Motilene

"Motilene. Pure resublimated thiomotilene. The fuel of the future, now."

— Arthur Hastings on Motilene

Thiomotilene (Motilene for short) is the primary fuel and main source of energy in We Happy Few. Motilene is used to power up the machines and devices found throughout Wellington Wells.

Appearance[]

Motilene can be seen in various forms throughout the game, most commonly as a liquid. Huge Motilene spills emit lethal gas, and some pipes also exude gaseous Motilene.

However, the original form of Motilene is solid, specifically in the form of giant crystal clusters.

In all forms, Motilene is either a deep or bright neon purple.

Overview[]

Function[]

As the primary source of fuel in the game, the player can use power cells to power their own devices and weapons. If the player has empty power cells and is in need of Motilene, they can refuel the cell by placing it in a Motilene Dispenser located inside the pipelines. It takes 8 seconds to fully refuel a cell, and the dispenser can only fuel 3 cells before it needs more Motilene (24 in-game hours).

The player can also refuel their empty power cells by using the Motilene Harvester on a Motilene leak, the Harvester sucks up the spilled Motilene and stores it inside one cell. If the player doesn't have an empty cell in their inventory, they can't use the Motilene Harvester.

In story mode, the player gets the Harvester from Helen Faraday. In survival mode, it needs to be crafted.

Hazards[]

Throughout the game, Motilene is shown to be quite lethal. The previously mentioned gaseous vapor from Motilene spills can cause poisoning, unconsciousness, and death to anyone who happens to breathe in too much of the fumes. Motilene is also highly flammable, being the cause of many fires and explosions.

Motilene is also shown to have high electrical energy, as its not only used for Electric Truncheons and Shock Grenades, but also causes lethal electric shocks if it gets into contact with water.

History[]

As revealed in the They Came From Below DLC, Motilene originates from outer space. Thiomotilene was first discovered by Helen Faraday after she successfully created a portal connecting Wellington Wells to another planet, which she calls 'New Paisley'. Soon after the portal was created, Thiomotilene crystals began growing on the walls of her workshop, only stopping when the portal was closed.

The planet was inhabited by an alien robot civilization, and after kidnapping and dissecting one of the robots, she found that they were powered by the same crystals growing in her workshop. She calculated that the crystals' energy density is 17.3 kWh/kg, making it an excellent source of fuel.

After all trades with Wellington Wells had stopped, the remaining resources in the city dwindled. Wood gas was extracted and used as fuel before Motilene replaced it.

Thiomotilene crystals only grew larger with time, having now found its way underneath the Parade District, where its both mined and resublimated by Scargill Mining & Resublimation LLC before being distributed. It's said that there's been a collapse in the mines, halting Motilene production for the time being.

Production[]

The crystals, mined underneath the Parade District, are presumably ground into powder before being vaporized into gas, before finally re-condensing it into liquid. Liquid Motilene is then distributed into pipelines that run throughout Hamlyn Village.

Power Cells are small canisters containing liquid motilene, acting as a kind of battery that powers a multitude of devices such as torches, Compliment Machines, Jubilators, the Redactor, and more.

As maintenance, all the pipes connect to the Wellington Underground Distribution Nodes, though these areas have since been abandoned due to the workers forgetting what they're supposed to be doing thanks to their heavy intake of Joy.

Trivia[]

Motilene used to be spelled 'Motylene'.
The slang term for Motilene is 'Moon Juice', judging by the side quest, Moon Juice Leech.
Due to the severe food shortage in Wellington Wells, some have attempted to drink Motilene to survive, resulting in their death.
Though Motilene is reserved for the people living in Hamlyn Village, there's one house in the Garden District that has Motilene pipes built inside of it.
Thiomotilene presumably gets its name from the fictional compound Thiotimoline, conceived by a biochemist and science fiction author, Isaac Asimov.