Editing Psionics (section)

== Glimmer Sources ==

There exist several entities which can interact with glimmer, usually by causing it to fluctuate above or below the Strossmayer's Constant. These include, but are not limited to:
* Glimmer Probers and Drainers
* All Anomalies
* Glimmer Mites

Epistemics can build devices to interact with glimmer. These are usually the main determiners of where glimmer is going. '''Glimmer probers''' will increase glimmer, but directly generate research points without further input. '''Glimmer drains''' simply drain glimmer at the cost of electricity. Glimmer Probers and Drainers work by agitating the Noösphere, which causes glimmer to fluctuate randomly.

Probers increase the range of random fluctuations, while Drainers decrease the range of fluctuations. This increase in range follows an exponential scale. The more sources of glimmer there are, the more chaotic glimmer becomes. For example, one Prober will cause glimmer to fluctuate between 502.941 and 550. But two probers will cause it to fluctuate between 502.941 and 620. Four sources will make it jump randomly between 502.941 and 750.

Probers in turn generate research based on observing the generated Noöspheric fluctuations. As a baseline, probers generate 20 research points per second. When glimmer is less than 500, they generate less points. When glimmer is greater than 500, probers generate more points. Unfortunately, Probers are interfered with by the presence of other glimmer sources. For each additional glimmer source (Prober, Drainer, Anomaly, etc.) research output is dramatically decreased. This pattern follows an inverse log base 4 scale. Meaning that, if one prober generates 20 research points, 2 probers will each generate 13.333 points (for a total of 26). 4 probers are required to generate 40 research points per second. 8 probers will generate 64 research points.

If your probers are not generating any points at all, it is likely that you will need to "prime" the station's local Glimmer. This can be done by using two or three psionic powers in a short span of time.

Prober research output can be visualized by a graph located here: [https://www.desmos.com/calculator/q183tseun8]

A clever Epistemiologist would at this point realize that they can detect the presence of anomalies or glimmer mites, merely by observing the research point generation of their probers. If one prober is generating 13.333 points, there must exist an anomaly somewhere on the station.