Lorenzo Calvino

"Miyu. This is Dr. Calvino. I'm feeling ill. Not myself today. I think I won't be in for my shift at all."

– Lorenzo Calvino^[src]

Doctor Lorenzo Calvino was a researcher and the inventor of the Looking Glass technology aboard Talos I in Prey (2017), as well as one of the player characters in Prey: TranStar VR.

History[]

Background[]

Lorenzo Calvino was best known for creating the Looking Glass technology, and had a specialized workshop in the Hardware Labs dedicated to its development, often enlisting assistance from the other Hardware Labs crew, especially technician Miyu Okabe, who became his unofficial assistant. Calvino was responsible for the installation and maintenance of each LG screen around Talos I, also controlling the LG servers from his Hardware Labs workshop, as well as demonstration of the system to employees and guests. At some point, he started work on a new micro lens array with Okabe's assistance.

As a young man, Calvino met a woman named Clorinda on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, vividly remembering how she wore a lemon sundress, and the two were later married on a May 23rd. However, she died sometime before 2032. This caused Calvino much distress due to his growing inability to remember said anniversary date and even Clorinda's appearance. Calvino had begun to lose basic memories such as the project he had assigned Okabe and even the directions from the Arboretum to the Hardware Labs, suffering effects akin to that of removing a neuromod, though he did not remember ever doing so. He also began to dream of an "immense... darkness" which threatened the station, further unsettling his mental state. When he went to see Mathias Kohl about the dreams, Kohl in turn showed him an image of the Typhon, leading him to distrust the counselor for seemingly spying on him. In response, Alex Yu gave him a Psychoscope to counteract these effects - implied to be caused by the psychic influence of the Typhon.

As his memory continued to degrade, Calvino feared completely forgetting all his research, and decided to pass it on to Morgan Yu for safekeeping. In an attempt to recover his past, he created a model of the Amalfi Coast in his room in the Crew Quarters and scanned it to create a Looking Glass simulation for him to view with the Psychoscope. This had some limited success, as though his first test lasted only six seconds, he believed that he was able to recall Clorinda's appearance during their first meeting.

Prey (2017)[]

For the quest Through a Glass Darkly, Morgan Yu must find Calvino's keycard in order to gain access to his workshop in the Hardware Labs. Calvino had been caught in and killed by the hull breach that took out the Waves and Beams lab. Morgan must space-walk to it from the outside to reach him.

In Calvino's lab, Morgan can also retrieve Calvino's special tumbler. When put on the scale on Calvino's desk, it unlocks Calvino's secret safe containing two Neuromods and the keycard to his room in the Crew Quarters. This also unlocks the hidden "Coffee Break" achievement.

In the Trauma Center, Morgan can find a recorded interview between Mathias Kohl and Calvino. Calvino discloses a dream in which he sees a dark shape on his Looking Glass screen and feels like the shape wants to cross the screen and come to Calvino's side. Calvino becomes agitated when Kohl shows him a Rorschach blot, ending the interview.

Prey: TranStar VR[]

In the Sim Lab escape room, the player controls Dr. Calvino on January 30, 2035, while he attempts to set up the software scenes for the Looking Glass screens surrounding Morgan Yu's simulated apartment. He first disables the Looking Glass software locks in order to leave the apartment after accidentally locking himself in, then maneuvers around the lab and steals and uses an advanced hacking neuromod meant for Marco Simmons in order to access the Looking Glass server connection terminal, finally returning to the apartment to load the prototype software scene. The VR mission then ends.

Personality and skills[]

Dr. Calvino is stubborn and secretive, even before his paranoia mounted in the prelude to the Typhon outbreak. He is a skilled inventor, though somewhat privative, and his passion for his work bleeds into his personal life - his room in the Crew Quarters is dominated by Looking Glass equipment. Calvino suffered from chronic memory loss as his mental health worsened, exacerbating his poor rapport with his main assistant, Miyu Okabe. This idiopathic forgetfulness brought him despair as he began to lose his grasp on important details of his past and his work.

Data[]

Emails[]

TranScribes[]

Notes[]

Anniversary Reminder

Developer Notes[]

"Inventor of the Looking Glass Technology. Hides some of his meds in a secret compartment in the Hardware Labs. Later, in the crew counselor's office, there should be more notes/ convos about his mind slipping. Has a private room in Crew Quarters"

Trivia[]

Dr. Calvino's death occurs when Morgan first enters the Talos I Lobby, as the Hardware Labs breach can be seen happening moments later.
Interestingly, Calvino was unaware of the Typhon's existence despite having been responsible for installing and maintaining the Looking Glass screen in Dr. Kelstrup's office in the atrium of Psychotronics.
A safe is located behind the Looking Glass screen in Dr. Calvino's quarters. The code to the safe is Calvino's anniversary date, May 23 (or 0523).
Dr. Calvino's surname is likely a reference to Italian science fiction writer Italo Calvino.