Reactor Core (Frigate Orpheon)

The Reactor Core is a room in Metroid Prime. It is found in the Frigate Orpheon, and encountered twice, before and after the ship crashes. The first visit to the room provides a battle with a Parasite Queen, the first boss in the game, who is partially protected by a moving cylindrical barrier. Killing the creature initiates a sequence in which the frigate begins to destruct before crashing into Tallon IV, a nearby planet. Samus is given a few minutes to escape before this happens.

Later, when Samus explores the wreckage of the Orpheon she comes across this room again. Now completely underwater, the Reactor Core has multiple floating platforms to get to the top and bottom of the room. The bottom of the room is covered with sand and a bunch of rocks pierce through the room. Several Power Conduits need to be activated with the Wave Beam to energize the door out.

Connecting roomsEdit

Reactor Core Entrance/Reactor Access (via large door with Ball Clamp/powerless door)
Deck Gamma Monitor Hall (via Blue Door) (Before crash)
Main Ventilation Shaft Section A (via Blue Door) (After crash)

InhabitantsEdit

Parasite Queen render — Samus battles the Parasite Queen in the Reactor Core.

Parasite Queen (Before crash)
2 Aqua Pirates (after crash)
Aqua Reaper (after crash)
Jelzap (after crash)

ScansEdit

Please note that these scans are before the elevator down into the room.

Space Pirate corpse: "These creatures still contain a heat signature. They have not been here for very long."

Space Pirate corpse: "No life signs detected."

Space Pirate corpse: "Analysis detects large amounts of blood missing from the carcasses. These bodies may have been used for nourishment. Pattern consistent with predator behavior."

Door: "Entrance to Deck Gamma Monitor Hall"

LeRoy Strauss design notesEdit

Orpheon screenshot 12 — The Reactor Core itself.

What is of most interest about the environment design on Metroid Prime is the fact that the modelers of each area created their own concepts, instead of having concept artists design them. "Well the way I approach building a level is I start by doing little thumbnail sketch's," described Strauss. "That way if I decide I don't like the look of something I can just draw a new thumbnail sketch rather than scrap a few days of work. If I like how the rough drawings are starting to turn out, I have a good idea of how I want the room to look, so the blueprint is now on paper and in my head. Then I plan on how I can best use my time and what pieces can be re-used in the same room without being to overly redundant."

According to LeRoy, modeling and texturing of the queen's boss chamber took between two and three weeks. When questioned on the polygon count, he became a little vague due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) imposed by Nintendo and Retro Studios. "I know we pushed the GameCube very far and still tried to maintain 60 fps. Lets just say lots of thousands. [laughs]"^[1]

GalleryEdit

Post-crashEdit

References and Footnotes Edit

^ http://cube.ign.com/articles/536/536510p3.html

Rooms in Metroid Prime
Frigate Orpheon	Exterior Docking Hangar • Main Docking Bay • Air Lock • Deck Alpha Access Hall • Emergency Evacuation Area • Deck Alpha Umbilical Hall • Map Facility • Connection Elevator to Deck Beta • Deck Beta Conduit Hall • Biotech Research Area 1 • Deck Beta Security Hall • Biohazard Containment • Deck Beta Transit Hall • Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma • Reactor Core Entrance Save Station • Reactor Core Deck Gamma Monitor Hall • Subventilation Shaft Section A • Subventilation Shaft Section B • Main Ventilation Shaft Section A • Main Ventilation Shaft Section B • Main Ventilation Shaft Section C • Main Ventilation Shaft Section D • Main Ventilation Shaft Section E • Main Ventilation Shaft Section F • Biotech Research Area 2 • Connection Elevator to Deck Alpha • Deck Alpha Mech Shaft
Tallon Overworld	Landing Site • Canyon Cavern • Tallon Canyon • Transport Tunnel A • Transport to Chozo Ruins West • Root Tunnel • Root Cave • Arbor Chamber • Transport Tunnel B • Transport to Magmoor Caverns East • Gully • Alcove • Waterfall Cavern Temple Hall • Temple Security Station • Temple Lobby • Artifact Temple Frigate Crash Site • Overgrown Cavern • Transport Tunnel C • Transport to Chozo Ruins East • Frigate Access Tunnel • Main Ventilation Shaft Section C • Main Ventilation Shaft Section B • Main Ventilation Shaft Section A • Reactor Core • Reactor Access • Save Station • Cargo Freight Lift • Deck Beta Transit Hall • Biohazard Containment • Deck Beta Security Hall • Biotech Research Area 1 • Deck Beta Conduit Hall • Connection Elevator to Deck Beta • Hydro Access Tunnel Great Tree Hall • Great Tree Chamber • Transport to Chozo Ruins South • Transport Tunnel D • Transport Tunnel E • Transport to Phazon Mines East • Life Grove Tunnel • Life Grove
Chozo Ruins	Transport to Tallon Overworld North • Ruins Entrance • Main Plaza • Nursery Access • Eyon Tunnel • Ruined Nursery • Save Station 1 • North Atrium • Ruined Gallery • Map Station • Totem Access • Hive Totem • Transport Access North • Transport to Magmoor Caverns North • Vault Access • Vault • Plaza Access • Ruined Shrine Access • Ruined Shrine • Tower of Light Access •Tower of Light • Tower Chamber • Ruined Fountain Access • Ruined Fountain • Meditation Fountain • Magma Pool • Training Chamber Access • Training Chamber • Piston Tunnel • Arboretum Access • Sunchamber Lobby • Sunchamber Access • Sunchamber • Sun Tower Access • Sun Tower Arboretum • Gathering Hall Access • Gathering Hall • Save Station 2 • Watery Hall Access • Watery Hall • Dynamo Access • Dynamo • East Atrium • Energy Core Access • Energy Core • Burn Dome Access • Burn Dome • West Furnace Access Furnace • East Furnace Access • Crossway Access West • Crossway • Crossway Access South • Elder Hall Access • Hall of the Elders • Elder Chamber • Reflecting Pool Access • Reflecting Pool • Antechamber • Save Station 3 • Transport to Tallon Overworld East • Transport Access South • Transport to Tallon Overworld South
Magmoor Caverns	Transport to Chozo Ruins North • Burning Trail • Save Station Magmoor A • Lake Tunnel • Lava Lake • Pit Tunnel • Triclops Pit • Storage Cavern • Monitor Tunnel • Monitor Station • Transport Tunnel A • Transport to Phendrana Drifts North • Warrior Shrine • Shore Tunnel • Fiery Shores • Transport Tunnel B • Transport to Tallon Overworld West Twin Fires Tunnel • Twin Fires • North Core Tunnel • Geothermal Core • Plasma Processing • South Core Tunnel • Magmoor Workstation • Workstation Tunnel • Transport Tunnel C • Transport to Phendrana Drifts South • Save Station Magmoor B • Transport to Phazon Mines West
Phendrana Drifts	Transport to Magmoor Caverns West • Shoreline Entrance • Phendrana Shorelines • Save Station B • Ice Ruins Access • Ice Ruins East • Plaza Walkway • Ruins Entryway • Ice Ruins West • Canyon Entryway • Phendrana Canyon • Temple Entryway • Chozo Ice Temple • Chapel Tunnel • Chapel of the Elders Courtyard Entryway • Ruined Courtyard • Save Station A • Specimen Storage • Research Entrance • Map Station • Hydra Lab Entryway • Research Lab Hydra • Observatory Access • Observatory • Save Station D • West Tower Entrance • West Tower • Control Tower • East Tower • Aether Lab Entryway • Research Lab Aether • Research Core Access • Research Core • Quarantine Access • North Quarantine Tunnel • Quarantine Cave • Quarantine Monitor • South Quarantine Tunnel • Transport to Magmoor Caverns South Transport Access • Frozen Pike • Pike Access • Frost Cave Access • Frost Cave • Save Station C • Upper Edge Tunnel • Phendrana's Edge • Storage Cave • Security Cave • Lower Edge Tunnel • Hunter Cave • Lake Tunnel • Gravity Chamber • Chamber Access • Hunter Cave Access
Phazon Mines	Transport to Tallon Overworld South • Quarry Access • Main Quarry • Save Station Mines A • Security Access A • Mine Security Station • Security Access B • Storage Depot A • Elite Research • Research Access • Ore Processing • Elevator Access A • Elevator A • Storage Depot B • Waste Disposal Elite Control Access • Elite Control • Maintenance Tunnel • Ventilation Shaft • Control Room • Omega Research • Map Station Mines • Dynamo Access • Central Dynamo • Save Station Mines B • Quarantine Access A • Metroid Quarantine A • Elevator Access B • Elevator B Fungal Hall Access • Fungal Hall A • Phazon Mining Tunnel • Fungal Hall B • Missile Station Mines • Quarantine Access B • Metroid Quarantine B • Save Station Mines C • Elite Quarters Access • Elite Quarters • Processing Center Access • Phazon Processing Center • Transport Access • Transport to Magmoor Caverns South
Impact Crater	Crater Entry Point • Crater Tunnel A • Phazon Core • Crater Missile Station • Crater Tunnel B • Phazon Infusion Chamber • Subchamber 1 • Subchamber 2 • Subchamber 3 • Subchamber 4 • Subchamber 5 • Metroid Prime Lair
Unused	Engine Room • Reactor Room

Boss Rooms
Metroid	Kraid's room • Ridley's room • Zebesian Command Center
Metroid: Zero Mission	Corridor No. 5 • Corridor No. 4† • Kraid's room • Imago's hideout • Ridley's room • Zebesian Command Center
Metroid Prime	Reactor Core • Hive Totem • Ruined Shrine • Burn Dome • Sunchamber • Chapel of the Elders Quarantine Cave • Elite Control • Central Dynamo • Elite Research • Elite Quarters • Artifact Temple Subchambers (1, 2, 3, 4) • Metroid Prime Lair
Metroid Prime Hunters	Data Shrine 03 • Biodefense Chamber A • High Ground • Biodefense Chamber B Echo Hall • Weapons Complex • Sic Transit • Oubliette
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes	Temple Sanctuary • Agon Temple • Judgment Pit • Main Reactor • Dark Agon Temple • Hive Chamber A Dark Torvus Arena • Main Hydrochamber • Sacrificial Chamber • Dark Torvus Temple • Dynamo Works Main Research • Undertemple • Aerie Access • Aerie • Hive Temple • Sanctum • Sky Temple Gateway
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption	Docking Bay 5 • Generator Shaft • Temple of Bryyo • Jousting Field • Bryyo Leviathan Core Steambot Barracks • Ballista Storage • Main Docking Bay • Turbine Chamber • Elysian Leviathan Core Proving Grounds • Metroid Creche • Generator B • Aurora Chamber • Main Cavern Transit Station Leviathan • Pirate Homeworld Leviathan Core • Sanctum
Metroid II: Return of Samus	Arena area of Chozo base • Arachnus' room • Alpha Metroid chamber • Alpha's chamber Second tower corridor • Zeta's chamber • Final Omega's chamber • Queen's nest
Metroid: Samus Returns	Arena area of Chozo base • Arachnus' room • Alpha Metroid chamber • Alpha's chamber "Octroll Lake"† • Zeta's chamber • Final Omega's chamber • Queen's nest • "Landing Site"
Super Metroid	"Ceres confrontation room" • "Torizo's chamber" • "Spore Spawn Room" • Kraid's chamber Croc's pit • Phantoon's chamber • Draygon's chamber • Golden Torizo's chamber Ridley's chamber • Zebesian Command Center
Metroid: Other M	BOTTLE SHIP Control Room • Subterranean Control Room • Biological Experiment Floor Biosphere Test Area • Crater Interior • Experiment Floor • Materials Storehouse Materials Transfer Lift • "Rhedogian room" • Blast Furnace Observation • "Sand Tower summit" Geothermal Power Plant • "Confrontation room" • Nightmare's Room • Room MW • Control room Control Bridge
Metroid Fusion	"Elephant Bird's room" • Main Boiler Control room • Electronic junkyard • "Neo-Ridley's room" Operations Deck • Docking Bays
† means this room only contains a boss under specific circumstances.

[0] ttp://cube.ign.com/articles/536/536510p3.html

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