Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn

[Spanksh]

Actually, I was testing this last night. When you dump the UA from the hold, it tumbles & spins for a bit, getting slower & slower until it stops & holds a fixed position in space. What's weird is that that's different behavior than when I jettisoned the Soontill Relic cannister from my hold in Soontill (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ-T7590WeA). Unfortunately, I tried repeated drops in the same place to see if it was pointing the same way (compass needle) & it does not. It does seem to stop rotating though.

Well this at least definitely proves that it isn't just some random object, but a "ship" or "drone" along the lines of a navbeacon, which is specifically designed to float in space and hold its position.
While we "knew" this for a while already, there is still a fine line between assuming and having evidence, and this would be some evidence to back this up. Maybe underwhelming, but still something.

 

[mrtree]

One other thing on the topic of Sap 8 - In-game lore seems to suggest they're a data storage thing. Doesn't really mean anything specific, I'm more than willing to try meeting up with someone to test the Sap 8(s), but we may not get much out of them. Then again, maybe I'm wrong & we will.

 

[Patau82]

Well this at least definitely proves that it isn't just some random object, but a "ship" or "drone" along the lines of a navbeacon, which is specifically designed to float in space and hold its position.
While we "knew" this for a while already, there is still a fine line between assuming and having evidence, and this would be some evidence to back this up. Maybe underwhelming, but still something.

so its not a baby space station ready to grow

 

[mrtree]

You are doing great.
Where arre you going tonight?

Try to get some close up videos if you can. To see the lights on the end of some of the12 pods.

I will try to check old videos for this.

The list of stuff to try tonight is pretty short:

* recording the pods on the UA in a couple systems, to see what's there
* maybe hitting up the 120:0:80-ish region (need confirmation on Oromecani & Nanate being in the right range)
* maybe headed back towards Halsey's route to see if I can find anything there (really wish the GalNet lore had included the system they were in when they started the jump)

Happy to test anything else.

 

[EAGLE 5]

Couple of things..

1. Sap 8 am I the only one that thought that the number 8 was significant... as in potentially an octadecimal system of data storage potentially (and specifically) for Thargoid data storage since they do things in 8?

2. OK I don't remember reading this and this may very well be a bit oversimplifying things but I do believe that FD wants us to try something simple... Assuming potentially that A. the UA is some sort of beacon or data repeater B. there is some sort of code or type of pattern to its transmissions and lastly C. communicated audio but also visually...

Has anyone tried using the ship's lights to replicate the pattern or at least the on/off light sequence the UA emits? All the mention of morse, and blink code really made me think of this. Perhaps we may even need to do something similar by using lights and the ship's scanner very much like in close encounters of the 3rd kind... a blink for a blink and a honk for a honk?

 

[Patau82]

One other thing on the topic of Sap 8 - In-game lore seems to suggest they're a data storage thing. Doesn't really mean anything specific, I'm more than willing to try meeting up with someone to test the Sap 8(s), but we may not get much out of them. Then again, maybe I'm wrong & we will.

maybe the UA can decode the data? does the Morse change when next to one

 

[bitstorm]

OK I'll nab some SAP 8's.

mrtree do you want to liase tonight sometime?

 

[mrtree]

OK I'll nab some SAP 8's.

mrtree do you want to liase tonight sometime?

Sure. What timezone is "tonight" for you? I'm Central time (-0500 GMT, thanks for nothing DST) but can be flexible around timing.

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maybe the UA can decode the data? does the Morse change when next to one

We'll test that & I'll try flashing the UA, both to match its lights & the Morse angle. Not sure I can do something much more complicated that SOS, but will try

 

[bitstorm]

Sure. What timezone is "tonight" for you? I'm Central time (-0500 GMT, thanks for nothing DST) but can be flexible around timing.

Ah,I dunno if there will be a time overlap. =(

Well it is 19:30 now, I think it is 13:30 now for you.

I'm off swimming in a sec + will be back ~1.5-2 hours.

So back at say 21:30 (15:30 for you) then say I'll be on till midnight (18:00 for you).

I could perhaps push it to 01:00am so 19:00 for you.

Let me know, off out now be back later.

Maybe you could create a private UA group or something we can use that?

 

[QorbeQ]

I've seen Sap 8s - I'll scan everything I come across.

 

[Saool]

Can I just check, the two SSS that drop the UAs, do those set ups spawn regularly but have nothing to do with UAs, EG they have other cargo? As I find these all the time?

 

[Grumbleweed]

Can I just check, the two SSS that drop the UAs, do those set ups spawn regularly but have nothing to do with UAs, EG they have other cargo? As I find these all the time?

Yes and no... Similar convoys exist, usually carrying painite, hafnium or other bits and bobs, but you know you found a UA when the chat between the convoy is all about being spooked out, and "we dont want to mess this up". There's a screenshot of it on the wiki, linked from the first post of this thread.

 

[QorbeQ]

Can I just check, the two SSS that drop the UAs, do those set ups spawn regularly but have nothing to do with UAs, EG they have other cargo? As I find these all the time?

Yup. No chatter, no UA (I'm led to believe). Typically they'll have Hafnium 178 instead of a UA

 

[EAGLE 5]

Yes and no... Similar convoys exist, usually carrying painite, hafnium or other bits and bobs, but you know you found a UA when the chat between the convoy is all about being spooked out, and "we dont want to mess this up". There's a screenshot of it on the wiki, linked from the first post of this thread.

Indeed and you read it long enough they start to complain about unusual failures with the ship's modules that's how you know you got it.

 

[Han_Zen]

I didn't see any of the colour pulses as it was too close, but I did see some of the cell banks (the 8 legs things sticking out below the head) glowing.

Here is a test for ratking and mrtee.

When you deploy in a system, how many of those cell banks light up?

Is it a small number / large number or just ambient lighting?

If they light up on their own, does he number change each time in the same system and different systems?

In all the recordings I have watched today, there has been two of the 12 legs that light up. No the same two every time.
No idea if it is significant.

Edit: in RedWizzards first video, I think it might be 3.

 

[bartmoss]

COME ON FD GIVE US A BLOODY CLUE...........please

No, please no hints! It will be much cooler when we finally work it out without hints.

- - - Updated - - -

The purring sounds, we have not done anything with yet.

Well, it's obviously a binary code. I'm tossing them around, but I am not very mathmatically inclined, unfortunately.

We should presumably create a repository of sightings. Much like you started with your list. Catalogue every video we have, and every "manual" observation. Document colored flashes. Transcribe purrs. Include the morse code. Whatever people can think of.

 

[Han_Zen]

Well, it's obviously a binary code. I'm tossing them around, but I am not very mathmatically inclined, unfortunately.

The purs are to slow to be binary in my opinion. You get one byte of data per "lap". We will need a long recording, if it's not just a simple number.
On top of that, the patern never seem to repeat.

 

[Timsk]

Just parked at 109 Virginis/Melvill fur the night, to finally try and do something useful and join the hunt for additional UAs, having been thoroughly entertained by following all your deductions and ideas over all this time. I checked out many SSSs in Chamunda earlier as I was near, but only Hafnium convoys of any note.

So many significant efforts by so many of you, it's been a great adventure to follow so far - and I look forward to seeing how it continues to play out (however quickly or slowly). Great work, commanders!

If I bump into any of you in the black, I'll be sure to stop and say hello.

 

[bartmoss]

The purs are to slow to be binary in my opinion. You get one byte of data per "lap". We will need a long recording, if it's not just a simple number.
On top of that, the patern never seem to repeat.

The speed is really inconsequential, it just means that the UA has a worse baud rate than my first modem.

As for repetitions, dunno. I have seen only four transcripts, from two experiments that Kulin evaluated. Most people seem to simply dismiss the purrs.

I find it unlikely that an obvious binary code, in a puzzle designed by computer people, has no meaning.

The main problem with the binary code idea is that some of their "bytes" are six bits, and some 7 bits. One can always assume leading zeroes, but it's a bit messy that way.

 

[mrtree]

Alright, I grabbed a recording (https://youtu.be/XDgljhFWa8I) of:

* Flashing lights on when it lit up
* Flashing some bad Morse at it (SOS)
* Trying to chat with it in local comms
* Observing what the pods' lighting looked like

Bonus: You get to see me clumsily smack my ship directly into the UA.