Weight, again.

[Gamers]

Well, it’s tradition now that every single time an update video is posted, I also post. Every year the ideas get less absurd and easier to do, while also improving more in how they're written. I’m probably gonna write less this year, and if I add anything it’ll be posted here in the comments. If I remember, that is.

The focus on this post is a refreshed Weight System. Weight now functions via when a creature is made, each of their halves become separate for weight. The smaller their difference in weight, the less the multiplier is on weight. Weight can be lessened via flesh being closer to legs touching the ground, and supporting more weight. Bigger flesh is heavier. The base value of weight is halved underwater.

Here are a few concepts for legs which I just kind of wrote down, without much thought. Their main goal is just giving an example of how the weight system works. Most don’t even properly correlate to their IRL counterparts. One doesn't even exist.
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Spider Leg is semi-bad at supporting weight, but very good at lowering the multiplier.
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Grasshopper Leg is great at supporting weight, but semi-bad at lowering the multiplier.
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Centipede Leg has the visuals of 2 legs, it decent at supporting weight and lowering the multiplier.
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Centifin? Leg looks similar to the Centipede Leg, and where it gets more absurd. It has worse stats, but it is faster underwater.

The in-game legs would be affected aswell, as the elephant feet could be AMAZING at supporting weight but do nothing for the multiplier. Below this however is where it gets a bit more out there.

Lack of Legs would let creatures move without any legs, gaining the ability to hold far more weight, though the multiplier skyrockets and it has extremely bad mobility. Starting legs can evolve from it at any time.

Gravity Influence would let players influence the planet's gravity, and would like water to lower the base amount of weight applied. This COULD be implemented into seasons despite not being realistic and likely hard due to needing a UI overhaul. The gravity would of course affect creatures heavily depending on what players set, and mainly would just create pretty interesting scenarios.

Plant Influence in this is less absurd than the others, though it would still be pretty interesting. If bark is still in the game, it could finally get a downside of increasing weight and the multiplier.

[This is from the edit, accidentally skimmed over it when I was writing this.] Mobility Influence works via making animals slower the worse they support their weight. Mainly would make weight have more of an effect while letting larger creatures be fast.

That’s all of my ideas for the weight system, with the main thought in this simply being to make certain creatures (and maybe plants) look more feasible. This was made fairly quick, and if anybody read this essay I thank you. I hope you have a great rest of your day,

Signing Off, -KG

[Gamers]

Question in the comments due to being unrelated and suddenly appearing in my head, if you read this do you plan on another evolution series?

[Wessel]

Long time no see :). A few replies:

Lack of Legs would let creatures move without any legs, gaining the ability to hold far more weight, though the multiplier skyrockets and it has extremely bad mobility. Starting legs can evolve from it at any time.

I think legless creatures evolve mostly for burrowing animals, so this would require a more complex burrowing system

Gravity Influence would let players influence the planet's gravity, and would like water to lower the base amount of weight applied.

I really have tried for a long time to integrate planet size into the system, but I can't really figure out any interesting phenomena that follow from this.

Question in the comments due to being unrelated and suddenly appearing in my head, if you read this do you plan on another evolution series?

I do, but only once I have the new features stable-ish and have given performance some more attention.

[Gamers]

Don't have much to say as a response, though I can talk about my thoughts with gravity. The main idea behind it was giving players that didn't enjoy having to take weight into account just lower it, and it would be pretty similar with an explanation tied with it. I simply then thought to let it go the other way. Great job with the game so far!

[Wessel]

Thanks, and it's a good argument actually!

[Gamers]

Generation and Small Additions.
Hello, and welcome to this post. This idea is mainly about Generation and building off that, but also a few small ideas afterwards that I’ve accumulated. This is far less tight-knit than the Weight idea.

Bases are a base for the generation to go off of, there a few of these. These primarily allow for players to get unique generation they couldn't get otherwise. An example of a base could be Canyon, where 2 very large mountains are at the edge of the map, acting as a form of boundary. There could be many more of these like continents, islands, etc.
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Goat Leg in this would extend from the Horse Leg, this leg unique as it allows for animals to walk on previously unwalkable areas at the cost of losing speed. This builds off of Bases, as bases like the Canyon or others with steep terrain would heavily support Goat Legs.
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Rocks generate on steep terrain, these more far out as they support nests for animals that can get to them. It provides a safe place for flying or mountain climbing animals to utilize.

The Starting Leaf in my opinion could simply be edited to be able to survive in hotter and colder temperatures. This mainly is to let land plants evolve more easily. This idea came from the many people asking why they cannot get land plants to evolve. This could affect a few other leaves slightly to let them reach the Pine and Fern leaves.
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Rotation in this would be a small edit for any plant on a mountain, which is simply to slightly tilt it in the direction the terrain they are on is facing. It would be a subtle but nice visual touch.

Thanks for reading this short list of ideas, and have a good rest of your day. - KG

[Wessel]

Without making promises, all ideas I like! Fun fact: the goat leg has actually been on my own wish list ever since I added the 'steepness' traits to the terrain ;).

About the starting leaf: I see your point, but wouldn't that mean plants have no clear reason to evolve better leaves?

[Gamers]

I see what you mean, though I don't really see the connection as the starting leaf has a descendant without different temperature stats. Its other stats are what make the leaf different. Also, interesting coincidence!

[Wessel]

The same temperature stats, yes, but other wind strength stats!

[Gamers]

Yep, that's the argument! So in a scenario where there was a high wind strength season with a planet with moderate temperature, there would absolutely be incentive to evolve further, as the half sunlight gained is also a nice bonus. I'm not saying that wind strength should be a part of it, as I'm generally assuming that most people change temperature in seasons or planet stats as its one of the first things that come to mind. Wind Strength is a side thought, meaning that temperature resistance allows for higher odds of plants evolving on land. This doesn't apply to all, but atleast in my head applies to most.

[Wessel]

Ah right, now I understand! You've convinced me to experiment with this some more. There are also a few other ideas that make the evolution of land plants a bit more likely, like making temperature differences for seasons less extreme near the equator.