Abbreviations Dictionary

Note: there are a bunch of links pointing here to the old wiki, which should be moved over to the new wiki.

Stage Specific Glossaries

Microbe: Microbe Stage Appendices

List

A

Auto-Evo - The system in game which controls organic, planetary, or technical evolution.

B

Behaviour Editor - Part of the Organism Editor and Culture Editor where a player sets up AI and special animations for organisms.

Belgium - Someone tried to swear, and the censors turned it into Belgium.

C

CE - Culture editor. Obsolete.

Census- In procedural evolution, the first step in a generation where the computer counts the members of each species and finds their population as well as the total population of the biome.

CPA System - The fundamental system behind the gameplay of the first half of the game. It has three components, the compound system, population dynamics, and auto-evolution.

D

Darwinian - Refers to the current theory of evolution through natural selection.

Direct Editing - A controversial action, constantly under debate, in which a player can make a small change to their organism by accessing the Organism Editor during gameplay.

E

Editor - Any in-game content editor such as the Organism Editor, Tech Editor, Culture Editor, etc.

ETO - Environmentally Transient Organism, or an organism that moves between biomes regularly.

F

Food Web- A hard-coded representation of all of the niches in a biome, which forms the basis for connections in evolution.

FP - Function part (a part in the Tech editor that allows your tech to perform a certain task).

G

Generation- A section of auto-evo in the game where one mutation of one species takes place.

God Tools - A panel of tools which give the player God-like abilities which are unlocked over the course of gameplay.

GM or God mode - once a separate mode with God Tools (see above). The concept of God Mode has been dropped, in favor of simply using the God Tools in any mode, but God Mode is still often used.

I

Invention - This is a minor, more specific breakthrough by your people. Inventions spring off of Researches. For instance, the Research Athletics leads to the Inventions of Combat Sports, Field Sports, Team Sports and Water Sports. Not all civilisations will invent all of these types of sports, thus Inventions help to diversify nations. Obsolete (Replaced by techs).

L

Lamarckian - refers to Lamarckian evolution, an outdated theory of evolution that assumes mutations are created by an animal's actions and passed on from there.

LAWK - Life as We Know (It). Refers to the forms of life we're familiar with, such as carbon-based ones. Non-LAWK life may be possible, but we don't have evidence for it. The LAWK option in-game will toggle whether semi-fantasy elements (thermoplasts, fire-breathing, etc.) are available to the player.

Levelling - Levelling up a Research or invention is where the player improves the technologies or discoveries they have made. The related Function Parts will become more efficient, powerful, durable or otherwise improved for their purpose. Related bonuses to SCs or nations will be increased.

M

Mannequin - A poseable mannequin representing an organism. Can be loaded into the Tech editor to provide a template to build around.

MC - Military Center. Like a Society Center, except that it is for the express use of the military.

Modification of Odds- The 3rd step in a generation in auto-evo, where orgs' populations are modified to give them different chances of evolving.

Mutation- A change in the body or behavior of an org

N

NPC - Non Playable Character (organism)

NPN - Non-playable Nation (faction)

O

OE - Organism Editor

Org. - Organism

Organism Mode - the mode of gameplay in which a player controls a single organism.

OP - Original post, aka the first post on a thread

P

PE - Planet Editor.

PSG or PPG - Procedural System Generator or Procedural Planet Generator, an engine in the game generates solar systems and the planets and moons and other celestial objects in them.

Procedurals - Methods using algorithims or formulas to approximate real-world results, used for generating game content. The strengths are that it is random and lightweight.

Q

QFT - Quoted For Truth - someone has quoted a post because they agree with it.

R

Retrospective - Step 2 in the auto-evo generation, where the computer finds out what orgs were effected by the last generation's mutation.

Research - This is a major breakthrough by your people. Researches can be thought of as technologies in other games, however the word technology or tech is too similar to Tech Object, and could more easily lead to confusion. Obsolete (Replaced by techs).

Research Points - Research Points are used by the game to know when a Research or Invention will be discovered. Researches and Inventions will be discovered when the player reaches a certain quota of Research Points or by chance after a slightly lower quota.

RTS Mode - Strategy mode

S

SC - Society Center (a staple of Strategy Mode gameplay). Basically, any city or town your species lives in.

Selection- step 4 in the auto-evo generation, where the computer selects which org evolves, based on its modified odds and the total population.

Share Code - A string of text which can be read by the game to create an organism, or anything else made in the game's editors*. To a person reading it, it will ideally be fairly clear which sections represent what part of the organism/object. The name ‘share code’ refers to its use as a way of sharing an in-game object in a way that can be easily copied and pasted via a forum or similar website from one game to another, as well as, of course, its code-like appearance.

Strategy Mode - Mode of gameplay, much like an RTS.

Strat. - Strategy (often when referring to Strategy Mode).

T

TCL - Thrive Content Library.

TE - Tech Editor.

Tech - Technology.

Test mode/test grounds/test space - referring to the area/mode inside an editor in which organisms, AI, and technology can be tested.

TO - Tech Object, anything created in the Tech Editor