NESLife VII

New Evolution Name: Whimsicingus
Evolving from: Eccentringus
New Trait #1: Electroreception
New Trait #2: Simple Nervous System
New Trait #3: Temperature Resistance
Removed Trait(s): N/A
Brief Description: Whimsicingus has developed organs capable of creating electric fields used to discern information about their surroundings, as objects which react differently to electricity alter the field in different ways. A simple nervous system links the various body systems together, allowing Whimsicingus to react to changes in its environment. The Whimsicingus' main adaptation, however, is a resistance to extremes of temperature, allowing them to both resist tropical heat waves and take advantage of the vast mats of Killus algae coating the frigid seafloors far from the tropics.
 
Wyrglus: Noco, Era 4
Evolved from: Rovster (+ Filtering tentacles, + Basic nervous system)
Diet: bacteria, algae
Lifestyle: shallow seafloor crawler and burrower, benthic
Reproduction: budding/cloning
Description: The Wyrglus, having evolved from the burrowing Spinster, chooses to create a tunnel and worm its tendrils upwards and catch free-floating food while its body may continue reside within the safety of its hole. Its sensory node is used to "feel" its way through tunnels.

Evolves to

New Evolution Name: Hydglus
Evolving from: Wyrglus
New Trait #1: Better system of converting food into energy/digestive system
New Trait #2: Better temperature resistance
Brief Description: Evolving from the burrowed Wyrglus, the Hydglus builds upon its ancestor, becoming not more aggressive or flashier, but simply more hardy. Improved efficiency in utilizing its prey allows the Hydglus to remain longer in its hole without needing food, while a resistance to temperature extremes allows the Hydglus to survive the changing climate and establish itself further into the frigid waters.
 
Spoiler :
Mortovivium: filli_noctus, Era 4
Evolved from: Rovster (+ Toxin resistance [Toxofilia], + Scraping teeth)
Diet: bacteria, algae, filamenta
Lifestyle: shallow seafloor crawler and burrower, benthic
Reproduction: budding/cloning
Description: descendants of Rovsters than have developed resistance to the toxins of the toxofilamenta. This resistance allows them to freely wander the toxic environs of the toxofilamenta with impunity. In addition, they have evolved scraping teeth projecting from their ‘head’, allowing them to attack new food sources.


New Evolution Name: Cultivora
Evolving from: Mortovivium
New Trait #1: Basic manipulator limbs
New Trait #2: Pseudo-agrarian behaviour
Brief Description: The forelimbs of the mortovivium developed the ability to perform basic manipulation to aid in feeding and fending off those who might steal ones lunch. Gradually some members of the species learned to use these manipulators to move juvenile splonts and toxofilia. As the behaviour became ingrained and improved small gardens of splonts began to be cultivated by the Cultivora, with 'hedges' of toxofilamnta to keep out oppportunists. Of course these hedges proved no barrier to mortovivia and homeless Cultivora but the gardeners were prepared to defend their crops with teeth and arms, however basic they might be.
 
Toxofilamenta: Laiders, Era 1
Evolved from: Filamenta (+ Digestive juices, + Toxic secretions, - High pressure tolerance)
Habitat: sea floor, tolerant of high pressure, cold and heat
Lifestyle: largely static, scavenging
Reproduction: drifting spores
Description: specialised digestive enzymes that rupture bacterial cell walls allow the Toxofilamenta to absorb the nutrients inside rather than leach off waste products and such. Of course, the Toxofilamenta can and does still leach off the bacterial mats. These periodic secretions allow additional energy and clear floorspace for further, faster growth. They are not the only, potentially not even the primary, method by which these fungi feed. The second related chemical evolution was a chance development of a toxin that is lethal to other Filamenta species [and many other life forms as well].

New Evolution Name: Trypofilamenta
Evolving from: Toxofilamenta (+ Digestive juices, + Toxic secretions, + high spore count, +acid/base buffering, Sturdy spores)
New Trait #1: Higher spore produciton
New Trait #2: Buffer secretion
New Trait #3: Sturdy spores
Remove Trait: Toxic secretions
Reproduction: drifting spores
Brief Description: The temerature changes during the seasons lead to the higher production of spores in the flourishing time. In the same time the spore coating (?, School- Biology is far away...) became thicker, making the spores more resistant to changes in surroundings, thus "living" longer. Living mostly in otherwise life stricken areas, the need for the toxin was dwindeling. Because of this a chemical evolution changed the Toxin to a primitive acid/base buffer, allowing the Trypofilamenta to survive not only on the seabead but also in the in the digesitve tract of some other more evolved species like the Wryglus or the Rovster. There it would feed of their food, slowly growing, and while the new spores would be excreated by the host slowly killing its host.

Hi guys, this is my first post in a NES, joined Civfanatics not long ago. Really like the forums so far and came across this awesome thread. It intrigued me so I'll give it a shot. Hope the above works, otherwise please let me know. I really like the idea of a parasite and tried to go in this direction, let's see how long it will survive (if at all...;))
 
Welcome indeed :) And thankyou guys!!!

I'm thinking that this 'bonus trait' is a bit too much... What I'm thinking is that it could be a 50% chance to get that bonus 3rd trait. So you have your two normal traits plus a possible third one. How does that sound??
 
Hi guys, this is my first post in a NES, joined Civfanatics not long ago. Really like the forums so far and came across this awesome thread. It intrigued me so I'll give it a shot. Hope the above works, otherwise please let me know. I really like the idea of a parasite and tried to go in this direction, let's see how long it will survive (if at all...;))

I'm honoured :D (or as you Americans say, honored ;) ), I have no problems with your evolution except that actually being an invasive parasite may be a step too far right now. But I'm happy with surviving in the digestive parts of these primitive animals.

:salute:
 
Welcome indeed :) And thankyou guys!!!

I'm thinking that this 'bonus trait' is a bit too much... What I'm thinking is that it could be a 50% chance to get that bonus 3rd trait. So you have your two normal traits plus a possible third one. How does that sound??

I don't know. On the one hand I agree, the bonus trait could be a bit unbalancing but on the other if there's only a 50% chance of getting it you can't build organisms that rely on all three traits to fill their niche because if the computer says no then they get a one way ticket to extinctionsville.

As an alternative perhaps you could specify one or two optional traits for species with a diversity bonus that may be taken in addition to the players chosen two. It would give diverse lineages a boost, allow players to make organisms that make full use of all their traits and allow you to 'nudge' life into underserved niches that get overlooked by those players who like to go for the showy evolutions or tending their pet taxons (which we're all guilty of at some point or another).
 
Welcome indeed :) And thankyou guys!!!

I'm thinking that this 'bonus trait' is a bit too much... What I'm thinking is that it could be a 50% chance to get that bonus 3rd trait. So you have your two normal traits plus a possible third one. How does that sound??

Thanks, and thank you for your work!

Edit: I read through my evolution again and some wikipedia articles about spores... I guess spores are already really sturdy and there is not much room for improvemtent anyway. But considering this being early in evolution, there may be some room for improvment/change. So I leave it like that. If you go for the 50% for the 3rd bonus and Trypofilamenta gets it, nice. Otherwise, well, still fine. I think it's not an OP trait, more like a nice to have. So I'm fine with your proposed solution!

I'm honoured (or as you Americans say, honored ), I have no problems with your evolution except that actually being an invasive parasite may be a step too far right now. But I'm happy with surviving in the digestive parts of these primitive animals.

Well I guess my english is mostly American, I blame the movies and books... But I am actually Swiss, so english is not my native language and therefore I use a bastard version of different accents ;)

Maybe I overshot with the comment about the parasite. It is not meant as a full invasive parasite (at least not yet, let's see what happesns:)). It still can grow normally if the conditions are right, but will also survive (to some extent) in other species. It's also not able to target those species or change anything in their behaviour (like e.g. Toxoplasmosis in mice). I also does not kill the host directly, just by using most of the hosts food.

Hope that clears it up a little bit! And thanks Thlayli, I sure hope so;)
 
Just dropping in to say I agree with filli_noctus' points
 
I'm thinking that this 'bonus trait' is a bit too much... What I'm thinking is that it could be a 50% chance to get that bonus 3rd trait. So you have your two normal traits plus a possible third one. How does that sound??

I don't think its too much because most of the organisms that can get the 3rd trait have been around for awhile and are relatively simple (have fewer traits) than their more recently evolved cousins. Relatively speaking, they are still simpler organisms, even with three new traits, than the organisms evolved in the most recent era.

EDIT: Could the stats for the critters include total traits, not just what was evolved in the last turn? I think that would simplify and streamline player understanding of what an organism is, especially as things get more and more complex.


Anyway, here's my submission:

From Killus.

Spoiler :
Killus: Immaculate, Era 2
Traits: (+Starchy bulb, + Temperature tolerance, + Photosynthesis)
Habitat: coast and shallow seabed, subpolar to equatorial
Lifestyle: seabed drifting, photosynthesis
Reproduction: budding/cloning
Description: Killus no longer binds to its neighbors but floats freely away, often rolling along the seabed when currents are strong. Its [photosynthetic parts] now emerge from a thick round bulb in which it stores energy as starch for a future when sunlight is not as plentiful. The bulb also allows Killus to regrow its photosynthetic strands should they become damaged. Killus also ranges wider than its predecessors, surviving, and thriving, in waters too cold or too warm for its ancestors.


To Osikus
New Traits:
Osmotic Resistance: Grows in fresh-water and over a wider range of salinity.
Roots Tendrils: Bulb now grows tendril-like roots for better nutrient absorption from sea-bottoms and soil and for better water absorption when moving inland (mostly along tidal flats, near rivers, and near areas with aquifers close to the surface.
Hardier (dormancy-competent) bulb (needs better name): While resistance to cold served the Killus well in cold water, the Osikus can actually resist freezing ice and desiccating conditions by losing its softer tissues and regrowing from the bulb. In this case the roots and photosynthetic tendrils will die off but the bulb remains and when conditions improve (warming, humidity), the bulb grows new ‘leafs’ and roots. This allows it to survive in areas with harsh seasonal changes.
 
*Calling 24 hour notice for more evolutions*

Sorry if that's a bit sudden.

EDIT: Could the stats for the critters include total traits, not just what was evolved in the last turn? I think that would simplify and streamline player understanding of what an organism is, especially as things get more and more complex.

Indeed, but I'm concerned about the stats being bloated with repeating the full list of every trait of every species/family. What I was thinking is having a full list only for some key points (like the base of a clade).

One alternative to messing about with spoilers is just dumping everything into a big list and sticking it on google docs ;) I'll see how it develops. Please do share any suggestions.
 
So, are we going with the '50% chance for the third trait' system?
 
New Evolution Name: Serotnin
Evolving from: Eater
New Trait #1: Eyes
New Trait #2: Flexible Muscles
Brief Description: Serotnin, a beautiful graceful creature. With its unique flexible body and muscular system the Serotnin is able to gracefully swim through the seas, finding food and escaping predators. It lives quiet lives in the seas keeping two watchful eyes forward and always its third eye looking upwards, looking for any danger than may come from above to quickly swim away from with its muscular and changeable fins. Look at it as waves flow through its muscles propelling it forward and sideways, oh it seemed to have noticed us looking at it from above and escaped.
 
Thankyou erez :)

@Kinich-Ahau and Patrick, sorry I meant to clarify - no randomisation, you have guaranteed all three traits this turn. I'll think about it and maybe change things for new evolutions after the update.
 
Seeing that nothing has happened, I'll totally sneak this creature into the newest era >>.

Spoiler :
New Evolution Name: Nolock; Era III
Evolving from: Sponger
New Trait 1: Large clumping bodies (Think moss)
New Trait 2: Expanded Glucose storage
Removed Trait(s): None
Brief Description: Seeing an open area for ecological expansion (and swerving temperatures), the Sponger starts to adapt to the cold and becomes a Nolock. Keeping warmth by clumping together in larger bodies and expanding their glucose storage ability for the increased energy usage needed in such weather.


New Evolution Name: Somelock
Evolving from: Nolock
New Trait 1: slim tentacle-esque filaments growing across the entirely of the body
New Trait 2: Further expanded glucose storage
Removed Trait(s): None
Brief Description: The Nolock continues to adapt to the cold weather, becoming the Somelock over time. Further adapting to the cold by creating a protective layer of filaments around its entire body, combined with ever expanding glucose storage allowed the Somelock to reach and survive and thrive in ever colder bodies of water.
 
I'm sorry guys, aside from my usual scatter-brain and time management failures, life has been a bit crazy. I'm leaving my office job at the end of the month, and spent the Easter weekend catching up with friends and family. I'm planning on having quite a chilled out summer, but have been busy chasing up some freelance work as well.

I still fully intend to update, looking like I'll have a window this weekend (he said :p).
 
So I know that this part of the forum is most likely dead and this is a massive necropost, but I would like to post a new creature.

New Evolution Name: Toxmosis
Evolving from: Splont
New Trait #1: Posion
New Trait #2: Food stores
Removed Trait(s): None
Brief Description: Brooding among the rocks and sands, the Toxmosis is a quirky sponge, developing a poison to deter any predators from eating it, while at the same time, removing competers. The sponge has also developed food stores inside itself. These food stores allow the Toxmosis to survive hard times, although if the time stretches too long, it to will succumb to starvation, leaving only a toxic husk behind. So even though this sponge is resistant to the hard times of this time period, it is hardly immune.
 
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