eruraima

[eruraima]

it all started with the first art. but i dont know how to animate so just smple slide show lol. practice ig

долги по учебе хуячат меня в задницу но я выбрал быть счастливым

below frames i might like

[eruraima]

What is a Rock?

Hey folks!

Before we get started with sharing our full survey notes, we thought it would be a good idea to go over some basic terminology.

What is a Rock?

No, seriously! What counts as a “rock”? Geologically speaking, a rock is a solid, naturally-occurring collection of minerals and other materials. It might be made of a single mineral type, or multiple, but it is an aggregate of many individual mineral crystals.

Fig. 1: An image of a coarse-grained granite showing individual crystals of feldspar, mica and quartz. Note that the entire rock is made up of these interlocking individual mineral crystals.

What is a Mineral?

A mineral is a building component of rocks, and has a very specific definition based on particular criteria that must be met. For something to be considered a mineral, it must meet all the following criteria:-

It must be solid

It must be naturally-occurring

It must be inorganic

It must have a definite and known chemical composition

It must have a defined crystal structure

What does this actually mean? Let’s walk through it. Criterion one discounts anything that is a liquid - such as water. As you know, rocks and minerals can become liquid when exposed to high temperatures, magma and lava for example, but in this form, they are not minerals! They can only be classed as minerals once they solidify, provided they meet the other criteria alongside.

Fig. 2: Image of lava (a non-mineral due to its liquid form) and basalt (a rock made up of minerals).

As for the other criteria, naturally-occurring and inorganic are self-explanatory. No crystals that can only be manufactured in a laboratory setting are true minerals, because they cannot exist in nature! Crystals that are commonly lab-grown but can exist in nature (such as moissanite) still count as minerals. Inorganic means the mineral can be formed by inorganic processes. Something like calcite can be produced by animals (such as clam shells) but can also be formed by geological processes without the involvement of any living thing. This actually discounts amber as a mineral - since it is tree resin and is not replaced by any other minerals as is the case with fossilisation - therefore amber is not a mineral!

Having a definite chemical composition is also pretty much what it sounds like - it needs to have a chemical formula - a sequence of elements organized to form a compound that we know the definite composition of. For example, the chemical composition of quartz is SiO₂, which means it is a compound made up of atoms of silica and oxygen. Similarly, the composition of potassium feldspar - KAlSi₃O₈ is made up of potassium, aluminium, silica and oxygen atoms.

Lastly, a mineral must have a crystal structure - but what is a crystal structure? The simplest way to imagine this is with building blocks. Each block is the unit that defines the chemical composition - for example, SiO₄ for quartz. So, one “block” of quartz will be a unit of SiO₄. By arranging these blocks in a repeating pattern, a larger structure begins to take form. Crystals are orderly structures - imagine the blocks are piled nicely on top of each other, this is why many crystals have such well defined shapes!

Fig. 3: Diagram showing the atomic "building block" structure of quartz using a 3D model and ball-and-stick diagram; diagram showing "building blocks" arranged in the natural crystal structure; image of a quartz crystal - note the same crystal structure!

Something like glass, or a naturally-occurring glass, like obsidian, has these blocks arranged randomly, like if you were to take your tower and throw it into a storage bin. Because obsidian lacks this order on an atomic level, it isn’t considered a true mineral!

Fig. 4: Image showing a fragment of obsidian. Note the conchoidal fracturing on the obsidian - this is caused by the lack of organisation in its structure.

Unfortunately, we aren’t going to be able to run any chemical analyses in Outer Wilds, but we’ll do our best to compare what we see to real-world rocks, minerals, and features, and hopefully this will be able to steer us in the correct direction regarding some of these criteria to ensure we are analysing true minerals, and therefore, true rocks!

What is a Fossil?

Now, we just said that minerals and rocks can’t be organic, and you’re probably thinking, well hold on a second, what about fossils? How can something that was organic become a rock?

Let’s start by defining what a fossil actually is. Fossils are described as “any preserved remains, or trace of a once-living thing.” This includes anything from the fossilised skeletons of dinosaurs, to the delicate imprints of leaves and plants. Now, it’s important to note that not all fossils are rocks. Objects preserved in amber, for example, are classed as fossils - but as they remain organic, and cannot be classed as a rock.

How do we go from something organic, like a bone, to an inorganic version of it? Probably the most well known form of fossilisation is via replacement - where organic remains are replaced by inorganic minerals. Most bones are made up of calcium phosphate and other organic materials. When an animal dies and is buried by sediment, these organic materials are replaced by inorganic crystals in a process known as permineralisation. Permineralisation occurs when the pores of the original specimen are infilled with mineral matter from the ground or water - which then, bit by bit, replace the original organics with minerals, eventually completely replacing the whole specimen! When this occurs, you no longer have your original animal bone, but instead a replica of it with a completely inorganic composition - a fossil! The minerals involved in replacement can vary widely, which can produce spectacular finds such as these pyritised ammonites, or opalised vertebrae!

Fig. 5: Fossilised remains of two opalised Iguanodon vertebrae; a pyritised Ammonite.

Other fossils, such as footprints and burrows provide a record of an organism’s life, as opposed to actual remains of the organism itself. These fossils are known as trace fossils and are normally impressions that have been made in soft mud/soil that has then lithified. The cool thing about trace fossils, and especially footprints, is that you’re left with a cast of whatever part of the creature made contact with the substrate - sometimes with incredible detail of footpads, claws, and/or skin. A trace fossil is also completely inorganic, as it’s simply an imprint of a creature, and as such, technically classes as a rock!

Fig. 6: Photograph showing a dinosaur footprint mould and a dinosaur footprint cast. Both of these are trace fossils and have been formed via sediment infilling and lithification.

Alright, there was a lot of information there, but hopefully it has provided you with a strong foundation and understanding of what actually makes a rock . . . a rock! In our next post, we will be diving into the different rock types and the funky structures and features that they can create!

Hopefully, you’ll soon be able to start identifying a variety of rocks in your own Outer Wilds adventures!

If you have any questions regarding what we have talked about here, or indeed just about the Outer Wilds Geological Survey in general, please don't hesitate to drop us an ask!

Catch you in the next loop! The OWGS Team

[eruraima]

Per Aspera Ad Astra

[eruraima]

doodles from magma

[eruraima]

Valleys drop, mountains rise Lift your head, brave the skies You think it's gone, my friend But it comes back again

ID: Outer Wilds fanart inspired by Klimt’s “The Kiss”. The two figures in the painting are represented by the protagonist and the Eye of the Universe. The protagonist is wearing their suit and kneeling, holding one arm up to cradle the Eye’s symbol, which is shining brightly and extending to the edges of the image. They are both surrounded by a quantum shard. The rest of the travelers are in the background, framing the image. From left to right: The Prisoner, Feldspar, Solanum, Gabbro, Riebeck, Esker and Chert. The light from the Eye’s symbol is reflected in everyone’s helmet or their eyes. End ID

[eruraima]

Outer Wilds Ventures Photocards !!

(etsy hehehe)

Here's how they look all nice and printed out :3

[eruraima]

guys shut the fuck up this is the only thing im gonna talk about for the rest of all time 

(publicly shared video of a sweetheart’s dance from Rodney Stanger on fb)

[eruraima]

Meet the Founders: Mohs

Outer Wilds Geological Survey Founder: Mohs, drawn by @dekkiidan Howdy! Thanks so much for stopping by the Outer Wilds Geological Survey database, it's always great to know there are folks out there interested in the amazing stories and secrets that our local, and not so local, geology can tell us!

Anyways, I'm Mohs - nice to meet you! I'm one of the founders of the survey alongside my good pal and esteemed colleague and pilot, Lari. Ah, yeah, most folks already know, I'm not a fan of flying . . . but that's why Lari is our pilot and not me. Besides, how can I solve the mysteries of the Quantum Shards with only the samples we have on Timber Hearth when there are more outcrops out there waiting to be analysed? Conclusion:- I can't! Unfortunately. And, you know, Lari hasn't crashed us! No yet, anyway.

Geology wise, my main areas of expertise lie in what most folks would call laboratory and technician work, so things like sample and specimen prep, sorting out thin sections for microscopy, and sawing large samples to get a nice clean surface for proper observational analysis. This is why you're more likely to find my in the museum prep. room than out in the field. Don't get me wrong, I love field work too, especially when Lari and I are wrangling a particularly tricky outcrop, or if there are fossils involved; but somebody has to ensure the survey sample and field note collections are properly organised, analysed and documented. And, I'm not sure if you've ever seen Lari or Hornfels' own collections, whether that be geological, astronomical or research based, but - well let's just say, I don't think they're the right hearthians for keeping things organised. Sorry Lari! Sorry Hornfels!

I'm also currently working on a research paper and presentation regarding Quantum Geology that has recently come along in leaps and bounds thanks to Hal and the hatchling's translation tool titled -

"Quantum Geology: A morphological mystery, or lost in translation?"

Because, you know, based on some of the latest translations, I really don't think the Nomai fully understood the complex nature of these curious shards, and I would love to crack the mystery of their formation and origins!

Ah, apologies, I got a little carried away there, heh! Well, if you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with either of us, we'll do our best to shed some light on the mysteries and puzzles of the amazing geological history of our solar system! And if you have any questions about Quantum Geology, or even want to share theories, I'm all ears!

Thanks again for stopping by!

[eruraima]

Meet the Founders: Lari

Outer Wilds Geological Survey Founder: Lari, drawn by @merrydock

Heyo! Lari here to give you all a little background about me and my interests.

When I was a hatchling, I really enjoyed making maps. I'd make maps of the village, mostly little scavenger maps for my friends to solve. When I got older, and had a harder time figuring out what I wanted to do, Gossan gave me a few old geological maps of the crater and showed me how to interpret the legends. I noticed just how wrong we were about so much by comparing them to what I learned exploring as a hatchling, and I began mapping out the craters myself to create more accurate references for our miners.

That was where it all started: a few old maps. Before long, I was starting to notice all the little things around me. What the rocks in the Village Crater had in common with the ones in the Nomai Ruins Crater, or Youngbark, or the one on the South Pole. What was different. I started bringing notes and photographs, sometimes even samples, back to the village to ask the miners what they meant. I started reading up on what certain minerals could tell me about the formation of these rocks, what their shapes could say about their history. And that's when I really started to get into geology.

On Timber Hearth, I got really interested in the geysers and how they formed. But, turns out, studying such dangerous landforms up close and personal is harder than it seems! Mohs and I paired up to tackle the daunting task, and the Outer Wilds Geological Survey formed from our continued partnership.

By the time our explorations of Timber Hearth were beginning to wrap up, I was craving my next adventure. That was when I decided to join Outer Wilds Ventures as an astronaut and geologist. I'd already worked on samples and photographs brought back from space by the other Travellers, but I wanted to get out there and make my own observations. All the planets have something unique to offer, but it's hard to stay away from the excitement Brittle Hollow brings, especially when I'm chasing down one of Hollow's Lantern's volcanic bombs to get a sample. It'd be much easier if I could get ground control to just let me land on one of those volcanoes, but I haven't quite managed to convince them. Yet.

I'm now trying to bring together samples from all across the solar system to figure out its evolutionary history. You'd be surprised by just how much the planets have impacted each other (literally, in some cases!) as they formed. It's my most ambitious project yet, but I couldn't ask for better help from Mohs and the Outer Wilds Ventures team.

[eruraima]

My half of an art trade with @straweepy who drew this wonderful picture of Mohs! I knew as soon as I saw it I wanted to try and do a full piece featuring Celestine in revenge, hehe!

The idea behind this one was Celestine on firewatch catching sight of something cool in the sky as they kept an eye (or four) out for trouble in on the horizon.

I had a lot of fun working on this, especially when painting Celestine's super pretty markings!

Thank you for trading with me!

Celestine belongs to @straweepy

[eruraima]

hm..... is it possible for the tablet to do all the details work themselves

[eruraima]

you can always come home 🌲

[eruraima]

More mechanical drawings! This time, I designed Lari's ship!

Lari is an astronaut and geologist for Outer Wilds Ventures, launching in the midst of a huge design overhaul for their spaceships. As such, their ship has many unique and novel (at the time, anyway) specifications!

Lari launched between Chert and Riebeck, at the advent of retro-rockets and the repositioning of the thruster banks to the sides of the ships. While Riebeck's ship was an older model retrofitted with new technologies, Lari's ship was built new, and thus more closely resembles the modern chassis designs of Chert's, Gabbro's, and the Hatchling's ships.

(More details and an unannotated version below the cut)

Lari's ship is built small and sturdy, perfect for a mediocre pilot who rarely has a smooth landing. Lari packs plenty of provisions for their trips to space, typically spending just shy of a month camping in the field, with an extra barrel of sap wine (""water"") to spare in case they get any visits from their fellow Travellers. In addition to all the standard instrumentation, such as the Scout Launcher, Landing Camera, and Signalscope, Lari's ship comes equipped with a small robotic arm that can be used to take samples of rocks in space or in hazardous environments. The ship was built pre-autopilot, but will be updated as soon as the current version passes field tests.

The extension on the back of the ship was added by Tilley (@eruraima's Hearthian), an engineer and Lari's closest friend. The electrical panel was ripped off and added to the bottom of the extension, where everything was hooked back up nice and properly. Despite their efforts to work in secret, the "insignificant" addition was quickly noticed by Slate, who had a few choice words to say about the unvetted modification. The added storage lets Lari stay out in the field for longer and bring back more samples for Hearthbound geologists to study.

[eruraima]

founders group chat

[eruraima]

[eruraima]

A little chibi picture I did featuring mine and @merrydock's OCs Mylo (left) and Stein (right)! They're prepping for an evening of fireworks together ::3

Mylo belongs to @merrydock Stein belongs to @dekkiidan

[eruraima]

Leyendecker's Honeymoon: Hansry edition.