Omega Ranch is a research facility in Singapore and a location in Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It was known as the Disease Control Initiative when it was initially founded by the World Health Organization.[1] Having come into the possession of Hugh Darrow's company Darrow Industries, it was renamed Omega Ranch.
The mission Rescuing Megan and Her Team takes place at this location.
Background[]
WHO monument at Omega Ranch, the founders of the facility
In 2008, the World Health Organization (WHO) begins constructing the facility as part of their Disease Control Initiative. The WHO collaborate with various major biotechnology companies, including VersaLife, on the project which focuses on viral genetics and biological sciences. It opens its doors on March 15th 2009 to medical professionals and researchers from across the globe.[2]
Over the next decade, the facility is subject to technical problems, understaffing and lack of funds. These problems culminated in a disastrous containment breach in 2018. This breach saw the release of a modified version of the H5N1 avian flu virus that had a devastating impact on the local populace. Hundreds of thousands of people died as a result of the outbreak. In the aftermath of this event, VersaLife and its corporate partners cut all ties with Omega Ranch. In the following year, the facility is shut down and is passed into the stewardship of a United Nations committee.[2]
A poster for Hugh Darrow's Omega Ranch biotech labs
Omega Ranch remains closed until 2021, when Hugh Darrow secretly purchases it and moves in a new set of research staff.[2]
There are many conspiracy theories surrounding the Ranch. In particular, it has been speculated that the modified H5N1 outbreak of 2018 was done purposefully to destabilize the region.[3] Others claim that it is owned by the Chinese and is part of a population control plan. Various websites have appeared focusing on these conspiracies, which one staff member comments makes it like the "new Area 51".[4]
Layout[]
Overview[]
There are 3 major buildings in Omega Ranch. These are the two research labs, the Micro-Gen Lab and Bio-Mech Lab, and the hangars. There is also a barracks to house the Belltower guards and a storage room. The storage room holds vaccinations distributed by WHO and stasis pods that contain people kidnapped by Belltower. These people are brought to the facility to undergo experiments related to the biochip being developed there. The Ranch also has a tower supporting a radome-like structure and a signal jammer.
Bio-Mech Lab[]
The Bio-Mech Lab
The Bio-Mech lab contains a number of offices in the upper portion of the building and research facilities in the basement. The building is protected against the spread of pathogens by a decontamination lock near the entrance. The building features a large foyer with displays of various augmentations. A glass portion of the floor allows visitors to view the surgery room below in the research labs. These labs currently house numerous test subjects brought to Omega Ranch by Belltower. Although they are alive, many of these experimentees appear to be in a dissociated state. The experiments they are subjected to often result in their deaths, as evidenced by the large number of bodies in the morgue. Declan Faherty works in this part of the building.
Micro-Gen Lab[]
The Micro-Gen Lab is connected to the Bio-Mech Lab via a skywalk. It also features a decontamination lock at the entrance for health purposes. This building, which is focused on genetics, contains a number of offices, storage rooms, and labs across its three floors. In addition to the development of the new biochip, scientists here research the mutagenic DNA belonging to Adam Jensen that is immune to Darrow Deficiency Syndrome.[5] Nia Colvin and Eric Koss work in the Micro-Gen Lab. Prior to being killed due to him being a security concern, Vasili Sevchenko also worked in these labs. Following his death, the room he worked in was thoroughly cleaned so that no DNA evidence of his presence there could be found.[6]
Shuttle Hangars[]
Hangar 18 and a LEO shuttle in the background.
The hangars are the most secure area of Omega Ranch. They are accessed via a bunker that is kept locked. These hangars hold LEO shuttle's and also have landing facilities for VTOLs and helicopters. In the lower section of this part of the compound, there is a room containing artificial models of the human muscular system. These models take on various poses that change in a cycle. A room belonging to Hugh Darrow can be found just beyond this one. Darrow's room is decorated entirely in white, including the computer monitor which normally appears orange. An elevator in this room gives access to one of the hangars, Hangar 18.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution[]
During Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Omega Ranch acts as a research facility for the Illuminati, headed by Hugh Darrow. Following the attack on Sarif Industries Headquarters, the Tyrants bring the kidnapped Sarif scientists to the Ranch. Here they are forced to work on the Illuminati's biochip scheme based on Megan Reed's research, one which would limit the abilities of mechanically augmented people. The scientists are kept isolated from each other as a way to keep them under control. Security in the facility is very tight, particularly when it comes to the kidnapped scientists. Belltower guards are stationed in every part of the campus and Sarif's team leader, Megan Reed is kept in a secure bunker.
The radome and signal jammer.
In his quest to locate the missing scientists, Adam Jensen travels to Omega Ranch via an XNG Shipping vessel. In anticipation of Jensen's attempt to rescue the scientist, Jaron Namir requests that Belltower reinforcements be deployed to Omega Ranch.[7] Namir himself stays at the facility to guard it personally. In order to find the exact location of the scientists, Jensen must first find and disengage a signal jammer. He locates this jammer on a tower supporting a radome opposite the Bio-Mech Lab.
Once the signal jammer has been disabled, Adam finds what remains of Reed's team: Declan Faherty, Nia Colvin, and Eric Koss. They inform him that Megan is located in a more secure section of the compound and so cannot be extracted easily. Jensen therefore orders the other three scientists to simultaneously create a distraction in each of their labs. With this distraction, Jensen is able to unlock the bunker leading to the location of Megan. However, this puts the facility on high alert so Adam must fight or evade various Belltower guards who attempt to stop him.
The room in which Jensen fights Namir
Adam takes an elevator to the bottom of the bunker where he is confronted by Zhao Yun Ru. Zhao activates a signal that disables the augmentations of anyone with the Illuminati biochip. If Jensen chose to get the replacement chip, his augmentations will be temporarily disabled. He must then fight Jaron Namir, the last of the Tyrants. Once Adam has defeated Namir, he is free to locate Megan. Shortly afterwards, Hugh Darrow hijacks the biochip and forces anyone who has it to turn violent. This affects the augmented Belltower guards in Omega Ranch, including those in the hangar Jensen must visit to leave the facility. Once the scientists have been safely transported away via VTOL, Adam takes the LEO shuttle stored in Hangar 18 to Panchaea.
Notes[]
- If Faridah Malik has died previously in the game, a VTOL will be waiting in Hangar 18 to transport the Sarif scientists to safety. If Malik survives, she will land the VTOL once Jensen has opened the hangar roof. In the process, she knocks the augmented Belltower guards affected by Darrow's signal unconscious. If she has died, these guards can be found fully conscious throughout the hangar.
Trivia[]
- Darrow's main personality is Omega (as classified by the CASIE augmentation), a subtle connection between the facility's name and the company that ultimately owns it.
- World Health Organization logo's found throughout Omega Ranch suggest that the facility is still associated with it, despite being handed over to Darrow Industries.
- The artificial human bodies seen in the lower portion of the hangar were inspired by Bodies: The Exhibition, an exhibition that displayed preserved remains of human bodies.[8]
- When Jaron Namir is defeated, these bodies remain in the "salute" pose instead of cycling through various different poses.
- Due to a shortage of proper seating in the labs, staff members had taken to using lab equipment as a substitute. Seemingly, this resulted in some of this lab equipment being broken as they could not support the weight of the employees.[9]
Gallery[]
References[]
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||