Guide to telescience: Difference between revisions

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Written by Alek2ander, original guide [http://forum.yogstation.com/index.php?threads/guide-to-new-telescience.1523/ here]


Welcome to Telescience, the room where you teleport things/people/bombs you aren't supposed to have into places said things/people/bombs aren't supposed to be, or use it for [[Beyond the impossible|legitimate purposes]].
You thought it was tricky before? Now it's even worse better!


== The basics ==
The telescience lab is located south of the main Research Hallway, and is protected by an airlock and a set of shutters. The shutters can controlled by 2 buttons: one inside the lab and one in the RD office. The shutters are closed at the start of the shift, so ask the RD or the AI to unlock the lab.


=Tha' Hell is This New Fangled Telescience Stuff That Runs on That Electricial-Tricity?=
== The equipment ==
[[File:Telescience_room.png|thumb|515px|alt=Telescience_room|link=Telescience|The Telescience Lab]]
Telescience is a single room at the south end of the Research department hallway.


This area focuses on teleportation, both sending and receiving. It is equipped with a [[Telepad]], a secure room to teleport people and things in and out of, and several handheld [[GPS]] readers.
    The Telescience Computer - the thing you came here for, that's where you control the teleportations.
    The Telepad - the orange thingie behind the reinforced window where the teleportation actually happens.
    GPS devices - one of the 2 legit ways to determine coordinates of stuff, more on that later.
    Crew Monitoring console - the second way to determine coordinates, also a way to find and retrieve hidden or spaced bodies, and save dying people, provided, of course, they have the suit sensors set to the highest setting.
    Biohazard locker - contains a biohazard suit. Throw it away and use the locker to haul the corpses to genetics without leaving blood all over the halls.
    Emergency locker - contains a mask and oxygen tank, useful if when that malf AI locks you in and starts to syphon.
    Paper, pen, clipboard - for writing down stuff. Really, write down the offsets and leave the paper in the lab, so if you have to leave, someone can use the pad without having to recalculate them.
    Crowbar, wrench - ... what are they even there for? We're working with space-time here, not building stuff.


Telescience is imprecise, but potentially extremely useful. Try teleporting GPSs to see where they go, and then from there you can move objects or people back and forth from your lab. Like all science rooms, experimentation is key!
== The computer ==
Click on the computer and be amazed, all the power of teleportation in 4 simple numbers.


'''Bearing''' - the direction where the teleportation will go. 0 is North, 90 is East, 180 is South, and 270 is West. Valid numbers are from -900 to 900, but rotation is periodical, meaning that every 360 degrees we end up having the same direction, so -720, -360, 360, 720 will also point North. It works with non-integers too, but will round all input to the nearest hundredth of a degree. The bearing you input will be offset by a random integer number from -10 to 10, which changes with every calibration. Also, the angles, as you can see, increase clockwise, which is confusing to anyone who studies math.


===Holy Shit, I Will be the Ruler of Space and Time!===
'''Elevation''' - the angle at which the teleporting object will enter blue-space. Valid numbers are from 0 to 90, where 0 will target the pad itself, 90 won't take you anywhere else as well, but take a while to do so, and 45 will provide the longest distance. It's like throwing a ball! 0 means you push it straight, and it falls down immediately. 90 sends the ball straight up, and in a few seconds it hits you on the head comes back down in the exact same spot. 45 will launch it in a neat arc. Non-integers are accepted as well, but will be rounded to the nearest tenth of a degree. The distance of the teleport grows from 0 to 45 and goes back to zero from 45 to 90. There is no offset for elevation, thank god. It's usually better to pick an elevation between 0 and 45, because the teleportation will be much faster.
A word of warning. Telescience requires '''math'''. Of course, as a scientist, you have a good understanding of mathematical knowledge and projectile trajectory, [[Beyond the impossible|right]]?


The telepad console has 4 variables that can be set:
'''Power''' - how far the pad will launch the object. Valid numbers are 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 80 and 100. This setting also contributes to teleportation distance. Initially, only the first 3 positions are available. To unlock more, you will need to obtain blue-space crystals (not to be confused with telecrystals, which are cooler), either from xenobiology (bluespace slimes), or a protolathe, requiring Blue-space level 4 and Materials level 6, as well as 1500 Diamond units and 1500 Plasma units for each. The power level you select will be offset by a random integer from -4 to 0, which changes with every calibration.
*'''Bearing''' (measured in degrees, can have a value from 0 to 360)
*'''Elevation''' (measured in degrees, can have a value from 0 to 90)
*'''Power''' (measured in integer units, can have a value from 5 to 100 provided you have enough [[Bluespace Crystal|Bluespace Crystals]] on hand, power levels from 5 to 25 are available by default)
*'''Sector''' (defines the z-level which will be teleported to/from, default is 1, corresponding to the main station z-level).


Together, these 4 settings define the coordinates whatever or whoever is on the telepad will find themselves after you push the Send button on the console via the following equation:
'''Sector''' - which sector of the galaxy do you want to target the coordinates in. This is the Z coordinate, and it doesn't affect anything but the z-level parallel dimension of the teleport destination. Valid numbers are 1, which will target the station itself; 3, where you can find [404 RESOURCE NOT FOUND]; 4, containing the [THIS INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT YOUR CLEARANCE LEVEL]; 5, which will target the mining asteroid; and 6, [HERE BE DRAGONS]. You can't reach sectors 2 and 7. You just can't. Don't even try.


* (destination X, destination Y) = (telepad X + distance * sin(bearing)),(telepad Y + distance * cos(bearing))
Apart from those numbers you can see 2 information windows, which are pretty self-explanatory, and the Recalibrate button. You see, those bluespace crystals can only provide 30 to 40 teleportations before losing their alignment. After that, any attempt to teleport will only fail (the telepad weakly fizzles). Pressing that button will reset the crystals, as well as randomize the 2 offsets, so you will have to figure them out again.
where
* distance = (2*(power*sin(elevation)/10)*(power*cos(elevation)) = (power^2)*sin(2*elevation)/10


In dummytalk, Bearing specifies a direction from the telepad (with 0 being North, 90 - East, 180 - South and 270 - West) and Elevation and Power specify how far from the telepad the target will travel.
And of course, there are the Send and Receive buttons. You can guess what those do. Yup.


===How to Rip a Hole in the Fabric of Space and Time Itself to [[Beyond the impossible|Perform Useful Duties]]===
== The math ==
Earlier we had to target cartesian coordinates with offsets. No biggie. Now, those coordinates are polar, and with a twist. If H is bearing, A is elevation and P is power, h is the bearing offset, p is the power offset, X and Y are coordinates of the telepad:


First things first, the telepad needs to be linked to the Telepad Control Console. To do this you'll need a screwdriver and a multitool. Use the screwdriver on the telepad to remove the maintenance hatch, then use the multitool on the telepad to save it's linking data into the multitool buffer. Screw the maintenance hatch back in and then upload the telepad data to the control console by using the multitool on it.
x=X+0.2·(P+p)²·sin(H+h)sin(A)cos(A)
y=Y+0.2·(P+p)²·cos(H+h)sin(A)cos(A)


At round start, the telepad will be calibrated. That means the following: the Bearing setting will be offset to a random value between -10 and 10 degrees, and the Power setting will be offset randomly from -4 to 0. At this point, there are somewhere between 30 and 40 uses before it will have to be re-calibrated. Every time the crystals are re-calibrated, the remaining uses until calibration is needed again will be a random number between 30 and 40. When recalibrating, the bearing and power offsets will be re-rolled. These values do not stack, so they will always be within these ranges. To find out these offsets, you will need those little gizmos called [[GPS]]. The round starts with a number of them on the table in the [[Telescience Lab]]. Grab two, place one on the telepad and the other in your pocket.
Don't forget to convert to radians if you want to use a calculator here. If we want to know the offset, we can use this:
{{ItemSimple
|bgcolor1 = #ccccee
|bgcolor2 = #ddddff
|name = [[Global Positioning System]]
|image = Global Positioning System.gif
}}


'''Now this next part requires some math and a calculator supporting square roots and inverse trigonometric functions, specifically asin() and atan().''' If you're incapable of math, ask yourself what the hell are you doing in the Research Division of the most high-tech space station ever built, and apply to [[Head of Personnel]] for the [[Clown]]'s job.
h=asin((x-X)/√((x-X)²+(y-Y)²)-H
p=√(10·√((x-X)²+(y-Y)²)/sin(2·A))-P


First, let's find the power offset. It is most simply done by setting elevation to 45. Elevation set to 45 sets the sin(2*elevation) to 1 so the equation for the distance simplifies to (power^2)/10. For example if you teleport something with power 20, it should be (20^2)/10 = 40 tiles away. That's where the power offset comes in, as the GPS will actually be in ((power-offset)^2)/10, so, using the previous example and if the offset is, say, -4, the GPS will be actually ((20-4)^2)/10  = (16^2)/10 = 25.6 (rounded to 26) tiles away. So, to find out the power offset, you need to teleport the GPS with 45 elevation and see how far away it actually flies. Let's designate the GPS coordinates as X and Y, and the telepad coordinates as Xt and Yt. Then the formula for the distance from the telepad to the GPS is:
Of course, since the coordinates are rounded to integers, the offsets can end up inaccurate. To combat that, try to increase the distance of the test teleportation, but not hit the edges of the universe, which are at 0 and 255.
*distance = sqrt((Xt - X)^2 + (Yt - Y)^2)
and the equation for actually finding the offset is:
*((power-offset)^2)/10 = distance,  therefore (power-offset)^2 = distance*10,  therefore '''power-offset = sqrt(distance*10)'''.


So, to recollect, to find the power offset you need to:
Most importantly, we can now calculate the settings for the computer, based on required coordinates and the offsets, for each power setting.
*Teleport the GPS with settings 0 bearing, 45 elevation, 20 power.
*Using another GPS find out how far did it go in both x and y directions (say, it travelled X tiles on x axis and Y on y axis).
*Calculate the distance from the telepad to the GPS as sqrt(X^2 + Y^2)
*Multiply it by 10 and extract sqare root.
*What you see at your calc now is power minus offset. As the power was set to 20, to find offset, you need to substract the number you've got from 20. So, for example, if you got roughly 17, the offset is 3 (remember it can be only integer).
{{ItemSimple
|bgcolor1 = #ccccee
|bgcolor2 = #ddddff
|name = [[Telepad]]
|image = Telescience.gif
}}


Now, to find the bearing offset. When you teleported the GPS, you might've noticed it didn't go precisely north, although the bearing was set to 0. The bearing offset is to blame. Once again, assume the GPS travelled X tiles west and Y tiles north. Then, by dividing X by Y, you get the tangent of the offset angle, and the angle itself can be calculated as '''offset = atan(X/Y)''' (it's also integer, so feel free to round). Given the GPS travelled '''west''', that will be a positive offset that will be added to your bearing, so you have to compensate by substracting it from the bearing you will be setting. Inversly, if the GPS has gone '''east''', the offset is negative and you need to add it to the bearing.
H=asin((x-X)/√((x-X)²+(y-Y)²)-h
A=½ asin(10·√((x-X)²+(y-Y)²)/(p+P)²)


Congratulations! Now that you know both offsets, you can teleport anything with some deadly precision or steal some high-secure items in the most stealthy fashion without having anyone see the GPS tools dancing around! So, how do you put that knowledge to use? Let's assume you want to teleport something X tiles west and Y tiles north. First, you again need to find the distance as '''sqrt(X^2 + Y^2)''' (let's designate it '''D'''). Now, set the power setting so that '''((power-offset)^2)/10''' (let's designate that number as '''Dmax''') was greater than your distance. (If you can't, you need to find you more bluespace crystals). Now, once the power is set, you need to adjust the bearing. '''Divide D by Dmax'''. As Dmax is greater, you'll get a number less than 1. You need to '''calculate the inverse sine from that number and then divide it by 2'''. In one formula,
Unfortunately, the resulting settings, again, do not guarantee the destination will end up to be the one you wanted for some of the power settings, due to rounding. And if the arcsine isn't defined on the argument you get for it, you won't have enough power to reach the desired coordinates at that setting. You might want to double check the resulting teleporter settings using the first system of equations with results from this one, rounded to appropriate digits.
*elevation = (asin(D/Dmax))/2.
Now the bearing setting is obviously dependant not only on the distances the object has to travel along the X and Y axes, but on the general direction it travels to or from (northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest). To set the bearing, you'll need to calculate '''atan(X/Y)''' if the destination is northeast or southwest, and '''atan(Y/X)''' otherwise. Both X and Y numbers here have to be positive (just the distances on X and Y axes without signs). (Writer's note: wish I could add a picture of trigonometric circle in here, that would explain everything much better than I can in words). You'll get a number between 0 and 90, which will be your bearing plus(or minus) offset if you're sending northeast. To send something along the same distances on X and Y, but in the other direction, you'll need to add a multiple of 90 degrees to it. So:
*To send north and east, don't add anything.
*To send south and east, add 90.
*To send south and west, add 180.
*To send north and west, add 270.
Now compensate for the bearing offset, punch those numbers in the computer and hit that Send (or Recieve) button! If you're not miscalculated and everything was done right, you should now have DAT FUKKEN DISK on the telepad or a maximum-yield bomb at the AI core. Enjoy your near-omnipotence, you've truly deserved it.
{{ItemSimple
|bgcolor1 = #ccccee
|bgcolor2 = #ddddff
|name = [[Bluespace Crystal]]
|image = Bluespace_Crystal.png
}}


Sadly, every 30 to 40 teleportations (roughly) the [[Telepad]] will '''fizzle'''. This means you need to click  Recalibrate and start from step 1. Learn to recalibrate quickly, or you may end up in a heap of trouble.
If you're lazy, like me, here's a little something...


Leave handy beacons around the station, and GPS units at interesting locations in space, and you can easily find them again. It's worth putting something down in the [[Medbay]] so you can quickly send the wounded and the dead there.
== The uses ==
Do I even have to tell you that?


Also, note that the maximum radius you can reach is proportional to power squared, so, with so much as three or four extra crystals, your reach extends immensely. Just insert them into the console and higher power will become available. This also amplifies the recharge time between teleports and the energy the telepad consumes from the room's APC.
== The places ==
Y = 113 is the centerline of the station. Many interesting things are on that line. The AI, for instance. But keep in mind, the AI core is only able to be teleported when unanchored. Anchored objects, including people buckled into immovable chairs, can not be teleported. A bag of holding will mess up your teleport, sending you to an unintended destination. You can only teleport directly visible items, so people in disposal pipes and bins aren't accesible either. The nuclear authentification disk cannot be teleported, neither is any container it is in. X increases to the east and decreases to the west, Y increases to the north and decreases to the south. Use that, in combination with your GPS, to get coordinates of any visible object.


===Challenges for the Robust in All of Us===
Knowing the coordinates of items or places in secure locations without ever seeing that item or place in-game, in the current round, with a way to determine coordinates like a GPS, is metagaming! Knowing anything about non-explored z-levels is metagaming! Using telescience while not antag to steal rare or dangerous items without a reason to do so is powergaming! Using telescience to harm or kill people as non-antag is griefing! All of that can get you banned!
# Be useful and teleport dead bodies to Genetics for cloning, or injured crew straight to Medbay for treatment!
# Teleport an Engineering Cyborg straight to a hull breach!
# Borrow all the Chef's donuts!
# Teleport the last remaining revhead into the Brig for ''implanting''!
# Find the remaining Bananium ore and construct a H.O.N.K. mech for the Clown!
# Teleport the Nuclear Device around during a Nuclear Operatives -round! Bonus points if it's right after they stick in DAT FUKKEN DISK and before they input the code! Double bonus points for teleporting it to the derelict!
# Teleport a bomb onto a malfunctioning AI's core!
# Teleport the [[Woody's Got Wood|WGW]] reader into LORD SINGULOTH!




[[Category:Guides]]
 
TL; DR Telescience is hard. Find another job.
Anonymous user