Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients - Ancient Vaults, Supersoldiers and Genetic Experiments for RimWorld

Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients is a RimWorld mod that introduces a new questline centered around abandoned underground laboratories, ancient genetic experiments, and the creation of powerful supersoldiers. Players must investigate forgotten government facilities, recover advanced archotech equipment, and uncover the secrets of a dangerous research program that once pushed humanity to the brink of disaster.

The modification adds 5 new quests, underground vault exploration, experimental genetic technology, and the ability to establish a fully equipped supersoldier laboratory within your colony.

Ancient Vaults and Forgotten Laboratories

The story begins with a mysterious intercepted transmission that leads colonists to an abandoned underground vault.

Inside these forgotten facilities lie the remains of an ancient supersoldier program, where long-extinct governments experimented with powerful but unstable archotech technology.

Exploring the ancient vaults involves:

• Investigating abandoned underground laboratories.
• Fighting escaped mutants created by dangerous experiments.
• Clearing facilities overrun by insectoid infestations.
• Discovering forgotten scientific equipment and unstable prototypes.
• Recovering advanced technology needed to construct your own laboratory.

Each recovered signal leads to another facility, gradually revealing more about the experiments conducted by the ancients.

Quest locations can appear anywhere on the world map, so players should prepare for potentially long-distance expeditions.

Archogen Injector - Create Your Own Supersoldiers

The central feature of Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients is the Archogen Injector, an experimental device capable of granting colonists extraordinary genetic abilities.

As players explore ancient laboratories, they recover specialized components that expand their control over the injector.

Important laboratory components include:

• Spliceframe Uplink
• Mutagen Inhibitor Core
• Archite Pathing Array

These devices allow players to gradually reconstruct the ancient genetic research system and develop their own supersoldier laboratory.

The equipment found during expeditions can be transported back to the colony, allowing players to assemble their laboratory at home.

Archite Genes, Superpowers and Side Effects

The Archogen Injector uses the game's genetic system to grant characters powerful abilities.

The genetic modification system includes:

• Archite genes: Eligible archite genes can become superpowers granted by the injector.
• Modded genes: Archite genes introduced by other mods can also be used.
• Genetic side effects: Genes with positive metabolism values can appear as side effects.
• Restricted genes: Certain genes, including Morph genes, are excluded from the system.

Other mod developers can also blacklist their own genes from appearing as injector abilities.

The available results therefore depend partly on the genetic content installed in the game. Additional gene mods can increase the variety of possible superpowers and side effects.

The injector offers considerable power, but genetic experimentation involves risks that players must consider when developing their supersoldiers.

Five New Quests and World Exploration

Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients introduces 5 quests connected through a dedicated storyline.

Unlike ordinary RimWorld quests, these missions use a system independent of the storyteller.

Quest mechanics include:

• Five additional story-driven quests.
• Activation based on specific conditions and internal timers.
• No reduction in the frequency of regular storyteller quests.
• The first quest is expected to appear between 90 and 120 in-game days from the beginning of the game.
• Quest locations that may appear anywhere on the world map.

The developer menu also includes View Quest Chains, allowing players to inspect quest progression, manually trigger individual quests, automatically complete them, and check when future quests are scheduled to appear.

New Starting Scenario and Underground Base

Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients includes a dedicated starting scenario focused on the ancient research facilities.

Players begin inside a complex containing a staircase that leads to a secret underground laboratory.

The underground facility can also be used as a permanent colony base, allowing players to develop their settlement around the abandoned research complex.

This starting scenario also includes a unique special character who cannot be encountered through other starting scenarios.

The special character is exclusive to this particular beginning.

Compatibility and Important Limitations

Vanilla Quests Expanded - Ancients can be added to an existing RimWorld save, allowing players to discover the ancient facilities without starting a new colony.

Important details:

• Existing saves: Supported.
• Combat Extended: Compatibility has not been confirmed.
• Modded archite genes: Supported unless specifically blacklisted.
• Ancient laboratory equipment: Can be recovered and transported to the player's colony.
• Special starting character: Available exclusively through the new starting scenario.
• Mending Bench: Not included in this version of the mod.
• Original Ancients storyteller: No longer included in the main modification and is available separately.

The mod is a rebuilt version of the original Ancients concept, featuring a new quest structure and genetic experimentation mechanics.

Authors

• Oskar Potocki - Graphics and visual design.
• Sarg Bjornson - Programming.
• Taranchuk - Programming.
• Ferny - Writing and narrative content.
• vitalii - Storyteller artwork.