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[escaped lurker]

Onwards then - for exploration or further battle!
We may want to keep a bit of change around, especially for the case of us stumbling upon another of those "roots of reality" bushes. Where we could upgrade ourself. Troops are nice, but we seem a tad more important, In my book at least.

Alternatively, another couple of those weapon-shifters seems like a good idea.
Sludge Jr did quite well in this one. Well, all did, and it was somewhat of a lucky circumstance, but still. I'd prefer his type over the "normal" sludges every day, for the "lesser ones" will have problems with bigger foes.

[Nivim]

[...]Going completely Epileptic Trees here, perhaps we are in a computer system?[...]

I... I agree with flameboy.

Was there ever any doubt? I thought the (virtual reality|computer system) situation was a given, considering we— or the world— booted up with nice obvious messages, and then we remembered signing up for some "experimental work". Then after that we ran into game abstraction after game abstraction; some things floating in the air (minion/self banner icons, other interface bits), transforming in complete ignorance to weight and mass (cartridges, processed wood), or appearing out of the air using a fully general resource called "reality".

Edit: Hmm! The existence of Rootwark, a login-based system, would seem to be an actually decent point towards the computer theory.

Uh...actually, that isn't one of the pieces of evidence supporting our theory; if we were in the reality we knew before, Roots of Reality could easily be some biomechanical (or just mechanical) construct that interfaces with our suit.
 For something just slightly closer to being an Epileptic Tree; is our sigil/banner the shape our body was before entering this thing? Spectros mentioned extra arms, so why not octopus arms?

The "White Patch" is a patch of the hard drive that's been corrupted.

Oh no; if this was memory corruption it would be much, much worse. Looks more like some misplaced or miscoded texturing; a bug, where the fundamental structure of the system is working fine, but the result still isn't what was intended.

 On combat, did anyone else observe that the chestfaces apparently can't gang up on a small creature, but once one of them engulfs they don't seem to be able to get attacked by it? Alternatively, if the humanoids take 5R, it probably goes to intelligence and some special ability instead of strength. For all we know they're normally noncombatants.
(Also*3, Dex's artwork always seems to make creature more sympathetic [I give 0 weight to this sense, but apparently I have it now] when they're surprised, shocked, or confused.)

Alternatively, another couple of those weapon-shifters seems like a good idea.

I would prefer—

Go back to the spawner and open the design screen.
Imagine your first intelligent slimeling; a creature like "C" (which should be renamed Sharpface now) that forms tools, gears, and pulleys instead of weapons to make full use of the Constructor Ability. Name it "Crystalluctor" (because it forms buildings reminiscent of how an ion solution forms crystals). Intelligence/ability budget should be about 7-10R.
Spawn a 'luctor.
Find out what it can do with that wood.

investigate that patch of white sand.

(Just realized that the spawner said we only spawned 5 creatures, even though we spawned 6; 5 chestfaces and a cost 5 sharpface. Does this mean we have to create weak units if we want to level up the spawner? Or is it a typo like thing?)

[Dexexe1234]

Mmmm, I love me some wordwal-

(Just realized that the spawner said we only spawned 5 creatures, even though we spawned 6; 5 chestfaces and a cost 5 sharpface. Does this mean we have to create weak units if we want to level up the spawner? Or is it a typo like thing?)

Typo. Definitely typo. Sorry about that. It should say 6.

Also not kidding about the wordwall! LOVE IT.

[Nivim]

Also not kidding about the wordwall! LOVE IT.

Ah! Then I am gratified! And, if you're willing to read a shift in content, I might be able to make another...

*Sigh*
Oh diplomacy, wherefore art thou? Would not a hug by any other name feel as snuggly?

I think we left it behind after being attacked on sight for the second time by total strangers.

Not left behind; merely postponed until we understand better what diplomacy is here.(..and, of course, find an opportunity for diplomacy that does not involve imminent danger, or hints from "gauge intent" actions that it isn't an option.) You see...

(virtual reality|computer system)

Everything from the various creature/object colors and attack-on-sight behavior, to the strange prompt we received when hugging the "Shekshrall brood", suggests that there is an entire universal system— like those for Reality Points or the cartridges— that (un|)naturally divides all creatures, mechanisms, and even objects, into discrete sides. When we started, we were probably some equivalent of the "neutral side" that all sides are tentatively friendly to, but when we ([...]"the Shekshrall brood. Ally with it?""Yes.")ed we were classified by this system as being on the "Shekshrall side", thus taking on all past relations it had with other sides— or maybe even not relations defined by a history, but a system defined stance of conflict.
What all this means, is that if we want to use diplomacy(, Harbingerjm), we're going to have to do it by this world's system, and we're going to have to overcome whatever default bad relations or assumptions of hostility the system puts in our way.

Now, the above situation might seem a little sad and immoral; how we have these possibly intelligent creatures (like the unknown-ability humanoids) that we're inevitably murdering for arguable self-defense and not-so-arguable profit...but because of the really high chance this is a virtual reality, it isn't really so bad so long as the intelligent creatures aren't unique. Since the system will probably always have a version of that non-unique AI running somewhere (assuming removing all instances removes it from memory), it never truly dies, and so, the only moral ramifications we have to worry about (while fighting them when they want to hurt us) is causing pain and horrifying the the things.
 If they can be meaningfully unique though, we're already pretty villainous by that measure, though.

You did well!... Almost TOO well... How did we even coordinate that well?

Aside from explicitly deciding to command and giving clear, tactical instructions on what to do? When we first entered combat our eyes turned/flashed white and we got the "connection bars" over ourselves and each unit, along with a kind of ~triggering indicator; presumably our suit offers us a radio-telepathy-whatever-system (R.T.W.S.) that lets us actually control our units even if they cannot speak or understand language.
This is probably something that would be fully explained (and boring) if we had been able to get that Subconscious suit upgrade (that would be screwing with our mind even more =D ).

[mastahcheese]

Go back to the spawner and open the design screen.
Imagine your first intelligent slimeling; a creature like "C" (which should be renamed Sharpface now) that forms tools, gears, and pulleys instead of weapons to make full use of the Constructor Ability. Name it "Crystalluctor" (because it forms buildings reminiscent of how an ion solution forms crystals). Intelligence/ability budget should be about 7-10R.
Spawn a 'luctor.
Find out what it can do with that wood.

+1, we need to make a fort.

[Angle]

Also check the immediate area for some Roots of Reality.

[FuzzyZergling]

> Explore to the right.

[FelixSparks]

You need to check out that odd area. The one that's a little south.

[Nivim]

Also check the immediate area for some Roots of Reality.

> Explore to the right.

You need to check out that odd area. The one that's a little south.

While exploring and examining, after the Spawner work, command the chestfaces to surround and guard it. Sludge Jr. is explores with you.

[Rolepgeek]

I would advise a bit different creature to be made. Instead of an intelligent constructor, a Command unit and a separate Build unit.

Go to spawned, open design screen. Imagine 'Chestbrain/Smartface'. It will probably lack much offensive capability, but be tough, smart, and able to command other units. It'll have a big bulge in the center, and a taller head so it can survey the battlefield.
Imagine 'Buildface/Hardface' which has a large mouth for a 'chest/face' and two long arms, but is squat and has no legs, instead almost rolling it's lower body across the ground. It disgorges slime that begins to harden, which it shapes into the stuff we want. Maybe two-thirds as tall as a normal Chestface.
Imagine 'Spitface' which has a thinner, taller body, with three legs and only one arm, which melds at the elbow back into the body, extending forward a good length and back a short one. This arm is hollow, and fires goo that slows down enemies it hits(and damages them a little, but not too much). About 30-40% taller than a normal Chestface, but looks like it's made out of the same amount of stuff.
Imagine 'Bigface' which is just a really bulky, strong, and a bit bigger, Chestface. Somewhat parallel to Wallface. Slightly less than twice as tall as a normal Chestface.

[mastahcheese]

Wait, could we create a command unit, that can spawn constructors?
The only downside to that is it would rob the spawner of its XP, though...

[Rolepgeek]

I think a unit that can spawn other units is not yet possible. A good idea, but probably suited for creating swarms of tiny units, rather than big ones.

[flame99]

I would advise a bit different creature to be made. Instead of an intelligent constructor, a Command unit and a separate Build unit.

Go to spawned, open design screen. Imagine 'Chestbrain/Smartface'. It will probably lack much offensive capability, but be tough, smart, and able to command other units. It'll have a big bulge in the center, and a taller head so it can survey the battlefield.
Imagine 'Buildface/Hardface' which has a large mouth for a 'chest/face' and two long arms, but is squat and has no legs, instead almost rolling it's lower body across the ground. It disgorges slime that begins to harden, which it shapes into the stuff we want. Maybe two-thirds as tall as a normal Chestface.
Imagine 'Spitface' which has a thinner, taller body, with three legs and only one arm, which melds at the elbow back into the body, extending forward a good length and back a short one. This arm is hollow, and fires goo that slows down enemies it hits(and damages them a little, but not too much). About 30-40% taller than a normal Chestface, but looks like it's made out of the same amount of stuff.
Imagine 'Bigface' which is just a really bulky, strong, and a bit bigger, Chestface. Somewhat parallel to Wallface. Slightly less than twice as tall as a normal Chestface.

+1.

[Dexexe1234]

>:With added funds, return to the Spawner!

Spoiler: Stupidity (click to show/hide)

Erch I hate to be a busybody moron but, I have once again fallen on some tough times, currency-wise. I added a link to my paypal in my signature. I know, I know, I shouldn't be begging for cash here, but you guys seem to be enjoying my work, and it would benefit us all if I could keep doing it without having to sell my PC for having food and such.

Sorry again.

[FuzzyZergling]

> Save the Bigface, Crystalluctor, and Smartface. Exit the Spawner.