The 'Unsupervised Science' side quest in Control Resonant tasks players with locating and shutting down six Federal Bureau of Control testing facilities hidden throughout the game's world. Completing these challenges not only progresses towards the "Threshold Researcher" achievement but also rewards players with the Scrunchie artifact. These facilities present two distinct puzzle types: one involving item transformations into soda dispensers and another requiring manipulation of power cores.
Understanding the Puzzles
The soda dispenser puzzles, found in the Downtown, Evacuation Zone, and West Incursion Zone facilities, take place in rooms containing various items like a stove, sink, copy machine, and a soda dispenser. These rooms are sectioned off by yellow tape, and specific items need to be transformed into soda dispensers and placed on designated yellow squares. Items transform when moved between different sections, cycling in a set pattern: stove ⇔ sink ⇔ copy machine ⇔ soda dispenser ⇔ stove. To solve this, players must strategically move items to transform them into soda dispensers and place them correctly. After all dispensers are in place, a lever at the entrance opens a locked door.
The power core puzzles, encountered in Central, The Park, and Unknown facilities, involve rooms with red and blue power cores. The objective here is to maintain power by swapping electricity between these cores for 60 seconds without causing an overload. Pulling a lever initiates the challenge, and players must carefully manage the blinking lights and power transfer.
Locating the FBC Testing Facilities
All six testing facilities are accessible via sewer entrances, often found in construction areas within different zones. Specific locations include:
- Downtown (Testing Facility Reade): Found in the eastern part of Downtown, accessible after acquiring the Reach ability from the Subway Fault in the Evacuation Zone. Head east from Lookout Point. This facility features the soda dispenser puzzle.
- Central (Testing Facility Platt): Located on the east side of Central, east of the Patterned Factory, within a construction site. This facility uses the power core puzzle.
- West Incursion Zone (Testing Facility Broadway): Situated on the central street in the southwest area of the West Incursion Zone. Access requires the Shift ability from the Incursion Fault in the Parking Garage. This facility has a soda dispenser puzzle.
- Evacuation Zone (Testing Facility Pearl): Found at the southern tip of the Evacuation Zone, adjacent to the Survivalist's Bunker. This facility also features a soda dispenser puzzle.
- The Park (Testing Facility Vesey): Two entrances are in the northeast corner of The Park; the northernmost one is typically encountered first. Navigate through the parking garage and head east. This facility requires solving a power core puzzle.
- Unknown (Testing Facility Dutch): Located southwest of the center of the central island in the Unknown area. Players can reach it by dropping from the northwest edge of the Twisted Rooftops fast travel point, or by using Reach from the Oldest House to the lower half of the central island. This facility presents a power core puzzle.
Completing the 'Unsupervised Science' Quest
Once all six facilities are shut down, return to the testing facility in the Unknown. After entering the reward room and pulling the console lever, a hallway with various transformed items will open. Proceed into this hallway and stop at the first intersection. To avoid undesirable transformations, follow the electrical cable to the right and activate the power box at its end. Then, return to the intersection and take the path indicated by the cable. At the end of this path, a tape recorder will be found, completing the quest and granting the Scrunchie artifact, which provides a 10% damage boost to primary weapon forms.
