Here is a longer version of my suggestion that was posted on the Grounded Discord (that received 35+ likes ^-^)
[https://discord.com/channels/675491639804035089/786708112978477076/1181007520924446762]
with additional ideas included:
More items to craft or acquire using O.R.C. Receivers and/or more things to do with them:
**Tiered Reward System:**
- Collect enough O.R.C. Receivers to unlock rewards depending on how many O.R.C. receivers you collect (5, 10, 25, 50 etc., can be redeemed by an NPC such as BURG.L or new scientist mentioned below)
- "One of the scientists that helped freed you, in order to hide from Ominent, is now in the backyard ready to help you (along with teaming up with Dr. Tully) by trading in your saved up O.R.C. Receivers to them."
**O.R.C. Enhanced ZIP.R:**
(Could work along with others' zipline upgrade ideas that suggest 2 aphids)
- Trade in(?) for an upgraded zipline using O.R.C. Receivers
- Aphids appear with O.R.C. Receiver on their head (default red lights changed to blue or green to show alliance)
- Greatly Increase Zipline speed
- Allows for transporting resources upward as well
**Lil O.R.C. Receiver Helmet:**
- Used in taming larger pets?
- Or just cosmetic. Or both.
- Different color lights? (Default red, or blue/green to show alliance)
**O.R.C. Receiver Arrows:**
- O.R.C. Homing Arrows: Can automatically redirect arrows to the closest enemy to your crosshair
(Or: Every consecutive Homing Arrow will automatically redirect to the target you last did damage to?)
- O.R.C. EMP Arrows: Inflict static shock damage
- O.R.C. Mind Control Arrows: Temporarily cause a certain creature to fight on your side (default red lights changed to blue or green to show alliance)
**O.R.C. Receiver Trinket:**
- Automatically give arrows a slight "homing" ability (such as Homing Arrow suggestion)
Or:
- Small % chance to "mark" certain creatures to temporarily fight on your side when using any O.R.C. Receiver crafted arrows (default red lights changed to blue or green to show alliance)
**O.R.C. Receiver Bomb:**
- Inflict AoE shock damage
Or:
- Will automatically "mark" certain creatures within the blast's AoE range to temporarily fight on your side (default red lights changed to blue or green to show alliance)
**O.R.C. Mantis Boss:**
- Self explainatory
- Late to End-Game
- Fits lore and story progression/timeline
(Broodmother -> Haze Canister -> Infected; Mantis -> Schmector Experiments -> O.R.C. Technology)
**O.R.C. Armor:**
- Crafted from "the broken down materials of multiple O.R.C Receivers" (description when trading in?)
Or:
- Crafted from a large amount of O.R.C. Receivers
- Other pieces can be acquired from possibly a new "O.R.C. Mantis" boss
- Full set bonus: When an enemy is hit, small % chance to "mark" certain nearby creatures to temporarily fight on your side (toggle the hat on them? Default red lights changed to blue or green to show alliance)
Note: When it comes to all Mind Control features (small % chance to "mark") ideas mentioned above, an alternative can be to spawn random small creatures nearby the enemy and have them "seemingly" been mind controlled (have the blue/green O.R.C. Receiver helmet to show)
Reasoning: Just fun ideas for late to end-game tech usage, courtesy of Dr. Wendell Tully's expertise on reverse-engineering his adversaries devices.
