The Quest To Find Raxxla
- Thread starter Macros Black
- Start date
So, when was Raxxla created? Is it older than humanity? Yes. Is it older than the universe? No.
So, what is Raxxla? It is a gateway between universes. A traversable wormhole fits all the criteria of being Raxxla. What is not certian is if Raxxla is natural or manufactured.
After my last post I did more research into what we know about wormholes. My last post was horrifyingly inaccurate and out of date! I'm a bit out of my depth here. I'll update you all if I find out how to narrow down our search.
Edit: It is entirely possible for a wormhole (and also Raxxla) to be massless as it would be a purely geometric phenomena! Your FSD wouldn't be able to jump to it. Hope this helps.
So, what is Raxxla? It is a gateway between universes. A traversable wormhole fits all the criteria of being Raxxla. What is not certian is if Raxxla is natural or manufactured.
After my last post I did more research into what we know about wormholes. My last post was horrifyingly inaccurate and out of date! I'm a bit out of my depth here. I'll update you all if I find out how to narrow down our search.
Edit: It is entirely possible for a wormhole (and also Raxxla) to be massless as it would be a purely geometric phenomena! Your FSD wouldn't be able to jump to it. Hope this helps.
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Right. My point was, if that station is so well obfuscated, so dark, anybody who wants to find it will have to explore (I bet in normal flight) different possible orbits.
Is there a way (ofc it is doing some statistics math) to determinate the most probable, based on the average values of a set of already known stations? In other terms, are the station orbits totally random in ED or do they follow some rule, probably based on planetary parameters. Knowing that formula might help those who want to look for that hidden TDW station. Because, as I said, I don't think that FSS, probes, and randomly orbiting the body in SC a couple of times may be enough to unveil it. Would already have been done.
(I am not saying I am waiting for our brilliant Herr Professor-Doktor to do the work and figure out that formula, but it could be interesting to investigate if there is such a feature in ED
. Canonn nerds never wondered about it ?)The thing is, we even don't know if the "ED Raxxla" follows the lore of " TDW novel Raxxla". We just don't know what FD have done with RH's creation.
It could be just as Rafe Zetter described it, or it could be just anything else that DB and MB imagined and deigned to implement into the game, with much, little or none respect for the original. Is it a functional gate to other universes, or is it a barren Soontill-like planet, another petty, shortviewed and finally uninteresting FD creation ?
Best question which should be asked to DB is not "Where is Raxxla " but "What is Raxxla". The Codex doesn't help, but succeeds in muddying the waters even more.
(I, for myself, always liked the "Oolite Raxxla". Not saying it is what we have in ED.)
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Thanks. It was the Thargoid Data Gathering effort that I knew about so that helps.I assume you want the link for the EDMC plugin for Canonn?
Thargoid Data: We need your help | Canonn Research Group
With reports that Thargoid interactions are spreading, we want to introduce some scientific rigor into the capture of the data, and for that we need your help.canonn.science
Coming back to your post...
Ok, so there's some gaps between what you're saying and what's been going on to the best of my knowledge. Those gaps could be stuff that I've missed so please provide any supplemental links if that's the case.
Let’s start with the basics.
Originally data was being entered manually into spreadsheets.
What the plugin did was to automate the data capture and spreadsheet data entry.
The plugin started out with USS info, which allows data on Thargoid related USSs to be gathered and collated.
That’s in response to player actions - resolving USSs types.
It was known that some USSs were Thargoid related and so those were specifically being looked for.
It was then extended to hyperdictions - again, definite events happening to players.
So there’s a key principle there - established events are being recorded, and the plugin automates it.
In terms of the patrols, that’s not something I’ve had much involvement in, but as I understand it, the plugin references a spreadsheet of locations of interest and pushes nearby ones to players, including info on what should be looked for.
Let’s come back to the Thargoid stuff.
There’s lots of info on Thargoids. And lots of things that can be read and linked to Thargoids. We’ve already covered two.
In terms of bases, there’s the Thargoid Structures in and around the Pleiades. Definite things which a plugin can capture the discovery of.
Further on those:
- There’s two types of site, Active and Inactive
- Active sites have an accessible Thargoid Device, which when correctly activated allows the location of several more Thargoid structures to be worked out.
- This results in a network of sites which link to each other. (The nature of it’s on this kind of form- Site A links to B, C, D. Site B links to E, F, G. ... Site M links to A, F, Y. etc. etc.)
- In an inactive site, the Thargoid Device can’t be accessed. This results in a semi-broken node in the network. The inward links from other sites to that one exist, but the outward links from that site to others don’t exist.
- Due to the broken nodes, there’s a possibility that a site exists where the links to it are broken because they’re all from inactive sites. This would mean that the site can’t be discovered by following the chain.
- At one point at least a site of that nature had been found (though links to it may have later been found, I’d need to check and confirm).
- The Thargoid Structures appear in systems with specific criteria.
- So, a search can be defined.
Search criteria:
- Within X ly of Merope
- System has Y types of bodies
- System doesn’t have a known Thargoid Structure
However, as you can see, there’s a clear defined search which can be co-ordinated. We could just as easily do the same here in that situation.
Is there something else you’re specifically aware of in terms of searching for Thargoid bases?
Also the same question for a homeworld.
The homeworld one’s a bit daft IMHO anyway. Loads of known Thargoid related areas are permit locked. They’re millions of years old as a galactic civilisation, and it’s very likely that ‘the homeworld’ is essentially meaningless now anyway. Looking for a homeworld seems to me to be more like an exercise in chasing deafult sci-fi cliches than a realistic search for something.
Coming back to a very basic point in terms of searching, and the use of the plugin, the FSS scan will now give the numbers of Thargoid signals detected on/around a body. This can be reported by the plugin and the data collated and analysed. What would be the equivalent be for the search for Raxxla?
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Right. My point was, if that station is so well obfuscated, so dark, anybody who wants to find it will have to explore (I bet in normal flight) different possible orbits.
Is there a way (ofc it is doing some statistics math) to determinate the most probable, based on the average values of a set of already known stations? In other terms, are the station orbits totally random in ED or do they follow some rule, probably based on planetary parameters. Knowing that formula might help those who want to look for that hidden TDW station. Because, as I said, I don't think that FSS, probes, and randomly orbiting the body in SC a couple of times may be enough to unveil it. Would already have been done.
(I am not saying I am waiting for our brilliant Herr Professor-Doktor to do the work and figure out that formula, but it could be interesting to investigate if there is such a feature in ED
The thing is, we even don't know if the "ED Raxxla" follows the lore of " TDW novel Raxxla". We just don't know what FD have done with RH's creation.
It could be just as Rafe Zetter described it, or it could be just anything else that DB and MB imagined and deigned to implement into the game, with much, little or none respect for the original. Is it a functional gate to other universes, or is it a barren Soontill-like planet, another petty, shortviewed and finally uninteresting FD creation ?
Best question which should be asked to DB is not "Where is Raxxla " but "What is Raxxla". The Codex doesn't help, but succeeds in muddying the waters even more.
(I, for myself, always liked the "Oolite Raxxla". Not saying it is what we have in ED.)
It’s not occurred to me that TDW station might not be visible in SC. To date I have assumed that it should be visible in SC and would also be detected as a human signal by mapping the appropriate 8th moon. If this hypothesis is incorrect and we have to drop out of SC at the correct orbital point at the correct 8th moon to stand a chance of detecting it then it might never be found
The station should be orbiting an 8th moon, which in turn is orbiting the parent planet. The obvious thing for FD to do would be to locate the station at one of the Lagrange points, I’m guessing at L1 or L2 (https://www.google.co.uk/search?sou...131j0i131j46.PU4rlvg8pEs#imgrc=_yMEjRbtc4mfyM) or it could be orbiting around the moon as the diagram shows. Either of these three possibilities seems to comply with the Codex phrasing, and possibly the Horizons start menu pic.
I don’t think we have any indication of likely detection range do we? All we know is that it’s operating at minimum power, hence dark. Can we deduce any of the likely characteristics? We know it’s an old station (look at the Horizons pic, that’s not a current station design), therefore probably smaller mass than current stations. Can we estimate how much power is minimum?
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Well.. It's just my own humble opinion based on rational statements, Pa !
As ED is becoming more and more arcade-ish, maybe TDW station can very well be detected in SC when you approach it or even when launching the FSS as soon as you enter its system as an "unknown contact" of sorts (and soon even still docked at Eravate with the incoming Extended FSS ! Cool !).
Would just be.. "FD-esque". The legendary TDW home base,supposedly in silent running, as easily detectable as any other space debris. LoL !
I think it is supposed to be very hard to find. But certainly "findable", because of the 8th moon clue thing. Or just a new FD's carrot?it then it might never be found
Now, who finds it will provoke a major turn in the ED general story line. Almost as huge as finding Raxxla.
Nothing will be the same like before.
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Codex said:
To me, that says we're not intended to find the Dark Wheel station.
I think there is an analogy here with the Engineers.
Imagine if there was an unknown Engineer, whose unlock requirements were unknown, but whose base the Codex told you was on a station in low power mode around the 8th moon of a gas giant.
You could search for gas giants with eight or more moons near the bubble and map the eighth moon in the hope of finding the base. With crowdsourcing and time, you would eventually find it, unless it was permit-locked. Without the invitation, you would not be able to dock and, just like the other Engineers, if you get too close without an invite, you get shot at. You can survey the base and take a rebuy or two but you need to dock to progress. Worse - if the location becomes known, TDW might move out (or jump the station - Jaques might not be the only one with a movable station!) as there are probably a few people who would be interested in disposing of them!
The way to find and use that Engineer would be to find the unlock requirements, triggering the invite. This assumes that invites are not dealt out personally by a GM. When you have as many CMDRs as there are here, there ought to be some idea as to the conditions.
The Codex gives only the hint of 'a handful of the bravest and most competent pilots of each generation', adding that there is a task that must be completed in addition: 'a suitable test of courage and skill'.
So what is measured in-game that can be used to distinguish between the 'bravest and most competent pilots of each generation' and the rest?
Furthermore, once those conditions are met, there must be a 'suitable test of courage and skill' that must be passed.
Only once both of these happen, is an invite forthcoming.
Currently, no one appears to have been invited. It is less clear whether or not anyone has met the conditions, or been given the test.
Therefore, it is worth collecting the characteristics of those searching to see if there is some statistic or measurement that the game records but which none of us have (triple Elite by itself is clearly not enough).
Secondly, it is worth keeping an eye open for possible tests. Currently, I think the Tip--off system is one mechanism that could be used to set a discreet test, however I have found them hit and miss and too similar in their objectives: they do not all meet the 'suitable test of courage and skill' (my emphasis), rather how to infiltrate a base or scan a crashed ship. What exactly are they testing for? It certainly need not mean blowing up lots of skimmers or transporting biowaste. Perhaps we should be alert for unusual missions and, if anyone finds something, we need to see what characteristics those CMDRs have, to see if they meet conditions that the rest of us do not.
Again, I'm assuming that the invite is issued algorithmically, not by hand. There are arguments for both. I don't want that debate to detract from the effort to find the conditions.
My own statistics that could potentially (though these are of course open to discussion) have relevance:
ranks: Triple Elite (since Dec 3304)
superpowers ranks: Admiral, Duke
superpower reputation: friendly with all.
Engineers: all grade 5 except Etienne Dorn (not given him any occupied escape pods)
outstanding fines and bounties: none
max distance from start: 65222 LY
total distance travelled: ~2.4 MLY
systems visited: 71K (from ~93K jumps)
to add: combat and trade stats not yet recorded with screenshot
trade profit: ~979 MCr
It might perhaps be worth adding the number of System permits acquire/the Systems unlocked. I don't know whether we ever pursued the idea of unlocking all known permits.
I have all of them except for the CQC system permit (this was one of my early priorities before Engineers and various other 'unlockables' were added to the game).
EDIT: some of the system permits are no longer available. e.g. the Phekda permit lock was released and the system can now be reached without it. (This was a change made a couple of weeks after the release of 2.0). Certain permits are also tied to navy rank. The condition of 'all permits' is therefore not going to be attainable for most players, however a subset of permits does seem reasonable so it is something that is worth recording.
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Here is my take on all this. Raxxla is a black hole, or seems to be. Unlike regular black holes this one will charge your engines to a near infinite capacity. A one jump passport to anywhere in the galaxy. I would assume that this is where the Dark Wheel might have gone but unlikely as they have eyes on what is going on here. But here is a hint. Read the codex, follow the clues and astrology might lead the way.
I’m beginning to think you’re right, though there is the very woolly codex hint that it’s orbiting 8th moon of a gas giant somewhere. It does seem that this “treasure hunt” has no real clues. I have one Raxxla hypothesis left for Tyko to test, then don’t know what I’ll do.
Don’t fancy the look of any of the other games around, including Dual Universe...
"Finding TDW station" and "getting an invite fom TDW to be one of ours" have not to be mutually exclusive. They are two different things.
Imho.
There are "8th moons" in SD. I would laugh when the station will be found orbiting one there... Under our noses, undetectable.
(Dual Universe is still running in Alpha 2, for kickstarters and so. It's a pure sandbox, no story lines other than those you build yourself. But you have a total freedom to do what you want in one unique instance, the same for everybody. Very different from ED. (Some crazy organized people even started the construction of the Death Star... Years ! LoL !)
Imho.
There are "8th moons" in SD. I would laugh when the station will be found orbiting one there... Under our noses, undetectable.
(Dual Universe is still running in Alpha 2, for kickstarters and so. It's a pure sandbox, no story lines other than those you build yourself. But you have a total freedom to do what you want in one unique instance, the same for everybody. Very different from ED. (Some crazy organized people even started the construction of the Death Star... Years ! LoL !)
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I tend to agree.
For what it’s worth, in the build up to Beyond I did quite a few posts in various pertinent threads, which can effectively be summarised as:
‘Things should be considered on a mix of ‘rarity’, ‘general awareness amongst humanity’ and ‘deliberate obfuscation’, and game mechanisms should be designed/built accordingly.’
(Personally though I always considered it more me second guessing how FD would do things rather than me giving me specific feedback on how they should do things. Who knows though.)
Well they did mention that there would be no clues
We, the players, want there to be a treasure hunt, but that doesn't mean that there is one.
The Rift wasn't a treasure hunt until the very last day when DrewW gave us the system name hidden behind a mythology pop-quiz and some non-canon information - and that was only because there was a book to launch. And when it DID become a treasure hunt, it was solved within 24 hours.
If there's a way to find Raxxla beyond random chance, it'll come via an invitation from the Dark Wheel, not because of 'fernweh'
If there's a way to find Raxxla beyond random chance, it'll come via an invitation from the Dark Wheel, not because of 'fernweh'
You are talking loco, haven't you learned everything from the forums?
We, the players, want there to be a treasure hunt, and therefore there absolutely is one. And if it turns out there isn't well that's just FD being useless!!!!