Colonists

The Colonists are the main protagonists of the 2018 construction and management simulation video game, RimWorld.
The primary goal of the colonists is to build a spaceship to leave the very planet they're stranded on. However, due to this being a very lengthy process, the player must manage them during their time on the planet, such as building shelters, gathering food, researching different technologies to invent better and better things, etc.
Given that both the world and colonists are procedurally generated, with some of that being player-controlled, the traits, personalities, strength and weaknesses of the colonists vary greatly.
Even though the colonists are the protagonists of the game, some of their actions can be questionable or downright malevolent, though this is dependent on the player's choices. For example, colonists can gain more colonists, but can end up harvesting their organs and selling them.
==History==
The game takes place in the distant future, with technology advanced to the point where humans can travel between planets. Just before the start of the game, an unknown event occurs where the colonists land on a foreign planet via drop pods.
==Description==
There are different scenarios and difficulties the player can choose that alter how many colonists the player starts with, as well as the adversaries and random events they face. As previously mentioned, the main goal of the colonists is to collect and create as many resources as possible in order to comfortable sustain themselves and build a spaceship to escape the planet they're stranded on.
===Traits===
Before the game begins, the player cannot directly change the colonists' traits individually, but can randomize all of their traits at once. The player can keep randomizing their traits until a colonist has preferable traits. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the "perfect colonist", as there will always be negative traits present in some way.
Specifically, there are 12 traits the player can randomize. Additionally, a colonist may be interested or have a burning passion in learning certain things, which means these skills will increase faster when learning them:
*Shooting
*Melee
*Construction
*Mining
*Cooking
*Plants
*Animals
*Crafting
*Artistic
*Medical
*Social
*Intellectual
There are also relatives colonists may. Some colonists may be completely incapable of doing some tasks, or might have a physical handicap in some way that impedes certain tasks. For example, a colonist can have a scar that leaves them in constant pain, which requires constant treatment to alleviate said pain.
Mental ailments are also possible when generating colonists, such as getting angry faster than normal, or being more prone to having mental breakdowns. Backstories are also a contributing factor to the colonists' stats.
===Gameplay===
Colonists have needs the player must constantly manage, the main ones being food, rest, recreation and mood. The secondary ones are beauty, comfort and time spend outdoors. Not only must the player manage these factors, but should strive to fill these needs with better and better resources. For example, cooking a "simple meal" may feed a colonist, but a "fine meal" or "lavish meal" will increase the happiness of a colonist as well as filling their food need.
One of the most common events of the game are constant attacks from raiders, meaning the player must make sure colonists equip weapons and armor (if possible) and prepare properly for these attacks. Aggressive wildlife can also be an issue. Problems with attacking factions can be increased if colonists start near aggressive tribes.
If the "Royalty" DLC is installed, factions that follow traditions based on loyalty, such as having kings and queens are included in gameplay. If the "Ideologies" DLC is installed, certain religions, social roles and belief systems are introduced. The latter DLC also includes ancient relics that colonists can hunt for.
If raiders are injured enough to the point where they can't fight, or even retain consciousness, the colonists can keep them as prisoners, though they must tend to their needs to make sure they stay compliant. Eventually, a prisoner can be made into a recruit for the player's colony, though only a warden-type colonist can pull that off.
With the Biotech DLC, colonists are able to get pregnant and have children. The DLC also adds the ability for colonists to have heavy genetic modifications.
==AI Storytelling==
There are three choices the player can choose, which dictate how the game will play out:
 Cassandra ClassicStarts out easy, but the difficulty of dealing with raiders increases as the colonists acquire more wealth. The raids can get very hard to deal with after enough time has passed, and enough progress has been made.
 Phoebe ChillaxThe most peaceful and calm choice, as there are very long breaks between raids. However, difficulty can spike up depending on what weapons and armor the colonists have equipped. This option is most likely best for new players.
 Randy RandomAs the name would imply, random events are thrown at the player with no warning. The tradeoff is that taking down very strong enemies will reward the colonists with very strong gear.
==Endings==
===Temporary Endings===
These are endings in which the game can still technically be played, even if there's nothing to do anymore.
Colony Defeated
When all the player's colonists are dead, kidnapped, lost forever or left the planet in some way, a message appears saying "Everyone is dead or gone. This story is over. Perhaps someone else will find a use for the ruins of this place."
Ship Launch
The colonists succeed in their main goal of building a ship to escape the planet, though starting up the ship will take 15 days. The game's difficulty will increase greatly, in that the colonists will constantly be attacked during the ship's startup time. Anyone not on the ship will be left behind.
Journey Offer
An offer can be given to the colonists by a friendly AI to ride on their spaceship, though a very lengthy trip must be made to reach it. Once this spaceship is reached, the ending is the same as the one previously explained.
Leave with the Stellarch (Royalty DLC)
In this DLC-only ending, the player must fulfill the requirements of the quest "Royal Ascent", in which the Stellarch visits the player's colony with four personal bodyguards, where the colonists house them for 12 days. The colonists need to have a Count or Countess type of colonist, and have enough throne & Bedrooms for your nobility that meets their standards, as well as an extra for the Stellarch himself. While the Stellarch is visiting you must keep him safe from harm and keep his mood above 25%.
Once all these needs have been met for 12 days, the colonists are able to escape on an Imperial Shuttle. The following message will be seen during this ending: "You've escaped on the Imperial shuttle! The high stellarch will now welcome you into the Imperial flotilla as an honored noble party. You might stay in the Imperial court and jockey for political power. Perhaps you'll avoid the drama and focus on enjoying ultratech luxuries. Or, you might even buy a ship and set a course for your long-lost home. The choice is up to you."
===Permanent Endings===
These endings - as the heading would denote - end the game permanently and take the player back to the main menu.
Planetkiller
If "Planetkiller" is enabled at the scenario, there is a warning timer at the bottom right. Once the timer hits, the entire map will fade to white with the weapon obliterating the rimworld planet, and a message will be shown on your screen to state you didn't survive the impact, only allowing you to return to main menu as it permanently ends your game, regardless whether or not your colonist has escaped.
The following message appears when this ending occurs: "At near-lightspeed, the planetkiller weapon slammed into the ground with the force of a trillion hydrogen bombs. Like a water balloon shot with a rifle, this world liquified under the impact and sprayed its molten guts across the cosmos. Part of AI Tania is now a small asteroid belt. The rest is a molten, radioactive hellscape, constantly rippling with kilometers-high planetquakes. You did not survive."
Awaking the Archonexus (Ideologies DLC)
In this DLC-only ending, the quest "The Archonexus" must be followed.
For the first phase of the quest, the colonists must ally with a particular faction and then give them their colony with at least $350k worth of wealth. Up to 5 colonists, 5 animals, 1 relic, and 7 items can be selected. Each such item has a specifically defined max stack size. The player will then choose a location on the same world map to start a new colony, and are offered a chance to change their ideoligion - all 5 colonists will become members of it. Colonists will keep the gear they were wearing (clothing only). One can select the colonists' weapons as part of the 7 item limit to bring along. Any research not unlocked as part of the "classic start" will be reset.
For the second phase of the quest, you will need to get a colonist to decipher at one of the nearest archotech structure, then again sell a colony worth $350k in wealth.
After the third map fragment is obtained, the location to the archonexus will be found. While it is guarded by mechanoids, they can be dispatched off quickly and all colonist can be sent over to activate the archonexus.
The following text appears when this ending is achieved: "You've invoked the archonexus core. The world fills with a blinding light and time seems to slow... The machine god has noticed you. Nobody can predict what happens next. It may destroy you, or communicate with you directly, or transport your consciousness to another plane of reality. You sense a vast, inhuman structure of infinite fractal complexity flowing into your mind. Time and scale begin to dissolve. It's terrifying. It's beautiful..."
==Gallery==
===Images===
EGS_RimWorld_Ludeon.jpg|The three story-tellers that player can choose before playing the game.
colonist_traits.png|The traits screen on one of the colonists.
rimworld_gameplay1.png|Gameplay screenshot of colonists.
rimworld_gameplay2.jpg|Ditto.
rimworld_gameplay3.jpg|Ditto.
rimworld_colony1.png|Artwork of colonists by No_Tables.
rimworld_colony_drawing.jpg|A sketch of colonists by No_Tables.
Stockpile_anim.gif|Animation of colonists putting resources in a stockpile zone.
===Videos===
RimWorld Starting Colonist Guide - How to Pick Colonists (Version 1.3 + 2021)
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