Put Ejector Cacti and Cave Urchins in Sandblasted Corridors

[Femboy Thighs]

^ Title. There should be cacti in Sandblasted to give it that wild west desert look! Maybe add tiny oases where they can spawn similar to the steam vents in Glacial Strata. Possibly even something similar to a palm tree, haha...

I just think they'd be fitting. Cactus in a desert. ya know.

[RaindropperinG]

I believe Ejector cacti were actually found in the Sandblasted corridors, long ago (likely still during the pre-alpha phase).

Not sure why it was opted to have both of those cactus-related flora in the Dense biozone in the end but, then again, I'm not complaining; they do fit well imo, and it's a nice change to have a new type of plant there, the explosive spore, compared to the flora you'd expect to find in a sand desert area.

Then again, I'd welcome new additions to already existing biomes. No idea if the devs have mentioned anything concerning that, but it would be cool to encounter small, new sights (they could be uncommon spawns, too, such as, say, how the wall eyes aren't always found in Crystalline and Radioactive caves).


Edit: here's a video which briefly showcases the Ejector cactus past life in Sandblasted 🌵 (skip to 06:37 for it)

https://youtu.be/H16D4HyiZUQ

It did look good in it, with all those small grass-like patches of vegetation, too : )

[MrPurple33]

TECHNICALLY, I don't think those Ejectors are True, Real Cactus- ie "A plant that stores moisture in a way adapted to a Desert Environment" - It's just a term some Dwarves came up with because it Looks Like a Cactus and has Spines

Also, those things kinda annoy me

BUT, that being noted, they would fit in the Sandblasted Area, and I don't see why they couldn't be added in- after all, the Quorinar Shellbacks were originally ONLY in the Salt Pits, and they've been Migrated to other Biomes by the Devs



Just One Request related to all this now that I've brought up the Shellbacks- Please DO NOT Let the Nakoya Trawlers, aka Sand Sharks also Migrate to other Biomes- I hope I didn't just put that idea in some Dev's Head- I don't mind the Sand Sharks, and can kill them fine, but if they got Loose and went to other Biomes, that would be bad- also it's the Less dense Sand they move through, don't think they could "swim" through more solid rock

[RaindropperinG]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

TECHNICALLY, I don't think those Ejectors are True, Real Cactus- ie "A plant that stores moisture in a way adapted to a Desert Environment" - It's just a term some Dwarves came up with because it Looks Like a Cactus and has Spines

Also, those things kinda annoy me

BUT, that being noted, they would fit in the Sandblasted Area, and I don't see why they couldn't be added in- after all, the Quorinar Shellbacks were originally ONLY in the Salt Pits, and they've been Migrated to other Biomes by the Devs



Just One Request related to all this now that I've brought up the Shellbacks- Please DO NOT Let the Nakoya Trawlers, aka Sand Sharks also Migrate to other Biomes- I hope I didn't just put that idea in some Dev's Head- I don't mind the Sand Sharks, and can kill them fine, but if they got Loose and went to other Biomes, that would be bad- also it's the Less dense Sand they move through, don't think they could "swim" through more solid rock

Hard to believe the Trawlers could transfer in any other currently existing biome, honestly. They do need sand in order to survive, like you said, after all.

[Derpykat5]

I feel like that would hurt each biome's respective unique-ness

[Femboy Thighs]

Originally posted by derpykat5:

I feel like that would hurt each biome's respective unique-ness

Maybe. But we could always simply remove them from Dense Biozone and replace them with something else. Or hell, even just make a new plant that's functionally identical but looks different, like how Hollow Bough hive nests are basically just Deeptora hives but with a nicer model.

I think the colors of the ejector cacti and cave urchins would look really pretty in the otherwise dull-colored desert biome, so I'd replace the stuff in Dense Biozone with something else.

Dense Biozone is supposed to be a dried out ocean I think (hence the giant coral), so maybe a weird type of coral that shoots needles instead of a cacti? Or make the cave "urchins" literal urchins that crawl around and "conveniently" block your path, making them more of an actual threat than just a minor nuisance.

[TheGraveDigger]

Originally posted by Femboy Thighs:

Dense Biozone is supposed to be a dried out ocean I think.

nope, it's actually described as a subterranean rain forest (as stated in its in-game description)

[RaindropperinG]

Originally posted by TheGraveDigger:

Originally posted by Femboy Thighs:

Dense Biozone is supposed to be a dried out ocean I think.

nope, it's actually described as a subterranean rain forest (as stated in its in-game description)

Aye, Salt Pits is the region that originated from an immense lake which dried out millions of years ago, I think.

[Triplescrew]

Dunno. Lore says its water free area. And ejectors waste too much precious resources to fire their barbs. So they dont really fit.

If anything, there must be carnivorous plants. Like....huge "snap traps" or drosera.
Would love to see maktera getting eaten by one.

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Triplescrew:

Dunno. Lore says its water free area. And ejectors waste too much precious resources to fire their barbs. So they dont really fit.

If anything, there must be carnivorous plants. Like....huge "snap traps" or drosera.
Would love to see maktera getting eaten by one.

Ohhhh I would very much Like this, as I also find Carnivorous Plants, especially Venus Fly-Traps to be fascinating in Real Life




I could see something Like a Giant Venus Fly Trap, rooted to the ground only, no walls or ceilings Like a Leech, but it could still be perched on Ledges above or below your position

It could have a sticky part in it's middle that shoots out and grabs you in, more Like a frog or chameleon that a clawed grabber Like the Leech- once pulled in, the Petals/Jaws snap closed, and you begin to take gradual damage, Similar as if you were being hit from Poison, Electricity, or Radiation- the Plant would be basically trying to Digest You

We already have the Cave Leech and Grabber, so it's an established type of attack- the Perk that gives you a Limited amount of times to hit SPACE and free yourself would still work

If Solo, Bosco could still fire to free you, and maybe give you Limited Room Inside where you can't shoot, but can either pickaxe it or do A+D to get free, With a Team they can still attack with anything to free you, while you are trying to get out yourself

Maybe even give it a decent chunk of health, similar to a Spitballer, but not as tough- Once a Dwarf is freed the Fly Trap might still have enough HP where you have to finish it off or it will attempt to grab you, or someone else in again- If spotted from a distance, the Fly Trap can be neutralized, but it would be slightly tough- more hits than it takes to kill a Leech, Less hits than a Spitballer

Heck, thinking about it, this new, Carnivorous Plant could be Listed in the Miner's Manual as being related to the Spitballer

I could see this Plant Living in Dense Biozone, Azure Weald, and maybe even the Fungus Bogs- but wouldn't make it an "all biome" creature





And for those who would say it would be too similar to the already existing Cave Leech, again, the Leech can be any biome, on ceilings, harder to spot

The Giant Fly Trap would be ground based, Like the Spitballer, easier to spot, but would spawn and be designed/coded to blend in somewhat to the 3 biomes I mentioned- Fungus and Dense Biozone, it's there, should be easier to spot, could still surprise you Like the Spitballer sometimes does if you blunder across it- Azure Weald, it would probably be hidden well in some of that vegetaion and flora- and the FlyTrap would still have the sticky trap shooting out toward you





Sorry if this derails the Thread partly Femboy-
I always enjoy your thoughts, and I still support the Cactus able to be in Sandblasted

[Femboy Thighs]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

The Giant Fly Trap

Hmm for some reason I just read this and thought of another enemy idea, something like an antlion for Sandblasted Corridors.

If you don't know, real-life antlions are flying insects (and also, not actually ants). Their nymphs are called doodlebugs, and they dig cone-shaped traps in the sand like that giant sand worm thing in Star Wars. They eat ants (hence the name). Ants that wander into their pit get sucked downwards, while the antlion throws sand at them to make them fall even faster, right into its jaws.

Imagine it like a reverse cave leech. Instead of on the ceiling, it's on the ground. And to make it less obvious, the "trap" would be a ring of little pebbles or teeth buried in the sand, and walking into the circle triggers the terrain under you to collapse as you fall inward and get grabbed!

[Triplescrew]

Originally posted by Femboy Thighs:

Hmm for some reason I just read this and thought of another enemy idea, something like an antlion for Sandblasted Corridors.

Well...I already suggested such a boss. Nayaka family. It uses compressed air to blow Dwarves into its Vortex zone , while remaining stationary (like Caretaker).

Vortex zone pulls you towards the center, where boss can bite you with massive, pneumatic jaws. Its lethal, and to save teammates you need to stun the boss (stop the vortex and prevent jaw bites)

Stunning is done by throwing explosives/shooting into its "air intake" when it recharges its air reservoir.

Vortex stops when boss is stunned, so you can dig the sand to expose abdomen weakpoint to deal damage.

Boss looks like armored sentipede with large spherical "head" that contains compressed air.
It stands up like cobra when preparing to bite or spit acid or when it recharges air. Air intakes are on the back of its head.
Abdomen is not armored and is always buried in sand. It also has tails that it can use to create sandblasting vents within a very large area, expending its air.


Don't remember if i made a thread tho...i think i just wrote it somwhere as a comment. Actually, Caretaker seems pretty similar, so i think my old idea were used in its creation.

[Deadweight]

Originally posted by Femboy Thighs:

Dense Biozone is supposed to be a dried out ocean I think (hence the giant coral),

If the coral is actual coral, then it's still alive. Doesn't mesh well with the idea that it dried out. More likely that it's just a really bizarre plant or stone that makes the place look like an ocean even if it never was.

Also like said, game said it is / was like a rainforest. Nothing about it ever having been underwater.

As for the other plants in there, don't think it'd look nice. Cacti are just a bit too green (and wasteful) and apparently have been in there before if the others are right? Urchins just wouldn't look right in sandblasted unless they were recolored.

Not sure that plants is the right thing to spice up sandblasted with. Maybe some new, wind-worn fossils or half-buried things.