# The Ontology of Ontological Anomalies > [!INFO] Overview > **Teacher**: Mary Ellen Daniels > **Game**: Pacific Drive (2024) > **Developer**: Ironwood Studios ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/brutalist.jpeg]] ### Systems (general) Pacific Drive aligns with a new wave of survival sims that emphasise ludo-narrative balance and align deep systems design with a unique setting. ("The Long Dark" and "Subnautica" pioneers; "Dredge" and "Dave the Diver" as recent entries in the line). - Pacific Drive uses "**American weird**" as its unique setting: a liminal space in between David Lynch and Area 51. Somewhere in Olympic Peninsula (US, Washington), half-way to Twin Peaks at the Canadian border. - On "American Weird" style see Serada (2021). ”Will Kentucky Route Zero Take You to Twin Peaks? Tracing the Narrative of the American Weird”. WiderScreen 24 (1-2). [LINK](http://widerscreen.fi/numerot/2021-1-2/will-kentucky-route-zero-take-you-to-twin-peaks-tracing-the-narrative-of-the-american-weird/) - The core system in Pacific Drive is the **car**. Caught in the eye of a storm of anomalies, the avatar sticks to their vehicle. The car is a bunker, a cargo, and an ark. Then it plays a key role in: - the driving system (car as a vehicle), - the life-supporting system (car as a bunker and a friend to take care of), - the inventory and resource exploration systems (car as a cargo), - and the narrative end-goal system (car as an ark that brings you to the game's finish line). - There are several other systems unrelated to the car directly. Such are garage (hub) system, active and passive utilities systems, landscape generation system, anomalies (hazards) systems, etc. I will take the last one system for the review. ### The system of choice : **The Ontology of Ontological Anomalies** **Anomalies** are mysterious hazards that leak into the game-world through gaps in metaphysical texture. Each anomaly has distinct functionality and conditions ([[DATA_W1_PacificDriveAnalysis#Relevant variable types / data points|see variables below]]). Together they comprise an eerie type of a *climate* system. Instead of analysing each anomaly, I will take their types as elements and then describe data points specifics of each type. #### Relevant elements : **Anomaly damage types** Basic elements of the chosen system are 7 types of damage that anomalies cause to the avatar or their vehicle. | Anomaly Type | Instance | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | *Physical* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/phys.png]] | Airstrip \| Bollard \| Seismic Squall | | *Radiated* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/rad.png]] | Dust Bunny \| Hot Dust | | *Acidic* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/acidic.png]] | Burp Bunny \| Corrosive Squall \| Rotten Egg \| Sick Mickey \| Cough Box \| Belching Barnacle | | *Electrical* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/electr.png]] | Minuteman \| Shocked Tourist \| Sizzling Mist \| Spark Tower \| Wriggling Wreck | | *Piercing* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/piercing.png]] | Can Opener \| Spike Puddle | | *Explosion* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/explos.png]] | Tourist | | *Strange* ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/strange.png]] | Abductor \| Electromagnetic Squall \| Glittering Boulder \| Left-Right \| Pothole \| Shaker | #### Relevant data points : **Anomaly parameters** I identified 7 *parameters* essential to each *instance* of each of the 7 *damage types* indicated above. ##### Legend (I) **Density (rarity)**: Rare / Common / Frequent (II) **Radiation correlation**: Yes / No (III) **Atmospheric corr.**: Yes / No (IV) **Location**: General / Specific (V) **Is Destroyable**: Yes / No (VI) **Has Loot**: Yes / No (VII) **Effect** (*danger*): Severe - Middle - Low ##### Explanation - ==Full map== the avatar uses to plan the next trip ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/climate_legend.jpeg]] - The map shows the *(int) Anomaly **density***. Each anomaly has a secret chance to appear within the density boundaries. Then each anomaly has its *particular secret density variable* (including a 0 density). In other words, a *rarity* level (Rare / Common / Frequent). - Radiated anomalies has a unique *(int) Radiation density correlation*. Some types of anomalies have an *(int) Atmospheric shift correlation* (atmospheric shifts lead to "drops in the Zone's stability" and eventually to the "Zone storm" -- see image below). - ==Map legend== ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/legend_closeUp.png.png]] - ==Map data== ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/climate_legendParticular_closeUp.png]] - Some anomaly types can be found just at specific game levels (*(array) **Location***) - Some anomalies can be destroyed and drop items, others cannot be destroyed (*(bool) **Destroyable*** & *(bool) **Loot***) - Each anomaly has a unique hazardous *(array) **Effect / Damage*** on the player (Severe / Middle / Easy danger). ### Infographics #### 7 DamageTypes (X) N Instances (X) 7 Parameters The following tables show 7 [[DATA_W1_PacificDriveAnalysis#Legend|properties]] of each anomaly *instance* of each [[DATA_W1_PacificDriveAnalysis#Relevant elements **Anomaly damage types**|damage type]]. From the description we can draw some patterns that define how anomalies functions in the gameplay: - **Strange** type of anomalies are the *rarest*. - **Acidic** type is the most location-specific. - **Electrical** type is the most severe in damage. - **Strange** and **Acidic** types have most instances (6) - **Explosion** type has least instances (just 1 entry). - **Radiated** and **Piercing** types have few entries too (2 each) - **Strange** and **Acidic** types have most instances (6) - Most instances *cannot be destroyed*. - If an anomaly *is destroyable*, it always *has loot*. - Just few instances have an apparent correlation to *atmospheric shifts*. - Insignificant amount of instance besides **Radiated** type have a correlation with *radiation density*. - Etc. | ==Physical== Anomalies -> | (1) Airstrip | (2) Bollard | (3) Seismic Squall | | ------------------------------ | ------------ | ----------- | ------------------ | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Frequent | Frequent | Rare | | (II) **Radiation correlation** | No | No | No | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | No | No | Yes | | (IV) **Location** | General | General | Specific | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | No | No | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | No | No | No | | (VII) **Effect / Damage** | Middle | Low | Middle | | ==Radiated== -> | (1) Dust Bunny | (2) Hot Dust | | ------------------------------ | -------------- | ------------ | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Common | Rare | | (II) **Radiation correlation** | Yes | Yes | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | No | Yes | | (IV) **Location** | General | General | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | Yes | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | Yes | No | | (VII) **Damage** | Low | Severe | | ==Acidic== -> | (1) Burp Bunny | (2) Corrosive Squall | (3) Belching Barnacle | (4) Sick Mickey | (5) Cough Box | | --------------------------- | -------------- | -------------------- | --------------------- | --------------- | ------------- | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Rare | Rare | Common | Rare | Common | | (II) **Radiation corr.** | No | No | No | No | No | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | No | Yes | No | No | No | | (IV) **Location** | Specific | Generic | Specific | Specific | Specific | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | Yes | No | No | No | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | Yes | No | No | No | No | | (VII) **Damage** | Low | Middle | Severe | Middle | Middle | | ==Electrical== -> | (1) Bolt Bunny | (2) Minuteman | (3) Shocked Tourist | (4) Sizzling Mist | (5) Spark Tower | (6) Wriggling Wreck | | ------------------------ | -------------- | ------------- | ------------------- | ----------------- | --------------- | ------------------- | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Common | Rare | Common | Rare | Rare | Rare | | (II) **Radiation corr.** | No | No | No | No | No | No | | (III) **Atmosp. corr.** | No | No | No | No | No | No | | (IV) **Location** | Generic | Generic | Generic | Generic | Specific | Generic | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | | (VII) **Damage** | Low | Severe | Middle | Middle | Severe | Severe | | ==Piercing== -> | (1) Can Opener | (2) Spike Puddle | | ------------------------------ | -------------- | ---------------- | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Common | Rare | | (II) **Radiation correlation** | No | No | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | No | No | | (IV) **Location** | Generic | Generic | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | No | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | No | No | | (VII) **Damage** | Severe | Middle | | ==Explosion== -> | (1) Tourist | | ------------------------------ | ----------- | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Frequent | | (II) **Radiation correlation** | No | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | Yes | | (IV) **Location** | Generic | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | Yes | | (VI) **Has Loot** | Yes | | (VII) **Damage** | Middle | | ==Strange== -> | (1) Abductor | (2) Electromagnetic Squall | (3) Glittering Boulder | (4) Left-Right | (5) Pothole | (6) Shaker | | ------------------------------ | ------------ | -------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------- | ----------- | ---------- | | (I) **Density (rarity)** | Common | Rare | Frequent | Common | Rare | Rare | | (II) **Radiation correlation** | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | | (III) **Atmospheric corr.** | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | | (IV) **Location** | Specific | Specific | Specific | Specific | Generic | Specific | | (V) **Is Destroyable** | No | No | No | No | No | No | | (VI) **Has Loot** | No | No | No | No | No | No | | (VII) **Damage** | Low | Low | Low | Severe | Low | Severe | #### AcidicType (X) the DamageProperty This chart shows the *damage* level that *each instance* of *Acidic anomalies type* causes to the avatar or their vehicle. I didn't find precise numbers to the damage of each particular instances and had to assign Low damage to 1, Middle to 2, and Severe to 3. ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/AcidicAnomaliesDamage_chart.png]] #### All 7 anomaly types (X) DamageProperty This chart shows the *damage* level that *each instance* of *each anomaly type* causes. (Low damage = 1, Middle = 2, Severe = 3) ![[ATTACHMENTS/REFS/PacificDrive/FullAnomaliesDamage_chart.png]] ### Reference - Serada A. (2021) ”Will Kentucky Route Zero Take You to Twin Peaks? Tracing the Narrative of the American Weird”. WiderScreen 24 (1-2). [LINK](http://widerscreen.fi/numerot/2021-1-2/will-kentucky-route-zero-take-you-to-twin-peaks-tracing-the-narrative-of-the-american-weird/) To find data elements in the Pacific Drive I referred to: - ["A Guide to Anomalies" by Valerie](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3168433093) on Steam. ^fe98bf - [Pacific Drive wiki](https://pacific-drive.fandom.com/wiki/Anomalies) - My personal experience of the game world's liminalities