Welcome to the long awaited Part 5 where I can finally delve into the genetics system. Now that all of the pre-requisites are out of the way it should be easier to explain the driving force why I decided to make these series of threads. Going to briefly touch on some systems in the other parts that I am relying on to make this work and a few changes that we need to get out of the way immediately as I dive into the thick of it.
Genetic Points
Veterinarian
Paleobotany (revamp)
ACU/Hunter Teams
Dinosaur Behavior (Part 4)
Hidden Variables
This is a new feature I will be discussing today, but suffice it to say it relates to how genetic modifications work and I need to make sure you realize there are some changes I have gone ahead and made, so you understand why I made some decisions. The following two genetic modifications are now reclassified as hidden variables and you cannot research or modify your dinosaurs with them. Additionally, there are a number of unique hidden variables that are highly species dependent.
New & Modified Traits
Resilience - (Modified) - [applies to illness only]
Agility (New) - [movement speed increase + dodge chance]
Fast Recovery (New) - [applies to injuries only]
Adaptability (New) - [weather resistance]
Sight Range (New) - [increases vision range]
New Genetic Modification Stats
I'll give you time to go over the above yourselves. I only added one new modification "Ocular Enhancement" to accommodate the addition of sight range. I tried to balance them out, so there wasn't too clear a best choice. However, I left Hyperefficient Blood as really good, but it will remain highly costly to use especially now that Genetic Points are a resource. Similarly, I made Skin Toughness and Intensive Repair as Defense and Healing oriented equivalents to Hyperefficient Blood. Finally, you will notice I intentionally omitted any of the modifications introduced in the Secrets of Dr. Wu since frankly those modifications were much more dynamic and interesting in the first place... and well the skins are skins.
I will get into the specifics of that particular moment later on, but you get the gist of the idea now. Before we get to something like hybrids though what about the regular dinosaurs, the ones you will be primarily using? Well, Frontier has again given a visual guide for us already and its been up for ages:
3D Model Screen
Engineering Prehistoric Life
Specimen: Pachycephalosaurus
Body Part: Cranium/Skull/Head
Modification: Increased Bone Density
Synergy: Stalwart (Rapid Metabolism + Group Adaptation)
[Pachys gain ability to fight off Medium Carnivores in a group]
Hidden Variable: Concussion
[Pachys headbutting will now cause them to suffer concussions]
I gave you a quick example there and it should be pretty self-explanatory, but allow me to get into just a little detail.
1. Select your species
2. Select a body part
3. Select your modification
Once you have selected these, the dropdown menu/panel will display a 4th field called "Synergy" which is a bonus field to put it mildly. It will give you a brief description detailing some form of new ability or behavior that will be unlocked if you add the listed modifications. However, what is not told to you is that activating this synergy also introduces a hidden variable which creates an unexpected consequence for your actions. Think of hidden variables as the most Jurassic thing ever, the hubris of man trying to play god and messing with the genetics of a living creature brings along with it all sorts of undesirable repercussions.
I don't think I could describe it in any simpler terms, so instead, I am just going to go proceed with some different examples of the system to show you the broad swath of possibilities this presents. I included a brief legend for the table, so you can better understand what is representing what, its very much in life with the example already given.
Dinosaur Genetic Scenarios
Synergy: (Yellow)
Effect: (Orange)
Hidden Variable: (Red)
Conclusions
I tried hard to make each species in the table unique and to highlight the flexibility of the variables involved. No matter the weather condition, time of day, or which species you use there is at least one species that has some emergent gameplay it can create. You will always feel engaged, always have a goal to progress towards, and there will always be something going on that will make Jurassic World Evolution, feel fun and exciting.
This doesn't even limit campaign scenarios which in themselves can serve as tutorials to teach you about the Genetics system. There will still be plenty of values you will have to discover on your own in the course of gameplay. Respiratory Malaise is the prime example of a campaign specific ailment, so missions could still have unique objectives, (Ex: Lysine Contingency) but give you an idea of potential hidden variables. Needless to say this would make missions more interesting and inject a lot of variety into the gameplay.
Sure, I bet this would all be imbalanced with everything I proposed, but the point was primarily the ideas and giving Frontier room to manage such a system. It would start out pretty basic with some generic hidden variables. Aggressive Instincts are carnivore only, and Rapid Stress Response is herbivore only, and then build out from there by adding 1-2 unique variables at a time for a couple of species until you can flesh out a full roster. Similarly, the nonstop aggression carnivores had early in the game's life kind of makes a comeback recycled as the Giga's hidden variable, so I took some consideration in that regard.
Delving Deep
Now all these other species not currently in the game are requirements to make Indominus Rex. If Frontier wants to add all of these to the game in a dinosaur pack or long rumored sequel, more power to them (hint: Therizinosaurus), but its not necessary and arguably more challenging without adding a bunch of dinosaurs no one is particularly requesting to the game. Instead, this goes back to Part 1 when I was discussing the dig sites. Remember, when I briefly mentioned something about special Genetic Points? Well, this is what I was alluding to back then, and how some randomness actually makes this more difficult than it sounds.
Like the normal genetics system you will have to spend Genetic Points, for hybrids we are talking a truck load of Genetic Points and raw cash at that. However, that includes collecting Genetic Points of specific species like Rugops which cannot be obtained like ordinary fossils. Rugops, for this example, would be a reputation reward with a paleontology group. The only way to discover Rugops fossils would be if you build a good rapport in the Fossil Market with this specific group and raise it to a level that they unlock Rugops for fossil extraction at the Kem Kem Beds and the new digsite "Echkar Formation."
Viavenator may be different, to get this it is a random find when dig teams are sent to South America. Because of that, it can be difficult to 100% this genome meaning you should be consistently sending expeditions. These dig sites won't deplete if you still haven't 100% Viavenator, but you will just come back with random finds and fossils of species you already have 100% genome. This is good for farming genetic points for gene modifications, in addition to some spare cash while still working towards your primary goal.
Modern Solutions
That would give you a couple of ways to obtain the 100% genome of the primary species needed to make Indominus Rex, now all that is left is to fill in the gaps in the sequence.
100% genome - Tree Frog
100% genome - Cuttlefish
100% genome - Pit Viper
These last three aren't prehistoric species at all, but modern species. You know all those generic fossils you find on digs, there is more we can do with them than just sell them for cash. We just need to add a few new fossils to uncover and you can redeem them for genetic points. New players are most likely going to make the mistake of selling all this stuff for cash early on and wind up realizing their importance later on when they are trying to engineer Indominus. Experienced players or Jurassic nerds will likely get the reference early on and start stockpiling as soon as possible.
The Cybersecurity issues I detailed in Part 3 can also slow you down, so to avoid your DNA extraction and research being stalled, it might be good to consider vital infrastructure to keep your hybrid project on track.
We want that constant feeling that you are progressing, but stretched across the game, so it doesn't become the most tedious thing in the world once you get the mission objective to create Indominus Rex. The reward will be a unique specimen that will be pose quite the challenge.
Indominus Rex is best thought of as the final creation of the campaign, so its also going to vary a bit from the other hybrids. It's the most difficult to unlock and thanks to how much info we have on it, there is a reason its hidden variable is called "Diabolus Rex" as it will live up to its name. Not only does it get all the cool synergies of its component species, but it also inherits all of their hidden variables too. Let me just quickly list them for you:
Inherited Synergies:
Charge
Pack Leader [Indominus can assume role as Velociraptors' alpha]
Adaptive Camouflage
Infamous
Giant Slayer
Hidden Variables:
Unrestrained
Clever Girl [Fence testing only]
Undetectable
Cannibalism
Relentless
Indominus has no breeding risk and it only gains one behavior of Velociraptors. You can reference the table for what the named effects do specifically, but basically Carnotaurus gives it the camouflage, Giga gives it the ability to kill sauropods, raptors can allow it to be a pack leader albeit short-lived, the Rex gives it the ability perform a lunging attack, and Majunga gives it absurd healing and infamy bonuses.
Additionally, Indominus is immune to stress inhibitors, intolerant of other species, always irritable, can smash concrete walls, religiously tests electrified fencing for weaknesses, has no map icon, will eat its own kind, and it will never cease to rampage.
Final Conclusions
I want to reiterate though that this is not an exhaustive list of every single behavior or genetic possibility. There are many species and modifications I didn't list, for balance and variety's sake we might need new modifications to use, or trimming back on some of the crazier ideas. When it comes things like breeding there are all sort of prerequisites to get Maiasaura and Oviraptor working right. You need to include new models, animations, physics, and AI to get some of the more involved features suggested working. Hatchlings and Juvenile species would create a mountain of work for Frontier, so don't get your hopes up. However, at the end of the day, the goal was to improve the Genetics system and in the process create a more dynamic game where the hidden variables lead to organic gameplay in and of themselves.
After a tremendous amount of thought and care, I delved into the most minute details of this new genetics system. It is exceedingly ambitious, broad, complex, and difficult to implement, but if even a fraction of this serves to assist Frontier in the next incarnation of Jurassic World Evolution, it will have been worth it. For all its shortcomings and missed opportunities, I still love the game and the promise yet to be had.
Let me know your thoughts and let's keep this conversation going.
I also want to thank everyone who stuck with me and read this to the very end. Going to keep an eye on this thread if anyone has questions or just want to keep the discussion going.
In Part 6, Guests, Attractions, & Decorations will be our focus to round everything out.
Genetic Points
Veterinarian
Paleobotany (revamp)
ACU/Hunter Teams
Dinosaur Behavior (Part 4)
Genetic Modifications
There is no longer a dinosaur rating penalty by applying any genetic modification to a species. Additionally, Genetic Points are now required to modify a species' genome. Skins are classified as cosmetics and will not fall under the "skin" category.
There is no longer a dinosaur rating penalty by applying any genetic modification to a species. Additionally, Genetic Points are now required to modify a species' genome. Skins are classified as cosmetics and will not fall under the "skin" category.
Hidden Variables
This is a new feature I will be discussing today, but suffice it to say it relates to how genetic modifications work and I need to make sure you realize there are some changes I have gone ahead and made, so you understand why I made some decisions. The following two genetic modifications are now reclassified as hidden variables and you cannot research or modify your dinosaurs with them. Additionally, there are a number of unique hidden variables that are highly species dependent.
- Aggressive Instincts
- Rapid Stress Response
New & Modified Traits
Resilience - (Modified) - [applies to illness only]
Agility (New) - [movement speed increase + dodge chance]
Fast Recovery (New) - [applies to injuries only]
Adaptability (New) - [weather resistance]
Sight Range (New) - [increases vision range]
New Genetic Modification Stats
- Brain Ageing - Primary: Lifespan, Secondary: Viability
- Cardio Strength - Primary: Viability, Secondary: Lifespan
- Hyperefficient Blood - Primary: Attack, Secondary: Agility + Fast Recovery
- Immune Response - Primary: Resilience, Secondary: Adaptability
- Increased Bone Density - Primary: Defense, Secondary: Resilience
- Intensive Repair - Primary: Fast Recovery, Secondary: Resilience + Viability
- Intuitive Learning - Primary: Lifespan, Secondary: Attack
- Ocular Enhancement - Primary: Sight Range, Secondary: Adaptability
- Rapid Metabolism - Primary: Fast Recovery, Secondary: Defense
- Reaction Speed - Primary: Agility, Secondary: Fast Recovery
- Robust Digestion - Primary: Adaptability; Secondary: Resilience
- Skin Toughness - Primary: Defense, Secondary: Resilience + Adaptability
- Strong Muscle Fibers - Primary: Agility, Secondary: Sight Range
- Tooth Hardness - Primary: Attack, Secondary: Resilience
I'll give you time to go over the above yourselves. I only added one new modification "Ocular Enhancement" to accommodate the addition of sight range. I tried to balance them out, so there wasn't too clear a best choice. However, I left Hyperefficient Blood as really good, but it will remain highly costly to use especially now that Genetic Points are a resource. Similarly, I made Skin Toughness and Intensive Repair as Defense and Healing oriented equivalents to Hyperefficient Blood. Finally, you will notice I intentionally omitted any of the modifications introduced in the Secrets of Dr. Wu since frankly those modifications were much more dynamic and interesting in the first place... and well the skins are skins.
The Genetics System
We begin with the reason I made all these changes in the first place. Perhaps I am the only one that has felt so strongly about the current genetics system, but the current iteration is very basic. To start, any modification that actually just straight up hurts your dinosaur's rating is immediately discouraging you from using certain modifications in certain slots. This is counterintuitive and makes the less desirable modifications even worse choices, so I have done away with this limitation. Past that, there is no real difference between a modification and any other upgrade in the game. That is why I primarily decided there had to be some weight to it, to make them more valuable and desirable hence, Genetic Points. This new resource is scarce and forces you to make choices about the fossils you receive from digs.
This wasn't enough of a distinction though and the Genetic Points also melded well with Paleobotany and Veterinarian services, so they were used there accomplishing their goal of creating more decision making. Since I wanted to incorporate more weather and disaster events in my proposal, there needed to be avenues of counterplay or a combination of different systems. That is why there is an adaptability trait now and the prominence of resilience was reduced, so it was a trait that did a bit less of everything to keep your dinosaurs healthy. I also didn't like how some of the choices in the game were obviously ignored like "Aggressive Instincts" or were always one of the best choices like "Tooth Hardness." So, I thought of a new way to make Aggressive Instincts work, it would only inducie aggression or "agitation" as is seen during many campaign missions. Tooth Hardness might appear relatively the same on the surface as well, but I have found some more creative solutions on a per species basis to incentivize experimentation or face the consequences.
The next question was how do I present these new features without making it too complicated, well, I already gave you the answer "per species" this could amount to a lot of work, but at the same time it doesn't have to apply to every species. There is enough universal or generic behavior and room where I think its okay if not every species is an individual unto itself, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for some variety. The UI itself conveys a lot in terms of creating an impression and desire to interact with the game. While the current genetics UI is functional, it is uninteresting for the most part. We need an overhaul of how information is presented in the UI for the genetics system and how it presents things to the user, and I happen to recall some footage Frontier released a while back that gave a very positive impression that did just that.
Secrets of Dr. Wu Trailer
Skip to 0:27. What do you see? That looks like an exciting UI that promises possibilities.
We begin with the reason I made all these changes in the first place. Perhaps I am the only one that has felt so strongly about the current genetics system, but the current iteration is very basic. To start, any modification that actually just straight up hurts your dinosaur's rating is immediately discouraging you from using certain modifications in certain slots. This is counterintuitive and makes the less desirable modifications even worse choices, so I have done away with this limitation. Past that, there is no real difference between a modification and any other upgrade in the game. That is why I primarily decided there had to be some weight to it, to make them more valuable and desirable hence, Genetic Points. This new resource is scarce and forces you to make choices about the fossils you receive from digs.
This wasn't enough of a distinction though and the Genetic Points also melded well with Paleobotany and Veterinarian services, so they were used there accomplishing their goal of creating more decision making. Since I wanted to incorporate more weather and disaster events in my proposal, there needed to be avenues of counterplay or a combination of different systems. That is why there is an adaptability trait now and the prominence of resilience was reduced, so it was a trait that did a bit less of everything to keep your dinosaurs healthy. I also didn't like how some of the choices in the game were obviously ignored like "Aggressive Instincts" or were always one of the best choices like "Tooth Hardness." So, I thought of a new way to make Aggressive Instincts work, it would only inducie aggression or "agitation" as is seen during many campaign missions. Tooth Hardness might appear relatively the same on the surface as well, but I have found some more creative solutions on a per species basis to incentivize experimentation or face the consequences.
The next question was how do I present these new features without making it too complicated, well, I already gave you the answer "per species" this could amount to a lot of work, but at the same time it doesn't have to apply to every species. There is enough universal or generic behavior and room where I think its okay if not every species is an individual unto itself, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for some variety. The UI itself conveys a lot in terms of creating an impression and desire to interact with the game. While the current genetics UI is functional, it is uninteresting for the most part. We need an overhaul of how information is presented in the UI for the genetics system and how it presents things to the user, and I happen to recall some footage Frontier released a while back that gave a very positive impression that did just that.
Skip to 0:27. What do you see? That looks like an exciting UI that promises possibilities.
I will get into the specifics of that particular moment later on, but you get the gist of the idea now. Before we get to something like hybrids though what about the regular dinosaurs, the ones you will be primarily using? Well, Frontier has again given a visual guide for us already and its been up for ages:
3D Model Screen
The User Interface
What does our Genetics UI need to look like, well something similar to what we see in the 3D model panel. The specimen in the center of your screen, 360 degree rotation, default animation, but there is a key difference. On either side of the animal, there will be a series of boxes arranged vertically, you have probably seen it before, its very common in character creation screens used in RPGs and other video games. These boxes will list the names of body parts corresponding with the animal in question. Clicking on one of these boxes will produce a dropdown menu with the name, icon, stats, and a brief description of the genetic modifications that can be applied to the specimen and in that particular slot. I'll leave it to you to picture all the visual flourish Frontier could add, but here are some of mine: cosmetic changes (beyond skin swaps), animations of DNA strands being spliced together, images of tissue and cellular structures enlarged to give you a better visual representation that you are say, modifying an animal's muscle tissue or its blood pressure by equipping Strong Muscle Fibers or Hyperefficient Blood.
This knocks out two birds with one stone instantly. The long standing gripe from the community about the lack of visual representation of an equipped skin will be no more as the 3D model will dynamically update if there is a visual change accompanied with a genetic modification. At the same time, it will feel more like you are designing and creating your own dinosaur, but within manageable confines so that Frontier can control what modifications and body part slots each animal may have. If later on they decide to expand features on a particular animal, it should be pretty simple to make an update to the UI and add in the new functionality. This is a much more solid foundation and direction to take with the Genetics system.
This is also critically important in order for you to understand the new gameplay features incorporated as part of this system. I have many examples to present you so that you understand just how dramatic this would turn the game on its head.
What does our Genetics UI need to look like, well something similar to what we see in the 3D model panel. The specimen in the center of your screen, 360 degree rotation, default animation, but there is a key difference. On either side of the animal, there will be a series of boxes arranged vertically, you have probably seen it before, its very common in character creation screens used in RPGs and other video games. These boxes will list the names of body parts corresponding with the animal in question. Clicking on one of these boxes will produce a dropdown menu with the name, icon, stats, and a brief description of the genetic modifications that can be applied to the specimen and in that particular slot. I'll leave it to you to picture all the visual flourish Frontier could add, but here are some of mine: cosmetic changes (beyond skin swaps), animations of DNA strands being spliced together, images of tissue and cellular structures enlarged to give you a better visual representation that you are say, modifying an animal's muscle tissue or its blood pressure by equipping Strong Muscle Fibers or Hyperefficient Blood.
This knocks out two birds with one stone instantly. The long standing gripe from the community about the lack of visual representation of an equipped skin will be no more as the 3D model will dynamically update if there is a visual change accompanied with a genetic modification. At the same time, it will feel more like you are designing and creating your own dinosaur, but within manageable confines so that Frontier can control what modifications and body part slots each animal may have. If later on they decide to expand features on a particular animal, it should be pretty simple to make an update to the UI and add in the new functionality. This is a much more solid foundation and direction to take with the Genetics system.
This is also critically important in order for you to understand the new gameplay features incorporated as part of this system. I have many examples to present you so that you understand just how dramatic this would turn the game on its head.
Engineering Prehistoric Life
Specimen: Pachycephalosaurus
Body Part: Cranium/Skull/Head
Modification: Increased Bone Density
Synergy: Stalwart (Rapid Metabolism + Group Adaptation)
[Pachys gain ability to fight off Medium Carnivores in a group]
Hidden Variable: Concussion
[Pachys headbutting will now cause them to suffer concussions]
I gave you a quick example there and it should be pretty self-explanatory, but allow me to get into just a little detail.
1. Select your species
2. Select a body part
3. Select your modification
Once you have selected these, the dropdown menu/panel will display a 4th field called "Synergy" which is a bonus field to put it mildly. It will give you a brief description detailing some form of new ability or behavior that will be unlocked if you add the listed modifications. However, what is not told to you is that activating this synergy also introduces a hidden variable which creates an unexpected consequence for your actions. Think of hidden variables as the most Jurassic thing ever, the hubris of man trying to play god and messing with the genetics of a living creature brings along with it all sorts of undesirable repercussions.
I don't think I could describe it in any simpler terms, so instead, I am just going to go proceed with some different examples of the system to show you the broad swath of possibilities this presents. I included a brief legend for the table, so you can better understand what is representing what, its very much in life with the example already given.
Dinosaur Genetic Scenarios
Synergy: (Yellow)
Effect: (Orange)
Hidden Variable: (Red)
| Specimen: Tyrannosaurus Rex (Applies to Acrocanthosaurus) Body Part: Head Modification: Increased Bone Density Synergy: Charge (Strong Muscle Fibers) [Rex now has a headbutt/charge attack] Hidden Variable: Unrestrained [Rex can smash Concrete walls] | Specimen: Triceratops (Applies to Stegosaurus as well) Body Part: Stomach Modification: Robust Digestion Synergy: Limber (Rapid Metabolism) [Can consume wider range of paleo foods and more effective grazing] Hidden Variable: Toxins [Triceratops now ingests toxins increasing odds of recurring illness] | Specimen: Majungasaurus Body Part: Skin Modification: Intensive Repair Synergy: Infamous (Robust Digestion + Rapid Metabolism) [Majunga gains double infamy rating + rapid healing] Hidden Variable: Cannibalism [Majungasaurus can no longer tolerate its own species and is now hostile towards small carnivores and will eat them] |
| Specimen: Tyrannosaurus Rex Body Part: Torso Modification: Hyperefficient Blood Synergy: Tyrant King (Skin Toughness + Cardio Strength) [Doubles Attack value and obtains a Tail Whip attack] Hidden Variable: Blind Spot [Rex's vision is now motion based] | Specimen: Triceratops Body Part: Horns Modification: Increased Bone Density Synergy: Gore (Strong Muscle Fibers) [When squaring off in combat, Triceratops can gore its foes with its horns weakening them and creating a disease risk if they choose to disengage] Hidden Variable: Blunted [Triceratops's horns are subject to wear and tear lowering its combat capabilities, left untreated they may break] | Specimen: Spinosaurus Body Part: Tail Modification: Cardio Strength Synergy: Depths Hunter (Intuitive Learning + Brain Ageing) [Spinosaurus can now hunt and swim in deep water] Hidden Variable: Undeterred [Spinosaurus can escape its enclosure if deep waters connect the enclosure and outside world] |
| Specimen: Carnotaurus Body Part: Skin Modification: Skin Toughness Synergy: Adaptive Camouflage (Hyperefficient Blood + Rapid Metabolism) [Gains ability to blend in with surrounding environment] Hidden Variable: Undetectable [Carnotaurus no longer appears on the map] | Specimen: Stegosaurus Body Part: Tail Modification: Reaction Speed Synergy: Retaliation (Strong Muscle Fibers + Increased Bone Density) [Deals double damage after being attacked] Hidden Variable: Territorial [Stegosaurus become much less hospitable towards other herbivores] | Specimen: Baryonyx (Applies to Spinosaurids) Body Part: Arms Modification: Strong Muscle Fibers Synergy: Heavy Claw (Cardio Strength + Reaction Speed) [Baryonyx can use its arms in combat increasing attack rating] Hidden Variable: Jawbreaker [Baryonyx becomes susceptible to jaw fractures] |
| Specimen: Ankylosaurus Body Part: Osteoderm Modification: Increased Bone Density Synergy: Indomitable (Strong Muscle Fibers + Hyperefficient Blood) [Doubles Defense value] Hidden Variable: Unchained [Can smash concrete walls, increased resistance to electrified fencing, and tranquilizer tolerance (10 shots)] | Specimen: Dilophosaurus Body Part: Frill Modification: Immune Response Synergy: Blind (Reaction Speed) [Venom temporarily blinds foes] Hidden Variable: Deadly Toxin [Venom can cause paralysis] | Specimen: Troodon Body Part: Eyes Modification: Ocular Enhancement Synergy: Night Vision (Intuitive Learning + Tooth Hardness) [Troodon obtains a large sight radius + perfect vision during Dense Fog and Night] Hidden Variable: Nocturnal Menace [Troodon becomes nocturnal, inherits Aggressive Instincts, and a venomous bite] |
| Specimen: Compsognathus Body Part: Stomach Modification: Robust Digestion Synergy: Pest Control (Immune Response + Reaction Speed) [Maintain general park hygiene by keeping enclosures free of rodents, waste, and corpses] Hidden Variable: Carrion Spreader [Compsognathus becomes an incubator for disease which can rapidly spread across the park] | Specimen: Velociraptor Body Part: Brain Modification: Intuitive Learning Synergy: Pack Leader (Ocular Enhancement + Brain Ageing) [Raptors can attack large carnivores] {Requires minimum 3 pack members} Hidden Variable: Clever Girl [Raptors inherit Aggressive Instincts, always tests fences for weaknesses, can tunnel under Concrete walls, and obtains a leaping ability] | Specimen: Parasaurolophus Body Part: Chest Modification: Cardio Strength Synergy: Bioluminescence (Rapid Metabolism) [Parasaurs will glow varying colors {color variation depends on skin used} during night and weather that obstructs the sun] Hidden Variable: Rapid Stress Response [Parasaurs will quickly become stressed and spur cross-species stampedes] |
| Specimen: Giganotosaurus Body Part: Head Modification: Group Adaptation Synergy: Giant Slayer (Brain Ageing + Intensive Repair) [Giga can now hunt sauropods in groups of 3-4] Hidden Variable: Relentless [Gigas will hunt relentlessly, killing for sport; comfort thresholds will swiftly drop if there is no longer prey to hunt] | Specimen: Pentaceratops (applies to all ceratopsids) Body Part: Frill Modification: Stress Inhibitor Synergy: Herder (Solitary Adaptation + Cross Species Adaptation) [Increases population tolerance + Doubles social tolerance] Hidden Variable: Hostility [Ceratopsids become very unfriendly and aggressive towards humans] | Specimen: Maiasaura Body Part: Abdomen Modification: Brain Ageing Synergy: Survivor (Group Adaptation + Confined Spaces Adaptation) [Can weather almost any natural disaster unscathed] Hidden Variable: Breeder [Will rapidly multiply decimating population thresholds, but are extremely protective of their young] |
| Specimen: Gallimimus (applies to all ornithomimids) Body Part: Legs Modification: Strong Muscle Fibers Synergy: Flock [Grassland Adaptation] [Gallimimus can exceed population requirements of herbivores sharing an enclosure with it, but prefers the company of its own species] Hidden Variable: Stroke [Health risk introduced by the lack of a more controlled environment, Gallimimus is subject to having strokes] | Specimen: Dryosaurus Body Part: Arms Modification: Confined Space Adaptation Synergy: Burrower (Stress Inhibitor) [Dryosaurus develops the ability to dig burrows to shelter from the elements and evade predators] Hidden Variable: Seizure [Stress inhibitors have led to the unintended consequence of neurological damage causing Dryosaurus to experience seizures; which can be hard to detect while they shelter in their burrows] | Specimen: Homalocephale Body Part: Head Modification: Intuitive Learning Synergy: Entertainer (Brain Ageing) [Homalocephale becomes very sociable with guests and will play and perform actions that guests find entertaining] Hidden Variable: Cardiac Arrest [Committed too much to the entertainment of guests, Homalocephale will overexert itself and can succumb to cardiac arrest] |
| Specimen: Albertosaurus (applies to all large carnivores) Body Part: Teeth Modification: Tooth Hardness Synergy: Alpha Predator (Cardio Strength + Skin Toughness) [Doubles Attack + increases dinosaur rating] Hidden Variable: Gum Disease [Will become stricken with disease, left untreated carnivore will lose its teeth, slip into a coma, and die] | Specimen: Iguanodon Body Part: Thumbs Modification: Increased Bone Density Synergy: Sentry (Rapid Metabolism + Intensive Repair) [Iguanodon will actively engage predators to defend the herd] Hidden Variable: Cold-Blooded [Iguanodon is highly susceptible to developing frostbite when temperatures drop during night or cold weather events] | Specimen: Brachiosaurus Body Part: Head Modification: Hyperefficient Blood Synergy: Visionary (Cardio Strength + Ocular Enhancement) [Boasting a wide sight range Brachiosaurus can detect and alert herd to threats before they get close; circumvents dense fogs and sight impairing conditions] Hidden Variable: Farsighted [Brachiosaurus has difficulties seeing objects up close and may accidentally step on tiny or small dinosaurs or become startled causing it to try and break out] |
| Specimen: Therizinosaurus Body Part: Claws Modification: Intensive Repair (Strong Muscle Fibers + Rapid Metabolism) Synergy: Cutthroat [Boasting a wide range of attack, each swipe has a chance to cause a bleed effect] Hidden Variable: Hemorrhage [During combat Therizinosaurus may accidentally injure itself causing it to self-inflict its bleed effect] | Specimen: Amargasaurus Body Part: Neck Modification: Brain Ageing (Immune Response + Intuitive Learning) Synergy: Imposing [Brandishing a colorful sail the behavioral display can frighten and ward off small carnivores from the herd, 15% chance to thwart sauropod predator(s): Giganotosaurus] Hidden Variable: Anemia [A side effect of its bold defensive display, Amargasaurus is susceptible to developing sickle cell anemia] | Specimen: Oviraptor Body Part: Jaws Modification: Tooth Hardness (Robust Digestion + Immune Response) Synergy: Scavenger [Inherits the carnivore only scavenging behavior and lowers its food requirements] Hidden Variable: Egg Snatcher [If breeding occurs in the park, Oviraptor will prioritize stealing and eating eggs and infant dinosaurs] |
Unraveling the Possibilities
That is a pretty exhaustive list, all but the last 3 species are currently in the game, but I thought they were interesting enough to include. The duplicates are intentional, they demonstrate that not every single species has to have only one synergy, and some synergies apply to multiple different species. Depending on how you think to balance it, you could have 2 synergies and 2 hidden variables at play with the right combination of modifications to activate both. Likewise all synergies are optional so you have a degree of control over the risks you introduce to your park. There is one special variable worth noting:
Breeding is the default hidden variable for all species that have been genetically modified by introducing a 1% risk which increases with each subsequent modification.
If you unlock a synergy for a dinosaur, consider the associated hidden variable as in addition to the breeding variable.
There are other behaviors, some more broadly defined, or genetic variations in the table such as those possessed by Maiasaura or Velociraptor. However, only raptors can hunt "large carnivores," Only Maisaura can "rapidly breed" at such a rate. A similar distinction is with Pentaceratops, the hidden variable makes ceratopsids aggressive "exclusively towards humans," or Parasaurolophus alone being able to cause a "cross-species stampede." These are small distinctions, but unique to the specimen; however, things like pack hunting, breeding, stampedes, etc. are general behaviors, those in the table just have small caveats.
I was also very on the nose with inspirations taken from the Jurassic novels, films, video games, and paleontological facts & myths about dinosaurs while others are just things I came up with based on my own gameplay ideas. I didn't use every genetic modification in the game, I just wanted to give you some detailed examples.
Moreover, you can logically tie different diseases and medical conditions together where it makes sense.
That is a pretty exhaustive list, all but the last 3 species are currently in the game, but I thought they were interesting enough to include. The duplicates are intentional, they demonstrate that not every single species has to have only one synergy, and some synergies apply to multiple different species. Depending on how you think to balance it, you could have 2 synergies and 2 hidden variables at play with the right combination of modifications to activate both. Likewise all synergies are optional so you have a degree of control over the risks you introduce to your park. There is one special variable worth noting:
Breeding is the default hidden variable for all species that have been genetically modified by introducing a 1% risk which increases with each subsequent modification.
If you unlock a synergy for a dinosaur, consider the associated hidden variable as in addition to the breeding variable.
There are other behaviors, some more broadly defined, or genetic variations in the table such as those possessed by Maiasaura or Velociraptor. However, only raptors can hunt "large carnivores," Only Maisaura can "rapidly breed" at such a rate. A similar distinction is with Pentaceratops, the hidden variable makes ceratopsids aggressive "exclusively towards humans," or Parasaurolophus alone being able to cause a "cross-species stampede." These are small distinctions, but unique to the specimen; however, things like pack hunting, breeding, stampedes, etc. are general behaviors, those in the table just have small caveats.
I was also very on the nose with inspirations taken from the Jurassic novels, films, video games, and paleontological facts & myths about dinosaurs while others are just things I came up with based on my own gameplay ideas. I didn't use every genetic modification in the game, I just wanted to give you some detailed examples.
Moreover, you can logically tie different diseases and medical conditions together where it makes sense.
The Compy
Compsognathus is the only species by default that has the swarm and free roaming behaviors, so it only makes sense with this freedom and numbers that these little guys have that they are the harbingers of disease. You could easily imagine Compies transmitting Rabies, Hookworms, or E. Coli to the species they are being used to clean up after. They are even more effective disease spreaders because of the inherited scavenging behavior and the modifications required for its synergy which makes them more resistant to the diseases they carry. Ultimately, they'll spread disease faster than they'll succumb to it. The interactions to stop these little guys is also pretty unique, due to their size you will need InGen Hunters (Jurassic Park era) or ACU Ground teams (Jurassic World era) to round them up.
Compsognathus is the only species by default that has the swarm and free roaming behaviors, so it only makes sense with this freedom and numbers that these little guys have that they are the harbingers of disease. You could easily imagine Compies transmitting Rabies, Hookworms, or E. Coli to the species they are being used to clean up after. They are even more effective disease spreaders because of the inherited scavenging behavior and the modifications required for its synergy which makes them more resistant to the diseases they carry. Ultimately, they'll spread disease faster than they'll succumb to it. The interactions to stop these little guys is also pretty unique, due to their size you will need InGen Hunters (Jurassic Park era) or ACU Ground teams (Jurassic World era) to round them up.
The Velociraptor
Okay, we all saw this one coming. The raptors are far too iconic in the Jurassic franchise to not be our golden child. The primary reason we need more robust fencing is for these guys. No one is more a master of escape than the Velociraptor. To put it bluntly, you don't have electrified fencing, you are going to have a bad time.
Velociraptors go far beyond other Dromaeosaurs, they aren't just pack hunters, and they can do more than climb over fences. As previously noted, they are the only small carnivore that has the aggression and ability to fight large carnivores under any circumstance, and they are the only small carnivore that can escape Concrete reinforced enclosures by digging under them. Additionally, raptors are the only non-hybrid that will actively test fences for weaknesses whether they are agitated or otherwise.
Finally, they are known for their ability to leap tremendous heights. You will need to utilize Anti-Climb and sturdy electrified fencing if you hope to keep raptors contained. When you are first confronted with Velociraptors you will immediately realize that electrified fencing (as taught with your experiences with Deinonychus) aren't going to work. Velociraptors can leap tremendous heights, so unless you are using Perimeter fences or concrete walls, both measures are necessary. I like to think of it as a feint, you'll be tricked into thinking electrified fencing is enough until the chaos begins and the raptors are loose.
This is an Isla Pena Security Mission, requiring you to activate the Pack Leader synergy.
Okay, we all saw this one coming. The raptors are far too iconic in the Jurassic franchise to not be our golden child. The primary reason we need more robust fencing is for these guys. No one is more a master of escape than the Velociraptor. To put it bluntly, you don't have electrified fencing, you are going to have a bad time.
Velociraptors go far beyond other Dromaeosaurs, they aren't just pack hunters, and they can do more than climb over fences. As previously noted, they are the only small carnivore that has the aggression and ability to fight large carnivores under any circumstance, and they are the only small carnivore that can escape Concrete reinforced enclosures by digging under them. Additionally, raptors are the only non-hybrid that will actively test fences for weaknesses whether they are agitated or otherwise.
Finally, they are known for their ability to leap tremendous heights. You will need to utilize Anti-Climb and sturdy electrified fencing if you hope to keep raptors contained. When you are first confronted with Velociraptors you will immediately realize that electrified fencing (as taught with your experiences with Deinonychus) aren't going to work. Velociraptors can leap tremendous heights, so unless you are using Perimeter fences or concrete walls, both measures are necessary. I like to think of it as a feint, you'll be tricked into thinking electrified fencing is enough until the chaos begins and the raptors are loose.
This is an Isla Pena Security Mission, requiring you to activate the Pack Leader synergy.
Conclusions
I tried hard to make each species in the table unique and to highlight the flexibility of the variables involved. No matter the weather condition, time of day, or which species you use there is at least one species that has some emergent gameplay it can create. You will always feel engaged, always have a goal to progress towards, and there will always be something going on that will make Jurassic World Evolution, feel fun and exciting.
This doesn't even limit campaign scenarios which in themselves can serve as tutorials to teach you about the Genetics system. There will still be plenty of values you will have to discover on your own in the course of gameplay. Respiratory Malaise is the prime example of a campaign specific ailment, so missions could still have unique objectives, (Ex: Lysine Contingency) but give you an idea of potential hidden variables. Needless to say this would make missions more interesting and inject a lot of variety into the gameplay.
Sure, I bet this would all be imbalanced with everything I proposed, but the point was primarily the ideas and giving Frontier room to manage such a system. It would start out pretty basic with some generic hidden variables. Aggressive Instincts are carnivore only, and Rapid Stress Response is herbivore only, and then build out from there by adding 1-2 unique variables at a time for a couple of species until you can flesh out a full roster. Similarly, the nonstop aggression carnivores had early in the game's life kind of makes a comeback recycled as the Giga's hidden variable, so I took some consideration in that regard.
Engineering a Monster [Hybrids]
Secrets of Dr. Wu Trailer
We've finally made it, its time to talk hybrids.
Please refer again to this embedded trailer for the Secrets of Dr. Wu. Pause at 0:30 take a look at that interface, that is a more in-depth UI we could really use.
In fact, from about 0:20 - 0:50 we have some excellent possibilities presented by Frontier themselves on how this might look like for our hybrid interface. You have to select your species from the archived list of specimens, have some form of blueprint or pre-existing knowledge of the species you must splice together in order to combine their gene sequences. Great visuals, but as always there is one step further I want to go with the hybrids. These should sort of be like your endgame, the culmination of all your progress that will require a significant time commitment and investment. You should feel like you were working towards this from the moment you started the game. All throughout your adventures on Las Cinco Muertes you'll be saving, preparing, collecting resources, and acquiring knowledge until you are finally ready to make hybrids a reality.
We've finally made it, its time to talk hybrids.
Please refer again to this embedded trailer for the Secrets of Dr. Wu. Pause at 0:30 take a look at that interface, that is a more in-depth UI we could really use.
In fact, from about 0:20 - 0:50 we have some excellent possibilities presented by Frontier themselves on how this might look like for our hybrid interface. You have to select your species from the archived list of specimens, have some form of blueprint or pre-existing knowledge of the species you must splice together in order to combine their gene sequences. Great visuals, but as always there is one step further I want to go with the hybrids. These should sort of be like your endgame, the culmination of all your progress that will require a significant time commitment and investment. You should feel like you were working towards this from the moment you started the game. All throughout your adventures on Las Cinco Muertes you'll be saving, preparing, collecting resources, and acquiring knowledge until you are finally ready to make hybrids a reality.
Indominus Rex
You'll need a security mission unlock near the end of the game in order to begin researching Indominus Rex. You'll also need high reputations with all 3 Divisions which would also apply to Challenge Mode too.
Now let's get onto some of the requirements, using Indominus Rex as our prime example.
100% genome - Tyrannosaurus Rex
100% genome - Velociraptor
100% genome - Giganotosaurus
100% genome - Majungasaurus
100% genome - Carnotsaurus
Immediately its obvious that the100% genome requirement remains, but the number of species required has expanded more in line with the lore of Indominus. However, were this it that would still be too easy, so things are about to get more complicated.
100% genome - Therizinosaurus
100% genome - Rugops
100% genome - Pyconemosaurus
100% genome - Quilmesaurus
100% genome - Viavenator
100% genome - Deinosuchus
You'll need a security mission unlock near the end of the game in order to begin researching Indominus Rex. You'll also need high reputations with all 3 Divisions which would also apply to Challenge Mode too.
Now let's get onto some of the requirements, using Indominus Rex as our prime example.
100% genome - Tyrannosaurus Rex
100% genome - Velociraptor
100% genome - Giganotosaurus
100% genome - Majungasaurus
100% genome - Carnotsaurus
Immediately its obvious that the100% genome requirement remains, but the number of species required has expanded more in line with the lore of Indominus. However, were this it that would still be too easy, so things are about to get more complicated.
100% genome - Therizinosaurus
100% genome - Rugops
100% genome - Pyconemosaurus
100% genome - Quilmesaurus
100% genome - Viavenator
100% genome - Deinosuchus
Delving Deep
Now all these other species not currently in the game are requirements to make Indominus Rex. If Frontier wants to add all of these to the game in a dinosaur pack or long rumored sequel, more power to them (hint: Therizinosaurus), but its not necessary and arguably more challenging without adding a bunch of dinosaurs no one is particularly requesting to the game. Instead, this goes back to Part 1 when I was discussing the dig sites. Remember, when I briefly mentioned something about special Genetic Points? Well, this is what I was alluding to back then, and how some randomness actually makes this more difficult than it sounds.
Like the normal genetics system you will have to spend Genetic Points, for hybrids we are talking a truck load of Genetic Points and raw cash at that. However, that includes collecting Genetic Points of specific species like Rugops which cannot be obtained like ordinary fossils. Rugops, for this example, would be a reputation reward with a paleontology group. The only way to discover Rugops fossils would be if you build a good rapport in the Fossil Market with this specific group and raise it to a level that they unlock Rugops for fossil extraction at the Kem Kem Beds and the new digsite "Echkar Formation."
Viavenator may be different, to get this it is a random find when dig teams are sent to South America. Because of that, it can be difficult to 100% this genome meaning you should be consistently sending expeditions. These dig sites won't deplete if you still haven't 100% Viavenator, but you will just come back with random finds and fossils of species you already have 100% genome. This is good for farming genetic points for gene modifications, in addition to some spare cash while still working towards your primary goal.
Modern Solutions
That would give you a couple of ways to obtain the 100% genome of the primary species needed to make Indominus Rex, now all that is left is to fill in the gaps in the sequence.
100% genome - Tree Frog
100% genome - Cuttlefish
100% genome - Pit Viper
These last three aren't prehistoric species at all, but modern species. You know all those generic fossils you find on digs, there is more we can do with them than just sell them for cash. We just need to add a few new fossils to uncover and you can redeem them for genetic points. New players are most likely going to make the mistake of selling all this stuff for cash early on and wind up realizing their importance later on when they are trying to engineer Indominus. Experienced players or Jurassic nerds will likely get the reference early on and start stockpiling as soon as possible.
The Cybersecurity issues I detailed in Part 3 can also slow you down, so to avoid your DNA extraction and research being stalled, it might be good to consider vital infrastructure to keep your hybrid project on track.
We want that constant feeling that you are progressing, but stretched across the game, so it doesn't become the most tedious thing in the world once you get the mission objective to create Indominus Rex. The reward will be a unique specimen that will be pose quite the challenge.
Hybrid Specimen: Indominus Rex Required Modification: Cardio Strength [Other modifications are optional] Required Synergy: Untamable King (Intuitive Learning + Tooth Hardness + Hyperefficient Blood) [Inherits synergies of component species] Hidden Variable: Diabolus Rex [Aggressive Instincts + Solitary Adaptation + Stress Inhibitor Immunity] |
Indominus Rex is best thought of as the final creation of the campaign, so its also going to vary a bit from the other hybrids. It's the most difficult to unlock and thanks to how much info we have on it, there is a reason its hidden variable is called "Diabolus Rex" as it will live up to its name. Not only does it get all the cool synergies of its component species, but it also inherits all of their hidden variables too. Let me just quickly list them for you:
Inherited Synergies:
Charge
Pack Leader [Indominus can assume role as Velociraptors' alpha]
Adaptive Camouflage
Infamous
Giant Slayer
Hidden Variables:
Unrestrained
Clever Girl [Fence testing only]
Undetectable
Cannibalism
Relentless
Indominus has no breeding risk and it only gains one behavior of Velociraptors. You can reference the table for what the named effects do specifically, but basically Carnotaurus gives it the camouflage, Giga gives it the ability to kill sauropods, raptors can allow it to be a pack leader albeit short-lived, the Rex gives it the ability perform a lunging attack, and Majunga gives it absurd healing and infamy bonuses.
Additionally, Indominus is immune to stress inhibitors, intolerant of other species, always irritable, can smash concrete walls, religiously tests electrified fencing for weaknesses, has no map icon, will eat its own kind, and it will never cease to rampage.
[Hybrids]
| Specimen: Indoraptor Required Modification: Intuitive Learning Required Synergy: Night Terror (Tooth Hardness + Reaction Speed + Ocular Enhancements) [Obtains Pack Leader synergy with Velociraptors + Night Vision] Hidden Variable: Clever Boy [Inherits Clever Girl hidden variable + Nocturnal Camouflage preventing map detection at night] | Specimen: Spinoraptor Required Modification: Hyperefficent Blood Required Synergy: Depths Hunters (Rapid Metabolism + Tooth Hardness) [Spinoraptor gains a swimming ability] Hidden Variable: Tranquillizer Immunity [Cannot be tranquilized + requires aquatic fencing if enclosure is connected to deep waters] | Specimen: Ankylodocus Required Modification: Skin Toughness Required Synergy: Crusher (Increased Bone Density + Strong Muscle Fibers) [Can break through any fencing, wall, or barrier type and can break bones during combat] Hidden Variable: Flailing [Ankylodocus has poor control over its clubbed tail when in motion and can inadvertently harm other species] | Specimen: Stegoceratops Required Modification: Strong Muscle Fibers (Cardio Strength + Hyperefficient Blood) Required Synergy: Impaler [Introduces a small probability that Stegoceratops may impale an opposing dinosaur in combat causing it to hemorrhage] Hidden Variable: Immovable [Stegoceratops risks a chance that its horns may get caught in foes or obstacles leaving it defenseless] |
Defining a Hybrid
Hybrids cannot breed
Unique to hybrids is their inability to breed whatsoever. They must all be genetically engineered. Once you have Indominus Rex, consider the hybrids as post game content, they aren't particularly hard to unlock maybe an end game scenario like how Secrets of Dr. Wu continues where the base game leaves off.
Mandatory Synergies
Further setting them apart, the hybrids are spliced together from 2+ species and have mandatory synergies in order to incubate. They inherently have unique synergies and hidden variables unlike any ordinary species.
Higher Stats
All hybrids have higher base stats than other species, the difference can be made up through genetic modifications.
Unique Genetic Points
Indominus Rex's requirement for Cuttlefish and Pit Viper DNA is a good example of hybrids requiring special properties to create. Expedition findings are critical if you wish to have any hybrids in your park. Once the requirements are met, the hybrids are unlocked and do not need these special genetic points to make more.
Hybrids cannot breed
Unique to hybrids is their inability to breed whatsoever. They must all be genetically engineered. Once you have Indominus Rex, consider the hybrids as post game content, they aren't particularly hard to unlock maybe an end game scenario like how Secrets of Dr. Wu continues where the base game leaves off.
Mandatory Synergies
Further setting them apart, the hybrids are spliced together from 2+ species and have mandatory synergies in order to incubate. They inherently have unique synergies and hidden variables unlike any ordinary species.
Higher Stats
All hybrids have higher base stats than other species, the difference can be made up through genetic modifications.
Unique Genetic Points
Indominus Rex's requirement for Cuttlefish and Pit Viper DNA is a good example of hybrids requiring special properties to create. Expedition findings are critical if you wish to have any hybrids in your park. Once the requirements are met, the hybrids are unlocked and do not need these special genetic points to make more.
Final Conclusions
I want to reiterate though that this is not an exhaustive list of every single behavior or genetic possibility. There are many species and modifications I didn't list, for balance and variety's sake we might need new modifications to use, or trimming back on some of the crazier ideas. When it comes things like breeding there are all sort of prerequisites to get Maiasaura and Oviraptor working right. You need to include new models, animations, physics, and AI to get some of the more involved features suggested working. Hatchlings and Juvenile species would create a mountain of work for Frontier, so don't get your hopes up. However, at the end of the day, the goal was to improve the Genetics system and in the process create a more dynamic game where the hidden variables lead to organic gameplay in and of themselves.
After a tremendous amount of thought and care, I delved into the most minute details of this new genetics system. It is exceedingly ambitious, broad, complex, and difficult to implement, but if even a fraction of this serves to assist Frontier in the next incarnation of Jurassic World Evolution, it will have been worth it. For all its shortcomings and missed opportunities, I still love the game and the promise yet to be had.
Let me know your thoughts and let's keep this conversation going.
I also want to thank everyone who stuck with me and read this to the very end. Going to keep an eye on this thread if anyone has questions or just want to keep the discussion going.
In Part 6, Guests, Attractions, & Decorations will be our focus to round everything out.
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