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2. Jitters and Transium - A Brief Overview

When the first probes were sent to Visitor, they made two very important discoveries. The first was Transium. Transium is a high-energy crystalline structure that is rich in energy. Transium also possesses unique fluid-like properties. Biophysicists found that Transium could be ionized into a plasma-like state, yet still maintain its molecular structure. This allows Transium to be transmitted short distances within a high frequency EM field. Polarizing these fields allowed you to form complex structures at the atomic level. This unprecedented discovery will surely change the world as we know it. (See Building Wells and Using Transium for more information on mining and using Transium resources.)

This is why you are here. Your corporation has granted you mining rights for Transium, in accordance to the Planetary Alliance Consortium Bylaws. You have also been given a V$1,000,000 grant, along with all the items needed to survive on planet Visitor. You will need to stake claim to one of the one million plots of land on the plantetoid, and mine and defend it to the best of your ability.

Along with Transium, UN Scientists discovered a silicon-based life form on Visitor. Called Jitters (because of their strange sound and means of locomotion), they were the first proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial life. Although some prominent Biologists argue that Jitters do not meet the definition of a life form, most scientists agree that we need to redefine our definition.

Although the discovery of the morphological properties of Transium was a scientific breakthrough, conventional methodologies to transform Transium into energy and matter were difficult and costly. This was until biophysicists discovered the Jitters unique abilities. Jitters can ionize and polarize Transium quite easily. Using nanite technology, they discovered that Jitters could be "programmed" to construct various objects, such as guns, armors and even buildings - just about anything. Once a Jitter is programmed to construct an object, only the UN can reprogram it. An Armor Jitter will always be an Armor Jitter.

Jitters and Transium are the heart of the economy of Visitor. You can buy and sell Jitters and Transium in the Corporate Market. You can also trade and steal Jitters and Transium. If you destroy a Rover (or anything else), it will revert to its Jitter form, along with some Transium. You can then grab it and take it back to your base and build it for yourself. You can recycle unwanted Jitters in the Corporate Market.

Jitters also have limmited Durability. Every time an object (e.g. a Rover, Building, or the contents within) the Jitter(s) loose a Durability point. When a Jitter reaches zero Durability, it is destroyed. You can view a Jitters Durability by simply placing your cursor over it from your BackPack Menus. You will notice a number like 12/15. In this example, this Jitter currently has 12 of it's original 15 Durability points. There is no way to increase Durability points.

One last detail regarding jitters, do not leave them on the ground, they will automatically be absorbed back into visitor within 1 hour of being placed on the ground. Built items also decay on the ground but take 24-48 hours to do so. Objects and Jitters will last indefinitely as long as they are safely stored.

Only your Nerve Center Jitter has been encoded to build itself. All other Jitters must be built using other construction facilities. Before you can build an object, you must place it into the correct facility. All building Jitters must be stored in you Nerve Center. All Weapon Jitters must be stored in you Weapon Plant...and so forth. From your Nerve Center overhead view, you can freely 'drag and drop' Jitters to and from your backpack and buildings. Or you can also point at a building and hit the F3 hot key (see a full list of hot keys under Getting Familiar) to store the appropriate Jitters to a certain facility. If you are not in Nerve Center View, you must be inside a Building's Paddock to store Jitters.

Onto Building your Nerve Center