My ideas for unlocking new parts
Oct 4, 2016 13:12:39 GMT
Moopli, StealthStyleL, and 1 more like this
Post by mcdevil on Oct 4, 2016 13:12:39 GMT
Hi folks. I have a few ideas for a system to unlock new parts. Let's look at a little diagram I've thrown together in Photoshop in 5 minutes:
As you can see, my idea uses a "tree"-like system. Rather than have your critter dig up bones to unlock new parts (tedious and unrealistic), like in Spore, I'd rather have something like an upgrade system. The idea is, you get a certain amount of points, every time you reproduce, like in cell stage. You use these points to "buy" a new part (in this example, a mouth). However, rather than freely unlocking any part whatsoever, you can only choose one of two or three possible options, depending on where on the diagram you are. The higher the level of the part you unlock, the better stats it will have (damage, etc). You can also move freely between different categories, in this case, between herbivore, omnivore and carnivore, although that transition would be gradual, simulating how evolution itself is gradual in the real world. This way, it feels like your creature really is evolving towards something else and your choices in the game, affect which path you can take. You won't be able to unlock each and every part on your first playthrough, therefore this also increases replayability.
On the right side of the diagram, there is an efficiency arrow, which goes towards either eating plants, or meat. The idea is that the closer you get towards each end of that arrow, the more efficient your creature will be at getting nutrients from either source. Mouths that are at the plants end of the efficiency arrow, extract a higher amount of nutrients from plants, than mouths which are closer to the middle. Same goes for meat and in the case of omnivores, the mouths won't be too particularly efficient at eating either thing, but you have the access to a more diverse range of food sources. This would also be affected by the levelling system.
Here's an example: A level 1 herbivore mouth from the bottom of this diagram, has 0% meat eating efficiency (meaning you can't eat meat, as you'd absorb 0% of the nutrients in whatever you are consuming), but has 50% efficiency at consuming plant matter (meaning you get 50% of the total nutrients in whatever plant you're eating). The level two mouth would have 70% plant eating efficiency, allowing you to get 70% of the nutrients and the highest level one, would have 100%. In terms of omnivores, you have access to either source, but aren't particularly effective at eating any, with only minor bonuses, depending on where you are on the efficiency meter: The top-most level 1 omnivore mouth would have, say 30% meat eating efficiency and 20% plant eating efficiency, while the bottom one would have its stats reversed. These stats would also increase as you unlock higher level parts, but would not exceed 50% efficiency.
So, what do you guys think?
As you can see, my idea uses a "tree"-like system. Rather than have your critter dig up bones to unlock new parts (tedious and unrealistic), like in Spore, I'd rather have something like an upgrade system. The idea is, you get a certain amount of points, every time you reproduce, like in cell stage. You use these points to "buy" a new part (in this example, a mouth). However, rather than freely unlocking any part whatsoever, you can only choose one of two or three possible options, depending on where on the diagram you are. The higher the level of the part you unlock, the better stats it will have (damage, etc). You can also move freely between different categories, in this case, between herbivore, omnivore and carnivore, although that transition would be gradual, simulating how evolution itself is gradual in the real world. This way, it feels like your creature really is evolving towards something else and your choices in the game, affect which path you can take. You won't be able to unlock each and every part on your first playthrough, therefore this also increases replayability.
On the right side of the diagram, there is an efficiency arrow, which goes towards either eating plants, or meat. The idea is that the closer you get towards each end of that arrow, the more efficient your creature will be at getting nutrients from either source. Mouths that are at the plants end of the efficiency arrow, extract a higher amount of nutrients from plants, than mouths which are closer to the middle. Same goes for meat and in the case of omnivores, the mouths won't be too particularly efficient at eating either thing, but you have the access to a more diverse range of food sources. This would also be affected by the levelling system.
Here's an example: A level 1 herbivore mouth from the bottom of this diagram, has 0% meat eating efficiency (meaning you can't eat meat, as you'd absorb 0% of the nutrients in whatever you are consuming), but has 50% efficiency at consuming plant matter (meaning you get 50% of the total nutrients in whatever plant you're eating). The level two mouth would have 70% plant eating efficiency, allowing you to get 70% of the nutrients and the highest level one, would have 100%. In terms of omnivores, you have access to either source, but aren't particularly effective at eating any, with only minor bonuses, depending on where you are on the efficiency meter: The top-most level 1 omnivore mouth would have, say 30% meat eating efficiency and 20% plant eating efficiency, while the bottom one would have its stats reversed. These stats would also increase as you unlock higher level parts, but would not exceed 50% efficiency.
So, what do you guys think?