Extract-a-Pan

The Extract-a-Pan is a Treatment machine, used only in the Pans Lab by a Doctor to cure patients with Pandemic. It is first made available during the introductory section of Lower Bullocks.

Appearance
The Extract-a-Pan consists of three sections; the central section is built on an L-shaped grey platform with pale blue edging. At the back of this can be found the controls, consisting of two buttons in red and green, and a joystick and throttle mounted on a raised box section. The rest of the "L" is covered by a red box, with a pale blue plate on top. This holds a large grey funnel with red rim, and a large horseshoe-shaped electromagnet. Inside the L is a grey plate with orange footprints on it, marking the patient's standing position, with a two-part leg brace at ankle level with black-and-yellow hazard stripes.

Both outer sections are identical; each is connected to the central section by two straight rubber pipes at ground level, and a larger one at the back, and is based around a grey rectangular section with a red box on top, in the same style as the central section. Each of them is bolted to the floor by a trapezoidal plate on the outer aspect, and features two pistons on top in dark grey with orange rims, and a small plate in front with the same black-and-yellow hazard stripes.

The Extract-a-Pan II adds to this a large cylindrical tank, connected by a rubber pipe to the left-hand section it sits before. The base is grey, with more hazard stripes, the body is red with pale blue plates on the outer sides, and the top is polished grey with a bolt to finish.

The Extract-a-Pan III further adds a short grey square construction in front of the central section, with a grey base with blue edging, and a red top with blue plating. It is connected by another rubber pipe to the right-hand section, which now has a red-and-blue cylindrical protrusion to receive it.

Function
The intended sequence of events is that the Doctor will stand at the controls, while the patient steps onto the central plate, with the leg braces fastening around their ankles. The giant magnet will extend on its articulated arm, and pull the pan from the patient's head. As the pan is deposited into the funnel behind the magnet, the patient is released, their treatment complete.

It is possible however, that a distracted Doctor will not pay enough attention, and the machine will take on a mind of its own! The patient, having not been instructed to step into the leg braces, will be taken by the magnet, waved around in midair, and deposited back to the ground with a thud - although without the affecting pan. This method is as likely as the other to result in a successful treatment.

Maintenance
The Extract-a-Pan loses 5-10% of its maintenance gauge with each use. Once the gauge falls below 50%, a Janitor will automatically be called to repair it. A janitor can be summoned manually by the player by pressing the appropriate button.

Should the maintenance gauge fall below 15%, the machine will catch fire. A janitor will need to use an Extinguisher to put this out before the gauge reaches zero; if it is allowed to do so, the machine will explode, leaving wreckage which must be sold and replaced with a new machine before the room can resume functioning.

Upgrades
Upgrades are performed by a Janitor with the Mechanics Qualification. The machine will not be accessible while this work is being done, although it can be interrupted and resumed without losing progress.

Staff
The following Staff is required before the Pans Lab, and by extension the Extract-a-Pan, will function correctly:

Additionally, the following staff is required to both maintain and upgrade the machine: Janitor (with Mechanics Qualification for upgrades)

Trivia
The name is a pun on extractor fan.