Macroscopic Stage GDD
Previous stage: Multicellular Stage. Next stage: Aware Stage
The macroscopic stage is the third stage of the game. Having just become big enough to rapidly multiply the number of cells of each type, those blobs of cells have now turned into proper tissues that make up a macroscopic creature. The player now possesses the ability to shape a creature made up of blobs of specialized tissue. You start the Multicellular Stage within the editor where the previous cell colony has been converted into a group of blobs (metaballs).
There is a dedicated page about the Macroscopic Stage in general.
Overview
Much like the prior stage, the Multicellular stage possesses two types of gameplay: Environmental gameplay which consists of the player's organism exploring and surviving it's environment, and editor gameplay which involves the player modifying and adapting their species to better survive while studying changes in the world.
Much like the Multicellular Stage, environmental gameplay is based on:
- Exploration
- Resource Gathering
- Interaction with other macroscopic organisms
- Interaction with the environment
Editor gameplay is based on:
- Seeing the conditions of surrounding patches
- Learning about environmental changes
- Strategic construction of your organism's body plan
- Careful specialization and adaptation of individual cell variants
- Auto-evo
Transitions
The transition from the previous stage is performed by evolving while being part of a cellular colony of appropriate size. A prerequisite for this is that the player possesses an appropriate number of cells in their organism's body plan. This takes the player straight from multicellular gameplay to the macroscopic editor in which cells are replaced with tissue, and the player's early body-plan becomes the metaball torso section of their new stage organism. In order to reach the next stage, the player must master cell specialization and tissue development, and effectively create a brain for their organism to become aware.
This transition to a macroscopic creature also stops cells from being visible, meaning that this is a major environment change as the player can no longer interact with cells, instead only being able to interact with other macroscopic species made from metaballs in a 3D environment.
Environment
WIP
Biomes
WIP
Resources
WIP
Movement
The controls in macroscopic stage build on the earlier ones but with full 3D movement and environment. That means new additions to the controls like the ability to ascend/jump or descend/crouch using the space key and either Ctrl or C. As well as to pan the camera by turning the mouse, like is familiar in 3D action games.
Evolution
Evolving in the multicellular stage is much like the previous stage, with reproduction taking the player to the editor where they can evolve their organism.
This is the first editor where it moves to a 3D perspective and allows the player to freely sculpt their organism with tissues (via metaballs) instead of individual cells. The player's previous body-plan will be converted into a 3D shape that serves as the initial torso of their organism. The likely initial approach is to convert each placed cell into a metaball.
The key features are as follows:
- The editing field is now centered around the organism's torso
- Instead of placing individual cells, the player now shapes the torso and limbs with tissue types.
- Picking parts from a list to place with is replaced with picking materials (tissues) to sculpt with.
- Parts list is occupied by tissues which the player can modify or clone through the microbe editor to create new tissue types similarly to the early phase.
- Player can now sculpt and attach limbs and other advanced parts (parts will be made up of tissues designed by the player instead of being premade literal "parts") to their organism.
Mutations
Much like the multicellular stage, the macroscopic stage will feature a limited currency, MP, that the player can spend to evolve their organism. All mutations, whether it be placing a mitochondrion on a cell or extending the length of a limb, will deduct a percentage of MP from the same pool. The various MP consuming mutations are as follows:
- Modifying tissues.
- Sculpting the torso section of the player's organism.
- Sculpting joints and creating limbs.
- Editing integumentary parts such as fur or scales or placing clumps of integuments.
Combat
WIP
Health and Death
WIP
NPCS
WIP
Reproduction
WIP
Organism Editor
All mutations will cost MP from the same pool, so the player must carefully consider what changes they make to their organism.
Macroscopic Editor
The macroscopic editor takes place in a new 3D plane, allowing players to shape their organism from any angle. No longer will individual cells be visible, the organism is now sculpted out of entire tissues. The parts list still consists of different cell types, but they will now be placed on the organism as a tissue, or material that the player will use to shape their organism with.
- The torso can be freely sculpted with different tissue types as needed.
- Placable parts can now be sculpted from tissues instead of individual cells and attached to the torso or limbs.
- Tissue types can still be edited or created just like individual cells in the early phase.
- Joints can be placed on any surface of the creature's torso to create sculptable limbs at a large cost of MP.
Structure Tab
TODO
Integuments Tab
TODO
Behavior Tab
TODO
Game Screens
WIP
Simulation Specifics
WIP
Visuals
WIP
GUI
WIP
Models
WIP
Animations
WIP
Audio
WIP