For those of you who've spoken to me on IRC or Messenger, you may know I don't have internet at home anymore for a few reasons. Until I get it back, I'm forced to use my university's internet. So with little else to do, I play Skyrim (when my brothers aren't on) and a little GM work outside of what I have stored on Dropbox.
The 64DCG will continue as planned. You may still make character submissions, and I've made more progress on the game than expected, so I'm taking a little break. Besides, I like having internet for those periods I work on it.So I've decided to revisit a very old GM project, which I have titled Lixim (previously CFL - Canadian Football League). Lixim is a life simulation (artificial life is more accurate) based on the Creatures games of the late 90s with complex AI and environmental simulation. For some reason the company broke up so the franchise died out. As of today, there is no (or very few) life sim like it. No, Sims doesn't even compare, and micro-life sims don't either. They're completely different subgenres.I've recently changed the interface. Creatures, for example, had you playing as the "hand", affecting the world indirectly. While I plan on doing something similar, I'll also allow switching to third-person mode, where you play as a character in order to interact more directly. I'm not sure whether or not she can die yet, though.So last night I went through and explored some ideas. The world is rather large (though I wish I had a dedicated artist to capture the beauty I'd like to convey), and divided up into various zones. The world lives even when you don't visit it. This is extremely taxing on performance, so….Here is where you give advice.- Collision checking is the most performance-hungry so far, but I can't disable it because, as stated above, the world lives even when you're away. I've thought of expanding the range covered by each ground collision, and possibly a static node system not unlike Cyrus's. But this could destroy performance further, and would only complicate things more than they already are, and this is the most complex game I've ever attempted.- Playing Skyrim has opened up the idea of unloading the world periodically, in order to let the rest run well on your computer. I'm always deactivating unnecessary objects and most instances are for collision checking. But as mentioned above, I can't deactivate much without losing the "living world" feel.- I'd love to enhance the game graphically, and I'm sure that with a tablet, I could get right to work, but it'll require a lot of image splicing. I'm not sure how to go about the process.- Lixie bodies are complex. They use a system of chemicals for everything, including running their bodies and navigating. This would mean that the world couldn't support a high population on low-end computers. That, and the world itself would probably be stripped.- This is AI. That means it learns and evolves over time. I'm working on a mutation and adaption system, but I'm debating on making the world dynamic. So, for example, the volcano biome won't always stay fiery.- As you can see here, my main issue is performance. Aside from efficiency advice, if people want to become dedicated beta testers, feel free to contact me. I'd like to try this on a variety of machines.- Last, I'm trying to make the bodies and ecosystems realistic. If any of you can refer me to some good books and/or sites, I'll be very happy.And finally, I decided to put a real story to it. No, it's not original. At all. But it's better than being pitted somewhere with no story. It's just a journal-styled introduction.
Doctor Velanor, July 11, 2524We've recently discovered a new planet, and we've decided to name it Thaiba. It seems able to sustain life very well. The air is breathable, the water is plentiful, and the soil is able to nurture crops. So we've decided for now to take refuge here, maybe even make it our home, at least for a while.July 13We are thoroughly astounded. Crops grow at an alarming rate and we've found many fascinating creatures here already. There are things that look like bats, carnivorous and fierce. They attack us now and then. One of our refugees was injured after wandering too far. We will have to build structures quickly.July 16Our structures are nearly complete. Now we won't have to deal with those pesky bats. My superiors are calling now. We have to investigate in teams, so I won't be able to write in my journal for a while.August 5This place is a paradise. I'd forgotten I was supposed to be keeping an active journal until now. I wish I could explain everything I've seen, but each topic is far too expansive. Though, paradise as it is, the planet seems extremely dangerous. The oceans are small but deep, the jungles are full of hungry animals, and what's worse, there is an active volcano near the site. We may have to move soon.August 6Fascinating. We have discovered a new species. They are small, brown, and furry, and so docile. In fact, they don't seem to have many defensive abilities at all. It's a wonder they've survived this long. I'm watching one at this moment and I want to keep my eye on them, for research purposes.August 8They hatch from eggs and live in small social groups. In fact, they seem so lost without others of their kind. Yesterday I watched one be devoured by one of the hostile bats. It was a terrible sight, but we can't interfere with nature. I'm sure these little creatures will adapt somehow.August 9We have decided to call them lixies. It was my little daughter's idea. Everyone seems to like her, and I'm sure that's why they accepted the name so quickly. Lixies. Has a nice ring to it. Well I have to go on another team excursion now. I hope to see those creatures up close this time.August 11Our next project is to build structures for the animals. The lixies seem to be suffering, so we're providing a little help, including a nursery where they'll be raised before we release them into the wild.August 17The…volcano finally erupted. It was spectacular…and so devasting. Fires lit the forests and we had to retreat underground. We've been living in a cave for three days now. I don't know what the surface looks like at this point. We've all decided that anyone who didn't come with us didn't survive. Someone pitched the idea of reconstructing our labs underground. No objections, yet.August 23It's so dusty down here and we're all exhausted from excavating building without rest. The tunnels are stubborn and we all have to work by hand. We're running out of food, now. I'm splitting my rations with my daughter. I don't know how long she'll last under these conditions. But they say we can return to the surface soon. At least, long enough to find food.August 25The poison air makes it too dangerous to set foot outside. Sent out probes. From the ashes sprouts new life. But the trees don't look like they'll return. There hasn't been enough time for the land to heal, so there's little food. The creatures won't even come out; not even the bats. We had hoped to capture one for its meat. Even a lixie would do, though I know I'd regret it immediately. Even if I didn't, my daughter would never let me live it down. Poor soul. I hope she recovers from her illness quickly.August 28This feels like the worst day of my life. My daughter isn't waking up. Her hands are so cold and I fear it's too late. The medics can't revive her either. And there's no sign of food yet. We may have to abandon this place and go to another section of the planet. But I don't know how far our faulty machinery will get us.September 3Gods be praised! The labs are functional now, and our food production technology is being put to its limits. My daughter is finally recovering as if returning from the dead! We're using probes to look at the surface for us. It seems that the noxious gases have dissipated and we're ready to continue research within the week.September 6First steps onto the reformed earth. After living underground for almost a month (according to our machinery time), the light is so bright. It feels good to be breathing fresh air again. And it seems that my superiors are eager to begin research again as well.January 9Nothing noteworthy has come up, so admittedly, I haven't been writing in my journal. But today I've heard our scouts saying the Legacy is in the area. If they find us, we'll be executed. Seeking knowledge without reporting to superiors is a severe crime. All we can do is hide, and hope, and pray.March 28It's looking grim. Members of the Legacy have landed a few hundred miles away and are searching for us. Ironic that the relatively recent volcanic eruption saved us. The lingering ash and peculiar radiation have bought us some time. We're debating on what to do. They outnumber us, and are much more heavily armed.April 4Solemnly and reluctantly, we're packing to leave. I can't express my utter disappointment, but it's better than being caught. We've decided to leave some of our people here, those who are able to keep a low profile. The Legacy shouldn't be able to find them, and they can continue our research. Among them is my daughter. I had little choice in the matter, but she's old enough to take care of herself. Sixteen last week. I'm not sure how far contact will hold, but we hope to return when it's safer. It could be months, it could be years. It saddens me to imagine such a time away from my daughter. But it's necessary.April 5We're finally leaving this paradisical planet behind. The others will stay and continue research. The main focus seems to be the lixies. Since the eruption, they have become critically endangered, so endangered that they no longer exist in the wild. We've taken DNA samples and managed to clone them, in a sense. It won't save the species, but with a little outside help, I'm sure something can be done. And now we leave. This journal will remain here with my daughter, along with all of my notes that I've taken thus far.EpilogueThere were ten remaining scientists, split into five groups and stationed at intervals. Communication was possible until another eruption in the area. The journal-keeper's daughter was there, the survivor in her group. When she tried to contact the other groups, communications wouldn't go through. She waited and tried again, but each time yielded she same results. She decided that they, like her partner, had been killed, whether by the eruption, wildlife, or even the remnants of the Legacy troops."I am alone here–literally alone in this world. My colleagues are all dead and I barely know how the technology works. How can I keep myself alive, let alone continue my research? I imagine I won't last long, but I want to carry out my father's wishes. I'm going to help the endangered species, so at least a part of me–an accomplishment–lives on….Day one. I don't know the date anymore…."
I didn't read the whole thing but, a life simulator would be cool, considering I haven't seen one made in quite a while.