Welcome to microTech!

The fourth and farthest planet from the sun in the Stanton system, microTech is the home of microTech corporation, a manufacturer of a variety of electronics, digital displays, software, and computers, including the mobiGlas wearable computer.

Located at the outer edge of the system's habitable zone, microTech is a terraformed planet with breathable air. However, due to an error during the terraforming process cloud production became unusually dense, resulting in a mostly frozen surface, with temperatures dropping below -100 °C. Most of microTech is covered in mountains and ice sheets and subject to strong blizzards and ice storms, but multiple temperate tundra zones exist in areas associated with deep geothermal activity. For those willing to face the elements, microTech offers a vast world to explore!

Main landing zone

The main landing zone and city is New Babbage. Situated at the shore of a frozen lake, the city hosts large public spaces that are enclosed under domes to protect the inhabitants against the freezing elements of the planet. The accessible parts of the city consist of large domes— named the Commons, the Promenade and the Plaza— which give host to shops, diners and other cultural experiences. The Aspire Grand, New Babbage's signature skyscraper, hosts the Nest apartment services, as well as the city hospital. In New Babbage you can also find the Tobin Expo Center, which is open for special occasions like the annual IAE event. 
On the opposite side of the frozen lake lies the New Babbage Interstellar Spaceport, which is connected to the city with a Metroloop transit service.

For more information about New Babbage, please see details on the city's location page on our Planetary Survey.

Did you know: New Babbage is likely named after Charles Babbage, who is credited with inventing the first mechanical computer.

Tip: If you only need a quick in-and-out visit to f.ex. do some shopping or deliver cargo at the Plaza dome, it is possible to land outside the ground entrance at the Commons dome garage complex and enter the facility here by foot. This is also an alternative location to pick up ground vehicles instead of using the spaceport garage complex.  

Weather

The weather on microTech is cold. Even in the tempered areas, a climate slightly below freezing point will require you to wear proper armor to protect yourself. Going into the harsher mountain environments or getting struck by a snow storm will require specialized equipment to protect against temperatures that can drop to well below -100 °C. When travelling microTech it is recommended to always have a Novikov armor closeby (or preferably equipped) at all times.

The Novikov suit and helmet can be conveniently purchased at the FPS Armor shop on Port Tressler before going down to the planet.

Biomes

The planet contains six distinct biomes. Smooth transitions between the different biomes create a natural feel for the planet. Mountains roll into sparsely-forested foothills, which then gradually transition into dense forests and plains below. Multiple temperate tundra zones exist in areas associated with deep geothermal activity. In these zones, mostly situated around the equatorial line (OM3-4-5-6), you will find the Floral Fields and Forest Regions biomes.

Biome 1 : Mountains - High altitude mountain ranges, fraught by perilous wind & punishing storms. Beware of the rugged and tricky-to-traverse terrain and extreme cold temperatures in this biome.

Biome 2 : Low Frozen Zones - Consisting of vast snow covered plains and forests, this biome is usually easy to traverse, but beware of vegetation and rocks sticking up from the snow. This biome, as the mountains biome, can be beset with extreme cold temperatures. Explore and you’ll find interesting pieces of terrain exclusive to this biome, like frozen-over and petrified-in-ice trees.

Biome 3 : Forest Regions - Red, orange, and green colors begin to show through in warmer forest regions, offering a bittersweet look at what microTech could have been if not for the terraforming mishap. Camping expeditions and adventurous hikes in these greener biomes are popular activities among players. Cold-hardy plants such as evergreens, wildflowers, grasses, and lichen grow here throughout the year.

Biome 4 : Floral Fields - In warmer transitional areas, the monochromatic pallet of microTech gives way to rare but beautiful floral fields. This biome is intertwined with the forest regions biome, where the two biomes combined make out the colourful tempered areas of the planet.

Biome 5 : Frozen Lakes - Easy to spot from orbit, these oceans and cold coasts line the edges of the landmass. If you’re flying above these bodies of water, or walking on top of them, you’ll find sheets of ice, frozen and shattering individually over time. Icebergs line the edges of the coasts after melting and refreezing into various unique shapes.

Biome 6 : Frozen Tundras - Beset with glacial structures of ice and obsidian, this biome is found near the north and south poles (OM1 and OM2). The north pole is bathed in eternal sunlight while the south pole is in eternal dusk, due to the positioning of the Stanton star.

Planetary Locations

For information about the locations found on microTech, please see details on the planet's page on our Planetary Survey (Locations button).

Trading Outposts

• Rayari Deltana Research Outpost
• Shubin Mining Facility SM0-10
• Shubin Mining Facility SM0-13
• Shubin Mining Facility SM0-18
• Shubin Mining Facility SM0-22
• Necropolis (Stash House)
• Outpost 54 (Stash House)

Underground Bunker Facilities

• MT SecurityCenter DDV-6
• MT DataCenter 2UB-RB9-5
• MT DataCenter 4HJ-LVE-A
• MT DataCenter 5WQ-R2V-C
• MT DataCenter 8FK-Q2X-K
• MT DataCenter D79-ECG-R
• MT DataCenter E2Q-NSG-Y
• MT DataCenter KH3-AAE-L
• MT DataCenter L8P-JUC-8
• MT DataCenter QVX-J88-J
• MT DataCenter TMG-XEV-2

Emergency Shelters

• Calhoun Pass Emergency Shelter
• Clear View Emergency Shelter
• Nuiqsut Emergency Shelter
• Point Wain Emergency Shelter

Caves

• microTech Cave N02
• microTech Cave N20
• microTech Cave N39
• microTech Cave N48
• microTech Cave N71
• microTech Cave S01

Places of interest

New Babbage contains several easter-eggs that are interesting travel destinations. A fun challenge for the chairs, camp and cave locations is to leave your ship parked in the hangar and instead try to reach them by ground vehicle!

Pico the Penguin Mascot

If you are at the Commons Garage ground entrance to visit or set off in your vehicle - somewhere in the garage complex is a Pico the Penguin plushie playing hide-and-seek, who would like to say hi. Search around and see if you can find him!

Jax's Rooftop Painting

At Jax McCleary's coverage of the IAE 2951, in the "IAE Special - Part 2" video he attempts to recreate the famous painting "Tears of Fire" by using an Aegis Redeemer ship. The recreation of this art can be seen ingame, on a skyscraper rooftop in New Babbage.

Hover your ship over the Aspire Grand building and point towards compass heading 353°. Aim for the building marked in this photo:

Lakeside and Cliffside Chairs

These chairs can be found on an island out on the ice between the city and spaceport, and at a mountain base in the outskirts of the city.

Christmas Campsite

If you follow the Metroloop line from the spaceport to Aspire Grand, and fly under the tramline to go underneath the building, you will arrive at the Christmas Camp easter-egg, with a christmas tree, presents and a camp fire.

Cave-N48

Cave N-48 is located in the mountains behind the spaceport, about 37 km from the New Babbage starmap marker. This is a drive-in cave, where it is possible to drive a couple of hundred meters in with a vehicle, before further progress in only possible on-foot. The cave is located right outside the New Babbage armistice zone. You can easily get lost inside the cave, so bring some glow sticks if you plan to go deep. Se our Planetary Survey for more information about the cave and detailed route information.