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BorgNorn Development Group   1 | 2
Annex

Annex



  8/8/2012

Borg Expressions:

The reason I decided to give the BN expressions is that as soon as other breeds start getting assimilated, they could be using non-BN head images and would show expression, which would break the continuity of the BN being emotionless. I decided, therefore, to add expression and keep them all on the same level. In terms of story, I decided it can work because the aren't Borg, they are BorgNorn.

BorgNorn Gender:

There will be no Queen in the initial release. Creating the kind of behavior would take a lot of coding and for little benefit in my eyes. That said, if everything goes well, I have planned to have some form of queen introduced in a later update.
There will be different sprites for the different gender drones, but my plan is to be able to remove the ability to breed genetically (although this might change as others get assimilated).

Non-Aggressive BorgNorn:

There will be the option to turn assimilation on and off via the metaroom or a control panel added to the game. This would make the world safe for other creatures. However, I will not be adding "chi-chi" borg to my release, though if people wanted them they wouldn't take long to make.

Hive Metaroom:

At the moment, my main concept looks like this:



My initial plan was to do a cube shaped room and have it filled with alcoves etc. but I was making it and I knew it was just going to end up as a boring empty room with little happening in it, so I changed to this design.
The back story in my head is either that the Lone Shee left some Borg tech he found in a metaroom, and it started to assimilate technology in there, eventually including some norn, who then began to construct this Hive from what they had in the room.
At the point we find it in, it's not quite finished. I want it to look like an industrial building site. The bottom part is filled with water, and all the structures are raised up on metal stilts. The water will be used as coolant for their generator, so expect steam and rain.
There will be critters and other life, but they will have been altered by the BorgNorn.
There will be alcoves in the spaces in the structure (I drew one in the central pod for scale), and a device for creating BorgNorn (so not using Muco).

As a final note, I have done work on the alcove sprites, and at the moment they look like this:



That's all for now. Have fun.
Alex

 
mip

mip


 visit mip's website: Exploring the Ark
  8/8/2012

I think I'm starting to sound like a broken record at this point, but this sounds so cool!

Sam999, on your point 2 (borg norn appearance with normal norn genetics), this is actually very easy to make. Once the borg norn sprites and body data have been installed, you can edit the chichi genome to use the appearance from whatever slot the borg norns use and save the edits as a new genome. You can then add this to your world through agents like the Eggernator.

It should also be noted that with borg norn sprites and body data installed, chichi (or other normal breeds) offspring can mutate to have a part or full borg appearance. This is purely random chance though.



Exploring the Ark
A journal for C3/DS - updated last: 5 May 2013

 
Moe

Moe


 visit Moe's website: Creatures 2 to Docking Station
  8/8/2012

I'm quite happy about this project! I liked the C2 Borgnorns, and these sound awesome! But I'm more excited to see another 3D artist active in the community. That makes me really happy. :D
 
Bifrost

Bifrost



  8/8/2012

For a tail, I would go with a more grendelesque type. Something between the grendel tail and the C1 horse or banana norn tails. That would make them nornish, but still keep that hairless feel.

As for slot, I would rather see them in a geat slot than a grendel slot, as there are more grendel breeds about than geat breeds. And the BN aren't purely nornish anyway, so geat seems appropriate.

How have the queen/gender situation worked in previous borg norns? If a queen is desired, why not grant her some special feature in the hair or ear parts (that aren't used in any of the other C3/DS breeds, but is still available), like a "crown" of sorts? Would make her stand out as a queen, while allowing "regular" female borg norns... That being said, I have no idea of how to utilize the hair or ear parts, but someone who knows more about Creatures Playground/Village/Adventures might know.

 
Annex

Annex



  8/8/2012

In terms of the queen, it is more the coding in terms of abilities that makes it more of a challenge. Making slightly different sprites isn't hard, but making a single norn that has a notable impact upon the actions of many others probably would be.

Would I do it so the mood of the Queen affects the mood of the hive? Could this have an impact on the learning of the norn? Do I want sensory feedback between the queen and the drones? I would want it to be a significantly different creature to the drones and be able to control them, or maybe influence them, and I have no clear concept of how I would go about doing that at the moment.

If I do the Queen in a future update, she will be illusive and surrounded in layers of protection. She will not be a norn that wanders around the world.

So for the time being I will focus on the hive and ensuring they are working to the highest standards. Trust me, that is more than enough to be getting on with!

@Moe: Thanks for the support! I suspect there will be much more call for 3D artists when the development kit for C4 is released, so good to get practicing.

As a final note, I am still sorely lacking in assistance for this project. At the moment I only have Mip to help me with processing sprites. Ideally I still need a genetic engineer and a coder, and maybe someone who knows there way around the map editor. I could do all this myself, but not if I want it releasing within the next few months. If you think you can help, drop me a PM or post on the forum and I will see what we can sort out.

 
Moe

Moe


 visit Moe's website: Creatures 2 to Docking Station
  8/8/2012

I would volunteer, but I'm not at my primary computer for the time being, and am effectively worthless for anything beyond forum replies. If that situation changes I'll let you know.
 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/8/2012

Annex wrote:
Borg Expressions:

The reason I decided to give the BN expressions is that as soon as other breeds start getting assimilated, they could be using non-BN head images and would show expression, which would break the continuity of the BN being emotionless. I decided, therefore, to add expression and keep them all on the same level. In terms of story, I decided it can work because the aren't Borg, they are BorgNorn.Alex


Agreed. Great idea and I look forward to seeing what different borg norn expressions look like.

Annex wrote:
BorgNorn Gender:

There will be no Queen in the initial release. Creating the kind of behavior would take a lot of coding and for little benefit in my eyes. That said, if everything goes well, I have planned to have some form of queen introduced in a later update.
There will be different sprites for the different gender drones, but my plan is to be able to remove the ability to breed genetically (although this might change as others get assimilated).


I'm fine with non-royal borg even if now I'd kind of like to see how female borg norns differ from males in appearance. Maybe different cybernetics?

Annex wrote:
Non-Aggressive BorgNorn:

There will be the option to turn assimilation on and off via the metaroom or a control panel added to the game. This would make the world safe for other creatures. However, I will not be adding "chi-chi" borg to my release, though if people wanted them they wouldn't take long to make.


I'd recommend having the on/off for assimilation be on a control panel inside the metaroom. Brilliant idea.

Annex wrote:
Hive Metaroom:

My initial plan was to do a cube shaped room and have it filled with alcoves etc. but I was making it and I knew it was just going to end up as a boring empty room with little happening in it, so I changed to this design.
The back story in my head is either that the Lone Shee left some Borg tech he found in a metaroom, and it started to assimilate technology in there, eventually including some norn, who then began to construct this Hive from what they had in the room.
At the point we find it in, it's not quite finished. I want it to look like an industrial building site. The bottom part is filled with water, and all the structures are raised up on metal stilts. The water will be used as coolant for their generator, so expect steam and rain.
There will be critters and other life, but they will have been altered by the BorgNorn.
There will be alcoves in the spaces in the structure (I drew one in the central pod for scale), and a device for creating BorgNorn (so not using Muco).


So, does that mean I shouldn't do the backstory after all? And what sort of altered critters? Also, what will conditions be like in the room, hot, steamy and slightly radioactive?

Annex wrote:
As a final note, I have done work on the alcove sprites, and at the moment they look like this:


Perfect in my viewpoint. Looks like a mini of the ones in star trek: first contact.


Annex wrote:
That's all for now. Have fun.
Alex


Thanks. I hope you have a nice day as well.

P.S. How does assimilation work? My theory would be that:

1. Norn victim "ettins, grendels and geats are ignored by borg norns due to sprite differences" is "assimilated" I.E. "hit" or "eaten."

2. Norn victim is frozen in place. At this time a slap or tickle will snap then back to normal.

3. The telaporter effect moves the norn to the borg metaroom, into an alcove once one is free from having other borg in it.

4. The original norn is "read" for lifestage and gender then killed, the corpse deleted and somehow the game made to not throw up a death event.

5. A borg norn of the same gender and age as the original norn is created into the alcove, and force-aged to the same lifestage as the victim was. The game is again made to not throw up an event, this time a birth.

6. An autonamer that works by selecting two numbers and adding an "of" between them is used to name the new drone, and it sets out for life as a borg.

 
Bifrost

Bifrost



  8/8/2012

I'd actually go for a much less violent assimilation. Killing might be necessary in order to splice it up, but rather than throwing in just another pure-bred borg norn, why not make the assimilation a regular splice? That way some of the original genes and sprites are kept, making a lot of individual borg norns. If possible, the best way might be to make the appearance splice normally, while the rest of the original norns' genes are kept, and borg norn genes added. This would also allow for borg ettins, grendels and even geats.

I know I would love to have a borg Gaia or Gaius. And I still feel quite strongly about the banshee borg grendels. =P

 
Annex

Annex



  8/8/2012

No, I would still be quite keen for you to write a proper back story. I just had that in my head as I was drawing it. Plus I think it would be nice to have a proper story like the official breeds have.

That is very close to how assimilation works. At the moment I have added into the hit script. I am pretty happy with the alpha version. This will change when I have the room made.

 
Annex

Annex



  8/8/2012

The assimilation is a straight genetic splice. This will allow for evolution of abilities.

EDIT: In slightly more detail, I did look into methods of assimilation that didn't require the deletion of the target creature. However, these methods proved slightly cumbersome, and in the end I decided that genetic splicing was still the best way. Things like teleportation will be keyed off chemicals in the creature. Like a battery, once the chemical runs low, no more teleportation until the creature has recharged. By keeping this trait genetic, it means some BN might be able to teleport more often, or use their shields more, and that full scale evolution of these traits could occur.

 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/9/2012

Great idea. I assume that means that normal norns could mutate for teleportation or to develop shields given time. Not sure how a normal norn with assimilation would work as the genes being spliced in are borg.

Also, a few questions and ideas.

Borg Shields and Passive Damage.
Shields exist to stop other creatures from hitting borg norns. But what do they do with other forms of damage, being underwater, having an infection or being in a toxic environment?

Critters of the borg norn metaroom.
As I said in my PM about the story, it seems necessary to get a good idea of what sort of stuff lives in the borg norn metaroom for the story.

Borg Metaroom name.
At first I thought of it as "the cube" or "the borg norn cube" but since it isn't well.... cubical, what do you intend to call it?

On/Off for borg traits.
I heard that there may be a way to turn assimilation off via a button in their metaroom. Just wanted to recommend you do the same for other borg tricks. Turn off shields to give your other norns a fighting chance. Turn off teleportation to keep your borg trapped in a single room. I just think this would be a cool idea.

Borg power core/Borg power usage.
I thought it might be a cool idea to link them. Basicly when a borg norn assimilates, uses teleportation or shields it makes the underwater power core in their metaroom glow a bit brighter while they are doing so, and heats up the water leading to more steam and rain. Just seems like an interesting cause/effect thingy to add.

Purebred Borg Norns.
Am I correct in assuming that one of the devices in the borg metaroom will be a vendor for purebred borg eggs, gender selected? Seems like the best way for people who want them to get purebreeds/for the borg to boost their population.

 
Moe

Moe


 visit Moe's website: Creatures 2 to Docking Station
  8/9/2012

The Alcove(s) would be an awesome room name. Just saying...
 
Annex

Annex



  8/9/2012

Hi all,

Only time for a really quick update today.
I have been on the coding today and have now made the Alcoves fully functional. There are a couple of very very minor bugs to iron out, but I am very happy with how they are working.

The name of the room I have had in my head is The Hive...I think it works pretty well.

A quick screen shot for your viewing pleasure, and enjoy your weekends.
Alex


 
Ghosthande
Prodigal Sock

Ghosthande


 visit Ghosthande's website: Breeders Beware
  8/9/2012

Funky that they're both sleeping with one foot in the air, but otherwise, cool :D

What should an assimilated Gaius look like? Since he's already mechanical...



 
Annex

Annex



  8/9/2012

Ghosthande wrote:
Funky that they're both sleeping with one foot in the air, but otherwise, cool :D



As I said...one or two minor bugs...I need to find the best pose number.

 
Ghosthande
Prodigal Sock

Ghosthande


 visit Ghosthande's website: Breeders Beware
  8/9/2012

I've got a whole list of them here if it helps.


 
Annex

Annex



  8/9/2012

Awesome...33 looks like the golden number. I will try it out in the morning.
 
mip

mip


 visit mip's website: Exploring the Ark
  8/10/2012

If you're taking suggestions for the room name, I think "The Apiary" sounds good (it is the name for manmade beehives). "The Hive" definitely works though!

Perhaps the logo for the metaroom could be three hexagons joined together?



Exploring the Ark
A journal for C3/DS - updated last: 5 May 2013

 
Annex

Annex



  8/10/2012

OK, a bit of a longer reply today so I can answer some questions.

Borg Shields & Passive Damage
Borg shields will not protect against anything other than a hit from another creature, and the number of hits a BN can take in a short duration will be genetically controlled. However, BorgNorn can breath on land or in water.

Critters
I have made no plans in this regard yet, so if you want you can try and plan out an ecosystem for the room.

On/Off Traits
Only assimilation will be controlable via the metaroom at this time, though it may be something I look at in the future.

Purebreed BorgNorn
There will be a kind of BorgNorn production machie in the Hive. You will be able to produce BorgNorn on command or set a "minimum number" level so you always have, for example, 5 BN in the world.

Metaroom Name
All the name suggestions are good, but I think I am pretty happy with The Hive.

Finally thanks to Ghostehande as I have now corrected the norn pose whilst regenerating!

 
Ghosthande
Prodigal Sock

Ghosthande


 visit Ghosthande's website: Breeders Beware
  8/10/2012

Cool, glad it helped. :)

I seem to remember one of the Star Trek novels mentioned the Borg using assimilated dogs. Having normal critter species that had been assimilated would be fun, especially if they served more of a purpose within the metaroom than just looking pretty/being eaten.



 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/10/2012

I've drawn up four assimilated critters of the metaroom, all of which serve some purpose. They've been submitted to the art gallery but haven't been approved yet.

Coolant Fly - Small bug with two syringes in place of legs, and a tiny helicopter blade instead of wings. Works by flying down to the water, sucking up a bit via the syringes, then flying back and spraying water from its syringes onto machinery producing steam and cooling the machinery. Pallid coloration for organic parts, implants are dark-grey and shiny-polished.

Junkling - Tiny mass of random looking machinery with organic limbs ranging from tentacles to insectile pinchers to humanlike hands placed at random. Hobbles about, grabbing bits of detritus and drops it into the water at the bottom of the room.

Grinderfish - Looks like a large fish with mechanical dive tanks, armor and a big industrial grinder for a face. Swims at bits of detritus the junklings toss in and "grinds" them to pulp. They produce a little cloud of bubbles due to grinder action when working preventing the grinding from being seen. The only kind of detritus they ignore is their own "pulp." Pale grayish coloration.

Suckerfish - Looks like a fish with a gas-mask for a head. Eats pulp left over from grinderfish. Has a pale color like real world deep-cave fish.

P.S. I'm pretty sure Ghosthande that the borg dogs showed up in one of the Shatner-written books.

Star trek aliens get a lot more alien when special effects aren't an issue.....

 
Ghosthande
Prodigal Sock

Ghosthande


 visit Ghosthande's website: Breeders Beware
  8/10/2012

Yes, you're right, it was written by Shatner himself. (It's like fanfiction by an actor, hehe!) If I remember correctly it was The Return.


 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/13/2012

Didn't it also have such things as legless borg drones, rooted into the floor of a cube in along a convener belt to serve as the arms of an assembly line, and a disembodied borg head with the lower jaw replaced with a metal support for mechanical spiderlike legs?

Really, just weird/creepy/awesome.

Also, I'm still wondering how drones will differ between genders in appearance.

 
Ghosthande
Prodigal Sock

Ghosthande


 visit Ghosthande's website: Breeders Beware
  8/13/2012

I'm not sure about that... it's been so long since I read it. I just remember the dogs, and some kind of brain-in-a-jar with spider legs(?) kinda like the B'omarr monks from Star Wars. Now that sounded cool.


 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/13/2012

Yes, The Return has got more than assimilated dogs.....

TV Trope's Nightmare Fuel page for Star trek
 wrote:

The Return managed to make the Borg even creepier than we saw in the movies. Vicious assimilated dogs, a giant construction/weapon drone (with a spiderlike "scuttler" that emerged from it), pumping organic parts inside the cube, and a multi-bodied engineered drone (only the first body has a head; when Spock asks what it does, he's told "It feeds the tubes.";). If it were actually filmed....Yipes!



"Yipes" basically sums it up.

 
sam999

sam999


 visit sam999's website: Speculative Evolution
  8/31/2012

I found someone's fanart of one of the borg-dogs.

Also, a question. I'm nearing completion of the borg norn story and I want to know if I should PM it to you or just submit it to the CCSF E-mail submission thingy. And how's work on the borg norns doing lately?

 
Bifrost

Bifrost



  4/23/2013

How are things coming along?
 
mip

mip


 visit mip's website: Exploring the Ark
  4/23/2013

I haven't received any files for testing since August. I'm not sure this project is still active. :(


Exploring the Ark
A journal for C3/DS - updated last: 5 May 2013

 
Jessica

Jessica


 visit Jessica's website: Discover Albia
  4/23/2013

I contacted Annex regarding this project prior to the CCSF, probably last September/October, and never heard back. Sadly, I'm guessing this project is on hold. I just hope it returns sometime: Seems very interesting and unique!

Discover Albia

 
Annex

Annex



  4/24/2020  1

Just to let you know that the joy of Lockdown has revived this project somewhat.

What is a little gap of 7 years?

 
Vermidia

Vermidia



  4/24/2020

How far along is this project so far?

You know...wait...nevermind... wait...no...umm...maybe later...
 
Annex

Annex



  4/24/2020  1

Pretty far. All the code is stable, the genetics are getting there. The sprites are getting to a really good place.

I have the metaroom built using proxy images and populated with the major agents required. I have a slight issue that every now and then I slip from testing a feature to just playing the game...which I take as a good sign.

I have to build the 3d environment for the metaroom, but I am a 3D artist professionally, so I am hoping that bit will be quite fluid.

 
Annex

Annex



  4/27/2020  3

OK, so I decided I couldn't resisting sharing some progress.

So as stated, I am doing new sprites for the BorgNorn. I am modelling in 3D to try and get a similar aesthetic to the original C3/DS look.

As doing so would requite having a full norn setup, I decided to make a standard norn breed, and then adapt it to make in more borgy.

So let me introduce what I am currently calling Dappled Velvet Norns.



So far I have done the head, body and leg sprites, but am missing the feet. The legs were a pain in the neck to get rendered out in the right poses.

Here you can see them in the Hive with some proxy alcoves. I will be modelling new alcoves with the rest of the room.

For the sprites I am using Houdini, because it is what I use for work and you can get it for free...albeit with watermarked renders. I have set things up so that if I change anything on the 3D model, I just click one button and it renders everything out for me. Then I just need to import them into the sprite builder.

I plan to release these as soon as they are done. I expect that should (hopefully) be by the end of May, work and life permitting.

Anyway, have a funky evening, and I hope you like my norns!

 
Annex

Annex



  12/3/2022

I have just uploaded the finished BorgNorn to the breeds section. Hopefully it should get approved soon and everything works for anyone who wants it!
 

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