NMS: Genetically Engineered Pets 2

Original: Najuan

Portal glyphs for Najuan LX

This is Najuan from planet Najuan LX (a lush planet with red grass, bubbles and non-hazardous storms [just the anomaly strength changes] in the AGT Rafurca system in Eissentam galaxy). I call her my "land shark" because of her tail and she can move pretty quick. She's much more gentle than most sharks though, and she likes to be useful, so I ride around on her and let her scan the environment for things like oxygen or sodium or dihydrogen crystals, and sometimes she goes running off and brings samples back for me.

Companion Register profile for Najuan

She laid an egg and I modified it in the Egg Sequencer at the Anomaly. We made her offspring larger (sodium), changed the anatomy (copper), changed the colour (dioxite) and the next generation will be even more helpful (oxygen). The result was Ptyerro.

Modification of Najuan's egg

Generation 1: Ptyerro

Ptyerro is larger and more helpful, like expected. The green and brown colouring has been replaced with silver and grey, the wasp-type wings have been replaced with fins while the knobbly toes have been replaced with claws.

I didn't really like the new colour so when Ptyerro laid an egg, my first goal was to change the offspring colour. I looked at what ingredients I had available in my inventory and looked at a chart from reddit about probable colours based on ingredient. I had some pugneum but didn't see it on the chart so I thought I'd try it out. I wanted to see what other anatomical changes were possible so I added some magnetised ferrite I had just collected from my mine. I also made the offspring the maximum helpfulness (100%) with more oxygen, but left size alone. The result was the delightful Drainelle.

Modification of Ptyerro's egg

Generation 2: Drainelle

Drainelle came out a lovely mixture of strawberry and chocolate stripes and she won my heart when after I fed her, she danced around on her hind legs a bit then curled up and fell asleep at my feet. The magnetised ferrite didn't seem to have much effect on her anatomy though - she still has fins and claws and the same head and tail and overall shape as Ptyerro. Oh well, we'll try something else once she lays an egg but I think she's a keeper.

NMS: Robo-Pets

Apparently robotic pets are popular in No Man's Sky with the latest Companions update. Here are some of the robotic pets I have found in case anyone is hunting for some.

Planet Cucklahom in Motomi star system in Euclid galaxy (Normal PC mode)

I have a S-class cadmium mine on Cucklahom, which is a Lost Red Planet with only two fauna, both robo-pets. This star system has lots of weird planets and probably some weird creatures too. 

 

G. Bladropreus

T. Heribtrocea

NMS: Screenshot of the Day 2

 

Volopetus Bs in Euclid Galaxy (Permadeath PC Mode)

Watching the sunrise on Volopetus Bs, the barren home-world of my Permadeath Traveller, is so relaxing I made this screenshot the wallpaper for my desktop computer. As soon as it turns dark, I race back to base, do any building, crafting or farming I can, then wait on my balcony for the dawn. Sometimes there are a few lovely big birds flying overhead, or antelope-like creatures grazing near the water's edge. Sometimes sentinels spoil the view. 

If my Traveller wasn't working on the Farmer quests at the moment, trying to unlock all the hydroponic plants and having to travel to different planets to get ingredients (e.g. I had to warp to 5 different systems before I found a toxic planet to obtain ammonia and fungal clusters and then it nearly killed me because it had extreme weather and aggressive sentinels), they would be very reluctant to leave this planet. Besides, there's still so much and see and do right here, like exploring the extensive underground tunnels and finishing building my base. If the galaxy only has 16 "minutes" left, this is a great place to spend the remainder of this iteration.

Coordinates for Volopetus Bs. Visitors welcome!

NMS: Genetically Engineered Pets 1

The Companions update was released in No Man's Sky last week, letting you tame wild fauna as pets that can provide company, be helpful, protect you from hostile creatures, or act as mounts. You can also genetically engineer their eggs to customise their offspring and change how they look or behave. You start off able to have 2 pets, but you can unlock up to 6 pets with the nanites currency.

Original: Wuleytosu

My first pet was Wuleytosu, named after the lush planet he came from. He's like a large feathered teddy bear - he's 1.5m tall, playful and gentle. 

Wuleytosu profile in the Companion Register

After 24 hours of pet ownership, I could obtain an egg, and after another 24 hours the egg was ready to hatch. I took it to the Space Anomaly to the Egg Sequencer for modifications.

Modified colouring and behaviour

Wuleytosu's genetically modified egg

The egg was ready to hatch so I went ahead and hatched it from my inventory. The result? Meet Molochitso.

Making friends with Molochitso, Wuleytosu's offspring

I used Ionised Cobalt to change the colouring and so Molochitso is green and gold instead of green and silver like his Dad. Wuleytosu was 26% independent, while Molochitso is only 6% independent, so Junior should be more likely to stay nearby and follow instructions instead of doing his own thing.

Molochitso's profile in the Companion Register

When Molochitso grows up, I'll be able to get eggs from him and future generations could evolve. I like the green/gold colouring - Wuleytosu's home planet had green grass and golden skies so it preserves the nostalgia, but maybe we could try modifying size or make a more devoted pet, or maybe see if we can develop antlers or more feathers or who knows what other options are possible?

Unfortunately, because of the limited pet spaces, we can't keep every pet we breed. I might have to "abandon" Wuleytosu (I prefer to think of it as releasing him to the wild) to make room for the next generation or another pet.

*Updated 13 March 2021*

Generation 1: Molochitso

Molochitso has grown up and laid an egg, which we modified in the Egg Sequencer. We increased the size of the offspring (oxygen), tried changing their anatomical features (ammonia), changed the colour (pugneum - on another pet this turned them red) and reduced their independence even more by increasing their devotion (radon). The result was Oranginnia. Quite appropriate, that randomly generated name, as the offspring is almost orange.

Generation 2: Oranginnia

Wow! What a change! The head is totally different - more of a snout instead of a beak and instead of the feathers framing the face and chin they're now at the back of the head. The pugneum definitely made them redder too. You can't tell by looking at them, but according to their profile, Oranginnia will be 2m tall instead of 1.5m and is mildly devoted (14% attached) instead of mildly independent (6% aloof) like Molochitso.

I'm afraid I don't really like how Oranginnia looks so when they lay an egg I'll try using ammonia again and see if there are other head possibilities (and we'll see if we can change the colour back to green and gold).

NMS: AGT Sprina and the Fighter Ships

While exploring the Itchecat Sector in Eissentam galaxy, I found a star system with 7 nice looking fighter starships. Usually I find I like maybe two or three out of all the ships in a system, but I actually like all the fighters in this one. AGT Sprina is a Vy'keen system with a 2-star economy (with 2 suns and 4 lush planets!). It might take some patience or luck to find S-class versions; I decided to grab one of the lower grade ships anyway (the Rutosus Scanner) because it looked cool and had a bigger inventory than the fighter in my collection.

The portal glyphs for Agen L (a lush planet) in this system are:

AGT Sprina in Eissentam galaxy

The Fighters:

1. Hasuya's Champion (A:29/5)

2. Sojai QD4 (B:25/4)

3. Rutosus Scanner XII (A:29/5)

4. JI3 Yamada (C:15/2)

5. Mamogata of Providence (B:18/4)

6. Inuya's Decree CB7 (C:16/2)

7. The Sword of Truth (C:23/4)

Which one of these would be your favourite?

NMS: Screenshot of the Day

 

Eissentam galaxy / Urchinui system / Kojir MTxts (Normal PC)

 

I was exploring star systems in Eissentam with 3-star economies and found this beautiful planet. It was described as a tropical planet, which sounded great, but upon arrival at dawn I found it was actually an extreme toxic marsh with patrolling sentinels and frequent storms. 

What could have been ...

NMS: Survival Part 4 - Warpspeed and the Anomaly

 

Distress beacon: crashed ship

 

Before I left the barren moon, I spotted a distress beacon and a crashed ship. It was an A class shuttle with better stats than my starship, but it was ugly and quite damaged. I fixed up the pulse engine and launch thrusters then flew it to the space station (without guns or shields; so glad no pirates attacked!) to be salvaged. I made 770,000 units which was enough to buy the microprocessors I needed for my hyperdrive. I built the hyperdrive on my ship and then I received a message I needed to make a warp cell to power the hyperdrive. I received the co-ordinates for an abandoned base on the hexagon moon that had blueprints for antimatter, the key ingredient in a warp cell.

Warp cell made, hyperdrive operational. Time to travel faster than light!

Warping through space

I reach a new star system and soon receive a message. Nada has mistaken me for Artemis, a missing Traveller. They invite me to the Anomaly to meet. As soon as I agree, the Anomaly warps into the star system right in front of me. Pirates announce their imminent attack so I quickly fly to the Anomaly.

Nada and Polo at the Anomaly

Nada, Polo and friends have made a little enclave outside of normal time and space. They hide from the "Crimson Eye" (Atlas) and the Sentinels. They assist Travellers and sell many equipment upgrades and construction blueprints, and they like to buy information about planets, minerals, flora and fauna. They also offer missions and have a variety of unique decorations and rewards. Nada and Polo promise to help me find Artemis. I head back to space.

Now that I've unlocked the Anomaly the game really opens up - Polo can show me how to find black holes to get closer to the centre of the galaxy, or he could show me Atlas stations and I could complete the Atlas quest line and uncover the mysteries of the universe. I could do Quicksilver missions and unlock the Void Egg to get my own Living Ship, or I could just explore and build bases as I see fit.

The Nexus (source of Quicksilver Missions) at the Anomaly

I'd like to work on two things I haven't done before: reaching the centre of the galaxy, and getting a Living Ship. So, we'll start doing some Quicksilver missions ... next time.