O.R.C.A.
- This article is about the character. For other uses, see Orca (disambiguation).
O.R.C.A., short for Omniscient Recording Computer of Alterna, is a computer system in Return of the Mammalians in Splatoon 3. It is located in Alterna and serves as a guide for Agent 3.
Splatoon 3
As revealed in the Alterna Logs, O.R.C.A. is an archival-oriented digital information management system that was created by the scientists who built Alterna. Its purpose is to record and preserve the knowledge of the surviving humans. In Return of the Mammalians, when Agent 3 enters their first kettle in Alterna, O.R.C.A. is booted up and introduces itself. After explaining the basics of missions, it begins collecting information on Agent 3, referring to them as a citizen of Alterna. At the start of each mission in Alterna, it offers a brief explanation of the mission's goal and purpose and information on the weapons available in the equipper. If Agent 3 fails to accomplish certain missions' special objectives (such as running out of ink in a mission with limited ink), O.R.C.A. will inform them of their failure and pour ink directly above them, splatting them. It is also strongly implied to have written the Alterna Logs.
Personality
Unlike its fellow AI Commander Tartar, O.R.C.A. is rarely hostile towards the player and does not attempt to deceive them, instead seemingly only being interested in conducting tests and maintaining Alterna. Agent 1 comments on O.R.C.A.'s deadpan humor, and in the mission Amusing a Bemused Muse, it responds with silence at the Squid Sisters' failure to recognize a crate statue as an orca, the very same animal it is named after in many localizations of the game.
Gallery
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O.R.C.A.'s story mode dialogue icon
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O.R.C.A.'s logo without the icon, as seen in the trailer for Return of the Mammalians
Trivia
- O.R.C.A. plays a similar role to that of C.Q. Cumber in the Octo Expansion: both explain each level in the opening area, provide the selection of weapons available for the level in the equipper, and splat the player if they fail a special condition.
- When first booted up, O.R.C.A. makes a sound similar to the Wii U's power-on jingle, but in a different key. This is followed by the sound effect heard just before the reveal of a Splatfest theme by the "Voice from on High".
- According to one of the stage dialogues for Bluefin Depot, O.R.C.A. can also stand for "Occupational Regulatory Commission for Accidents", which appears to be the Splatoon equivalent of OSHA.
Etymology
Omniscient Recording Computer of Alterna describes the system's intelligence, purpose, "species", and location. The orca is also a species of dolphin, making the abbreviation "O.R.C.A." similar to the Japanese name of the AI, which is the Japanese word for "dolphin".
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Japanese | イルカ Iruka |
Dolphin |
Dutch | O.R.K.A. | From orka ("orca") |
French | O.R.C.A. | - |
German | O.R.C.A. | - |
Italian | O.R.C.A. | - |
Russian | И.К.Р.А. I.K.R.A. |
From икра ikra ("caviar") |
Spanish | O.R.C.A. | - |
Chinese | 海豚豚 Hǎitún tún |
From 海豚 hǎitún ("dolphin") |
Korean | I.R.C.A. | Similar to Japanese |
Internal | Dolphin [1] | - |
Language | Name | Meaning |
---|---|---|
Japanese | Intelligent Recording Computer of Alterna | From イルカ iruka ("dolphin") |
Dutch | Ongeëvenaarde Rapporterende Kunstmatige Assistent | Unparalleled Reporting Artificial Assistant |
French | Omniscient Réceptacle de la Connaissance Alternienne | |
German | Omnikompetente Registrar-Computer von Alterna | Omnicompetent Registrar Computer of Alterna |
Italian | Onnisciente Registratore Computerizzato di Alterna | Omniscient Computerized Registerer of Alterna |
Russian | Искусственный кибернетический разум Альтерны Iskusstvennyy kiberneticheskyy razum Al'terny |
Artificial cybernetic intelligence of Alterna |
Spanish | Organizadora de Registros Computarizados de Alterna | Organizer of Computerized Records of Alterna |
Chinese | Intelligent Recording Computer of Alterna | Same as Japanese |
Korean | Intelligent Recording Computer of Alterna | Same as Japanese |