Friday, September 28, 2012

Hardcore Lineage Tracing


I have been working on this project for so long that I honestly have no idea where to begin, so I'll start with this: Legacy Family Tree.

The free edition has a multitude of utilities which can be used to build an extensive database in which Norn lineage could be traced.  I've tried several methods of tracing Norn genealogy, but  combined with the free  LegacyCharting extension software, keeping track of Norn populations has never been so easy or efficient.   Fair warning: starting off is complicated. It took a lot of fiddling around before I finally figured out what the heck I was doing. Most features are only available in the paid Deluxe version, but for Creatures purposes the free version is more than sufficient.


My main family file is called Hyperborea and consists of 76 Norns at this time. I have merged several unrelated families, so there are several interwoven lineages.

At the start of generation 7, inbreeding is nonexistent to minimal. I have been diligent (obsessive) about breeding groups and strict with IQ testing. Literally everything gets documented in Microsoft OneNote and that data is entered into Legacy. It really is a beautiful thing. 

The charting feature is amazing. Here we have the ancestors of a little guy named Enu:

And here we can see all of the descendants of Enu's mother, Dyvia:
Going back even further, here are the descendants of Dyvia's grandmother, Brya:
There are several different types of charts, all with their own unique appeal. I highly suggest all Creatures genealogy buffs check out this program. I'd love to see some of your family trees!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Biodome IQ Test


Intelligence testing is a standard part of most of my worlds.  Inspired by the Creatures IQ test developed by Danikat, I have devised a similar test using the Biodome metaroom. 

The test begins at the very bottom right of the Biodome.


All eggs are collected via the Advanced Egg Collector, which along with the Vocabulizer are connection to a timer.The grids and colored dots show room boundary and CA links and are just two of the incredible functions of Amaikokonut's  Magic Words Room Edits, one of the most invaluable agents I have ever used.

After hatching, Norns must navigate doors and lifts (Elevines) in order to reach food, fruit and seeds.
There are two possible routes: Norns may either travel through the door (Torii) to the right, or use the Elevine to the left. 



Regardless of which method is used to travel up to the second subterranean level,  a Norn  must be able to resist elevator, door, machinery/toy fixation in order to progress to the next level and avoid starvation.


 I'm pretty strict. If a Norn does not pass within a few minutes after reaching childhood, they are disqualified and usually exported. Most of the genomes I use in my world are edited so that survival and navigation instincts and drives kick in as a baby, rather than as children. Survival of the fittest starts at birth, after all...

I've tried creating intelligence tests using other metarooms as well, but the Biodome seems to be the most useful aside from the original Workshop test. Has anyone else made their own version of an IQ test? I;d love to hear about it! I'm always looking for new ideas and scenarios!

Monday, September 17, 2012

Even More Garden Box Fun

I decided to turn the Grendel Jungle into a cozier, Norn friendly environment. Unfortunately, the world ended up crashing before I got a chance to import any Norns, but it looks cool nonetheless.



I wonder what today's project is going to be...

Any suggestions?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Garden Box Fun

I have been having a blast playing with Amaikokonut's Garden Box injector system. It's amazing how many hours of fun one can have in a creatureless world.









Of course, my Norns are very much enjoying their snazzy new environment as well.




Friday, September 14, 2012

Current projects

See, this is why I was hesitant to start a blog. I suck at actually updating it! It was a busy summer. Working 6 days a week left little time for Creatures, but I'm back. (Just in time for CCSF 2012)!  I have lots of material saved up to post...it's just a matter of actually doing it.

Anywho...

I have several different folders all containing several dozen altered genomes. My tendency to start a new project before finishing the previous one basically leaves me with a giant mess of ideas and no central focus. I've managed to get a handle on tweaking the nutritional and dietary requirements, so starvation isn't much of an issue anymore. On the other hand, I have a handful of genomes that basically do nothing other than hunt down food, fruit and seeds to eat. Creating a genome with stable sleeping habits is proving to be more difficult. While I have gotten lucky, that's all it is--luck. I have done endless research and testing on Norn instincts and stimuli, but have yet to develop a genome that "rests [self]" appropriately. I had a good grasping of elevator and door navigation but too much time away set me back a bit. I have the data and whatnot all filed away in Microsoft One Note, but for now the whole tiredness, sleepiness, resting vs. actual sleep confusion is my target.