Rename the “Macroscopic” Stage!

[Deus (The Alpha and the Omega)]

Hello everyone!

If you’ve been keeping up with development forum discussions, you’ll see we are conceptually introducing a new stage in the future: the Macroscopic Stage.

The Macroscopic Stage will cover the first evolutionary steps of macroscopic life, transitioning the player to controlling a multicellular organism in a larger, 3D world. It starts when the player becomes macroscopic, unlocking the 3D world, and ends once the player evolves a more complex nervous system involving some degree of centralization, unlocking more advanced structural capabilities.

This was previously covered by the Multicellular Stage, which also covered 2D multicellular gameplay - an awkward split, which resulted in “Early (2D) Multicellular” and “Late (3D) Multicellular” becoming common terms. Now, discussion “Late Multicellular” is its own official stage: Macroscopic!

Now, the premise of this thread: rename the Macroscopic Stage! See if you can come up with a better name than “Macroscopic”.

To be honest, macroscopic is inherently a strong favorite; it is descriptive, non-objective, and has had a history of use up until this point in developer and community discussions. But if our community comes up with a great name, liked by the community and the developers, why not adopt it? Let’s hear your best.

To clarify, the new stages, in order, would be…

Microbe - Multicellular - Macroscopic - Aware - Awakening - Society - Industrial - Space - Ascension

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

I honestly think “Macroscopic” is going to stay, albeit if there is a good word for describing creatures which have developed primitive neural networks, with a miracle it could usurp the current favourite.

Funnily enough I also had an idea of having the multicellular stage changed due to the differences between it’s two halves around 2.5 years ago now.

@aah31415

Problem with macroscopic multiccelular stage
If you look at it, the largest thing that separates late multicell from aware is development of brains and behaviours. Meanwhile, early and late multicellular have a lot less in common:
-early multicell is 2d and late is 3d
-in early multicell you modify your cells and in late multicell, tissues (and macroscopic also has metaballs that feel rather different from 2D cells)
-The “Become macroscopic” button also makes the two parts of multicell more separated
-Multicellular stage in it’s current state contains too different groups of organisms, that could range from simple 2-celled organisms to complex starfish-like ones.
Now, we have 4 options:
a) Make stages remain in same state as before
b)Turn Macroscopic multicellular substage into it’s own stage, making Thrive have 8 stages. This new stage could be called as “Unaware” or “Macroscopic”
c)Macroscopic Multicell and Aware stages would merge, leaving early multicell as it’s own multicellular stage and turning aware and late multicell into single “macroscopic” stage
d)Merge current multicell stage with aware stage, making Thrive have 6 stages. The new merged stage would remain as the “Multicellular stage”.

[Itookausername]

I think the “Macroscopic stage” as a term is more commonly used than the actual “Late multicellular stage” to begin with, so this change makes perfect sense.

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

I bet people who’ll join in when the game gets more popular in some years will be confused when “late multicellular” from old to them posts turns out to refer to macroscopic…

[Poodelicus (Crazy, Curious, and Stubborn)]

Who wants to take bets the same thing happens with early and late space stage when Thrive gets that far?

Transition Between Industrial and Space Stage (or even a new stage?)

Hello everyone! I have a pretty big idea i’ve been meaning to share for a while now (although this has probably been thought of already), about the transition from Industrial Stage to Space Stage. I’ve always thought that the change from Industrial to Space would be quite a leap. Since the Industrial stage would start upon the invention of industrial machinery, and would last until the invention of faster-than-light technology (correction - the Space Stage starts when the first rockets are launc…

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

I doubt that’ll occur. Yeah, they might be on different scales, but there aren’t quite as many differences as between the two halves of multicellular.

[domin2ktr]

In my opinion, the name “macroscopic” is perfect for this stage in my opinion.

My thoughts on the macroscopic stage: Unlike the “awareness” stage, organisms during the macroscopic stage will be less mobile and will rely more on ocean currents. Also, it is during this stage that the body plan will be laid down, which cannot be changed after the awareness stage.

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

Aren’t plants macroscopic stage organisms?

[doomlightning (The Invisible Aztec Dodo God. Real Plant Torturer, Ltd.)]

Still waiting to the meso-organism stage to be implant /s

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

Where would this stage be located on a playthrough’s timeline?

[doomlightning (The Invisible Aztec Dodo God. Real Plant Torturer, Ltd.)]

In the middle.
You can see bacteria, but you are really big

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

Oh so like multicellular intermediate? Between microscopic and macroscopic?

[doomlightning (The Invisible Aztec Dodo God. Real Plant Torturer, Ltd.)]

it’s technically “macroscopic”, but its still on the smaller size
think about Tardigradum, Rotifera and Nematode

Fairyfly can also be included.

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

I’ve heard that when becoming marcoscopic, you will already start of a centimeter or two in size.
Could you become smaller than that without becoming microscopic again?

[Itookausername]

I think of the macroscopic stage stretching from tardigrades to something like fish or early vertebrates (more advanced nervous system and beginning of sentience), so at the beginning you’ll only see microbes as clouds, reminiscent of the compound clouds but in 3d of course. You’ll soon grow out of that stage and move into the flatworm, jellyfish size-range.

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

@Itookausername

so at the beginning you’ll only see microbes as clouds, reminiscent of the compounds but in 3d of course.

That sould a lot like the concept of “multicellular intermediate”, which was unfortunately scrapped.

[50gens]

Calling 100 meter tall trees “multicellular” would have been awkward.

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

But at the same time they’re not aware, as they lack brain structures (no, please don’t get started at the “plants may actually be very intelligent” argument).

[50gens]

When can we have a macroscopic stage tag? For threads?

[aah31415 (The maker of SitF, Radiostrocity, The Lifenote and TGBing; The Second Ascended...; And just maybe a security warning come alive...?)]

Splitting off the stage might not be of the top priority at the moment…