Let Xenobiologist and Xenobotanist pilot the Quark

[ASmallCuteCat]

As the title says.

Currently, the two Xeno-B roles are reliant on others piloting them out to a destination to get cool xenofauna or xenoflora. I think they should have the ability to take the Quark out and do their own expeditions as well.

This is especially rough for Xenobiologists, as then they can only play around with slimes on-ship, and would need others to bring back xenofauna from them.

If the Xeno-Bs could pilot, then they could also organize expeditions. I don't see a change from the Xenoarchaologist starting an expedition, and then inviting other people from Science along. It just gives Xeno-Bs the freedom to do their own thing on exoplanets, instead of having to wait for a Xenoarchaeologist or a generous shaft miner to bring them around.

I realize that Xenoarchaologist has nothing to do on-ship, and *needs* to go to away sites to find things for their gameplay. However, Xenoarchaeologist can take the Intrepid - also I feel like if people are hogging the shuttles and refusing to pick up someone who needs to use the shuttle, that's something that should be handled IC and/or ahelped if it gets out of hand.

[Nagito Komaeda]

Yes please, oh my God. It would be SO much nicer if the Xenobiologists and Xenobotanists could go out by themselves. Don't have many other words than YIPPIE

[NerdyVampire]

I honestly didn't realize that there was something concrete for bio/bot to get off-ship. Is it different from what they can obtain from strange plants in cargo or gold slime extracts?

This isn't an attempt at a counter argument, I'm just curious since I haven't seen that side of their jobs (for the same reasons you mention)

[Nagito Komaeda]

There's equipment that you can use to study the ground, atmosphere and the magnetic sphere of a planet, the surveying equipment. I'd imagine all of Science knows how to set that up, but the results are interesting and a useful starting point for xenobiologists and xenobotanists. They have the expertise to properly theorise how a specific ecosystem facilitates the formation and adaptation of life. With the camping equipment being added (tents, folding tables/chairs, sleeping bags), you can set up a small field base. It's soul.

Furthermore, with the Science sampler, you can take samples of the soil, the water, rocks, even animals. These can be studied in the Xenology Study.

For xenobiologists, they can capture wildlife on the planet for study, with traps, nets and potentially the tranq rifle. For xenobotany, they can study and collect randomly generated plants.

The xenoroles are rather lab-bound by mechanics, but the tools to do field work are there. I've personally done it quite a bit when playing Xenobotanist. It's fun, and beats sitting around in the lab literally waiting for plants to grow.

 

As of now, all of these things are limited by having a xenoarch, a Research Director, or another willing pilot bringing you down to the planet. Permitting the xenoroles to fly the Quark is a net positive imo, because xenoarchaeologists still have the possibility to take the Intrepid, and this gives these two roles something different to do in absence of a pilot.

[NerdyVampire]

On 09/03/2025 at 10:22, Nagito Komaeda said:

There's equipment that you can use to study the ground, atmosphere and the magnetic sphere of a planet, the surveying equipment. I'd imagine all of Science knows how to set that up, but the results are interesting and a useful starting point for xenobiologists and xenobotanists. They have the expertise to properly theorise how a specific ecosystem facilitates the formation and adaptation of life. With the camping equipment being added (tents, folding tables/chairs, sleeping bags), you can set up a small field base. It's soul.

Furthermore, with the Science sampler, you can take samples of the soil, the water, rocks, even animals. These can be studied in the Xenology Study.

For xenobiologists, they can capture wildlife on the planet for study, with traps, nets and potentially the tranq rifle. For xenobotany, they can study and collect randomly generated plants.

The xenoroles are rather lab-bound by mechanics, but the tools to do field work are there. I've personally done it quite a bit when playing Xenobotanist. It's fun, and beats sitting around in the lab literally waiting for plants to grow.

 

As of now, all of these things are limited by having a xenoarch, a Research Director, or another willing pilot bringing you down to the planet. Permitting the xenoroles to fly the Quark is a net positive imo, because xenoarchaeologists still have the possibility to take the Intrepid, and this gives these two roles something different to do in absence of a pilot.

Thanks for the clarifications 👍 it helped!