Institute Spies

[StormWolf01]

Hiya Everybody!

The conversation we are having about how we got out of the Vault lead my brain down a couple of other paths, and lead me to here.

 

SPOILER WARNING! This thread will contain spoilers, game information, player theory, and just downright BS. If this bothers you, STOP READING RIGHT HERE.

 

 

 

 

Ok, so here's where my ADD took my mindset.

We know that the Institute has various means of keeping tabs on the outside world. A couple of them have been mentioned lately, but I kinda wanted to expand on that. Both for informational purposes, as well as a source of discussion and debate.

 

1) Various traders. There are terminal entries in the institute where they have listed some of their known "assets" for information. (My words, not theirs). Of which, include Cricket, and Trash Can Carla.

 

2) Planted Gen 3 Synths. Mayor McDonalds (again, I can't spell his name so I use this as his nickname) in Diamond City as a big example.

 

3) The theory about the birds.

 

4) The theory about the mechanical toy monkeys.

 

What are some others?

 

Your thoughts?

[HeyYou]

Carla is an Institute asset? Wow, that's depressing...... and Cricket???? The chick that is constantly moving at warp 8, due to all the drugs she is on?????

 

Using traders makes a great deal of sense, they are the ones that know what's going on in the wasteland the best.

 

The infiltrators though, not sure how useful they would really be. Do they KNOW they are synths? Can the institute monitor them remotely? (I don't think so, else they would know where all the renegade synths were, and Acadia couldn't exist.)

[StormWolf01]

While the documents don't specify how exactly the big I uses them, both are listed as informational assests (again, that word in my own). I would have to look it up again to see how the terminal entry states it.

But, it doesn't state the exact nature of them. For all we know, they could have an agent that hangs out in the "wandering trader" bar and digs them for info by swapping stories with them. But it does make sense. As wandering traders would be the ones who see a lot of the commonwealth, and do have access to a lot of rumor, gossip, and actual info about what's going on.

Carla however, I find suspect. Just due to the fact that she likes to route her travels largely to Sanctuary and Red Rocket. Both of which are prime locations for the Sole Survivor.

She's also one of the only traders that I know of that will offer the player a discount. To inspire you to talk to her more often, in my mind.

 

In the case of Danse, no he doesn't know that he's a synth, until it's revealed to Maxon. McDonough... I dunno. He does know that he's in bed with the institute, and upon death, he does have a synth component. But I can't think of him actually "Saying" that he's a synth. Tho he does make a comment that "could" be considered a racial slander towards humans, or it could be taken as just looking down upon DC. The comment of "I refuse to die here with you trash!" or something to that effect.

[Edit] Tho now that I'm thinking about it, that comment might be directed entirely at Piper.[/edit]

 

OMG a serious case of mental constipation!!!

The trader guy who works for old man Stockton. He'd be a PRIME candidate for the Institute to sway over. Since Stockton is part of the railroad, and a serious synth sympathizer.

Edited February 20, 2020 by StormWolf01

[AeonsLegend]

McDonough definitely knows he's a synth. When you destroy the Institute there's a quest called "In Sheep's Clothing" afterwards in Diamond City where you will find the Mayor shot Danny Sullivan. You can then go upto his office where he holds Geneva hostage. During the conversation he'll admit he's a synth depending on your choices.

 

Don't forget we also have Art, Roger Warwick and more. All traveling merchants are spies (not Synths)

 

You want to really go out there then you can always go with Insane Tinker Tom's ideas about micro robots in the food.

 

I honestly think the Institute doesn't have much more going on than the few people that work for them. The more of their tech they put out there the more vulnerable they become. I'm not even sure why they put Synths out there at all. They're not half interested in the outside world as you may think. From the conversations you have in the Institute most people don't care and have given up on those on the surface.

[StormWolf01]

Oh wow, how could I forget about the Art vs Art?? I can't count the number of times that I've seen that scenario!

Did NOT know about Roger Warwick! Wow!

 

Oh man. I forgot about Tinker Tom and his nanobots. LMAO! That guy is a nutcase!

 

I can definitely understand WHY they'd give up on the outside world. But, at the same time... they're not entirely self-sufficient. They still rely on gathering supplies from topside. They also need to keep themselves aware of potential threats that may arise to themselves.

[AeonsLegend]

Roger Warwick even has a decent questline called "Building a Better Crop". You need to advance the Institute quests a bit before it activates. Talk to Clayton Holdren to start it. If you're not far enough in the Institute quests then Clayton will tell you to come back later. If you have not already unlocked it, it also allows you to use WW homestead as a settlement.

[StormWolf01]

Ahhhhhhh Ok, I see.

Yup, I've never played as the Institute, so that's a good reason why I didn't know about that.

Good info, thanks much for that Aeons! :smile:

 

 

So, there's a theory that the reason there are so many mannequins all over the place, is because they're spycams.

Anybody have thoughts on that?

Myself, I think it's just to make people who get creeped out by mannequins even more freaked out about them. (Tho I'll be the first to admit that I've come around a corner in a building or through a door, and alsmost instinctively shot at one that I wasn't expecting to be there!)

Edited February 24, 2020 by StormWolf01

[DocMoebius]

3) The theory about the birds.

It would absolutaly make sense to use them as spies since one would get the perfect overview of most locations. On the other hand there might be certain things in the wilderness that hunt birds, so you would probably have synth bird parts laying around everywhere, revealing that everybody is monitored at every time. Either way, I do like the possibility and the eery feeling it creates.

 

Oxhorn has a pretty good video on this topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ies26XrSi8

Edited April 12, 2020 by DocMoebius

[JimmyRJump]

The fact University Point got wiped out after a girl found some pre-war hard drive and asked a passing merchant what he'd be willing to pay for it, is also a giveaway that travelling merchants pass-on their knowledge to the Institute. There's also a mod that lets you make goggles that can spot synth infiltrators among your settlers. If you don't get rid of those, they commit acts of sabotage inside your settlements, like distroying generators or crops. Hell, there's even synth Brahmin that enter your settlements.

[HeyYou]

The fact University Point got wiped out after a girl found some pre-war hard drive and asked a passing merchant what he'd be willing to pay for it, is also a giveaway that travelling merchants pass-on their knowledge to the Institute. There's also a mod that lets you make goggles that can spot synth infiltrators among your settlers. If you don't get rid of those, they commit acts of sabotage inside your settlements, like distroying generators or crops. Hell, there's even synth Brahmin that enter your settlements.

I am curious what the institute hopes to gain by sabotaging the surface dwellers...... It's obvious they don't have any real use for them, aside from subjects for their experiments.... but, they regularly replace folks, with no apparent rhyme or reason. The Mayor in DC I can kinda understand, but, regular (useless) settlers? WHY???? What's the point?