In this week's Screenshot Saturday, these two fast-swimming fish are quite clearly very closely related but have diverged slightly and developed different colouration.
Screenshot Saturday
- Thread starter MikeSlugDisco
- Start date
In the full game, there will be extensive options for generating complex terrain, and the results can be stunning. This video shows the limitless variety that can be produced with this system.
Interestingly, this creature evolved to look a lot like the local plant life! A coincidence rather than a game mechanic for now, but camouflage having a tangible effect is planned for the full game.
The denser vegetation of the ocean floor can provide many opportunities - cover, camouflage, and food. Ultimately, the plant life is the cornerstone of an Ecosystem.
Plants are the foundation of an Ecosystem. In the full game, they will spread in accordance to their own preferences - some prefer more light, for instance. Every so often they'll disperse seeds, depending on their health.
The finished Ecosystem will have a very rich terrain creation system, far beyond what's in the demo. Here's some blue parrotfish-like creatures swimming through a dense reef.
A long-discussed issue amongst biologists: is having a fin on the back of your head useful? It seems to be working out fine for this guy!
We can now see a visualisation of this fish's inner most desires: delicious seaweed. It knows where it wants to go and what it wants to eat. Steering seems fine, if only it could propel itself a little faster...
I know it's not a very difficult game, but let's play a round of "Spot the Starfish".
Silhouetted in this video you can see a creature with some marvellous fins on either side of it. At first glance they look like they're just there for stability but they're being moved too!
Many of the creatures in this particular Ecosystem seem to have developed a flat body shape, streamlining themselves against the drag of the water. Many real-life sea creatures have a similar evolutionary strategy.
This creature seems to have evolved to use its tail fin in combination with a back fin to propel itself in fast, short bursts. The back fin provides thrust whilst the top fin provides stability.
This creature seems to have evolved a curious mix of fins on the back of its body. Unconventional, but it seems to be working out quite well for it!
Here we're just casually spawning in some creatures into a nursery. The whole feel of the UI has changed significantly since the demo!
These stubby little creatures have evolved a fin arrangement not unlike the real-world sunfish - and it appears it's a very successful setup for them, since they are thriving in this reef.
Learning to swim can be tricky, particularly if your fins are chunkier than your head - these bizarrely-proportioned creatures don't look too happy about the hand evolution has dealt them!
The scissor-like motion that these creatures have evolved is a balanced & efficient method of forward movement. It pushes effectively against the water to propel the creature in its intended direction.
The flow of water currents around the ocean floor and the objects in it is an important part of Ecosystem's simulation. It will transport nutrients and creature eggs around the map, giving a realistic representation of the fluid dynamics of the sea.
These creatures have evolved a sleek form to appear rather eel-like, with one notable exception - they have a protrusion from below their midsection that they can control. What purpose do you think it has?
It's the breeding season for these creatures, so they're heading back to the mating grounds to spawn the next generation.