NESLife attempt #3

[Fulton]

Name: Proto-Zeeboo
Evolved From: Plankton
Genes (max 2): Photosynthesis X 1, Capsaicin Production X 1
Description: The Proto-Zeeboo is a small plant native to the warm shallows. it is a simple creature with an ingenious defense. The Proto-Zeeboo creatures large amounts of capsaicin. This causes tremendous pain to potential consumers. Those creatures unfortunate enough to eat part of a Proto-Zeeboo will survive t pass on the knowledge not to eat this budding young plant.

 

[Cannae]

Grabenbewohner: Slavic Sioux
Evolved from: Wavy
Genes (6): Plankton Eating x2, Swimming x2, Vibration Sense x1, Eyes x1, Pressure Resistance x1 Communal Behaviour x1
Description : The Grabenbewohner evolved from the wavy when varoius groups of Wavys started to swim in larger numbers so that fewer attacks from various predators. However the Grabenbewohner also tends to be in the deep ocean for most of the day. When it becomes close to nighttime and when it's dark the Grabenbewohner comes up and starts to feed so that it's less likely to get eaten.

 

[TerrisH]

Quick question. I have +1 genes. can I evolve two seperate creatures, as long as I only use one gene on them?

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Yes, you can.

 

[BananaLee]

Whoa, I go out of town for one day and my Flapper is dying? Buzzy.

It's morphin' time!

FlapFlapRevolution:
Evolved from: Flapper
Genes (4): Sucker Mouth x1, Complex Stomach x1, Swimming x1, Large Fins x1
Gene Added: Mechanoreception
Description: Because water is much more dense than air (literally 833 times denser), it's the perfect breeding ground for a primitive "hearing" sense. The entire body of the FlapFlapRevolution is capable of detecting minor directional changes in water pressure and judging by the magnitude of pressure, say its prey or a bigger predator.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

A great Huntrex glided through the seas. It noticed a faint darkness silhouetted before the great brightness above. Its long, ribbonlike tail made two sweeping movements, and the smooth, green-tinged giant slid right beneath it. The darkness wriggled slightly, possibly feeding. The Huntrex tensed, totally motionless, then lunged. Its maw opened wide, but the thin prey item detected it and disappeared in a flash.

The Huntrex continued its burst of momentum, sucking in only water and some plankton. It burst through the surface, spent a few moments suspended out of the water, then painfully crashed back into the water on its side.

Dazed, it sank into the water on its side. The creature regurgitated the indigestible plankton, then jolted back to alertness. Its prey was nowhere to be found. Had it had the brainpower, it would have felt anger, and perhaps frustration, overlaying the basic feeling of hunger.

And perhaps sadness. It was one of the last of a dying breed. This Huntrex had not mated for several seasons, and had not seen another live member of its kind for nearly as long. It had more often found them dead, lying motionless on the shallow seafloor, Scuterytes and Diddlers swarming over them.

The Huntrex descended down to the seafloor, frightening off a group of Diddlers. One slow one, preoccupied with food, was smashed off into the open water by a shock of water pressure caused by the predator's tail. It wriggled and kicked, in its own mechanical manner, then was sucked into the waiting spikes within the Huntrex' mouth.

The predator, comforted by its food, drifted away into the gloom. It was a constant struggle to survive, each new day was not a chance for success, but a brush with starvation.

However, things are not so bleak for one of its relatives.

Name: Stalkrex
Evolved from: Huntrex
Gene added (max 1): Electrical Sense (Antennae)
Gene removed (optional, max 1):
Description (optional): Intensified competition inspires intensified evolution. Possibly the greatest weakness of the Huntrex was its lack of sensation. It was quite possibly the deadliest conventional predator of its time, but the increasing development of its prey resulted in worse and worse hunting.

Several sensory mutations arose that had the potential to save the species. However, due to many reasons (primarily chance) most of these were wiped out before they had the chance to proliferate. Fortunately for some of the last members of this deadly carnivorous species, one managed to take hold.

At the top, bottom, left and right sides of the head, four fleshy lobes (which had been the Huntrex' extremely rudimentary eyes) developed an ability to detect and focus on electrical impulses. During the extremely competitive times during the Skelospikous era, this sense became refined remarkably quickly.

The end result was the Stalkrex. It is capable of detecting electrical impulses, particularly the ones given off by the muscles and nervous systems of its mobile prey.

This creature looks fairly similar to its Huntrex ancestor, with a few differences: It has four long antennae growing from four points around its mouth. These are the electricity detectors. The creature is also slightly more streamlined, for faster movement, and coloured differently. The advent of prey with sight has made marine camouflage quite useful, so the Stalkrex' top is dark blue, while its bottom is varied in a rippling patterm between a faint aqua hue and white.

While the Huntrex is now gone, the Stalkrex has reestablished the near-dead line, becoming one of the deadliest stealth and ambush predators in the world.

Note to Daftpanzer: Is the Drifting ability at all useful when these guys can swim?

 

[TerrisH]

nah, I think I'll go with a single crature. time for the Urchin to return to the sea.

Sea Urchin: TerrisH
Evolved from: Urchin
Genes (7): Photosynthesis x2, Water Retention x2, Acid x1, Piercing Spikes x1, Crawling Roots x1.
New Genes: Desolving roots(the ability to grow long, very acidic roots in a fairly short period of time. dose not work well on things that move quickly). Smelling(it can smell nearby corpses and prey) Smelling(ability to locate prey/corpses be smell)
Lost Gene: Water Retention X1
Description: the sea urchin. when prey and corpses to eat became scarse upon the beaches, some of the urchins turned back to the sea, where they quickly became a scourge. slowly moving across the sea bed, they would move until they smelled an immobile food source, be it a corpse, another slime, or a sponge colony. then they would dig their roots in, feeding upon the source slowly over a period of several days, during which they would spawn and replicate. worse, their defenses were fearsome. few creatures could prey upon them safely. even fewer species wished to.

 

[jeps]

Jim Morrison: j_eps
Evolved from: Jim²
Genes (4):, Plankton Eating x1, Swimming x1, Poison x2, Piercing Spikes x1
Description: Jim Morrison is an extremely poisonous creature, more poisonous than Jim², and poisonous enough to be harmful to those with Complex Stomachs. Swallowing one would result in death for both creatures. Also more deadly, able to emit a poisonous "Speedball" through its spikes.

 

[Daftpanzer]

Yes, you can.

Blasphemer! You do not speak the truth! Maybe in the first game, but not this one...

@TerrisH, i had not intended people to be able to make more than one new creature per turn in any circumstances, so that there's not an overwhelming number of new species per turn. Quite a few people have bonuses now, so i'd like to stick to this. Sorry if you've already made plans.

@all, thanks for the new species. I guess i can slow down the pace of updates a bit (never thought id be able to say that ).

A couple of things i want to add to this. Tommorrow i will probably add a list of all genes in the game so far, and their specific effects. Ill also make a simple tree showing the branches of evolution.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

I was also wondering Daft, what's to stop every single prey animal from becoming an incredibly-armoured bundle of toxins?

 

[jeps]

predators becoming stronger?

poison immunities?

just wondering, did anyone use poison before me? I cant seem to find it if they did.

 

[MjM]

I was also wondering Daft, what's to stop every single prey animal from becoming an incredibly-armoured bundle of toxins?

What's to stop the preds from outdoing every safeguard the prey comes up with?

 

[TerrisH]

hmm, well, the jump from x2 to x3 is not as great as the jump from x1 to x2. and the jump from x3 to x4 is even less. not to mention better posions/acids/defenses require more energy, so there is a point of diminishing returns. atleast from what I can see.

 

[Daftpanzer]

I didn't see your story post Iggy, I really like it

Note to Daftpanzer: Is the Drifting ability at all useful when these guys can swim?

Drifting is still useful as i imagine it. Its like buoyancy control, low-energy style. Swimmers don't need it, but without it they might use up energy in just trying to stay at the same level in the water. And stuff. Ill post more descriptions of genes and things tommorrow.

I was also wondering Daft, what's to stop every single prey animal from becoming an incredibly-armoured bundle of toxins?

Well the most succesful plankton-eater in the game right now is the 'wavy', which doesnt have any weapons or armour. Ultimately i think it wont work for plankton-eaters to be too heavily tooled up. Things are pretty basic right now, but in the end flesh-eating will have an energy advantage in the game. The flesh eaters should find it easier to develop strength and weapons.

Also, just sheer numbers combined with moderate senses/speed could be a good survival tactic as opposed to costly defences. Mass reproduction isnt very common in the game yet. Some NPC evolutions could change that.

 

[North King]

I was also wondering Daft, what's to stop every single prey animal from becoming an incredibly-armoured bundle of toxins?

Mine's not, and it seems to be doing pretty well.

 

[North King]

Maybe a story later. I feel pretty drained of creative energy.

Wavy: North King
Evolved from: Wriggly
Genes (7): Plankton Eating x2, Swimming x2, Vibration Sense x1, Eyes x1, Pressure Resistancex1
Description (optional): Looking much like the Wriggly, these have added primitive eyes which can spot predators, and some resistance to water pressure. This means that, while they don't live in the deep water (as there is nothing to eat), they can dive there to escape predators if there is no other way out.

Name: Slithery
Evolved from: Wavy
Gene added (max 1+1 bonus): Cold Resistancex1, Plankton Eatingx1 (to make x3 overall)
Gene removed (optional, max 1): None
Description (optional): Much like the Wavy, these have added another innovation: baleen, a sort of hair-like substance in the mouth that strains out plankton and makes feeding even easier. In addition, the last area of the Earth's waters that remained without them--the colder waters--could now inhabited, due to more fat insulating their bodies. Thus, they were a viable creature to dwell in any environment.

OOC: I know you probably don't want more zones of life, but what about freshwater (like rivers)? And maybe the warm water shallows should be expanded, since they're growing so crowded. Just suggestions; great NES.

 

[cvlowe]

A couple of things i want to add to this. Tommorrow i will probably add a list of all genes in the game so far, and their specific effects. Ill also make a simple tree showing the branches of evolution.

I was going to ask for a list

 

[cvlowe]

Spoiler for Biter:

Spoiler :

Biter: cvlowe
Evolved from: Hunter
Genes (5): Plankton Eating x1, Swimming x2, Smelling x1, Fangs x1
Description: In an increasingly competitive ocean, creatures need to develop methods of defense to avoid becoming prey. The Biter's fangs, combined with a superior swimming ability allow it to discourage what it can't swim away from, though it's food source still remains plankton.

Biter Mark II
Evolved from: Biter
Starting Genes (5): Plankton Eating x1, Swimming x2, Smelling x1, Fangs x1
Gene added: Complex Stomach
Gene removed: Plankton Eating
Final Genes (5): Complex Stomachx1, Swimming x2, Smelling x1, Fangs x1
Description: The development of fangs helped to discourage other predators, but took an enormous amount of energy to grow and swim around with, and that prevented the biter from thriving as well as it could have otherwise. These fangs did, however provide an alternate nutrition source for the biter which it started to take advantage of once it mutated a complex stomach. The energy for swimming and reproduction and minerals to maintain it's fangs provided by feeding on other prey gave the mark II a significant advantage over the Biter, and it eventually stopped eating plankton altogether. The Mk IIs ability to smell- especially if a creature is injured, combine with it's superior swimming abilities to create a potentially very effective predator.

 

[MjM]

Spongita Auxillia: MjM
Evolved from: Spongita Tanegashima
Genes (5): Plankton Eating x1, Large Size x1, Mass Reproduction x1, Flesh Eating x1 Poision Cells x1
Description: The Spongita Auxilla is a subspecies of Spongita Carnivorita which has developed a sort of poison, coarsing through it's cells. After being one of the most eaten creatures, the Spongita Auxilla's poison may more may not kill it's eater, which may ward off some attackers. Also, the Sponge is immune to this poison.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

I didn't see your story post Iggy, I really like it



Drifting is still useful as i imagine it. Its like buoyancy control, low-energy style. Swimmers don't need it, but without it they might use up energy in just trying to stay at the same level in the water. And stuff. Ill post more descriptions of genes and things tommorrow.

Oh, so it's like a swim bladder? I think I'll keep it then, to help reduce energy expendatures.

So chemical defenses and the like make it more energy-consuming to grow up?

Maybe a story later. I feel pretty drained of creative energy.

Wavy: North King
Evolved from: Wriggly
Genes (7): Plankton Eating x2, Swimming x2, Vibration Sense x1, Eyes x1, Pressure Resistancex1
Description (optional): Looking much like the Wriggly, these have added primitive eyes which can spot predators, and some resistance to water pressure. This means that, while they don't live in the deep water (as there is nothing to eat), they can dive there to escape predators if there is no other way out.

Name: Slithery
Evolved from: Wavy
Gene added (max 1+1 bonus): Cold Resistancex1, Plankton Eatingx1 (to make x3 overall)
Gene removed (optional, max 1): None
Description (optional): Much like the Wavy, these have added another innovation: baleen, a sort of hair-like substance in the mouth that strains out plankton and makes feeding even easier. In addition, the last area of the Earth's waters that remained without them--the colder waters--could now inhabited, due to more fat insulating their bodies. Thus, they were a viable creature to dwell in any environment.

OOC: I know you probably don't want more zones of life, but what about freshwater (like rivers)? And maybe the warm water shallows should be expanded, since they're growing so crowded. Just suggestions; great NES.

Yay! More meat.