MUTANT OUTBREAK!!! HOW IS MINING AFFECTED?

A number of natural and unnatural developments have taken place recently on Arkadia. The result is that there are some significant and exciting changes awaiting colonist discovery. The following surveillance audio was recently recovered from the Scientific Research Lab:

‘Morning Lucca, what you working on there?’

‘Oh, hi Alina! I was just analysing this… well… ‘Mutation Agent’ is the best thing I can call it.’

‘Mutation Agent? I don’t recall us developing anything remotely mutagenic.’

‘Well…’

‘Okay, out with it. Where did you get it?’

‘When I arrived earlier, there was a delivery with a note attached. It was a container of this bright green substance along with a selection of animal specimens. The note didn’t say where it came from but clearly explained that they wanted us to find out what we could about it and send the results to the IFN.’

‘Sounds very suspicious and illegal. Maybe we should contact IFN HQ now and report it to Captain Chiharo?’

‘If we do that, we need to have something solid to tell them first. They’re going to ask.’

‘Fair enough. So, what have you found out?’

‘Well, it seems to have some interesting properties as a sort of catalyst.’

‘A catalytic mutagen?’

‘Well, yes. It seems to interact quite predictably with all of the cellular DNA that came with the package. I’m just experimenting with some others now, and getting the same results.’

‘Wait, are you telling me what I think you are telling me?’

“Yes, I am. This stuff could be dangerous in the right hands. And furthermore, from the spectral analysis, it’s definitely not a substance we have catalogued as forming naturally anywhere in the known universe.’

‘So, let me get this straight. Someone who would prefer to remain anonymous has created and delivered to us a Mutation Agent, urging us to warn the IFN.’

‘Exactly. Someone who no doubt knows what this stuff can do, and no doubt has kept at least one sample for themselves. Now imagine what could happen if somebody added this to the refiner when making a DNA Cartridge.’

‘Oh wow. How much more of this stuff is out there?’

‘I have no idea. But we’re going to report this right now.’

The following are changes that come with Planet Arkadia Update 2013.2. This information is provided to the extent that the ACA is at liberty to discuss at this time. Log in today and check things out for yourself, to discover how the changes affect you!

NEW CONTENT

Mutation Agent has been discovered!

The Scientific Research Lab is still coming to terms with the new Mutation Agent being collected by colonists all over Sentosa.

Mutated creatures are being spotted all over Sentosa!
Based on Dr. Lucca’s tests, the most likely conclusion is that someone has used the Mutation Agent to alter native populations of many Arkadian creatures. The scientists are still unsure how this has happened so quickly, but are confident the creatures will be gone in the near future. Colonists are advised to approach with caution, and take this limited opportunity to scan and collect data on the poor creatures. Beyond this, the likely only further opportunity would be is if a colonist was to utilise the Mutation Agent in DNA creation.

Mutated DNA – additional option for land areas!

The IFN strongly urges against this behaviour, but Dr. Alina has shown it is now possible to include Mutation Agent in the creation of the DNA part for most creatures. Underground creatures, which appear non-responsive to the Mutation Agent, are an exception to this. Item descriptions of DNA animal parts have been updated where appropriate to reflect the change. Approach with research and caution. A technicality: the refiners do not allow the Mutation Agent to be the last ingredient added. If you must create a mutant, add the Mutation Agent first.

Oratan stats have changed. Why are they easier to fight?

Reports are flooding in that Oratan seem somewhat stupefied of late. Less agressive and with a lowered rate of attack, they seem to be able to take more damage before succumbing. Perhaps if there is a force guiding the Oratan’s activities, this force has had a change of heart. As usual when it comes to Oratan, very little is known or understood about their behaviour or developments, except for one constant: they want us dead, they are relentless, and there appears to be no end to their numbers.

Oratan changes indicate a confrontation may be imminent!

In the light of the reported fundamental changes to the Oratan, the IFN cannot rule out a change in strategy from whatever is guiding them. The IFN requests all colonists to prepare themselves for a confrontation that appears inevitable. We have held them back before, and we will do it again. Further information will be passed to colonists as and when the intelligence becomes available.

IFN Killpoint Challenge – Oratan has been added!

To take advantage of the more aimless state the Oratan seem to be in, a new type of mission has been created. Instead of simply tracking the number of kills, the mission tracks the type of kill, and allocates points based on the type and maturity of the Oratan that are killed. The bigger it is, the more points you get. The new mission can be found at the IFN Challenge Terminal. All colonists are asked to open the mission and eliminate every Oratan they find. The mission assigns killpoints to Oratan, Oratan Slasher, Oratan Lancer and Oratan Miner only.

IFN Killpoint Challenge – Ostelok has been added!

Programmers took the opportunity, while creating the IFN Killpoint Challenge, to add similar missions for the Ostelok. Points in the mission will be assigned based on the maturity of Ostelok killed. The new mission can be found at the IFN Challenge Terminal.

IFN Challenge introduced for Carabok and Gallard!

As single-maturity creatures, Carabok and Gallard have been given a standard IFN Challenge. The new missions can be found at the IFN Challenge Terminal.

Mining activity from Oratan has affected colonist mining!
PTech has reported disturbances in recent yield allocations, which engineers believe may be linked to a series of Oratan-infested mines that have only just been discovered. They are all within short distances of Oratan camps, for which colonists have map markers.

PvP – Contaminated Arctic Mining Zone!

With PTech’s reported disturbances, rare resources are being discovered in the Arctic region, but they seem to be located in an area that poses a health risk to colonists who enter. The IFN has marked out the contaminated zone, which is a circular area centred around the coordinates 12318, 27839, and are recommending all colonists entering the area first use an Anti-Toxic Shot, available from the Trade Terminal for 5.10 PED. Miners beware! In this area it is possible to both kill and loot other colonists, so be on the look out for hunters wanting a share of your valuable resources!

PvP – Desert Oil Rig!

A new Oil rig has been placed in the desert area for public use. All colonists are free to collect Oil as it flows periodically from the rig. But it won’t be easy. The rig is located inside a PvP zone, where colonists can kill, but cannot loot, each other. The PvP zone is a circular area centred around the coordinates 10185, 11861. This area does not require an Anti-Toxic Shot to enter.

Oratan mines located! Clean them out, loot real life Skullcandy headsets!
The purpose of the Oratan in collecting resources is unknown, but it is almost certainly evil. The IFN wants colonists to investigate the Oratan mines and clean out this scourge that has infested the landscape. As an additional incentive to do so, certificates for real life Skullcandy headsets have been temporarily placed in their loot. This is part of a joint promotion with Skullcandy, who will post the real life items directly to anyone holding a certificate who claims the prize by emailing community@arkadiastudios.com

The following headsets are available:

• SLYR – 5 sets available!
• PLYR 2 – 4 sets available!
• PLYR 1 – 3 sets available!

New Viceroy Armour – Skullcandy Edition built just for you by Bill at Celeste Quarry, in a new type of quest!

The second part of the new Skullcandy joint promotion is a custom armour set, made by a gentleman known only as “Bill”, who is currently stationed at Celeste Quarry. This new type of quest requires colonists to trade resources to Bill in exchange for Unlimited armour parts that are bound to the player’s account and cannot be traded.

The Viceroy – Skullcandy Edition armour parts will only be available from Bill until Planet Arkadia Update 2013.3, expected in September. After this, Bill will be producing standard Viceroy armour which will have identical statistics to the Skullcandy Edition.

Colonists are encouraged to approach Bill to discuss purchasing their own bespoke armour set.

Stats for the armour are as follows:

• Plasma Prototypes – two new weapons in the Arkoin Broker!
  Eclipse, a new entrant in the Arkadian weaponry market, has introduced two new Prototype weapons to the Arkoin Broker – the Eclipse 2000 Plasma Carbine Prototype (L) and the Eclipse 4000 Plasma Carbine Prototype (L). Be one of the first to experience a new type of Arkadian weapon!
• Adjusted Musca – graduates of mentorship now receive Adjusted Musca instead of Pixie armour!
  Arkadian Mentors have long been asking for a genuinely Arkadian reward to be given to their disciples upon graduation, and the ACA is proud to now introduce such a thing. The ACA also plans to introduce Arkadian mentor rewards in future.
• Custom storefronts – check out some of the new shops that colonists have had customised!
  Arkadia Studios recently announced that if you purchase an upgrade of 50 item points to your shop, you can have your own customised store-front personally created by the development team. The first of these have now been created. Take a walk around Celeste Harbour (which has been optimised with dramatic frame rate increases) and check out the new looks!
• New Account Creation – new players now arrive from orbit via Dropship!
  The team has been hard at work improving the experience of brand new arrivals to the Arkadian system. New colonists will now complete basic training and customise their avatar on board a mothership in orbit around Arkadia. Following this they are directed to a Dropship, which transports them to a brand new arrival area on the surface of Planet Arkadia, which replaces the previous building.

KNOWN ISSUES

Turrets Misbehaving

Colonists at Celeste Outpost and the Command Post at 31462, 11043 (near the Carabok and Gallard event area) may notice turrets continuously firing and appearing to follow them around as long as they are in its range. Rest assured, they are still only causing damage to enemies. IFN engineers understand exactly what is causing the problem and will have it fixed within a week.

Oil Rig Not Pumping
The oil rig will start pumping oil in the next few days. Please stay tuned for further information on when it will be operational.