Creatures

Creatures first make their appearance in phase two and are directly evolved from a microorganism from the tide pool phase. The only period of the game that creatures can be modified are during the creature and space phases, any time thereafter (or before space) the only evolution that takes place is in a social/cultural/technological sense.

A Creature’s Appearance

The physical appearance of a Creature can be changed with each successive generation (ie. after mating). This is done through the Creature Editor and it involves spending DNA points acquired by eating and completing tasks. The creature phase plays a bit like an RPG, so it is rather goal orientated - completing a goal offers DNA points as a reward.

Types of Creatures

• Carnivores (Aggressive): Creatures that kill other animals and eat their meat. By definition, carnivores are aggressive because if they are not, they don’t eat. To create a carnivore, the creature’s mouth must be capable of devouring.

• Herbivores (Defensive/Diplomatic): These are creatures that only eat vegetation and are lower in the food chain than carnivores. Herbivores must constantly watch out for carnivores, as they are their natural predators - herbivores are the part of the carnivore’s food supply and are actively targeted. These creatures seek protection by joining a herd.

• Omnivores: These creatures are essentially a blend between carnivores and herbivores. They are capable of eating both meat and vegetation. Humans are an example of omnivores, as a proper diet involves eating both food groups.

The type of creature one decides to create plays a role in determining it’s social attitude. For example, carnivores are hunters and therefore tend to have aggressive mindsets. On the other hand, herbivores only attack if provoked and tend to be rather social (ie. to form herds for protection). These traits are further refined in the tribal phase.

Known Creature Abilities/Activities

• Singing - Socializing your creature (ie. making friends) involves singing to other creatures, either from your own species or others.
• Mating Call - Signal to nearby creatures that it’s mating season and you are available!
• Eating - Either hunt or forage for food. Your food source depends on whether your creature has developed into a carnivore, herbivore or an omnivore.
• Procreation - This follows the mating call and ends with the laying of an egg - your next generation. Laying an egg also allows you to upgrade your new creature.
• Strike - If your creature processes a limped body part, it will be able to physically strike other creatures.
• Charge - Run towards your target and strike them.
• Bite - The creature uses its mouth to bite its target
• Spit - If the creature has the appropriate kind of mouth, it can spit a harmful liquid towards its target.
• Sprint - Speed of the creature is increased for a short period of time
• Charm - Details unknown, it’s possible that it is used for diplomatic or befriending reasons
• Jump - Details are unknown, but the ability seems self explanatory. However, I’m unsure why a creature would want to jump and I haven’t seen it in action - only as a tag within a video of the creature creator.

Creature Attributes

Five attributes are assigned different levels of quality, these levels are entirely dependent on the physical nature of your creature. Each limp/appendage/pieces within the creature editor has improves upon specific attributes, so you can very easily create the type of creature you want by using the right parts. As an example, if you have developed a creature with a very long gait and swift legs, it will probably have a high speed ranking. On the other hand, if you gave your creature five tails with a spiked-ball at the end of each, you can expect it to have a very powerful attack. The following is the list of attributes each creature possess.

• Attack - Increases the amount of damage inflicted by the creature
• Health - Health points increase with brain size and with certain kinds of creature parts.
• Speed - Increases the speed and swiftness
• Socialize - Makes it easier to form friends and develop positive relationships with others (diplomacy)
• Stealth - Unknown effect on the gameplay, it might be related to how easily the creature is noticed by predators.

Emoticons

These are the emoticons present within the creature editor as well as during the gameplay itself (attacks are only emoticons for the creature editor and in fact an action during the game)

• Surprised
• Sad
• Angry
• Scared
• Laugh
• Ta-da!
• Hippity Hop!