The Microbe Stage must be ready for an initial release by the end of 2013.
As we know have a basic microbe stage out, the initial blurb is no longer relevant.
Spoiler:
I will have two posts here; the first will explain why we need to have a playable Microbe stage for 2014, and the second will be a progress report for the Microbe Stage. The second will be edited as we develop more accordingly. Feel free to engage in discussion below. The OFFICIAL task list can be found here, but the discussion for it and a more general task list will be on this thread.
Also, note that this was written a while ago. For example, we now do have playable segments of the game, which I would like to think of as proof for the effectiveness of such organization.
------------------------------------------
First and foremost, we do not have ANY playable segments of the game at all. After the years that have been invested in this project, only concepts, themes, and several prototypes have been produced.
Why should we even strive to have a readied Microbe stage?
Primarily, having an actual finished Microbe stage is outstandingly better at attracting coders to this project. Right now, 9/10 programmers that discover this game follow it for a couple days then realize that it's just a fantasy of a couple of kids disappointed with Spore. If we finish this, they'll realize that were not just a bunch of kids with a dream, and that we are actually turning our words into actions. They will see that our project is on its first steps towards becoming a reality, and that will be a pivotal moment in our development, because that will be when larger and larger numbers of people will begin to take interest into our game. That will be the step that will finally start bringing in more artists, more sound technicians, more composers, more marketers, more legal advisors, more scientific advisors, and MORE PROGRAMMERS. Although each stage of the game is exponentially more challenging to create than the last, at the end of each stage's release, we will have exponentially more support and talent on our team then we had before. It is all part of the process of bringing Thrive to life.
Secondly, to finally complete a part of this game will be a monumental achievement for us. Inspiration will be renewed in all of us to continue to work with on this game. We will also be able to experience the satisfaction of playing with our own creation. This satisfaction is unparalleled in its effect at getting us to work harder on the remainder of the game. Once we finish, we will be able to get the wheels rolling again and work like a well oiled machine.
Furthermore, having a completed stage to play and test will give us a clear sense of what we have and what we don't have, what flaws there might be and what else could be improved. When we put it all together, we can see if the theme matches the gameplay, if the controls are too hard to reach, and anything else that is hard to notice during conceptualization.
Nevertheless, this release of the Microbe Stage does NOT have to be perfect. It is okay if we forget to include one or two of the things we agreed upon in the forums. It is okay if we think of something new and cool to add only after we have finished the Microbe Stage, because it's NOT too late. We can always come back, revise, edit, and improve. Just like Minecraft, which is always improving and updating to create a world in which you can create anything, we can always improve and update our game as well. Our initial release does not have to be our final release. A game of this magnitude will never be finished, but the next best thing we can do is to create a foundation and keep improving on it. It's the next best alternative to having a simulation of life, the universe, and everything.
Lastly, we are the closest project in the world to creating such an awesome and epic game. We are the closest project in the world to simulating to such a realistic degree the course of evolution. So let's get even closer. Let's take the first step and finish the first stage of the awesome, enormous, and epic game, Thrive.
Microbe for 2013!
------------------------------------------
(The following Progress Report is subject to change and edit as new progress is made, hence the name. All content herein is drawn from other sources in the forum.)
The Microbe Stage must be ready for an initial release by the end of 2012.
I will have two posts here; the first will explain why we need to have a playable Microbe stage for 2013, and the second will be a progress report for the Microbe Stage. The second will be edited as we develop more accordingly. Feel free to engage in discussion below.
------------------------------------------
First and foremost, we do not have ANY playable segments of the game at all. After the years that have been invested in this project, only concepts, themes, and several prototypes have been produced.
Why should we even strive for to have a readied Microbe stage?
Primarily, having an actual finished Microbe stage is outstandingly better at attracting coders to this project. Right now, 9/10 programmers that discover this game follow it for a couple days then realize that it's just a fantasy of a couple of kids disappointed with Spore. If we finish this, they'll realize that were not just a bunch of kids with a dream, and that we are actually turning our words into actions. They will see that our project is on its first steps towards becoming a reality, and will be a pivotal moment in our development, because that will be when larger and larger numbers of people will begin to take interest into our game. That will be the step that will finally start bringing in more artists, more sound technicians, more composers, more marketers, more legal advisors, more scientific advisors, and MORE PROGRAMMERS. Although each stage of the game is exponentially more challenging to create than the last, at the end of each stage's release, we will have exponentially more support and talent on our team then we had before. It is all part of the process of bringing Thrive to life.
Secondly, to finally complete a part of this game will be a monumental achievement for us. Inspiration will be renewed in all of us to continue to work with on this game. We will also be able to experience the satisfaction of playing with our own creation. This satisfaction is unparalleled in its effect at getting us to work harder on the remainder of the game. Once we finish, we will be able to get the wheels rolling again and work like a well oiled machine.
Furthermore, having a completed stage will give to play and test will give us a clear sense of what we have and what we don't have, what flaws there might be and what else could be improved. When we put it all together, we can see if the theme matches the gameplay, if the controls are too hard to reach, and anything else that is hard to notice during conceptualization.
Nevertheless, this release of the Microbe Stage does NOT have to be perfect. It is okay if we forget to include one or two of the things we agreed upon in the forums. It is okay if we think of something new and cool to add only after we have finished the Microbe Stage, because it's NOT too late. We can always come back, revise, edit, and improve. Just like Minecraft, which is always improving and updating to create a world in which you can create anything, we can always improve and update our game as well. Our initial release does not have to be our final release. A game of this magnitude will never be finished, but the next best thing we can do is to create a foundation and keep improving on it. It's the next best alternative to having a simulation of life, the universe, and everything.
Lastly, we are the closest project in the world to creating such an awesome and epic game. We are the closest project in the world to simulating to such a realistic degree the course of evolution. So let's get even closer. Let's take the first step and finish the first stage of the awesome, enormous, and epic game, Thrive.
Microbe for 2012!
------------------------------------------
(The following Progress Report is subject to change and edit as new progress is made, hence the name. All content herein is drawn from other sources in the forum.)
Microbe Stage Progress Report
Completed (But up for revision):
Compounds Microbe Editor Elements Microbe Draft Energy & Propulsion Class Structure
Required:
Microbial Biomes Music Sounds/Ambience User Interface Menus Loading Screens Sprites/Textures/Art
Compounds are essentially dumbed-down representations of actual chemical compounds in life for the game. Organisms can synthesize compounds from other compounds, running a metabolism. Organisms can also create custom compounds for special glands that have certain properties defined in the OE BE. For now, though, we start simple. The first, simplest compounds are natives, which occur in the environment naturally. These are:
The next batch of compounds have to be synthesized by organisms to exist in the environment. Plants will make these in macro gameplay, but in micro gameplay, there will probably be a few different organisms that synthesize them.
The next batch are the polymers, long chain molecules made out of the biosynthesized compounds from the second group. they can be synthesized by all organisms.
Polymers [Monomers] Proteins [Amino acids]
Finally, these begin to make up the compounds that microorganisms are built from.
I'll add more to this later. Know that the bracketed terms are compounds used to make the original compound listed. An organism can only digest certain compounds. digestion entails breaking it down into its constituents. Whatever it does not digest is expelled as waste, which includes some of the compounds that it can digest, but did not due to the efficiency of its digestive system.
The CE is in a similar format to the OE concept: Create:
Vesicle: Vesicles can be used to create vacuoles, peroxisomes, lysosomes, etc. The chemical inside can be determined as well as their size.
Cytoskeleton: The Cytoskeleton can be used to create a preset shape for the cell and also to join organelles together. It can be used to create Endoplasmic Reticuli, Golgi Bodies, Cytostomes and Undilopodia such as Cilia, Flagella and Psudopods. IN a similar behaviour editor the Cytoskeleton can be rotated around point. Cytoskeleton can join to a maximum of two points and a minimum of none. They can attach to almost everything including the cell membrane.
Nucleus: Nuclei can be modified by size and placed in almost any fashion.
Cisterna: Cisternae are disc-like organelles that can be attached together by Cytoskeleton to form GAs and ERs.
Polysacharride: Are thick ridged, wall-like components that can form a structure similar to a fence that can hold a cells structure. They can be used to create a Cell wall and form shells. The Thickness and Strength can be modified.
Pilus: Pili are used to share DNA between cells.
Cell Membrane: The Cell Membrane can be increased in length.
Delete, Duplicate, Move, Parts and Filters:
Almost the same as the OE
I have uploaded a Proof-of-Concept Prototype, it is incomplete: Thrive - Cellular Editor, GXA - Prototype
The methods a cell uses to get necessary particles are:
Osmosis: The Cell Membrane diffuses molecules across the Cell Membrane into the Cytoplasm.
Pinocytosis: The Cell membrane engulfs small particles into small Vesicles.
Phagocytosis: The Cell Membrane engulfs solid particles to form a Phagosome.
I wasn't really sure where to post this, but here goes.
First of all, let me just say we can't simulate every known molecule in the game. Sure, we can represent elements, but molecules and their combinations are endless.
My solution/question is, what if we used our own molecules? I've been hearing talk of required compounds for different organisms (preset organisms, etc.), and I think this could be usefull.
For example,
Compound 0x00. It's great for building material. Compound 0x01. Another type of building material. Compound 0x10. It contains energy, and is basically like sugar. Compound 0x11. It contains energy, and is pretty much a different kind of sugar. Compound 0x20. It stimulates neural growth for brains based on 0x01. Compound 0x30. It effectively destroys 0x01.
OrganismA has the ability to turn Compound 0x01 into 1/2 of a 0x10, thus fueling itself.
Biomes would have different amounts of each material, and would enable species to eat things purely based on their organic makeup. You may find that some organisms evolved the ability to eat rocks their whole lives, so we may need to limit the possible conversions.
Okay people, we're almost done here, but we don't have a go-to thread for Microbe Stage. Please correct any issues with the original post and point out missing peices. OP will be edited as needed.
~scio wrote:
We'll have to play in 3rd person without sensory overlay, because bacterium only really have chemical senses. Your world will look like it is being viewed through a microscope. You should have the ability to move around at a fixed speed and absorb nutrients. We can determine what things you can assimilate by their size. Until you're big enough, you can't consume them.
RedStar wrote:
This is a working document, not a final draft! Please read it and suggest changes! Many aspects of this concept are still too vague to be considered finalized; those areas will be highlighted in another post.
Cell Stage Gameplay =================
At the beginning of the game, the player will take control of a single-celled, prokaryotic organism. It will be in one of the following shapes, at random: *Sphere *Rod *Comma *Spiral
The shape of the cell will not initially affect movement.
The player's environment is the "organic soup", a murky screen populated by floating proto-cellular structures. AI proto-cells may include: 1) Wrigglers - Worm-like creatures that move quickly around the screen; assimilating them grants the player a flagellum 2) Writhers - Small globular creatures that move quickly around the screen by rippling cilia on their body; assimilating them grants the player cilia 3) Squirmers - Crescent-shaped creatures that move by undulating themselves up and down like a pair of wings; assimilating them grants the player lamellipodes 4) Squishers - Glob-shaped creatures that move in an amoeba-like fashion, by wriggling their cytoplasm; assimilating them grants the player the ability to move in this way and engulf other cells. 5) Shiners - Small spherical creatures that drift and emit a pale colored light whenever they absorb amino acids; assimilating them grants the player a bioluminescent dot that shines when they feed 6) Clone-Stickers - Tiny globs with a hollow spike (like a hypodermic) that inject their reproductive material into other cells, causing them to die and be replaced by another sticker. Assimilating them grants the player a pilus (hypodermic spike) that can create clones of the player cell in this manner. 7) Poison-stickers - Tiny globs with a hollow spike (like a hypodermic) that inject toxic material into other cells, causing them to die and dissolve into edible material. Assimilating them grants the player a pilus (hypodermic spike) that injects poison. 8 ) Defenders - Tiny capsules that resist being absorbed by cells; assimilating them grants the player an antiphagocytic capsule which defends them from being absorbed by other cells by producing an outer coating of enzyme "slime" 9) Producers - Blobs that cluster around rich regions of the soup, transforming the amino acids into proteins. Assimilating them grants the player double nourishment from absorbing Amino Acids, and allows damaged cell components to be replaced. 10) Dissolvers - Blobs that cluster around proteins and reduce them to amino acids. Assimilating them grants the player double nourishment from absorbing Protein, and allows cells with Walls to be consumed. 11) Eaters - Small globes that absorb proteins and other cells, converting them to energy for reproduction; assimilating them grants the player Mitochondria, which allows them to "eat" carbohydrates. 12) Light-eaters - Small discs that reproduce automatically while exposed to light; assimilating them grants the player Chloroplasts, which transform light into nourishment (carbohydrates) 13) Heat-eaters - Small blobs that reproduce automatically when exposed to heat; assimilating them grants the the player Thermoplasts, which transform heat into nourishment (carbohydrates) 14) Cookers - Small spheres that release enzymes which break down proteins and cells into amino acids; assimilating them grants the player Lysosomes, which give double nourishment from consuming Cells 15) Holders - Hollow membranes that encase whatever molecules they come in contact with; assimilating them grants the player Vacuoles, which can store material to be digested, or compartmentalize harmful substances (like poison or injected reproductive material). 16) Platers - Solid "plates" that reproduce by absorbing proteins; assimilation grants the player Cell Walls, which form a protective barrier around the cell. In silicone-rich environments, these may be 1.5x as hard to puncture/engulf (as they utilize silicate crystals). 17) Gluers - Globs that create a sticky enzyme that can glue cells together. Assimilating them grants the ability to bond with other cells of your type.
Camera angle is locked at a top-down angle on the Z axis; the player can move freely in the X and Y axes. For the first few moments of the game, cell movement will be limited to drifting, with player able to choose direction by clicking. At this point, the objective for the player is to absorb other cells' structures by engulfing certain numbers of them.
Initially, the "soup" is populated with random variants of the AI proto-cells. There should be several different models of every proto-cell for the game to choose from; these will then have their color palette randomly shifted in every new game to create many different-looking proto-cells.
The player's GUI will include a "Nourishment Meter" which will empty at a given rate, and fill as the player consumes proto-cells and other cells. AI cells in the environment will be absorbing proto-cells as well, causing them to become increasingly complex. The player may engulf them by approaching them, provided they are large enough and have the appropriate structures. Initially, they only yield nourishment based on their size, and any structures within them will break down into globs of protein, which are rejected by the player's cell. As the player gains new cell parts, they may gain the ability to digest proteins or carbohydrates produced by other cells.
Every cell, including AI cells, has a Nourishment Meter. Whenever a cell's Nourishment Meter remains filled for a given amount of time, that cell will reproduce. Its offspring will be exactly identical to the parent. If the player cell reproduces, it will release an AI cell of the same type into the environment; cells of similar type to the player's cell will not attack it. If this cell assimilates any new cell structures, it is considered a different species, and will become hostile to the player.
After a given number of organelles are assimilated (exact number TBD), the player will have to assimilate more and more of a given type of proto-cell in order to assimilate it.
When a player's cell absorbs a certain type of proto-cell, it gains the ability to "stick" to other cells of its kind, forming cellular colonies. At this point, the player can become a multicellular organism by bonding with as many cells of its type as possible.
Once a cellular colony has reached a given number of cells (exact number TBD), they will begin to specialize. Outer cells will begin to toughen and become skin membranes; inner cells will become digestion organs. How exactly this process will take place still needs to be determined.
QFT, finishing microbe stage is very important for progress. However, I don't think progress is fast enough to turn any large amount of our concept gameplay into something playable by the end of the year without more coders working on it.
The Microbe Stage must be ready for an initial release by the end of 2012.
I will have two posts here; the first will explain why we need to have a playable Microbe stage for 2013, and the second will be a progress report for the Microbe Stage. The second will be edited as we develop more accordingly. Feel free to engage in discussion below.
------------------------------------------
First and foremost, we do not have ANY playable segments of the game at all. After the years that have been invested in this project, only concepts, themes, and several prototypes have been produced.
Why should we even strive for to have a readied Microbe stage?
Primarily, having an actual finished Microbe stage is outstandingly better at attracting coders to this project. Right now, 9/10 programmers that discover this game follow it for a couple days then realize that it's just a fantasy of a couple of kids disappointed with Spore. If we finish this, they'll realize that were not just a bunch of kids with a dream, and that we are actually turning our words into actions. They will see that our project is on its first steps towards becoming a reality, and will be a pivotal moment in our development, because that will be when larger and larger numbers of people will begin to take interest into our game. That will be the step that will finally start bringing in more artists, more sound technicians, more composers, more marketers, more legal advisors, more scientific advisors, and MORE PROGRAMMERS. Although each stage of the game is exponentially more challenging to create than the last, at the end of each stage's release, we will have exponentially more support and talent on our team then we had before. It is all part of the process of bringing Thrive to life.
Secondly, to finally complete a part of this game will be a monumental achievement for us. Inspiration will be renewed in all of us to continue to work with on this game. We will also be able to experience the satisfaction of playing with our own creation. This satisfaction is unparalleled in its effect at getting us to work harder on the remainder of the game. Once we finish, we will be able to get the wheels rolling again and work like a well oiled machine.
Furthermore, having a completed stage will give to play and test will give us a clear sense of what we have and what we don't have, what flaws there might be and what else could be improved. When we put it all together, we can see if the theme matches the gameplay, if the controls are too hard to reach, and anything else that is hard to notice during conceptualization.
Nevertheless, this release of the Microbe Stage does NOT have to be perfect. It is okay if we forget to include one or two of the things we agreed upon in the forums. It is okay if we think of something new and cool to add only after we have finished the Microbe Stage, because it's NOT too late. We can always come back, revise, edit, and improve. Just like Minecraft, which is always improving and updating to create a world in which you can create anything, we can always improve and update our game as well. Our initial release does not have to be our final release. A game of this magnitude will never be finished, but the next best thing we can do is to create a foundation and keep improving on it. It's the next best alternative to having a simulation of life, the universe, and everything.
Lastly, we are the closest project in the world to creating such an awesome and epic game. We are the closest project in the world to simulating to such a realistic degree the course of evolution. So let's get even closer. Let's take the first step and finish the first stage of the awesome, enormous, and epic game, Thrive.
Microbe for 2012!
------------------------------------------
(The following Progress Report is subject to change and edit as new progress is made, hence the name. All content herein is drawn from other sources in the forum.)
Microbe Stage Progress Report
Completed (But up for revision):
Compounds Microbe Editor Elements Microbe Draft Energy & Propulsion Class Structure
Required:
Microbial Biomes Music Sounds/Ambience User Interface Menus Loading Screens Sprites/Textures/Art
Compounds are essentially dumbed-down representations of actual chemical compounds in life for the game. Organisms can synthesize compounds from other compounds, running a metabolism. Organisms can also create custom compounds for special glands that have certain properties defined in the OE BE. For now, though, we start simple. The first, simplest compounds are natives, which occur in the environment naturally. These are:
The next batch of compounds have to be synthesized by organisms to exist in the environment. Plants will make these in macro gameplay, but in micro gameplay, there will probably be a few different organisms that synthesize them.
The next batch are the polymers, long chain molecules made out of the biosynthesized compounds from the second group. they can be synthesized by all organisms.
Polymers [Monomers] Proteins [Amino acids]
Finally, these begin to make up the compounds that microorganisms are built from.
I'll add more to this later. Know that the bracketed terms are compounds used to make the original compound listed. An organism can only digest certain compounds. digestion entails breaking it down into its constituents. Whatever it does not digest is expelled as waste, which includes some of the compounds that it can digest, but did not due to the efficiency of its digestive system.
The CE is in a similar format to the OE concept: Create:
Vesicle: Vesicles can be used to create vacuoles, peroxisomes, lysosomes, etc. The chemical inside can be determined as well as their size.
Cytoskeleton: The Cytoskeleton can be used to create a preset shape for the cell and also to join organelles together. It can be used to create Endoplasmic Reticuli, Golgi Bodies, Cytostomes and Undilopodia such as Cilia, Flagella and Psudopods. IN a similar behaviour editor the Cytoskeleton can be rotated around point. Cytoskeleton can join to a maximum of two points and a minimum of none. They can attach to almost everything including the cell membrane.
Nucleus: Nuclei can be modified by size and placed in almost any fashion.
Cisterna: Cisternae are disc-like organelles that can be attached together by Cytoskeleton to form GAs and ERs.
Polysacharride: Are thick ridged, wall-like components that can form a structure similar to a fence that can hold a cells structure. They can be used to create a Cell wall and form shells. The Thickness and Strength can be modified.
Pilus: Pili are used to share DNA between cells.
Cell Membrane: The Cell Membrane can be increased in length.
Delete, Duplicate, Move, Parts and Filters:
Almost the same as the OE
I have uploaded a Proof-of-Concept Prototype, it is incomplete: Thrive - Cellular Editor, GXA - Prototype
The methods a cell uses to get necessary particles are:
Osmosis: The Cell Membrane diffuses molecules across the Cell Membrane into the Cytoplasm.
Pinocytosis: The Cell membrane engulfs small particles into small Vesicles.
Phagocytosis: The Cell Membrane engulfs solid particles to form a Phagosome.
I wasn't really sure where to post this, but here goes.
First of all, let me just say we can't simulate every known molecule in the game. Sure, we can represent elements, but molecules and their combinations are endless.
My solution/question is, what if we used our own molecules? I've been hearing talk of required compounds for different organisms (preset organisms, etc.), and I think this could be usefull.
For example,
Compound 0x00. It's great for building material. Compound 0x01. Another type of building material. Compound 0x10. It contains energy, and is basically like sugar. Compound 0x11. It contains energy, and is pretty much a different kind of sugar. Compound 0x20. It stimulates neural growth for brains based on 0x01. Compound 0x30. It effectively destroys 0x01.
OrganismA has the ability to turn Compound 0x01 into 1/2 of a 0x10, thus fueling itself.
Biomes would have different amounts of each material, and would enable species to eat things purely based on their organic makeup. You may find that some organisms evolved the ability to eat rocks their whole lives, so we may need to limit the possible conversions.
Okay people, we're almost done here, but we don't have a go-to thread for Microbe Stage. Please correct any issues with the original post and point out missing peices. OP will be edited as needed.
~scio wrote:
We'll have to play in 3rd person without sensory overlay, because bacterium only really have chemical senses. Your world will look like it is being viewed through a microscope. You should have the ability to move around at a fixed speed and absorb nutrients. We can determine what things you can assimilate by their size. Until you're big enough, you can't consume them.
RedStar wrote:
This is a working document, not a final draft! Please read it and suggest changes! Many aspects of this concept are still too vague to be considered finalized; those areas will be highlighted in another post.
Cell Stage Gameplay =================
At the beginning of the game, the player will take control of a single-celled, prokaryotic organism. It will be in one of the following shapes, at random: *Sphere *Rod *Comma *Spiral
The shape of the cell will not initially affect movement.
The player's environment is the "organic soup", a murky screen populated by floating proto-cellular structures. AI proto-cells may include: 1) Wrigglers - Worm-like creatures that move quickly around the screen; assimilating them grants the player a flagellum 2) Writhers - Small globular creatures that move quickly around the screen by rippling cilia on their body; assimilating them grants the player cilia 3) Squirmers - Crescent-shaped creatures that move by undulating themselves up and down like a pair of wings; assimilating them grants the player lamellipodes 4) Squishers - Glob-shaped creatures that move in an amoeba-like fashion, by wriggling their cytoplasm; assimilating them grants the player the ability to move in this way and engulf other cells. 5) Shiners - Small spherical creatures that drift and emit a pale colored light whenever they absorb amino acids; assimilating them grants the player a bioluminescent dot that shines when they feed 6) Clone-Stickers - Tiny globs with a hollow spike (like a hypodermic) that inject their reproductive material into other cells, causing them to die and be replaced by another sticker. Assimilating them grants the player a pilus (hypodermic spike) that can create clones of the player cell in this manner. 7) Poison-stickers - Tiny globs with a hollow spike (like a hypodermic) that inject toxic material into other cells, causing them to die and dissolve into edible material. Assimilating them grants the player a pilus (hypodermic spike) that injects poison. 8 ) Defenders - Tiny capsules that resist being absorbed by cells; assimilating them grants the player an antiphagocytic capsule which defends them from being absorbed by other cells by producing an outer coating of enzyme "slime" 9) Producers - Blobs that cluster around rich regions of the soup, transforming the amino acids into proteins. Assimilating them grants the player double nourishment from absorbing Amino Acids, and allows damaged cell components to be replaced. 10) Dissolvers - Blobs that cluster around proteins and reduce them to amino acids. Assimilating them grants the player double nourishment from absorbing Protein, and allows cells with Walls to be consumed. 11) Eaters - Small globes that absorb proteins and other cells, converting them to energy for reproduction; assimilating them grants the player Mitochondria, which allows them to "eat" carbohydrates. 12) Light-eaters - Small discs that reproduce automatically while exposed to light; assimilating them grants the player Chloroplasts, which transform light into nourishment (carbohydrates) 13) Heat-eaters - Small blobs that reproduce automatically when exposed to heat; assimilating them grants the the player Thermoplasts, which transform heat into nourishment (carbohydrates) 14) Cookers - Small spheres that release enzymes which break down proteins and cells into amino acids; assimilating them grants the player Lysosomes, which give double nourishment from consuming Cells 15) Holders - Hollow membranes that encase whatever molecules they come in contact with; assimilating them grants the player Vacuoles, which can store material to be digested, or compartmentalize harmful substances (like poison or injected reproductive material). 16) Platers - Solid "plates" that reproduce by absorbing proteins; assimilation grants the player Cell Walls, which form a protective barrier around the cell. In silicone-rich environments, these may be 1.5x as hard to puncture/engulf (as they utilize silicate crystals). 17) Gluers - Globs that create a sticky enzyme that can glue cells together. Assimilating them grants the ability to bond with other cells of your type.
Camera angle is locked at a top-down angle on the Z axis; the player can move freely in the X and Y axes. For the first few moments of the game, cell movement will be limited to drifting, with player able to choose direction by clicking. At this point, the objective for the player is to absorb other cells' structures by engulfing certain numbers of them.
Initially, the "soup" is populated with random variants of the AI proto-cells. There should be several different models of every proto-cell for the game to choose from; these will then have their color palette randomly shifted in every new game to create many different-looking proto-cells.
The player's GUI will include a "Nourishment Meter" which will empty at a given rate, and fill as the player consumes proto-cells and other cells. AI cells in the environment will be absorbing proto-cells as well, causing them to become increasingly complex. The player may engulf them by approaching them, provided they are large enough and have the appropriate structures. Initially, they only yield nourishment based on their size, and any structures within them will break down into globs of protein, which are rejected by the player's cell. As the player gains new cell parts, they may gain the ability to digest proteins or carbohydrates produced by other cells.
Every cell, including AI cells, has a Nourishment Meter. Whenever a cell's Nourishment Meter remains filled for a given amount of time, that cell will reproduce. Its offspring will be exactly identical to the parent. If the player cell reproduces, it will release an AI cell of the same type into the environment; cells of similar type to the player's cell will not attack it. If this cell assimilates any new cell structures, it is considered a different species, and will become hostile to the player.
After a given number of organelles are assimilated (exact number TBD), the player will have to assimilate more and more of a given type of proto-cell in order to assimilate it.
When a player's cell absorbs a certain type of proto-cell, it gains the ability to "stick" to other cells of its kind, forming cellular colonies. At this point, the player can become a multicellular organism by bonding with as many cells of its type as possible.
Once a cellular colony has reached a given number of cells (exact number TBD), they will begin to specialize. Outer cells will begin to toughen and become skin membranes; inner cells will become digestion organs. How exactly this process will take place still needs to be determined.
QFT, finishing microbe stage is very important for progress. However, I don't think progress is fast enough to turn any large amount of our concept gameplay into something playable by the end of the year without more coders working on it.
Nick, Roadkill, and others have all proposed that we start learning programming ourselves, that can be how we complete microbe stage. I think we need to take programming into our own hands for now. At least some of us should.
~sciocont Overall Team Lead
Posts : 3406 Reputation : 138 Join date : 2010-07-06
Has anyone noticed that this isn't happening? Guys, seriously, you need to understand the gravity of the situation. There's no way that we're making this game in any sort of close time frame. There's really little chance of it being mad at all. I'm not running this place because I want to make a game, I'm running it because it's interesting, because it's fun. If you want the game made, make it yourself, but don't just show up here and try to take development into your own hands two weeks later. You have no authority to start commanding everyone to build this. I'm working on compounds management and biome design closely with seregon in PM. We're not doing it publicly because we don't need all of the rookies crying about how they don't understand it, and we're doing everything wrong.
Now, though I am impressed with the organization and initiative taken in this thread, I have to tell you that it's useless.
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Has anyone noticed that this isn't happening? Guys, seriously, you need to understand the gravity of the situation. There's no way that we're making this game in any sort of close time frame. There's really little chance of it being mad at all. I'm not running this place because I want to make a game, I'm running it because it's interesting, because it's fun. If you want the game made, make it yourself, but don't just show up here and try to take development into your own hands two weeks later. You have no authority to start commanding everyone to build this. I'm working on compounds management and biome design closely with seregon in PM. We're not doing it publicly because we don't need all of the rookies crying about how they don't understand it, and we're doing everything wrong.
Now, though I am impressed with the organization and initiative taken in this thread, I have to tell you that it's useless.
I agree with the magnitude of the game, but I think Microbe Stage is well within practical reach. I do think every single stage afterwards is immensely more work to do, so much more that I personally think organism mode should initially be disabled once in society and onwards, then later added in updates. 2012 being a deadline is only for motivational purposes, just to get people to start thinking of how to take concept and implement and code it into a game. However, that is why I think we need to finish Microbe first. Actual gameplay is WAAY more effective at getting people interested in our project, which in turn will make creating the next stage, multicellular, WAAY more practical (although still a great challenge!).
Furthermore, I have only returned yesterday from a two week vacation in Orlando, where I only had a mobile device, so now that I have a computer I will start to learn C++. I apologize if it seemed like I wanted to or was trying to take development into my hands; I just wanted to make a main thread where we could post all of our progress for the Microbe Stage. I hadnt seen any topic that brought everything together, and I think this is more useful than having scattered bits all across the forum.
I'd like to apologize again if I was commanding everyone, my only intentions were, as I mentioned, to create a central repository of data, to instill some motivation for the games development, and to give the reasons as to why Microbe should be created first, and not another stage, or the game as a whole all at once.
I am very glad that you are working on Biomes and Compounds with Seregon, and I am in no position to judge or criticize your work due to my ignorance in the topic and my brevity as a team member. Could you please PM me the link to the work or a document of it when you're finished? I would like to add it to the Progress Report.
I thought we had the microbe stage final draft topic to do this though? It didn't have all this data here, but that was our progress repository wasn't it?
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
I thought we had the microbe stage final draft topic to do this though? It didn't have all this data here, but that was our progress repository wasn't it?
I linked it in the OP. It wasn't a progress repository as far as I saw, for it was missing a lot of info. I don't intend to replace it, simply compliment it, hence the link.
Seregon Regular
Posts : 263 Reputation : 37 Join date : 2011-08-10 Location : UK
Can I make a few suggestions for improving the OP? It would be potentially very useful to have a thread tracking our progress so that we can all keep track, but as is, it's a bit too long.
Rather than copying the whole OP from each thread you linked to, could you simply provide links to all the relevant threads within each section. You could add a short 3-4 line summary, or not, but this would make things much easier to read.
Also, I'd suggest four completion categories: - Required - Work in progress - Concept complete - Programming complete although we probably won't be using that fourth category for atleast a while.
Finally, a few changes to the sections: - 'Elements' and 'Compounds', refer to basically the same system, with the elements system largely being replaced by the compounds system. It's a work in progress. - Other works in progress include (to my knowledge): energy and propulsion, class structure, music, microbial biomes. - Microbe draft isn't so much of a component as a summary of previous work, and should probably be linked at the top of the OP.
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Can I make a few suggestions for improving the OP? It would be potentially very useful to have a thread tracking our progress so that we can all keep track, but as is, it's a bit too long.
Rather than copying the whole OP from each thread you linked to, could you simply provide links to all the relevant threads within each section. You could add a short 3-4 line summary, or not, but this would make things much easier to read.
Also, I'd suggest four completion categories: - Required - Work in progress - Concept complete - Programming complete although we probably won't be using that fourth category for atleast a while.
Finally, a few changes to the sections: - 'Elements' and 'Compounds', refer to basically the same system, with the elements system largely being replaced by the compounds system. It's a work in progress. - Other works in progress include (to my knowledge): energy and propulsion, class structure, music, microbial biomes. - Microbe draft isn't so much of a component as a summary of previous work, and should probably be linked at the top of the OP.
Thank you for the suggestions, I edited everything accordingly. It looks much better now!
Doggit Regular
Posts : 444 Reputation : 36 Join date : 2012-04-28
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:16 am
These are all theme that I've done on stage microbe. Some are more beautiful than the others, but I think they are all generally good;) what do you think?
I do still more?
(p.s. i delete my second version)
First:
Third:
Fourh: ( BEST VERSION)
Fifth:
Doggit Regular
Posts : 444 Reputation : 36 Join date : 2012-04-28
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Thu Aug 16, 2012 11:12 am
EDIT: This afternoon I made another theme microbe. Hope you like it;) Now we are at five in total 17 minutes what you think about this new theme?
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Thu Aug 16, 2012 11:59 am
Wow Doggit, they are all amazing! Once again, great work!
I will post all of the links to these videos on the Progress Report. Thanks for the music!
EDIT: I think it is safe to now promote music to concept complete. What do you guys think?
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
maybe Keen is still working on it, I can't be sure though.
Maybe we can all come up with different microbial biomes, and pick the best one(s)
Is that a good idea or not?
Brennus Newcomer
Posts : 67 Reputation : 0 Join date : 2012-07-04 Age : 27 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 19, 2012 12:39 am
I'm not sure we should bother with microbial biomes, mainly because the biomes would probably be too far apart to make any real difference, and it would be a hassle to program. Also, there wouldn't be much difference between biomes, and minor differences could be shown by just having a few things adjusted; most of those factors would be light and heat levels.
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:55 pm
Yeah, I agree. Also, I remember Tenebrarum mentioned in a past thread that microbial biomes are something we should only consider once we have a playable Microbe Stage to show for.
However, as for my first question, I will place Music under concept complete unless I receive any objections...
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 26, 2012 1:55 pm
Anybody know if there is a link/thread that contains all/most of the current art and modelling for the Microbe Stage?
ido66667 Regular
Posts : 366 Reputation : 5 Join date : 2011-05-14 Age : 110 Location : Space - Time
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 26, 2012 2:09 pm
The sound is not complete, In reality, these things will not cause any sound, at least that a human can hear, as cells are to small to cause enoth vibrations in any gas or liquid.
Brennus Newcomer
Posts : 67 Reputation : 0 Join date : 2012-07-04 Age : 27 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 26, 2012 6:09 pm
We'll need SOME sound, though, even if it's limited to background ambiance. As for art, I'm not sure that there is such a thread devoted to that. If there is any art at all, it would be in the concept art thread.
NickTheNick Overall Team Co-Lead
Posts : 2312 Reputation : 175 Join date : 2012-07-22 Age : 28 Location : Canada
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Sun Aug 26, 2012 9:34 pm
Brennus wrote:
We'll need SOME sound, though, even if it's limited to background ambiance. As for art, I'm not sure that there is such a thread devoted to that. If there is any art at all, it would be in the concept art thread.
Exactly. I was thinking that there be soft bubbling sounds in the background while you play, it is soothing and reminisces of an aquatic atmosphere.
ido66667 Regular
Posts : 366 Reputation : 5 Join date : 2011-05-14 Age : 110 Location : Space - Time
Subject: Re: Microbe Stage Progress Report Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:54 am
NickTheNick wrote:
Brennus wrote:
We'll need SOME sound, though, even if it's limited to background ambiance. As for art, I'm not sure that there is such a thread devoted to that. If there is any art at all, it would be in the concept art thread.
Exactly. I was thinking that there be soft bubbling sounds in the background while you play, it is soothing and reminisces of an aquatic atmosphere.
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