Mutation category expansion

[KA101]

[quote=“TinHead, post:198, topic:3755”]I don’t like double posting, but I want to say one thing…

Add some more XL clothes.
I NEEDZ IT[/quote]

Not being able to fit is an intended limiting-factor, so not everything is gonna be available in XL and you’re gonna have to deal with that. That said, if there’s a particular item that you can point to and say “why can’t I upsize this?”, do so and I’ll consider it.

Power Armor? Nope. PA requires machine tools (DoubleTech) or precision machining with advanced synthetic chemicals (Rivtech), neither of which you’ve got. So you can’t make the relevant armor pieces to upsize your gear.

@Womble

Actually, to follow up on the proposal for a Crab line of mutation, put the recipes in a USMC feasibility study alongside a Frog mutation line.

Conflicts with current lore: Alpha was the first seriously considered for actual military/civilian use. (Elf-a, and the later Chimera and Raptor, were emergency cocktails designed with the Cataclysm in mind, and later in-progress–Raptor came out the day you leave the shelter!.) Most mutation categories weren’t considered suitable for public display thanks to their various obviously-nonhuman features: a few photos might be discounted, but sooner or later folks would document it, researchers would get Sloppy, etc.

If the Cataclysm hadn’t happened, it’s entirely possible the US government might have started laying the PR groundwork to allow for mutant/bioroid* troops, because (among other reasons) literal frogpeople would have military applications. But that’s a few years into a future that’s …kinda been preempted.

@Vanigo

Has anyone considered a cosmetic mutation category that basically amounts to duds? Like, every time you mutate or purify, there’s a small chance you’ll get a mechanically meaningless cosmetic mutation instead (purple eyes, fast-growing hair, sixth finger, your sweat cures cancer but no one cares anymore, etc.). Also something to fall back on if it can’t find a real mutation (if you have all the pre-threshold mutations in your category but failed the roll to break through or whatever), and maybe sometimes add a cosmetic mutation instead of nothing if a weak mutagen rolls low. Might be too much work for something so trivial, but I think it’d be kind of cool.

I’ve a few that pretty much are cosmetic/infrastructural, but had flavorful descriptions. The translation lead complained as my descriptions were too long, and needed to be purely utilitarian. So cosmetic stuff doesn’t much happen anymore.

(This is the biggest reason new mutations aren’t coming nearly as fast: “Is this worth fighting the translators, the anti-furries, the anti-sexers, the Stop Having Fun Guys, Bay12, some other group or groups, or any combination thereof?”)

[kevin.granade]

I’d just like to second this, people griping really does sap developer enthusiasm, please keep this in mind when you’re giving negative feedback or demanding feature removal (or demanding more features for that matter). I’ve seen several fledgeling contributions get swamped in demands for more features or quick development.

It is absolutely possible for the community to kill the entire project, think about that before you post.

[KA101]

@Windburna

As a Tokyo Ghoul fan, I’m waiting 'til the day we get to fight zombie ghouls and be able to craft Quinques from their harvested organs. Or perhaps become a ghoul myself through mutations. I can’t mod (though I wish) so my output in the mods section wouldn’t have helped.

Welcome to the forums. Can’t say I’m at all familiar with Tokyo Ghoul, though, so I can’t do much for it. Sorry. :-/

[FunsizeNinja123]

I’ve heard of it, but I haven’t seen anything of it. Hmm.

[Snaaty]

One idea I had while observing some small lizard that frequently like to chill out on my veranda is a Mutation for the Lizard group and possible others:

Rapid movement(feel free to replace) changes your movement, so that you can walk really fast for a few turns, but then you are slowed down a lot. Just the way lizard in real life are sometimes moving.
I believe this could lead to interesting tactical choices in combat, while not having too much of an impact on your strolling around the evac shelter. I have no real idea about the numbers, but perhaps the average speed with that mutation should be slightly higher than the one without.

What do you think?

[kevin.granade]

sounds like something we’d want to add with sprinting, then use the mutations to modify ability to sprint.

[KA101]

@Kevin Granade

sounds like something we’d want to add with sprinting, then use the mutations to modify ability to sprint.

Yeah. Active-traits menu would probably be a good fit here too.

[evtheking]

What about giving the fish mutation category some post-threshold mutations? Shark mutations would be nice, so would mutations that give you fins.

[KA101]

@evtheking

What about giving the fish mutation category some post-threshold mutations? Shark mutations would be nice, so would mutations that give you fins.

Would love to, and Shark is one of the planned branches. (Deep One is the other. ). Dunno who’d use 'em because there’s not much you can do underwater, though. :-/

[alRashid]

@KA101

Dunno who’d use 'em because there’s not much you can do underwater, though. :-/

Well, there’s something that you could start another thread on. Could certainly make water more interesting; add reefs, underwater cities, flooded homes, hostile fish, occasional underwater mines, sunken ships… But that would definitely be for another thread.

I came here to post an idea I brought up in IRC, and would add in myself if mutations were more modular: Horse mutation category.
Functionally like a cross between cattle and bird.
Would have grazer, hooves, mammal pheromones, a few reflavors of some cattle mutations (such as tail), road-runner, a few strength ups, deformed, and maybe an upgrade to hooves for more horse-kicking action, in addition to other miscellany (likely taken from cattle and/or beast).

So by crossing a runner and a tank, we ought to come out with a moderate level of health, decent defense, middling-high speed, low maintenance category; ideal for a nomad: durable, but not costly (like Rat); mobile and self-reliant, but not fragile (like Bird); with offensive potential, but still a higher level of vulnerability than a tank (like Cattle).

Nothing revolutionary, but maybe worth a thought.

[Zireael]

Love the horse idea.

[KA101]

Reminder for self: once scenarios land and we have the traits-at-char-startup implemented: profession traits. Because there should be a difference between a Cop and someone who happened to find a badge.

[Logrin]

I love this idea, so I’ll just throw out a suggestion right now.

Occupation : Ballroom Dancer
Trait : Leitmotif
Effect : The standard dodge boost dancers get as is, with the small concession that they actually have to be listening to music to dance out of the way of those blows.

[KA101]

[quote=“Logrin, post:213, topic:3755”]I love this idea, so I’ll just throw out a suggestion right now.

Occupation : Ballroom Dancer
Trait : Leitmotif
Effect : The standard dodge boost dancers get as is, with the small concession that they actually have to be listening to music to dance out of the way of those blows.[/quote]

…That’s a pretty significant disadvantage there. I’d pay a point for having to tie up your ears or be broadcasting sound in order to dodge!

[Logrin]

Would also be kinda fun if the various police tech in game treated officers differently, like eyebots spitting citations at you on imposing pink paper.

[Inquisitor_Dust]

[quote=“KA101, post:214, topic:3755”][quote=“Logrin, post:213, topic:3755”]I love this idea, so I’ll just throw out a suggestion right now.

Occupation : Ballroom Dancer
Trait : Leitmotif
Effect : The standard dodge boost dancers get as is, with the small concession that they actually have to be listening to music to dance out of the way of those blows.[/quote]

…That’s a pretty significant disadvantage there. I’d pay a point for having to tie up your ears or be broadcasting sound in order to dodge![/quote]
Could be changed to an extra dodge bonus while listening to music.

Trying to think of some other profession linked traits. Maybe Students have something like fast learner that applies to books. I imagine Assassins wouldn’t be as effected by killing.

[evtheking]

Could there be Nether mutations soon? I have some ideas for mutations in that category:
Nether Pheromones: Everything except for netherworld creatures (other than zombies) attacks you on sight or runs away.
Subprime Flesh: You take damage in direct sunlight.
Nether Wings (bat wings becomes this): Your wings have become powerful enough to allow you to hover a foot off the ground. You will not activate traps.
Nether Scales (scales becomes this): Your scales are black and hard, and are hot to the touch.
Unbreathing: You no longer need to breathe. (Unaffected by gases)
Firey Skin: Your skin burns enemies during unarmed combat.
Hot: You have adapted to hot temparatures, making you immune to fire and other heat, and more vulnerable to cold.
Shadow Dweller: You are more stealthy.
Spawner: There is a 10% chance of you creating a friendly breather or shadow snake every 30 minutes.

[KA101]

[quote=“evtheking, post:217, topic:3755”]Could there be Nether mutations soon? I have some ideas for mutations in that category:
Nether Pheromones: Everything except for netherworld creatures (other than zombies) attacks you on sight or runs away.
Subprime Flesh: You take damage in direct sunlight.
Nether Wings (bat wings becomes this): Your wings have become powerful enough to allow you to hover a foot off the ground. You will not activate traps.
Nether Scales (scales becomes this): Your scales are black and hard, and are hot to the touch.
Unbreathing: You no longer need to breathe. (Unaffected by gases)
Firey Skin: Your skin burns enemies during unarmed combat.
Hot: You have adapted to hot temparatures, making you immune to fire and other heat, and more vulnerable to cold.
Shadow Dweller: You are more stealthy.
Spawner: There is a 10% chance of you creating a friendly breather or shadow snake every 30 minutes.[/quote]

Generic “Nether” isn’t too likely. Fungal is WIP at the moment, Plant needs active mutations to go Triffid-y and the generic Blob/zed is what powers the current system so eventually that’ll be a prospect.

[Zireael]

@KA101

and the generic Blob/zed is what powers the current system so eventually that’ll be a prospect.

what! We’re getting a Blob/zed mutation category?

[KA101]

@Zireael

[quote=“KA101, post:218, topic:3755”]and the generic Blob/zed is what powers the current system so eventually that’ll be a prospect.

what! We’re getting a Blob/zed mutation category?[/quote]

GlyphGryph theorized a Nether Cliff for overexposure to Blob some time ago. I’m not totally sold on the idea but since I’m likely the one to implement it, that can be worked on.