This spec describes various ways in which Microsaurs™ can be improved in the game. These ideas are roughly in order of implementation schedule.
NOTE: This spec is meant as a repository of ideas, not a hard commitment to implementation.
Achievements
We keep track of each time a player acquires or gets rid of a Microsaur.
- If a player never acquired one we add a conduct: "Never adopted a Microsaur."
- If a player acquired at least one but never got rid of a Microsaur we add a conduct: "Never abandoned a Microsaur."
Sisters of Domina
Donating a Microsaur to the Sisters counts just like donating any other luxury good, but we add a special message. Maybe something like:
Even the smallest creatures can have an influence in the galaxy. We thank you for your kindness.
Teraton Fabricator
Dropping a Microsaur into a Teraton pit calms the Fabricator (as Ringer spice). If possible, we display a custom message like:
Tentacles grab the Microsaur gently and examine it from all sides. With a cheerful roar, the organic mass sets the Microsaur down, letting it scurry through one of the many tunnels. The organic mass spews a sweet, pleasant mist.
Guardian Microsaurs
If there is a (live) Microsaur in an abandoned crate, wreck, or Mule auton, Salvagers will never loot its contents. If feeding is implemented (see below), the Microsaur will eat any food in the crate when it gets hungry. If it runs out of food, it will starve as normal.
Feeding
We could track the Microsaur's hunger level using the code used for fresh produce. When the Microsaur gets hungry, it starts to roar. The player can [U]se the Microsaur to feed it. The Microsaur only eats a well-defined set of foods (or perhaps any food with the proper attribute).
Alternatively, the Microsaur can automatically eat whatever food it finds in the cargo hold.
If not fed, the Microsaur can die of starvation (which should go in the "achievements and regrets" column).
Note: Microsaurs on populated stations (e.g., in shops) always have access to food (i.e., their hunger level never increases).
p.s.: Thanks to @the_shrike for proposing many of these ideas.
Haha, awesome. Will guardian Microsaurs protect against non-salvager looters (IAVs, yachts, etc.) and Gaian processors?
Stuff from forums (lopped out of the annoying yet strangely enjoyable flamefest that the thread is becoming):
-Feeding is upopular, especially since the player doesn't need to eat.
-Conducts should be opt-in: You don't get the "never sold" conduct unless you have actually gotten a microsaur, and you lose it when you sell one.
But that's basically the ideas here, minus feeding. So all good. A few bits of flavor-text in dockscreens (in the randomly selected ones in slums and the like, maybe add a few more in general, of which one might reference there being one around) might also be neat.
I support mandatory feeding only when the microsaur is not inside the player's ship. When carried by the player you can handwave that the microsaur is eating the same stuff you eat. I just really want to come back to a loot crate and find a dead, shriveled-up microsaur corpse.
I'd say feeding should be modified. Rather than consuming food(which would be odd, given it comes in tons), just mark it as fed as long as there's any food item in the cargo hold. Should be a fair solution.
Hunger should not be implemented for microsaurs until it is first implemented for pilots.
Also, it would be forward thinking to set up a live cargo type that microsaurs could inherit that could also be used for hairless cats, miniature giant space hamsters and Russian space dogs as well as passengers and non-frozen slaves.
If you wanted to be cruel you could give genetically-modified creatures the perishable flag, making them a sort of "disposable pet". Once you adopt your Microsaur you'll have a new best friend that doesn't need feeding and which will slowly change color and then die when its built-in food reserves are depleted.