Mercer Sphere

Mercer Spheres are alien artifacts found throughout the world used to construct and research improvements for Dimensional Depot Uploaders.

They are found on their own Mercer Sphere plant, from which they can be collected. Standing next to one for an extended period of time will result in a sound file being played.

In closed alpha versions of the game, certain in-game messages would be received from [email protected]. In-universe, these spheres are named after this character (Dr. D. M. Mercer).

Obtaining

Mercer Spheres can be found while exploring, typically in hard-to-reach places usually guarded by enemies and surrounded by Uranium Deposits, Spore Flowers, Cracked boulders or Gas Pillars.

There are a total of 298 Mercer Spheres as of Patch 1.0.

A total of 97 Mercer Spheres are required to unlock all related research nodes in the MAM. This leaves 201 Mercer Spheres available for other uses, such as constructing Dimensional Depot Uploaders.

Usage

Research

 Mercer Sphere is used for research in the Alien Technology Research chain in the MAM.

Crafting

Recipe	Ingredients	Produced in	Products	Unlocked by
Dimensional Depot Uploader	1 × Mercer Sphere 10 × SAM Fluctuator 10 × Modular Frame 100 × Wire	Build Gun	1 × Dimensional Depot Uploader	MAM Alien Technology Research - Dimensional Depot

AWESOME Sink

 Mercer Sphere cannot be sunk into the AWESOME Sink and will clog the input.

Achievements

I'm sure these play a Critical Role • "Gather a Mercer Sphere."

Consume • "Gather 150 Mercer Spheres."

Narrative

Expand to reveal spoiler

1. New ADA initial collect transcript:

ADA[email protected]
The astrobiologist Dr. D. M. Mercer was the first to recognize the presence and probable nature of these alien artifacts, and the chain-melted state spheres are named in his honor. Each sphere emits a unique signal. Research it in the MAM to establish locally appropriate classification and application.

2. Pre-1.0 ADA pickup transcript:'

ADA[email protected]
ADA: This spherical object emits gravitational radiation. Initial scans reveal an inner vain-like structure filled with liquid Gallium, purpose and origin unknown. Further analysis required to determine application.

3. Sound transcripts - Possible messages when received near a Mercer Sphere include:

• "Be appropriate."
• "Harvest."
• "Consume."
• "Witness."
• "Play. Play. Play."
• "Defile - the scripture."
• (deepening with each word) "Consume. Consume. Consume."
• "Harmonize with us."
• "Listen to the rhythm."
• "Live Laugh Consume"
• "Look through the window."
• "Witness a single strand of the tapestry."
• "Harvest the scripture and compose it into a blood song"
• "This is a shrine to windows and weaving"
• "Look though the window and witness a thread"
• "Follow the veins to the altar and chant"
• "Your waves lap at our shores, when will you land?"
• "This bleeding temple hums a resonance song, play for us"

4. ADA Corrupted Messages:
When picking up a Mercer Sphere, ADA will sometimes produce a corrupted message that seems to be from the sphere. In later messages, ADA & the artifact can be heard talking to each other.

• View Story Strange Communications to read and hear individual ADA messages (both normal and corrupted).

Trivia

• The Mercer Spheres were named after Matthew Mercer, an American voice actor and host of the Dungeons and Dragons web series Critical Role.
  • The Achievement for picking up a Mercer Sphere references this, named "I'm sure these play a Critical Role", with the icon being a 20-sided dice.
  • This is also referenced by ADA when first picking one up, attributing their discovery to a "D.M." (for Dungeon Master) Mercer.
  • Mercer himself discovered that a game element had been named after him when playing Satisfactory on stream with his wife.
• The Mercer Sphere’s speech is extremely similar to the Mesmers in Subnautica.

Expand to reveal spoiler

Mercer Spheres appear to be some sort of seed, and most likely the source of the large stony tendrils that cover the map. This theory is supported by several locations where the Spheres have shed their outer covering and have started to grow plant-like vines which resemble the larger terrain structures.

See also

•  Somersloop

Gallery

• 

  An uncollected mercer sphere found in the wild as seen in Closed Alpha through Update 8.
• 

  Mercer Sphere revised look in Version 1.0.

History

• Patch 1.0: Updated icon and mesh
• Patch 0.8.0.0: Mercer Spheres can no longer be deleted in the inventory
• Unknown patch: Description now contains the text "WORK IN PROGRESS ANALYZING THIS WILL NOT GIVE YOU ANYTHING" and the item's in-game name was changed to "Mercer Sphere WIP"
• Patch 0.1.6: Mercer Spheres are again no longer scannable in the MAM
• Patch 0.1.5: Mercer Spheres can now be scanned in the MAM again. After being scanned, the ADA dialogue listed below would appear. Scanning one would only allow them to be chosen in the Object Scanner, which worked just like scanning for Power Slugs. The research was repeatable with no rewards.
• Unknown patch after Patch 0.1: Mercer Spheres are no longer scannable in the MAM
• Alpha Test Weekend: Mercer Spheres are (presumably) scannable. After it was scanned, a dialog from ADA would appear:

ADA[email protected]
This spherical object emits gravitational radiation. Initial scans reveal an inner vein-like structure filled with liquid Gallium, purpose, and origin unknown. Further analysis required to determine application