Golden cube

This article is about the miscellaneous object added by the Anomaly DLC. For the object used in an Ideoligion's Reliquary, see Relic.

Golden cube

A cube that fits snugly in the hand. Golden in color, it is always invitingly warm to the touch, like a trusted pet or a hug from a good friend. Those that look closely are rewarded for their attention, by the delightful way light plays across its welcoming surface. The cube seems impervious to most damage.

Base Stats

Type

[[{{{type}}}]]

Market Value

1200 

Mass

1 kg

Beauty

400

Flammability

0%

The golden cube is an anomalous object obtained from quests in the Anomaly DLC.

Acquisition

The golden cube can be found in Events in which you are contacted by either a planetary faction^[verify] or an anonymous AI. The quest giver will ask that you receive some unspecified cargo and refuse any questions about the shipment. Once the quest has been accepted there is a chance that the object which is given to you is the golden cube^[verify].

Summary

Once received, colonists will begin to obsess over this object^[verify]. They gain significant mood bonuses as long as they are allowed to interact with the cube, but also severe penalties to mood if they are separated^[verify].

Colonists will often stop whatever they were tasked with to 'Play' with the cube. Any obsessed colonists will be unable to have their task changed while playing, but can still be drafted. If the drafted colonist goes too long without being allowed to interact with the cube they will experience 'Cube Withdrawal'^[verify]. Undrafting a colonist undergoing this withdrawal will have them immediately try to interact with the cube, though they can continue to be drafted at any point^[verify] allowing them to be useful during attacks on the colony.

Obsessed colonists will go on periodic mental breaks^[verify] during which they will build a sculpture related to the cube. The sculpture is constructed from whatever material the colonist is standing on or by. For example, colonists standing around dirt will make dirt sculptures while those on concrete will make scrap or stone sculptures^[verify]. This artwork will provide a +15 mood buff to any obsessed colonist who views it. These sculptures cannot be deconstructed and must be destroyed by attacks. When destroyed, obsessed colonists will suffer a mood penalty^[verify].

When enough studies have been conducted on the golden cube, an option to permanently deactivate it becomes available which requires 1 Archotech Shard. This destroys the cube and breaks its hold over your colony. However, doing so will send any currently obsessed colonists on the map into Berserk Mental Breaks^[verify]. Any affected colonists within a caravan at the time of destruction will leave the colony permanently. Colonists who are obsessed with the cube will not willingly destroy it, so this action must be performed by an unaffected colonist. Temporary pawns from quests may deactivate the cube so long as they are not currently affected^[verify]. The Cube can be easily disposed of via Caravan dumping or transport pod, but doing so does not remove a colonists obsession with it. This means that if you get rid of the cube but do not destroy it, all colonists obsessed with the cube will eventually develop cube withdrawal and fall into a coma that scales based on the pawn's addiction to the cube. The lowest duration of the coma is 3 days, while the longest is 24. ^[verify]

Upon deactivation the golden cube drops 158-166 Gold^[verify].

Other methods of disposal which must be tested: Caravan dumping, Transport pod disposal, etc^[verify].

Analysis

As with any anomalous object, care should be taken that the colony is able to reliably deal with adverse side effects brought on by the entity. The introduction of the cube may severely cut down on overall productivity, but also grant a substantial mood bonus to any colonist allowed to consistently interact with the golden cube. Colonies with many pawns who are constantly in danger of mental breaking may find a use, as the huge mood buffs will change potentially dangerous mental breaks into smaller sculpture creation breaks. However, constant sculpture making can prove troublesome as it not only wastes a pawns time, but also takes up space with relatively low value sculptures which cannot be broken without a mood penalty.

The cube itself has a considerably high beauty value (About on par with a Good quality golden statue) which can even increase the mood of pawns who are not obsessed but simply share the same room as the cube. This can quickly increase the beauty value within a room colonists frequent, such as a rec room or dining room. Keeping the cube on display may prove difficult though, as many of your pawns may attempt to play with it constantly. This may limit the display time and relocate the golden cube afterwards. Placing a dedicated 1x1 [Stockpile Zone] or a [shelf] for the cube can ensure that it always returns to a specific viewing point.

Caravans are made substantially more difficult to form and maintain as any affected colonists will eventually be plagued with constant mood penalties due to undergoing cube withdrawal^[verify]. Often, you may be restricted to keeping any obsessed colonists at home while unaffected pawns can safely do quests on the world map.

If kept away from the cube for extended periods of time, obsessed colonists will begin going through cube withdrawal. Withdrawal starts as a slight reduction in consciousness and a mood reduction (similarly to a drug) and eventually escalates into a coma. This coma's duration scales based on the pawn's addiction to the cube. The lowest duration of the coma is 3 days, while the longest is 24.^[verify] until the cube is destroyed. Allowing an obsessed pawn to play with the cube will get rid of their withdrawal.

Destruction of the cube can be both difficult and dangerous. If all of your colonists are obsessed there will be no way to conventionally deactivate the object, as affected colonists refuse to do so. Any unaffected colonists should be ready to promptly secure and subdue obsessed pawns who go berserk. Be sure to return any affected colonists to the home map before destroying the golden cube, otherwise they will permanently leave. This is likely intended to force affected pawns into the Berserk state and prevent them from avoiding this by caravanning away.

Placing an affected colonist in cryptosleep will result in them escaping the casket and beginning a berserk rage mental break normally. Anesthetized colonists will be unaffected by the cube's destruction and will not suffer from cube withdrawal, so if you can manage it, this may be the safest option. Even the slightest amount of cube fascination will result in berserk break when the cube is destroyed; the meter doesn't need to be full.