Subnautica Wiki
Advertisement
This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Cut Content (Subnautica).
Spoiler Read at own risk

This article contains unmarked spoilers. Players new to the game would want to avoid or be cautious toward this article.


This page serves to chronicle any significant content that was cut from the final version of Subnautica. It features multiple cut tools, base structures, creatures, and items. All content is either unused and spawnable or removed.

Alien Tech

Alien Data Terminal (Unused Variant)

Precursor Computer Variants

An unused version of the Alien Data Terminal with a more cyan hue. Where this would have been located is unknown, although it can be assumed that it would have functioned identically to the Orange and Green Terminals.

Ion Cube Matrix

An Ion Cube Matrix is a piece of technology that was originally planned to be used in the construction of the Neptune Escape Rocket. However, it was replaced with Ion Power Cells.

An Ion Cube Matrix would be crafted with five Ion Cubes.[1] While it can't be crafted, it can still be spawned with the command item precursorioncrystalmatrix.

Gallery

Red Tablet

The Red Tablet or Red Precursor Key is an unused Alien Tablet that was going to presumably deactivate forcefields. It can be spawned using the command item precursorkey_red. It is also not scannable.

It depicted an R shaped letter.



Gallery

White Tablet

The White Tablet or White Precursor Key is an unused Alien Tablet that was previously intended to unlock the Alien Thermal Plant. The white tablet was a 4 (2×2) slot item, rather than a 1 slot item like all the other keys. If one summons precursor keys in the developer menu, they will get a White Tablet and a Red Tablet. It can be spawned using the command item precursorkey_white.


The White Tablet was going to be used as an integral story item for Subnautica's sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero, but it was cut due to a story change. It depicted a T or P shaped letter.

Gallery

Biomes

Arctic

The Arctic biome was never actually implemented into the game but was labeled and even put onto the maps found in the game's folder during early development. The biome stayed through development for a long time before it was eventually replaced and scrapped. Very few leftovers of this biome exist.

Inside the game, files are multiple references to this biome, including old textures, biome ids, and even a cut Cold Water effect.

This biome likely inspired Subnautica: Below Zero's location.

Gallery

Grand Reef (OLD)

Though it is still in the game, some older cut content from the Grand Reef included terrain changes. Previously, massive spikes similar to those now found within the Crag Field. Also found in the biome were large crystals, which look highly similar to the large Mercury Crystal found in the Entity Gallery. It is possible the crystals in the biome acted as block-outs for future placement of Mercury Crystals.

Gallery

Lilypad Islands

This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Lilypad Islands.

Floating in the water, the Lilypad Islands appears to be a biome of large lilypad structures rooted in medium-sized chunks of land. These Lilypads likely held the rocks in the water, keeping them afloat. This biome was likely replaced with the Underwater Islands biome, as it has the same properties as the Lilypad Islands.

The Lilypad Islands later went on to appear in Subnautica: Below Zero under the same name.

Gallery

Twisty Bridges

This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Twisty Bridges.

The Twisty Bridges was a biome originally planned to be found in Subnautica. Development started as early as before the first early access release. Although some flora was made for the biome, it was left unfinished and eventually was cut from the game.

The biome was set to contain multiple cut items as well. The Mohawk plant was one of the cut Flora found dotting the landscape. The Blue Barnacles, which are still currently used in-game, were intended to line the bottoms of all the bridges. Both could be found in the Entity Gallery. The biome appeared to have been very similar to the Safe Shallows in design, Fauna, and Flora.

The biome was considered possible post 1.0 or expansion content but was instead included in Subnautica: Below Zero.

It was the planned spawn of the Cuddlefish, back when they were planned to be like Crashfish.

Gallery

Commands

Entity Gallery

The Entity Gallery was a series of textureless, white boxes that could be spawned by typing "entgal" into the console. On top of each box, an entity from the world of Subnautica could be found. Of the various things found here, the models of the scrapped "Sandworm" and "Grab Crab" creatures were perhaps the most notable.

The Entity Gallery's removal may have been due to the multiple occasions in which Precursor objects were mistakenly added to the gallery; This resulted in Precursor objects and bases being revealed to the public long before they were intended to be. The most wellknown example of this was Experimental Update Version 46346, the "Skittles Update," in which many of the game's textures were converted to multicolored squares. This was because the game had gone over the limit of textures by the accidental addition of the Quarantine Enforcement Platform model and several other Precursor props to the gallery.

Running the command entgal would spawn in the Entity Gallery near the center of the map and teleport the player to it.

Gallery

Leak

The Leak command was originally intended to create new leaks in a Cyclops. However, as Cyclops Flooding was removed from the game, it no longer does anything. It was executed with the command leak.

Lock

The Lock command was the opposite of the unlock command. It was intended to lock blueprints that were already unlocked. For example, the command lock solarpanel would've locked the recipe for a Solar Panel. The command was removed for an unknown reason, and it was run by typing lock [NAME].

Seal

The Seal command would have set the player's speed to a 5x multiplier. This was removed along with the ability to change speed not long before the Early Access Release. It was run by typing the command seal.

Shark

The Shark command would have set the player's speed to a 10x multiplier. This was removed along with the ability to change speed not long before the Early Access Release. It would've been accessed by running the command shark

Sonic

The Sonic command would have set the player's speed to a 50x multiplier. This was removed along with the ability to change speed not long before the Early Access Release. It could've been run by typing the command sonic

Coral

Brain Coral Small

These cut Brain Coral Small appear to have been a relative to the Brain Coral added in-game. It is unknown if they would have functioned similarly to the Brain Coral, or if this was simply a placeholder name with no relation.

Gallery

Dead Brain Coral

Dead Brain Coral is a cut form of Brain Coral from older versions. The coral would change to this white form when hit by the Survival Knife several times, similar to dead coral found in Earth's oceans. The coral would stop producing oxygen when dead.

This effect is still present in Slanted Shell Plate and Giant Bulb Bush

Gallery

Reefback Coral 01

The Reefback Coral 01 is an unused type of Reefback Leviathan Coral set to appear on its back. It is unknown why this coral remains unused as it is fully modeled and textured.

Gallery

Deployables

Current Generator

The Current Generator was a deployable crafted using the Fabricator. The Current Generator took up four slots in the player's Inventory, meaning the player could carry twelve of them in a clear inventory. The Current Generator used no power and could be left active indefinitely.

Once the device was deployed and activated, it would produce a column-shaped hydro-current from an emitter on its front. This stream could push small and large objects alike, including Lifepod 5 and the Reefback Leviathan. However, the Seamoth and Cyclops were not affected by the Current Generator.

The Current Generator has been scrapped and is no longer available in the game. This could be to the fact that it would create lag and/or loading problems. At the time, it could've been obtained using the command item currentgenerator, or spawned using spawn currentgenerator

Gallery

Eggs

Biome Eggs

Bulb Zone Egg

The Bulb Zone Egg was a generic egg found within the Bulb Zone that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item kooshzoneegg

Grand Reef Egg

The Grand Reef Egg was a generic egg found within the Grand Reef that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item grandreefsegg

Grassy Plateaus Egg

The Grassy Plateaus Egg was a generic egg found within the Grassy Plateaus that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item grassyplateausegg.

Kelp Forest Egg

The Kelp Forest Egg was a generic egg found within the Kelp Forest that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item kelpforestegg.

Lava Zone Egg

The Lava Zone Egg was a generic egg found within the Lava Zone that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It could have been spawned with the command item lavazoneegg, however in the full release, using the command instead gives the player a Lava Lizard egg that cannot hatch and has the appearance of a Lava Zone Egg.



Mushroom Forest Egg

The Mushroom Forest Egg was a generic egg found within the Mushroom Forest that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item mushroomforestegg.

Safe Shallows Egg

The Safe Shallows Egg was a generic egg found within the Safe Shallows that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item safeshallowsegg.

Twisty Bridges Egg

The Twisty Bridges Egg was a generic egg found within the Twisty Bridges that would've been identified with the cut Specimen Analyzer. It can be spawned with the command item twistybridgesegg.

Reefback Leviathan Egg

The Reefback Leviathan Egg is an unused egg that hatches an extremely small Reefback Leviathan when placed in containment. The model for this egg is shared with Spadefish Egg, which can be found in-game.


They were never implemented into the game, and are only spawnable with Console Commands. It can be spawned in still using the command item reefbackegg.

Gallery

Shuttlebug Egg

The Shuttlebug Egg is an egg that was never implemented into the game. It hatches into a Shuttlebug when in containment. The model and icon used by this egg were once shared by the Crabsnake egg. It is spawnable using the console command item jumperegg. This egg, as well as the Reefback Leviathan egg, can be found in the Primary Containment Facility's Egg Laboratory.


Gallery

Electronics

Lithium Ion Battery

The Lithium Ion Battery was an upgrade to the Battery, crafted using a Modification Station. The Lithium Ion Battery held twice as much energy as the Battery. The Lithium Ion Battery can only be crafted in Creative Mode, unlocked using the command unlock lithiumionbattery and crafted at the Modification Station in any game mode, or obtained using the command item lithiumionbattery.


If in creative or unlocked using commands, the Lithium Ion Battery will appear in a fully unique section of the Modification Station. This section has its own icon that matches all of the others in the Modification Station and appears nowhere else.

The Ion Battery is the replacement for this upgraded battery. It uses an Ion Cube instead of Lithium to be crafted and has 500 power, whilst the Lithium Ion Battery has 200.

Gallery

Nanowires

Nanowires were a nano-scale Electronic item crafted from Mercury Ore that was intended for quantum devices and sensors. It can be spawned using the command item nanowires

Environmental

Arctic Obstacles

Cold Water

Cold Water was less of a physical object and more of a status effect. When in Cold Water, the player's breathing would become ragged, depleting oxygen faster than normal. The player would also take damage if not properly protected using anything that provides Cold Resistance[2].

In the game files, assets for this effect exist. When spawned in-game, they will instantly kill the player and display a bright blue effect, simulating cold damage. In older versions, it could be spawned using the command spawn cold, but it can no longer be spawned. This effect was likely to appear in the Arctic biome.

Gallery

Ice Spikes

Ice Spikes would grow downwards inside the Arctic biome, forming Ice Patches in the surrounding area. These would inflict cold damage if not properly protected[2].

These have been repurposed for Subnautica:Below Zero.

Ice Patches

Ice Patches were patches of frozen ground that had less friction. Prawn Suits and terrestrial Fauna would have been at risk of slipping and sliding across the ground. These patches of ice were to have appeared in the Arctic biome[2].

Lava Obstacles

Falling Spires

Falling Spires are currently located in the Inactive Lava Zone, however, they do not hold the same purpose they do now. In early development, these spires would have been affected by vibrations. If they were damaged enough, they would have collapsed and fallen over. These would only do crush damage[2].

Lava Bridges

For bottom-dwelling Fauna and Prawn Suits, Lava Bridges could prove dangerous. These bridges were weak connectors over large chasms and lava pits. However, if disturbed too heavily these bridges would collapse, dealing damage to the player, creatures, or vehicles. These would have extensively been used in the Lava Zone[2].

Lava Sinkholes

Lava Sinkholes were large holes in the seabed found in the Lava Zone with an odd, almost bubble-like object in the center. After some time, these bubbles would burst, erupting outwards violently and inflicting damage[2].

A single sinkhole exists within the Inactive Lava Zone known as the Lava Pit. It is purely decorative and does not have any of the features mentioned above.

Similar is included in Subnautica:Below Zero, albeit in smaller size.

Gallery

Ocean Currents

Currents

Currents would have acted as moving water that would push items around, such as small Fauna, or possibly even the player. They could be found in different places, including caves. They are often diurnal, sometimes nocturnal. This idea was likely to work into the Current Generator before it was eventually cut as well[2].

Water Streams

Water Streams were a type of Ocean Current that would be much weaker than normal. They are smaller and are easier to swim through. They were to be considered universal, found in multiple places around the map[2].

Whirlpools

Whirlpools were designed to suck the player in and down. They would either block progression slightly, sucking the player away from locations and downwards, or they would pull the player down into aggressive fauna. These could occur anywhere but were intended to be very noticeable[2].

Physical Rocks

Physical Rocks were simple obstacles that were able to shift and move when vibrations occurred. They would also set off any motion-sensing triggers. Smaller ones could be picked up as items[2].

Silt

Sitting on the seabed, Silt acted as loose particles that, when interacted with by a creature or object, would obscure vision and become disturbed. The silt was usually located in caves, making it harder to visibly traverse them[2]. A small silt affect can be seen while walking on sand in a P.R.A.W.N. suit.

Weather

One of the most highly requested features throughout development, Weather was a system that was planned but never developed fully. The timing and different technical aspects of what weather would have been are unknown. It is confirmed that there were at minimum two main weather conditions and some wind effects, as heard in the sound files which can be played below.

The two moons of Planet 4546B would drastically affect the timing, severity, and type of weather. Some known types of weather were rain, snow, lightning storms (with ranging severity), and tsunamis. The worse the weather was, the harder it was to traverse the area underwater[2].

Weather was eventually recycled for Subnautica: Below Zero, which has intense lightning storms, rainstorms, and snow. Weather is mentioned in one of Sunbeam’s transmissions.

Sounds

Weather Effect Audio
Rain Loop
Thunder Loop
Wind Effects Light (One)
Wind Effects Light (Two)
Wind Effects Heavy (One)
Wind Effects Best Wind

Gallery

Equipment

Thermometer

The Thermometer was a piece of equipment that allowed the player to see the temperature at their current location. It was crafted with a single Computer Chip.

It was removed because it was hard to implement into the latest HUD, and was rarely used during gameplay, which rendered it not worth keeping.[4]

Its removal was made more apparent by the addition of built-in thermometers on vehicle HUDs (Seamoth, Prawn Suit, and Cyclops). While it can be spawned using the command item thermometer, it will only appear as though you obtained it; nothing will appear within the inventory, indicating it's been blacklisted.

Gallery

Fauna

Bloom Plankton

Bloomplankton-1

Bloom Plankton are a small fauna species that were never implemented in the game, but can be spawned with "spawn bloom". According to the game files, it was meant to spawn in the Tree Cove in the Lost River. Bloom Plankton is found only in groups and usually invisible, only becoming visible when they are "charged" with light. Their color can be altered by shining different types of light onto them. Shining a Flashlight into a group of Bloom Plankton will cause them to glow bright white; if a flare is thrown near a group of Bloom Plankton they will glow red. This color will be retained for a brief moment before going invisible again.

When charged, they become a light source and will light up their surroundings. This could be used to the Player's advantage to navigate in dark areas. When charged with light, Bloom Plankton will constantly shift and move amongst each other. Bloom Plankton will swarm around light sources and stay near it.

ID: bloom

Gallery

Bullet Fish

References to a Bullet Fish have been found in the game files. Its behavior is quite similar to that of a Crashfish. The Bullet Fish would hide in a hole, waiting for the player to come in range. It would then quickly shoot out of the hole and begin to chase the player. If the fish manages to get close enough to the player, it would take 10 seconds worth of their oxygen. The fish would then swim back into the hole. The creature never received a final model and was eventually cut from the game.

Grabcrab

GrabCrabCut1

The Grabcrab was a Fauna that would leave its home to grab food and items. The Grabcrab Home, however was never finished, and is merely seen as a placeholder. The Grabcrab was not spawnable in-game but has been noted to have appeared in both early development footage and the Entity Gallery. It's behaviour is similar to Sea Monkeys from Subnautica:Below Zero.

The Grabcrab had sounds found in the game files of Subnautica. They can be played on the chart below. Though it cannot be spawned, it's ID is grabcrab.

Sounds

Gallery

Grower

Referenced in the game files, the Grower was a simple creature that was never implemented. There is no model or texture for this creature, only a script. The creature was intended to simply grow and shrink in size, as well as pulse. There is no other known information on this creature.

Large Bird

Large Bird

This unnamed bird was dubbed the Large Bird by many. This bird was featured in the Subnautica Early Access Trailer and is seen flying along with a flock of Skyrays. However, even though the bird had a completed model, it was never put into the game.

The Large Bird was planned to be featured in Subnautica: Below Zero as the Dragonfly, but was cut due to the decision that more fauna would be unnecessary.

Gallery

Reefback Leviathan Cut Features

At one point in development, Reefback Leviathans were planned to be able to burrow near the surface of the seafloor. Flora, Coral, and other small creatures would eventually establish themselves on top of the dormant Leviathans. If five or more moderate-sized creatures were too close, the Reefback Leviathans would become disturbed. They would slowly rise out of the ground and drift to a quieter place to rest[7].

Reefback Leviathans were also planned to be rideable. Originally, the Player was intended to have the ability to grab the Leviathan's tentacles, trailing behind the leviathan as it swam, but this concept was scrapped.[7].

Rock Puncher

This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Rock Puncher.
Rock Puncher Fauna

The Rock Puncher was one of the most developed cut creatures. It had a complete model, working animations, and worked in-game. However, it was never added and was eventually cut entirely.

The Rock Puncher was to originally appear as a creature that would punch into rocks and terrain using its large appendages that closely resemble boxing gloves. It has six legs and could walk in all directions. The Rockgrub was originally referenced as a Rock Puncher Larva, then Rock Puncher Food, before finally keeping it as Rockgrub, implying a relation between the two creatures.

The Rock Puncher was later reused for Subnautica: Below Zero. Though no longer spawnable, it's ID is rockpuncher.

Gallery

Sand Worm

SandWormCut1

The Sand Worm was a scrapped creature used for testing purposes. The Sand Worm made use of a premade model the devs acquired for the creature's body, and the model of the Tree Leech for the creature's burrow. The Sand Worm had simple behaviors, detecting when something was above the creature's burrow and jumping out, dealing rapid damage. It appeared in the Entity Gallery.

Gallery

Sea Dragon Seamoth Animation

The Sea Dragon Seamoth Animation was a cut attack animation made for the Sea Dragon Leviathan in which it would grab the Seamoth and put it into its mouth in an attempt to crush the vehicle, similar to the existing animation for the Prawn Suit.

This animation was ultimately cut from the game due to being pointless, as the Seamoth's max depth was insufficient to reach the Inactive Lava Zone where the Sea Dragons reside so this animation would never occur in normal gameplay.

Gallery

Slime

The Slime was a supposedly hazardous fauna meant to "Encourage you to explore at different times". This scrapped concept is only mentioned in a developer document[2] as well as referenced in-game files. No other information is known about its purpose. The Slime was spawnable through the ID slime in early builds of Subnautica.

The creature was non-interactable, resembling an unfinished, pulsating, organic sphere. There is no official model, texture, or programmed AI for this creature. In current builds the placeholder model, ambient animation, and spawn command are absent. It is only obtainable through item commands as a placeholder item under the name. Unused audio events under the name of "slime_killed" and "slime_stick" still exist within the game today.

Gallery

Flora

Hanging Seaweed

Hanging Seaweed was intended to be found around the Safe Shallows, and was simply seaweed that would hang over cliffs and off objects. There was no known use for them. They were likely only decoration for the area[8]

Gallery

Mohawk

This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Scaly Maw Anemone.

The Mohawk was a cut plant planned to be part of the cut Twisty Bridges biome. These plants featured a curved shape, lined with fibers. At one point in development, a Mohawk could be found in the Jellyshroom Cave. While it was still in the game, the Entity Gallery contained four variants of the Mohawk.

It can still be spawned using commands. If the command spawn mohawk is used, the mohawk will spawn sideways. If instead the command item mohawk is used, it will spawn upright.

These plants later appeared in the Twisty Bridges biome in Subnautica: Below Zero, however, now under the name Scaly Maw Anemone.

Gallery

Plant Middle 11

Plant Middle 11 is a cut plant that appears to be a collection of different blades. These plants were reskinned and implemented into Subnautica: Below Zero.

Gallery

Spike Trap

This article is about Cut Content (Subnautica) in Subnautica. For the related article on the Below Zero Wiki, see Spikey Trap.
Spiky Trap

The Spike Trap was a cut flora that was intended to grab onto the player from below and pull them inwards. They would do this using the four, orange tipped, white tendrils attached to the main body. It would have dragged the player in towards its large mouth seen at the center.

Because of the presence of a Spike Trap Seed icon, the Spike Trap could have been planted and grown on Exterior Growbeds. It is unknown if this would have provided extra uses.

The Spike Trap later appeared in Subnautica: Below Zero as a recolored variant with a slightly different name, the Spikey Trap.

Gallery

Stitchgrass

Stitchgrass was intended to be a special plant that, when interacted with, would provide healing to nearby creatures. The player could use this plant to heal wounds, but using it too much in a short period time would kill it, no longer being able to heal. Stitchgrass could be found in almost any biome.[2]

Unnamed Flora

This Unnamed Flora appears to be a Bioluminescent plant. It is made up of multiple fibers stretching upward, with tips that seem to glow a bright white.

Gallery

Game Mechanics

Composting

Composting was a mechanic that was used to obtain Ethanol and Composted Materials, such as Compost Creepvine. This process likely would have involved placing plant matter into a Composter and allowing it to compost over time, then collecting materials and Ethanol. A similar process could have been done with Fertilizer, which would convert Ethanol into Ethylene[7].

Cyclops Flooding

In earlier versions of the game, the Cyclops would flood upon being damaged. This would have created leaks in the Cyclops' interior, which could have been repaired with a repair tool. The cyclops would flood overtime, and after reaching a certain amount of water, would begin to sink to the seabed.

This feature was likely replaced with the newer mechanics due to the way it made the Cyclops invulnerable, as damage could easily be repaired and the cyclops was never really at risk.

Below is a video demonstration of the mechanic from a prototype test in 2014, which is almost exactly how it appeared in game.

Gallery

Dialogue

Throughout Subnautica's development, there have been multiple instances of Dialogue, some of which have been cut, unused or updated and the old versions removed. The Dialogue page contains all cut and unused Dialogue found in the game files.

Durability

During early access, Durability was a mechanic associated with all variants of the regular Survival Knife. After a set number of strikes, a knife would be destroyed, requiring the player to craft a new one. The Survival Knife had 100 durability, the Thermoblade had 34 and the Hardened Blade had 200. The mechanic was removed along with the now-pointless Hardened Blade.

Overeating

During development, Overeating was a mechanic that would occur after the consumption of too many food items. If too many were eaten, the Overeating effect would occur, in which the player would begin to lose health due to blood loss¹. The only food item exempt from this was the Gel Sack. The message "blood loss detected" was a reference to one of the HEV suit damage warnings from Half-Life.

Upon eating too much, you are first warned of the impending complications that eating more will bring. If eating continues, the player would start to lose blood and take damage, which the PDA would notify you of.

Sounds

Trigger Dialogue
Log-128 Overeating slightly "Warning: without variety in your diet, your fluid and nutrient levels will decrease."

Log-128 Overeating too much "Warning: blood loss detected."

Terrain Generation

In Subnautica's early development, Terrain Generation was a planned feature. It would have worked by developing tile sets to randomly generate a certain biome. Using the Voxel Terrain system, these tile sets would have meshed together into a world that would be explorable. It is currently known that there were tile sets for the Lava Zone[9], Safe Shallows, Kelp Forest[10], Mushroom Forest and Bulb Zone[11].

Gallery

Materials

Amino Acid

Amino Acid was an unimplemented raw material. It was used to create Graphene. It can be spawned in game using the command item aminoacids.

Battery Acid

Battery Acid (named BatteryAcidOld when spawned in game) was a craftable substance likely used while crafting Batteries. Not much else is known about this substance. It can be spawned using the command item batteryacidold.

Calcium

Calcium was a craftable resource that was used in the production of Bleach and was made from Coral Tube Samples. It has now been replaced by Coral Tube Samples in the recipe for bleach.

Recipe

Coralchunk Arrow-right (1) linkFabricator Arrow-right (1) Calcium

Uses in Crafting

Fabricator

Calcium Salt OLD ×5 Arrow-right (1) Fabricator OLD Arrow-right (1) Bleach OLD



Carbon

Carbon was a substance that changed a few times before it eventually was cut. First, it was crafted by refining either plant matter or Calcite[7]. In later development, this recipe was changed to require three Acid Mushrooms before it was eventually cut. It was primarily used to craft Batteries.

In old versions of the game, Carbon could be obtained by slashing a Stalker with a Survival Knife. It isn't fully known why this occurred or if it was intentional. While it can no longer be spawned in the most recent versions of Subnautica, the ID is carbon.

Recipe

Purple Mushroom Purple Mushroom Purple Mushroom Arrow-right (1) linkFabricator Arrow-right (1) Carbon

Uses in Crafting

Carbon Zinc ×5 Arrow-right (1) Fabricator OLD Arrow-right (1) Lithium Ion Battery



Compost Creepvine

Compost Creepvine is not a substance, but instead an action. After the original Bioreactor was added in, the player could Compost Creepvine using three Creepvine Samples and a Tree Mushroom Sample. It can be spawned in using the command item compostcreepvine, but has absolutely no purpose.

Before the Bioreactor was added in, Compost Creepvine was likely an item planned to be created from a Composter, as it has a spawnable item. The use likely switched long before Early Access when the Composter was removed.

Recipe

Compost Creepvine Compost Creepvine Compost Creepvine Mushroom Tree Piece Arrow-right (1) Bioreactor-0 Arrow-right (1) Compost Creepvine

Emery

Emery (known as EmeryOld when spawned in game) was a material planned to be found in Subnautica. Not much is known about it other than the fact that it was used to craft the Survival Knife, and possibly the Drill. It is able to be spawned in using the console command item emeryold.


Ethanol

Acting as Vehicle Fuel, Ethanol (known as EthanolOld when spawned in game) was intended to be used in the crafting of Ethylene and the powering of different Vehicles. It was to be made at a Composter from decaying/decomposing plant matter[7]. It can be spawned in game using the command item ethanolold.

Ethylene

Not much is known about Ethylene aside from the fact it was used to stimulate and ripen fruit, cause flowers to bloom, and allowed leaves to shed[7]. Using the command item ethyleneold will spawn it in.

Flint

Flint was a raw material used for crafting Flares. It was generally found in the Safe Shallows, Kelp Forest, and Grassy Plateaus. The command item flintold allows it to be obtained in the final game. In older versions of the game, it is simply item flint.

Uses in Crafting

Fabricator

Magnesium OLD Flint Flint Arrow-right (1) Fabricator OLD Arrow-right (1) Flare OLD


Gallery


Graphene

Graphene was a material that was crafted at the Fabricator using Carbon. It can be spawned in using the command item graphene.

Gallery

Hydrogen

Hydrogen (named HydrogenOld when spawned) was a gas-like substance used in crafting. Hydrogen was used to craft three Flares. To obtain Hydrogen, an Electrolizer would have been used. Calcium would produce Hydrogen when placed in water. It can be spawned in using the command item hydrogenold.

Lodestone

Lodestone is an unknown material, only defined by its ID. It does not appear to spawn in-game, and no information can be found on it in any documentation. Since "lodestone" is the name given to a naturally magnetized sample of Magnetite, it was probably a precursor to that material. Using the command item lodestone, it may be spawned in.

Magnesium

Magnesium was a material crafted using three Salt Deposits in the Fabricator. Magnesium was only used in two crafting recipes, that of the Repair Tool and Flare. As it was only used in a few recipes it was rendered useless and was removed. It can be spawned with the command item magnesium.

Gallery

Membrane

Membrane was a material obtained from Membrain Trees. It was originally planned to be used in the crafting of water, but eventually was removed and replaced by the Bladderfish in its sole recipe. It can no longer be spawned in, but the ID is membrane.

Mercury Crystal

Mercury Crystal was a raw material planned to be used in crafting. It was a rare substance used in Thermometers, Barometers, Manometers, Sphygmomanometers, float valves, Mercury Switches, Mercury Relays, and Fluorescent Lamps. This ore was intended to be found at the border of Volcanic and Crystal biomes[7]. It was only able to be found in the Entity Gallery on Early Access Release, but could spawn in earlier development builds.

Gallery

Mercury Ore

Mercury Ore (or Cinnabar in some builds) was an uncommon material found in various biomes that was used solely to craft the Cyclops Fire Suppression System before being replaced by Crystalline Sulfur. It then remained in game until the full release, when it was finally cut.

Mercury Ore spawned in multiple biomes, including the Crag Field, the Deep Grand Reef, the Grand Reef, the Sea Treader's Path, the Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves, and the Sparse Reef. It can be obtained with the command item mercuryore.

Gallery

Metal

Metal was going to be very similar to Titanium. It would have been crafted with 1 Metal Salvage. It was replaced by Titanium.


Neoprene

Neoprene was a substance crafted using Zinc at a Fabricator. It was used to craft Fins, Knives, Dive Tools, a Hammer, Welders, Seaglides, and Flares. The specifics of this substance is unknown[7].


Opal gem

Opal gem was likely a naturally spawning resource in very early builds of the game. The existence of it is only proven by language files.

Rutile

Rutile was a natural resource that existed in the early builds of Subnautica. It was originally used to craft Titanium. It did not spawn naturally and had to be spawned in through Console Commands. It is no longer in game.

Gallery

Sand

Before terraforming was removed, you could dig Sand in the environment. It would be used to create Glass and Silicone. It was the only substance that could be dug without the use of a Terraformer. The sand item was removed before the dig feature, making it unobtainable. It is still spawnable in game using the command item sandloot. When dropped it produced a particle effect as seen below.


Gallery

Uranium

Uranium was an item belonging to the Advanced Materials category that was removed in the Voice of the Deep update. It was at first found as a raw material from deposits, and later became a crafted material made using three Uraninite Crystals, and was used in the crafting of Reactor Rods and several Electronic items. Uranium was removed to simplify the Reactor Rod recipe[13]. It can still be spawned in game using the command item uranium.

Gallery

Zinc

In early builds, Zinc could be obtained from Limestone Outcrops and Stalagmites. It was primarily used for crafting batteries, but was also involved in the crafting of Neoprene[7].

Uses in Crafting

Fabricator

Carbon Zinc ×5 Arrow-right (1) Fabricator OLD Arrow-right (1) Lithium Ion Battery


Gallery


Modules

Cyclops Pressure Compensator

The Cyclops Pressure Compensator was an Upgrade Module for the Cyclops. When put into the Cyclops upgrade panel, it added 900 meters to both the safe and crush depth, which would stack if multiple copies were equipped. It and the two upgraded versions below were cut and replaced with the non-stacking Cyclops Depth Modules. Just before being cut the description was altered, indicating there may have been some plans to retain the Pressure Compensator. Works in game but has no icon, and can be spawned with the command item hullreinforcementmodule.

Shell Hull Reinforcement Module

The Shell Hull Reinforcement Module was an Upgrade Module for the Cyclops. When used to upgrade the Cyclops, it added 1600 meters to both the safe depth and the crush depth. This item was removed when the new, non-stacking upgrade system was introduced. Works in game but has no icon, and can be spawned in using the command item hullreinforcementmodule2.

Chelonian Hull Reinforcement Module

The Chelonian Hull Reinforcement Module added 2800 meters to both the safe depth and the crush depth. It was the strongest reinforcement module. To create the module, blueprints from the Specimen Analyzer were required as Reefback DNA was part of the recipe. This item was removed when the new, non-stacking upgrade system was introduced, along with the removal of DNA samples. Works in-game but has no icon, and can be spawned using the command item hullreinforcementmodule3.

Ore Deposits

Aluminium Oxide Deposit

The Aluminium Oxide Deposit was an ore deposit that was intended to give Aluminium Oxide (which was renamed to the Ruby later in development) upon being drilled. It was never implemented. However, this has been repurposed for Subnautica: Below Zero

Gallery

Diamond Deposit

Diamond Deposits were intended to drop Diamonds when mined. They were never implemented into the game. However, this has been repurposed for Subnautica: Below Zero

Gallery

Mercury Deposit

Mercury Deposits were cut along with Mercury Ore. They were findable in most places Mercury Ore was located.

Gallery

Sulfur Deposit

Sulfur Deposits originally were intended to drop Crystalline Sulfur when broken. They were likely intended to be found under the brine in the Lost River.

Gallery

Outcrops

Basalt Outcrop

BasaltOutcrop

Basalt Outcrops were a common outcrop type that spawned in many biomes, and looked very similar to the Shale Outcrop. They dropped Gold, Diamond, and Uraninite Crystals. They received a final model and why they were removed is not fully known. Its model was reused as the Galena Outcrop in Subnautica Below Zero. Basalt Outcrops spawned in the following biomes:

ID: basaltchunk

Gallery

Calcite

Calcite acted as both an outcrop and a material. When broken up it would drop Calcium, but would also allow harvesting of the chunks for other uses. These uses included Cements, Fertilizers, Metals, Glass, Rubber, and Paint[7]. Though unable to be spawned, it's ID is calciteold

Gallery

Dolomite

Dolomite was a harder and denser type of outcrop. It would drop Copper Ore when harvested. It also had the possibility of giving Gasses or Oil[7]. Though it cannot be spawned in, it's ID is dolomiteeold.

Obsidian Outcrop

Obsidian Chunk

Obsidian Outcrops were Harvesting Nodes found in the Lava Zones, they dropped only Diamond and never received a final model. They spawned in the Inactive Lava Zone, the Inactive Lava Zone Corridor, the Lava Castle, and the Lava Lakes. It can still be spawned in-game with the command spawn obsidianchunk

Gallery

Rocks

Rocks were small outcrops that spawned in the Mushroom Forest. They usually dropped Magnesium, although they had a small chance to drop Copper Ore.

Gallery

PDA

Minimap

Featured on old development documentation[7], the Minimap was a planned feature for the game. This would have worked by tracking areas you had been and displaying them on the Minimap as mapped terrain. This feature appears to have been cut long before any playable version of the game was finished.

Gallery

Scanning System (Old)

The Scanning System in older documentation[7] detailed some differences. Upon looking directly at an object for multiple seconds, a short description of the item would appear on the HUD. These messages would only appear if they had not been shown in the last ten messages during the current play session.

If objects were scanned with a Scanner, they would both display their short description no matter how long since it had been seen, as well as unlock an optional longer version. These were likely similar to the Databank entries in the game currently.

Signals

Signal

Even though they are still in the game, Signals have gone through many changes. The most prominent was a move from items to being on their own PDA page. Before they had a custom tab (which is between the Inventory and Log tabs) they were items you could find in chests and containers, or were given when a radio signal was obtained.

In early development, Signals were simply found in either chests or containers, and they usually lead to simple places. Some led to caves, others to certain locations. Lifepod 5 was the only one that was on at all times and needed no object to work. These Pings would be equipped either by holding them in your hand or placing them in the Chip Slots.

During early development, these Pings appeared as simple white blips that would expand and fade. There was no way to edit them at all, and they would simply give a location. Before they were given an icon, they appeared in the world as placeholder white "X" markers. They were eventually given a final design image before being cut and changed into the item-less system.

Below is a compilation of all cut Signal Locations from the game. Some locations were cut from the game entirely, while others remained but lost any pings related to them.

Signal Locations

Signal Name Co-ordinates Information
Signal Ping Lifepod 4 (Shallows) 717 -7 161 Radiation Suit recommended before attempting rescue/salvage.

Signal Ping Lifepod 6 (110m) 363 -110 309 Crew requested assistance surviving radiation.

Signal Ping Lifepod 7 (180m) -55 -179 -1039 Aurora crewmember requested assistance.

Signal Ping Possible Cave Opening -172 -64 -221 Leads to the Jellyshroom Caves.
Signal Ping Possible Cave Opening -127 -520 -266 Unreachable without a Terraformer, leads nowhere.
Signal Ping Possible Cave Opening 741 -182 573 Leads to a large cave under the Mushroom Forest.
Signal Ping Heat Signature -390 -1125 76 Leads to the Inactive Lava Zone.
Signal Ping Large organic mass -1028 -273 -1116 Leads to the entrance of the Deep Grand Reef.

Gallery

Placeable Items

INFINITE Poster

Little is known about the INFINITE Poster other than it exists. There is no known spawn ID. The origins of this poster are also unknown.

Gallery

Green Cap

The Green Cap exists in the texture files for the Caps, hinting at some point there was another cap and sunglasses. It is unknown if these textures were ever planned to have a use, or if these are simply leftovers from an original texture taken from elsewhere.

Gallery

Seabases

Accumulator

The Accumulator was a machine meant to store power for Seabases. The Accumulator's model is very similar to those used by the old Bioreactor and the old Thermal Plant. It is unknown why it was cut. While it can no longer be spawned, a placeholder item with a very brief description can be spawned with item accumulator.


Gallery

Bioreactor (Old)

The old Bioreactor was built outside of a base and could only be powered using Fungal Samples and Creepvine Samples, unlike the more recent Bioreactor which can use any organic material. It uses a model that is highly similar to the Accumulator and the old Thermal Plant. It is no longer spawnable


Gallery

Botanical Analysis Machine

The Botanical Analysis Machine was a machine meant to study Flora. It was cut when the Scanner was added. It was built with the Habitat Builder. It may have functioned like a smaller alien containment.


Gallery

Centrifuge

The Centrifuge was meant to be used to turn DNA samples collected using the Transfuser into four transfuser serums. The Centrifuge was to be crafted with a Habitat Builder in a base. It can still be spawned in game, but has no collision and is non-functional. To do so, run the command spawn centrifuge.

Gallery

Composter

A Composter was a object used to convert plant matter into Ethanol and other types of Plant Matter. It would have likely involved placing materials inside and allowing them to compost over time then it may have been used for power (much as the modern bioreactor works) or to speed up the growth of other, more helpful plants. There was no known model made, and the tool appears to have been scrapped very early[7].


Fragment Analyzer

The Fragment Analyzer was a Placeable Item that was used to decode Fragments into Blueprints. Only one fragment was needed to research a blueprint; however, the Fragment Analyzer could research four fragments at a time. The progress of analysis was displayed when the player looked at the Fragment Analyzer. At one point a Fragment Analyzer was pre-installed inside the Lifepod. The functionality of the Fragment Analyzer was given to the Scanner and the fragment system was reworked.

It was also intended to be used for the identification of the scrapped biome eggs before this function was transferred to the Specimen Analyzer, which later was also scrapped. It can still be spawned in using the command spawn fragmentanalyzer.

Gallery

Nuclear Reactor (Old)

The old Nuclear Reactor was built outside of the Seabase and had to be supplied with raw Uraninite to function. While it is unable to be spawned in, it's ID is nuclearreactor.

Gallery

Observatory (Old)

The Old Observatory was a small primitive glass box that could be constructed with the Mobile Vehicle Bay. Unlike the newer Observatory it was not a Seabase module and was instead freestanding. It had two entrances and was primarily used to observe Fauna and the environment. The only way to move it was to use Floaters. Though it can no longer be spawned in, it's current ID is observatoryold.

Gallery

Power Generator

The Power Generator was a Placeable Item that generated Power for Seabases using Power Cells. The Power Generator had a capacity of six. In the starting of Subnautica it was the only method to give energy to Seabases. It was only a temporary power source, and was removed when it was essentially replaced by the Nuclear Reactor and Reactor Rods.


Trigger Audio
Log-128 Turning On / Constructing
Log-128 Idle
Log-128 Turning Off / Deconstructing

Gallery

Specimen Analyzer

The Specimen Analyzer was a machine meant to study Eggs. It was removed when the Alien Containment and Scanner were added. Despite being removed, you can still see its model in Below zero's Research Base Zero. It can be spawned in game, but doesn't function and only holds small eggs. The command to do so is item specimenanalyzer.

Gallery

Thermal Plant (Old)

The old variation of the Thermal Plant didn't vary all that much from it's current counterpart, the Thermal Plant. Mainly, the old Thermal Plant had a model similar to the Accumulator and the old Bioreactor. It also only stored fifty power at maximum.

Gallery

Story

Aurora (Old)

CrashShipCrop1

The Aurora used to be a flat, 2D texture. This texture was based off the Aurora Concept Art, which featured a much sleeker design with a smaller bridge at the top and front-facing windows. The devs threw it together on March 11th, 2014[14] and it was fully implemented on March 25th, 2014.[15]

Later into development, specifically seen on August 18th, 2014[16], the Aurora changed to a different 2D image, a much more recent version of the Aurora model. It was in a unique position, similar to the original concepts, but using the newer model.

The next time the Aurora was seen, it was a 3D model, seen during the Early Access launch. Two models, a non-damaged Aurora and a damaged Aurora, were both uploaded to the Trello[17]. The non-damaged model never appears in game.

The Aurora at this stage had no interior. The simple interior was added on April 4th, 2015, the Crash Site Update. This update featured a different Aurora interior, with a different entrance. If the Player were to go underwater at the port side, a hole could be found that led directly to the Drive Core. Alternatively, going through the front led directly there after climbing to the top.

Gallery

Alternative Endings

The Credits went through two iterations before finally being set as a simple scroll on a black screen.

The first version of the credits depicted different biomes and scenes from Subnautica, with names being displayed during each area change. The second was a video recording of the Player swimming through an area while the credits show up around them. Both can be viewed below, along with early in-dev footage of the ending cutscenes.

Obraxis confirmed they went unfinished due to the desire to not record any footage from in-game, which would be necessary due to loading times and such, as well as a lack of time for polish.[18]

Gallery

The Cave Crawler Ending is an older version of the Launch Sequence involving the Neptune Escape Rocket. The ending contained the same string of events with minor changes, along with one major change. The Arctic Landmass the Player looks at is designed differently, and some dialogue was altered slightly. The Sea Emperor's dialogue is not present in this version, nor is the "One Trillion Credits" message. After the screen faded to black, the Credits began.

The most major change was the original implications of the Cave Crawler Ending. As stated by Obraxis, the Cave Crawler was intended to be infected with the Kharaa Bacterium; the idea being used to link the ending of Subnautica directly to Natural Selection, a game also developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment. The cave crawler would've escaped and spread the infection, leading directly to the wars during Natural Selection. As explained, it was cut due to the development team feeling it was too dark of an ending, thus replacing it with the current one.[19]

The name is based off the Cave Crawler, an aggressive scavenger Fauna, which crawls across the roof of the Neptune Escape Rocket at the very end of the cutscene before it cuts to the credits.

Gallery

Intro (Old)

In earlier builds of the game, before the Lifepod 5 intro cutscene was added, the PDA originally would monologue the plot as an Intro. In these earlier versions of the game, the plot involved the Aurora being a Terraforming Ship. These ships would terraform other planets to allow for human habitation. On this mission, however, the Aurora was struck by an unknown energy pulse and was shot down, similar to the current in-game event. During these builds, no other story was given until it was replaced. This can be played below.

On top of this, there is an even older intro heard in the Jiaolong Testing Video[3]. This older version appears to be audio of Lifepod 5 being jettisoned and landing in the ocean. This is one of the only known recorded versions of this intro.

Trigger Transcription
Log-128 Starting the Game

Log-128 Starting the Game "In the late 22nd century, humanity is beginning to colonize space. Before colony ships arrive, habitation vessels are appointed terraforming missions. The Aurora was one such vessel. During it's decent, the Aurora was struck by a mysterious energy pulse, resulting in catastrophic hull failure. A single lifepod jettisoned prior to impact. You were in that lifepod."

Kharaa Bacterium (Old)

Back during early story development, the Kharaa Bacterium, originally called "Carar", looked much different. Instead of its green glow that is seen today, the older version took up a much more different approach. The cysts would have glowed bright orange and the cracks were more visible. This was likely changed to differentiate it from Natural Selection Two's version of the Kharaa.

Gallery

Tools

Drill

The Drill was planned to be an item in Subnautica. Little is known about the drill and it was scrapped in early development. However, its main purpose would probably have been drilling outcrops or drilling in the ground. The icon has since been removed and it no longer has a use. Though it cannot be used, it can be spawned in using the command item drill.

Hardened Blade

The Hardened Blade was an upgraded version of the Survival Knife. It was crafted with the Modification Station. Its damage output is 30 health. Before durability was removed, it had double the durability of the Survival Knife. It was removed since it was deemed worthless when durability was removed. Despite being removed, it is still mentioned in the "Degasi Voice Log #8 - Risk Taking." It can still be spawned in and used as intended using the command item diamondblade.

Gallery

Electrolizer

The Electrolizer was a tool that would have converted Water into Hydrogen and Oxygen. When it was used, it would spark and produce evaporation effects. If the tool was use in a submarine, it would add more Oxygen to the sub as it was produced and likely lower the water level slightly (if flooding).

Powerglide

The Powerglide was an upgrade for the Seaglide. The Player could use the main functionality of it by holding LMB, which would shoot the player forward at 3x the speed of a normal seaglide. When not holding the speed button, the Powerglide functioned as a normal Seaglide, minus the removed light.

The Powerglide's model was identical to that of the Seaglide's. The player would originally receive one upon starting a creative save, which was later replaced with a normal Seaglide. It was cut early in development due to the Player being able to glitch into the ground. It is no longer spawnable, though the ID is powerglide.

Gallery

Terraformer

The Terraformer was a tool that allowed the player to remove material from one place in the world and deposit it elsewhere. A counter showed the current amount of material held by the device.

The Terraformer was removed due to performance issues because of the way the Terraformer works. The Terraformer model was intended to possibly be featured in a later update, as the developers thought the model was "too cool".[Citation needed] Instead, the model may be molded into Subnautica: Below Zero.

If the Terraformer is spawned in more current versions, the description is "RIP terraformer" referring to the development team's disappointment in having to remove it. The item texture in the inventory has also been deleted and changed to the ? icon. Although it is still functional when spawned in, all changes made to the terrain using the Terraformer will be reset upon reloading the world. It can be spawned in using the command item terraformer

Terraformer Fragments were to be scattered in certain biomes. They were intended to be scanned to obtain a Terraformer. Where it would have spawned and how many were required to complete the blueprint is unknown. Just like the actual Terraformer, it can still be spawned in using the command spawn terraformerfragment.

Gallery

Transfuser

The Transfuser was a Tool intended to sample DNA from life forms and then use this DNA in the Centrifuge to create consumable items that would alter the player's or other creatures' attributes. The model was reused for Subnautica: Below Zero's Bioscanner, which was also eventually cut due to story changes.

The player can still obtain one in the creative blueprints, or spawn one in using the command item transfuser. The Transfuser's description was changed to: congrats translators, we made a game!

Transfuser Fragments were to be found in different biomes across the map. They were intended to be scanned to obtain a Transfuser. Where it would have spawned is unknown. It can still be spawned in using the command item transfuserfragment.

DNA Effects

Creature Behaviour Outcome
Holefish Generates no events. Creature doesn't see the player. Because of the hole. Not known
Boomerang When it sees aggressive fauna in front of it, it swims by quickly, cutting target for damage but for blood. Extra damage backwards/away from current
Peeper Checks out shiny things. Extra speed
Garryfish Follows the player. Follow player
Rabbit Ray Lies on ground like flounder. Flees when detects sound. Friendliness
Hoverfish Danger patterning makes all med/small fish move away from him. Hover on the surface of the water
Crashfish Gets aggressive from nearby motion events in radius, eventually attacking source. Not known
Bleeder Attacks healthiest live target within range (most health). Attracted to large creatures
Reginald N/A Regeneration (On player)
Spadefish N/A Not known
Shuttlebug Attracted to buried loot. Will swim around fallen loot/collect your fallen loot
Stalker Aggressive for blood, attracted to blood, attacks other aggressive fauna and med. fish. Swim around metal
Gasopod Creates poison cloud when it sees hostile fauna nearby. If in danger will create a gas cloud
Eyeye Perfect eyesight in all conditions. Shrieks when it sees something with more mass than it. Swim away from danger
Sand Shark Move towards vibrations when under ground, then jumps out to attack source. Attracted to motion
Mesmer Mesmerizes nearby creature when threatened, then attacks them. Will confuse predators
Oculus Almost blind in light, sees clearly in dark (nightvision) Nightvision
Jellyray Big light source Bioluminescence

Gallery

References

Advertisement