QS Energy Research Facility Guide: First things to do when you spawn
About
OverviewQS Energy Research Facility drops you into an underground nuclear facility in Madison, Connecticut on August 18th, 1985. You play as a facility worker during a Dark Matter Reactor crisis and choose whether to save the place or let it burn. This guide walks you through your first steps, the meltdown phases, the multiple endings, and the side content worth chasing.
What is on this page
Contents
First things to do when you spawn
Step
You arrive at the Madison Research Center ready to work. Before anything else, find the hazmat changing room and put on a suit. From there, head to the Hadron Collider control room.
- Find the hazmat changing room put on a suit.
- Enter the Hadron Collider control room.
- Meet a power order request for the Dark Matter Reactor.
- Watch your step the facility has multiple falling hazards.
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How the meltdown works
Summary
When the Dark Matter Reactor enters thermal runaway, a meltdown begins. It progresses through phases. Acting during Phase 1 stops it earliest; acting during Phase 2 is still possible. If the reactor cannot be stopped, escape routes remain.
- Phase 1 shutting down the DMR at this stage stops the meltdown before it escalates.
- Phase 2 a shutdown is still possible here.
- Blast shelter if you cannot stop the reactor, reaching a blast shelter before the implosion determines whether you get the good or bad ending.
- Tartarus sealing the door to this area just before the DMR implodes is another escape route.
- Warhead detonation a separate ending triggered by a nuclear bomb beneath the facility, only reachable on public servers.
- Full meltdown if nothing is done, the reactor implodes and the facility is lost.
Endings and how to reach them
Tips
Every run through the facility can end differently depending on when you act and where you go. Some endings are only available on public servers.
- Shut down the reactor during Phase 1 to get the earliest resolution.
- Shut down the reactor during Phase 2 for a last-second save.
- Reach a blast shelter when the reactor cannot be stopped — the outcome after that depends on what happens inside.
- Seal the door to Tartarus right before the implosion.
- Trigger the warhead detonation ending on a public server.
Badges that need public servers
WarnA handful of badges are locked to public servers by design.
Surviving the nightshift
Check
The nightshift runs for 9 in-game hours, which works out to about 2 real-time hours. You need to be on a public server and see it through to the end. Finishing with a Level 3 rating earns the Employee of the Month badge.
- Join a public server before starting the nightshift badges cannot be earned elsewhere.
- Completing the full shift earns On the Nightshift; completing it with a Level 3 rating adds Employee of the Month.
Janitor quest and hidden extras
Tips
Tucked inside the facility is a janitor's closet with written instructions for a side quest. Following them through to the end completes the Janitor quest.
- Go to the janitor's closet and read the instructions posted inside.
- Follow the instructions to complete the Janitor's Big Duty quest.
- Put a melon in a trash bag to unlock the Melon-ess badge.
Group membership and in-game pay
TipsThe official group is not required to play, but it offers two concrete advantages.
- Group members get access to faster routes around the facility.
- Group members receive increased in-game pay.
Community strategy ideas
CommunityThese ideas and tips come from people playing the game. Share your discoveries too!
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Glossary
Glossary- Dark Matter Reactor (DMR)
- The prototype nuclear reactor at the heart of the facility whose meltdown drives the entire game.
- Thermal runaway
- The state the DMR enters when it goes out of control, kicking off the meltdown event.
- Phase 1 / Phase 2
- The two stages of the meltdown, each offering a window to shut down the reactor.
- Blast shelter
- A refuge inside the facility where workers escape when the reactor cannot be stopped, leading to either the good or bad ending.
- Tartarus
- A sealed area of the facility that players can escape to just before the DMR implodes.
- Hadron Collider
- A major piece of equipment in the facility with its own control room.
- Nightshift
- A 9-in-game-hour (roughly 2 real hours) work shift that can be completed for its own set of badges on public servers.
Common questions
FAQCan I earn every badge in a private server?
No. The On the Nightshift, Employee of the Month, and Protocol Saletum badges are all locked to public servers.
How many endings are there?
There are at least six distinct outcomes: Phase 1 shutdown, Phase 2 shutdown, blast shelter good ending, blast shelter bad ending, Tartarus escape, and the warhead detonation ending.
Do I need to join the group to play?
No, the group is optional. Joining gives you faster routes around the facility and increased in-game pay.
How long does the nightshift actually take?
It covers 9 in-game hours, which is approximately 2 real-time hours. The badge requires a public server.
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