy ritual working. However, fucking up the shape would almost definitely cause you to fail, with horrible outcomes. Depending on the shape used, you also have a higher chance of success. There would be about 3-4 shapes, and maybe a granddaddy alchemy circle shape based on the one in the Biodome. Certain things would only be doable with bigger shapes, but they'd also be harder to accomplish with more severe consequences for failure. Circles wouldn't disappear after use, but you'd still need a special tool to collect it from the ground once spread, something like a broom. Besides using this to upgrade other ores with the ritual you could use it to get some special items.

I'd like to see your thoughts and ideas on a more mechanical-sciencey process to do alchemy.

2. I agree moving ores between the smelter, mining, and alchemy zones should be fluid. Personally if this were a thing I think it would be best if it was in the South-Eastern maint tunnels, in a tucked away area, maybe with a secret door like in the chapel. You walk in and you see a rickety wooden table with a guide and some materials, and a grinding machine in the corner. I also feel this would help make it fit in more, because I doubt Nanotrasen would have an officially sanctioned alchemy lab. This way it's like something one of the greyshirts cooked up when no one noticed.

3. and 4. If we're gonna be secretive about it I guess I'll be less loose about the Biodome, but if this were a thing that prize should definitely be involved in it somehow.

5. I feel that screwing up should have major consequences, but ya, releasing a bunch of angry mobs wouldn't be the best. I think permanent Stage 2 space madness or space madness where the hallucinations actually do damage would be nice.

[MedicInDisquise]

Have the chaplain have some say in the Alchemy stuff, given they specialize in the supernatural.