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Above are 16 artificial organisms called BioMorphs. Like all organisms, morphs have a genotype and a phenotype. The genotype of a BioMorph is an array of values that describe how its development should be carried out while the phenotype is its visual appearance.
Clicking on a morph will select it for asexual reproduction. This morph and its mutant progeny become the next generation - the ancestor morph is outlined in orange. Its offspring are all very similar to it, except for slight differences in the genotype and hence, differences in the phenotype. By selecting morphs for certain qualities in their phenotype, you can evolve a morph to resemble almost anything.
The number of possible morphs in this implementation is around 227 million million! For example, to evolve a bird-like morph, select the morph with the most bird-like qualites every time. In the beginning, all morphs are rather simple, but even then, a wide line more closely resembles a bird than a tall line. When you have evolved the morph, add it to the Menagerie
Each morph has 16 genes that code for its development. The first gene determines the morphs's the next 8 genes determine structure, and the last 7 determine its colors. The order is the number of times that the recursive developmental algorithm is to be iterated. The color mutations are controlled by the RF gene in such a way so as to produce bright and captivating ornaments.
Although you cannot directly alter a morph's genes, you actually direct the population's gene pool by selecting morphs you find interesting. During reproduction, the ancestor's genes are copied to its offspring, after which they undergo mutations. A gene is mutated by adding or subtracting a value to it. That value can also vary...
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