Here’s A Very Adorable Animation That AL-AN Has In The Early-access Original Story!

Found this weird looking horse

Let’s talk about Architect math!

Considering that Precursors don’t have hands like we do, how do they format their math? Our current 10-decimal system is based on our ten fingers, so I wonder what the math of the Architects looks like, considering they don't have hands like we do. (Though AL-AN does note the usefulness of the opposable thumb.)

Architects have mechanical arms—two of which have hands with three fingers—but we know that they were originally a fully biological species before inventing their synthetic vessels. As stated in the databank entry AL-AN provides on the Architect storage media, their vessels resemble their pre-civilized forms. They had to have had a math system before inventing their synthetic vessels.

So… what would their math look like?

Precursors may use a base four system in which they only use 0, 1, 2, and 3 based on the digits of their claws on their organic arms. (Assuming they had similar claws on their pre-civilized bodies.)

I mean, humans have used base 4 selectively. It’s not entirely unheard of or out of the realm of possibility. Quaternary numeral systems are found in select languages throughout history and even have some modern code applications.

I’m leaning towards pre-civilization Precursors having a base four system, whereas current Precursors opt to use a binary system instead.

Obviously, as their species exists in its current form a binary system would be much more efficient. Existing as data means that a binary system would compute a lot smoother; especially as a network.

They could even use something else entirely different to what we commonly think of as math. We know Architect senses do not work in the same way humans do.

…or maybe I’m just a nerd overthinking alien math systems

More of AL-AN’s idle typing

I think it’s a little silly how they included keyboard noises considering the console he is using appears to be a touchscreen.

Its for the vibes I guess

So glowy…

An unused aside dialogue between AL-AN and Robin. A conversation about gems and names.

Transcript below the cut

Robin: “Looks like this was an Alterra mining site. Gemstones everywhere.”

AL-AN: “Why do humans designate only some minerals as gems?”

R: “Because they're not just functional, we also find them beautiful—decorative.”

A: “Is that why Ruby is a human name according to the database in your PDA?”

R: “I think so.”

A: “Astatine is technically the rarest known element. Do humans name their children Astatine? I did not see it listed.”

R: “…No, I’ve never met a human named Astatine.”

AL-AN on the surface of sector zero

Closer look at AL-AN preparing to activate the teleporter in the Phase Gate Facility

POV you are AL-AN

Me when the phase gate is opening

AL-AN and Robin doodles for the soul