Thanks, playing the game and giving feedback is really helpful. I agree the game isn’t challenging at the moment and almost all cell builds are viable (so there’s not much reason to evolve) and there is not a huge amount of danger from other cells. The game is in quite a relaxing creative mode atm.
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I cant play the game so i dont have a build
Huh, it must depend on the other cells. My 2 failed playthroughs both had an aggressive engulfer.
Also, it may not be the best thing to start balancing already, since every time you’ll add something new, everything needs to be balanced. For example, if the cilia are added, they might have a pretty high ATP requirement, which would require stronger mitochondria, which would then require more agents, etc. But yeah, I agree that the game is ridiculously easy, but I still see it as a fun game, it’s very relaxing
I agree the game has always seemed like a relaxing evolution simulator. So if you had a stressed out day come play some thrive. I do agree that balancing can’t really be done until the whole stage is considered done, but by playing and documentation we can hopefully make it easier for the devs to create new features that or more closely balanced
Chloroplast build
Category: Start build
Evolutions:
1st - 1 chloroplast, 6 cytoplasm
Me being eaten by some bad boys.
Expectations: Ok, another start build. I expect this to be kinda like all the previous builds, but with a chloroplast. I think it would be a 8-9/10 on broken scale
Reality: Well, I was totally right, it was just as easy. I will probably stop doing start builds because I cant see the difference between my cells. Change occur over time, they say.
I guess I did a bad job explaining why it is so easy, so I’ll try to give some analysis on the subject:
- First of all, the biggest problem atm is cloud collecting. This is what makes all these builds OP. You only need a colud or two and you are ready to evolve.
- Second thing is that resources are not contested at all. Other cells are dangerous, but I only see one or two before evolving.
- Number three is the auto-evo, which works once every 10 minutes. That means that the game supports fast players. And there is nothing wrong with that idea, but atm if you evolve fast, other cells just stay the same as well.
- Number four is victory condition. Right now you just have to survive for 15 generations, and that is easy.
- Number five - you are spawned in the place where you have entered the editor. That seems unimportant, but that means that finding a huge cloud means 2-3 free evolutions
- I guess that’s all for now.
I would give this 10/10 broken, now you can’t even run out of atp
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The reason I think it is important to balance the game now is that the game needs a balanced core to add new stuff to.
Considering the fact that I can’t even see clouds due to graphical tidbits, I’m relying on bacteria nomming.
It’s much, much more fun than nomming clouds. And easier.
I’ve also noticed that bacteria are more nutritious than eukaryotic cells, which probably shouldn’t be the case.
Edit- It’s probably because bacteria use the compounds they pick up less. Not moving as much, n all.
Also, here’s the last generation of a cell I made before Thrive sudoku’d-
I named it Chadaxia Apex.
Edit 2- I’ve noticed, with the new system of how AI do, that bacteria are clumping together due to thinking that they are the food of one another. I’m not complaining- free food!
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Bacteria nomming is even better with visible clouds, since every dying bacterium “pops” in a cloud of compounds, and taking out a pretty big group with them makes it look like you’re popping popcorn. It’s amazing.
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Interesting creature.
It’s literally just 3 hexes of cytoplasm.
Edit- 
Edit 2- Gen 3 of species Stankazi Legxa
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Ok, I think now I’m ready to give some initial thoughts on balancing the game.
As you can see, in my last post I had described several issues with game balance. So, lets discuss which of them are actually issues and how to fix them
My thoughts:
- Problem number one - clouds are too OP. In version 0.3.4 cloud collecting was not an option, in 0.4.0, on the other hand, clouds are too dense. You can hunt other cells, it is fun, but there is a rule of the most viable option - if there is an easy strat, everyone will just use it. And it really hurst the game. I think lowering cloud density to 80% of the current rate should make the game more interesting.
- Problem number two - other cells are not a threat to you, because they are really easy to avoid. I think cell AI should not be complex, because they have no brains and they can’t be smart, so, let’s not touch that. Easy solution to the problem is to just make more cells. This can make the game too hard for other buids as well, so the solution should be more than that. I propose to adjust spawn rate with cell size. It makes sense - it is easier to reproduce when you are small. From a balance standpoint, this would make the game harder for abusers like me and easier for people who actually evolve and hunt stuff. The reason is that small cells are eating clouds and there are less resources for you to collect. On the other hand - there will be more prey for hunter builds.
- Problem number three - auto-evo. I suggest auto-evo to work not just once every ten minutes, but also each time you enter the editor.
- Problem nu,ber four - victory condition. Well, I guess we can do nothing with that atm.
- Problem number five - spawn place. I actually really like how you are spawned for the first time - there is nothing around you and you have to search for resources. I suggest doing that for every evolution. . This actually is a huge nerf for my strat and it makes cheesing the game three times harder
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rip framerates
also
What’s this biome?
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A banana biome obviously.
Also, I know adding more cells is not a good idea. That’s why I proposed another solution which takes less pc resources
Could be an ancient species relating to the Simpsons.
A Plant Run ( Another Chloroplast run)
Category: Early game
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: Nothing will be much different than from the CA ( common ancestor ), the only difference will be glucose production which just means I’m looking for Ammonia and Phosphates a bit quicker and more often
Evolutions:
1st
I denote where Chloroplasts are by the addition of green capital C’s in their center, hopefully this helps in case anyone wants to follow the build process and give their own feedback on this run!
Grade: 9/10, Gameplay was simple with the abundance of ammonia and phosphates nearby. I was also quite speedy even with my more elongated and flattened front.
Category: Early game
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: I expect it to play out vary similarly to Evo 1 being that I have only added two chloroplasts. My speed appears to have gone up by one when looking at the editor. I’m not sure why but maybe I’m more fluid-dynamic. Who knows… I expect this generation to be fairly easy and simple.
Evolutions:
2nd
A simple addition of two chloroplasts at the bottom sticking outwards for this generation.
I’m not quite sure why me cell looks like its doing a heel click with its Chlorophyll compared to the editor but hey maybe it’s Irish.
Grade: 6/10, This can be incredibly hard to play and you have to “leap frog” around the biome in order for you to survive. It can be an interesting build and I challenge you to play through to generation 15 with just this build and give your feedback! Glucose production is obviously not the reason this is hard but rather it’s conversion to ATP makes it this hard as I stated before its like “leap frog”. I ended up dying twice while playing this generation. I might have just been unlucky with this run though as I didn’t hear the sound for the editor and just randomly noticed it. Maybe I was too engrossed in the game and I think I didn’t hear the sound.
Category: Early game
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: I have added two more chloroplasts to the Plant plus I have added two cytoplasm in order to combat the lack of ATP. Hopefully this can make a big enough change in order for me to make it at least after one death.
Evolution:
3rd
I’ve added a notation for the Cytoplasm otherwise you kind of get lost in the grey, and no one wants that.
This is the little feller out and about getting ready for Mitosis.
Grade: 8/10, The Two cytoplasm seemed to have helped. One must watch out for Oxytoxy being shot out from around you. The large problem with being a plant is being a plant and sitting around waiting to die. A blade of grass or a tree can take a beating and bounce back, so too can this cell but only if you can get away from your predator.
Category: Midgame
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: Glucose is still going to get capped because I have no where to store it and ATP will still be a problem because I can’t produce it fast enough.
Evolution:
4th
The two Chloroplast and two Cytoplasm addition continued with this evolution hopefully making ATP less of a problem.
Just sitting and waiting for ATP so that my offspring arn’t destined to die.
Grade: 8/10, I could still not produce ATP fast enough as hypothesized. I was running and stopping sometimes jutting quickly towards ammonia only to need to stop short so that I could live, damage occurs when you have no ATP.
Category: Midgame
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: With the 10 added cytoplasm I should be able to keep up with ATP at least enough for me to not sit in dangerous situations. Currently there is no benefit to go a pure Chlorophyll build, maybe when cell walls are implemented they will give a higher hp making it easier to deal with damage.
Evolution:
5th
Placed the Cytoplasm a little randomly with no real image in mind. Hopefully this guy does well in the world.
Peaceful.
I was too slow to get some Phosphate clouds luckily I hit this patch right before it dissipated
Grade 9/10, I am a Plant. I do not need to worry about anything but my health and the continuance of my species. I only acted like a root searching out for Phosphates. This is thriving. Oxytoxy was not really a threat because I could see the cells and move accordingly and not have to stop for ATP. This was a very relaxing run
Category: Midgame
Name: No common name
Scientific Name: Untrustux pilaepsis
Expectations: With this evolution I wanted to see if I added Chlorophyll if it would be more taxing for me to move because of my size. I still have all of the previously added Cytoplasm so who knows. Int he previous generation there were no problems with ATP production, maybe this will be the same way just with a quicker Glucose cap.
Evolution:
6th
I added 2 more Chlorophyll. This time I added them to the rop
Grade: 9/10, exactly the same as Evolution 5
Category: Midgame
Name: The Phosphate hunter
Scientific Name: Untrustux venenatepsis
Expectations: I thought to myself how can I make this different, well plants are known for their chemical warfare… that’s right this plant is poisons. I don’t think much will change actually but I should be able to stay a bit safer and not loose as much Hp as I have been before, although i might end up killing myself too.
Evolution:
7th ( A speciation of Untrustux pilaepsis )
The Oxytoxy was placed at the front of the cell.
Turned to preemptive strike the cell shooting around. Safety was acquired.
Grade: 9/10, Never died and started playing in reverse so that “s” and my mouse pointed in the opposite direction of where I wanted to go in order to protect my back end. This just made life easier I wouldn’t say it was broken yet but gameplay will not differ until I leave the “plant” path. I could at Nitrogen Fixing Plastids but that just makes life even easier even. This life is known as Phosphate hunter as there is nothing else to do.
FYI: Chloroplasts create glucose, so you still need mitochondria to create ATP (It’s kinda weird how a single cytoplasm can perform glycolisis fast enough to support multiple organelles, I’m not sure if that’s supposed to happen)
I think this is going to be overhauled because of the coming “Biome” update. I was reading the dev forum and it looks like there will be different amounts of compounds depending on which biome you are in, and the abundance of certain compounds will be higher in some regions than others. This will be like having more hydrogen sulfide at the vents versus at the shallows.
To me this is just evolution and the strive to survive and reproduce. This happens naturally and I think makes sense to happen and as stated above the biomes will help with biodiversity in respect to the player.
There are stats that the cells have so maybe we just need higher variation towards the poles of aggression. So there shouldn’t be very many centrist cells.
I couldn’t agree more, plus this is a great time to run the script as the rest of the game isn’t in the middle of running. So you hit the editor button it then generates where you are placed and generates the cells around you, then it runs auto-evo. Maybe this can be hidden behind a loading screen or just have it wait in the editor for a couple seconds. I only suggest that the world be generated because if I remember correctly auto-evo only works on the cells that are in your farthest zoomed out field right now ( This will probably be updated once cells are being saved to a document for the stats menu and the clade diagram)
I think when auto-evo is updated and the biomes are integrated this wont be a problem, at least not as big as a problem. I remember in older games you couldn’t even play as far as a fifth evolution.
I think that this should probably stay roughly the same but have ammonia and phosphates not be generated in the placement, although you can just store up before hand for quick evolution to cheese the game.
Even when considering the “Biome” update, I feel like average cloud density should be a bit smaller.
I dont like the idea of making everything more agressive towards player - Thrive should feel like a believable world and not a weird survival game. I thnk just having more cells competing for clouds will be enough
Yeah, the ability to store resources can be a problem, probably there should be an upper limit on the resources you can pass to the next generation
Really easy to avoid? Well let me introduce you to jetfighter bacteria (as I like to call em)
[Forgot to take image]
They are very fast toxin bacteria that take down larger cells in groups of 5-10 and are belgiuming everywhere, they will swarm over you at first sight and bombard you with toxins, and if you run away you’ll just stumble upon another group of them right in front of you which basically pins you down between them. Its a constant persecution where you have to constantly be moving and dodging toxins while trying to reach the compounds which are most likely also swarmed with them, that was a monstrocity autoevo created in one of my playthroughs
Edit- Belgium why didnt it reply properly, gime a second
Edit2- oh wait it did
Hey Grom, looks like other are getting a bit more difficult outcomes then us, if you run through a playthrough and see some of them or bacteria like them please send a picture. I keep on seeing people with these deadly worlds and I just wan’t one lol