AI Station 404

*Click here to view a detailed version of the map.*

AI Station 404 was the second map of the game. It is one of the three original maps, but it was replaced by AI Station 205 in August 28th 2014 with Patch 2.6 in ranked games, being available only in custom and practice matches.

## Background

This AI station is built on the surface of an asteroid of solid Solar.

These kind of asteroids are quite rare and it's no surprise the robots quickly tried to conquer it after discovery.

The space station is now one of the most high tech weapon facilities in the galaxy. Flagship of the facility is the cromium gravitor device which manipulates gravity for experimental research.

## Anti Gravity Field

There is a large anti-gravity field in the middle of AI Station 404. Any 'Nauts that enter it will become lighter, allowing them to jump higher. Certain projectiles, such as Cats, will also be affected.

## Creep Area

The upper middle of the map has four Neutral Creeps roaming around it. Killing them will drop a small Healthpack that restores 250 Health, and grant 5 xp, plus 3 Solar.

## Droid Releaser

Each team has a Droid Releaser right next to the top Turret. Stepping on it will spawn Humming Droids, up to a maximum of 3. These are the only Droids that attack the inner bottom Turret. Humming Droids are restocked every 10 seconds from destruction. It's impossible to activate the enemy team's droid releaser, but it can still be used as a platform.

## Tips and Tricks

* Characters who cause burst in an area can farm very well on this map due to the flying creeps. Coco, Froggy G or Vinnie & Spike can each gain 15 solar by hitting one group of three with just one use of an ability. Raelynn can earn up to 24 solar by using one snipe on a group of all three, making it very ideal for farming.
* Because it is a very short map until the first turret goes down, horizontally, you can wait to buy boots until later in the game.
* If you use either of the main Jump Pads behind either team's first turret, and jump back to the oppisite direction mid-air, many characters are able to quickly access the platforms that lead to the jungle area if they have right timing.
* The path in front of the top turret will light up when a 'naut is standing on it, even if the 'naut is invisible.

## Trivia

* AI Station 404 was the first (and only, to date) map to be removed from rotation. It was deemed unbalanced.
* Raelynn was ambushed, captured and put to cryo-stasis for 578 years during a mission in AI Station 404.
* The name of the map may be a reference to 404, a HTTP standard response code indicating that the client was able to communicate with the server, but the server could not find what was requested.

## Gallery

Early concept art can be seen originally on Joost's Dev Blog.

* AI Station 404 in-game
* AI Station 404 splash screen
* AI Station early concept art samples
* Early concept art #1
* Early concept art #2
* Early concept art #3
* Early concept art #4
* Early concept art #5
* Early concept art #6
* Early concept art #7
* Early concept art #8
* Early concept art #9
* Early concept art #10
* Early concept art #11

## References

1. ↑ http://joostdevblog.blogspot.nl/2014/01/concept-art-can-be-raw-early-designs.html