Happy Fun Adventure Time! - an Illustrated Adventure

[Naqel]

Return to HYPERMASS state.

Use ECHOLOCATION to create a MAP of known area.

Evolve proper HIND LEGS, when you've got spare resources.

[Arhra]

I'm with Phil, that shell looks like something out of Bleach.

Also ugly!

If you must have a shell though, at least do it Lapras style. (http://www.gpdesenhos.com.br/imagens/outros/outros/pokemon/lapras.jpg)

He already does look a lot like a Lapras anyway.

More of a ferret or a stoat really.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

>Pick up glass thing, add to collection.

And while I don't enjoy the prospect of a Breaking 2: Electric Boogaloo, why are we being zapped? Or is there a bit of our former shell between us & the Electric Sign O' Death™?

SWB

[Viridis]

Don't you remember? That thing ran out of zap long ago.

>Go East

[Donomni]

Absorb the yellow thingy in your mass for storage(Like the rock), because you never know when it might come in handy later.

[Meister]

The carapace looks nice except don't evolve one that covers that cute face. Stick with the neck and back.

And then let's go East!

[Wigmund]

Repeating the following because I want more cute on Squishy.

> Evolve WHISKERS to analyze AIR MOVEMENT and for PASSAGE WIDTH VERIFICATION
> Evolve a CUTE NOSE to analyze CHEMICAL PHEROMONES in the air

Use combined evolutions to determine directions to possible MUSHROOM PARADISE...
...and aggressive increase of ADORABILITY stat.

[Vauron]

No to the carapace, and explore eastward. Try to befriend anything and everything there. Eat all non-friendly things.

[Arhra]

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0128.png

You decide against growing a SHELL and drink your ACID to replenish your precious FLUIDS.

The amount recovered is quite small because of THERMODYNAMICS.


>Evolve ability to ABSORB or RECREATE past evolutions at will.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0129.png

You have learnt CANNIBALISE. You can now consume your EVOLUTIONS to regain most of the MASS invested in them.

It's useful, but not terribly exciting.

It's not even dangerous to yourself and others.


>Evolve ZOOM EYES.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0130.png

You can't evolve those.


>Pick up glass thing, add to collection.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0131.png

SHARD TRIFECTA CREST UNLOCKED.


>Absorb the yellow thingy in your mass for storage (Like the rock), because you never know when it might come in handy later.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0132.png

This isn't going to work.

Your BODY is not a good SHAPE for carrying LARGE THINGS.


>Look around for something to eat. Hug stuff!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0133.png

There is nothing you could EAT or would HUG here!


>Evolve WHISKERS

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0134.png

Your resemblance to a CREATURE you know nothing of increases!


>Test ability to climb walls

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0135.png

These WALLS are as climbable a THING as you have ever climbed.


>Hey wait a tic, what about the first room where you originally found the glass? Wasn't there a shelf or something up there? Perhaps you should explore in that direction.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0136.png

You should be able to easily clamber up these once insurmountably high CLIFFS.


>Realize the usefulness of terror.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0137.png

PERIL

[Krylo]

> FLEE EAST.

> ENTER HOLE.

> EXPLORE EAST.

[bluestarultor]

>Take YELLOW THING.

>Transport to PERIL.

>Make new FRIEND.

[Flarecobra]

Running time!

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Realise the usefulness of STEALTH.

EVOLVE CHEMELEONIC SKIN.

Engage STEALTH MODE.

Move STEALTHILY past GIANT YELLOW MAN. Maybe he hasn't seen you yet.

[BitVyper]

EVOLVE the ability to complain about lack of level-appropriate encounters.

[Living Bobbeh]

>Don't Panic

[Marc v4.0]

ABANDON all HOPE

[Viridis]

>WAVE hello

[Naqel]

Increase CUTENESS to make the robot feel bad for terrorizing you.

[Token]

GREET the CREATURE.

[akaSM]

Use PUPPY EYES on the YELLOW GIANT. If all else fails, use fire...I mean, retreat to the safety of the HOLE

[Fenris]

Kick THERMODYNAMICS in the FACE with your ENERGY LEGS.

[The SSB Intern]

Be the robot. Commence Happy Fun Stompy Time.

[Geminex]

Increase ADORABILITY to the point where the ROBOT will not KILL you.
If that fails, RUN

[Wigmund]

Wonder why the hell you didn't notice the huge PERIL looming over the pit before.

Otherwise, hope someone shows up with a TANK.

[Krylo]

Why do you assume the peril is so huge that a tank is required to kill it?

Perhaps we are simply so small that a minuscule peril appears to be immense?

[Viridis]

In that case, hope someone shows up with a TOY TANK. Or a STOMPING BOOT.

[Thadius]

>Oh shit it's a Dr. Eggman bot! Quickly RETREAT back into your hole before they make you into a robot!

>Hey can't you eat stone? Why doesn't that apply to the shiny thing? If it does, absorb it to acquire its powers.

[Jagos]

Try to talk to it.

[Kerensky287]

Evolve Adrenal Glands for increased attack speed.

[Mike McC]

Wonder why the hell you didn't notice the huge PERIL looming over the pit before.

Otherwise, hope someone shows up with a TANK.> Realize things with legs can MOVEhttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

> Chastise yourself for being a dumbhttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

> Realize doing this is only wasting timehttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

> Chastise yourself for being a dumbhttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Evolve laser(pointer) eyes to fire in every spectrum, in a concentrated blast. = Ultra-Cute Rainbow Blasts-O-Death™

Kinda annoyed that this got ignored. I really wanted to the NBC style PSA.

And now you Know.

[Sir Pinkleton]

I bet the robot was there since the beginning, and either has been watching you, hasn't noticed you, or is actually not operational.

Give it a hug!

[Arhra]

>Be the robot. Commence Happy Fun Stompy Time.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0138.png

What? Stomping is completely uncouth.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0139.png

You are a gentleman!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0140.png

And gentlemen are pugilists.


>Increase ADORABILITY to the point where the ROBOT will not -

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0141.png

Destruction rains from the heavens.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0142.png

You have been SPLATTERED.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0143.png

The massive impact has helped you finally finish digesting the ROCK you swallowed some time ago.


>FLEE EAST.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0144.png

You pull most of your MASS together and flee to the EAST.


>ENTER HOLE.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0145.png

You flee some more.


>EXPLORE EAST.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0146.png

You have entered the DWELLER'S LAIR (TOP)
You're not sure where all the EXITS are.

There is a BREEZE blowing towards you.
It is very DARK here.

You might be eaten by a -

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0147.png

WHAT IS THAT?!

[Viridis]

Attempt CONVERSATION with FANGED DEATH.

Oh, but first DEVELOP A LANGUAGE.

[Meister]

Go back WEST immediately and attach ZAPPY OBJECT to your chest/neck area, fork-looking side up.

[Krylo]

>USE LASER EYES on DWELLER IN THE DARK

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

CONSUME TENTACLED HORROR.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

>USE LASER EYES on DWELLER IN THE DARK

Temporarily relocate glass shards into arms to focus the beam.

[Kroze Gamegod]

Lure Tentical death to robot death.

Take bets on winner.

[Donomni]

Point out to the GRUE you can see him, so he can't actually eat you.

[Menarker]

Convert portion of your mass into HYPERMASS to create super dense portion of your blobby self.

Shape super dense portion into something akin to a blade arm. Attach glass shard as a CLAW!

Learn how to do Kung-Fu (or some other neat fighting style suitable for your... build)

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

[Mike McC]

> Consider means to get a better brainhttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

[Flarecobra]

Retreve yellow thing, toss it at Robot.

Then enter the other passage instead of going down the hole.

[Sir Pinkleton]

Man, everything just got that much more dangerous. :x

Say hello?

[Wigmund]

Invoke DEUS EX MACHINA to slay foes and clear path to next level

[akaSM]

Is seems Squishy is pretty much invulnerable to SPLATTERING, but we don't know it's resistance to DIGESTION yet so...RUN AWAY from the FANGED DEATH. Also, develop BULLET TIME to compensate for the low REACTION SPEEDand avoid further attacks

[BitVyper]

EVOLVE VALOUR and challenge the creature to personal combat.

[Naqel]

While you're at it, evolve some MEANS OF COMBAT.

[Tev]

While you're at it, evolve some MEANS OF COMBAT.
Or.....we already secrete acid. That won't feel good for anything that tries to eat us.

[Odjn]

Or.....we already secrete acid. That won't feel good for anything that tries to eat us.

Cosmic horrors generally are not phased by acid.

[Tev]

Either way, clearly we are not equipped to properly interact with our environment. Perhaps a re-evaluation of our self is in order.

Also, perhaps evolving things is not the proper solution to everything that we think we need or encounter. If anything we need to evolve better structures for exploration and then spend time actually exploring rather than sitting around and evolving things we don’t need. We need to find some food, mark out a LAIR of our own, and then figure out where we need to go from there.

[Krylo]

Also, perhaps evolving things is not the proper solution to everything that we think we need or encounter.Agreed. Use tools at our disposal whenever possible. Only evolve new tools when absolutely necessary. New evolutions should also be useful for a variety of things, as opposed to being useful only for immediate concerns. Size is going to be just as helpful as new evolutions--if not more so. A larger version of what we are right now could, for instance, have wrapped about the pugilist robot, and secreted acid onto him until we digested him for mass. At our current level of mass, however, it doesn't matter if we piss death and shit destruction. We are an insect to be crushed.


If anything we need to evolve better structuresStructures are weaknesses. Evolve TOOLS for exploration, like greater squishiness and stronger acids/plating for stretching through areas, climbing things, and melting through obstructions.

However, it is only through the mercy (or forgetfulness) of Lord Arhra, that we did not suffer from multiple spinal fractures/destroyed brain matter and the death that comes with the loss of one's primary nervous system when we were punched.

The brain is, honestly, useless unless we plan to begin 'inventing' instead of 'evolving'. The creature will always be driven by the mass bureaucracy of this thread, therefore a brain is useless for planning or outwitting enemies. Brain or no, the creature will act and react only as we will it to.

The spine, on the other hand, is nothing but a limiting factor and a liability. Again, we should have had it shattered and been crippled until we could cannibalize it (removing the evolution in its entirety) or have time to rebuild it. It further limits the shapes we can force our squishy body into, and thus the orifices through which we can squeeze.

Structures = bad. They should only be evolved when it becomes obvious that we NEED a structure for something. Better hands, for instance, if we get to a point when we NEED to lift something. A central nervous system when we reach a point where we NEED to CREATE something, instead of evolve it. Eyes when we NEED to see (which we did, and I agree with their structure being added).

A structureless, organless mass is, effectively, immune to all non-chemical or energy based forms of damage. You can't injure it with cuts or blunt force, as it will merely reform, or escape leaving some of its mass behind to rebuild later. A mass with organs and structures, however, becomes vulnerable.
We need to find some food, mark out a LAIR of our own, and then figure out where we need to go from there.
Agreed, again.

Edit: That is if we're going to start developing an actual plan and not just shoot laser pointer eyes at formless horrors from the beyond.

[Tev]

Edit: That is if we're going to start developing an actual plan and not just shoot laser pointer eyes at formless horrors from the beyond.
I would like to label the REASON center of the body the Tev-Krylo Node.

Anyway, I say RETREAT from the monstrous fangy death. Go back to the room we labeled as the MUSHROOM SHRINE and investigate where the yummy liquid leaking into it is coming from. This room may become our future LAIR if the source of the yummy liquid is renewable.

[Nique]

That this creature is still not a giant phallus is a testament to forum member's self-restraint.

[brown_tiger]

I say get the hell outta there, see if there is a bar in existance, and drink until we're slobs

[Yumil]

-Escape fanged death
-Go to mushroom shrine
-Devolve everything but ears, eyes, and whiskers.
-Evolve ability to not dilate sense time, leading to greater time skips between updates
-Start eating rock

Squishy Devourer of worlds, we will become. It's obvious that this world has nothing worth living, cept yummy mushrooms.

[Thadius]

>Evolve LONG-TERM GOALS.

>Vow to one day engage the ROBOT in a DUEL when you are more appropriately SIZED.

>Perhaps the FANGED DEATH isn't quite as HOSTILE as we're making it out to be? In any case, SNEAK AROUND it to the various EXITS and use your LASER EYES to determine what lies down them.

[Arhra]

>DEVELOP A LANGUAGE.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0148.png

It communicates by biting! Aaaaaaa!


>USE LASER EYES on DWELLER IN THE DARK

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0149.png

You wonder if this was a good idea.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0150.png

It's... it's ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE!


>RUN AWAY from the FANGED DEATH.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0151.png

Scarper successful! You remove yourself from its immediate proximity.


>Lure tentacle death to robot death.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0152.png

Tentacle death does not seem to be co-operating.


>Attach ZAPPY OBJECT to your chest/neck area, fork-looking side up.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0153.png

You secrete a STICKY FILM to attach the SHINY YELLOW THING to yourself.

This should let you carry it!


>Go back to the room we labeled as the MUSHROOMY SHRINE and investigate where the yummy liquid leaking into it is coming from.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0154.png

It's coming from a CRACK in the wall.

There's no way you'll be able to squeeze through such a NARROW CRACK. Even the SQUISHIEST of THINGS couldn't hope to get in there.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

SECRETE ACID on to the wall to widen the CRACK.

Continue until NARROW CRACK becomes NARROW PASSAGE.

EXPLORE PASSAGE.

[Meister]

If we got to the MUSHROOMY SHRINE from the HOLE that means the ROBOT isn't waiting for us outside and we can explore! Leave MUSHROOMY SHRINE, go SOUTH until we're back in the passage with exits to the NORTH and OTHER NORTH and explore OTHER NORTH.

[Naqel]

SECRETE ACID on to the wall to widen the CRACK until NARROW CRACK becomes NARROW PASSAGE.

I don't think we have the FLUIDS to do that.

We do however have the ability to eat rocks.

Since being SPLATERED by the ROBOT dosen't result in DEATH, while helps digesting the rocks...

>EAT the ROCKS to widen the CRACK.
>Drink some more VELLOW LIQUID if possible.

>Evolve higher VISCOSITY and stronger MEMBRANE to lose less mass whie being SPLATERED.

>Go get SPLATERED to help digesting ROCKS. Then RUN.

[Grinshanks]

Give the robot the yellow thing!

[BitVyper]

Our laser eyes were working pretty good, I think we should go show that tentacle who's boss and get some XP while we're at it.

[Krylo]

Take hypermass form to reduce size.

Squeeze through crack.

[Tev]

Take hypermass form to reduce size.

Squeeze through crack.
I'm with the other half of our Reason Node. Screw that tentacle with teeth, we've already shown it that we are the superior life-form with lazer-eyes.

If we can't shrink down and squeeze through those cracks then we need to develop a way to widen the crack. Jam the Gold Plate into the crack and push on it to cause some damage to that wall.

[Flarecobra]

Question with that: Do we have the strength?

[Viridis]

Laser eye the fanged death, then consume its body for evolutionary fuel. It's the Pikmin/Spore way of life.

[Donomni]

For all we know, it only stuns, though. That'd kinda suck spending a few hours just annoying it.

[Wigmund]

We need an way to cut chunks of flesh off the DWELLER while it is stunned so that we may consume its sweet sweet biomass.

[Krylo]

Suggestion to players: How about we deal with each room as we come to it instead of running back and forth between them constantly?

Our poor creature can't stay in one room for more than one round, nor can it deal with anything in the rooms if they take more than one round to deal with.

I suggest we only leave a room if there is nothing left we can do in it, or if it is too dangerous to deal with given our current tools.

[Geminex]

Seconded. We need strategy. Both in terms of exploration and evolution.

[BitVyper]

You're not the boss of me!

[Krylo]

You're not the boss of me!

Well it WAS just a suggestion.

I'm all for going back and killing the Dweller. I'd be even more for it if we were still in that room shooting lasers at it.

It's just that the more we explore around to new areas without properly exploring each individual room, the more likely we are to miss out on neat things Arhra has planned in the areas we're in. Or miss out on the chance to succeed at things Arhra didn't plan on us succeeding with.

[Tev]

Question with that: Do we have the strength?
Only one way to find out!

[Mike McC]

> Lie shipwrecked and comatose, drinking fresh mango juicehttp://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x275/fencershinryuu/cursorblink.gif

[Archbio]

Does it even have toes for goldfish to nibble at?

[Mike McC]

Does it even have toes for goldfish to nibble at?A little tip: The joke/reference works better if not replied to. Cheerio!

[Archbio]

The question of it having toes or not is a valid one!

[Arhra]

>EAT the ROCKS to widen the CRACK.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0155.png

You start eating around the crack.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0156.png

Many hours pass.

You lose some of your increasingly precious FLUIDS to EVAPORATION.

You find the crack is narrower the deeper in you go.

As you previously assessed, it is completely impassible. No THING you could ever be would be SMALL or SQUISHY enough to fit through such a NARROW CRACK.

The CRACK angles slightly UPWARDS. You can't tell how far it extends.

It has grown DARKER.

You hear a distant IMPACT to the SOUTH-WEST.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0157.png

It... it can leave the PIT?!

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Use LASER EYES to stun FANGED DEATH.

Force it back into the PIT.

[Naqel]

>THROW the YELLOW THING at TENTACLES

[Krylo]

Use Laser Eyes coupled with acid secretion and plain old physical brutality to destroy the dweller and devour its biomass.

Use biomass to evolve greater squishiness and further enhance hyper mass shrinking capabilities.

[Wigmund]

Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit...

Well, since PANIC ATTACK doesn't do anything to the DWELLER, evolve ability to temporarily produce razor-sharp, acid-coated blades and spines as a means of defense and possibly quick aggressive actions.

And then stun that eldritch horror and devour it!

[PyrosNine]

RUN like the little cat-slime thing you are, because you're thirsty, it's big, and it can probably destroy cracks a lot better than you can.

Drop yellow thing to lose the weight to further increase runnitude.

[BitVyper]

Ah, that explains why our laser eyes worked before.

destroy cracks

See, if we had a bigger brain, we'd have the philosophical ability to deal with situations like this.

[Sifright]

Utilize ECHOLOCATION to grant visual soundmap of the area where the impact occured.
Drink more fluid from crack.

[Meister]

Ah, that explains why our laser eyes worked before.
You mean light?

Is there time and energy/mass/fluid to very quickly evolve BIOLUMINESCENCE? If not, I second Hawk's proposed course of action.

[Geminex]

Can't we just UPGRADE our LASER EYES in a short span of time, and then fight the monstrosity?

[EVILNess]

Bite him to show him you mean him no harm.

[BitVyper]

You mean light?

Yes.

Is there time and energy/mass/fluid to very quickly evolve BIOLUMINESCENCE?

That's what I was thinking, but we're low on fluids and I thought we were trying to kick the evolution habit for a bit.

Bite him to show him you mean him no harm.

We haven't got teeth.

[Odjn]

Think we can use our laser eyes to drive it back, then lure it to the collossobot?

[Tev]

Bite him to show him you mean him no harm.
We haven't got teeth.
Bite him to show him you mean him no harm.
I think that was the point.

[Vauron]

Well it does communicate through biting...

[BitVyper]

I think that was the point.

It's not a bite without teeth.

[Tev]

It's not a bite without teeth.Is it more of a gumming then?

EDIT: As a rebuttal, what do you call it when your toothless parrot or falcon decides it wants part of you in its mouth and thus opens its beak to then close it around your fleshy parts? Pecking is a closed beak stab. I'm talking about a full on toothless damaging bite.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Bite him to show him you mean him no harm.

We haven't got teeth.

We do have those multi-purpose glass shards. We've used them as fingers/claws to pick up objects before. They could temporarily be repurposed as teeth.

SWB

[BitVyper]

what do you call it when your toothless parrot or falcon decides it wants part of you in its mouth and thus opens its beak to then close it around your fleshy parts?

Aggressive preening.

[Arhra]

>Use LASER EYES to stun FANGED DEATH.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0158.png

It really doesn't like that.


>Force it back into the PIT.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0159.png

It has more tentacles than you have eyes!


>THROW the YELLOW THING at TENTACLES

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0160.png

You still aren't the best thrower of things. Your low VISCOSITY does not help.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0161.png

Your ENEMIES have joined forces!

This was not one of your better ideas.


>Very quickly evolve BIOLUMINESCENCE

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0162.png

You now glow in the dark.

You feel PRETTY. The DWELLER has RETREATED. Your mood has improved to SLIGHTLY HAPPY.

You suddenly feel queasy.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0163.png

You have reached your EVOLUTIONARY LIMIT!

Devolve some EVOLUTIONS to assume a coherent SHAPE and regain your other EVOLUTIONS.


CURRENT EVOLUTIONS

EVOLVED ABILITIES
- All Five Senses (free with EYES, EARS and NOSE)
- Bioluminesence
- Cannibalise
- Echolocation
- Hypermass Generator
- Improved Noisemaking (free with MOUTH)
- Secretion Control
- Laser Eyes (needs EYES)
- Lithovore

SHAPE EVOLUTIONS
- Advanced Eyes
- Arms/Hands
- Cat Ears
- Low Profile Nose
- Mouth
- Strengthened Membrane.
- Whiskers

EVOLVED BODY PARTS
- Spine
- Pea Sized Brain
- Spider Legs (vestigal)

KNOWN SECRETIONS
- Sticky film.
- Shell
- Acid

[Viridis]

Devolve Shell, Spider Legs, Brain, and Spine I'd say? Seem the least useful currently. Not sure how much glowing will help, but it did drive off the DEATH.

Just go with a few that get the most mentions.

[BitVyper]

Yeah, lets get rid of our shell for sure. I don't want to get rid of our fledgling skeletal system (I'm all for keeping it minimalist though) or our brain though. Brains do things like interpret sensory input, and we've evolved some pretty complex sense organs. Plus a nervous system has a lot of long-term potential as it becomes more complex. Like if you want to operate with any kind of dexterity. If we're trying to keep a squishy body, we should really go for as complex a nervous system as we can. Look at octopuses and the ridiculous things they can do because of their awesome nervous systems.

Anyway, I'm all for dropping the shell and spider legs, since they're useless. We could also potentially drop echolocation, since we have bioluminescence, but echolocation is pretty cool.

[Wigmund]

Devolve the following:
- Lithovore
- Spine
- Pea Sized Brain
- Spider Legs
- Shell

[Krylo]

DEVOLVE:

Lithovore (Rock eating is too slow)
Mouth (Noise making has so far proven unnecessary, and we eat via membrane)
Whiskers (Don't do anything)
Spine (Only has aesthetic use currently in giving us a neck)
Brain (Completely useless. Our sensory organs worked perfectly well and we had exactly as much dexterity without it)
Spider Legs (Broken off anyway)

Maintain:
Bioluminesence (Useful for keeping away dweller, once dweller is dealt with, can be safely devolved. Useless for any other tasks)
Cannibalize (Useful for shutting off bioluminesence, if we need to sneak somewhere, or temporarily removing other evolutions if they become an issue)
Echolocation (If evolved to advanced state, can keep us from ever being snuck up on/surprised. 360 degree vision = good idea.)
Hypermass Generator (Being able to shrink will probably be useful)
Secretion Control (Needed to use any secretions meaningfully)
Laser Eyes (Self defense)
Eyes (Mostly useless with echolocation, but I don't want to look at a bunch of joyless colourless images as we saw when we were using it in the dark)
Arms/Hands (Mostly useless for now, but potentially useful later)
Cat ears (Hearing necessary for echolocation, and useful for general survival)
Nose (Smelling is good for general survival)
Strengthened Membrane (Self defense)
Sticky Film (With secretion control, can be used to climb as was originally intended)
Shell (With secretion control, can be used to form makeshift weapons as well as armor)
Acid (With secretion control, can be used to destroy environments, as a weapon, and as a deterrent for predators)

Evolve:

Advanced Echolocation, which uses ambient sounds negating the need to create our own noises. Like Daredevil. Shouldn't use an extra evolutionary slot as it will replace the old echolocation.

Advanced Laser Eyes, intense enough to cause small burns, and light dry kindling aflame. Self defense. As advanced echolocation, shouldn't require another slot.

Commands:
Use Shell Secretion to form Claws on your Hands.

Hunt Dweller.

It can not be allowed to survive.

[phil_]

We can't lose the pea-sized brain. How would we remember what our family is or if we have one?

[Krylo]

Our family is dead to us.

We're a blobbish rebel without a cause.

A hard-boiled blob who only knows the street.

What did our family ever do for us? We don't need them.

We've got our trusty shell excretion gloves and laser eyes. That's all we've ever needed. That's all we'll ever need.

Love? Family? Home? Those are just other words for chains. Chains that we don't need. We're free. Rough and tumble. Wheeling around this great big crazy world. And we love every minute of it.

[phil_]

But, but,

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/9008/ho0002philbetter.png

[Flarecobra]

Drop the shell and spider legs for sure, especally since they're not being used anymore.

[Tev]

I'm a fan of losing our Spider Legs, Shell, and Lithovore capabilities. None of those have proven in any way useful.

I'd really like to keep our Spine and Brain though. How else are we going to eventually evolve into http://www.larsgrantwest.com/PAGES/large%20samples/Catoblepas.jpg?

Also, that spine gives our shape a little support. If we are ever going to get better at throwing things (which we seem very apt at failing at) then we'll need to develop some structure. Also the spine as a stabilizer is not really a hindering structure as things like snakes and mice have spines and they seem to get into just about whatever they want.

[Wigmund]

DEVOLVE:
....
Mouth (Noise making has so far proven unnecessary, and we eat via membrane)
Whiskers (Don't do anything)
...


And decrease the ADORABILITY of Squishy?!

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0134.png
You monster!

[Meister]

Yep, shell and spider legs, and lithovore if we can get rid of the rocks we've put inside our body.

[Odjn]

Try eating the severed tentacles and goo/blood the dweller left behind.

[Geminex]

DEVOLVE:

Lithovore (Rock eating is too slow)
Mouth (Noise making has so far proven unnecessary, and we eat via membrane)
Whiskers (Don't do anything)
Spine (Only has aesthetic use currently in giving us a neck)
Brain (Completely useless. Our sensory organs worked perfectly well and we had exactly as much dexterity without it)
Spider Legs (Broken off anyway)

Maintain:
Bioluminesence (Useful for keeping away dweller, once dweller is dealt with, can be safely devolved. Useless for any other tasks)
Cannibalize (Useful for shutting off bioluminesence, if we need to sneak somewhere, or temporarily removing other evolutions if they become an issue)
Echolocation (If evolved to advanced state, can keep us from ever being snuck up on/surprised. 360 degree vision = good idea.)
Hypermass Generator (Being able to shrink will probably be useful)
Secretion Control (Needed to use any secretions meaningfully)
Laser Eyes (Self defense)
Eyes (Mostly useless with echolocation, but I don't want to look at a bunch of joyless colourless images as we saw when we were using it in the dark)
Arms/Hands (Mostly useless for now, but potentially useful later)
Cat ears (Hearing necessary for echolocation, and useful for general survival)
Nose (Smelling is good for general survival)
Strengthened Membrane (Self defense)
Sticky Film (With secretion control, can be used to climb as was originally intended)
Shell (With secretion control, can be used to form makeshift weapons as well as armor)
Acid (With secretion control, can be used to destroy environments, as a weapon, and as a deterrent for predators)

Evolve:

Advanced Echolocation, which uses ambient sounds negating the need to create our own noises. Like Daredevil. Shouldn't use an extra evolutionary slot as it will replace the old echolocation.

Advanced Laser Eyes, intense enough to cause small burns, and light dry kindling aflame. Self defense. As advanced echolocation, shouldn't require another slot.

Commands:
Use Shell Secretion to form Claws on your Hands.

Hunt Dweller.

It can not be allowed to survive.

I'd keep the brain and mouth, actually. I have a feeling that sooner or later we'll have to interact with other things and communicate.
Unless we just keep powering up our laser eyes, in which case there'll be no need to communicate whatsoever.

Devolving bioluminescence later is good.
I'm not sure whether to keep the eyes if we're gonna power up our echolocation, but ok. We might make it out of this cave eventually, whereupon eyes will be very useful.
If we can evolve and develove stuff without a penalty, we can just evolve and use eyes outside and echolocation inside, and always devolve the unnecessary one.

So basically:

DEVOLVE:

Lithovore (Rock eating is too slow)
Whiskers (Don't do anything)
Spine (Only has aesthetic use currently in giving us a neck)
Spider Legs (Broken off anyway)

Maintain:
Bioluminesence (Useful for keeping away dweller, once dweller is dealt with, can be safely devolved. Useless for any other tasks)
Cannibalize (Useful for shutting off bioluminesence, if we need to sneak somewhere, or temporarily removing other evolutions if they become an issue)
Echolocation (If evolved to advanced state, can keep us from ever being snuck up on/surprised. 360 degree vision = good idea.)
Hypermass Generator (Being able to shrink will probably be useful)
Secretion Control (Needed to use any secretions meaningfully)
Laser Eyes (Self defense)
Eyes (Mostly useless with echolocation, but I don't want to look at a bunch of joyless colourless images as we saw when we were using it in the dark)
Arms/Hands (Mostly useless for now, but potentially useful later)
Cat ears (Hearing necessary for echolocation, and useful for general survival)
Nose (Smelling is good for general survival)
Strengthened Membrane (Self defense)
Sticky Film (With secretion control, can be used to climb as was originally intended)
Shell (With secretion control, can be used to form makeshift weapons as well as armor)
Acid (With secretion control, can be used to destroy environments, as a weapon, and as a deterrent for predators)

Evolve:

Advanced Echolocation, which uses ambient sounds negating the need to create our own noises. Like Daredevil. Shouldn't use an extra evolutionary slot as it will replace the old echolocation.

Advanced Laser Eyes, intense enough to cause small burns, and light dry kindling aflame. Self defense. As advanced echolocation, shouldn't require another slot.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

I say get rid of the spine, as we don't apparently use it & I think we haven't seen it since we lost our spider legs. Same goes for the brain. What has it done for us anyway?

Point of fact, everyone posting here IS our real intelligence. The brain of the creature, is just something that is there for looks. It does nothing for us, if we developed some sort of subconscious, maybe it'd be useful. However, even then we might be able to have that without a vestigle brain.

I'm thinking we could also drop the echolocation. Sure, it was helpful in dark areas. However, now that we glow in the dark, it really isn't necessary. Besides, currently our echolocation only works on command & isn't active all the time. So if we keep echolocation, we might want to drop our eyesight.

And frankly, seeing everything in B&W all the time is kinda boring. So I vote no echo.

SWB

[Naqel]

I say we keep evolvong towards one of those (http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Spider-Witch-99605242?moodonly=1&offset=0).

[Tev]

I say we keep evolvong towards one of those (http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Spider-Witch-99605242?moodonly=1&offset=0).
No thanks. The Catablepus has far more charm.

[Krylo]

I say we evolve into one of these (http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/6991663/images/1259910269888.jpg).

Except pink.

And with a cat face.

[Ryong]

I say we evolve into one of these (http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/6991663/images/1259910269888.jpg).

Except pink.

And with a cat face.

I'd totally support it if not for the fact that these are specifically made to fit corridors.

How about a globe shape, instead of cubic?

[PyrosNine]

We're at our limit with only 1 evolution. We can mix and match later, but all we need to do to regain evolutions is just drop 1 evolution, and we can proceed as normal, and drop evolutions as we see fit to make new ones.

I say just the spider legs for now, and once we're outside and safe, drop the bioluminsence.

For now, just ignore further evolutionary impulses until we get something to eat. Surely we can evolve further on a full stomach.

On the subject of the brain, we need to keep it. WE need to learn, so that when we're no longer at the beck and call of a thousand warring voices, we can survive on our own!

[Yumil]

On the subject of the brain, we need to keep it. WE need to learn, so that when we're no longer at the beck and call of a thousand warring voices, we can survive on our own!
I rather prefer a mindless killing machine, and if we are successful, there shall be nothing left to hurt us:).

[PyrosNine]

This is exactly what I'm talking about! All the voices in our head are warmongering elitists with no sense of survival!

How are we going to advance as a species if half our evolution choices are just to look cool and murder everything in existence!?

I almost feel as if we're tripping over something really important, like a backstory that explains where we came from, and how we are what we are. It's bad enough we have over thirty distinct voices buzzing about in a horrific dissociative disorder, but we seem to be pushing evolution towards things we should not know about or remember.

Especially the inevitable Drill hands!

[Geminex]

How are we going to advance as a species if half our evolution choices are just to look cool and murder everything in existence!?
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u227/Ryynn/darth-vader.jpg

[Ryong]

Especially the inevitable Drill hands!

This already happened, y'know.

Except not.

...Stupid discontinuity.

[Flarecobra]

Hope for rain.

[Odjn]

Arhra this is the best thread don't leave usssss.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

You know, maybe Artha hasn't done anything because we've been discussing what we should do, instead of issuing any commands. Since there's 100% agreement on this, I'll shout this one out:

> Remove Spider Legs evolution

[Meister]

We're at our limit with only 1 evolution. We can mix and match later, but all we need to do to regain evolutions is just drop 1 evolution, and we can proceed as normal, and drop evolutions as we see fit to make new ones.
We should keep space so we can evolve at least one thing on the fly without having to drop another from the list first. Case in point: bioluminescence.

Anyway maybe we should set a course of action for after we've gotten ourselves together, too! I'm still for

> checking if it's safe outside and if yes, investigate the OTHER NORTH exit of the southernmost area.

[Odjn]

Devolve Spine, Lithovore, Cat Ears, Whiskers, Spider Legs.

We need to keep mouth to make sounds we can echolocate by.

Eat the remaining tentacles and blood for liquids.

[Tev]

Anyone notice that right now in our over-extended state we look like a Vanilmirth from RO?
http://masters.donntu.edu.ua/2007/fvti/galkin/ind/Vanilmirth_1b.gif

[Arhra]

Actually, I've been moving interstate, starting a new job and without reliable internet for the past week. So yeah.

Unevolve LITHOVORE

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0164.png

You give up on trying to extract trace nutrients from rocks.

CANNIBALISE returns some of the MASS expended.

Your SHAPE begins to stabilise. Your EVOLUTIONS are becoming effective again.


Unevolve SHELL SECRETION

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0165.png

You forget how to produce... some kind of hard coating? You've tried your very best to forget all about it.

Your MASS has increased.

The DWELLER has retreated from the LIGHT.


Unevolve VESTIGAL SPIDER LEGS

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0166.png

There was more to them than you realised!


>Advanced Echolocation, which uses ambient sounds negating the need to create our own noises. Like Daredevil. Shouldn't use an extra evolutionary slot as it will replace the old echolocation.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0167.png

You add a SPATIAL LOBE to your PEA SIZED BRAIN.

THIS INCREASES YOUR SELECTION PRESSURE.

You no longer need to actively ECHOLOCATE
You can use ambient SOUNDS to ECHOLOCATE.


>Evolve Advanced Laser Eyes, intense enough to cause small burns, and light dry kindling aflame. Self defense. As advanced echolocation, shouldn't require another slot.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0168.png

You are MISSING LINKS to EVOLVE firepower of that magnitude!

This SYSTEM requires IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY.


>Try eating the severed tentacles and goo/blood the dweller left behind.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0169.png

MY HOW THE TABLES HAVE TURNED, MR DWELLER.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

EVOLVE IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY for greater LASER EYE power.

Hunt down the DWELLER with LASER EYES and CONSUME.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Internal discussion, not command:

Hey people, I've been thinking. Is there a way that we could absorb some of the glass into our physiology? Then form a sort of glass cornea that would improve our vision & laser eyes?

I know recently, scientists have learned that some deep sea fish use chlorophyll in their eyes, to improve night vision (which has resulted in experimentation with chlorophyll eye drops topside). And I've heard of other similar stories of creatures incorporating external items into their physiology.

That's essentially what I want to do, putting it into words... That's the issue.

SWB

[Wigmund]

But the glass gives Squishy a really pretty...hat? hair?...

Now Squishy, should go and have itself a bucket full of Kentucky Fried Eldritch Horror.

Oh, and make sure the ROBOT isn't still outside. It might like to punch GLOWING things.

[BitVyper]

Have we regained any fluids from eating the Dweller's tentacles? If so, I say we chase it down, acid/light/laser the hell out of it, and eat every bit that we can. Preferably all of this while listening to Rock You Like a Hurricane.

[DarkDrgon]

Have we regained any fluids from eating the Dweller's tentacles? If so, I say we chase it down, acid/light/laser the hell out of it, and eat every bit that we can. Preferably all of this while listening to Rock You Like a Hurricane.

this

[BitVyper]

Alternatively, we could listen to The March (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCrnF844_ww) while we do it.

[Geminex]

How was there more to the spider legs than we'd realized?

Anyway, I'd also agree that we should be hunting some dweller. But I'd deactivate the bioluminiscence (that's possible, right? Deactivate it without unevolving?), hunt the dweller, corner it, then go bright-light on its ass. Though get the laser vision first.

[Odjn]

Evolve Insectoid eyes. That should let us shoot beams from each facet, like a disco globe of death.

Also, note how much bigger the guy got after devolving the spider legs.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

But the glass gives Squishy a really pretty...hat? hair?...

Now Squishy, should go and have itself a bucket full of Kentucky Fried Eldritch Horror.

Oh, and make sure the ROBOT isn't still outside. It might like to punch GLOWING things.

I'm not suggesting we cannibalize our entire crest. I'm talking about absorbing a micro thin layer that would be like contacts, that would improve our laser - eyes. At worst, the crest would be 1 pixel shorter & not something we'd even notice.

Besides, right now our laser eyes are really only good for a power-point presentation.

SWB

[Mike McC]

Evolve Insectoid eyes. That should let us shoot beams from each facet, like a disco globe of death.You do realize that would make them less effective, right? There is only so much energy that can be output. By splitting it up, you are also splitting up the energy amongst many different beams. By doing this, you turn an already weak laser into what would amount to a heat lamp.

[Odjn]

You do realize that would make them less effective, right? There is only so much energy that can be output. By splitting it up, you are also splitting up the energy amongst many different beams. By doing this, you turn an already weak laser into what would amount to a heat lamp.

Yeah, but our laser eyes suck already, whereas even the presumably weak light we give off from our entire body is enough to force the Dweller back. Given that it probably has a lot more tentacles than we've seen. Since the light hasn't been shown to hurt the Dweller, we should probably have a back up light source that has an area effect. The death thing was hyperbole.

Our weak laser currently is ineffective against the many tentacles, forcing us to evolve bioluminescence to defend against it. Since we can't strengthen it, we might as well increase its field as far as we can. Power doesn't seem to mean much to the dweller.

[Flarecobra]

The laser eyes were enough to cut off the tentacles. And seeing as it won't approach with the bioluminescence...

[phil_]

I say we have enough light-show effects for now. Let's either hunt down the creature or go check out that other north, with preference to other north.

Also, diplomacy goes right out the window once you start eating limbs. Even the diplomacy of biting.

[Krylo]

As I said before, Dweller must die.

Plus, maybe we can take over his lair.

[Aerozord]

Evolve the ability to produce poison

Shoot poison from eyes into the Dwellers mouth


Or if you feel like being sadistic, make it paralyzing poison

[Odjn]

The laser eyes were enough to cut off the tentacles. And seeing as it won't approach with the bioluminescence...

Those got squashed by us throwing the yellow thing.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0160.png
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0162.png

[Aerozord]

maybe we should have been hitting it with the yellow thing all along

[Kerensky287]

Fashion yellow thing into a deadly weapon.

Or just use it as a cudgel.

[Wigmund]

Unfortunately, the DWELLER limped off with the yellow thing.

We must go and devour the DWELLER to regain the holy artifact.

[Arhra]

>EVOLVE IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY for greater LASER EYE power.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0170.png

IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.


>Recap

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0171.png

You are a THING. You are currently shaped like this.

You are in a series of CAVES. There were various THINGS in these CAVES, many of which were EDIBLE, allowing you to vastly increase your MASS. You used some of this MASS to EVOLVE several FEATURES of varying usefulness.

After becoming large enough to scale the CLIFFS in the first CHAMBER, you found an OPEN SPACE protected by a PERILOUS GUARDIAN.

Forced to retreat, you encountered the DWELLER in a DARK PIT and withdrew again. Night fell while you attempted to dig your own TUNNEL in the MUSHROOMY SHRINE. The DWELLER emerged and attacked. It was driven off by your newly evolved BIOLUMINESENCE, taking the SHINY YELLOW THING you discovered with it.

You have discovered you have an EVOLUTIONARY LIMIT. If your SELECTION PRESSURE exceeds it, your SHAPE destabilises and you loose access to your EVOLUTIONS. You can EVOLVE one more TRAIT before going over your current LIMIT. You have also discovered certain ABILITIES are IRREDUCIBLY COMPLEX, requiring several evolved TRAITS working together.

Eating the DWELLER's severed TENTACLES has refilled some of your PRECIOUS FLUIDS.


>Chase the DWELLER.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0172.png

You swear these tunnels have shrunk.

You regain more precious FLUIDS from the DWELLER's leakiness.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0173.png

The DWELLER is waiting for you.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0174.png

It's a TRAAAAAAAAAAAP!

[Viridis]

RETREEEEAT sounds like a good first move.

[Flarecobra]

Give it a laser-eye blast to the mouth?

[Tev]

We really need to condense our mass some. These tunnels are getting unmanageable fast.

I say we back up, condense to a more combative form, and then go eat us a Dweller.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Shift MASS to SNAKE ATTACK MODE!

Squeeze through GAP!

Activate LASER EYES!

DESTROY the DWELLER once and for all!

[Aerozord]

I say we shirk down, jump down its throat and see just how laser proof its internal organs are as we secrete acid and burst out of its chest.

BODY HORROR

PS

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0174.png

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v135/aerozord/Itsatrap.jpg

[Tev]

I vote we do.....


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/TopHatAssassin/squishy.jpg

[Aerozord]

umm Tev, didn't we already try the laser eye thing?

[Tev]

Yes, and we should do it again.

[Flarecobra]

Hence why I suggest aiming the lasers for the tentacle's mouth.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Uhm, shouldn't those whiskers of ours told us that the passage was too small for our increased mass? That's what the real things do for cats.

As for action, the only options I see are to attempt to shoot the tentacle holding the yellow thing (with laser eyes, natch). Or get smacked with the yellow thing.

I say, shoot creature in tentacle that's holding the yellow thing.

SWB

[BitVyper]

Convert some of our excess mass to hypermass so as to better fit through the tunnel.

[Wigmund]

Why didn't Squishy go down the other path to chase the DWELLER? I mean, it was wide open and gave Squishy a longer path to attack the tentacled horror from.

As for LASER EYES, we need to find a way to raise our EVOLUTIONARY LIMIT and probably evolve the following traits:
> PUPIL
> OPTICAL LENS (with ability to strengthen/weaken LASERS through changing focus)
> RETINA with IMPROVED PHOTORECPTORS and SPECIALIZED LASER EMITTERS
> a pretty IRIS*
> CORNEA
> some AQUEOUS and VITRIOLIC HUMORS in the appropriate areas of the eye
> and whatever else is needed to work

Maybe these EVOLUTIONS, using IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY, would count as one evolution overall for the LIMIT (or two - EYES and LASER EYES)

* for the IRIS, maybe it be linked with a mood-ring like setting on them where they change colors depending on Squishy's mood, health, hunger, etc. The left eye can indicate mood, and the right eye can indicate health/etc, this gives Squishy HETEROCHROMIA - further improving ADORABILITY
7232

[Odjn]

Can we convert mass to fluid?

If so I suggest doing that and then spewing (or evolve spewing) acid on the Dweller.

[Aerozord]

even if we cant I assume we can evolve the ability to do it

[Kerensky287]

Learn to convert excess MASS directly into energy.

Energy that comes from the eyes.

[ziratha]

Evolve camouflage.

Sneak past monster.

???

Profit!!

[Tev]

Evolve camouflage.

Sneak past monster.

???

Profit!!The monster doesn't have eyes....camouflage will do us no good.

[Aerozord]

The monster doesn't have eyes....camouflage will do us no good.

probably has something more like what a worm does, it can only detect light intensity otherwise being glowy wouldn't have helped, but this is true it probably uses echo-location or something. We can probably develope a method to hide, but it could sense movement.

[Arhra]

>Ponder various things

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0175.png

What better time than now!


- Shouldn't those whiskers of ours told us that the passage was too small for our increased mass?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0176.png

You... you were too caught up in the moment.


Why didn't we go down the other path to chase the DWELLER?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0177.png

What other path, crazy?


- Maybe multiple EVOLUTIONS, using IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY, would count as one evolution overall for the LIMIT (or two - EYES and LASER EYES)?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0170.png

IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.

That is, in fact, the opposite of how it works.


- Can we convert mass to fluid?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0178.png

Can't get ye blood from ye stone!


- Even if we can't I assume we can evolve the ability to do it?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0179.png

IF THE HYPOTHETICAL STONE IN THIS METAPHOR IS OUT OF METAPHORICAL BLOOD, THEN THERE IS NO POSSIBLE WAY - HYPOTHETICAL OR OTHERWISE - THAT MORE BLOOD CAN BE WRUNG OUT OF IT.


>Do stuff

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0180.png

That is probably a good idea.


>Shoot creature in tentacle that's holding the yellow thing.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0181.png

Their teamwork is too strong!


Give it a laser-eye blast to the mouth

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0182.png

Surely it can't parry everything!

"Chew on this" would be an adequate one liner, you think.


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0183.png

Right in here, this is where it will be shot.


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0184.png

There's something... it's... you don't understand.


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0185.png

What... what is happening?!


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0186.png

You can't take much more of this!


>Condense to a more combative form

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0187.png

Conversion underway!


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0188-1.png

What now?


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0189.png

OH YEAH!!!


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0190-1.png

What?


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0191-1.png

OH NO?!

[Viridis]

It's clearly here to murderize all squishy basement dwellers. Hide.

[BitVyper]

Introduce the robot to World of Warcraft and watch him destroy his own life.

Failing that, FLEE before he throws another punch.

[The Kneumatic Pnight]

It looks friendly! Wave hello to the nice fist.

[Aerozord]

did we ever for sure find out it means us harm, or did we kind of just assume and run

[Geminex]

did we ever for sure find out it means us harm, or did we kind of just assume and run
If a robot squishes you as soon as it sees you, and the only reason you survive is your high squishiness, is that robot hostile?

[Viridis]

That could be how it says hello.

[Yumil]

If a robot squishes you as soon as it sees you, and the only reason you survive is your high squishiness, is that robot hostile?

This one is not giant, therefore they may not be related.

-Thank the robot for saving you.

and now I notice it is the hand of the giant one...ok I take that back.

[akaSM]

Maybe the ROBOT FIST wants to apologize for smashing Squishy. Say hello to ROBOT FIST. Also, it's wallpaper request time! :D

This time I'd like this one, same res as before, 1920*1080

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0185.png

Preety please :).

Maybe you should make a series of wallpapers of HFAT, I bet everyone will love them

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Would NOW be a good time to evolve ADAPTIVE CAMOUFLAGE and conceal oneself from the GIANT ROBOT FIST?

Because maybe you should do that.

[Viridis]

Assuming it doesn't see via heat. Or radar. Or hatred.

[Aerozord]

Assuming it doesn't see via heat. Or radar. Or hatred.

I'm betting its fear

[Arhra]

Hmm, there's a couple of technical glitches on the last few images that I caught and re-uploaded just before putting the update up, but it's taking quite a while to show the new images for some weird reason.

I've changed the names to direct it to correct copies.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Condense to a more combative form, VERY VERY FAST - Instantaneous if we can manage (or is AOL in charge of our evolutions?)

SWB
- Also, as a side note... People, you do know how to spot a hypnotic mouth when you see one, right? Its the fullness of the lips, that's the tell tale sign.

[Marc v4.0]

Look around; can you construct some sort of RUDIMENTARY LATHE?

[Geminex]

Also, I don't think laser eyes are a very viable form of attack. If we want something that can actually deal damage, we'll need something better.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Now would be a good time to convert matter into energy in some form of explosive/electrical weapon based attack. Maybe we could recharge the Yellow Thing and attach it to the Giant Fist of Doom.

[Flarecobra]

Snag Yellow thing, show it to Robot?

[tacticslion]

I wonder: are the other two "inhabitants" here also former evolutionary amorphs who created themselves to be what they are now? If this is (or is not) so, is it possible to acquire their evolutionary limit for ourself (as in by eating the whole of the Dweller and absorbing what it had learned/its DNA)? Even the robot could be via careful evolutions of crests and armor (though I doubt it with the crest sigil engraved, see below)

Regardless: I've a bad feeling for our current predicament - we need to get out of the robot's attack-zone, but we don't know what that is, exactly. How did the robot send its fist (containing, of all things, a new set of eyes) all the way down here? Where is the main body? At what point and in what way did it arrive here? Certainly not down the main passage presented in post #104 (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1017779&postcount=104) where we ate the mold - we don't even know where that led (I'm actually having some problems putting the full map in order in my head). Further, the robot is certainly related to the golden plate - they both have the same symbol etched on them (post #283 (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1025999&postcount=283)), and the golden plate "is not your friend" - though this could be purely perspective, as the Dweller and the Gold Plate "seemed" to have an alliance to the pea-brained creature (us), when it seems (out of character) it was just the sentient Dweller using tools at hand.

So, the real thing now is: what next? Simply backing out of the tunnel is an option, but our glass 'hair/crest' might get stuck, and considering the text after panel three in # 389 (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1031874&postcount=398) it might not be too viable anyway. If the robot punches us in the face, we might lose some of our favorite organs (eye, ears, brain, etc), even if not permanently, perhaps in terms of prescious, prescious fluid which will take time to regrow. Another issue we've not confronted yet: where is the energy for our bioluminescence and laser-eyes coming from? I'm presuming our movement and basic functions are part of our (presumed) mitochondrial cellular structures, as normal, via digestion, but I'm uncertain about how much energy we have and how readily we can access it. Is there a way to take on our 'stealth' form, which was more sinuous and thus presumably able to squeeze easier? It does seem our evolutions have some lag time, as the conversion is in the midst of happening now.

As to Evolution (for discussion, not for now):
In general/theory, I agree with the basics of SWBob's suggestion here (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1030416&postcount=387), however now is not the moment as we don't have enough fluid or time to do so, and, if I may suggest, we seriously consider a focusing element so that the lasers run through our crest (instead of our eyes) for various effects (scattering, focusing, intensifying, etc) based on how we work it. I don't think we will successfully have slivers of the crest at this time, as we aren't a lithovor any longer. Currently we have both laser eyes and bioluminescence - not bad, but that's two things that take radiant energy (light) and focus it into two different ways, being inefficient in both evolutions and our (limited) bio-energy distribution. I suggest we consider a consolidation, though I don't exactly know how or what. Perhaps something like a singular "third-eye" with the crest as mobile lenses? I don't know. I also agree we need to limit our evolutions in general, but this might be sensible. What say you, Tev-Krylo Node Center (and anyone else)? As to the brain, I believe that it's necessary. I'm guessing we'd be experiencing significant penalties that we can't even guess at now without it.

[Aerozord]

maybe it just wants the plate. But right now I think we should get out of there. Condence and flee down the hole the dweller was in

[ziratha]

>learn to love
>love the robot
>sign up for a 20 year mortgage with the robot
>get in fight with robot
>take the house in the divorce
>get your groove back.

[Wigmund]

- Maybe multiple EVOLUTIONS, using IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY, would count as one evolution overall for the LIMIT (or two - EYES and LASER EYES)?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0170.png

IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY.

That is, in fact, the opposite of how it works.

So how does IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY work Squishy? You have time to ponder this before the GENTLEMANLY ROBOT's HAND decides what to do next.

[Krylo]

I'd guess it means we're going to have to stop being a blob and begin building evolutions that depend entirely upon other evolutions to exist. Such as how a musculature system would be completely pointless and useless to evolve unless we also evolve a skeletal system for muscles to push against.

I'd further guess that once we have enough evolutions that can no longer be reduced (as doing so would mean destroying/disabling the evolutions that came after them), our evolutionary limit would/will increase.

In other words, I would posit that our creator is trying to get us to evolve into something less squishy and formless. Or at least providing a carrot that might be tempting enough to give up all the advantages that come with being squishy and formless.

[BitVyper]

Fire lasers directly into its eyes, temporarily blinding it and permanently damaging its retinas.


In other words, I would posit that our creator is trying to get us to evolve into something less squishy and formless.

I have a compromise. (http://api.ning.com/files/KXZfvaZKZMyDV3nkc3X1mj7Fau-tQeAOsKHZL4SY9*Z*0UfOVeQdi951UVHDHmqag3F0rb8am-at1zFBTil9ZccY5Bt-OO*N/Kirby.jpg)

[Krylo]

Robots don't have retinas.

USE MASS to EVOLVE a method of TURNING EXCESS MASS into ENERGY.

USE MASS to EVOLVE a method of CHANNELING ENERGY INTO LASER EYES for more powerful and energetic bursts.

With our now significantly reduced mass RETREAT quickly to the NORTH, the way that we came.

Once it is safe to do so, RETURN to EAT REMAINS of the DWELLER.

[Donomni]

I have a compromise. (http://api.ning.com/files/KXZfvaZKZMyDV3nkc3X1mj7Fau-tQeAOsKHZL4SY9*Z*0UfOVeQdi951UVHDHmqag3F0rb8am-at1zFBTil9ZccY5Bt-OO*N/Kirby.jpg)

Seriously. The cuteness must not be sacrificed!

I mean, yeah, keep working on evolutions that work, but in the general direction of godless cute-and-blobby killing machines.

[tacticslion]

>learn to love
>love the robot
>sign up for a 20 year mortgage with the robot
>get in fight with robot
>take the house in the divorce
>get your groove back.

>In your mind only, as a theoretical excercise significantly after you are no longer in danger of being imminantly squished by robot fist and thereby losing your prescious, prescious internal thinky bits.

So how does IRREDUCIBLE COMPLEXITY work Squishy? You have time to ponder this before the GENTLEMANLY ROBOT's HAND decides what to do next.

Basically, we can't "power up" the laser until we have a number of specific, related (yet independantly semi-sensible) evolutions which would logically contribute to the over-all 'powering' of the laser. In other words: you can't have a motor without all the parts. Right now, to extend the analogy, we've got a simple bicycle motor - it uses pedals to turn a basic gear that moves a chain attatched to two wheels for the express purpose of moving it. The mechanical parts are all present and made of a similar element - effectively making it self-sufficient (it's part of us, we supply the external power).
What we're talking about is turning this into an internal-combustion engine, like a motorcycle, or even race car. The "chain" needs to become a serpentine belt, we need pistons instead of pedals, fuel-storage* and fuel* instead of our current 'us' power, the fuel injector, the spark plug, the antifreeze (and storage elements), the battery (different from fuel, we may already provide this), the radiator, and all the other individual parts of the engine.

All of this is metaphorically speaking, of course - I have no idea "how" our current laser eyes work - and I bet our squishy protagonist doesn't know either, he just uses it, as we would our arms or eyes 5,000 years ago - with no modern scientific understanding of our bodies, just how we do it.

The analogy above, however, is what irreducible complexity is all about. If an internal combustion engine is missing only one part, it doesn't work - it is irreducibly complex. I grant that the machine - the car or motorcycle - can be moved without the engine, but that's really slow and ungainly, and the motor itself - the normal driving force - can't and won't work. Alternatively, if it does, it won't work long: it'll overheat and catch fire (potentially blowing up) or simply break and never work again. That said, we aren't trying to make a car - we don't need the AC, the heater, the stereo, or anything else 'extra' for simple comfort. We need to go minimal until we know we can survive the game, whatever that is... which brings up the point that we still don't know what we're doing, exactly, or what the rules are.

When we do try to make changes we will need to understand what rule-system we're working off of (which it seems to be a near-ideal physics-and-chemistry system with sci-fantasy biological overtures) in order to know what we do need. We may need to abondon the laser eyes, sadly - it might be prohibitively expensive. Alternatively, we might just have to grow into it - literally, we might not have enough bio-mass right now. You can't stick a motorcycle engine on a bycicle - you have to have a large and strong enough framework to support it.

To get back to the quotes in question: the reason that the quoted post was the opposite of how irreducible complexity works, it's like saying "Hey, guys, I know how we can save a ton of money - instead of buying all the motorcycle parts, we can build a unicycle (they're much cheaper) and then use that the same way we would a motorcycle, including filling up its internal combustion engine with really high quality fuel that we make in our distillery in our house! Brilliant!" while Ahra's response indicates "No, that's stupid, you need the (larger and more complex) motorcycle body and the engine - you can't reduce it to being a unicycle to avoid paying the price. Further your distillery will wreck that engine faster than you could sneeze 'oops'."

*fuel: it will require more than what we can give it now. I'm going to say we have to find a powersource greater than "ourself". Perhaps somehow converting the gold thing, but I'm not certain.

EDIT:
...
...
...
Dang. Kirby is... is really an impressively accurate conceptualization for what we are. Consumption leads to utilizing what we consume to achieve a limited set of "higher" evolutionary states. Pokemon has been an adequate analogy until now, but Kirby is even better, as he can 'sacrifice' unwanted power for another more useful one. Huh. I wonder if - upon consuming the dweller - he can inherent some of its properties (including the hypnotic mouth effect which would, in theory, be infinately useful to an all-consuming cuteness). Again, I reitterate, we don't know the rules yet - we need to be more aware of what's going on. I'd suggest a better brain - but we need to get out of here first, so our current one can't be squished.

Also: dang it, krylo, why are you so much better and faster at saying everything I want to? Well played, good sir, well played.

EDIT PART 2:
No, we're totally not godless. We totally worshipped that mega mushroom, the strange mushroom, and/or whatever primal and/or divine spirit was "behind" such a glorious thing.

ALSO, while I wholeheartedly embrace the cute in general, we may - at some point - need to evolve past that/mature to the point that we can truly survive. As evidenced by Kirby, we are probably some ways off from that, but I would like us to keep our options open.

[Krylo]

Forgot about this:
Regardless: I've a bad feeling for our current predicament - we need to get out of the robot's attack-zone, but we don't know what that is, exactly. How did the robot send its fist (containing, of all things, a new set of eyes) all the way down here? Where is the main body? At what point and in what way did it arrive here? Certainly not down the main passage presented in post #104 (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1017779&postcount=104) where we ate the mold - we don't even know where that led (I'm actually having some problems putting the full map in order in my head).See attached file for basic Layout. Robot not drawn to scale.


As to Evolution (for discussion, not for now):
In general/theory, I agree with the basics of SWBob's suggestion here (http://www.nuklearforums.com/showpost.php?p=1030416&postcount=387), however now is not the moment as we don't have enough fluid or time to do so, and, if I may suggest, we seriously consider a focusing element so that the lasers run through our crest (instead of our eyes) for various effects (scattering, focusing, intensifying, etc) based on how we work it.The shards are parts of a broken bottle from the room the robot is in. It was full of nutrient rich liquid. This is pretty obvious from looking at the first few pages and using some deductive reasoning.

Knowing this and basic light physics, we know that any attempts to 'focus' our lasers through the shards would be foolhardy, as you don't use random glass bottles to focus lasers. You use carefully created and aligned lenses. The only result firing our lasers through the glass shards would have is diffusing them even further than they already are, and considering how weak they are currently this would effectively remove all use for them. They already don't have much of one.

We need to increase energy output.

Currently we have both laser eyes and bioluminescence - not bad, but that's two things that take radiant energy (light) and focus it into two different ways, being inefficient in both evolutions and our (limited) bio-energy distribution.

Thanks for the reminder. With the Dweller dead bioluminescence is now useless considering we have echolocation.

UNEVOLVE BIOLUMINESCENCE.

EDIT FORGOT TO ACTUALLY ATTACH ATTACHED FILE!

[BitVyper]

Robots don't have retinas.

You can't prove that!

[tacticslion]

The shards are parts of a broken bottle from the room the robot is in. It was full of nutrient rich liquid. This is pretty obvious from looking at the first few pages and using some deductive reasoning.

Knowing this and basic light physics, we know that any attempts to 'focus' our lasers through the shards would be foolhardy, as you don't use random glass bottles to focus lasers. You use carefully created and aligned lenses. The only result firing our lasers through the glass shards would have is diffusing them even further than they already are, and considering how weak they are currently this would effectively remove all use for them. They already don't have much of one.

We need to increase energy output.

I'd agree in general, however do remember we're living in a world where we maintain sensual "vision" while we shoot photons out of our photon-receptor things (eyes), at least by way representation within the comic so far, however that could have just been artistic liscence, or the Dweller's view, as we have seen things (to a limited extent) from the veiw of another (the robot, explaining he was a gentleman). Hm, actually, this could be a limited form of telepathy. All that said, yeah, I get the fact that reflection and refraction would be a part of the negative processes, but that's gotta happen in the eyes too, at least to some extent. Further, it's theoretically possible for us to 'grind' the glass into suitable lenses. Really, I was thinking of a shining horn-of-light like thing (think Carbunkle from various final fantasy games), but I'm not overly attatched to that idea - so consider it withdrawn. Currently the glass is purely decorative to the best of my knowledge, though it might come in useful at some point. We really don't know the full rules of the world we're living in yet, only that they aren't completely ours.

Thanks for the reminder. With the Dweller dead bioluminescence is now useless considering we have echolocation.

UNEVOLVE BIOLUMINESCENCE.

I gotta disagree, especially right now. UNevolving might use up 'fluids' just as evolving might - we know this isn't a perfect system with no loss. Currently we're in the middle of a battle. Discretion, I think at this point, is the better part of valor, and safety before boldness.

EDIT FORGOT TO ACTUALLY ATTACH ATTACHED FILE!

Thanks for the file, but that still doesn't explain where the distant warm glowy thing was, or how our little pit was relative to the sun. I'm just unsure of those locations at present.

[Aerozord]

I think we need to run. look we couldn't handle the dweller, I doubt we can do anything about the thing that killed it in half a second

[tacticslion]

I think we need to run. look we couldn't handle the dweller, I doubt we can do anything about the thing that killed it in half a second

I think we are mostly all in agreement with this at this time. The Robot is just too much. That said, it may be quite possible for the robot to simply seal us in our little hole. We don't know that there's another way out... so hm.

Oddly, we know that the robot is "Guardian" - but "Guardian" of what? Of the plaque? Of this whole? Yeah, we know the glass came from "above"... but why? Where did we come from? Why did we just spontaneously start existing (and evolving) in this pit? Were we in that glass beaker/vial/thing that shattered? Was that red stuff we drank? Were both we and that red stuff? We don't know.

Incidentally:
>compare "taste" of red liquid to Dweller's 'leakyness' and think if they're similar*

*I know we could experience (and still can experience) 'taste' without a devoted tongue because the red stuff tasted 'salty' and the mushrooms were 'delicious'.

It's quite possible that the Guardian is here to prevent the experiments (creatures like ourself and the dweller) from getting out. Perhaps its after the gold thing. Perhaps it simply is there to ensure that the gold thing doesn't leave (though that seems unlikely as it punched us the first time it saw us, even without the gold thing). It's still quite telling that the only 'sentient' life we've found so far is: a Dweller (tentacle horror) and a Guardian (massive punchy robot).

My point - again - is that we're lacking in information. But also that we should get some ideas going here. We need to think - why was the "Dweller" dwelling there - obviously it can't stand light, but why here? Why is the "Guardian" guarding here? What is the "Guardian" guarding? Is it independantly sentient, or is it highly limited in its programming with only apparent sentience due to the parameters it opperates under (like a golem)? I know its likely we won't come up with actual answers, but I'd like to hear from others and see what they think... and we might be able to get some ideas together for hammering out how things work.

[Tev]

My point - again - is that we're lacking in information. But also that we should get some ideas going here. We need to think - why was the "Dweller" dwelling there - obviously it can't stand light, but why here? Why is the "Guardian" guarding here? What is the "Guardian" guarding? Is it independantly sentient, or is it highly limited in its programming with only apparent sentience due to the parameters it opperates under (like a golem)? I know its likely we won't come up with actual answers, but I'd like to hear from others and see what they think... and we might be able to get some ideas together for hammering out how things work.That sounds like waaaaaay to much using your thinking brain to work through our squishy, lazer-eyed problems. Imagine that we have the mental capacity of a cat. Enough autonomy to make humans think we are intelligent yet at the same time very instinct driven.

In our current situation what we are doing is failing at hunting. We have the most awesome ability to consciously acquire evolutionary adaptations at will. Our biggest hold-up is the conference in our mind that is interfering with our focus.

Decisions for the here and now are as follows:
-Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore, or at the very least, Predator or Prey? We need to pick one and stick with it. We need to settle on a frame of mind and work our evolutions to fit the mold.
-Fight or flee? The Dweller is not going to go away. We can either fight it now or spend our time running from it. We need to establish the food chain of this little hole and I want us to be on top.

[Krylo]

Omnivore, Predator, Flee Robot, Fight Dweller.

Also: Laser eyes.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

You people have too many thoughts.

Well, except Krylo.

[Tev]

You people have too many thoughts.

Well, except Krylo.
Hey!

[tacticslion]

Kinda annoyed that this got ignored.

I'm just not certain we can focus on that now.

That sounds like waaaaaay to much using your thinking brain to work through our squishy, lazer-eyed problems. Imagine that we have the mental capacity of a cat. Enough autonomy to make humans think we are intelligent yet at the same time very instinct driven.
The brain is, honestly, useless unless we plan to begin 'inventing' instead of 'evolving'. The creature will always be driven by the mass bureaucracy of this thread, therefore a brain is useless for planning or outwitting enemies. Brain or no, the creature will act and react only as we will it to.

See, that's the thing. I'm not getting our pink essence to try to think these things through, I'm asking us, the collective decision makers. We make the decisions, the brain just tries to work it out in a focused logical fashion. There was sentience and thought before we had a brain, however. Somehow information is stored in the protoplasmic semi-formless us as we are.

-Fight or flee? The Dweller is not going to go away. We can either fight it now or spend our time running from it. We need to establish the food chain of this little hole and I want us to be on top.

[b]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0189.png

OH YEAH!!!


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0190-1.png


Is the dweller really a problem anymore? I mean it might simply have been boxed down into its own hole by the robot fist - I don't know, but that image makes it look really devastated.

In our current situation what we are doing is failing at hunting. We have the most awesome ability to consciously acquire evolutionary adaptations at will. Our biggest hold-up is the conference in our mind that is interfering with our focus.

Decisions for the here and now are as follows:
-Herbivore, Carnivore, Omnivore, or at the very least, Predator or Prey? We need to pick one and stick with it. We need to settle on a frame of mind and work our evolutions to fit the mold.

Omnivore, Predator, Flee Robot, Fight Dweller.

Also: Laser eyes.

I whole-heartedly agree with Omnivore, however I don't think we can fully decide predator or prey. Right now we're neither, and significantly more of a scavenger than anything else. I'd say rather we become hunter-gatherer and farmer - if we find future resources we need to conserve and promote them until we have enough to ensure we can evolve/grow enough to outpower our threats with enough mass and energy. Fleeing the robot is necessary, however. I do wonder if its possible to go faster than the robot can punch - slipping into the dweller's hole (avoiding getting trapped in our own), and killing it dead. If it is still alive, that's another reason not to devolve bioluminesence yet.

Nonetheless, if it gets us moving, I'll mostly back krylo's suggestions for now.

[Krylo]

I whole-heartedly agree with Omnivore, however I don't think we can fully decide predator or prey.

Well it was a decision on what we should evolve toward, not what we should be right now, and predator > prey. Obviously.

[Geminex]

Unless there's a shortage of prey and an abundance of mushrooms. Let's stay Omnivore for now, and go Predator when we're in an environment with enough edible creatures.

And I really, really think we should abandon the laser eyes. They aren't effective! We're armed with a laser pointer! What're we gonna do? Blind our prey to death?

[Aerozord]

you are always prey, there is no animal on this planet that isn't eaten by another animal.

[Yumil]

you are always prey, there is no animal on this planet that isn't eaten by another animal.


The honey badger would like to disagree. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D99-5axzEA)

[Krylo]

Omnivore, Predator, Flee Robot, Fight Dweller.

Also: Laser eyes.

I whole-heartedly agree with Omnivore, however I don't think we can fully decide predator or prey.

Well it was a decision on what we should evolve toward, not what we should be right now, and predator > prey. Obviously.

Let's stay Omnivore for now

Yes. Let's do that.

And I really, really think we should abandon the laser eyes. They aren't effective! We're armed with a laser pointer! What're we gonna do? Blind our prey to death?

Evolve them into actual weapons. Keep up with the thread.

Jeez.

you are always prey, there is no animal on this planet that isn't eaten by another animal.

The honey badger would like to disagree. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D99-5axzEA)

Also: Humans.

And Golden Eagles, and most tigers, and most bears off the top of my head.

Most areas have an alpha predator, or groups of alpha predators, whose populations are controlled only by how many prey animals are around.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Yeah you generally don't see any elephants or giraffes beating up on lions you know. Or anything else beating up on them really.

[Aerozord]

Also: Humans.


what are you talking about? Most large preditors will eat a human if given the chance. We just defend ourselves well

[Krylo]

Aero, any carnivorous or omnivorous animal, if hungry enough, will attack any other animal.

That doesn't make them, as a species, their predator.

Most large predators if given the chance to attack humans will, further, walk away from it, because there aren't any animals that actually consider us prey animals. Large wolf packs in Russia used to back in the day, but they now avoid humans like any other animal.

Animal attacks on humans only really happen when an animal has been extremely desensitized to humans, they are defending their territory, they feel threatened, or they panic.

A few outliers attacking humans does not equate to humans having natural predators. Just like a group of starving wolves bringing down a bear once doesn't make wolves a natural predator to bears.

[tacticslion]

EDITED BEFORE POSTING (deleting a paragraph of counter-arguement): I see and accept your point, krylo. We've been using different base concepts (whether predation is constant or simply primary - we've been presuming you mean constant, when you've meant primary) so that's been the source of any percieved conflict. Nonetheless I'm suggesting a combination predation and agriculture, as explained below...

My point is, like many bears (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bears), we don't have to be exclusive or even primarily devoted to predation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predator). We can be developing that, yes, and in general it's much better to be predator than prey, however, as the post says (and as krylo, you seem to understand) we won't become "hugger of worlds" overnight. I'm suggesting rather than pure predation, we become a hunter/gatherer (which we already are, effectively primarily a predator, whether of plants or animals) combined with a farmer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farming) - which we are most certainly not. Again, this isn't immediate - this is what I suggest we move towards.

I mean, we could even become partially detritivorous (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritivore) in the meantime, which would have many benefits, although let it be known that I am not desiring a return to lithovore, unless we (at some distant point in the slightly distant future) evolve (I don't know that we can) or acquire a lithovoric microbial "ally" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithovore) that does the dirty work for us; that's a pretty big contengiency, so again it's not an actual recommendation, it's a conditional consideration.

And Hawk: yes, elephants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephants) will, in many cases, beat up on lions (especially if its in musth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musth)). Lions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions) can be pussies (sorry for the pun!). Granted they have skilled hunting traps and look majestic, but they are far more tamable than, say, tigers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger), who'd probably die before they gave in and are, incidentally, smarter than lions. Ligers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liger) (a specific form of hybrids (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_(biology)) of lion and tiger which is different from the tiglon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiglon)) are smarter than lions and more tamable than tigers. What's the point of telling you all of this? I dunno, I just found it interesting and thought you might.

[Odjn]

My god this is an adventure game are you all mad?

Don't devolve bioluminensce. You saw the robot smash the dweller's tentacles. Do you see the dead motionless corpse? No? Keep it.

In adventure games you never assume anything's dead til you've stomped the body into goo, burnt the ashes, launched them into space and punted them in the general vicinity of the sun.

NOW:

Evolve the ability to generate tentacles.

Revolve shell secretion and use it for pointy ends on the tentacles.

Maul any dweller that gets close.

Also, the BOOOOOM was the robot taking a step, I believe. ALSO: The symbol on it is the same as the yellow thing's symbol. FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS?!

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Hey, Arhra.. Just curious, but is the reason why you haven't posted any new scenes, is because you are devising a new look? If that's the case, then I suggest you don't over think it too much.

Personally, I just expect something like what we have, but with a bit less of a bubble butt & maybe something that is a bit more like a weasel. Also, while our body would remain the same shape, our proportions would be smaller. So when you draw our creature, he doesn't tend to take up nearly as much space (so we won't be stuck in the hole).

If there are other reasons why you haven't updated, that's cool as well. I just thought I'd make a suggestion towards a combative form, since that's pretty vague.

SWB

[Flarecobra]

I think I'm starting to get fans of this off-site.

And they're asking when it'll be updated next.

[Arhra]

>Wave hello to the nice fist.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0192.png

You wave hello.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0193.png

It's doing a thing!


>Condense to a more combative form, VERY VERY FAST

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0194.png

The GENERATOR is running as fast as it can, captain. It cannae take no more!


>Look around; can you construct some sort of RUDIMENTARY LATHE?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0195.png

You don't know what that is! The very CONCEPT is beyond your tiny, PEA SIZED BRAIN!

Your IGNORANCE has increased by 1.

You feel UNHAPPY.

Also there's this big THING blocking your view.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0196.png

Oh my.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0197.png


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0198.png

It's leaving.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0199.png

There it goes.


>USE MASS to EVOLVE a method of TURNING EXCESS MASS into ENERGY.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0200.png

After careful consideration, you evolve a JUMBO MITOCHONDRION.

You feel more ENERGETIC.


>USE MASS to EVOLVE a method of CHANNELING ENERGY INTO LASER EYES for more powerful and energetic bursts.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0201.png

You evolve MITOCHONDUITS.

Your LASER EYES are more powerful!


>Once it is safe to do so, RETURN to EAT REMAINS of the DWELLER.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Arhra/ho/ho_0202.png

...

You've forgotten something important.

You are at your EVOLUTIONARY LIMIT!

CURRENT EVOLUTIONS

EVOLVED ABILITIES
- All Five Senses (free with EYES, EARS and NOSE)
- Bioluminesence
- Cannibalise
- Improved Echolocation (needs SPATIAL LOBE)
- Hypermass Generator
- Improved Noisemaking (free with MOUTH)
- Secretion Control
- Improved Laser Eyes (needs EYES, JUMBO MITOCHONDRION, MITOCHONDUITS)

EVOLVED BODY PARTS
- Spine
- Pea Sized Brain
-+ Spatial Lobe (needs any BRAIN)
- Jumbo Mitochondrion
-+ Mitochonduits (needs any MITOCHONDRIA)

SHAPE EVOLUTIONS
- Advanced Eyes
- Arms/Hands
- Cat Ears
- Low Profile Nose
- Mouth
- Strengthened Membrane.
- Whiskers

KNOWN SECRETIONS
- Sticky film.
- Acid.

[Krylo]

> EVOLVE extra EVOLUTIONARY SLOT

Or, if that doesn't work:

> UNEVOLVE ACID SECRECTION

Also,

> TEST new LASER EYES

[POS Industries]

Agreed on the acid secretion. Secondly:

>TEST new LASER EYES by LIGHTING a FIRE with them.

>COOK the DWELLER REMAINS in the FIRE for maximum TASTINESS.

[BitVyper]

I suppose we don't really need BIOLUMINESENCE. As much as I like it (and want to evolve a FAUX BATTLE AURA to frighten other monsters), lets get rid of it. I'd rather keep the acid secretion though. It has the potential to be useful.

[Krylo]

True, but I'm not entirely comfortable losing bioluminesence now that I see the Dweller's 'body'. There's not nearly enough of it there for it to be dead.

Well, at least I'm not comfortable losing it until we have a successful laser eye test.

[BitVyper]

That's true. What were we using our sticky secretion for again? If we're not using it to climb walls or anything, I'd rather get rid of that myself.

[Sifright]

reshape mitochoduits to allow energy to be directed towards either the eyes or the skin for increased light generation. (Aka light bursts like a flash bang to visually impair enemies.

[Flarecobra]

Let's get rid of both secreations, and perhaps Secretion Control...doesn't seem to be doing anything for us thus far..

[Aerozord]

fine lets keep acid and the glowy and get rid of echolocation. Not like we need two methods for seeing in the dark

[BitVyper]

I'd rather keep echolocation and rely on eye lasers for light if we really need it. Echolocation gives us a whole different way of seeing that we can fall back on if we are blinded for reasons besides darkness. Or if we need to deal with something without looking at it. Really though, I'd rather keep both and get rid of a secretion until the dweller is gone. Once it's gone, we can always drop bioluminesence.

[Krylo]

You know guys, we really need to figure out a way to expand our evolutionary capacity.

Right now we can't even afford a full set of limbs with our organs. There's gotta be a way to finagle our way into more additions.

Maybe some way of making things permanent? Or combining evolutions?

[Aerozord]

evolve bigger brain

evolve radio transmitter for communication with machines

we can produce visible light so I dont see why not

[Sky Warrior Bob]

I say we either ditch the Bio-Luminescence or the Echolocation. I say we should ditch the Echolocation, as glowing in the dark kinda defeats the need for hearing where we are going.

Also, what's this about a Low Profile Nose? I don't recall anything about that.

SWB

[Donomni]

Uh, yeah, keep echolocation, as that's something we know will be useful for now.

[Aldurin]

Carve depictions of all of your current evolutions on the wall using your shard. Then, devolve all nonessential evolutions and evolve OPTIMIZED BRAIN. Use brain to determine how to increase evolution slots. Devolve brain enough to evolve required evolutions for the process while still remembering your plan.

When your slots are double the total of all previous evolutions, regain all evolutions and proceed to communicate with PERIL GUARDIAN.

[akaSM]

Hmm, it seems the ROBOT FIST didn't attack us, it acted like a...gentleman? Also, I agree on the extra evolutionary slots, we should find a way to increase them.

[Aerozord]

I think evolutionary limit thing might be a game mechanic thing, and not something we can do by simply expending mass

[Vauron]

Unevolve: Secretion Control, Acid, Sticky Film

Wait for: Condensation to finish

Then, Look at Guardian, Look down hole

[tacticslion]

I think evolutionary limit thing might be a game mechanic thing, and not something we can do by simply expending mass

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a mechanic, but I think there's a way to expand it. I think we're just not sure what, exactly, that way is. It's worth trying, though.

Unevolve: Secretion Control, Acid, Sticky Film

Wait for: Condensation to finish

Then, Look at Guardian, Look down hole

I'm not entirely sure that acid and sticky film are individual evolutions (or that they count as such). It's possible that secretion is an evolutionary slot, while acid and sticky films are simply expressions of it? I'm not sure - this may have been addressed when we de-evolved before.

Also, the gardian punched us when we attempted to leave our area. He punched the dweller when it attempted to leave it's area. Coincidence?

Finally, carving things are all well and good, but: with what? Also: in what language (that we don't know)? I'm thinking just let the forum keep stuff in mind for the future instead. I'm sure we could just look them up if we wanted too.

[Vauron]

However, it did not punch us for entering the Dweller's area.

[Aerozord]

we are pets/zoo animals/experiments and we are to be kept within a given area, but not slaughter one another

[Aldurin]

Did the person doing this die? I'm expecting an update or this thread is declared KIA.

[Mike McC]

Sometimes LIFE comes up. Just sit back and chill. Hasn't even been three weeks yet.

[Tev]

Sometimes LIFE comes up. Just sit back and chill. Hasn't even been three weeks yet.It's almost been three weeks now. :(

[Flarecobra]

And Arhra's been around...

[Token]

Give Arhra a break guys. Something like this takes a lot of time on the best of days, let alone when life gets in the way.

[Sky Warrior Bob]

Even beyond that, we didn't exactly leave it clear what Ahra should draw. We need to devolve something, but it isn't like we came to any clear consensus. We pretty much threw out some suggestions as to what we could devolve, but none of which exactly was a command to devolve something specific.

Or maybe that's just how I read the last few posts. Maybe if there were some concise command posts, Arhra might have a better idea of what needs to be drawn.

(Either that, or Arhra could drawn an over evolved blob head with lots of ? marks next to it & claim its because we couldn't make up our damn minds.)

SWB

[Aerozord]

devolve sanity
evolve multiple personality disorder

[Arhra]

PSYCHE!

[Aldurin]

Devolve laser eyes and mitochonduits, and evolve Gadgetron vendor function. That way, you get lasers and whatever other dangerous things you want to use on others.

[DarkDrgon]

I say Devolve Secretions

seriously, we're not using them.

[Grimpond]

I say Devolve Secretions

seriously, we're not using them.

Seconding this motion

[Krylo]

I say Devolve Secretions

seriously, we're not using them.

Seconding this motion

Right, because the ability to secrete acid or glue at will will NEVER be useful.

Man, guys, lets devolve everything, because as a blob we were totally able to do all the stuff we've done so far.

[Fenris]

Aren't we using the secretions to climb walls, anyway?

[Krylo]

We tried once, but that was before we had secretion control, so we couldn't secrete it just from parts of us to enable climbing, and instead secreted it from all of us.

We could do it now, but we haven't.

The utility is there, we just haven't used it yet. So getting rid of it is kind of like throwing out an RPG in an FPS because you haven't run into a tank YET.