Otto and Etherillium
When the Mimics spread their noxious haze across the land, the people of Skystone had no defense against the poison that was blanketing their world. While the early years in the sky were focused mainly on survival, in recent times the Nidarians have made strides in research to help stop the spread of the haze and give them a fighting chance of exterminating the Mimic races. At the core of this advancement is Otto von Tesla, and his use of Etherillium.
Located above the Main Dock in Nidaria, the Victory Lab is home to the great scientist Otto von Tesla, where he creates a variety of Ether-producing equipment for the Rook forces and the players in RoS. Using the rare etherite mineral, Tesla discovered that vacuum tubes constructed with an Etherillium filament would produce a gas-like substance called Ether when powered with an electrical current. Depending on the construction, these Ether-producing tubes had the effect of repelling the clouds of poisonous haze on the ground, as well as a variety of other restorative and fortifying properties.
Using this new Ether technology, the first Etherillium Coils were installed on the ground, boring deep into the earth wherever large deposits of Etherite were found. The Rook forces (and RoS players) now use the Coil installations as drop points and bases of operation in their attacks on the Mimics.
While the Ether produced by the Coils is dangerous to Mimics and their haze, it does not have any ill effects on humans or earth-based creatures. In fact, Otto discovered that by adding other elements with Etherillium in the filaments, the Ether given off by Tubes could actually be restorative and fortifying to humans that were carrying them. Realizing this would be helpful to the Rook forces (and players) on the ground, Tesla created portable Tube Circuits so people could easily equip and swap between Ether Tubes on the go, helping to boost their abilities when needed. Players in RoS can bring Etherite Geodes (found in Co-op Missions) to Tesla at the Victory Lab, where he can craft a variety of Ether Tubes with stat-boosting properties.
As with most technology, Ether Tubes can’t last forever, and their lifespan will gradually decrease as they are used in a player’s Circuit. When a tube burns out, its fortifying properties come to an end, and there’s nothing to do but toss it away. Thanks to the ingenious plug-and-power nature of the Ether Circuit, however, players can carry a variety of Ether Tubes and replace the burned-out Tubes as needed. Depending on the situation, players may want to remove all of their Ether Tubes and replace them with defense-boosting or attack-boosting models. Players will need to keep an eye on the circuit’s power gauge though, since using high-powered Tubes that exceed the battery’s safe operating levels will put the circuit into OVERLOAD! Tubes will still work when the circuit is overloaded, but their lifespan will drop considerably faster than if they were used in normal operation. It’s good for when you need a quick burst of high-powered stat boosts, but not very efficient for everyday use!
Posted by Matt under Game Design | Comments » (2 comments) |
