Open source evolution sim 'Thrive' adds sprinting, visual upgrades, more competitive AI

I love watching Thrive continue to grow. A free and open source evolution sim where you start off life as a single microbe. The latest release version 0.7.0 is out now adding new gameplay features.

With this release the world should seem a whole lot more alive. For starters, the auto-evolution system for the world around you with the AI has seen a huge enhancement. The new "Miche System" is in that defines various problems and pressures that organisms might face, and defining how species might respond to that pressure and the result is that it can allow the AI to better adapt to the environment. The developer say that you should find "worlds busier and more alive, with more competitive organisms popping up around them".

Compound clouds were also given a visual overhaul, to be more textured and less plain.

Pictured - Thrive 0.7.0 on Linux

On top of that there's some new microbe gameplay features like the mucocyst, a new part that when you activate can encase you in a tough exterior coat of mucus. There's a sprinting mechanic, so no more just holding down the movement button and hoping for the best, you can now dart ahead and chase other creatures down properly. The sprint mechanic also comes with a strain system, which could cause your organism to get exhausted.

Various other gameplay mechanics were added like a healing cooldown, making toxins a more viable weapon and combat a bit more intense. There's also more customization for toxins too, allowing yous to choose an expensive, high-damage impact, or less expensive and faster but less-damaging hits so you can play your way.

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Some other changes included:

• In the experimental features mode, placing rusticyanin allows the player to shoot projectiles at iron to break off chunks, which will eventually result in the larger iron chunk being depleted fully. Enabling experimental features will allow players to test this out; feedback would be much appreciated.
• Migration has been revamped, allowing the player to direct their species towards a new patch without necessarily playing in that patch themselves.
• On easy mode, players can now switch to another species upon extinction.
• Corpse chunks now have more resources, making heterotrophy more viable. Chunks spawning and despawning has also been refactored to result in more consistent performance.
• You can now engulf when starving, though you take health damage.

Thrive has Native Linux support. You can grab it free from GitHub or buy it to support the developer on itch.io and Steam.