The subject of this article is not named in-game.
The current title is from the game's internal data.
Samus interacts with a Pirate X-Ray Pad.
A Pirate X-Ray Pad (as named in the level object data of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption) is a type of interactive terminal featured on the Pirate Homeworld, which requires X-Ray Visor technology to successfully operate. The user is presented with a four-digit code of numerous symbols (possibly in the Space Pirate language) and eight keys, with those symbols forming two halves of a circle around the code. The user must copy this code by pressing each key in correct succession. When a key is pressed, the other keys will randomly change position, and the pressed key will replace the symbol on it with a minus. Inputted keys will appear underneath the displayed code, colored yellow with red boxes around them (the displayed code is red, with no boxes). Humorously, when Samus successfully inputs a password using a Pirate terminal, a sound effect is played that resembles a robotic voice saying "Awesome". A green symbol appears on used terminals.
Samus Aran uses Pirate X-Ray Pads five times on the Pirate Homeworld, and once on the G.F.S. Valhalla, where one was embedded into the ship through a Space Pirate Boarding Pod. It contains the Leviathan Command Codes she needs to access the Leviathan Battleship, and in turn, Phaaze. Before she can use it, however, she must drain her energy into a terminal using her Grapple Voltage, which will lower a Pirate X-Ray Pad for her to download the codes.
Pirate X-Ray Pads are first used in the Command Vault, where Samus acquires the X-Ray Visor. It activates a line of Heavy Phazon Canisters, one of which Samus can shoot down to make it explode, destroying a block of hardened Phazon impeding her only method of escape from the room. As she is returning to her Gunship, she can use one of these terminals in the Lift Hub to access a blocked Map Station. In Defense Access, one of these Pads unlocks a metal blast door, behind which is an elevator that leads to an observation area of the Command Station. In the Command Station, a Pirate X-Ray Pad is the first thing Samus disables in her objective to disable the defense system, located near the top of the defense system generator. Finally, in the Scrapvault, a terminal is used in the hub linked to the Space Pirate Command Network so that Samus can access more of the Research Facility, but a Circuit board has to be repaired before this can be done.
Scans[]
- Lift Hub
- "Terminal controls the nearby energy shield. Advanced visor system required to use terminal."
- Lift Hub (used)
- "Terminal has disengaged nearby energy shield. Terminal can no longer be used."
- Defense Access (left-hand side terminal)
- "Control terminal operates nearby door. Interact with the terminal to open the door."
- Defense Access (used)
- "Control terminal has opened nearby door. Control terminal can no longer be used."
- Command Vault
- "Control terminal operates the conveyer system. Unable to operate with standard visors."
- Command Vault (used)
- "Conveyor redirection complete. Control terminal can no longer be used."
- Scrapvault (offline)
- "Control console operates nearby access doors, but is not receiving any power."
- Scrapvault (online)
- "Control console operates nearby access doors. Unable to operate with standard visors."
- Scrapvault (used)
- "Control console has opened access doors. Console can no longer be used."
- Command Station
- "Terminal is connected to the energy core shields. Enter correct code to disengage the shields."
- Command Station (used)
- "Terminal has disengaged energy core shields and can no longer be used."
- Conrol Room
- "Unknown access code required. Use of an advanced visor system may provide helpful clues."
- Control Room (used)
- "Information displays active. Terminal has automatically shut down and is permanently offline."
Trivia[]
- One of the symbols on these terminals resembles the icon for Grapple Swing Points.
- Samus has a similar mechanism to these terminals aboard her Gunship, the transmission console.
- These input pads are implemented in the game via simple Lua scripting placed directly inside the data of the rooms. The code, complete with comments from the developers, can be seen here: [1]
- It is not possible to skip the X-Ray Visor and use these terminals without it; even if a correct key is pressed while the Combat Visor is being used, the input will be automatically changed to incorrect. Even if it were possible, however, pressing keys at random would only yield a 1 in 1,680 chance of a correct code.
- The X-Ray Pad is also named Key Code (SP) in the game's data. This is also the debug name of key pads on both Olympus-class battleships in Corruption.
