User:Deep06/Sandbox

= Microbe Stage = The Microbe Stage is the very first stage in Thrive, in which the player guides a cell (the first species and common ancestor) around the world while collecting compounds, preying/fleeing from other species branched from your own and evolving using the Microbe Editor. The stage is the only one implemented, and under development.

Overview
The player starts as a prokaryote cell in the patch Pangonian Vents. The microbe has to collect glucose, which creates ATP, also ammonia, and phosphates to reproduce. ATP is used for the osmoregulation, movement, and organelle processes.

In the early game there won’t be any predators, as the player is the only species), but each time the player reproduce, other species will branch from existing ones using the auto-evo algorithm.

Cells can engulf microbes, iron chunks and organelles smaller than itself by pressing G to toggle the engulfing mode. Cells can also puncture microbes with the pilus, and shoot Oxytoxy with oxytoxisome or a toxin vacuole by pressing E.

Binding Agents allow cells to bind and form colonies by pressing B next to microbes of the same species, letting them share compounds, however, in the current version, colonies can’t reproduce unless the player unbinds the cell by pressing U.

Compounds
Cells use compounds for executing various processes like producing ATP or other compounds related to the microbe's survival. Microbes can obtain compounds through compound clouds found in the overworld and inside dead cells and organelles. Each time the player enters the editor, the glucose amount is reduced.

Some compounds are called Physical Conditions or Atmospheric Gases, and their quantities are preset on each patch. The player needs them to perform some processes. As, for example, sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis.

Reproduction
A cell reproduces when it collects enough phosphates and ammonia to split each organelle into two. The amount of compounds left to reproduce is shown in the reproduction progress bar in the lower left corner. Colonies cannot reproduce.

Clicking the Reproduction button in the lower right corner, the player goes to the Microbe Editor. The editor is divided into three tabs: Report, where it reports the events occurred in the game like the variation of the population of the species and compounds in the (current) patch. Patch Map, where the player can move to another patches and the Cell Editor, where it's possible to edit the cell, and it's divided in Structure, Appearance and Behavior. Currently, only the Structure and Appearance tabs are implemented.

Patches
TBD

Combat
The player and AI cells can damage and kill other organisms for mostly acquire its compounds, there are three ways of combat in the game:


 * Engulfment: The cell can engulf every cell smaller than them, iron chunks or organelles pressing the G key. The microbe that is engulfing will flash blue when is in engulfing mode.
 * Pili: Pilus is an organelle used for puncture other cells and rupture their membrane.
 * Agents: Agents are substances released by an organism to damage other microbes. The only agent implemented on the game, OxyToxy, is represented by particles and can be used pressing E if you have the Oxytoxisome or the Toxin Vacuole.

Some types of membranes can increase or decrease the resistance to Pili and Agents. 

