Zion
Zion is one of the first special branch found in the game. Added in Alpha-8 “The Plot Thickens”. Located off the Lower Caves it is found on -7 or -6. They are not affiliated with the Complex and are seen as a refuge by the inhabitants. A large amount of lore is found here as well as tips for surviving longer and additional help. The inhabitants of Zion are friendly derelicts referred to as Zionites who are led by the Imprinter. Leaving will lead you to the Proximity caves before returning to Factory.
Layout
You enter Zion at the bottom right of the map in among a small cave system. At the left of this is the entrance into the main section of Zion located behind a quarantine array guarded by 2 behemoths. Entering Zion, you will travel through the quarantine array, be scanned, and purge any corruption acquired on your system. The general layout of the zone is roughly a square with another solid square within strewn with scrap piles and broken machinery, around the edges of the base can be several NPC who will provide you with help. Many can be found roaming around and are referred to as Zionites who can provide helpful tips. On the left side of the map are 3 points of interest, these are the containment seals, the teleporter and IMP: G-0014175/C-0630194 (aka the Imprintinator).
Imprinting
Imprinting is the action of aligning yourself with Zion. You do this after meeting the Imprinter at the bottom left of the map. To become imprinted, you need to move into the centre of the Imprintinator whereupon it will blow up and be seen as ‘a sign! Our savior has finally come’ and allow Zion commands at 0b10 terminals. When you are close to a terminal you will be pinged with the location, this ping will also alert operators who will proceed to try to lock the terminal.
Hacks
Imprinting provides new hacks for a player referred to as Zion hacks. These are split into two different sections; Intel and roster.
Intel
Intel requires two terminals, the first terminal you enter a request which will fry the terminal. After finding a second terminal you will receive the Intel requested without frying the current machine. Intel provides a range of information from part location/schematics, guard and security location and exit placement
Roster
The roster option will provide the player with an allied unit of some kind. There is a range of units available to receive including a Hero of Zion and other experimental units. You also receive resupplies from this option which will deploy a hauler with certain parts dependent on what type of resupply it is (melee, kinetic weapons, thermal weapons, infowar etc.) Ordering something from the roster will destroy the terminal when the units arrive.
Interactions & Help
Talking to different Zionites is a great source for information and help. Below are some important codes or help that you will discover from interactions:
- The code for recycling \\IAMDERELICT
- Force(sabotage)
- Trojan(detonate)
- Trojan(track)
- Trojan(botnet)
- Trojan(report)
- Trojan(siphon)
- Trojan(monitor)
- Trojan(reject)
- Trojan(mask)
- Force(tunnel)
- Makeshift parts stockpile
- Storm Laser
- Bomb Factor No. 2
- 0b10 decoders stockpile
- Processor stockpile
- Programmer coupler stockpile
- Megawrench Repair Shop
- Zion Deep Caves access codes
- A code from A8
- A squad of derelicts that become allied with you
For the context behind these see all Zion Dialogue
RIF and FarCom
The addition of the RIF infrastructure in beta 9 and the Exiles in beta 8 two new methods of aggravating the inhabitance of Zion towards Cogmind.
RIF
As the RIF infrastructure is embedded into all complex bots, when entering through the quarantine array and scanned Cogmind will be recognised as a complex bot and, therefore, be marked for extermination. This causes all Zionites to become hostile towards Cogmind and is generally considered to be "not a good idea".
FarCom
If Cogmind has navigated through the Exiles branch and installed the Farcom system the interactions in Zion are unchanged until interaction with the Imprinter. When Imprinter initially communicates to you her dialogue has changed to be:
Here I was just about to greet a new specimen to our ranks, but no.
I can sense their tech three caves away. Get out of here before I'm forced to do something you'll regret.
Proceeding in an attempt to imprint in this scenario will prevent imprinting and cause all of the inhabitants of Zion to follow the Imprinter in becoming hostile towards Cogmind.
Entrance to Zion Deep Caves
Zion Deep Caves, ZDC, is the next branch from Zion. The entrance is located behind 3 locked doors which require 3 different codes to enter or a weapon strong enough to break through the doors/surrounding walls. The codes can be obtained in 2 ways, a random encounter with a tinkerer who is investigating strange signals emitted from the caves, or by killing the Imprinter. Both methods will have consequences, one immediate and one within ZDC. Attacking the Imprinter will cause all of Zion to become hostile towards you. This may not seem too bad until you realise that Zionites can find weapons within the scrap machines lying around. After killing the Imprinter she will drop a data core that provides 4 codes, one to open the containment seal, and the other to open the doors. Doing this will prevent Z-Imprinter from spawning within ZDC.