I take it then this assumes we will not have time for the optional (non-cell parts and background cells) features? I would say both of these general functions would be pretty well encapsulated in there.
“Circulatory” Complex
My concern with this is “what biological structure does this represent?” I recently discussed with MirrorMonkey2 that in these kinds of very small animals, “improved circulation” is really just answered by having some type of body cavity versus not having one. (cavities would be easily down via the optional features)
I guess for actual in-cell parts, we’re basically looking at cell-to-cell connections like plasmodesma. Though I figured we assume all Multicellular Species may already have something like this.
- Universal 2% boost to all adjacency bonus effects in all cells.
So if I am understanding correctly, one cell in one place boosts all cell’s adjacency effects everywhere?
- If adjacent to the same cell type, bonus becomes 5% for all connected cells instead. So if two signaling/circulatory cells are connected, instead of the total being 4% (2 x 2) total, it would be 10% (2 x 5).
…Or just for the cells adjacent to one with the circulatory complex?
For the bonus described, would it be more cohesive if the “bonus to adjacency bonus for connected cells” is itself affected by the specialization bonus and adjacency bonus for the cell with this cell part, rather than crafting this different system?
I think this does a good job of both being a viable strategy, and having an affect of gradually encouraging the playerto change the way they structure their organism as stage progress goes on.
I do think that this general objective is good, and could be achieved by this cell part, or other adjacency-boosting effects.
Digestive Complex
Here I have to admit I am a bit more stumped at how to represent this in a cell type. For digestive systems in the Multicellular Stage I was really hoping we could use the optional features to make a simple gut. So that would be an actual multicellular structure, rather than parts within cells.
The majority of players will want a macroscopic organism that is motile, or atleast capable of movement. There will be some weird sessile-esque playstyles that I think would be cool to represent atleast shortly with the “traditional” macroscopic experience – but in general, sessile life will likely need its own sessile gameplay mode that we’ve discussed previously.
I’ve discussed this in a few different places, but I will repeat here.
I think it’s worth saying that in Microbe/Multicellular we already have the possibility of creating almost completely sessile life, without having any special accommodations for that in place (other than the speed up button?). I think that’s ultimately fine, since it’s a deliberate player choice to do so, and we can assume people that do this just like watching plants grow for now. So generally, I think we don’t need to hold up other development for getting sessile mechanics caught up.
However, I think that ultimately what might work best in the future is, rather than a specific “sessile gamemode”, a generally available method to skip time when there is nothing interesting happening. This is inspired by CRPG “rest” mechanics but you could also compare it to minecraft’s “you can’t sleep when there are enemies nearby” idea. The reason to make it generalised is that while for plants you would be skipping most of the time, we would also want it available for animals to skip rest/sleeping time.
Because of that, and in the interest of managing workload – should we accept moving on from the Multicellular Stage with accommodations for more sessile life delayed until we are ready for that? And then when that is ready, go back in the Multicellular Stage, add that progression, then flesh it out more once we’re more sure of that direction?
I think you’re actually talking about the transition to Macroscopic and how that might be different for sessile versus motile species? I think right now I am actually leaning towards not having the progression between those two be fundamentally different.
The requirements for moving to Macroscopic could be the same, but that could then result in your starting Macroscopic species being immobile if you don’t have the right Multicellular design. We could give a warning about that, then giving you the choice of staying in Multicellular to do further edits, or go to Macroscopic and evolve ways to become mobile again later on (or perhaps even in the first editor session before really playing).