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Authors: CrackaJack, Three-legged Wolf
Last revision: 13 Apr at 11:13 UTC
File size: 10.31 MB
Description:
About this mod – TLDR
This mod will not be for everyone, and if it wasn’t for a dear friend of mine, it wouldn’t ever have made it onto the workshop, nor would it have grown into what it is today. At it’s core, More than Ashes (MTA) is a cybernetics mod. More specifically, it is an "alternative" to cybernetics. This mod will, (through some unsavory means), allow pawns to undergo heavy mutations, enhancing them greatly should they survive the process. It was designed to be a robust alternative to cybernetic augmentation in medieval/tribal playthroughs, whilst simultaneously also being very useful even in late-game spacer-era playthroughs.
For anyone hating walls of text, and not wanting to read a little on how the mod works, I’ll stop you right there… This mod is probably not for you, and you’ll likely get annoyed and frustrated.
Is this mod for you?
The theme of the mod is heavily inspired by the SCP foundation, a pinch of lovecraft, two ounces of the Alien Saga and lastly… Stargate of all things. (that last one wasn’t planned for).
This mod is very different from vanilla content. Every in-game description added by this mod will have a strange format heavily inspired by reports of the SCP foundation. As such in-game items, mutations, recipes, etc. will not have straightforward descriptions. Instead they will be written in audio-log transcripts of a scientific community who is recording their findings and experiments. The various in-game descriptions will relate their findings, and show how their grasp on reality slips away in favor of insanity and confusion. These in-game descriptions can at times be pretty big and many rimworld players can’t be bothered to read walls of text. The main course of this mod would in my humble opinion be it’s atmosphere and storytelling… that and the ability to forsake one’s humanity and become a monstrosity that can tear an entire squad apart… that too ofcourse.
Be advised that I’m just an amateur, self-taught modder. I’ve spent many many hours on this passion project, but it will not be perfect, nor to everyone’s liking. I appreciate criticism, but be gentle.
Getting Started
FAQ
Q: CE?
A: Who? I don’t know who you’re talking about.
Q: Save game Compatible?
A: The entire mod is written exclusively in Xml, with no C#. Yes this should be perfectly save-game compatible. Removing it mid-playthrough will cause errors however.
Q: Any incompatible mods?
A: I have been playing this mod for 2 years straight, with a vast amount of different Load orders, and have never stumbled upon any incompatibilities. It’s possible ofcourse, but this mod doesn’t modify anything from the base game.
Q: How many mutations/implants are we talking about exactly?
A: About a dozen mutations for the Praetorian and Stalker Classes, and 20 for the Apex (which would be the star of the show). These don’t include all the various negative hediffs.
Q: What are the odds that I’ll ruin my favourite character?
A: There is a risk ofcourse, but it’s mostly circ*mstantial. I don’t go out of my way to punish the player with RNG. If you follow the intended mechanics and prevent your pawns from wandering into dangerous situations while weakened, they should survive. They will however frequently be on the brink of death while transitioning.
Q: I implanted one of my pawns, but he isn’t getting any mutations, only getting closer and closer to dying?
A: *cough* I believe you implanted your pawn with an Entromorph Seedling, which is the equivalent of a facehugger/chestburster… these are meant to be implanted into prisoners. Your pawn is f***ed, I’m afraid. The entromorphs that will mutate your pawns are called Moroliths, Atropoliths and Styxiliths. Might I direct you to the shiny nice guide I bothered to make for you? It’s pretty cool.
Q: How do I cure my pawn from OGF/Soul Tearing/ other affliction from this mod?
A: OGF is the condition your pawn will have to go through after implantation. It’ll progress in stages until your pawn fights it off (4-6 days) or dies. As for Soul tearing, it’s basically russian roulette. If your pawn contracts it, he might suddenly make a miraculous recovery at any moment, but if not, and instead progresses to 100% severity, it will turn him into a permanent ravenous wight. There’s a very toxic serum called Soul-Mend if you don’t want to take any chances, but it comes at a cost. As for the others; read the description.
Q: So is this content Sci-fi or Fantasy?
A: Neither and both. I designed the mod to only give hard (fictional) facts and circ*mstance. You could see the Entropic principles as dark magic rituals while playing tribals or medieval vikings. You could also interpret it as influence of Eldritch Dark Gods from another Plane. Or you could approach it as a strange and alien technology that defies modern understanding of physics… Make up your own mind. The in-game descriptions will however relate the story from the perspective of scientists who are struggling to retain their sanity as they try to scientifically explain what might aswell be magic. (These events are completely separate from the player’s own experience)
Q:These Mutations are overpowered and totally not balanced!
A: That’s not a question. When you mod your game with hundreds of mods, you throw intended game balance out the window. It’s up to the player, to counter-balance difficulty when installing mods that give perks and benefits.
Q: Are there any sort of new enemy factions, or a general threat to outbalance the perks of this mod?
A: Latest update added the "Enkilean Nightmares" faction, which are essentialy a horde-like faction of monsters that will raid your colony.
Q: Some in-game descriptions look like gibberish.
A: Yes, some of them appear as sealed dossiers, or corrupted data, even though most aren’t. I will remedy this at a later date.
Q: Dude! These descriptions are way too long. I’m not reading that.
A: Suit yourself. After all, numeric values are always displayed in Rimworld, and that goes for this mod too. You might miss some subtle hints if you’re truly allergic to letters, but should be able to figure things out either way.
Q: Why is it called More than Ashes V2, when there never even was a V1?
A: That’s top secret and If I answered that question, I’d have to kill you…
All textures in this mod were drawn by the very talented Crackajack – Thanks man ^^ this mod wouldn’t be what it is without your help and input
