Guide to Genetics

Xenogenetics is the in-universe name for this discipline; the wiki article is Guide to Genetics.

This guide is a basic introduction to xenogenetics (xenofauna genetics, cloning, mutations, and the genetic sequencer). The system is still in development, so the wiki may be outdated from time to time. That said, xenogenetics is straightforward, fun, and powerful once you know the basics. This guide includes the Vesalius-Andra analyzer workflow, Gene Irradiation (Genetic Sequencer), cloning vats, injectors and purgers, and the old DNA modifier lab.

Harvesting Genes From Animals to Mutants

Genetics is heavily limited at the beginning, due to your vital equipment not being upgraded. It is recommended to upgrade your machinery (e.g. better manipulators, scanning modules, and matter bins) to save DNA, meat and time.

The centrepiece for turning flesh into genetic data is the Xenofauna Genetics Pulper. It accepts raw meat (up to five slabs at a time) or one whole non-human creature. Add meat by placing it in the pulper, or grapple an animal (monkeys, spiders, birds, and other organic fauna) and put it inside—the pulper's biosafety will refuse humans. Turn the pulper on to process; it destroys the contents and produces Mutagenic Sample Plates carrying the genetic data. Whole creatures yield more plates than meat alone (their meat value plus a bonus), so putting a full body in when you can is efficient. Meat must have come from something with genetic data (e.g. butchered from a creature) for the pulper to produce useful plates.

You may also have a Gibber and a Meat Spike in or near the lab. The gibber works like the kitchen one: suitable for monkeys, spiders and other critters. If it is access-locked, you can try hacking it with a multitool (several times) until it allows use. The meat spike lets you grapple corpses and harvest meat from them. Both give you meat that you can then feed into the Xenofauna Genetics Pulper to get sample plates.

Monkey and human limbs can be butchered for a small amount of meat: put legs or arms on a table and use a knife to get an extra slab. That helps finish a run or get a head start on the next clone.

Sample plates are the key to genetics work. Do not grind every bit of flesh in the Advanced Grinder if you still need genetic samples—use the pulper for that.

Gathering protein (often called animal protein) is a huge part of cloning. At the start of the shift, without upgrades, cloning can cost a lot of protein (e.g. a cow-sized clone can be on the order of hundreds of units), so it is important not to waste it early. The Vesalius-Andra Advanced Grinder helps a lot: anything on the south tile of the machine is automatically pulled in and ground, saving you clicks. It holds a large amount of reagents and does not auto-dispense into bottles unless you tell it to. Click-dragging a B.I.D.O.N. canister onto the grinder from its west tile anchors and links the canister so you can transfer stored liquid (e.g. protein) directly into it, saving time compared to filling by hand or bucket.

A few tricks to get more protein:

1. Cutting meat slabs into slices yields a bit more protein per slab.
2. Some cow mutations let you milk them for protein, giving a slow but steady supply.
3. Medical may have spare protein bottles (e.g. from roach meat); check the chemical fridge or ask.

The Vesalius-Andra Genetic Analyzer

This analyzer is the workhorse of the department. Load sample plates into it (capacity depends on upgrades; base is several plates).

Each plate shows a set of mutation blocks. At first they appear as "???" because they are not yet analyzed. You can only analyze a limited number of blocks per run (default two; upgrades increase this). To analyze: choose "Analyze" for a plate, then Mark the blocks you want to identify. Marked blocks turn from yellow to green (or show a checkmark turning to "X" for colour-blind mode; unmarked stays as "Unmarked"). Confirm "Analyze" to consume that sample plate and reveal the marked mutations—analyzing destroys the plate, so mark only what you need or can afford to lose.

Sync with RnD uploads your discovered mutations to the main R&D console and awards research points based on what you have scanned, which helps R&D early in the shift or when they need a few more points for new research. That can make your lab a priority for upgrades.

To discover rarer or more advanced mutations you may need to Combine genes. Use the Combine (or Key) button and add two or more mutations from a plate into the combine list (left to right). Use "Remove" to take one back if you misclick. When you have at least two in the list, confirm to combine them; this can produce a new mutation (which may still show as "???" until you analyze it on another plate). The Merge function is different: it merges two entire sample plates into one, combining all their mutations onto a single plate (one plate is consumed). Useful for building "super" samples with many mutations.

As you add and combine mutations, Instability rises and falls. Each mutation contributes its own amount. Do NOT let instability reach 100%—at 100% and above, serious effects (including clone damage and worse) can occur. Keep an eye on the displayed instability when building samples.

Gene Irradiation (Genetic Sequencer)

The same analyzer provides Gene Irradiation (sometimes called the genetic sequencer). This turns a single known mutation into a new variant—e.g. roach DNA can be irradiated into different roach breeds, cloaking into phasing, and so on. It does not consume the whole sample plate; it replaces that one mutation on the plate with the irradiation result.

On the Vesalius-Andra Genetic Analyzer: From the main menu, on any loaded sample plate, each mutation block has an Irradiate button. Click it to irradiate that mutation. The machine will show "Irradiation Complete!" and the new mutation (which may still show as "???" until you analyze it elsewhere). You can then irradiate again on the same or other plates to discover more variants. Recipe results depend on the mutation type (see in-game mutation guides or experiment).

Handheld option: The Vesalius-Andra Debug Scanner (if available in your lab) can scan a subject or meat to load genetics, then use the verb Irradiate Gene to irradiate a chosen mutation from the loaded data. You can then use Print Sample Plate to create a plate from the result. Useful for quick sequencing without using the main analyzer.

Irradiation is key for unlocking advanced mutation trees (e.g. spider/roach/termite breeds, phasing from cloaking, flesh sacs from certain DNA). Combine it with analysis and combining to fill the mutation database and build powerful samples.

DNA Sampling and Prep Are Done—Now What?

To the left side of the lab you will find Vesalius-Andra Xenofauna Cloning Vats. These large tubular machines are where you grow clones. For each vat you need:

1. A sample plate with the genetics you want (and an active clone mutation—the vat uses that to decide what to grow),
2. A Vat Control Console adjacent to the vat (to start and monitor the run),
3. A B.I.D.O.N. canister with protein, anchored to the west tile of the vat (click-drag the canister onto the vat to link it).

Operate the vat from the Vat Control Console: load the sample plate into the vat, ensure the linked B.I.D.O.N. has enough protein, then start the run. The vat drains protein over time. If the canister runs out of protein before the clone is ready, the run can fail and you get a half-cloned mess—wasted materials, time and work. The vat can clone any organic creature for which you have a viable sample (from meat that produced a plate with a clone mutation). Do not leave a vat unattended once the clone is ready: a fully grown creature can eventually break out and cause a mess. A ready clone will bang on the glass and give sound and chat cues.

If you want the clone to have specific mutations active, prepare the sample in the Vesalius-Andra Genetic Analyzer first. Set which mutations are active (bright green) and which are inactive (flashing red). For colour-blind mode, use the written descriptions. Always check what is active and inactive before you load the plate into the cloner.

Be. Sure. To. Always. Check. BEFORE. Cloning.

When cloning something hostile or dangerous, have Trauma Teams or armed guards ready in case of a breakout, and remember ALWAYS FOLLOW SoP.

Mutations in You

Before giving anyone mutations, document what you are doing and get consent. If you are testing on yourself, note that too. If you have access to uranium (e.g. from R&D), you can print Vesalius-Andra Mutagenic Purgers. These clear all mutations from a subject and reset instability to zero—essential for undoing mistakes. Keep at least one or two on hand.

To apply mutations to a human (or yourself): load a sample plate into a Mutagenic Injector, then inject the target. The injector delivers all mutations on that sample plate at once. Some may be active and some inactive. You can use a Vesalius-Andra Mutagenic Purger to remove everything in one go if needed—you did print one, right?

Bureaucracy

To some the most fun, to others a painful paperwork system that has no real reward other than covering you from the iron hammer of the Iskhod Rangers looking to shut down your fun experiment. Be sure to always have your papers, findings and collection of data scanned, copied and filed; otherwise you may be visited by a large group of trigger-happy Blackshield and angry Rangers looking for any reason to start a shootout or an arrest!

Tips and Tricks

1. Follow SoP and get consent plus proper paperwork before human trials—it keeps the Rangers and Blackshield off your back.
2. Upgrade the analyzer (scanning modules, matter bins) early: more plates and more mutations per analysis save meat and time.
3. Keep at least one Vesalius-Andra Mutagenic Purger on hand before injecting anyone; mistakes are easy to undo if you have it.
4. Use the excavation pick’s batch option: enter the number of 2 cm steps (e.g. 30 for 60 cm) so the bubble dig is one continuous action.
5. Before loading a plate into the cloner, set which mutations are active (green) in the analyzer—the vat clones whatever is active.
6. If you are low on animals, Lonestar cargo can import basic fauna; Prospectors often have rare or dangerous specimens—secure deals for meat or samples from the field.
7. Irradiate common mutations (e.g. roach, spider, cloaking) to unlock advanced breeds and abilities; check in-game mutation trees for recipes.
8. Slice meat before grinding when you need protein; some cow mutations can be milked for a slow but steady protein supply.
9. Sync with RnD from the analyzer when you have new mutations—it gives research points and can make your lab a priority for upgrades.
10. For dangerous clones, have Trauma Teams or armed backup ready and use the disposal pipe to vent the vat when the clone is ready instead of opening it manually.

What About the Console to the Right of the Lab?

That is the old DNA genetics equipment, which still works alongside the Vesalius-Andra xenofauna system.

Bare-bones guide to the old system:

1. Put a monkey (or subject) in the DNA modifier and save to buffer.
2. The UI controls appearance: hair colour, eye colour, hair style, horns, wings, etc.
3. Rejuvenators are used with a beaker added to the DNA modifier; you can inject the subject with the beaker's contents (e.g. anti-mutation or anti-radiation chemicals).
4. Use the S.E. (Structural Enzymes) buffer: save to S.E., then mutate the leftmost block(s)—e.g. set the first few digits to D or higher (E, F) to try for powers.
5. Print a single injector needle, inject someone (or yourself). There is a short cooldown; you must save to the S.E. buffer again each time you want to test a new code.
6. See if it grants powers; repeat as you go.
7. Obvious mutations include TK, X-ray, blindness, stuttering, Hulk, and others.
8. The test subject does not need to be alive to mutate them in the modifier.
9. Be careful: each needle is radioactive and can slowly harm or kill the subject. Work with medical for anti-radiation chems.