| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Interior Facilities |
| Category | Habitat Systems |
| Description | Noetic Advisor node. Generates tasks and manages mission resources. |
| Energy Consumption | -2 energy/sec |
   
The NoA Terminal is a buildable Interior Facility that integrates a seabase with the Noetic Advisor (NoA).
Appearance
(Section requires expansion)
Usage
The NoA Terminal serves as a way to interact with NoA outside of the Lifepod. When an alert is received from NoA, the terminal can be used to view it.
The NoA Terminal is how the Player receives signal locations for many of the Blackboxes and story objectives. Terminals can also be found in other bases, though most of them are limited to main story objectives and messages from Pioneers.
When a NoA Terminal placed at a Player-made Seabase has new messages available, the light on its screen turns red. Otherwise, the light stays blue.
Recipe
The blueprint for the NoA Terminal is unlocked when the Habitat Builder is unlocked.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Titanium | 3 |
| Copper Wire | 1 |
| Glass | 1 |
Crafted at: Habitat Builder
Databank Entry
This is a limb of the Noetic Advisor system. The NoA architecture consists of limb nodes (like octopus arms) governed by a minimal central executive, the Administrative Nucleus (ANu-NoA) aboard the Cicada's command module. If ANu-NoA is destroyed or cut off, the limb nodes will proceed with the mission to the best of their ability.
- Networks with other NoA nodes using shortwave radio, laser communication, or (if underwater) acoustic modem
- Fuses information from all habitat sensors and existing database to generate mission objectives
- Tracks pioneer work schedule and updates total debt
- If cut off from ANu-NoA aboard Cicada, will attempt to reconnect or rebuild a new ANu
The NoA system's behavior is well tested, and its core utility function is "genie safe", unable to create negative outcomes even with access to weakly godlike effectors. It is capable of extrapolating human intention and working proactively — "doing what you want, before you want it." NoA will always seek to maximize human welfare in accordance with human social norms, carrying the logic of transgov society to its end.
In order to remain weakly supervisable-reliably controllable by less intelligent systems such as pioneers-the Noetic Advisor cannot learn or alter its existing values or imperatives.
IMPORTANT Under normal operating conditions, the NoA should never interact directly with colonists. NoA is designed to use colonist PDAs as a frontend for human-facing communication. In emergencies, NoA can communicate via text terminal. Remember that the Noetic Advisor does not accompany you into danger or enjoy an intimate relationship with your health and welfare. You must be your own advocate, as guided and informed by this PDA.
Source: Construct a NoA Terminal
Gallery
Trivia
- The terminal's head will turn to look at players as long as it has line of sight, even when unpowered. This includes looking at players through glass.
- Despite the usage of Text To Speech for AIs like the PDA in previous Subnautica games, NoA is voiced by a Human.
- The instance of NoA the player interacts with is not the only instance of NoA to exist, as confirmed by NoA itself when granting the mission to the Tadpole Pens. However, due to the delusional and somewhat insane nature of the previous NoA as detailed in the voice logs of past Pioneers, this should be viewed with skepticism, as it is possible NoA is pretending to be a different instance in order to gain the player's trust.
