Hello!
I have only gotten into this game recently, but I have ideas and concepts for improvement and problem solving. I may get too complex for enjoyable gameplay, or state a previously mentioned idea, but I hope that this is well received.
Problems
Problem 1: players becoming a big blob with a huge variety of organelles
It’s not the most elegant way to put it, but you get what I mean. Players don’t see a need to stay small, and don’t see a need to specialize, and instead just get practically every organelle they want.
Solution 1: osmoregulation
A first solution to this problem is to change osmoregulation. I believe something like this may be in the works already, but here is my idea.
Osmoregulation costs change base of off size, but don’t take into account the surface area. The calculation of osmoregulation should be something along the lines of this: (surface area/6)x(volume). The reason for the divide by 6 is to ensure that the starting hex of cytoplasm starts out with an osmoregulation cost of 1. If you do the numbers for this, the osmoregulation cost goes up quite fast, maybe even too fast. So you might want to fiddle with the equation a bit so it doesn’t ramp up so quickly. This would also buff multicellularity, as each specialized cell has its own surface area. This should solve the “big blob” problem, but the excessive variety remains a problem.
Solution 2: Mutation point limit(genetics)
My solution to the variety problem would be a genetic complexity system, also translated as “you may only have x amount of mutation points worth of stuff in your creature.” To make this less punishing, and to encourage synergies, if you have a similar organelle, or are just getting a copy, the cost is less. For example, if you already have a flagella, the cost of another one is x% less than the first one, and if you are getting cilia, and you already have flagella, the cost of the first cilia is x% less. The limit would start at somewhere between 300-500, and could be increased to 1000 or so by the nucleus. This could buff multicellularity as well, as each cell type could have its own complex structures. Obviously, because each cell has the whole organism’s genetic code, multicellularity would work a bit differently. (this could be a lot of work to code)
Ideas
- Agent revamp
Agents should have separate, customizable organelles for production and release.
One type of organelle (name is TBD) would produce agents. You could customize the type of agent(various toxins, mucilage, etc.), potency, targeted membrane, etc.
The other type, (name is also TBD) could release agents or compounds. You could customize the force, amount, ratios of different agents/compounds, and keybinds. The injector pilus could do the same.(LOTS of coding, but cool. And yes, I want toxic mucilage. )
- Making the nucleus more gradual.
In my experience, getting the nucleus seems like a very big step, and seems a little bit rushed. Even with Thrive’s big evolutionary time scales, evolving the nucleus in one editor session seems a little unrealistic. I think that it should start with, or at least have the option to get, a prokaryotic nucleoid (if the genetic system is implemented it could increase the cap, otherwise the function is TBD). The next “upgrade” would be a proto nucleus, bigger than the nucleoid but smaller than the nucleus. Since I have heard endosymbiosis will be available before the nucleus, this could allow for it to occur as well potentially allowing for bacterial conjugation.
Thank you for reading!
If you have feedback, please be nice as this is the first time I have done something like this.