Some questions of interest.

DJ Dooms Day on 14/9/2006 at 09:21

Had a bit of a LAN the other day and ended up playing SS2. While playing we started to scrutinize the game and came to a few questions we couldn't solve:
1. At the VERY start when the satillite blows off and puts a hole in the hull and she tells us to get the hell out of there before it depressurises. A blue forcefield comes up to cover the hole. Apparently it doesn't stop air from flying out, so what does it do? What good does it serve?
Its a rather nit-picking and technical question, but one we couldn't solve.

2. The monkeys, the damn monkeys. Are they a minion of The Many? One would assume so as The Many claim quite a bit that they'll unify all flesh. But is that why all the monkeys got psionic powers? How?

Drat on 14/9/2006 at 10:16

1. Polito says that the blue pressurisation field won't last for long. So it does stop air, for a while at least.

2.The monkeys are their own faction, though that's only really focussed on in an easter egg. Next time you start again, search for a basketball in the street area before you enter the UNN building. Later in the game, drop the ball into the intact hoop in the basketball court on Recreation. Summoned basketballs won't work.

ToxicFrog on 14/9/2006 at 23:23

Setting aside easter eggs...

The monkeys - already extensively modified by human science to facilitate neuroscientific experimentation - began showing increased intelligence and aggressiveness and manifesting psionic powers after contact was made with the Many. A reasonable assumption is that either they are under the control of the Many, or that the Many simply boosted them psionically to cause trouble for the human crew while it/they cemented its/their hold.
The fact that the monkeys only attack you, not things bound to the Many, would argue in favour of the former interpretation.

Bluegrime on 15/9/2006 at 01:09

It could simply be that the Monkeys dont want to go and pick a fight with the Many, with they're whole.. Controlling the entire damn ship and turning the better part of the crew into tube-worm having bastards. Its just as possible that the Many might've over-done the giving the chimps psionic powers and given them a resistance of some kind to the usual mind control.

JossiRossi on 16/9/2006 at 19:22

Didn't the UNN psi-guy try to scan one of the monkeys before the Many was in the picture and find out it was blocking his thoughts? If it was BEFORE the many then these monkeys likely would have put up a fight to the many's control.

That'd be an interesting mod, make the monkey's atack you and the Many.

ToxicFrog on 25/9/2006 at 00:20

2114-06-26: "Ever since we reached Tau Ceti, the lab monkeys have been acting strangely."
2114-06-30: "While the lab monkeys may appear to be communicating..."
2114-07-01: Infested Watson returns from the surface of Tau Ceti V.
2114-07-03: Monkey blocks an attempted Beta 4 probe.

So, the monkeys started acting strangely after the Von Braun arrived in the Tau Ceti system, and started exhibiting psionic abilities after Many-infested crewmembers were brought on board.

William Dojinn on 26/9/2006 at 23:22

Hm, in the crystal shard's description wasn't it stated the many used them as amplifiers for their psionic power? If the apes were just on the edge of being psionicly active before reaching Tau Ceti....

*shrug*

Food for thought I guess.