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The Habitat

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Revision as of 13:55, 2 October 2005 by Don (talk)
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An early preview of the 3D world with mountains and a lake

The Habitat is a completely new 3D A-Life game by community member Don, with creature art by Kim. To quote from The Habitat Website;


The Habitat is a software engine that allows the user to design the genetic make up of interactive, evolvable, alife creatures; this input in turn determines the species' first generation physique. The modelled life forms can then be released into a virtual ecosystem where inheritance, random mutations and a survival of the fittest philosophy are implemented. The user may choose to observe or influence the development of the environment as it matures.

About the Game

Herbivore creatures from the game

The Habitat is similar to Creatures in that supports a variety of creature breeds, each with their own unique genetic makeup, body image files and attachment coordinate data. It is programmed in C++ and SDL, and should offer both Windows and Linux compatibility.

The idea is that you start off with a 'tribe' of Creatures who you have to look after in a fully three dimensional environment. The nature of the tribe is all down to the user since you design and hatch your own set of eggs. Players can select factors such as the creatures' diets, whether they are carnivorous, a herbivore or an omnivore, where they live - lowland, forest, highland or water - and some of the creatures' personality traits, such as curiosity, fear, speed, appetite, strength, eyesight etc.

The Habitat supports the passage of time, offering seasons and day and night cycles, and as such creatures age and have a limited life span, which can be cut short if they are unable to survive their Habitat. A well adapted creature will be able to find food, avoid predators and, when the time is right, even breed. The offspring take a random combination of their parents genetics which, due to the 'survival of the fittest' philosophy of the game, should ensure they are better suited to their world than the previous generation.

Players can interact with the creatures and objects within the world, as in a simulation game, or choose two-player mode. The latter involves each user designing their own tribes and then competing for dominance over the Habitat. If a player looses all of their pets to the harsh world then they can choose to start again with a new set of eggs to compete with the other players' evolved creatures. The possibilities are endless!

Current Status

Ann egg from the game

Once worked on at the defunct Metacore, Don has currently paused the project at an early alpha stage while her website, WebPetz, is being revamped.

External Links