2. Thrive
3. English

The Microbe Stage takes place in a 3D environment viewed from a 2D perspective, as if being viewed from a microscope. Here, the player must steer their cell into brightly colored compound clouds to sustain and grow their cell until they can reproduce. At the beginning of the game there will be no predators, the only dangers being starvation and the occasional toxin. However, as the player reproduces, new competing species will branch away from the player's species and steadily become an increasingly dangerous obstacle for the player to overcome. While at first the player is a tiny cell only capable of consuming [thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound] and [thrive:compound type="phosphates"][/thrive:compound], the player will be able to adapt their cell in any way they choose after every reproduction, granting the player new abilities and options as time goes on. This comes at a cost however, as the player cell becomes larger and more complex, it will require more food to sustain. The player must take care to ensure that their cell is always sustainable or they will quickly starve. Additionally, species that arise from your own will inherit your adaptations, so the player must be cautious of how soon they develop things such as weaponry.

[b][u]Controls[/u][/b]

[b][u]Movement[/u][/b]

The Microbe Stage is played using the keyboard and mouse. The cell always faces the mouse cursor's position, while the WASD keys will propel the cell in a direction relative to the cursor's position. For example, pressing the W key will make the cell travel forward towards the mouse cursor. Whereas pressing the S key will make the cell travel backwards away from the mouse cursor. These controls allow the player to strategically move their cell to dodge toxin projectiles or position themselves to catch as many prey cells as they can.The mouse is also used to interact with the various UI elements on the screen.

[b][u]Misc.[/u][/b]

Pressing the G key will enable Engulfment Mode. In this mode, the cell will begin flashing with a blue overlay and damage any cells smaller than them they come into contact with. All cells have this ability, regardless of adaptations so it would be wise to avoid approaching larger cells if the player does not have any defenses.

Pressing the E key will expel a toxin projectile from your cell, should your cell possess toxin generating parts.

Using the mouse wheel, the player can adjust their field of view. This is very useful for navigating the environment around them or taking a close look at their cell.

Pressing X will enable auto-move, causing the player to move forward automatically. This frees the player from continuously holding down the movement keys when they do not have a need for fine control. The player can still steer using the mouse while in this state, and can cancel auto-move at any time by pressing any movement key.

[b][u]Environment[/u][/b]

[b][u]Physical Conditions[/u][/b]

These are unique parameters that relate to the climate of the current patch and act as a passive effect on the cells.

[ul][b]Temperature:[/b] The measure of heat in the current environment. Temperature currently has no direct effect on cells, but is needed to generate energy using thermoplasts.[/ul]

[ul][b]Pressure:[/b] The amount of crushing force in the environment due to depth. Pressure currently has no effect in the game.[/ul]

[ul][b]Lux:[/b] The amount of light reaching the environment. Lux is vital for photosynthesis to function, so photosynthesizers should make sure that the environment they inhabit has enough light to support them. 50% lux and above makes for a perfectly suitable home for photosynthesizers.[/ul]

[b][u]Atmospheric Gasses[/u][/b]

These are gasses that are present within a patch and do not have a physical presence in the game world. These elements act as a passive effect on various processes of the cell and can be required for certain proteins and organelles to function.

[thrive:compound type="oxygen"][/thrive:compound] [b]Oxygen:[/b] An important gas for aerobic respiration, [b]Oxygen[/b] is used by parts such as [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:metabolosome]Metabolosomes[/url][/color][/b] to perform their purposes. The more [b]Oxygen[/b] that is present in a patch, the better these parts will perform. Currently, [b]Oxygen[/b] has no other effect on cells. The concentration starts at 0% in all patches, increases by frequency of photosynthesis, and decreases by frequency of respiration, aerobic [thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound] fixation and some toxin synthesis.

[thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound] [b]Nitrogen:[/b] A gas used by cells for [b]Nitrogen[/b] fixation in the synthesis of [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound]. [b]Nitrogen[/b] currently has no other effect on cells. Concentration decreases by frequency of [b]Nitrogen[/b] fixation.

[thrive:compound type="carbondioxide"][/thrive:compound] [b]Carbon Dioxide:[/b] An important gas for chemosynthesis and photosynthesis. [b]Carbon Dioxide[/b] currently starts at a concentration from 8% to 30% in different patches. The concentration decreases by frequency of photosynthesis and [thrive:compound type="iron"][/thrive:compound] or [thrive:compound type="hydrogensulfide"][/thrive:compound] chemosyntheis, and increases by frequency of respiration.

[b][u]Compounds[/u][/b]

There are several compounds present in the Microbe Stage. Below is a list of all compounds and their uses.

[thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] [b]Glucose:[/b] Primary [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] storage for cells, and initial source of food for the player. [b]Glucose[/b] is consumed by several organelles and proteins to produce [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound], the most notable being the [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:metabolosome]Metabolosomes[/url][/color][/b] and [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:mitochondrion]Mitochondrion[/url][/color][/b] as they are specifically used for [b]Glucose[/b]. When the player dies they will respawn with a reserve of [b]Glucose[/b] within their cell, allowing them to readily resume gameplay without fear of starvation. The player must take care should they rely on the readily available [b]Glucose[/b] found in the environment, as every generation the global [b]Glucose[/b] amounts decrease. [b]Glucose[/b] clouds are white in color.

[thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound] [b]Ammonia:[/b] Vital compounds required for reproduction. [b]Ammonia[/b] is used to grow and copy the proteins and organelles within the cell and can be found readily throughout the environment. Parts such as the [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nitrogenase]Nitrogenase[/url][/color][/b] and [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nitrogenfixingplastid]Nitroplast[/url][/color][/b] can produce [b]Ammonia[/b] from [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] and [thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound], saving the player from having to actively seek it out in the environment to reproduce. [b]Ammonia[/b] clouds are orange in color.

[thrive:compound type="phosphates"][/thrive:compound] [b]Phosphate:[/b] Identical in purpose to [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound], [b]Phosphate[/b] is a requirement for reproduction. Unlike [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound], however, there are no methods of synthesizing [b]Phosphate[/b] so it can only be found in the environment or from predation. [b]Phosphates[/b] clouds are purple in color. [b]Phosphates[/b] crystals are blue or blue-green.

[thrive:compound type="hydrogensulfide"][/thrive:compound] [b]Hydrogen Sulfide:[/b] An alternative source of [thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] for cells, that can be found in high quantities in a select few patches. Should a player intend to use [b]Hydrogen Sulfide[/b] for energy, they must take care to ensure that the patch they inhabit contains the compound. [b]Hydrogen Sulfide[/b] is only usable if the player possesses [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:chemoSynthesizingProteins]Chemosynthesizing Proteins[/url][/color][/b], otherwise the player cannot take in the compound, and any already stored within the cell will be quickly expelled.

[thrive:compound type="iron"][/thrive:compound] [b]Iron:[/b] Another alternative source of [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound], [b]Iron[/b] is a relatively uncommon resource found in almost, but not all, patches in the world. Unlike any other compound, [b]Iron[/b] can not only be found in clouds but also as variably sized chunks that trail [b]Iron[/b] clouds as they drift. [b]Iron[/b] can only be used by a cell if it possesses [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:rusticyanin]Rusticyanin[/url][/color][/b]. [b]Iron[/b] clouds appear brown in color. The chunks themselves can be engulfed for a significant source of [b]Iron[/b].

The Microbe Stage takes place in a 3D environment viewed from a 2D perspective, as if being viewed from a microscope. Here, the player must steer their cell into brightly colored compound clouds to sustain and grow their cell until they can reproduce. At the beginning of the game there will be no predators, the only dangers being starvation and the occasional toxin. However, as the player reproduces, new competing species will branch away from the player's species and steadily become an increasingly dangerous obstacle for the player to overcome. While at first the player is a tiny cell only capable of consuming [thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound] and [thrive:compound type="phosphates"][/thrive:compound], the player will be able to adapt their cell in any way they choose after every reproduction, granting the player new abilities and options as time goes on. This comes at a cost however, as the player cell becomes larger and more complex, it will require more food to sustain. The player must take care to ensure that their cell is always sustainable or they will quickly starve. Additionally, species that arise from your own will inherit your adaptations, so the player must be cautious of how soon they develop things such as weaponry.

[b][u]Controls[/u][/b]

[b][u]Movement[/u][/b]

The Microbe Stage is played using the keyboard and mouse. The cell always faces the mouse cursor's position, while the WASD keys will propel the cell in a direction relative to the cursor's position. For example, pressing the W key will make the cell travel forward towards the mouse cursor. Whereas pressing the S key will make the cell travel backwards away from the mouse cursor. These controls allow the player to strategically move their cell to dodge toxin projectiles or position themselves to catch as many prey cells as they can.The mouse is also used to interact with the various UI elements on the screen.

[b][u]Misc.[/u][/b]

Pressing the G key will enable Engulfment Mode. In this mode, the cell will begin flashing with a blue overlay and damage any cells smaller than them they come into contact with. All cells have this ability, regardless of adaptations so it would be wise to avoid approaching larger cells if the player does not have any defenses.

Pressing the E key will expel a toxin projectile from your cell, should your cell possess toxin generating parts.

Using the mouse wheel, the player can adjust their field of view. This is very useful for navigating the environment around them or taking a close look at their cell.

Pressing X will enable auto-move, causing the player to move forward automatically. This frees the player from continuously holding down the movement keys when they do not have a need for fine control. The player can still steer using the mouse while in this state, and can cancel auto-move at any time by pressing any movement key.

[b][u]Environment[/u][/b]

[b][u]Physical Conditions[/u][/b]

These are unique parameters that relate to the climate of the current patch and act as a passive effect on the cells.

[ul][b]Temperature:[/b] The measure of heat in the current environment. Temperature currently has no direct effect on cells, but is needed to generate energy using thermoplasts.[/ul]

[ul][b]Pressure:[/b] The amount of crushing force in the environment due to depth. Pressure currently has no effect in the game.[/ul]

[ul][b]Lux:[/b] The amount of light reaching the environment. Lux is vital for photosynthesis to function, so photosynthesizers should make sure that the environment they inhabit has enough light to support them. 50% lux and above makes for a perfectly suitable home for photosynthesizers.[/ul]

[b][u]Atmospheric Gasses[/u][/b]

These are gasses that are present within a patch and do not have a physical presence in the game world. These elements act as a passive effect on various processes of the cell and can be required for certain proteins and organelles to function.

[thrive:compound type="oxygen"][/thrive:compound] [b]Oxygen:[/b] An important gas for aerobic respiration, [b]Oxygen[/b] is used by parts such as [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:metabolosome]Metabolosomes[/url][/color][/b] to perform their purposes. The more [b]Oxygen[/b] that is present in a patch, the better these parts will perform. Currently, [b]Oxygen[/b] has no other effect on cells. The concentration starts at 0% in all patches, increases by frequency of photosynthesis, and decreases by frequency of respiration, aerobic [thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound] fixation and some toxin synthesis.

[thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound] [b]Nitrogen:[/b] A gas used by cells for [b]Nitrogen[/b] fixation in the synthesis of [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound]. [b]Nitrogen[/b] currently has no other effect on cells. Concentration decreases by frequency of [b]Nitrogen[/b] fixation.

[thrive:compound type="carbondioxide"][/thrive:compound] [b]Carbon Dioxide:[/b] An important gas for chemosynthesis and photosynthesis. [b]Carbon Dioxide[/b] currently starts at a concentration from 8% to 30% in different patches. The concentration decreases by frequency of photosynthesis and [thrive:compound type="iron"][/thrive:compound] or [thrive:compound type="hydrogensulfide"][/thrive:compound] chemosyntheis, and increases by frequency of respiration.

[b][u]Compounds[/u][/b]

There are several compounds present in the Microbe Stage. Below is a list of all compounds and their uses.

[thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] [b]Glucose:[/b] Primary [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] storage for cells, and initial source of food for the player. [b]Glucose[/b] is consumed by several organelles and proteins to produce [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound], the most notable being the [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:metabolosome]Metabolosomes[/url][/color][/b] and [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:mitochondrion]Mitochondrion[/url][/color][/b] as they are specifically used for [b]Glucose[/b]. When the player dies they will respawn with a reserve of [b]Glucose[/b] within their cell, allowing them to readily resume gameplay without fear of starvation. The player must take care should they rely on the readily available [b]Glucose[/b] found in the environment, as every generation the global [b]Glucose[/b] amounts decrease. [b]Glucose[/b] clouds are white in color.

[thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound] [b]Ammonia:[/b] Vital compounds required for reproduction. [b]Ammonia[/b] is used to grow and copy the proteins and organelles within the cell and can be found readily throughout the environment. Parts such as the [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nitrogenase]Nitrogenase[/url][/color][/b] and [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nitrogenfixingplastid]Nitroplast[/url][/color][/b] can produce [b]Ammonia[/b] from [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] and [thrive:compound type="nitrogen"][/thrive:compound], saving the player from having to actively seek it out in the environment to reproduce. [b]Ammonia[/b] clouds are orange in color.

[thrive:compound type="phosphates"][/thrive:compound] [b]Phosphate:[/b] Identical in purpose to [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound], [b]Phosphate[/b] is a requirement for reproduction. Unlike [thrive:compound type="ammonia"][/thrive:compound], however, there are no methods of synthesizing [b]Phosphate[/b] so it can only be found in the environment or from predation. [b]Phosphates[/b] clouds are purple in color. [b]Phosphates[/b] crystals are blue or blue-green.

[thrive:compound type="hydrogensulfide"][/thrive:compound] [b]Hydrogen Sulfide:[/b] An alternative source of [thrive:compound type="glucose"][/thrive:compound] for cells, that can be found in high quantities in a select few patches. Should a player intend to use [b]Hydrogen Sulfide[/b] for energy, they must take care to ensure that the patch they inhabit contains the compound. [b]Hydrogen Sulfide[/b] is only usable if the player possesses [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:chemoSynthesizingProteins]Chemosynthesizing Proteins[/url][/color][/b], otherwise the player cannot take in the compound, and any already stored within the cell will be quickly expelled.

[thrive:compound type="iron"][/thrive:compound] [b]Iron:[/b] Another alternative source of [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound], [b]Iron[/b] is a relatively uncommon resource found in almost, but not all, patches in the world. Unlike any other compound, [b]Iron[/b] can not only be found in clouds but also as variably sized chunks that trail [b]Iron[/b] clouds as they drift. [b]Iron[/b] can only be used by a cell if it possesses [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:rusticyanin]Rusticyanin[/url][/color][/b]. [b]Iron[/b] clouds appear brown in color. The chunks themselves can be engulfed for a significant source of [b]Iron[/b].

WIKI_MICROBE_STAGE_GAMEPLAY

The editor is the strategic side of the microbial stage and is accessed whenever the player reproduces. It is in this editor that the player is allowed to evolve their species by placing parts from a list of available proteins or organelles onto their cell. Each generation, the player is given 100 Mutation points or MP that is used as a currency to buy these parts. The editor is currently divided into three different windows; The report page, the patch map, and finally the editor itself.

[b][u]Report[/u][/b]

The report menu is the first page the player will see upon entering the editor. This page describes all environmental changes that had taken place before entering the editor such as changes in species population, compound concentration, and etc. The information provided in the report can be helpful, but is not a necessity for performing well in the game, so players need not concern themselves with analyzing its contents.

[b][u]Patch Map[/u][/b]

The second page a player will visit is the patch map. This menu displays what is essentially the world map, with patches representing biomes the player can visit interconnected by lines that represent traversable paths. The player can select each visible patch to display the environmental statistics of that biome, such as compound concentration, species present, and so on. Should the selected patch be connected to the player's occupied patch via a path, the player will be able to choose to play in the selected patch upon leaving the editor.Players who intend to move to new environments should take care and inspect a patch before moving to it to ensure they are prepared for what is to come.

[b][u]Patches[/u][/b]

Below is a complete list of the various patch varieties currently in the game.

[ul]Abyssopelagic
Bathypelagic
Mesopelagic
Epipelagic
Sea Floor
Tidepool
Estuary
vents
Coast
Ice Shelf
Caves[/ul]

[b][u]Biomes[/u][/b]

[i]Main Article: <a href="/wiki/Microbe_Biomes" title="Microbe Biomes">Microbe Biomes</a>[/i]

Each patch represents a certain biome. The biome defines the physical properties of that patch, such as the temperature, pressure, and light levels.

[b][u]Cell editor[/u][/b]

The editor page is where the player will be able to customize their cell part by part. The majority of the editor is taken up by a hex field where the cell parts are placed, with the center being occupied by the player's current cell. To the left of this large space is the part list where the player will select parts to place on their cell, or otherwise change its qualities such as color or membrane type. The top right space is occupied by the organism statistics describing what the cell is capable of, as well as including the [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] balance bar which informs the player on the amount of [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] they produce versus how much they consume. The player should always make sure that the red bar is shorter than the green bar, or else they will meet an untimely demise of their own creation. In the bottom right, players will find the autoevo prediction screen which details how well their species is expected to perform with the changes they make according to the autoevo algorithm. Finally, the top left of the editor contains the tabs used to navigate between the previous pages, as well as the MP bar that displays the player's current bank of MP.

The player is able to place new parts or hexes adjacent to any preexisting occupied hex, or atop a cytoplasm hex to replace it with a new part. Should the player desire to, they can delete parts of their cell by right-clicking placed parts at a cost of 10 MP per deletion. Alternatively, the player can use the arrow buttons located at the bottom of the editor screen to undo or redo previous actions, however this functionality will only work on changes made in the current editor section. The button in the middle of the arrow buttons is the symmetry key, which when clicked will change the player's current symmetry mode. All parts can be deleted except for three exceptions, the nucleus, binding agents, and the last hex of the cell. These parts can still be moved however, so don't stress if you don't like it's current position!

The cell editor contains three different tabs, each with a unique function.

[b][u]Structure[/u][/b]

The structure tab contains all of the parts the player can choose from such as proteins, organelles, and extracellular structures like the pili. The player must click on their desired part icon to select it, and then click where they want to place it within the hex field to add the part to their organism.The structure tab is divided into three categories; [b]prokaryotic structures[/b], [b]external organelles[/b], and [b]internal organelles[/b]. Internal organelles in particular cannot be used by the player until they have evolved the nucleus. The player can also freely modify, delete, or otherwise relocate placed parts while in the structure tab.

[b][u]Membrane[/u][/b]

The membrane tab contains options for customizing the cell's membrane. Here, the player is presented with a list of buttons representing various membrane and cell wall varieties, each with unique stats and abilities. In order to select a membrane type, the player need only ensure they have enough MP and click the desired type. The player is also granted a slider that adjusts fluidity and rigidity at the cost of 2 MP per change. The more fluid a cell is the faster and fragile it is, while rigid cells are durable but slow.At the bottom of the membrane tab is the color wheel, which allows the player to choose which color their cell will be. This feature is entirely cosmetic and does not cost any MP to change.

[b][u]Behavior[/u][/b]

The behavior tab presents the player with a list of behavioral scales and sliders to adjust them with. Adjusting these sliders allows the player to control how their species AI responds to the world around them, but currently does not effect the player themselves. Each slider represents two extremes of a personality scale, the position of which determining how far a species leans in either attitude.

The current personality scales are;

[ul]Peaceful/Aggressive: Determining how hostile or ambivalent a species is towards other species.
Cautious/Opportunistic: Determining how willing a species is to endanger themselves for potential gain.
Brave/Fearful: Determining how willing a species is to flee from perceived threats, and how threatening they need to be.
Sessile/Active: Determining how willing a species is to move, if at all, without stimulus.
Responsive/Focused: Determining how quickly a species gives up pursuing a goal, if ever.[/ul]

The editor is the strategic side of the microbial stage and is accessed whenever the player reproduces. It is in this editor that the player is allowed to evolve their species by placing parts from a list of available proteins or organelles onto their cell. Each generation, the player is given 100 Mutation points or MP that is used as a currency to buy these parts. The editor is currently divided into three different windows; The report page, the patch map, and finally the editor itself.

[b][u]Report[/u][/b]

The report menu is the first page the player will see upon entering the editor. This page describes all environmental changes that had taken place before entering the editor such as changes in species population, compound concentration, and etc. The information provided in the report can be helpful, but is not a necessity for performing well in the game, so players need not concern themselves with analyzing its contents.

[b][u]Patch Map[/u][/b]

The second page a player will visit is the patch map. This menu displays what is essentially the world map, with patches representing biomes the player can visit interconnected by lines that represent traversable paths. The player can select each visible patch to display the environmental statistics of that biome, such as compound concentration, species present, and so on. Should the selected patch be connected to the player's occupied patch via a path, the player will be able to choose to play in the selected patch upon leaving the editor.Players who intend to move to new environments should take care and inspect a patch before moving to it to ensure they are prepared for what is to come.

[b][u]Patches[/u][/b]

Below is a complete list of the various patch varieties currently in the game.

[ul]Abyssopelagic
Bathypelagic
Mesopelagic
Epipelagic
Sea Floor
Tidepool
Estuary
vents
Coast
Ice Shelf
Caves[/ul]

[b][u]Biomes[/u][/b]

[i]Main Article: <a href="/wiki/Microbe_Biomes" title="Microbe Biomes">Microbe Biomes</a>[/i]

Each patch represents a certain biome. The biome defines the physical properties of that patch, such as the temperature, pressure, and light levels.

[b][u]Cell editor[/u][/b]

The editor page is where the player will be able to customize their cell part by part. The majority of the editor is taken up by a hex field where the cell parts are placed, with the center being occupied by the player's current cell. To the left of this large space is the part list where the player will select parts to place on their cell, or otherwise change its qualities such as color or membrane type. The top right space is occupied by the organism statistics describing what the cell is capable of, as well as including the [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] balance bar which informs the player on the amount of [thrive:compound type="atp"][/thrive:compound] they produce versus how much they consume. The player should always make sure that the red bar is shorter than the green bar, or else they will meet an untimely demise of their own creation. In the bottom right, players will find the autoevo prediction screen which details how well their species is expected to perform with the changes they make according to the autoevo algorithm. Finally, the top left of the editor contains the tabs used to navigate between the previous pages, as well as the MP bar that displays the player's current bank of MP.

The player is able to place new parts or hexes adjacent to any preexisting occupied hex, or atop a cytoplasm hex to replace it with a new part. Should the player desire to, they can delete parts of their cell by right-clicking placed parts at a cost of 10 MP per deletion. Alternatively, the player can use the arrow buttons located at the bottom of the editor screen to undo or redo previous actions, however this functionality will only work on changes made in the current editor section. The button in the middle of the arrow buttons is the symmetry key, which when clicked will change the player's current symmetry mode. All parts can be deleted except for three exceptions, the nucleus, binding agents, and the last hex of the cell. These parts can still be moved however, so don't stress if you don't like it's current position!

The cell editor contains three different tabs, each with a unique function.

[b][u]Structure[/u][/b]

The structure tab contains all of the parts the player can choose from such as proteins, organelles, and extracellular structures like the pili. The player must click on their desired part icon to select it, and then click where they want to place it within the hex field to add the part to their organism.The structure tab is divided into three categories; [b]prokaryotic structures[/b], [b]external organelles[/b], and [b]internal organelles[/b]. Internal organelles in particular cannot be used by the player until they have evolved the nucleus. The player can also freely modify, delete, or otherwise relocate placed parts while in the structure tab.

[b][u]Membrane[/u][/b]

The membrane tab contains options for customizing the cell's membrane. Here, the player is presented with a list of buttons representing various membrane and cell wall varieties, each with unique stats and abilities. In order to select a membrane type, the player need only ensure they have enough MP and click the desired type. The player is also granted a slider that adjusts fluidity and rigidity at the cost of 2 MP per change. The more fluid a cell is the faster and fragile it is, while rigid cells are durable but slow.At the bottom of the membrane tab is the color wheel, which allows the player to choose which color their cell will be. This feature is entirely cosmetic and does not cost any MP to change.

[b][u]Behavior[/u][/b]

The behavior tab presents the player with a list of behavioral scales and sliders to adjust them with. Adjusting these sliders allows the player to control how their species AI responds to the world around them, but currently does not effect the player themselves. Each slider represents two extremes of a personality scale, the position of which determining how far a species leans in either attitude.

The current personality scales are;

[ul]Peaceful/Aggressive: Determining how hostile or ambivalent a species is towards other species.
Cautious/Opportunistic: Determining how willing a species is to endanger themselves for potential gain.
Brave/Fearful: Determining how willing a species is to flee from perceived threats, and how threatening they need to be.
Sessile/Active: Determining how willing a species is to move, if at all, without stimulus.
Responsive/Focused: Determining how quickly a species gives up pursuing a goal, if ever.[/ul]

WIKI_MICROBE_STAGE_EDITOR

[ul]Compounds are the materials that the world and organisms are made of. So, stuff like elemental compounds (like carbon), natural resources (salt, water), organic compounds (amino acids) and organic polymers (proteins).
Later, there will be composites (bone, muscle) made up of other compounds combined.
The end products are things like the cell membrane, and can be treated just like compounds. Another important end product is energy.
Compounds exist in several states in the environment:[/ul]

[ul]No compounds enter or leave the total ecosystem.
Compounds can change form (e.g. breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen)
Compound clouds are based on a grid representation of environmental resources. Their concentration can vary, and with higher concentration comes a cloud with a more intense colour.[/ul]

[b][u]Organelles[/u][/b]

[ul]This is where processes generally take place. Some processes require certain organelles. They can vary depending on the quality of the organelle.
In later stages, this would be organs, workshops/factories and cities.[/ul]

[b][u]Collection and Storage[/u][/b]

[ul]Amount of compounds in a system measured in a unit based on moles
Each compound has a weight. This affects how much storage space it takes up in a cell.
Compounds are automatically absorbed by microbes by swimming through them, if the microbe has space to store it. They are stored in the cytoplasm or in vacuoles.
Vacuoles can be designated to only store specific compounds.[/ul]

[b][u]Priority System[/u][/b]

Because storage is just going to be general, there need to be priorities on what compounds get stored and which ones to eject first in case the storage is filled.

[b][u]Processes[/u][/b]

[ul]These control how compounds are converted from one to another, and what is required to do so. If an organism isn't capable of carrying out a particular process, it may not have access to that process' products, and will need to acquire them some other way (probably by eating something), or may not be able to acquire them at all (for example, eating a rhino horn doesn't allow you to grow one yourself).
The processes you're able to carry out, and how effectively you can do so, define your organism, your species, and your place in the food chain.
Not all processes will be available at the beginning and the player will need to get certain organelles in order to unlock them.[/ul]

[b][u]Agents[/u][/b]

[ul]Agents are special compounds with powerful effects, and most are made from the same constituents for the sake of simplicity. Converting incoming compounds into agents is done using the golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, which consume ATP at a fixed rate whether performing this task or not.
More details on the Agents page.[/ul]

[b][u]Organisms[/u][/b]

[ul]Organisms are individuals of a species, whether it be a cell, plant, or creature.
Each has particular organelles/organs, is capable of particular processes, can store particular compounds, and considers others to be waste products.
Each one continually carries out the processes it is capable of in order to produce the compounds it needs.
A compound can be a nutrient for one species and not for another.[/ul]

[b][u]Implementation[/u][/b]

[b][u]Phase 1: Calculating the Prices[/u][/b]

[ul]At the beginning of the update method, each process calculates its price, and the price function is a function of the demand, the supply, and the previous price of the compound.[/ul]

In the current implementation the function is:

[code]P = √(D / (S + 1)) * COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM + oldP * (1 - COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM))[/code]

With:
[code]P[/code] the price
[code]D[/code] the demand
[code]S[/code] the supply
[code]oldP[/code] the old price
[code]COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM[/code] a constant between 0 and 1.


The function also performs a check to raise the value from 0 to a small positive number if needed.

[ul]After that's done, if the compound is marked as “useful” (this is done on the compound table), then the price gets inflated by a certain amount, depending on the compound supply. This is done so that the process system knows which compounds does it want to make (otherwise all prices would decay to 0 and that would be no fun).[/ul]

In the current implementation, the price inflating function is:

[code]PI = IMPORTANT_COMPOUND_BIAS / (S + 1)[/code]

With:
[code]PI[/code] the price inflation
[code]S[/code] the supply
[code]IMPORTANT_COMPOUND_BIAS[/code] an arbitrary constant


It’s important to notice that for the first price equation the old price used is the non-inflated one.
If, after all that, the price is below a certain small number, then the price is rounded down to zero (and therefore dumped later).

[b][u]Phase 2: Calculating the Rate[/u][/b]

[ul]After all those calculations are done for all of the compounds, the process system needs to decide the desired rate for each of the processes.
This rate could, potentially, be larger than the maximum capacity the process has.
Said rate is calculated by making a simple prediction about the prices of the compounds, by replicating the same calculations of phase 1 on each compound, but assuming the supply is one unit larger, and then assuming the price is linear in respect of the supply.
If the price of the compound was 0 on phase 1 it’s assumed that the price of that compound is always 0, regardless of the supply.
Finally, it’s assumed that the price is 0 for any value of supply that the linearization would make it’s price negative (aka, the minimum value of a function is 0).
Here’s an example of one of those functions, made in the google drive equivalent of MS Paint:[/ul]

[ul]Then all the process system has to do is get the rate at which the sum of all the input compound prices would equal the sum of all the output compound prices, and that is the desired rate.
If all of the output compounds have a price of 0, then the desired rate is made 0.
An example of a process would be like this:[/ul]

*To account for the storage space, a similar calculation is made but multiplying the prices of the compounds by a function that returns a value between 0.0 and 1.0, depending on the available space and the size and amount of the compounds processed.

In the current implementation, the function is:

[code]M = 2.0 * (1.0 - sigmoid(RS / (AS + 1.0) * STORAGE_SPACE_MULTIPLIER));[/code]

With:
[code]M[/code] is the multiplier between 0 and 1.
[code]RS[/code] is the required space of the compound (volume * amount produced/processed)
[code]AS[/code] is the available storage space
[code]STORAGE_SPACE_MULTIPLIER[/code] is an arbitrary constant (currently 2.0)

[ul]Then the inputs get converted into the outputs by a rate of the minimum of the desired rate considering the storage space ONLY if by doing so the rate is reduced, otherwise the space is not considered (this is to avoid the process system to destroy compounds to gain space, when the compound purging code should do that), and the max capacity of the process (assuming there are enough inputs and storage space to do so).[/ul]

[b][u]Phase 3: Calculating the Demand[/u][/b]

[ul]After the desired rates are found, the process must determine the demand of the compounds.
The demand of a compound is equal to the sum of all the demands generated by all the processes, which is defined by the equation[/ul]

[code]D = DR * IN * soft(PC * IN)[/code]

with:
[code]D[/code] the demand generated by a process.
[code]DR[/code] the desired rate of that process (without capacity, input or storage space limitations being considered).
[code]IN[/code] the input needed by the process (aka the amount of input spent on running the process at a rate of 1).
[code]PC[/code] the maximum process capacity
[code]soft(x)[/code] a continuous, monotonically increasing function that equals 0 when x = 0, and 1 when x ⟶ ∞

In the current implementation:

[code]soft(x) = 2 * sigmoid(x * PROCESS_CAPACITY_DEMAND_MULTIPLIER) - 1[/code]

with [code]PROCESS_CAPACITY_DEMAND_MULTIPLIER[/code] being an arbitrary constant.

[ul]It’s important to note that a process like A ⟶ B, with a rate of 2 * x it’s exactly the same as the process 2 * A ⟶ 2 * B, with a rate of x
It’s also important that processes with a max capacity of 0 do not affect the system in any way.
That’s it! :D[/ul]

[ul]Compounds are the materials that the world and organisms are made of. So, stuff like elemental compounds (like carbon), natural resources (salt, water), organic compounds (amino acids) and organic polymers (proteins).
Later, there will be composites (bone, muscle) made up of other compounds combined.
The end products are things like the cell membrane, and can be treated just like compounds. Another important end product is energy.
Compounds exist in several states in the environment:[/ul]

[ul]No compounds enter or leave the total ecosystem.
Compounds can change form (e.g. breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen)
Compound clouds are based on a grid representation of environmental resources. Their concentration can vary, and with higher concentration comes a cloud with a more intense colour.[/ul]

[b][u]Organelles[/u][/b]

[ul]This is where processes generally take place. Some processes require certain organelles. They can vary depending on the quality of the organelle.
In later stages, this would be organs, workshops/factories and cities.[/ul]

[b][u]Collection and Storage[/u][/b]

[ul]Amount of compounds in a system measured in a unit based on moles
Each compound has a weight. This affects how much storage space it takes up in a cell.
Compounds are automatically absorbed by microbes by swimming through them, if the microbe has space to store it. They are stored in the cytoplasm or in vacuoles.
Vacuoles can be designated to only store specific compounds.[/ul]

[b][u]Priority System[/u][/b]

Because storage is just going to be general, there need to be priorities on what compounds get stored and which ones to eject first in case the storage is filled.

[b][u]Processes[/u][/b]

[ul]These control how compounds are converted from one to another, and what is required to do so. If an organism isn't capable of carrying out a particular process, it may not have access to that process' products, and will need to acquire them some other way (probably by eating something), or may not be able to acquire them at all (for example, eating a rhino horn doesn't allow you to grow one yourself).
The processes you're able to carry out, and how effectively you can do so, define your organism, your species, and your place in the food chain.
Not all processes will be available at the beginning and the player will need to get certain organelles in order to unlock them.[/ul]

[b][u]Agents[/u][/b]

[ul]Agents are special compounds with powerful effects, and most are made from the same constituents for the sake of simplicity. Converting incoming compounds into agents is done using the golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum, which consume ATP at a fixed rate whether performing this task or not.
More details on the Agents page.[/ul]

[b][u]Organisms[/u][/b]

[ul]Organisms are individuals of a species, whether it be a cell, plant, or creature.
Each has particular organelles/organs, is capable of particular processes, can store particular compounds, and considers others to be waste products.
Each one continually carries out the processes it is capable of in order to produce the compounds it needs.
A compound can be a nutrient for one species and not for another.[/ul]

[b][u]Implementation[/u][/b]

[b][u]Phase 1: Calculating the Prices[/u][/b]

[ul]At the beginning of the update method, each process calculates its price, and the price function is a function of the demand, the supply, and the previous price of the compound.[/ul]

In the current implementation the function is:

[code]P = √(D / (S + 1)) * COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM + oldP * (1 - COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM))[/code]

With:
[code]P[/code] the price
[code]D[/code] the demand
[code]S[/code] the supply
[code]oldP[/code] the old price
[code]COMPOUND_PRICE_MOMENTUM[/code] a constant between 0 and 1.


The function also performs a check to raise the value from 0 to a small positive number if needed.

[ul]After that's done, if the compound is marked as “useful” (this is done on the compound table), then the price gets inflated by a certain amount, depending on the compound supply. This is done so that the process system knows which compounds does it want to make (otherwise all prices would decay to 0 and that would be no fun).[/ul]

In the current implementation, the price inflating function is:

[code]PI = IMPORTANT_COMPOUND_BIAS / (S + 1)[/code]

With:
[code]PI[/code] the price inflation
[code]S[/code] the supply
[code]IMPORTANT_COMPOUND_BIAS[/code] an arbitrary constant


It’s important to notice that for the first price equation the old price used is the non-inflated one.
If, after all that, the price is below a certain small number, then the price is rounded down to zero (and therefore dumped later).

[b][u]Phase 2: Calculating the Rate[/u][/b]

[ul]After all those calculations are done for all of the compounds, the process system needs to decide the desired rate for each of the processes.
This rate could, potentially, be larger than the maximum capacity the process has.
Said rate is calculated by making a simple prediction about the prices of the compounds, by replicating the same calculations of phase 1 on each compound, but assuming the supply is one unit larger, and then assuming the price is linear in respect of the supply.
If the price of the compound was 0 on phase 1 it’s assumed that the price of that compound is always 0, regardless of the supply.
Finally, it’s assumed that the price is 0 for any value of supply that the linearization would make it’s price negative (aka, the minimum value of a function is 0).
Here’s an example of one of those functions, made in the google drive equivalent of MS Paint:[/ul]

[ul]Then all the process system has to do is get the rate at which the sum of all the input compound prices would equal the sum of all the output compound prices, and that is the desired rate.
If all of the output compounds have a price of 0, then the desired rate is made 0.
An example of a process would be like this:[/ul]

*To account for the storage space, a similar calculation is made but multiplying the prices of the compounds by a function that returns a value between 0.0 and 1.0, depending on the available space and the size and amount of the compounds processed.

In the current implementation, the function is:

[code]M = 2.0 * (1.0 - sigmoid(RS / (AS + 1.0) * STORAGE_SPACE_MULTIPLIER));[/code]

With:
[code]M[/code] is the multiplier between 0 and 1.
[code]RS[/code] is the required space of the compound (volume * amount produced/processed)
[code]AS[/code] is the available storage space
[code]STORAGE_SPACE_MULTIPLIER[/code] is an arbitrary constant (currently 2.0)

[ul]Then the inputs get converted into the outputs by a rate of the minimum of the desired rate considering the storage space ONLY if by doing so the rate is reduced, otherwise the space is not considered (this is to avoid the process system to destroy compounds to gain space, when the compound purging code should do that), and the max capacity of the process (assuming there are enough inputs and storage space to do so).[/ul]

[b][u]Phase 3: Calculating the Demand[/u][/b]

[ul]After the desired rates are found, the process must determine the demand of the compounds.
The demand of a compound is equal to the sum of all the demands generated by all the processes, which is defined by the equation[/ul]

[code]D = DR * IN * soft(PC * IN)[/code]

with:
[code]D[/code] the demand generated by a process.
[code]DR[/code] the desired rate of that process (without capacity, input or storage space limitations being considered).
[code]IN[/code] the input needed by the process (aka the amount of input spent on running the process at a rate of 1).
[code]PC[/code] the maximum process capacity
[code]soft(x)[/code] a continuous, monotonically increasing function that equals 0 when x = 0, and 1 when x ⟶ ∞

In the current implementation:

[code]soft(x) = 2 * sigmoid(x * PROCESS_CAPACITY_DEMAND_MULTIPLIER) - 1[/code]

with [code]PROCESS_CAPACITY_DEMAND_MULTIPLIER[/code] being an arbitrary constant.

[ul]It’s important to note that a process like A ⟶ B, with a rate of 2 * x it’s exactly the same as the process 2 * A ⟶ 2 * B, with a rate of x
It’s also important that processes with a max capacity of 0 do not affect the system in any way.
That’s it! :D[/ul]

WIKI_COMPOUND_SYSTEM_DEVELOPMENT_MICROBE_STAGE

A cell must have a [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nucleus]Nucleus[/url][/color][/b] to evolve [b]Toxin Vacuoles[/b].

If organelle upgrades are enabled in game settings, [i]both[/i] of the following conditions must be true [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[ul]Has engulfed at least [b]10[/b] cells throughout the game so far.
Contains at least [b]1[/b] [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:oxytoxyProteins]Oxytoxisome[/url][/color][/b] for at least [b]5[/b] generations in a row.[/ul]

A cell must have a [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:nucleus]Nucleus[/url][/color][/b] to evolve [b]Toxin Vacuoles[/b].

If organelle upgrades are enabled in game settings, [i]both[/i] of the following conditions must be true [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[indent]— ul]Has engulfed at least [b]10[/b] cells throughout the game so far.[/indent]
[indent]—
Contains at least [b]1[/b] [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:oxytoxyProteins]Oxytoxisome[/url][/color][/b] for at least [b]5[/b] generations in a row.[/indentul]

WIKI_TOXIN_VACUOLE_REQUIREMENTS

If organelle upgrades are enabled in game settings, the following condition must be true [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[ul]Is in a patch with at least [b]20%[/b] [thrive:compound type="sunlight"][/thrive:compound].[/ul]

If organelle upgrades are enabled in game settings, the following condition must be true [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[indent]— ul]Is in a patch with at least [b]20%[/b] [thrive:compound type="sunlight"][/thrive:compound].[/indentul]

WIKI_THYLAKOIDS_REQUIREMENTS

[b]Thermosynthase[/b] only appears in games with "LAWK" turned off in game settings.If [i]organelle unlocks[/i] are enabled in game settings, the organelle will be unlocked once the following condition has been met [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[ul]Is in a patch with at least [b]50 °C[/b] [thrive:compound type="temperature"][/thrive:compound].[/ul]

[b]Thermosynthase[/b] only appears in games with "LAWK" turned off in game settings.If [i]organelle unlocks[/i] are enabled in game settings, the organelle will be unlocked once the following condition has been met [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[indent]— ul]Is in a patch with at least [b]50 °C[/b] [thrive:compound type="temperature"][/thrive:compound].[/indentul]

WIKI_THERMOSYNTHASE_REQUIREMENTS

[b]Thermoplasts[/b] only appear in games with [i]LAWK[/i] turned off in game settings.

If [i]organelle unlocks[/i] are enabled in game settings, the organelle can be unlocked without [i]endosymbiosis[/i] once the following condition is met [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[ul]Contains at least [b]3[/b] hexes of [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:thermosynthase]Thermosynthase[/url][/color][/b] for at least [b]5[/b] generations in a row.[/ul]

[b]Thermoplasts[/b] only appear in games with [i]LAWK[/i] turned off in game settings.

If [i]organelle unlocks[/i] are enabled in game settings, the organelle can be unlocked without [i]endosymbiosis[/i] once the following condition is met [i]for the player cell[/i]:

[indent]— ul]Contains at least [b]3[/b] hexes of [b][color=#3796e1][url=thriveopedia:thermosynthase]Thermosynthase[/url][/color][/b] for at least [b]5[/b] generations in a row.[/indentul]

WIKI_THERMOPLAST_REQUIREMENTS

If the player cell has [b]Signaling Agents[/b], the player can press a hotkey (defaults to [b]V[/b]) to open the signaling command panel and issue a command to all members of their species. Each command persists until a new command is chosen. The options are:

[ul]No command.
Move to me. Non-player cells of the player's species swarm the player cell.
Follow me. Non-player cells of the player's species move towards the player cell, but maintain some distance.
Flee from me. Non-player cells of the player's species move away from the player cell.
Become aggressive. Non-player cells of the player's species become significantly more likely to attack and chase other cells around them.[/ul]

At the time of writing, non-player cells with [b]Signaling Agents[/b] don't use them.

If the player cell has [b]Signaling Agents[/b], the player can press a hotkey (defaults to [b]V[/b]) to open the signaling command panel and issue a command to all members of their species. Each command persists until a new command is chosen. The options are:

[indent]— No command.[/indent]
[indent]— ul]No command.
Move to me. Non-player cells of the player's species swarm the player cell.[/indent]
[indent]—
Follow me. Non-player cells of the player's species move towards the player cell, but maintain some distance.[/indent]
[indent]—
Flee from me. Non-player cells of the player's species move away from the player cell.[/indent]
[indent]—
Become aggressive. Non-player cells of the player's species become significantly more likely to attack and chase other cells around them.[/indentul]

At the time of writing, non-player cells with [b]Signaling Agents[/b] don't use them.

WIKI_SIGNALING_AGENT_EFFECTS