Research Codenames (EU2012)
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Each Research project has a specific codename which is based either on the original game or a scientific or sci-fi subject. A list of codenames and their references may be found below.
Project Codename |
Codename description |
---|---|
Alien Nav Computer Lighthouse |
Building used for ship navigation. |
UFO Power Source Waterfall |
Natural formation. Could also refer to the allegations that a UFO was behind the 1965 Niagara Falls blackout that affected New York City. |
New Fighter Craft Skylance |
|
Plasma Cannon Snapdragon |
Possibly related to Marvel Comics's Snapdragon character on the Morituri series who can fire plasma bursts. |
EMP Cannon Ion |
Possibly related to Ion cannons from George Lucas' Star Wars universe, which, similar to EMP weapons, disable electronics and computer systems. |
Fusion Lance Godfinger |
|
Alien Materials Looking Glass |
A mirror. Also the name of Lewis Carrol's Through The Looking Glass, the sequel of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. |
Carapace Armor Thorax |
The chest part of an animal. |
Skeleton Suit Rictus |
A spasm of the facial muscles that causes them to grin caused by tetanus or poison. |
Titan Armor Golem |
Stone figure from Jewish legend that would turn alive to fulfill its creator's wishes. Possibly a reference to the cut Golem Armor. |
Ghost Armor Nightshade |
Family of common plants that includes potatoes, tobacco, mandrake, tomatoes and peppers. |
Archangel Armor Icarus |
Legendary Greek figure who built a pair of wings for himself but fell down to Earth after getting too close to the Sun. |
Psi Armor Witchwood |
Related to witchcraft? Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. - Arthur C. Clarke |
Sectoid Autopsy Roswell |
Alleged 1947 UFO crash site where an alien craft and bodies were recovered by the US government. |
Thin Man Autopsy Viperus |
Reference to the original game's Snakeman (viperus = viper, a snake) |
Floater Autopsy Crimson Cape |
Reference to the original game where Floaters had red capes. |
Muton Autopsy Nero |
Roman emperor with a reputation for tyranny [[1]]. |
Chryssalid Autopsy Ridley |
Ridley Scott, director of several sci-fi movies, including Alien and Prometheus. |
Drone Autopsy Arachnid |
A class of animals such as spiders and scorpions. Also the name of the alien race in Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers. |
Cyberdisc Autopsy Enigma |
A mystery or a riddle. |
Sectoid Commander Autopsy Rosetta |
Rosetta stone - discovered by Napoleon's troops it Egypt, it later allowed for the first translations of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. |
Berserker Autopsy Anaconda |
A large South American snake who kills its victims by crushing them. |
Heavy Floater Autopsy Montezuma |
The last Aztec emperor who was defeated by the Spanish conqueror Herman Cortés. |
Muton Elite Autopsy Imperial |
|
Sectopod Autopsy Halcyon |
A family of birds [[2]]. |
Ethereal Autopsy Aether |
On Greek mythology, Aether was the personification of the sky. with its name meaning 'light'. |
Interrogate Sectoid Roanoke |
Roanoke colony - one of the first colonies in North America, where the colonists mysteriously disappeared years after the colony's founding. |
Interrogate Sectoid Commander Voynich |
Voynich manuscript - a 15th century book written in a undecipherable language containing hundreds of hand made drawings. |
Interrogate Thin Man Masquerade |
Masquerade = a deception, can also mean dressing up for Carnival. |
Interrogate Floater Goalpost |
|
Interrogate Heavy Floater Dreadnaught |
Dreadnaught = naval battleship of the early 20th century |
Interrogate Berserker Rubicon |
"To cross the Rubicon" - Roman saying attributed to Julius Caesar meaning 'no turning back' |
Interrogate Muton Tempest |
|
Interrogate Muton Elite Gomorrah |
Sodom and Gomorrah, the two biblical cities destroyed by God because of their sins |
Interrogate Ethereal Rosetta |
Rosetta stone - discovered by Napoleon's troops it Egypt, it later allowed for the first translations ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. |
Arc Thrower Spark |
Can be a reference to the legend of the titan Prometheus, who stole a spark of fire from the Greek gods to give it to mankind. |
Weapon Fragments Sagaris |
Ancient Persian axe weapon. |
Beam Weapons Sunray |
|
Precision Lasers Lightwire |
|
Heavy Lasers Penumbra |
Dark side |
Plasma Pistol Jacamar |
Bird |
Light Plasma Rifle Corvid |
Bird |
Plasma Rifle Kestral |
Bird |
Plasma Sniper Osprey |
Bird |
Heavy Plasma Kingfisher |
Bird |
Alloy Cannon Avocet |
Bird |
Guided Fusion Launcher Tunguska |
Located in Siberia, in 1907 there was a massive explosion on the Tunguska area caused by a meteorite, or as some claim, by a UFO exploding upon crashing on Earth. |
Xeno-Biology Mobius |
Jean Girard (aka Moebius) - French sci-fi artist and creator, contributed to the Alien, Tron and Fifth Element movies [[3]]. |
Outsider Shard Novato |
2K Marin, responsible for the development of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and the introduction of the Outsiders to the XCOM universe has an office at Novato, California, United States. |
Hyperwave Communication Tachyon |
Hypothetical physical particles mentioned on the original game. |
Ethereal Device Skylight |
Roof window that allows for daylight to enter a room. |
Experimental Warfare Skunk Works |
Skunk Works is the department of Lockheed-Martin's aerospace company responsible for designing advanced top secret planes such as the SR-71 and U-2 reconnaissance planes. |
Elerium E-115 |
Reference to the atomic number of Elerium mentioned on the original game. |
Meld Recombination EW DLC Purity |
Reference to the X-Files 'Purity Control' top secret government project that used alien tech to create supersoldiers? |
Mechtoid Autopsy EW DLC Goliath |
Biblical reference to the giant warrior defeated by David. |
Seeker Autopsy EW DLC Lovecraft |
Reference to H.P. Lovecraft, American horror/sci-fi writer of the 20th century that is a source of inspiration for X-COM: Terror From The Deep. |