NESLife VIII: The Next Generation

[Aiken_Drumn]

Wahoo! Awesome update, thank you Dafty!

 

[erez87]

Whoa quick update! Nice.

Xanxen
Evolved from: Xerophage
Genes added: x1 lungs, x1 slithering, x1 water retention
genes removed: none
Description: With plant life freely growing on land, it had to happen that some creatures would follow behind. The first was probably the Xanxen, a tiny plant eater who could barely survive outside the water for very long, but could slither around the ground and on nearby land plants to feed upon them. Outside the water the Xanxen found a huge fuel source - free atmospheric oxygen, which it soon begun to take advantage of.

 

[Angst]

Completely fine with the change Daft! And just generally happy the evolution worked out lol. Amazing update as always

 

[Jehoshua]

@Jehoshua, under what I had in mind, 2x freshwater tolerance basically makes it difficult to live in salt water anymore, thus meaning the Galgophage can’t cross oceans to colonise other waterways. Sorry if that seems harsh... A future evolution could lose 1x level and re-evolve a more tidal zone lifestyle, where it’s not unfeasible for it to cross oceans. Or there could be another gene like ‘salt tolerance’ to enable it to cross oceans. I need to speak to Iggy more about Salmon and how they do it but I think he said it’s not a trivial adaptation to be able to survive in both...

Although I think they ought to be more widespread given that the Falgophage was ubiquitious in tropical areas as well before the rise of the Phytophage... thats fine. At any rate with the movement of the continents its likely they'll eventually spread everywhere at some point. Nice update btw

 

[Thlayli]

Very nice update, Daft. For once I will wait a little bit to jump in with a new evolution until I see the NPC evos; I have a number of good ideas but I typically want to contribute to my lines in a way that best increases their overall diversity.

 

[Daftpanzer]

So here are the upcoming NPC species - giving plants and fungus some love:

Reefster - NPC
Evolved from: Swimster
Genes added: 1x Camouflage, 1x Egg Laying, 1x Filter Feeding
Genes removed: 1x Buoyancy
Description: Having been forced into hiding amongst the reefs, Reefsters have adopted camouflage patterns and skin texture that blends them into their surroundings - through primitive eyesight, this makes them almost impossible to spot. A suction mouth is more efficient at drawing in plankton, while embedded in the cover of rocks or plant growth. But perhaps more crucially, rather than a slow and awkward budding process, they have begun to lay eggs into the cover of the reefs - allowing the adults to stay more mobile after laying, and allowing their larvae a decent start in life. Both the eggs and larvae share many of the camouflage characteristics as their parents.

Spirotron - NPC
Evolved from: Kleptotron
Genes added: 1x Trunk, 1x Leaves, 1x Freshwater Tolerance
Description: In the early stages of growth, Spriotron is hardly distinguishable from its Kleptotron ancestors, except for the fact it has a love for freshwater lakes and swamps. But once established and feeding off other nearby plants, it begins to grow a primitive ‘trunk’ at its core, made from the slow winding and twisting of a central tendril - the outer layers of which slowly harden and semi-mineralise. From this stubby trunk, fronds of dedicated light-catching tissues emerge, now suspended a short distance above the surface, putting other nearby plants in the shade. Vascular tissue within the trunk serves to transport water, nutrients and sugar to and from these primitive leaf-like structures. However, without any ability to limit water loss from its exposed surfaces, it is confined to growing in swamps and wetlands.

Erbsus - NPC
Evolved from: Corsus
Genes added: 2x Freshwater Tolerance, 1x Airborne Spores
Genes removed: 1x Aquatic Spores
Description: a branch of Corsus that evolved to survive in terrestrial environments fed by rainwater, where it can harness an abundance of decaying plant growth, undisturbed by animals. It has also adapted its spores to be able to drift through the air, rather than being limited to a particular lake or lagoon. However, it still has little tolerance for dry conditions, being limited to wetter climates, and it can only hope that its primitive spore-structures are able to poke free of any nearby plants.

 

[Jehoshua]

Cenozord

Evolved From: Tentaflail
Genes Added: Shell, Burrowing, Aquatic Spores
Genes Removed: None
Total Genes: 2x Tentacles, 1x Barbs, 1x Eyes, 1x Stomach, 1x Shell, 1x Burrowing, 1x Aquatic Spores

The Cenozord is a burrowing ambush predator of the tropics. Utilising its long, narrow, razor like shell together with two specialised tentacles to burrow into sediment the Cenozord ambushes passing prey from their subterranean lairs, ensnaring them with a flurry of its ten barbed tentacles, engulfing those ensnared within its powerful stomach. Its preferred habitat is composed of areas of sand or mud where aquatic flora and their associated fauna proliferates, however certain species have adapted to reefs where they are typically found in sandy deposits at the foot of Tallubester formations.

Wherever the Cenozord is found, during certain seasons under the light of the full moon, pairs of spore laden reproductive tentacles can be observed emerging from their burrows like submarine probes, releasing their cargo to the currents in concert and entrusting them to the mercy of the ocean.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

Loving these evolutions. I'll get mine in shortly.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

Viridurtica - Aiken Drumn
Evolved from: Algaetron

Genes: 2x Photosynthesis, 1x Buoyancy, +1x Cnidocytes, 1x Flagellar.

Viridurtica, taking advantage of increased energy available to it, was able to channel this into its own survival. Stinging cells, triggered when touched, as well as some rudimentary movement. The result was that there were few, having decided to munch on a clump of Viridurtica, that would be willing to take a second bite, let alone chase after it.

 

[TerrisH]

Depophage
Evolved From: Falgophage- Jehoshua
Existing Genes: 1x Swimming, 1x Stomach, 1x Plant Eating, 1x Jaws, 1x Buoyancy, 1x Vision, 1x Cold Resistance, 1x Egg Laying
Genes Added: 1x Scavenging, 1x Pressure Resistance, 1x Strength
Genes Removed: none
Description: Depophages are considerably less picky about what they are willing to eat compared to the Falgophages, willing to consume nearly anything organic they might find upon the sea floor. Something that is especially handy in their younger stages, and has resulted in many of them laying their eggs in corpses found in deeper water, were few creatures can survive.

Notes:
Most of the intent was to establish the egg laying in deeper water, where there are fewer predators to feed on the eggs and hatchlings. Young tend to stay and scavenge there for a few weeks until their natural buoyancy starts to kick in, then swim to the shallower water where they will live most of their lives.
Adults only visit the deeper water to lay their eggs once a year in any corpse they can find there. Possibly their own corps should they take to long to find a corpse and run out of energy, expelling their eggs in their last moments. Those that quickly find a corpse return to the shallower waters to live for another year.
Strength is to help them descent into the depths, fighting their own buoyancy, and to help their jaws break through exoskeletons/shells/bones of dead creatures.

 

[tuxedohamm]

Distahol - tuxedohamm

Evolved from: Snifahol

Evolution Bonus: +1 Gene

New Genes: 1x Freshwater Tolerance, 1x Water Retention, 1x Plant Eating

Genes: 1x External Digestion 1× Plant Eating, 1x Crawling, 2x Freshwater Tolerance, 2x Scent Detection

Description: Descendants of the lowly Snifahols continued the progress that had been successful in the past. Thicker skin and improved biological processes allowed the Distahol to move farther upriver from the seas and spend brief moments out of water in the moist areas of flood plains and swamps. Finding untouched plant life led to specific adaptations to thrive on the nutrients provided from photosynthesizers found in these new regions.

 

[Angst]

Longaedus
Evolved From: Moldus
Genes: 2x Hyphae, 1x Aquatic Spores, 1x Acid Tolerance, 1x Acid Production (+1x Hyphae, +1x Acid Tolerance, +1x Acid Production, has Gene Bonus)

Description: The longaedus has adapted to Longaetron blooms, tolerant of their acidic defenses, while using longaetron acid to protect themselves. They infest these blooms at large scale, eventually to even dig into Tallubester formations with the entries of Longaetron, if not using acid for this themselves.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

Yo, we head you like acid - Xzibit

 

[Thlayli]

I'm going to make the Revolva my primary evolution this turn, so no public contribution from me unfortunately...I will still PM Daft some NPC ideas, as requested.

 

[Daftpanzer]

I'm going to make the Revolva my primary evolution this turn, so no public contribution from me unfortunately...I will still PM Daft some NPC ideas, as requested.

That's cool! In that case, I'll interpret the Revolva as the following:

Revolva
Evolved From: Zoupa
Genes Added: 1x Freshwater Tolerance, 1x Brooding Pouch
Genes Removed: 1x Barbs (I am keeping 'aquatic spores' as a gene, however the spore stage is gestated within an aqueous sac within the parent organism)
Genes: 2x Tentacles, 2x Water Retention, 1x Freshwater Tolerance, 1x Eyes, 1x External Digestion, 1x Stomach, 1x Aquatic Spores, 1x Brooding Pouch

I wasn't comfortable with a gene referencing Marusipials which don't exist in this world so - brooding pouch? Also, sorry but I'm sticking to my guns on the freshwater tolerance - Revolva will be able to absorb rain and fresh water but will need to return to seawater or brackish water every so often, or its biochemisty will get screwed up.

I'm envisioning basically every land animal and plant will have 'freshwater tolerance' in their stats. I want there to be an actual difference between marine and non-marine 'species'. If there's a hurdle to cross, I think it makes things more interesting rather than having one aquatic filter-feeder for example that can live across the entire of the world's water...

 

[North King]

Laborotron
Evolved from: Terrotron
Genes Added: +1 Photosynthesis, +1 Seeds
Genes Removed:
Genes: 2x Photosynthesis, 1x Buoyancy, 1x Mucus, 1x Hibernation, 1x Roots, 1x Water Retention, 1x Freshwater Tolerance, 1x Seeds
Description: An accelerated ability to turn light into sugars, along with a seed dispersal system, make Laborotron an increasingly competitive land plant. Seeds grow at the tips of the radially symmetric "leaf" systems, very small, wispy things containing just enough starches to make a new Laborotron sprout even in non-ideal conditions; they float on the heavy breezes of the planet's dense atmosphere. Limited water retention, freshwater tolerance, and temperature tolerance still limit these plants to wet, tropical regions of the planet.

 

[Terrance888]

Flosszorg - Terrance888

Evolved from: Crawlzorg (Era 2 -> 8)

Added Genes: 1x Parasitic Tendrils, 1x Acid Resistance, 1xExternal Digestion

Removed Genes: N/A

Genes: 1x Tentacles, 1x Filter Feeding, 1x Photosynthesis, 1x Aquatic Spores 1x Parasitic Tendrils 1x External Digestion 1x Acid Resistance

Description: Flosszorg’s photosynthetic spores are often swept up by filter feeders alongside other plankton. If not broken down in time, they can implant themselves onto the mouths or stomachs or gills of their would-be devourers and parasitize them. Regardless if they grew up within a filter feeder or not, their adult forms develop acidic pouches on the tip of their tentacles. For stomachborn, this digestive acid burns pouches into flesh, from which the meat is absorbed for sustenance, creating a gap into which more spores are injected. For waterborn, these acidic pouches are used for defense, and for helping them digest their preferred foods - eggs, and the dense vegetal matts they’re nestled within.

EDIT - I can also see them burrowing themselves into Tallbulester and other reef-filter feeders.

 

[Thlayli]

I wasn't comfortable with a gene referencing Marusipials which don't exist in this world so - brooding pouch?

This is a great idea, I was honestly looking for a better word to describe this.

Also, sorry but I'm sticking to my guns on the freshwater tolerance - Revolva will be able to absorb rain and fresh water but will need to return to seawater or brackish water every so often, or its biochemisty will get screwed up.

I'm envisioning basically every land animal and plant will have 'freshwater tolerance' in their stats. I want there to be an actual difference between marine and non-marine 'species'. If there's a hurdle to cross, I think it makes things more interesting rather than having one aquatic filter-feeder for example that can live across the entire of the world's water...

Here I'm a bit confused. I don't want it to have tolerance for large sources of fresh water. If it gets deluged by rain or falls into a lake, I want it to die. I specifically want it to have tolerance for water 'vapor'. I might be handicapping myself a bit here since obviously the Freshwater Tolerance gene has more generalizable use, and you want all land animals to be required to have it since drinking water is useful, but I wanted these creatures to get their water in a different way.

Sometimes, natural selection favors the development of creatures whose behaviors to our eyes seem elaborate, ungainly, or precariously delicate, and that was what I have attempted with this animal, which I knew on posting would be controversial.

I am very familiar with the Freshwater Tolerance gene. I used it for the Flestuary to encourage it to move into brackish environments. It is not my preferred route for a sea animal adapting to a brackish environment and a small land animal attempting to osmoregulate and hydroregulate through skin pores to use the same gene. I think that should be up to me as a player. In practice, I'm not disputing your logic on the habitat (that the animal must still get salt from brackish water or salt flats or whatever). But requiring one gene pathway to get to the same result is unnecessarily limiting, if an alternate pathway is biologically plausible.

Sort of how a creature that wants to navigate the deep sea floor could achieve that with pressure resistance genes, or with exoskeletal genes, or maybe some other genes I haven't considered.

This is also the 3rd generation of a clade that has been slowly and incrementally adopting to land, so I don't think I'm at odds with your wishes for a hurdle.

 

[North King]

relevant for everyone:

 

[Angst]

Tree of life looking thicc.

Flapmellesters probably dying out soon. Me sad. Poor lorg blobs.