Explorations and AP

The exploration system is a unique way to give the members of Ataraxia a way to uncover its secrets of their own accord and play a role in how the story plays out. But we understand that you will likely have a lot of questions, so read this doc to get a better understanding of how the process works.

Example Exploration
To help you understand how the process works, let’s follow an example where 9S from NieR:Automata tries to explore the ruins by the clocktower.

First, PANDOR begins accepting requests. Its bandwidth is listed as low, and it looks like in this case, it could only take one request before going offline to carry out explorations. Luckily, 9S sent in his form fast enough!

After accepting the request, PANDOR sends 9S a DM to initiate the exploration. 9S begins to explain what he is going to attempt, and PANDOR logs what occurs in reaction to 9S’s actions. This interaction continues until the exploration comes to a clear end. In this case, 9S underestimated just how persistent the guards would be about keeping him away from the dangerous ruins, and it ends fairly quickly, with 9S leaving the site having discovered nothing new. Following the end of the interaction, PANDOR logs the AP achieved in that exploration. In this case, 9S did not really achieve or discover anything of significance, so he did not earn any AP.

Summaries in P:PANDOR\PUBLIC
At the conclusion of your exploration, you will have the option to write a brief summary of your findings or have a lore mod do it for you. This summary will be posted in P:PANDOR\PUBLIC under EXPLORATION_RESULTS. We are currently working on a way to also make the full text of exploration available to be read, so stay tuned! More on that soon!

Keep in mind these records are OOC knowledge only. If a character wishes to share their findings with other characters, that can occur IC, but outside of that, your character is not privy to the knowledge found in this document.

What can I do?
Your imagination is really the limit here! Within the boundaries of the abilities your character has, you can really attempt anything, anywhere. In the example above, 9S pretty much gave up without a fight, but he could have taken any number of approaches. Any of these options would have led to a different outcome -- good or bad-- and perhaps there may have been something to be discovered had he tried another avenue. Get creative, but don’t push your luck too far, unless you want to end up in the Bastille.
 * He might have tried to sneak around the guard, rather than hoping they would just let him pass.
 * He might have tried to convince the guard he was supposed to be there.
 * He might have tried to fight the guard when confronted and asked to leave.

Advancement Points
As stated in the FAQ, AP are not used to rank up -- that is a separate mechanic entirely. AP is a measure of how the newcomers in Epoche are contributing to the improvement of this idyllic society, and as such, will trigger story events as it accumulates, usually in the form of Amphistream events, Reflection Pool drabbles, or actual full events!
 * PANDOR will log the amount of AP being achieved from each exploration -- you do not need to keep track of this yourself!

Inactivity
In the event PANDOR has been waiting for a reply for 5 days, the exploration will be ended, and AP will be awarded based on what was accomplished at the point where it was ended.

For group explorations, the member who was not providing a response will be removed from the exploration, and the rest of the group will continue on with the exploration.

Tips for a Successful Exploration
We don’t want every exploration to end up like this one, with nothing new contributed and none of that sweet, sweet AP. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re planning your next outing!

Try to solve a mystery!
We know there’s a lot in Epoche that’s new to your characters. Culture, flora, fauna… it’s a lot to take in! But keep in mind that these explorations are meant to help pull back the tapestry on some of the mysteries in Epoche. That’s what will really make a successful exploration, and chances are you will find something useful along the way. In general, if it’s something that can easily be answered by a lore mod in the #questions channel, it might be better to do that and save explorations for the really big discoveries about the lore and city that you want to make.

Boons and Banes
We won’t tell you exactly how we decide exactly what succeeds and what fails, but just know that the boons and banes you listed on your application do play a role in how your actions turn out! So maybe don’t try to fight someone if you’ve never even thrown a punch in your entire life.

...But satisfaction brought it back.
People say that curiosity killed the cat, but they always forget the second half of that saying… Basically, get creative! If something is enough to pique your curiosity, raise your eyebrow, make you tap your chin... maybe there’s a reason for that! Don’t be afraid to pursue it! Nothing worse than wishing you had chased that lead and watching someone else take that bait and find something cool.

Walk before you run
We know the big juicy secrets seem tempting. But as with all things in life, if you try to go after the big things before taking time to look at the smaller things, you’re probably going to struggle. Who knows, maybe by looking around in somewhere a little more unassuming, you’ll find a hint that may help you in a more ambitious exploration. Talk to a native of Epoche. Read a book. Take a walk in the Steppe. Big secrets loom over you, but equally enticing secrets dance in the periphery.

Vocata
The Gods work in mysterious ways. Maybe Time will be on your side.

...Huh? You want to know more?

Get out there and see what you can learn, then! Maybe even we don’t have all the answers…

Don’t go in blind
Try to come up with some questions you want answered, or something that seemed off that’s just been tugging at the back of your mind. Then, decide where you might go to get more information on this, and plan your exploration accordingly. There are some juicy secrets that are hidden pretty well, so don’t just throw yourself at the most obvious thing.

Don’t be discouraged!
An exploration that doesn’t result in AP doesn’t mean you failed. It just means that’s one approach you know not to try next time. Get back into the chatrooms, keep looking up, and get ready to get back in the arena next time PANDOR is ready to take you out again.

And if your exploration isn’t accepted, there is a reason! ...Namely the fact that the mods running PANDOR are only human and cannot always take every request that comes our way. If you miss the cut-off, keep your idea in mind, and go interact with your fellow groupmates. Explorations are important, but there’s more to the group than just uncovering the secrets. Maybe the real advancement points are the friends you made along the way.