This is what happens when you run an evolution simulation on an archipelago (🧬ES #4)

[@DukryGoser]

Never have I been so happy to watch polygons eat other polygons for the sake of becoming new polygons. 10/10 would evolve again.

[@_Gusza]

real polygons moment

[@PGB14]

PO L Y G O N

[@solsystem1342]

Eh, hem... polypog

[@_Radiator_]

you could say the prey was *polygone* ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡿⠋⢁⣀⡉⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡇⢰⣿⡟⢉⣦⣄⠉⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣧⡀⠙⢦⣿⠋⣠⣷⣦⡀⠙⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣀⠈⠳⢿⣿⡿⢁⣤⡀⠈⠙⠻⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⢄⡀⠙⠧⣾⣿⣿⣦⡀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠋⢹⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣅⣀⣿⢦⠀⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⣆⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⠀⠳⣤⡾⠙⠻⣿⡂⢠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣴⡏⠀⢦⣄⠈⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣄⠙⠳⣦⡀⠉⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣤⡈⠛⢷⣄⠀⠙⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⡀⠉⠻⣦⡀⠈⠻⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⠈⠙⢷⣄⠀⢹⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣦⣀⠈⢀⣸⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿

[@NoodleIDK13]

*polygon*

[@Arron_Mottram]

I noticed that plants and animals disappear after death and thought that in real life it would be a waste of energy. Dead plants could give growth to other plants nearby, and dead animal bodies could open a scavenger niche

[@jarnovanderzee2469]

The latter is already in the sapling

[@Hamburgerhuman]

Anitherbissue is that ground alge can compete directly with plankton even though the plankton isnt effected by the alge they shouls make thebplankton have a diffrent plane of existence like how grass was implimented

[@Slapbattler666]

Great idea!

[@FireTurkey]

​@darktheories3626 I totally agree with this, I do think an over abundance of alge should have consequences, though. Possibly reducing photosynthesis below it?

[@geomenda7159]

You actually can see animal corpses in the video (not sure about plants)

[@justmarcoriginal]

I just don't want the video to end, watching things evolve without knowing what they will evolve into is sooo satisfying! I love this game!

[@MerlorMerlor]

could watch this for 20 more minutes at least!

[@gamertardguardian1299]

This game dev is great, he is great in commentary videos and his game is great. Very cool guy

[@Arron_Mottram]

The last time I visited this channel was 2 months ago, at the hour when the previous video was released. Now, I decided to revisit this channel and, again, I see a new video that was released just an hour ago. I feel like a visionary.

[@aqilharmach6278]

Same

[@lilnuggz22]

I did the same thing lol

[@WildmanTrading]

Same man

[@Nworthholf]

May I kindly ask you to visit it daily so that we all have more videos to watch? :p

[@samueltrusik3251]

The chosen one, the bringer of content.

[@jamesvictore4304]

I actually felt a bit sad when I realized this video is ending. The narration was just so compelling, it left me wanting more! Can't wait for the next episode!

[@coryman125]

Been eagerly awaiting this since it was announced on twitter! I really love these videos, it's like digging up a nature documentary from an alternate universe

[@soumiabendelhoum3731]

Felt like an eternity for one singular sapling related video

[@TheSapling]

There will be 2 more ;)

[@GandalfTheTsaagan]

I love how nauturally The Sapling manages to reflect real evolution even in its relative limitations

[@GuyllianVanRixtel]

Idea: Add skeletons, exo-skeletons, and lack of skeletons. The exo-skeletons could be either one like an insect or one like a clam. Or, you could make shells seperate.

[@GuyllianVanRixtel]

2nd Idea: Add camouflage. Basicly, if there is a creature with a similer color to a small area, it will reduce the chance of being seen. Though the closer the observing creature is, the larger the chance it is seen.

[@GuyllianVanRixtel]

2 more smaller ideas: Add an elevator music version of the theme while skipping ahead in time. Can't remember the second one, so ima just say fix the negative amount of creatures bug.

[@FireTurkey]

​@@GuyllianVanRixtelThe elevator music idea is actually so good

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, I like all of these ideas :)

[@Tpose_Clockman]

I'd like to share an idea as well. My idea is respiration methods, passive and active, active respiration requires lung, like mammals. Passive is just absorbing O2 from the air and reduces the creature's maximum size.

[@Jonah-gi3ge]

Another the Sapling video, thank you Mr. Stoop! I'll finish it soon but first I want to share an idea with you: microbiomes. Nothing too complex, just a few still images of microbial looking lifeforms when you select the microbiome UI for a specific area. Along with these still images, you'll see some statistics. Things like infection chances for animals and plants (that's a whole other thing but I'm sure you get what viruses could potentially look like,) prevalence of specific kinds of microscopic life, etc. The microbiome functions as its own creature type, though with no real physical presence. You can edit the different statistics of a microbiome, these statistics can evolve randomly to better suit their environment, each microbiome has their own territory with a specific way of viewing it (like soil softness and temp view,) there are settings related to the microbiome you can adjust, the whole shebang for an organism type. Another big feature could be that a microbiome organism (technically multiple organisms but functions as one) has a minuscule chance to produce a very simple multi-cellular organism of any kind. It could be algae, plant, or animal depending on the environment. If you (the Sapling dev) or any other person reading comments saw this, thanks for listening to my rant. Just thought It'd be fun to share. And hey, it could influence the game a tiny bit. Like the butterfly effect. I have a bunch of ideas but I know the Sapling gets an incredible amount of suggestions so I don't want to add too much to the already massive "maybe under consideration" list. Cya, hope this made sense!

[@TheSapling]

Definitely reading comments like this, definitely makes sense, but as always: no promises :)

[@researcherchameleon4602]

Maybe the plankton should have both zooplankton and phytoplankton, so as it evolves, it not only develops plants, but also into basic animals, you could also make some species have eggs and young that float as plankton, and develop into larger creatures

[@Sweepy_Games]

Cinematic tools is a great addition for The Sapling. It adds a ton of value

[@m_vilas]

I'm making my master's dissertation about evolution simulators and this is the best I found so far, thank you for making easier for me to get my degree

[@cheezylettuce3360]

This is so epic. I remember when I first saw you making this game.

[@Trip-tw5dk]

Absolutely LOVE this narrative-style video! I have the game already but never enough time to go so in depth with the creatures and their evolutionary steps. Being able to watch you go through the process of cataloguing life's many steps is so amazing!

[@coalmine9666]

adding in that ring option is really fun. thats really cool.

[@mansnilssonmoraeus1447]

A fun idea for the game is that algae that live in the deeper parts of the ocean evolve to become taller (and i mean taller than they can currently can) and become somewhat like kelp.

[@GoldenEdits656]

I love this idea, I dont care if people find it boring, just watching some random evolution with commentary has got me hooked!

[@zazermerkks8682]

Idea: a drop-down menu with a terrain editing tool, so you can edit the landscape and manually make rivers etc. And maybe an option to make things such as legs and arms larger? Good work btw, you’ve done so much already and I’m having a lot of fun on your game, I can’t wait for future work from you!

[@TheSapling]

Thanks so much! Without makin promises, I like both ideas!

[@nils-peterwihlney8732]

Great video. I am really looking forward to see what else you come up with. Environmental changes are probably going to be difficult but it would be cool to see a desert, jungle, or mountainous terrain that distinguishes itself from the rest.

[@amorachinchilla]

Excited to try out organism caps! There's been a consistent issue lately with the Sapling where it crashes any time I get over about 5000 years, and it's kept me from really sinking my teeth back into it. Great work as always! Excited to see how the rest of the series turns out.

[@TheSapling]

Hmm weird... a consistent issue you say? Well... if there's anyone who doesn't need instructions on how to write a high quality bug report it's you. Whenever you feel like it! :)

[@_Radiator_]

Love how this game has turned out so far, been waiting for another upload on the progress! So here I am. Great as always.

[@DrunkenIdaho]

0:15 those trees look amazing!

[@zetareticulan321]

Spore was the first evolution simulator I played.

[@Tom_Quixote]

This video made me evolve a new kind of eye so I could watch it more effectively.

[@lancemarcelo1225]

This is so amazing! I'm a biology graduate and I wish we had this game when I was a student to explain ecology, genetics, physiology, and biophysics.

[@gamingcat6034]

So glad to have a new evolution simulated video. Love the grass effect with the fading btw. (Also I’ve noticed that carnivores are still op and arthropod mouths are outcompeted by vertebrate almost always)

[@TheSapling]

Thanks for noticing!

[@NeroTheAngel]

this game is like you play your biology lessons as a game. I mean with this game you can get at least the understanding of the basics how evolution works.

[@Patata17]

Lets go new sapling video‼️‼️

[@JP-ey9qb]

You are doing so well with this game, crazy to think I first started playing when the Flight update released. Its been awesome to see the game grow and your channel. You've gotten far better at making your videos. Keep up the good work!

[@matterhorn731]

Woot, love these documentary style videos! Super fun! And love the geographical complexity of this particular planet. Patch dynamics in a landscape can play a huge role in shaping an ecosystem and altering the course of evolution. Also really cool to see the adaptive radiations as the first animals manage to leave their initial habitat patch!

[@x_MoonlitShade]

Hey man, just wanted to say that this video got recommended to me yesterday by the algorithm, and instead of watching it, I went back to the beginning and watched every single youtube video on your account. I bought the game only a couple episodes into the season 1 devlogs, and just caught back up to this video now. Great channel, great game, keep up the good work.

[@dier7144]

You know it’s a great day when this man posts a new vid! Absolutely great as always, this games never fails to impress me. FOR THE MILK BUG!!! 🥛🐛

[@Nanobot_Swarm]

For the Milk Cult!

[@peterkart7281]

holy shit is that "Dier" from "The Sapling" Discord server????

[@yodaman8015]

this game is amazing looking, ive always wanted a evolution simulator. I gotta buy this

[@koshmareq]

I checked for new videos yesterday, I'm so glad to see you back

[@RockBoyy1]

It truly makes me wonder how things evolved on our planet considering the details you put in your explanations. I'm waiting for more videos in this type. It's like watching a Nat Geo documentary.

[@understanding8511]

I love this game! I always sit back with my phone, watch KZbin, and check to see how my animals are doing❤️ I don’t care if all I do is watch, it’s still so interesting! Love the work you do :)

[@kerontherun]

Being a biologist and a worldbuilder I am fascinated by this game. You are doing grat work, keep it up! :)

[@mirkociamp]

What a grand way of showing your game, congrats!

[@maxcasteel2141]

always love to see you put stuff out on youtube I could watch so much of this

[@graphictwitch-5355]

Really happy to see another installation to the series

[@BlokHeadAnim]

Hooray!! I was so happy to see a new video in my feed. I always look forward to these.

[@crescentgemini9093]

I've been WAAAAAIIIITYING!!!-... for an update! Glad to see more from you :)

[@s.13.c]

My favourite series from The Sapling 🙌🙏

[@rigrug1]

I've been looking for a Spore like game for a while now. Can't wait to start playing.

[@demolisherman1763]

I always love seeing how these ecosystems develop, especially since my computer can’t handle running simulation this complex

[@josef4066]

i havent played this game in a while but its nice to see its growing

[@FireTurkey]

Love the video! Glad to see your back. Have you thought about making it so microalge and macroalge don't directly compete fot space?

[@TheSapling]

Definitely, I really want to fix this too ;) (but as always, no promises)

[@stray1239]

he has returned

[@kasparflueck]

Of the graphis and animations weren't so bad, this game would be incredible!

[@D-angelin.Moarar]

Awesome, looking forward to what happens in the next video!

[@Inf-1111]

This is the first time in a long time I will buy the game when it comes out, increíble work! It's like the Spore 2 We never got (kinda)

[@Slapbattler666]

Well done for making such a great game!

[@CharliMorganMusic]

I really like this game. I Performance is bad and there are a lot of issues, but I really believe in what it can be, so I always check in every few months to play it.

[@TheSapling]

Thanks for your feedback! If you have some time, and didn't do so already, love to learn more about the issues you describe via [e-mail] !

[@kendraolvera6328]

you should add small bugs and they could work like grass so they would fly over a tile (or walk)

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@evev8208]

I would play this game for hours every day only if it didn't lag that much...

[@blazednlovinit]

8:32 One of Stalin's quotes that always made me laugh was "Quantity... has a quality all of it's own"

[@BooleanDisorder]

Oooh,this looks like an actually interesting evolution game

[@1TooManyToons]

So happy to see a new video! Keep up the good work!

[@Fish_Still_Plays]

another great video from the sapling!

[@samueltrusik3251]

I do truly hope that more adaptive systems get added, allowing organisms to adapt more along a gradient of changes, rather than between a few specific options. At least in some areas, where it makes sense.

[@Gamecles]

I'm really happy to see this game pop back up on my feed after so many years. I had forgotten about it until this video. I do have a question though; is the mutation system so robust that starting with one algae OR 1 plant and 1 viable body plan for an animal that if left alone long enough, the game could evolve full ecosystems with complex bodyparts, new limbs/branches, and different instincts? I just bought it and only played a bit, but the mutations I saw only swapped existing bodyparts and didn't add anything new.

[@TheSapling]

Hey, thanks! Everything you see in these videos was achieved with 0 intervention from my side! If you're not getting similar results, and you want to learn why, feel free to post about it on the Steam forums, people there are often quick to help out (and I learn a bit how to make the game more intuitive)

[@guairescp6847]

I am not sure how possible this is. But continental drif and climatic change are irl important evolutionary engines, so some way to simulate that would be amazing

[@hugonegrete6325]

You made such a beautiful game

[@Kiwi_Smosh]

Its finally here... in all of its glory!

[@nonsensicalhumanoid]

I was just thinking that I should check that roadmap of when you planned to start work on the next Evolution Simulated video. I guess I don't need to!

[@Aaaaaaarrrpirate]

I love the aquatic plants! They look like mangroves

[@Brosquini]

You should add hiding, you could have it so smaller creatures can hide in dense plants, tall grass or if you ever choose to add stuff like rocks and fallen trees or even just burrow underground

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@RegularBiscuit]

one day i will be able to run this masterpiece, until then these videos are amazing

[@cayzap4828]

i saw this videos thumbnail without watching it or realizing what game it was, which made me want to get an evolution game, i got this game, then realized that the video is about the game i just got

[@CDiPaola04]

This is a world of aquatic trees and stoner fish. Love it

[@Flutterwhat]

Tried out the game based on this video. Controls with anyone who have HOTAS plugged in are messed up, couldn't find out how to place down the alge in the first scenario. will revisit in some years. Please consider unlocking sandbox out of the gate.

[@lilriverofsoup7695]

I love your game, some weird things that could be added is the ability to downsize to insects, swamp, and beaver behavior. (This is a lot just some ideas that might be cool)

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, I like all of these ideas

[@cinnamonsunshine9653]

this guy's method is beautiful, please follow. the game is a good price. we need undrstanding of biology from this perspective. thank you for community

[@deadazzz]

I feel so satisfied yet sad when i got to the end of the video 😭❤️

[@Nanobot_Swarm]

Always great to see an evolution simulated vid. All Hail Before The Mighty MilkBug 🥛 🐛

[@garnaudiz]

Haha, I love these kind off videos so much

[@Slapbattler666]

I Cant wait for the next episode.

[@redneckchemistry]

Some things I think would be super cool in the future are freshwater, ice, and camouflage mechanics

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, agreed

[@pedrovinicius3981]

Just a few questions. Will the game also have things like animals with shells, sponges, cnidarians too? Like to simulate the Eudicarian, and to give the game much more life. Will the game also have a way to choose the size of the planet? And will the game have a Mobile version? I wanted to play, but my laptop doesn't work anymore.

[@Leyva0scarVRL]

Yeah no movile version is ever coming lol

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, I like the ideas of shells, sponges and cnidarians! You can already choose the map size at the moment (but it doesn't influence anything else like gravity etc). About a mobile version, see here: thesaplinggame.com/faq

[@LuckyWolfUnleashed]

After this, I have an idea, make it so you can add moon(s) that effect behavior (when (moon is full) do (howl)) and life, water plants must be able to survive when they are not in water, and trees must be able to withstand a small current when sea side.

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, I like these kinds of ideas!

[@gem9535]

Love these videos.

[@PuntosPlace]

What about making a tool that makes a cinematic recap of a certain period of time, like with an alternative timeskip? I can't keep track of what's going on and it would be very cool if the game told me about the changes and maybe why they happened, or what kind of mutations species had so i can figure out why

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@MagicalNick]

Bro i love this videos

[@theRealEvoLife]

Nice showcase my man, my brother, my brother from another mother! 🌱

[@michealking7707]

Love these videos 😊

[@Shell_shocked_boi]

I hope some day this will be playable on Mac

[@trey_2012]

same

[@GhazMazMSM]

I have a suggestion. What if you took the world editor customization to another level by having players be able to create landmasses with a specific shape in mind? Like carving rivers and lifting mountains.

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@Flixy-Wixy]

I absolutely love this game, but my computer can barely handle it... either way, it's so interesting to see what "niches" of creatures appear- I saw one that was really specialized in traveling island to island, somehow.

[@TheWilyx]

I think this is probably much more difficult to do... but it would be great to see some sort of rudimentary plate tectonics...

[@OscarJustian]

Will there be a feature that shows the range of a particular species from a zoomed out view in the future? Love the game, I think it has a lot of potential!

[@TheSapling]

Range as in where it lives most often? Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@lancemarcelo1225]

I hope (though I think this will be hard) microorganisms, fungi, parasites can be added

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, I like all of these ideas :)

[@Mintmite]

Hey there, I have a suggestion, since it is kind of difficult to make a map you like, you could add a brush feature that can raise or lower land?

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like!

[@dylanherrera5395]

i feel like a good (but possibly hard) addition would be plate tectonics, which in real life played a big role in evolution and life jumping from continent to continent

[@TheSapling]

Without making promises, it's an idea I like! Indeed technically hard to realize though

[@LeviRuckdashel]

I deeply wish you add support for Mac ugh I want to play so bad, I actually already bought it on steam to support the project but I can’t play it…. Patiently waited for the day I might be able to

[@alexandernaamansen1151]

Same

[@TheSapling]

No promises, but thanks for letting me know

[@BlapwardKrunkle]

“Ha, evolution is just a theory, even this game had a creator”

[@Didomate]

These animals look so cool

[@nidahk3861]

I stopped playing for less than a month and this gets added.

[@j.w.-]

The whole rings of a planet cooling down the equator seems highly unlikely and not realsitic, but still an interesting worldbuilding tool

[@TheSapling]

Feel free to come speculate what the effect of a ring might be on the Steam forums, people there love to talk about that kind of stuff.

[@Sunflower96163]

LETS GOO NEW EVOLUTION SIMULATED EPISODE