Nanites are tiny nanomachines that live in a host's bloodstream, providing different functionalities depending on how they're programmed. The mob where the nanites reside is usually defined as their host.
Nanite implantation can be done through the Nanite Chamber. A second person must operate the chamber from outside and begin the implanting process, at the end of which a new swarm will take root in the host.
Another method is to build a Public Nanite Chamber. Use a multitool on the Public Nanite Chamber circuit board first to choose which backup cloud you want it synched to. If you don't multitool the board it will default to cloud 1. Build the chamber using a machine frame. The public nanite chamber will automatically implant nanites into anyone who enters it, without the need for a second person.
A third method is through nanite-to-person interactions; certain nanite programs allow them to 'infect' people close by, with greater success through long-term proximity to an infectee.
There are currently three tools that can be used by nanite programmers.
Use this to scan implanted people. It will give you a readout with information about current nanite volume, which nanite programs are currently implanted and their active/inactive status. If a nanite swarm contains the “Stealth” utility program you will not be able to see the list of programs.
A remote used for sending signals to implanted nanites. Change its settings and then click anywhere or on a target to activate it. For example you can set the code to be the trigger code you gave the “Host Scan” program. Using this in hand will open a menu. Settings:
A remote used for sending custom messages to the “Skull Echo”, “Forced Speech” and “Hallucination (message only)” programs. The settings are very similar to those of the Nanite Remote Control. The difference is you set a Comm Code and Message instead of Signal Code and Relay. The programs installed must have the same Comm Code to be able to signal them with this remote.
Nanites generally expend a part of their volume while their programs are active. Luckily, modern technology allows them to integrate with the host's metabolism to replicate without interfering with biological processes, causing them to have a slow but steady growth rate. Nanites by default have a safety threshold where they'll stop using nanite-consuming programs; it can be customized using a Nanite Chamber. If the swarm reaches a population of 0, there's none left to replicate, and the host will have to implant nanites and programming from scratch.
Nanite swarms can contain nanite programs. These programs can have a huge variety of effects, and are loaded into a nanite swarm in two main ways: uploading them manually with a Nanite Chamber or by syncing them with a Cloud Backup. Once loaded programs cannot be directly modified; instead, a copy of the same program with the desired programming must be uploaded again to overwrite the previous one. There is no limit to the amount of loaded programs, but using too many at once will usually rapidly deplete the nanite population.
Nanite swarms can be set with a Cloud ID. If so, they will, every 30 seconds, copy the programming of the Cloud Backup with the same ID, if it has been set. Cloud backups are controlled by Cloud Control Consoles. They can create new backups (with codes from 1 to 100), as well as upload programs from a disk into the selected backup. Cloud control consoles also serve as storage, meaning that if they're disabled, they will no longer sync with connected nanites, and that if all cloud consoles are destroyed, all backups will be lost.
Cloud synchronization has several benefits over direct chamber programming: it can update programs without a second person to operate the chamber, it will reset programming in case of tampering or data corruption and can be updated remotely by a second person. Of course, the last part also makes it very risky, since anyone could upload malicious programs at any time if they have a console to do it with.
Nanite programs determine what nanites do inside the host. They have different categories and range from helpful to deadly.
Programs are unlocked through the RnD console at the science department. While basic nanite research only costs 1000 research points, further research requires nanite points which is gained by the amount of people with nanites injected. Dangerous programs are only unlocked through destructive analysis of abductor or traitor equipment. Once unlocked, they can be downloaded into Nanite Program Disks at any Nanite Program Hub.
Programs have several parameters that can be customized with the use of a Nanite Programmer. Simply insert a program disk in the machine and set the parameters you prefer. Note that codes set to 0 are inactive and cannot be signaled.
Some programs have an extra setting available for customization, like relay channels or signal codes.
Nanite Remotes can send coded signals to nanites. When a nanite swarm receives a signal, all its programs react if they recognize the code.
Nanite Remotes can be set to four modes:
Some programs do not have an effect over time, and instead must be triggered. To do so they can either receive a Trigger Code or set a Trigger Timer. Triggering a program generally has a cooldown as well as a cost in volume; if those requirements are not met the program won't trigger. If the program is not activated, it will also be unable to trigger, but activating the program is not the same as triggering it.
Data Corruption
Events like EMPs or shocks might result in data corruption in nanite programs, which can result in one of several different effects: - Toggles the program, deactivating it if active and viceversa. - Triggers the program, if it can be triggered - Deletes the program completely - Resets all the codes, preventing it from being signaled by remotes or signal programs. - Converts the program into a corrupted version. The glitch program depends on the program that got corrupted.
Nanite Types Nanites are split in several categories.
Utility Programs Programs that interact with the nanites themselves or have general utility purposes.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Metabolic Synthesis The nanites use the metabolic cycle of the host to speed up their replication rate, using their extra nutrition as fuel. The host must be at least well fed. +0.5 – – Smart Toxin Buildup Viral Replica The nanites constantly send encrypted signals attempting to forcefully copy their own programming into other nanite clusters. 0.5 – – Military Toxin Buildup Monitoring The nanites monitor the host's vitals and location, sending them to the suit sensor network. 0 – – Basic Toxin Buildup Host Scan The nanites display a detailed readout of a body scan to the host. Can pick between medical, chemical, or nanite scan. – 3 5s Neural Toxin Buildup Stealth The nanites hide their activity and programming from superficial scans. 0.2 – – Smart Toxin Buildup Subdermal ID The nanites store the host's ID access rights in a subdermal magnetic strip. Updates when triggered, copying the host's current access. – 0 5s Basic Dermalysis Relay The nanites receive and relay long-range nanite signals. Must be set with a relay channel beforehand. – – – Basic Toxin Buildup Signal Repeater When triggered, sends another signal to the host, optionally with a delay. Useful to set up multiple codes for the same program. – – – Basic Toxin Buildup Relay Signal Repeater When triggered, sends a signal via relay, optionally with a delay. – – – Basic Toxin Buildup Infective Exo-Locomotion The nanites gain the ability to survive for brief periods outside of the human body, as well as the ability to start new colonies without an integration process; resulting in an extremely infective strain of nanites. 5.5 – – Hazard Hypoxemia, Necrosis Mitosis The nanites gain the ability to self-replicate, using bluespace to power the process, instead of using the host's metabolism. This rapidly speeds up the replication rate, but it causes occasional software errors due to faulty copies. Will not activate if the nanites are synced to a cloud backup. +0.5 to +5 – – Hazard Toxic Electromagnetic Resonance The nanites cause an elctromagnetic pulse around the host when triggered. Will corrupt other nanite programs! 0 10 5s Mesh Toxin Buildup
Augmentation Programs
Augmentation programs offer boosts and bonuses to the host.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Nerve Support The nanites act as a secondary nervous system, reducing the amount of time the host is stunned by 75%. 20 – – Neural Nerve Decay Dermal Hardening The nanites form a mesh under the host's skin, protecting them from melee and bullet impacts. 0.5 – – Mesh Dermalysis Dermal Refractive Surface The nanites form a membrane above the host's skin, reducing the effect of laser and energy impacts. 0.5 – – Mesh Dermalysis Rapid Coagulation The nanites induce rapid coagulation when the host is wounded, dramatically reducing bleeding rate. 0.2 – – Biological Hypoxemia Electric Conduction The nanites act as a grounding rod for electric shocks, protecting the host. Shocks can still damage the nanites themselves. 0.2 – – Mesh Nerve Decay Mental Barrier The nanites form a protective membrane around the host's brain, shielding them from abnormal influences like a mindshield implant while they're active. 0.4 – – Synaptic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Healing Programs Healing programs fix a variety of damage and ailments that affect the host. They generally consume a lot of nanites, so it's advisable to activate them manually when necessary.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Accelerated Regeneration The nanites boost the host's natural regeneration, increasing their healing speed. Does not consume nanites while the host is undamaged. 2.5 – – Biological Necrosis Temperature Adjustment The nanites adjust the host's internal temperature to an ideal level. Does not consume nanites while the host is at an ideal temperature. 3.5 – – Mesh Dermalysis Blood Purification The nanites purge toxins and chemicals from the host's bloodstream. Does not consume nanites if the host has no chemicals nor toxin damage. 1 – – Smart Hypoxemia, Necrosis Neural Regeneration The nanites fix neural connections in the host's brain, reversing brain damage and minor traumas. Does not consume nanites if the host has no brain damage. 1.5 – – Neural Neuro-Necrosis Blood Regeneration The nanites stimulate and boost blood cell production in the host. Does not consume nanites if the host has enough blood. 1 – – Biological Hypoxemia Mechanical Repair The nanites fix damage in the host's mechanical limbs. Does not consume nanites if the limbs are undamaged. 0.5 – – Basic Necrosis Selective Blood Purification The nanites purge toxins and dangerous chemicals from the host's bloodstream, while ignoring beneficial chemicals. The added processing power required to analyze the chemicals severely increases the nanite consumption rate. Does not consume nanites if the host has no toxins damage. 2 – – Harmonic Hypoxemia, Necrosis Bio-Reconstruction The nanites manually repair and replace organic cells, acting much faster than normal regeneration. However, this program cannot detect the difference between harmed and unharmed, causing it to consume nanites even if it has no effect. 5.5 – – Harmonic Hypoxemia, Necrosis Neural Reimaging The nanites are able to backup and restore the host's neural connections, potentially replacing entire chunks of missing or damaged brain matter. Does not consume nanites if the host has no brain damage. 3 – – Harmonic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Defibrillation The nanites shock the host's heart when triggered, bringing them back to life if the body can sustain it. Ghost has 8 seconds to re-enter their body after the trigger. The host can not have 200 or more total damage (including toxin and oxyloss damage) or the revive will fail. Unlike with ordinary defibrillators (just need less than 180 brute and burn) the revive will not heal or cause any oxyloss or other damage, which means it's possible to stand up instantly if hurt less than crit threshold. – 25 12s Harmonic Shocking Glitch Programs Defective programs caused by data corruption, and not otherwise obtainable. Generally, range from mildly to moderately dangerous. Can stack.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Glitch A heavy software corruption that causes nanites to gradually break down. 1.5 – – – None Necrosis The nanites attack internal tissues indiscriminately, causing widespread damage. 0.75 – – – Glitch Toxin Buildup The nanites cause a slow but constant toxin buildup inside the host. 0.25 – – – Glitch Hypoxemia The nanites prevent the host's blood from absorbing oxygen efficiently. 0.75 – – – Glitch Neuro-Necrosis The nanites seek and attack brain cells, causing extensive neural damage to the host. 0.75 – – – Necrosis Brain Misfire The nanites interfere with neural pathways, causing minor psychological disturbances. 0.5 – – – Neuro-Necrosis Dermalysis The nanites attack skin cells, causing irritation, rashes, and minor damage. 0.25 – – – Necrosis Nerve Decay The nanites attack the host's nerves, causing lack of coordination and short bursts of paralysis. 1 – – – Necrosis Weaponized Programs Aggressive programs which use nanites as a military-grade weapon. Moderately to extremely dangerous to the host and/or their surroundings.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Cellular Breakdown The nanites destroy cellular structures in the host's body, causing brute damage. 1.5 – – Biological Necrosis Poisoning The nanites deliver poisonous chemicals to the host's internal organs, causing toxin damage and vomiting. 1.5 – – Biological Toxin Buildup Memory Leak This program invades the memory space used by other programs, causing frequent corruptions and errors. 0 – – Smart Toxin Buildup Aggressive Replication Nanites will consume organic matter to improve their replication rate, damaging the host. -1 – – Harmonic Necrosis Meltdown Causes an internal meltdown inside the nanites, causing internal burns inside the host as well as rapidly destroying the nanite population. Sets the nanites' safety threshold to 0 when activated. 10 – – Military Glitch Chain Detonation Detonates all the nanites inside the host in a chain reaction when triggered. 0 25 10s Military Toxin Buildup Heart-Stopper Stops the host's heart when triggered; restarts it if triggered again. 0 12 1s Military Nerve Decay Cryogenic Treatment The nanites rapidly sink heat through the host's skin, lowering their temperature. 1 – – Mesh Dermalysis, Sub-Dermal Combustion Sub-Dermal Combustion The nanites cause buildup of flammable fluids under the host's skin, then ignites them. 4 – – Military Dermalysis, Cryogenic Treatment Mind Control The nanites imprint an absolute directive onto the host's brain while they're active. 3 – – Hazard Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Suppression Programs Programs with the goal of acting as a deterrent against the host. Generally nonlethal.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Electric Shock The nanites shock the host when triggered. Destroys a large amount of nanites! – 10 30s Mesh Toxin Buildup Neural Shock The nanites pulse the host's nerves when triggered, inapacitating them for a short period. – 4 30s Neural Electric Shock, Nerve Decay Sleep Induction The nanites cause rapid (but not instant) narcolepsy when triggered. – 15 120s Synaptic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Paralysis The nanites actively suppress nervous pulses, effectively paralyzing the host. 3 – – Neural Nerve Decay Death Simulation The nanites induce a death-like coma into the host, able to fool most medical scans. 4.5 – – Harmonic Necrosis, Nerve Decay, Neuro-Necrosis Pacification The nanites suppress the aggression center of the brain, preventing the host from causing direct harm to others. 1 – – Synaptic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Blindness The nanites suppress the host's ocular nerves, blinding them while they're active. 1.5 – – Synaptic Nerve Decay Mute The nanites suppress the host's speech, making them mute while they're active. 0.75 – – Synaptic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Forced Speech The nanites force the host to say a pre-programmed sentence when triggered. – 3 2s Synaptic Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Skull Echo The nanites echo a synthesized message inside the host's skull. – 1 2s Smart Neuro-Necrosis, Brain Misfire Hallucination The nanites make the host hallucinate something when triggered. – 4 8s Synaptic Brain Misfire Sensor Programs Programs that will self-pulse a given code when their condition is met.
Program Effect Volume per second Trigger Cost Trigger Cooldown Required Techweb Corruptions Health Sensor The nanites receive a signal when the host is above/below a certain percentage of health, with crit being 0. 0 – – Biological Glitch Critical Health Sensor The nanites receive a signal when the host first reaches critical health. 0 – – Biological Glitch Death Sensor The nanites receive a signal when they detect the host is dead. 0 – – Biological Glitch Nanite Volume Sensor The nanites receive a signal when the nanite supply is above/below a certain percentage, with the safety threshold being 0%. If safety threshold is higher, it will skew the percentage. For example, with threshold 50, 100 volume will count as 50 available volume, which means 10% instead of 20%, and the full 500 volume will count as 90%. 0 – – Basic Glitch Damage Sensor The nanites receive a signal when a host's specific damage type is above/below a target value. 0 – – Biological Glitch Voice Sensor Sends a signal when the nanites hear a determined word or sentence. 0 – – Smart Glitch
Tips
Certain programs will take nanite volume even if it's activated or not. Some programs need a trigger to work at all even if it is set to activated in the programming hub. For example, you will have to add Death sensors towards Defibrillation for the program to activate.
Nanites volume speed can be increased with programs but each come with their own pros and cons.
If anyone is hit with an EMP with nanites inside them, the Nanite chamber in your workplace can remove the glitches if the person is in the chamber and another person works the console.
Sensor Programs are the key towards making programs work when you want them to or when it would only make sense. Don't let programs run all the time because it can drain volume drastically.
The cloud allows you to have more deviation in your nanites. On cloud 1 you could have something for the public. On cloud 2 you could have nanites dedicated to security.
It's a good idea to keep tight wraps on who messes with the cloud. Make sure to shutdown Unauthorized Crew from approaching it at all cost. If they were to upload something malicious it could mean a shuttle call.
Unless you are an antagonist with hijack, or your captain has his eyes towards a special way to use the weaponized programs, it's best you stay far clear of them. These programs can cause harm and death to a lot of people at once.
The Nanite remote controller can be used to activate said nanites depending on the code. It can activate one person, a group or only local and relay. Also handy in testing out your nanites to activate them and make sure they work.
Suppression Programs are very useful to give to the public and give security a nanite remote controller. This can allow security to stop criminals without even laying a hand on them. If the criminal has the nanites that is.
Your nanite scanner is your best friend. It can help you see who has nanites, what the nanites do and how much volume said person has. This is key in rooting out glitches or subverted nanites. Also useful for checking if nanites are activate or not.
The nanite heart will increase replication by 1. Viruses with nano-symbiosis will increase replication by 0.5 at stage speeds 1-6, and by 1 at stage speeds 7 and above.