Mutation category expansion

[Wikrin]

Stony mutations: …petravore (can eat stones)…

This immediately reminded me of M’Lee, from Farscape. She was the Calcivore in one episode, ate bones. Think that would be a cool mutation; gain the ability to eat bones directly. Google tells me the only animal for which bones represent a size able portion of their preferred diet is the bearded vulture. :o

So, knowing that “Huge” is a mutation, would “Small” be viable for Rats, Insects, etc.? Only thing I can think it would do is maybe provide a dodge bonus at the expense of strength, though. Hmm. (Edit: Oh, and finally make it sensible to find fit clothes on child zombies.)

[Wanderer]

This immediately reminded me of M’Lee, from Farscape. She was the Calcivore in one episode, ate bones. Think that would be a cool mutation; gain the ability to eat bones directly. Google tells me the only animal for which bones represent a size able portion of their preferred diet is the bearded vulture. :o

…we already can eat bones. Not much filling, but we can. A mutation to get more nutrition of bones, not, doesn’t exist yet.

[Logrin]

would be kind of neat if slime could upgrade it’s slime trail to an acid trail like dark wryms get. That and being able to throw an eye ((At the expense of health)) to scout out your surroundings for a few moments.

As for eating bones, what about a rat or bug mutation that grants the ability to eat and gain some amount of nutrition from just about anything? Like the internal furnace CBM. Heck, you could even make a Wasp mutation like this that chews up organic matter (bones, wood, zombies, etc) and uses it to make paper walls.

Huge and Freakishly Huge mutants could quite possibly gain a brute smash for all their trouble. It would be admittedly satisfying to send zombie dogs crashing through walls.

Maybe give Cattle a trample attack? Damages an enemy, knocks them down and moves passed them. Great for forcing your way out of a crowd.

[Valpo]

How would the plugged out eye send the information it aquieres back to you? theres no telepathy in cata afaik.

[Logrin]

Unless my foggy recollection is mistaken, the goo was postulated to be able of communicate with or at the very least coordinate it’s various colonies (read: zombies) over great distances. I had assumed a similar mechanism the reason you can spawn friendly blobs as a post-thresh slime dood.

I don’t know it it’s nether law or radio waves or what have you, but if a more analog solution is needed why not ‘connect’ the eye to you via a slime trail. I mean, that slime IS you after all, and your whole body can be whatever organ you want it to be, right?

[Valpo]

Fair enough it might work that way or by you exploiting the 4th dimensional displacement the blob uses (connecting the eye to you that way).

Just didn t think that you could mimic that abillity.

And i thought that the slime spawns were not controled by you remotly but independed parts of you that have some of your conscience in them making(distributed neurology n all) them enabling them to recocnyze you as theire mommy(or something)

[Pthalocy]

The best would be if the wee slime scout had to make it back to you to impart it’s knowledge to your whole - if it doesn’t make it back, the scouting run is a waste. The health loss in creating it could be kind of like a hotel room deposit. Trash the slime, don’t get your health deposit back.

I don’t know how to let the tinyslime give you more information regarding your surroundings in a meaningful way that doesn’t also result in you witnessing that information as the player. Even if the slime died and never updated your map with new findings, you’d have seen it on your screen.

Hmm.

[Valpo]

I think detaching something from yourself like slimespawning only costs nutritions. Your a regenerating omnicell. You produce what you want to detach directly… only unwanted detachement would damage you directly…(i think thats how it should work)

[KA101]

Yeah, you have dedicated-frequency telepathy with your slimesprings. That’s how they communicate with you. Similar action to Blob coordination and if I got the steam up for it there’d be a few more mutations to let you direct 'em.

(You being hit for Massive Damage (20+HP in one shot, IIRC) can create a slimespring too, on the “unwanted detachment” line.)

Remote scouting isn’t feasible because we only have one map, so anything it saw you’d see.

Trample might be a function of the Equine line. Sizing needs looked into but is a nifty idea.

[TheFlame52]

I think anything we give to large/huge will be already balanced. I mean, not being able to use vehicles or wear most clothes? Very high cost.

[Logrin]

I always thought that huge characters should be able to get away with vehicles so long as the tile they’re in is considered OUT, but I will admit it’s pretty challenging/fun to make do without.

[KA101]

I always thought that huge characters should be able to get away with vehicles so long as the tile they’re in is considered OUT, but I will admit it’s pretty challenging/fun to make do without.

I’ve considered that, but recall the implementation being a bit more complex than I was up for at the time. May revisit.

[Wikrin]

[quote=“Logrin, post:331, topic:3755”]I always thought that huge characters should be able to get away with vehicles so long as the tile they’re in is considered OUT, but I will admit it’s pretty challenging/fun to make do without.

I’ve considered that, but recall the implementation being a bit more complex than I was up for at the time. May revisit.[/quote]

Perhaps via implementation of a custom “seat?” I’m thinking something like the little boards people stand on while dog sledding, but I can’t think what they’re called. Also, imagine how terrifying that would be at 60+ mph.

[kevin.granade]

Good idea, I think it’d be relatively simple to package up the requirements for e.g. no roof tiles into an “oversized seat” vehicle part.

[KA101]

Good to know, though I’m more concerned with the checking than the part-handling.

[TinHead]

We should have mutation flavor text, like talking to NPCs, opening doors, etc…
Totally would be awesome as Chef Wolf to talk to NPCs like "You don’t really care that i’m basically a wolf, don’t you."
Oh, and the Huge mutation, I agree that you should get some unique attack abilities, like Suplexing a enemy could result in gibbing, and you could add a martial arts skill to do with claws.
[size=8pt]Pls add moar claw types for Chef Wolf… PLS I TELL YOU[/size]

[Valpo]

Martial stiles specific to mutants have already been discussed and rejected. So i guess that ll happen again unless you got something speciffic in mind?

More diffeerentiated reactions to you char depending on his apeareance rep mutaions etc would certainly be a+.

“So i heard some badass toppled that fungus tower? That wouldn t be you right?”

*edit

In my quest for bacon i may be driven to do unspeakable things to them wolves i encounter >.>

tasty… bacon…

[Logrin]

I agree on the whole “Flavor text for mutations” thing in speech. Maybe have it roll to decide on which one to consider each time you talk to someone, while being weighted in favor of thresholds and your most visible mutations.

[EkarusRyndren]

…I like the idea of more responsive NPCs in general. That said nothing quite like walking into a Refugee center and hearing “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT- Oh it’s just you”

[Closet_Pankin]

…I like the idea of more responsive NPCs in general. That said nothing quite like walking into a Refugee center and hearing “WHAT THE HELL IS THAT- Oh it’s just you”

Or someone suddenly coughing loudly.