Screen Shot Saturday - A Minor Issue

[MikeSlugDisco]

After the minims, the next smallest members of Leaf Cutter society are the minors. Being substantially bigger than the minims, these ants join the foraging trails, tend to larvae, cut and collect leaves, and help defend the nest from predators and other threats.

In Empires of the Undergrowth, Leaf Cutter minors will take on a very similar role to the worker ants from the current species. There are still two more castes of Leaf Cutters to show, so come for next week's #ScreenshotSaturday to have a look at the next!

 

[Rayalot72]

Two worker roles?

That'll be fun to manage. I assume we'll be scaling our minim population based on fungus garden size and minor population based on colony size. Depending on the level design, I'm also expecting them to be either early-game harvesters or the optimal passive harvester choice.

Inb4 the "taunt" ability makes them or minims combat-effective.

 

[Mr_Ced]

There are many workers in the leaf-cutter society. The large ones cut leaves off of the plant, then smaller ones cut the leaf further down, and then, it becomes even smaller as another ant cuts it into smaller pieces. Then the leaf pieces are fed to the fungus, were it will then give food to the colony. The transport of the leaves also have two different workers helping out. One carries it, while the other stands guard on the leaf, fighting off parasitic wasps, hoping to lay their eggs.

 

[Serafine]

I assume the minims will be part of the fungus garden tiles and not actually be controllable by the player (which would make sense as those ants don't really do anything other than tending the fungus - even the brood is usually cared for by the minors).

 

[MikeSlugDisco]

I assume the minims will be part of the fungus garden tiles and not actually be controllable by the player (which would make sense as those ants don't really do anything other than tending the fungus - even the brood is usually cared for by the minors).

Correct!

 

[Serafine]

Inb4 the "taunt" ability makes them or minims combat-effective.

The taunt ability will completely break ereptors that have Formica rufa shooters.
You can get a glimpse on how ridiculous tanks combined with heavy hitters are in 2.1 when you attack one of the large hermit crabs right before the 4 large tiger beetles spawn - Atta soldiers combined with rufa shooters will be like the nuclear-powered version of this.

 

[Rayalot72]

On the bright side, melee DPS roles will finally be viable.

 

[MikeSlugDisco]

The future seems so set in stone!

 

[Raptorofwar]

I have a feeling that the leafcutters will have some kind of viable dps besides the Majors. After all, an army of tanks does nothing useful. It'll be interesting to see what the team comes up with!

 

[Serafine]

Atta soldiers aren't just tanks. They can cut any other ant in half easily, even for a human it's a very unpleasant experience to get bitten by one of those.

 

[Rayalot72]

Atta soldiers aren't just tanks. They can cut any other ant in half easily, even for a human it's a very unpleasant experience to get bitten by one of those.

Sure, but for gameplay it would be odd to merge DPS and tank roles too heavily. Their damage will probably be outweighed by their cost, so that high HP becomes the primary motivation for purchasing them, with damage as a bonus. Much lower health damage roles that can be bought for cheaper will probably take the DPS slot.

 

[The vegetarian ant]

I would love to have a specie of ant who would have many tiny soldiers in one nursery it would allow to have fights between the big majors of the leaf cutters and many small soldiers to see wich of number or strenght would be the best

 

[The vegetarian ant]

and for the minims it would be extremely cool that they could dig very small entrances in the walls that only them and miny spiders could cross

 

[Raptorofwar]

and for the minims it would be extremely cool that they could dig very small entrances in the walls that only them and miny spiders could cross

Minims, according to the devs, won't really be controllable. They just run around and tend fungus farms.

 

[Serafine]

I would love to have a species of ant who would have many tiny soldiers in one nursery

Pheidole?

 

[The vegetarian ant]

Minims, according to the devs, won't really be controllable. They just run around and tend fungus farms.

Yes but just an entry that would cross only one block that they would dig by themself to get quicklier to the food stores if as I suppose they would go to take the food we've got in the food stores to put it in the mushroom to make it grow

 

[Buffalo981]

The queen needs a larger brood chamber!

 

[ALEMAN12]

wow, the leafcutters are Looking awesome so for! Just can't wait :'(