UA Mystery thread 4 - The Canonn

[Comandante]

....probably the only way to confirm if the station malfunctions and uas are connected is to pick a currently unaffected station and dump a few uas onto the black market there.

It's tempting - and although I don't like to think game mechanics affecting the game, there's a part of me that thinks that FD would not go with this, because it might get out of control; also, I've been selling UAs at black markets for a while (currently targeting one at the moment for repeated sells), to see what happens. Nothing has happened as yet. I've cancelled my exploration trip with my friend and a single UA because he has the audacity to be away this weekend. So I'm doing exactly what you suggest.

Can't see it making a difference, mainly because errant players would start targeting opposite faction stations and wreak havoc! Let's see what happens.

Does anybody know the name/location of the port where the scientist dude is doing research on UAs?

 

[Jaiotu]

It's tempting - and although I don't like to think game mechanics affecting the game, there's a part of me that thinks that FD would not go with this, because it might get out of control; also, I've been selling UAs at black markets for a while (currently targeting one at the moment for repeated sells), to see what happens. Nothing has happened as yet. I've cancelled my exploration trip with my friend and a single UA because he has the audacity to be away this weekend. So I'm doing exactly what you suggest.

Can't see it making a difference, mainly because errant players would start targeting opposite faction stations and wreak havoc! Let's see what happens.

Does anybody know the name/location of the port where the scientist dude is doing research on UAs?

The affects of selling a UA at a station might have a time-delay as to when the malfunctions start. Maybe 40 days or something... who knows?

 

[RedWizzard]

....probably the only way to confirm if the station malfunctions and uas are connected is to pick a currently unaffected station and dump a few uas onto the black market there.

There are at least a couple of people doing this.

 

[Dommarraa]

I'd be willing to bet some commander or commanders sold one or more UA's there, in Warkushanui, I mean.

The scientist in me would take that bet. There is no indication that anyone has. There is no reason for anyone to do so, it is a long way away. Most are sold at outposts due to smuggling issues. Even if they have, many many places would have had many many more sold.

The only evidence for this theory is based on the theory being correct to begin with.

Believe the theory if you like, but it is not science

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There are at least a couple of people doing this.

This is valid science as long as they have chosen a properly random system. If nothing happens by Tuesday, then I would call it a failure. MB would have ample time to detect it with his daily reports and activate any changes

 

[b_laiskiainen]

UAs have been sold in Sol and Alioth. Not very likely anything's going to happen...

 

[Tyrit Shadowstalker]

The affects of selling a UA at a station might have a time-delay as to when the malfunctions start. Maybe 40 days or something... who knows?

While I agree that there may be a time delay between UA sale and effects on the station, I'd theorize that this could be something new with 1.4 or possibly 1.4.01

So it may be safe to presume a delay of 4 to up to a potential of 25 days (this is dependent on if someone sold a UA on the respective patch days, which I could see happening when 1.4 dropped, better to just sell it and not have to worry about caring for the UA and dodging interdiction spam)

I also theorize that at least two of affected systems may have some form of significance since they're right on the edge of the shell.. I don't know what to make of the third affected system, it could very well be unrelated.

 

[CMDR Boozeman]

I think the affected stations are slowly forming to big mother ships of the UA. The replication process is started.

Then all hell breaks loose...

 

[LordZoltan]

The scientist in me would take that bet. There is no indication that anyone has. There is no reason for anyone to do so, it is a long way away. Most are sold at outposts due to smuggling issues. Even if they have, many many places would have had many many more sold.

The only evidence for this theory is based on the theory being correct to begin with.

Believe the theory if you like, but it is not science

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This is valid science as long as they have chosen a properly random system. If nothing happens by Tuesday, then I would call it a failure. MB would have ample time to detect it with his daily reports and activate any changes

I'm with Dommaarraa on this.

The let's say the malfunctions are UA related. But they're related to what happens with UAs in the story outside our control, not to what we do with them.

Warku breaks the idea that they're user triggered malfunctions - if it were right you'd need 100% correlation before you could consider talking causation. The efforts to sell tonnes of them 'on the quiet' are great tests of this.

Thing is, with the number of players around - and the fact that they (you know: 'them') know where pilots have been, choosing systems that could be linked to player UA activity would be a good move.

We were here before with the plague - and all that was needed was for everyone to have some tea. Literally.

So, actually, I ddon't think it's UAs hitting these stations - the comment in Galnet suggesting it is, is just what we wanted to hear. Apart from that speculation, there's no other reason to think it.

- If the orange thing is right - heck - Halloween, people? Not a crazy thought?
- Could be trumbles.
- Could be another assassination/sabotage ploy.
- Could be INRA (possibly with all of the above)
- Could even be Zippy from Rainbow. ( UK CMDRs only apply! )

 

[Tyrit Shadowstalker]

- If the orange thing is right - heck - Halloween, people? Not a crazy thought?

....Spend the night in the haunted station without dying, win a million credits?

Ooh, I know Boocs and the gang find out it was really just old man Hudson trying to attract business/scam his insurance company/scare the tar out of people for no real reasonable explanation?

 

[PaulR]

If we want to test the theory, we should sell the UA in Peregrina. It's a permit system that has a plague that is supposed to have started with something related to the UA. Talos 2 has a black market. I have sold one there for the moment. If we all report how many we have already sold there in the last two weeks, and sell in the weeks to come, we will be able to test it properly.

I Still think the UA are the result of thargoid colonies being subdued by an evil AI.

On a side note, I stumbled on this post. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=144782
Listen to the ammonia world noise and then to a UA. There is something. (I could be wrong).

 

[LordZoltan]

If we want to test the theory, we should sell the UA in Peregrina. It's a permit system that has a plague that is supposed to have started with something related to the UA. Talos 2 has a black market. I have sold one there for the moment. If we all report how many we have already sold there in the last two weeks, and sell in the weeks to come, we will be able to test it properly.

I Still think the UA are the result of thargoid colonies being subdued by an evil AI.

On a side note, I stumbled on this post. https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=144782
Listen to the ammonia world noise and then to a UA. There is something. (I could be wrong).

Peregrina was mentioned before - if you can sell them there, then I think people have.

I'm not sure about the 'subjugated colony' idea - when there were fewer UAs out there, possibly.

Now there are so many - I'm just not convinced.

These numbers are worrying if the UAs had/get the ability to do serious damage. Otherwise, they still have the behaviour of a large-volume scanner to me.

Trying to explain this shell shape, though, and how that's actually propagating, I just don't know - seeing as how we don't see them move.

 

[pretzil]

UA found in Taurus Dark Region OJ-P B6-1 pointing towards, and 142.95LY away from Merope. Couldn't find the link to update the database myself.
And one in Taurus Dark Region DB-X D1-26, pointing towards, and 139.34LY away from Merope
And one in Taurus Dark Region PJ-P B6-0, pointing towards, and 148LY away from Merope
And one in Taurus Dark Region GO-E A13-1, pointing towards, and 138LY away from Merope
And one in Taurus Dark Region GW-W D1-29 pointing towards, and 136.37LY away from Merope

 

[RedWizzard]

I'm with Dommaarraa on this.

The let's say the malfunctions are UA related. But they're related to what happens with UAs in the story outside our control, not to what we do with them.

Warku breaks the idea that they're user triggered malfunctions - if it were right you'd need 100% correlation before you could consider talking causation. The efforts to sell tonnes of them 'on the quiet' are great tests of this.

Thing is, with the number of players around - and the fact that they (you know: 'them') know where pilots have been, choosing systems that could be linked to player UA activity would be a good move.

We were here before with the plague - and all that was needed was for everyone to have some tea. Literally.

So, actually, I ddon't think it's UAs hitting these stations - the comment in Galnet suggesting it is, is just what we wanted to hear. Apart from that speculation, there's no other reason to think it.

- If the orange thing is right - heck - Halloween, people? Not a crazy thought?
- Could be trumbles.
- Could be another assassination/sabotage ploy.
- Could be INRA (possibly with all of the above)
- Could even be Zippy from Rainbow. ( UK CMDRs only apply! )

Personally I'm not convinced these problems are UA caused but I do think it's the best theory we have so far. Here's what we do know:
1. The galnet stories on the problems have had quotes from NPCs blaming the UAs. Could be a hint, could be red herring.
2. Two of the stations are places where many UAs have been sold.
3. DB said things were about to get interesting for us. I don't think he was talking about the drawings of ships or the shell. I think he was talking about this.
4. On the other hand, Warku was not a known UA market. But it could still be related by NPC action. What if all those Fed convoys were headed to a secret research facility there (in terms of the story, there obviously weren't going anywhere specific in game)?

But I agree what's happening is part of FD's story, it's nothing we've caused. And there is also probably nothing we can do about it right now.

 

[Neizir]

Is it just me or do the affected stations in the affected stations emit a whale-like noise coming from them? It's kind of faint but if you position yourself about 7-8km away you can certainly hear it.

 

[LordZoltan]

Personally I'm not convinced these problems are UA caused but I do think it's the best theory we have so far. Here's what we do know:
1. The galnet stories on the problems have had quotes from NPCs blaming the UAs. Could be a hint, could be red herring.
2. Two of the stations are places where many UAs have been sold.
3. DB said things were about to get interesting for us. I don't think he was talking about the drawings of ships or the shell. I think he was talking about this.
4. On the other hand, Warku was not a known UA market. But it could still be related by NPC action. What if all those Fed convoys were headed to a secret research facility there (in terms of the story, there obviously weren't going anywhere specific in game)?

But I agree what's happening is part of FD's story, it's nothing we've caused. And there is also probably nothing we can do about it right now.

Out of rep.

One thing that bothered me about the ship vector images is why they're not 'perfect'. They have mistakes, which seems a bit odd.

On the shell, the outer limit makes sense, but the inner limit not so, unless we accept that Merope was the 'origin', but since the UAs are not found there now, it implies that a finite number of UAs were 'sent out' from a position around Merope, and they're slowly radiating from there.

Or, perhaps fewer were sent out and they're replicating as they go.

Either way - it definitely has the hallmarks of a scanning/recon effort. The question then is: scanning for what? They scan us, yes, but if you're looking for ships, then you'd do it in inhabited space so you can do it where you're more likely to get targets.

I think it more likely they're scanning for some*where*. And wherever that is, it's a place I want to be.

 

[Zenith]

If we want to test the theory, we should sell the UA in Peregrina. It's a permit system that has a plague that is supposed to have started with something related to the UA. Talos 2 has a black market. I have sold one there for the moment. If we all report how many we have already sold there in the last two weeks, and sell in the weeks to come, we will be able to test it properly.

Been there. Sold a UA. This was since the 1.4 update.

 

[Jintosh]

While I've seen it raised and slapped down twice, I do wonder that the new station will be being placed in the Pleiades. Why I'm not discounting it is the "coincidence" that Merope is a member of the Pleiades cluster. Personally I think the station may well end up in the Merope system (and that's about as much as this coincidence will signify) but with the way FD are happy to massage things to fit what the player base is doing I wonder if we're not getting a new base for The Canonn to work from, with a new breadcrumb trail to follow from there.

...time for a new tinfoil hat for me

 

[clavain]

One thing that bothered me about the ship vector images is why they're not 'perfect'. They have mistakes, which seems a bit odd.

Wait until around patch 1.4.7 or so, they should be fixed by then. ;-)

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I think it more likely they're scanning for some*where*. And wherever that is, it's a place I want to be.

My money is on Soontill.

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Is it just me or do the affected stations in the affected stations emit a whale-like noise coming from them? It's kind of faint but if you position yourself about 7-8km away you can certainly hear it.

Whales are everywhere. They secretly run the universe.

 

[clavain]

But I agree what's happening is part of FD's story, it's nothing we've caused. And there is also probably nothing we can do about it right now.

Out of rep, as usual. This is the worst part, as it always have been - we have no frigging clue what we can and cannot affect, and never have. If we can affect anything at all. And if we do, we may have no way of knowing what it was we did that changed what we did affect, even if we notice it being affected, which we may not.

Edit: And we have no idea what other players may be doing that might be affecting the course of events, and whether they know whether they are doing so or not.

 

[Han_Zen]

Personally I'm not convinced these problems are UA caused but I do think it's the best theory we have so far. Here's what we do know:
1. The galnet stories on the problems have had quotes from NPCs blaming the UAs. Could be a hint, could be red herring.
2. Two of the stations are places where many UAs have been sold.
3. DB said things were about to get interesting for us. I don't think he was talking about the drawings of ships or the shell. I think he was talking about this.
4. On the other hand, Warku was not a known UA market. But it could still be related by NPC action. What if all those Fed convoys were headed to a secret research facility there (in terms of the story, there obviously weren't going anywhere specific in game)?

But I agree what's happening is part of FD's story, it's nothing we've caused. And there is also probably nothing we can do about it right now.

I think FD has the story lined up and we mostly fill in the details.

Warky was most likely chosen by FD. 49 Ari was probably no. 1 on either the UAs sold list or the UA visit list. 64 Ari was probably second on that list.

I don't think there is a trigger value based on number of UAs sold. FD most likely knows how many stations that will be infected next week. We only contribute to the selection.

The UA could off cource be totally innocent as well.