Adventures in Population Expansion

As it is with nearly every Norn, Eydis grew up before I knew it. I was a bit sad to see the first baby Norn enter childhood, for there never seems to be enough time to teach youngsters all there is to know. The first ten to twenty minutes of life are vital for both Norns and Grendels. Although I took the time to teach and nurture Eydis as much as possible, I had to accept the fact that it was time for her to experience life and learn for herself. She was glad to be a little bit taller than her favorite toy! It was certainly a good sign. She also sought out food on her own and rarely needed a verbal cue to devour a meal. Funny how she chose the spot in front of the frightening scarecrow to pose!

Her ability to take care of herself, coupled with her new life stage, indicated that it was time for a trip to the hatchery. As much as I wanted to follow Eydis everywhere and keep a watchful eye over her, it was time to let go. Another danger of focusing too much on one Norn is that one might delay the hatching of another Norn. My ideal time between initial first generation Norns is approximately twenty minutes. This offers enough time to teach each Norn, while ensuring an optimal breeding population later in life. Leaving one or two hours between births is usually counterproductive. Eydis definitely agreed that it was bout time for a male Norn!

Eydis headed off on her own, while I carefully chose a new egg from the hatchery. Within minutes, a happy little Horse Norn entered Albia with an enormous grin! This is Arik, pronounced [AR-ick], whose name means eternal ruler. I certainly hoped so! His genetic mutations were more pronounced than those of Eydis, yet I still am unsure as to what they indicate. Aside from several pigment mutations, Arik has two genetic mutations worth noting. Sometimes a confusing mutation will lead to absolutely nothing, and it can be the straightforward ones that create the most mayhem. Whatever the case was with Arik, all I wanted was for him to live a happy and healthy life. Nothing screamed of a serious problem, and the adaptable of Norns made me believe that he would be perfectly fine. However, it’s often a good idea to take a look at a Norn’s genome, just to understand him or her a little better!

Lobes

Brain lobes include important information about how the different parts of the brain work, from how concepts are learned to how a Norn goes through the decision process. These genes can greatly affect the learning process.

121 Ends with Loss = 1 (Standard is Loss = 0)

Instincts

Instincts define the expectations for certain behaviors. These genes do not state exactly what happens when the parameters are met, but rather provide the basis for Norns to base their decisions on.

133 Includes (Lobe/Cell = 0/8) (Standard is (Lobe/Cell = 0/0))

They appeared to be minor mutations, judging by his normal behavior.

After setting Arik up with the learning computer, I took a moment to check up on Eydis. How much trouble could a Norn get into after just a few minutes? A lot! I immediately panicked when I saw where my first Norn had chosen as the location for an adventure. Fortunately, the Deathcap Mushroom remained undisturbed. This is the deadliest plant in Creatures 1, for it contains glycotoxin: A toxin that breaks down glycogen, or the long-term energy stored within creatures. I have had several Norns with exotic appetites who survived, but the recovery requires a great deal of attention and constant eating. I was glad that Eydis was smart enough not to touch the colorful, but deadly, delicacy.

Perhaps it was not intelligence that saved Eydis, after all. Keir chose this precise moment to push the lift button, and may have made himself an unknown savior. At first glance, I thought he had mutated into a two-headed monster, but he simply chose the perfect spot to pose! In an odd twist, Eydis and Keir never actually met. Perhaps she would never know what he did for her, but I will never forget. More proof that the Grendels can actually save unsuspecting Norns, even when they have no idea of the magnitude of their actions! Keir scored some more major points. He just acted nonchalantly, like he saved Norns from certain death on a daily basis. I just hoped he wasn’t planning a journey to the lowest level to sample that forbidden weed!

Back in the safety of the area near the incubator, Arik had continued to cycle through the vocabulary words. I breathed a quick sigh of relief when I discovered that he had not strayed off! The two genetic mutations had no obvious effect on his young life. With hundreds of genes, there is always the possibility that mutations can have little to no effects on a Norn. Arik seemed more enraptured with the learning computer than Eydis had been, but it was not alarming. We also spent some time together learning the names of objects.

Note: Another set of customized vocabulary I use in Creatures 1 is for the “yes” and “no” concepts. A Norn or Grendel sometimes uses these words in sentences. For example, “Eydis get yes” might mean that Eydis wants to find and receive a reward from the hand. When I type a phrase, “Eydis yes” would be the reward reinforcement phrase. I find both sentences to be slightly incorrect, and I use “good” and “bad” as replacement terms.

Eydis continued her exploration of Albia, which led her to the cable car. I have always thought that this vehicle was positioned perfectly for a picturesque ride. Of course, creatures can not actually enjoy the scenery, but I like to pretend they at least enjoy the breath of fresh air! Eydis let her personality shine as she traveled high above the Albian garden. I pulled; she pushed. I made the vehicle move left again, but she stealthily turned it around! All the while, Eydis smiled like a mischievous child. It was all a game to her, of course, and with no danger, I happily participated. We spent a good five minutes going back and forth, which created the record for longest cable car ride in my C1 experience! Part of her desire to head east was driven by hunger: After our game went on for an extended period of time, she started to express her need to find food. Since she knew food was located in the region she had come from, it followed that she would have put up a fight traveling to an unknown area. Do Norns remember the different areas of Albia and associate them with certain concepts? Yet another idea to explore in the future!

Eventually, Eydis discovered that to the west of the cable car was a bountiful source of food. She found her very first piece of cheese, which filled up her rumbling tummy in no time! She had a bit of fun interacting with the bees, although the inevitable sting occurred. Mere child’s play, of course: Nothing had frightened her in the past! Not even a mutant headless bee, pictures in the top center, could deter Eydis. Creatures who naturally explore the world are both a blessing and a curse: Their knowledge and experiences are often more diverse, but it can be difficult to keep them in one spot.

3 Comments
« Previous Post | Next Post »