Tutorial/transcript

Fade from black, to white TEXT requesting assistance; during which there is a prompt for the PLAYER’s name (“Help me, ____!” or similar). Sounds similar to morse code or a dial-up connection. Fade to PLAYER CHARACTER, an approximately 6cm BLACK SPHERE. Customization menu appears, including ability to edit color, detail color, detail, and name. On accept, the surrounding area becomes visible as the camera moves into first person. Simultaneously, CUBE continues to request help from elsewhere within the area.

Area is a ruin or crash site, with rubble and flickering lights. PLAYER is trapped under a small amount of rubble, which can be escaped with W, A, S, D keys. A prompt appears onscreen to explain this. Elsewhere in the room is a rock slab blocking a doorway. Facing it is a conveniently ramp-like pile of rubble. PLAYER can knock down the slab using the ramp. The PLAYER makes its way to the top of the ramp, then rolls down it to destroy the slab.

CUBE begins to ‘talk’ more frequently, citing the noise made by that action. PLAYER can track the noise to another room in the ruin, finding CUBE buried under a significant amount of rubble, relieved by hope of immediate rescue. PLAYER knocks the rubble away, and CUBE reconfigures into DRONE. DRONE profusely thanks PLAYER, and apologises for not being able to rescue them previously, due to being pinned by the rubble. DRONE invites PLAYER ‘aboard’, and a prompt asking the player to press ‘q’(? x,e,enter?) appears.

PLAYER boards DRONE, where they can access a variety of nonfunctional systems including ‘core’ and ‘chassis’ consoles (sockets for sphere) and a ‘testing’ area. DRONE explains that its systems and memory have been compromised, and apologises for the lack of a chassis to print. During this, DRONE is exiting the ruin in the direction of the nearest terminal it can detect, and explains so.

DRONE arrives near the terminal, and PLAYER exits. DRONE can be seen turning invisible. DRONE advises PLAYER to find local resources that may be useful. PLAYER comes across an enemy, facing away. PLAYER takes control of the enemy, which alerts another enemy nearby. PLAYER must use the first enemy’s laser/other weapon to deactivate the second enemy. DRONE appears and dismantles the second enemy once it has been deactivated, while a resource counter onscreen increases.

PLAYER moves to the next room where they destroy another two enemies, then a large portion of the wall collapses, instantly destroying the PLAYER ’s commandeered enemy and reverting the DRONE to its cubic CORE. DRONE reforms, spending a small portion of collected resources, then dismantles the previously piloted enemy, while joking about being ‘glad we’re (invulnerable?)’.

PLAYER and DRONE move to the terminal, where DRONE explains that the terminals will only allow downloads of up to three(?) files before self-destructing, then explaining that the current terminal, in particular, is not properly connected to the network, and will not trigger retaliation from the security system.

PLAYER chooses up to three files to download, consisting of gun and chassis blueprints and subroutine programs, then waits for 15sec (normally 1min) each for DRONE to download them via laser. While selecting files, a number in the interface shows resulting scrap will decrease per downloaded file to ¼ at three files. Afterward, the prompt to board will show up again, and any downloaded blueprints or programs will be available to select in their respective onboard consoles. PLAYER equips the blueprints that they downloaded. PLAYER exits DRONE, which then 'prints' the equipped blueprints, decreasing the resource counter.