Precursor Update

### Added

Precursor Cache, Precursor Artifacts, Data Terminals, Precursor Array, Sunbeam, Avery Quinn, Polishing in Lost River and Floating Island, Precursor Teleporters

### Websites

https://unknownworlds.com/subnautica/subnautica-precursor-update-released/https://unknownworlds.com/subnautica/precursor-update/

## Chronology

### Succeeded By

Castles & Coffee Update

The **Precursor Update** was a major update, released on Thursday, December 15 2016.

The **Precursor Update** was released with the Castles & Coffee Update as a 2 in 1 update on XBOX on Friday, February 24th 2017.

It was the last update of 2016.

## Additions

The **Precursor Update** was the first update to introduce the Precursors into *Subnautica*, including the first major story dialogue since the Farming Update.

The Precursor Array was the main major addition, a huge Precursor Base that is found on the north side of the Mountain Island. It is where the story of how the Aurora was shot down takes place, and how the Precursors tried to deal with quarantine. The facility is the largest Precursor Base, and features two floors, the first being accessed by a forcefield on the surface of the island, which requires a Purple Artifact to enter. Once inside, the player is presented with a large room, which leads to a balcony that transitions into the second floor. Down these ramps lie a few Ion Crystals on podiums. Further in, is a large corridor, and another room, which leads to a few data terminals. At the end of another corridor lies the elevator, which, at its bottom, is blocked by another, although miniature, forcefield. Once accessed, this leads to the large moonpool within, which also harbours another entrance from the Mountains below, where in the Voice of the Deep, a teleporter on a large podium was added. A doorway leads to the main room of the facility, and another doors leads to a slave teleporter which in the Castles & Coffee Update allowed the player to warp to the Precursor Thermal Power Generator located in the Lava Castle. The control room is found at the top of the long winding path of ramps, and also requires a Purple Artifact to access. Here, in the future, the Player can deactivate the facility.

Precursor Artifacts were new items which are used to access and deactivate Precursor forcefields, and can also be crafted by scanning a broken artifact found just outside the Precursor Array's land entrance.

Data Terminals were also new additions, which are Precursor terminals that are used to download data downloads. Most of the dialogue explains parts or functions of Precursor facilities, but some can be interesting facts of miscellaneous things Precursor.

The first three Precursor Teleporters were implemented, one in the cave system in the Mountain Island, one in a new cavern hidden in the Floating Island, and one in the Precursor Array. These teleporters are used as warp-gates that allow teleportation from one place to another in a short space of time.

The first of many Precursor Caches, the Sparse Reef Cache, was implemented into Experimental Mode on December 10th 2016. This cache is used to store the minds of precursors, so they can "live" forever. Many Ion Crystal podiums are featured inside, and the entryway is blocked by a forcefield requiring a Purple Artifact to access.

The Sparse Reef was completely revamped, adding a new section to a previously empty and sandy area. This includes a new bridge structure, with a cave that has a similar appearance to the Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves. The Sparse Reef Precursor Cache is found in a small cave here. More Brain Coral, Fauna, Flora, and Resources were added, along with new Sea Treader's Path, Grand Reef, and First Blood Kelp Zone transitions.

A major story aspect, the Sunbeam was added. It was the rescue ship that was supposed to rescue the Player, but was shot down by the Precursor Array. Its Captain, Avery Quinn, regularly speaks to the Player through the Communications Relay. A timer will occur in the top-right hand of the screen, after Avery transmits a message indicating the Sunbeam will land on the Mountain Island. After the 40 minutes is done, the scene where the Sunbeam is shot down takes place at the Mountain Island.

The Floating Island not only obtained a new Precursor Teleporter cave with multiple entrances, but earned new beaches for easier access.

The Lost River Disease Research Facility Cave (Precursor Cave), also received a polish, adding skeletal remains, plants, wreckage from the facility, and other props.

Other additions include:

* PDA can now be used while operating vehicles
* The world now has fall damage
* Continued work on optimization & stability improvements
* Land-based movement improvements
* HUD notification for radio messages
* New PDA updates for distant Aurora wreckage
* Extensive loot balancing for player progression (read more)
* Constructable improvements

## Updates

The **Precursor Update** added many major story content, along with the polishing of biomes, and other handy gameplay improvements.

## Gallery

The main "hero" image from the Unknown Worlds SiteOne of the many Precursor Array images from the main update siteAnother Precursor Array imageThe Moonpool imageThe Mountains Cave Teleporter imageThe Floating Island Cave Teleporter imageThe first Precursor Cache imageThe second Precursor Cache imageThe fall damge/Floating Island improvements imageThe Precursor Cave and Disease Research Facility improvements image
## Trivia

* In later updates, the Precursor Array was renamed to the Quarantine Enforcement Platform.