"Gloss, I am telling you, we need those extra inventory slots, it's almost 500 total with all the mods, and we can unlock them in the playthrough as we go." Caldesan said.
"Doesn't it feel like a bit much though?" Glossarai asked skeptically.
"Dude, "Just Fly" is a bit much if I am being honest, we can go insane speeds with that and cross the map in seconds. But you are worried about less trips to the Item Hub?" Caldesan said in his standard sarcastic fashion.
"Okay, okay, okay. Let's keep the 500 extra inventory slots, upgraded hypertube boosters, the decorations, the furniture, the extra logistics, the farming mods, and the cool lights one." Glossarai said.
"Exosuit, More Hand Slots, Zip Strips, the Daisy Chain mod, and obviously the Smart Foundations mod...that thing is just too op...aaaand a couple more ." Caldesan said.
"Smart Foundations, that's the mod that let's you make a whole platform at once, right?"
"Hah! Not just that, it lets select the length, height, and width of platforms and walls, and walkways, and even machines. So you can just drop a line of 10 daisy chain Constructors and hook them all up and start producing! OR, as long as you have the matierals, make a floor or wall or as large as you can afford with the materials in your inventory, it saves a LOT of time." Caldesan said with a look into the distance with ideas of a mega factory
"Alright, and the Daisy chain is the power thing?"
"Yeah, instead of plugging all of the Constructors into power pylons, we can just connect them to the next one in the chain and they join the network, making it easy to run cables straight from there. Trust me, we will do that one, the Node placement, the spy satelite, the minimap and a few other ones..." Caldesan said ominously.
"Dude, those are pretty cheaty." Glossarai said.
"What ones, I don't know what you are talking about."
"You know what I am talking about."
"Okay seriously though, I just want to be able to have a beautiful base so we can drop a few "pure nodes" here and there, and everything will be just fine." Caldesans shot back. (Pure Nodes are the highest grade of any given resource)
Glossarai Sighed heavily into the microphone.
"Come on, we won't use the op ones unless it's necessary, plus we can use the food, furniture, and decoration mods to make actual living accomedations so we can do a little bit of RP just like in Minecraft. I am starting it, are you ready?" Caldesan said with finality.
"OK, lets do this." Glossarai said with his game face on.
The screen fades into what looks to be the interior small pod, with the blackness of space out a small vertically rectangular window. A screen in the pod drops down showing the basic requirements to play the game, and the 3 things required for engineers to complete, in the form a silly animated video. As Pioneers, they are to harvest resources, build infrastructure, and to explore and analyze anomalies from the planets surface for further study.
"...Warning, Planetfall Imminent, please remain seated during full procedure." A female automated voice said.
"Atmospheric entry in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Planetfall procedure initialized." The same voice said.
"Here we go!." Caldesan said to Glossarai, as the window of the pod began to show a bluish hued light from below as it began to rumble.
"Wait, what area did you pick?"
"hahahaah" Caldesan laughed as he watched the strap on his Ficsit building tool, which was on the wall by the door, raise into the air during freefall.
Flames surrounded the pod as it the sounds and vibrations grew in intensity with the atmospheric entry. The Flames dispersed after pasing through the clouds revealing the Rocky Desert, the beautrful Azure Blue palm trees and rocky landscape with a few spines of rock protruded from the ground, high into the sky, there were clear blue streams of water flowing, and dirt and sand everywhere else.
They hit the dirt as the the pods powered down. "Planetfall complete." The screen raised to unblock the door, the rollercoaster style over the top shoulder harness lifted up. "Please insure the integrity of your Multipurpose Exploration Suit is at 100%."
My character reached up to the dual door levers, and began to pull them down. The door opened, and there was a hissing followed by a whoosh of air as the pod opened, and the door lifted upwards on hinges.
A THX style movie theater sound blasted in from all directions as the pioneers first unfiltered view of the Rocky Desert in all its glory came into view under the hatch. My character grabbed the building tool and inspected it.
"Remember, efficiency first. Godspeed."
"Haha, this intro never gets old, I get the chills everytime!" Caldesan said.
"Yup, they really did a good job with it, also my first time starting in the Rocky Desert." Glossarai said replied.
"Yeah, I just love those Blue Palms, they are amazing, I got the decorations mod, so we can place some of them for biomass. I couldn't pass that up." Caldesan replied.
"Alright, lets start with the basics and get harvesting." Glossarai said, smile evident in his tone.
Caldesan chuckled while looking at Glossarai instead of starting to work, Glossarai looked back after hearing the laugh, "What?"
"Hehe, your character is a chick, dude." Caldesan said.
"So is yours dude...plus I usually play girl characters anyways, like Fem shepard and even in MMOs." Glossarai replied.
"Oh, well, I guess it's just standard then...ahem...Alrighty well, lets do this!" Caldesan replied slowly at first.
And thus began the first 500 hours of their playthrough.
500 in game hours later..
On another planet called Agua, in the Elven City of Diyaene, Council Chamber, during the Summit of the many races of Agua.
Concerning the recent Devil Invasion.
High Elven Lord Jaenen Karhaleon, ruler of the Elven Council of Diyaene, addressed the many races of Agua, "My fellow Aguans, I know we have had a great victory, but the damage to our infrastructure is catastrophic, the infiltration from the Devils was successful in more ways than I care to acknowledge, but if we do not address our basic ones, we will run out of supplies momentarily.
"Almost all of the farming land on our continent was based in the Fields of Amouldenire. They currently are scorched landsAs many of our races are not able to consume meat, we find ourselves in a dangerous situation. Almost all of the fresh water is supplied from the Great Lake of Fronnitar, but the springs have been corrupted.
"Thousands of our people are left as refugees scattering to other cities. At this point the desert to the west seems more habitable than whats left after the fall of Atlantor. It was the city that brought us all together, and...well we all know its gone now. I guess my point is that we are in trouble, we need water, we need food, we need infrastructure. And all we have left is cities bursting to capacity, armies camped outside hoping to go home soon, we need to find a solution, or many, and fast." Lord Jaenen finished with a sad tone.
"But wwwwhaat arrrreee we tooo doOOoooo?" The Representative of the Beastmen colonies, a Cat Demi-human replied, in a familiar accent to those who have taken part in the Elder Scrolls Series. "Ourrrrr people have already hunted many species to nearrrr extinction, and nowwww the rivers and grrreat lake bounties arrre noo morreee, what caan we do?"
"I concur with D'zargen, the Beastman Ambassador, he brings up a great point, the Waters and water dwelling species are going to be ruined for generations unless we find a cure for the springs, magical or otherwize. It is halfway through the summer and most mountain run-off has already been tainted." King Desmian Chandlar, of the human Empire of Tevate said.
"Sir, what about the...thing.." A small voice of a servant behind the Human King Desmian Chandlar said.
"What thing..ohh. That thing...hmmmmm." The KIng contemplated.
"King Desssmian? Something you wish to tell us that may be of help?" Sentachor Elnor Metahfi, the Naga Ambassador said from behind his podium.
The chamber was silent as the human King seemed to contemplate something.
"Well...this would be something ridiculous, I am not sure it would even work, and we don't know what it means, but it would be such a long shot. I don't think it would work." King Desmian replied while deep in thought.
"We should entertain any and all options just as Lord Jaenen Karhaleon has spoken, it should be." The Shaman of the Giant Honey Badger nation said, in a surprisingly calm and smooth voice. Not to be confused with beastmen, the Giant Honey Badger Society is made up of Giant Honey Badgers that can range from the size of a dog, to and elephant based on age, power, and magical ability. The Shaman stood at about the size of a horse, but looked exactly like a honey badger. Warning:Do Not Call them beastmen.
Lord Jaenen nodded, and looked curiously at the Human King.
The King raised his head and said, "We have a Goddess of Agriculture and Infrastructure. We thought that she was an inactive Goddess, as many are, however one of her temples priestesses found...some artifact bearing a resemblence of her name. It is said that when the artifact is activated, and I quote,"Those of dirt will fall from the sky and Infrastructure will be made from them, food will blossom from bubbles, and water shall be made again."
"It is a silly thing that has been in our history, but it seems that many of our people have turned to the Gods of late, and the Priestesses of FicSitine in particular. The Goddess of Infrastructrure is one whose kindess is loved by many. So I do apologize if that seems out of the ordinary. But there have been rumored of a salvation of ifrastructure, an odd sentiment to be sure." King Desmian continued.
"That sounds like exactly what we need."
"Yeah, I think we should go with that option."
"Weee agrrrrreeeeee, the Goddess FicSitine shall be who we put our faith in."
"I also shall spread the word of FicSitine, let us all go with the great King Desmian to his Temple of FicSitine immdiately!" Lord Jaenen said dramatically, while slightly smiling at the ridiculousness of this situation.
King Desmian had a blank face of shock. "wha..wha..wha..Are you serious? You just agreed to it like that? There is no way its going to solve all of our problems..." His words fell on deaf ears as the other delagates seemed very excited.
"Am I missing something here?" The baffled King stared awstruck at the other leaders and as they got ready to leave for the human city they all walked by the King to the portal hub with smiles.
"Come Now Dzarjen, I have full faith in the Deity, you know all it takes is a little faith sometimes, I am sure that is what got us through that war, the Human God of War of course." Lord Jaenen spoke happily to the Beastman Ambassador, of course he was referring to the final blow to the General of the Invading Devil Army, who was brought down finally with a blast from the sky, cast from the Priests Of War, from the Human Temple of War under the God Aresade. So popular opinion of Human Dieties have increased greatly.
"I myselllfff have been praying to the Human God of War as well, that was a fantastic spell that no one person could have cast without direct aid of their own." Dzarjen replied casually.
"Oh my word, they actually beleive it." the King whispered to his aide after the group walked by.
"I have faith as well my King! FicSitine won't let us down!" King Desmian shook his head at his aide wondering why everyone was so sure of this.
"...alright...lets go I guess." The King Followed the rest of the delegates.
The Temple of FicSitine, In the Square of Divines, Human City of Teran-Suore
After the group of Ambassadors and Leaders stepped into the temple with the odd orange and light blue writing on the front, they were greated by a High Priestess of FicSitine.
"Greetings Leaders, Ambassadors, and My King Desmian, Welcome to the Temple of Infrastructure, have you come for the artifact?" Highpriestess Alana asked with a knowing smile.
With a raised skeptical eyebrow the King sighed before nodding slowly. "Of course she knows." The King thought.
A winning smile on her face Alana replies, "Wonderful, we must go to the desert in the west."
"What?!" looks of confusion were exchanged around the group of people. The western desert was a barren waste land that had a few salt water lakes that would get so salty that sand would sit on it if it was fine enough.
"That is where the artifact is, and the only place to activate it." Alana said with a smile, "There is a temple there, so we can just teleport through the magic of my Goddess." She walked back behind the main altar in the small temple and pulled aside a tapestry revealing doors, "Come this way please." She said with the same knowing smile.
Through the doors revealed a large oval about 6ft tall and a couple feet wide.
"This is our device." Alana walked up and muttereted some other words and the portal opened she immediately stepped through without saying anything.
"Uhm, well, I guess lets follow." King Desmian said to the gasping group of leaders.
On the otherside of the portal they found themselves in a similar room with a similart device that also floated off the ground.
After the entire group made it through the High Priestess nodded and walked out of the building through a side door. Following her outside led to the bright rays of the sun on the edge of what seemed to be a very large and relatively flat sandy desert to the west. To the south was the largest uncorrupted lake in the free kingdoms. To the east was more grasslands for many miles, while to the north would eventually break into large mountains.
"The artifact is just over here."Alana said, while walking around the side of the building towards the desert. When the group emerged from the building there was a 50ft tall statue of a person in weird armor with a solid faceplate, that was without a doubt female in nature, all of her skin was covered and it looked like she had a handle of a weird shaped sword in her right hand, made entirely of silver. It was standing proud with a glowing...rectangle infront of it. Walking up to the base of the statue the priestess read the screen.
"The Plaque reads, "Press the button, and FICSIT will send Pioneers to explore! They will drop from the Sky, people of Earth, and Efficient Infrastructure will be their goal, with food and water they will bring you hope."
King Desmian looked around at the serious contemplative faces of the fellow representativs of the other races of Agua, "This is crazy religious babble, will this actually work?" The King asked Alana.
With another one of her knowning smiles she replied, "I have faith that it will." And she pressed the red button.
The statue lit up as if it was glowing, and the screen said, "Summoning Pioneers!"
"15 minutes until Pioneers arrival, 100 m to the west of the statue."
The screen then changed and began counting down, 14:59, 14:58, 14:57...
"Aaaannnnnd DONE!" Glossarai said estatically.
'Clap Clap', Caldesan activated the emote and said "Nice work Gloss! I think that's game, I don't know what else we would need to do, until the next update at least." Caldesan said.
"Haha, I mean we have everything unlocked and automated, and we also have all the alternate recipies, all the power shards we need, and inhalers, nuclear and poison gas filters, and more, like its a lot. But we can always find more to build." Glossarai said
"True, lets go back to the HUB and see if we can find anything interesting." Caldesan replied, even after making all the huge rooms with furniture and more he always love brainstorming in the HUB.
"Hey what is that?" Glossarai said while looking at the research screen.
"Its blinking?" Caldesan replied.
"Yeah, does it normally do that?"
"Nope." Caldesan answered.
They walked up to the screen together, and read it.
Congratulations, you have pioneered this world! FICSIT would like to offer you a chance to explore another world, please make sure to fill your inventories, and get all of your usefull items before accepting. You have 10 minutes and counting to accept.
A countdown timer appeared on their huds. 9:59, 9:58, 9:57...
"Oh my god, what horrible mod did you add to the game Cald?" Glossarai asked accusingly.
"What...I, dude I didn't add anything, the mod list is the same since the start of the playthrough, minus updates, I didn't add anything I swear..."
"Okay lets go get everything we need to start a new base in our inventories, but I have a feeling we should bring more than we need of things like medical inhalers, and Power Shards." Glossarai said, in his serious voice, it was obvious that he was ready for this regarless.
"We have over 500 slots in our extra dimensional storage so grab a bit of everything, and at least a few stacks of the hard to get stuff, also extra metal plates, cables all that stuff. You know what to do...oh also computers and heavy modular frames and a few stacks of beacons too!"
"I know Gloss, I get it!" We were running around the item hub while sweating in our computer chairs. " I don't know how much longer I can stay on tonight anyways, I have to work, so once we start this event, I have to go to sleep." Caldesan said.
"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah we just need to finish this event intro probably, let's go!" Glossarai said with his excited voice trembling.
We sprinted back to the HUB it was at this point I realized that where the work bench normally is ther was a set of doors and they slid open to reveal two seats like the one in the drop pod, but in the cargo area of the Rocket Ship.
"Uh look at this, Gloss!"
"Yeah, I see, uhhh, do we get in before or after we hit the button?"
3:38, 3:37, 3:36...
"Uhh, we have like three minutes, so lets both get in first." Caldesan said.
They got into the ship with full inventories, ammo, explosives, building mats, and more. Pressing the "E-key" on the Chairs they sat down in the ship which had two seats facing the rest of the HUB. As soon as they sat down the doors closed...
"Well I think this was right...haha This is a crazy mod addon or something, I wonder if this is just a new play through... They must have changed it, if it is, im going to bed." Caldesan said while saving the game.
"There I saved it, just in case."
Glossarai nodded, then looked down between them, where another red button that somehow still had the Santa sleigh on it from the christmas event. "Oh look." he said before smashing the button with the F key.
In the real world, Caldesan look at the time, it was indeed getting late, but they finished the playthrough to their own expectations earlier than they had expected. As the rocket lifted off from the HUB, he looked to around the compartment and chuckled.
"Well, GG, Gloss, that was a fun playthrough either way." Caldesan said.
"Haha yeah it was, I still have some ideas I wanted to try though..." Glossarai said, as his always-working brain continued diligently.
As we entered orbit the same female voice of ADA that greeted us, once again spoke, "Congratulations Pioneers, it is time for another journey, your mission is the same, efficiency first. Prepare for wormhole introduction in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Wormhole introduction engaged."
"Uhhh, wtf does that mean?" Caldesan said.
"I have no clue!" Glossarai replied.
Then their vision went black. No, not the screen, both of the real people playing Satisfactory got pulled into their screens. Their vision cleared and they found themselves looking through a glass surface oh a helmet at the inside of a drop pod. The other thing was that they could feel themselves in the pod, a very terrifying thing indeed.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
"GLOSS GLOSS GLOSS WAAAAHHHHHHHH" The pioneers did the reasonable thing, and screamed.