NESLife attempt #3
- Thread starter Daftpanzer
- Start date
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
Goliath: North King
Evolved from: Behemoth
Genes (14): Plankton Eating x2, Plant Eating x2, Swimming x2, Crawling x1, Vibration Sense x1, Eyes x1, Cold Resistance x1, Large Size x1, Skeleton x1, Immune System x1, Gills x1, Water Retention x1
Description: With a thickened, mucous lined skin, the Goliath was able to retain water like never before, and primitive lungs could take over from its gills on land. Its diet shifted more to eating plants. With these new innovations, it became amphibian: slightly better at swimming than crawling, but still able to survive for long periods of time outside the water. As it was the largest land animal of its day, it didn't have to fear other creatures as much, and thus, was mostly able to eat plants in peace.
->
Dreadnought: North King
Evolved from: Goliath
Gene added (max 2+1 bonus): Jawsx1, Walkingx2
Gene removed (optional, max 2): Crawlingx1
Description (optional): The Goliath was the largest land animal of its day, however, it was not truly suited for the land. Its inability to walk hindered it greatly, as it could only crawl along, dragging its belly against the nasty spines that often coated the forest floors. Thus, the newly evolved Dreadnought changed fins into definite legs, which lifted the body entirely off of the ground. Thick and powerful, these legs were well suited for walking or even a slow, ponderous jog, and the feet, webbed, could help a powerful tail swim through the water just as well as before. This, plus the adaption of Jaws (differently structured than those that had evolved before, but serving essentially the same purpose) allowed it to spend a considerable amount of time on land, though its more efficient gills meant it still had a slight advantage in the water.
This should look something like the whale I've been having, with an elongated head for the jaws, and vaguely reptilian legs; a powerful tail, of course. Nothing too fancy.
Evolved from: Behemoth
Genes (14): Plankton Eating x2, Plant Eating x2, Swimming x2, Crawling x1, Vibration Sense x1, Eyes x1, Cold Resistance x1, Large Size x1, Skeleton x1, Immune System x1, Gills x1, Water Retention x1
Description: With a thickened, mucous lined skin, the Goliath was able to retain water like never before, and primitive lungs could take over from its gills on land. Its diet shifted more to eating plants. With these new innovations, it became amphibian: slightly better at swimming than crawling, but still able to survive for long periods of time outside the water. As it was the largest land animal of its day, it didn't have to fear other creatures as much, and thus, was mostly able to eat plants in peace.
->
Dreadnought: North King
Evolved from: Goliath
Gene added (max 2+1 bonus): Jawsx1, Walkingx2
Gene removed (optional, max 2): Crawlingx1
Description (optional): The Goliath was the largest land animal of its day, however, it was not truly suited for the land. Its inability to walk hindered it greatly, as it could only crawl along, dragging its belly against the nasty spines that often coated the forest floors. Thus, the newly evolved Dreadnought changed fins into definite legs, which lifted the body entirely off of the ground. Thick and powerful, these legs were well suited for walking or even a slow, ponderous jog, and the feet, webbed, could help a powerful tail swim through the water just as well as before. This, plus the adaption of Jaws (differently structured than those that had evolved before, but serving essentially the same purpose) allowed it to spend a considerable amount of time on land, though its more efficient gills meant it still had a slight advantage in the water.
This should look something like the whale I've been having, with an elongated head for the jaws, and vaguely reptilian legs; a powerful tail, of course. Nothing too fancy.
erez87
Lord of Random
- Joined
- May 16, 2002
- Messages
- 13,500
Time to make the finners a true family of several species.
Toothed Finner : erez87
Evolved from: Prime Finner II
Gene added (max 2+1): Sharp teeth x2, meat eating x1.
Gene removed (optional, max 2): plant eating x2
Description (optional): The second predator of the Finner family. Fast, furious and sharp teethed.
The Toothed Finner is an animal that evolved ahead of it's species. It's jaws and skeleton continued to merge with each other until teeth begun to appear. Very sharp ones as well. With this new tool the Finners could defend themselves better but it seemed like they enjoyed biting on other animals. As soon as the gene to also get energy from biting on other animals appeared, it took over this family of Finners. The high energy boost from meat eating allowed them to be faster than almost any other animal, and soon they begun to feed on other animals. They still didn't completely loose plankton or plant eating and it remained a way to stay safe from hunger when it's too hard to chew on pray ,in the lack of any pray and when moving from one hunting zone to another. Their teeth, being sharp, made plant eating a lot less efficient and so the Prime Finner II remained the main plant eater.
The toothed finners are not actual predators just yet. They do not kill the animal they hunted down, they merely take a bite and swim away for the chewing...
Daft- I was just looking at the Respiryte- its leg-claws are missing. I'll assume they're there.
Additionally: AAAGH! I can't decide what to do- evolve the Scuterids further, or save a predator which is at a high risk of being wiped out shortly...
*****
Respiryte: Lord_Iggy
Evolved from: Geluryte
Genes (13): Crawling x2, Digging x1, Eating Dead Things x1, Plant Eating x1, Complex Stomach x1, Exoskeleton x1, Communal Behaviour x1, Claws x2, Water Retention x1, Lungs x1, Cold Resistance x1
Description: Firstly, their primitive 'aqualungs' (primitive land-gills which need to be kept damp) have developed into full-fledged air-breathing lungs, secondly, their primitive digestive system has advanced from a simple tube plan to a multi-stage system, with a stomach for breaking down the toughest edible materials, and a long tract for nutrient absorption, and thirdly, they have developed powerful claws at the ends of their scuttling legs- very useful for digging, but valuable for fighting off predators and rivals as well.
Evolves too...
Scensuryte : Lord_Iggy
Evolved from: Respiryte
Gene added (max 2+1): Eyes, Climbing, Complex Muscles
Gene removed (optional, max 2): Digging
Description (optional): Intense competition on land has led to a development of a further extension of the family Scuteridae. Forced into a new niche, one group of Respirytes began to use their sharp leg-claws to climb the numerous trees, plants, and rock faces present in their environments- thus gaining both protection and access to the richest parts of plants. In order to do this, these creatures began to develop a more advanced system of musculature, anchored on the inside of their exoskeletons. Adapting to live in their new, more exposed environments, their primitive photosensors developed into three sets of compound eyes to keep a constant watch out for predators.
Most Scensurytes (as these Scuterids are called) spend most of their lives grazing up in trees and large plants, traveling down in groups if one of them spots a corpse, or if a new and better plant is spotted.
In terms of physical appearance, Scensurytes have lengthened bodies and longer legs, terminating in small clawed feet, with several small hooks and a single large claw. Their primary manipulator claws have become more scissorlike and less shovellike, to take best advantage of the new environment. Scensurytes' heads now protrude slightly from their torsos to allow for better vision and easier grazing, while their posterior has developed into a tail, useful for balance and an extra point of contact for stability.
However, the Scensurytes have not yet specialized enough to totally abandon their old ways. They can only lay their eggs if a tree has a hollow or depressed area which can catch rainwater, their last remaining tie back to aquatic life. This makes good egg-laying sites very valuable- those who cannot secure a good tree may have to go through a difficult time incubating the eggs in a pool or lake (here, the guarding parents are vulnerable to predation). For tree-based incubation sites, leaves will be placed over the extremely precious puddle to slow evaporation, and will be removed when there is precipitation, to re-fill. In desperate times, Scensurytes will spit into the puddle to keep it in existance.
When faced with a lack of trees, they will revert to the land-based state of their Respiryte relatives, though their climbing-adapted limbs and bodies are no longer capable of digging burrows. Their digestive allow them to get some nutrition out of almost all organic matter, making them capable generalists. Their strength and movement capabilities protect them from most of their heavily-built predators, as does their protective social system, though it is not quite as strong as those of other social Scuterids, due to Scensurytes' increasing capabilities of independence springing from improved physical capabilities and eyesight.
Additionally: AAAGH! I can't decide what to do- evolve the Scuterids further, or save a predator which is at a high risk of being wiped out shortly...
*****
Respiryte: Lord_Iggy
Evolved from: Geluryte
Genes (13): Crawling x2, Digging x1, Eating Dead Things x1, Plant Eating x1, Complex Stomach x1, Exoskeleton x1, Communal Behaviour x1, Claws x2, Water Retention x1, Lungs x1, Cold Resistance x1
Description: Firstly, their primitive 'aqualungs' (primitive land-gills which need to be kept damp) have developed into full-fledged air-breathing lungs, secondly, their primitive digestive system has advanced from a simple tube plan to a multi-stage system, with a stomach for breaking down the toughest edible materials, and a long tract for nutrient absorption, and thirdly, they have developed powerful claws at the ends of their scuttling legs- very useful for digging, but valuable for fighting off predators and rivals as well.
Evolves too...
Scensuryte : Lord_Iggy
Evolved from: Respiryte
Gene added (max 2+1): Eyes, Climbing, Complex Muscles
Gene removed (optional, max 2): Digging
Description (optional): Intense competition on land has led to a development of a further extension of the family Scuteridae. Forced into a new niche, one group of Respirytes began to use their sharp leg-claws to climb the numerous trees, plants, and rock faces present in their environments- thus gaining both protection and access to the richest parts of plants. In order to do this, these creatures began to develop a more advanced system of musculature, anchored on the inside of their exoskeletons. Adapting to live in their new, more exposed environments, their primitive photosensors developed into three sets of compound eyes to keep a constant watch out for predators.
Most Scensurytes (as these Scuterids are called) spend most of their lives grazing up in trees and large plants, traveling down in groups if one of them spots a corpse, or if a new and better plant is spotted.
In terms of physical appearance, Scensurytes have lengthened bodies and longer legs, terminating in small clawed feet, with several small hooks and a single large claw. Their primary manipulator claws have become more scissorlike and less shovellike, to take best advantage of the new environment. Scensurytes' heads now protrude slightly from their torsos to allow for better vision and easier grazing, while their posterior has developed into a tail, useful for balance and an extra point of contact for stability.
However, the Scensurytes have not yet specialized enough to totally abandon their old ways. They can only lay their eggs if a tree has a hollow or depressed area which can catch rainwater, their last remaining tie back to aquatic life. This makes good egg-laying sites very valuable- those who cannot secure a good tree may have to go through a difficult time incubating the eggs in a pool or lake (here, the guarding parents are vulnerable to predation). For tree-based incubation sites, leaves will be placed over the extremely precious puddle to slow evaporation, and will be removed when there is precipitation, to re-fill. In desperate times, Scensurytes will spit into the puddle to keep it in existance.
When faced with a lack of trees, they will revert to the land-based state of their Respiryte relatives, though their climbing-adapted limbs and bodies are no longer capable of digging burrows. Their digestive allow them to get some nutrition out of almost all organic matter, making them capable generalists. Their strength and movement capabilities protect them from most of their heavily-built predators, as does their protective social system, though it is not quite as strong as those of other social Scuterids, due to Scensurytes' increasing capabilities of independence springing from improved physical capabilities and eyesight.
Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
Arthropods having a tetrapod lung is unworkable due to their internal architecture however lungs in general...
a) Depends on the oxygen level, there have been scorpians over 3 metres long (and there are some pretty big crabs even today). If the oxygen pressure is high enough arthropods can grow much larger.
Meganeura - large ancestor of the dragonfly had a wingspan of 60 to 75 cm.
Arthropleura - giant millipede that could grow to more than one and a half meters long.
b) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_lung
c) If the oxygen constraint is removed the next problem is moulting to gorw larger, for which possible solutions are i) returning to the water to moult ii) partial moulting iii) growing long but not tall iv) developing an internal skeletion, or v) something clever
.
Abaddon
Deity
Aww...my phantom died.. poo! ive never "failed" before 
Abaddon
Deity
Leafworm : Abaddon
Evolved from: Tidalworm
Genes (4): Digging x2, Water Retention x 2, Crawling x 1, Eating Dead Things x1
Genes Added: Digging x1, Water retention x1
Description: The leafworm is taking advantage of the abundant plantlife that is appearing. It tunnels around in the soft, infant soil devouring the fallen leaves. Its enhanced digging ability means it lives almost all its life underground, and while its water retention has improved to the level it does not need to be in water, it must remain underground in the damp soil.
Evolved from: Tidalworm
Genes (4): Digging x2, Water Retention x 2, Crawling x 1, Eating Dead Things x1
Genes Added: Digging x1, Water retention x1
Description: The leafworm is taking advantage of the abundant plantlife that is appearing. It tunnels around in the soft, infant soil devouring the fallen leaves. Its enhanced digging ability means it lives almost all its life underground, and while its water retention has improved to the level it does not need to be in water, it must remain underground in the damp soil.
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
Yes, I know there were large insects, however, that was almost universally during high oxygen content period, specifically because their oxygen exchange system did not work as well for larger organisms. Which was my point.
Splime
Regular Lurker
Blobster Phylum has arrived, in two varieties: "New" and "Old"
Splime
Regular Lurker
Dibbler's in the House!
Splime
Regular Lurker
Somehow, this chart remains under 500 KB: Plankton!
Splime
Regular Lurker
OK, the last two: Spongita and Sucky.
Splime
Regular Lurker
Spoiler Old Species :
Dibbler 3.0: Splime
Evolved From: Dibbler MkII
Genes Added (3): Smell Sense x1, Eating Dead Things x1, Complex Stomach x1
Genes Removed: None
Genes (7): Crawling x2, Eating Dead Things x2, Complex Stomach x2, Smell Sense x1
Description: More mutations have occurred, and the Dibbler 3.0 emerges. Basic improvements, including a more efficient stomach, and more efficiency at eating dead things. However, there is one trait that stands out: a sense of smell. There's nothing like the smell of dead things in the morning, and the Dibbler 3.0 knows this. By using its sense of smell to locate food, it can employ its better crawling capabilities to getting to it fast, and then its stomach gets more food.
Disenfrancised
Beep Beep
Which I agreed with if you look at the next line
.@Iggy: Arthropods don't have capillaries per say, the coelom (tissue between the gut and the epidermis) is greatly reduced and replaced by a haemocoel, consisting of a series of blood sinuses (spaces) which bathe the organs in circulatory fluid. A tetrapod-style lung requires a) a more sopthesticated system of tissue organisation to give the large surface area, b) capillaries to move the ciculatroy fluid into this area c) a high pressure heart of some sort to pump the blood in and out d) the enclosing and compaction of organs in the coelom. And most of the intermediatory steps would be of reduced fitness, and would require major structural changes from the blastoderm onwards.
North King
blech
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,165
Which I agreed with if you look at the next line
Yes, I know you know I know. Can we stop the agreement cycle, please!?
Grombar
Fire in the Hole
Spoiler :
Spongita Waliska
Evolved from: Spongita Hatamotochi
Genes Added (max 2): Plankton Eating x1, Carpeting x1
Genes Removed (max 2):mass reproduction x1
Descroption: An offshoot of the Spongita Tanegashima family that has developed basically into a colony of its own. Instead of just spawning large numbers of larvae that drift, settle and become new sponges the Spongita Waliska now produces a smaller amount of larvae that grow up around it, eventually attaching itself to the main sponge and increasing the size of the original. The new larger Sponge needs more energy to survive thus its slowly developed better ways to get energy out of its only source of food plankton. When part of it dies the Spongitas will just let the dead sponge fall away or decompose and most likely a new sponge larvae will take that spot in the future.
tuxedohamm
Disguised as crow.
Shellster Flutuan: tuxedohamm
Evolved from: Shellster
Genes (8): Drifting x2, Plankton Eating x3, Spikes x1, Shell x2
Description: To survive the increased competition the Shellster Flutuan improved its abilities to draw nutrients from the plankton it consumes and developed improved/increased glands to better control its bouyancy. It still grows slowly, but floats better than the Shellster.
->
Shellster Flutuapod : tuxedohamm
Evolved from: Shellster Flutuan
Gene added (max 2): (Grasping) Tentacle x1, Smelling x1
Gene removed (optional, max 2): none
Description (optional): The SHellster Flutuapod has developed a tentacle to grasp onto plants and a basic sense of smell to detect when it is near a plant to grasp or when a predator is near and it needs to retract its tentacle back into its tough, spiked shell.
As the Shellster Flutuans would drift into the dense forests of stalked sea plants, some have developed a tentacle that protrudes from the inner edge of their mouth. Lining the edge of their mouth, chemical receptive cells have developed that allow the creature to "smell" its surroundings so that if a predator approaches they can bring the tentacle back into the shell, protecting the softer tissue from predation. The sense of smell also allows the Shellster Flutuapod to detect when it is in a plankton rich area and when plants are nearby to grasp onto. This allows the animal to sit in the underwater forests and have its food brought to it by the currents. This also has allowed a rudimentary hiding loaction from sight-based predators who now have to find the animal amongst the underwater forests instead of the open ocean.
Evolved from: Shellster
Genes (8): Drifting x2, Plankton Eating x3, Spikes x1, Shell x2
Description: To survive the increased competition the Shellster Flutuan improved its abilities to draw nutrients from the plankton it consumes and developed improved/increased glands to better control its bouyancy. It still grows slowly, but floats better than the Shellster.
->
Shellster Flutuapod : tuxedohamm
Evolved from: Shellster Flutuan
Gene added (max 2): (Grasping) Tentacle x1, Smelling x1
Gene removed (optional, max 2): none
Description (optional): The SHellster Flutuapod has developed a tentacle to grasp onto plants and a basic sense of smell to detect when it is near a plant to grasp or when a predator is near and it needs to retract its tentacle back into its tough, spiked shell.
As the Shellster Flutuans would drift into the dense forests of stalked sea plants, some have developed a tentacle that protrudes from the inner edge of their mouth. Lining the edge of their mouth, chemical receptive cells have developed that allow the creature to "smell" its surroundings so that if a predator approaches they can bring the tentacle back into the shell, protecting the softer tissue from predation. The sense of smell also allows the Shellster Flutuapod to detect when it is in a plankton rich area and when plants are nearby to grasp onto. This allows the animal to sit in the underwater forests and have its food brought to it by the currents. This also has allowed a rudimentary hiding loaction from sight-based predators who now have to find the animal amongst the underwater forests instead of the open ocean.
MjM
Deity
Spongita Solis: MjM
Evolved from: Spongita Plurus
Genes (9) Photosynthesis x1, Large Size x1, Plankton Eating x1, Mass Reproduction x3, Poison x1, Roots x1
Description: After many years of being eaten as a low grade animal, and sustaining the hunters, Spongita Solis is a mutation that first appeared in Spongita Plurus, but after many many generations, the Sponges that could make there own food by growing chambers full of photosynthesising microbes.
-->
Spongita Terra
Evolved From: Spongita Solis
Genes Genes (11) Photosynthesis x2, Large Size x1, Plankton Eating x1, Mass Reproduction x3, Poison x1, Roots x2
Genes added (max 2): Roots x1, Photosynthesis x1
Description: The Spongita Terra is much higher order of plant than the Spongita Solis. The roots have improved greatly, as have it's photosynthesis ability. The plant will now outcompete many lower order plants, and due to the mass reproduction, thrive. (hopefully.)
Evolved from: Spongita Plurus
Genes (9) Photosynthesis x1, Large Size x1, Plankton Eating x1, Mass Reproduction x3, Poison x1, Roots x1
Description: After many years of being eaten as a low grade animal, and sustaining the hunters, Spongita Solis is a mutation that first appeared in Spongita Plurus, but after many many generations, the Sponges that could make there own food by growing chambers full of photosynthesising microbes.
-->
Spongita Terra
Evolved From: Spongita Solis
Genes Genes (11) Photosynthesis x2, Large Size x1, Plankton Eating x1, Mass Reproduction x3, Poison x1, Roots x2
Genes added (max 2): Roots x1, Photosynthesis x1
Description: The Spongita Terra is much higher order of plant than the Spongita Solis. The roots have improved greatly, as have it's photosynthesis ability. The plant will now outcompete many lower order plants, and due to the mass reproduction, thrive. (hopefully.)
Daftpanzer
canonically ambiguous
> Flying Phantom was in the stats, but It shouldn’t have been, and is removed now (I did the stats for every new species before trying to decide if they survived or not… >
Thanks for posting the new species!
@Splime, awesome work yet again
Thanks very much for posting it!
@North_King, apologies for sounding nasty. I was posting at 5:00AM
@Lord_Iggy, about the leg-claws. Partly I forgot about that, partly I wasn’t sure how this would work. How are you picturing this? They already have multi-purpose claws as I imagined it, will those become redundant?
…but still amphibious also... The Respirytes may have lungs, but IMO they are still coastal creatures due to the low level of ‘Water Retention’, they need to have frequent dips in water to avoid drying out, or at least stay to damp areas. That made it direct competition on land. Then there was competition with the Scuterytes and others on the sea floor. The Gelurytes were then a bit over-complicated for that role on its own, as they were still adapted to be amphibious. So I didn’t see it being able to survive without any foothold on land. The way I saw it, they got absorbed into the new emerging species…
@ Thlayli, I liked your post about crawling and walking
On that issue, I see crawling as being very cheap ability to grow, especially great for things that live underwater, and also allows them to haul out onto the beach easy enough. Though for heavy animals trying to crawl any distance on land, its going to be very slow, and not very energy efficient. Walking (or trotting, or whatever you call it with x number of legs) will help heavy creatures move around on land much more efficiently and speedily. However its going to be harder to grow this ability as it involves more complex joints and muscles, adding to the complexity and growing time of the creature etc.
That’s my opinion at the moment, I don’t pretend to be an expert of course…
@ Dis, thanks again for the info! Ive no hope of making this game realistic, but id like it to stay a few notches down from totally ridiculous
>Thanks for posting the new species!
@Splime, awesome work yet again
Thanks very much for posting it! @North_King, apologies for sounding nasty. I was posting at 5:00AM
@Lord_Iggy, about the leg-claws. Partly I forgot about that, partly I wasn’t sure how this would work. How are you picturing this? They already have multi-purpose claws as I imagined it, will those become redundant?
Lord_Iggy said:
…but still amphibious also... The Respirytes may have lungs, but IMO they are still coastal creatures due to the low level of ‘Water Retention’, they need to have frequent dips in water to avoid drying out, or at least stay to damp areas. That made it direct competition on land. Then there was competition with the Scuterytes and others on the sea floor. The Gelurytes were then a bit over-complicated for that role on its own, as they were still adapted to be amphibious. So I didn’t see it being able to survive without any foothold on land. The way I saw it, they got absorbed into the new emerging species…
@ Thlayli, I liked your post about crawling and walking
On that issue, I see crawling as being very cheap ability to grow, especially great for things that live underwater, and also allows them to haul out onto the beach easy enough. Though for heavy animals trying to crawl any distance on land, its going to be very slow, and not very energy efficient. Walking (or trotting, or whatever you call it with x number of legs) will help heavy creatures move around on land much more efficiently and speedily. However its going to be harder to grow this ability as it involves more complex joints and muscles, adding to the complexity and growing time of the creature etc.
That’s my opinion at the moment, I don’t pretend to be an expert of course…
@ Dis, thanks again for the info! Ive no hope of making this game realistic, but id like it to stay a few notches down from totally ridiculous
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