The Automaton Project (Arc)

The Automaton Project is a series of events that can be triggered in most scenarios once you gain an Automaton. The series encompasses four events, each with multiple outcomes.

Fundamental Research
Once you acquire at least two automatons and have a staffed workshop, the first event will trigger shorty thereafter.

"Sir, an engineer is asking for a day off to study an automaton closely.

"The automatons can be improved! They may be the pinnacle of our technology, but if we learned how to make them, we can surely learn how to make them better. If I take a closer look at any machine, I can adjust it to improve its performance. Why should it be any different with them?""

You have the following options:


 * Carry on with the project: This engineer won't be able to work for 24 hours.
 * Get back to work.

Note, if you plan on giving the engineer a steam core later, if you tell him to "Get back to work" here, he will die at the end of the arc.

Test Subject Needed
The next event will trigger without additional input 24 hours later, as long as you continue to have a staffed workshop.

"Sir, the engineer working on the Automaton Project is back. He wants to borrow an automaton.

"I'm close to a breakthrough! I just need an automaton for a day and I believe I'll be able to propose specific modifications that will raise their performance permanently.""

You have the following options:


 * Give him an automaton: This automaton will not work for 24 hours.
 * We can't afford it: The automaton project will end.

Steam Core Needed
The next event will trigger without additional input 24 hours later if you give the engineer an automaton, as long as you continue to have a staffed workshop.

"Sir, the engineer working on the Automaton Project sent in his report. He broke the automaton he borrowed. Now he wants a Steam Core...

The damage hasn't been for nothing: we can fix the broken machine, and on top of that we can now adjust the automatons to make them work faster. The engineer's busy again now, but he said he's onto something "really exciting"."

You have the following options:


 * Give him a steam core: We will use 1 steam core. The efficiency of automatons will rise by 5%. Discontent will rise slightly.
 * We can't afford it: The automaton project will end. The efficiency of automatons will rise by 5%.
 * Keep working, we'll find a steam core later: The automaton project will continue. The efficiency of automatons will rise by 5%.

Note that the first option is not available if you currently have zero steam cores, and the third option is not available if you have more than zero.

If you chose the "Keep working" option, you'll later be presented with the other two options once you gain a steam core. This will not raise the efficiency of automatons a second time.

A Huge Success!
Another 24 hours after you give the engineer a steam core, as long as you continue to have a staffed workshop, you'll be given a final event. There are three variations of this event:


 * If you do not have Medical Automatons (Technology) researched you'll be granted the following option: Automatons can be used at medical facilities. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.

"Sir, the Automaton Project is complete. Automatons can now be produced at lower cost and used in medical facilities.

We learned to modify the automatons with precision attachments, allowing them to work on the most fragile thing we know of: the human body. It also turns out we can remove some non-essential parts."


 * If you have Medical Automatons (Technology) researched but not Medical Automaton Integration (Technology) researched you'll be granted the following option: Automatons working at medical facilities will be 20% more efficient. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.

"Sir, the Automaton Project is complete. Automatons can be now made cheaper and used in medical facilities more efficiently.

We have modified the automatons with padded extensions, allowing them to work more efficiently on the most fragile thing we know of: the human body. We can also remove some non-essential parts."


 * If you have Medical Automaton Integration (Technology) researched you'll be granted the following option: The efficiency of automatons rises by 5%. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.

"Sir, the Automaton Project is complete. It has delivered improvements to the efficiency of automatons and cut their cost.

We modified the Steam Core valve actuators so that they deliver more power to the automaton. It also turns out we can remove some parts that were reserved for future expansions."

A costly success
Alternatively, the arc can conclude with this event, if you chose to tell the engineer to get back to work but continue the automaton project. It results in a death, but the same modifications to your automatons.

"Sir, the Automaton Project is complete. It has delivered magnificent improvements of the automatons and cut their cost.

Unfortunately, the pioneering engineer has been killed by a Steam Core explosion. Perhaps the long nights spent in his workshop made him less careful than usual. Thankfully, we managed to recover his blueprints."

You have the following options:


 * He died for the good of all of us: The efficiency of automatons rises by 5%. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.
 * He died for the good of all of us: Automatons working at medical facilities will be 20% more efficient. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.
 * He died for the good of all of us: Automatons can be used at medical facilities. The cost of automatons falls by 5%.