So let’s just begin this by saying that I like to color. A lot. Too much? Ha ha! This coloring craze for adults started a few years ago, but I’ll admit (with a little embarrassment) that I’ve been coloring in coloring books with crayons forever. I loved it when I was a kid, and in many ways I’m still a kid! This year I decided to get a little more serious with this little hobby. So Fizzbee jumped on over to my table to take a look around…

That little Norndoll was ready to color anything purple to match herself! Easy there, little lady. This is how it looks when I color. Slightly cluttered, but everything serves a purpose. My absolute favorite coloring book artist is Hanna Karlzon. I just started in her first book, Daydreams, and you might notice her second book hiding out in the upper left. What else is there? Since I’m no artist, I discovered that using visuals to help me works wonders. I use a combination of cards from the Story World series and the Victorian Fairy Tarot for inspiration, ranging from color schemes to seeing just how to shade a particular element. I also thumb through Brambly Hedge and Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales from time to time. Most importantly, I use Faber-Castell Polychromos coloring pencils and, occasionally, Faber-Castell PITT Pens. But again, I’m no professional artist! I take my coloring materials seriously, but the actual act of coloring? That’s just a fun experience!

Art by Hanna Karlzon from the Daydreams Coloring Book

Fizzbee popped over to look at the first big page I’ve been working on. I am the world’s slowest colorer. Seriously… You do not want to know how long it’s taken me to get this far! Yet to each their own, and this makes me happy. Going off of my previous comment about making coloring fun, I keep a coloring journal with my color choices and some comments about each section. I call these purple flowers “Shiny Flopsies” and the upside-down tulip flowers “White Dropsies.” Definitely scientific names right there. Ha! A quick and very random tip: Some people (including myself) sometimes get discouraged when we see these absolutely amazing finished coloring pages. Instead of thinking of how much better someone else did, think of it as how he or she did it differently. I write something positive, something I’m improving upon, and something that could be better for each thing I do. Fizzbee had one comment: The choice of purple for those flowers was perfect!

Last, but certainly not least, is my coloring partner, Kirkwood! He’s my parakeet I adopted about two years ago, and he hangs out in his “house” (aka cage) next to me while I color. He is hilarious, and will silently do all sorts of antics until I finally look over and laugh. He was feeling tired after Fizzbee’s visit, and also due to the fact that he’s going through a molt right now. He’s missing a face spot and looks a little more raggedy than usual. Still, this is one of the cutest pictures. Here’s to wishing everyone a lot of cozy and peaceful moments like this one with Kirkwood! I may be disappearing for a bit, but rest assured that all is well and I intend to come back to Creatures at some point. In the meantime, all the best to all of you wonderful people!

Why Do You Like Creatures?

The simplest question is often the most difficult to answer. There are so many little things that add up to make it special for me. At the top of the list is the sheer scope of the games. On the surface, some may classify it as a cute pet game for kids. In some ways, it can be treated as such. Beneath that cuddly exterior are endless layers of complexity: Brain structures, genetics, an entire coding language, mythology, and a million questions. The name “Discover Albia” arose from my desire to inspire others to keep discovering all that Creatures has to offer. And that can mean virtually anything! It’s difficult to jump into everything all at once, but taking a new step to learn something new every now and then is worth a lot. That’s ultimately what keeps me coming back for more. Truth be told, I’ve played Creatures 1 enough to know that there aren’t any major surprises that will happen to my Norns and Grendels. I may get bored from time to time, yet that gives me the chance to dig into CAOS or genetics. Just as I had no idea what I was doing when I played as a kid, I still get that feeling when I start up something new. It’s a wonderful feeling, as odd as that may sound!

If Your Interest in It Has Come and Gone and Come Again, What Brings You Back?

Usually other Creatures blogs or comments on my own posts are the catalyst for bringing me back. There is always a time when I end up missing Creatures too much, yet I feel like I get a little more motivated by reading about what others are doing! Plus I have to say that this community is filled with a lot of wonderful people who leave very kind comments. I love knowing that in the tiniest way, I can bring some joy to people who need it. At the same time, it’s nice to know that my posts help players learn different things. Without being connected, though, I still see myself always returning to Creatures. There’s a bit of responsibility that I still feel… These are artificial beings who are alive, and they deserve a chance to live. It’s certainly nice to know that they can stay frozen in time when I’m not playing, though!

Despite How Hard It Can Be to Run and the Total Lack of Official Support, Why Do You Play?

First and foremost, I play for me. This is something I try to stress to Creatures bloggers, because trying to play like everyone else isn’t fun. I love booting up the games, particularly C1, and remembering the old memories I carry with me. There are a lot! With that in mind, I also play to keep the community alive. We’re a pretty small group, and I feel a bit of guilt when I don’t have the time to post regularly. That isn’t to say that there aren’t wonderful Creatures blogs out there, because there are! I simply feel a bit of personal responsibility to keep things alive. There have been many sites that have closed down over the years, and many community members who have moved on. That’s OK! Yet with a smaller community than we had back when Creatures was still brand new, I play in the hopes that my posts might bring in some new players… Or at least make people laugh! In the end, I play because Creatures makes me happy.

I should also mention that most technical problems can be solved by the community, so the lack of official support has never phased me! There are a lot of talented individuals who play Creatures and help others. A huge thanks to all of you! If I could summarize my thoughts on Creatures… It’s an amazing game series. I don’t think it works for everyone, yet there is a lot more going on than one might initially think. I got my first taste of real world science from the Creatures 1 Science Kit, and I barely knew what I was looking at! I know I’m heavily biased in favor of the Creatures games, yet I’ll be the first one to try to introduce the series to someone new. After 20 years, I still think there is a place for Creatures in the modern video gaming world. I’ll still be playing for as long as I have a computer!

What Do You Think of the Mythology and Backstory of Creatures?

As I quickly mentioned, I think Creatures 1 shines the brightest in terms of its mythology. There is a whole story about how the strange Shee abandoned the Norns and Grendels, and the world is still littered with many of their creations. I particularly loved the fact that the number of eggs was (theoretically) extremely limited when I first played. I constantly found myself looking at everything around the world and wondering why the Shee created it. Was it for them? Were they experimenting? Or were they actually trying to make life better for the Norns? Nowadays, I might classify the backstory as rather vague and not developed. However, this actually worked in favor of the games: We have so many stories that try to make sense of the Shee and the origins of our Creatures! A vague backstory is often a detriment to building up a game, yet I’m a firm believer that the Creatures story acts as a starting point for anyone who wants to write the “real” story.

Do You Have Any Favorite Background Details in the World?

Goodness, where to start?! Arch Dragon wrote an interesting post several years ago that really made me start looking at the background of Creatures 1. There are so many little things that one may never notice. I also had a chance to examine even more of the background when I compared the real model to the game model! The Albia in C1 is littered with all sorts of interesting details if one takes the time to take a look. I don’t have a favorite aspect, unless someone wants to read through an exhaustive list… And I don’t think anyone would want that! However, I do encourage everyone to take a moment to look at the background of the world, whichever game it’s in. Creatures 2 has a plethora of goodies to find, although I’ve found that C3/DS is missing out on a lot of these subtleties. Then again, third-party metarooms often have their own mythology and can have their own special things to enjoy. Keep your eyes open! When your Norns start to get really annoying, ignore them and you might just uncover something interesting hiding in plain sight.

Any Pet Theories or Thoughts, or Questions You Would Like Answered?

I’m not sure if it’s a common theory or not, but I remember stumbling across the idea that the Shee are actually humans. I completely disagree with this theory, although it certainly makes for some interesting stories! That’s one thing I should make very clear again: The whole Creatures universe is completely up for individual interpretation. And that’s what makes it so awesome. I just don’t see how the Shee could be humans… Although I can see the similarities! Personally, I like the mystery. No one really knows what happened to the Shee. When I’m not muddling through CAOS and genomes, I don’t really think about it. Yet there are times when I want to write a huge story about what might have happened to the Shee. Were they really so arrogant to leave behind their creations? Or was there a hidden reason they wanted to keep a secret? The possibilities are endless, just as they should be.

Naturally, I’m very biased in favor of the way the Creatures backstory was presented. I was a young kid who loved to use her imagination, and the way the Shee were presented intrigued me to no end! Were they ultimately good or bad, or maybe even a bit of both? Oh dear. Now I wonder if I should add a writing project on top of my giant pile of things to complete. Ha! I hope the mythology makes many players use their imaginations to think about what might exist beyond what we see in the games. I’ve always said that there are many complex layers within Creatures, but the backstory is one that may get lost. Never forget those vague Shee who might be sinister or just plain silly!

Do You Create Content for Creatures?

It took me a long time to start releasing anything. Even now, I’m amazed when I get such a warm reception for the rather simplistic COBs I release. Sometimes it’s a little embarrassing to see amazing new metarooms and reworked breeds coming out when all you have to offer is a simple object or sprite fix! I got past that hurdle by seeing that we all have our own talents, and I know that what I’m releasing will at least help me. I’m still in the beginning stages of understanding CAOS and genetics, yet I hope to keep creating useful content… Or even useless content, so long as it provides some smiles and laughs! The creation process can be frustrating, but ultimately it’s a very fun and rewarding experience.

What Sorts of Content Do You Create?

My niche seems to have fallen into creating fixes for Creatures 1, and that works well for me! This has ranged from experimenting with genetics, to fixing various sprites, to coding updated COBs. I’m far from done and have a lot of other projects I hope to move onto at some point. There are also some random ideas floating around for the other games, yet I’ve found that sticking to developing for one game at a time works the best for me. This is especially true when coding with CAOS, since the commands differ by game. Some of the things that are possible in C3/DS aren’t available in C1. I tend to make silly mistakes while I’m working on a project, and I can just see myself making even more if I had some overlapping projects. Moral of the story: Get some stuff done soon, Jessica!

What Do You Use to Make Things?

There are many tools available, although I tend to stick with a few programs that work… Although the Creatures games work on many newer operating systems, that doesn’t always hold true for the older programs and tools. One of my biggest disappointments is NornPose, which is so finicky that it’s basically unusable. To make matters worse, it requires the location of the game folder to be typed in manually using the old shorthand DOS format. Come to think of it, I haven’t figured out how to get it to work since I changed the location of my game install! It’s a wonderful program, yet I haven’t found anything else that works for creating a Creatures 1 breed. I use the official Genetics Kit for each game to work on genomes, and I also utilize the D-DNA Analyzer as an additional resource.

All of my images are created in Photoshop, even though the majority of them could probably survive a round of the infamous MS Paint! Ha! The 256 color palette in Creatures 1 makes image creation easy in some respects, and very difficult in others. Like I mentioned, creating can be frustrating and challenging, yet the end product is always worth it! I use some of the other official tools, such as the One Stop Sprite Workshop. And my secret weapon? Notepad! Although another major program I use is CrEd32, which is excellent for creating COBs. Coincidentally, if anyone has experience with the language it’s programmed in, there is an inactive element called the “Radioactive Chamber” that simulates mutations to create very unique eggs. I have more details, along with permission to work on it… Yet I lack the knowledge.

I’ll also make quick mention of The Shee’s Lost Knowledge, which has a lot of tools available. These are not always used for creating, yet there are a number that are excellent for testing unfinished COBs or understanding how existing objects work. These are mainly geared towards C1 and C2, yet my experience has shown me that what I learn for the earlier games often works for C3/DS in some way!

What Would You Like to Make in the Future?

Many of my projects are in the works, and I’ve found that it’s best not to list them in detail… Much better to not hold myself to a deadline and keep those as surprises! I do hope to expand my collection of C1 object fixes, among other things. I would also love to create my own updated genome… Possibly created from scratch, if only to prove to myself that I have a better understanding of genetics than before. There is still a lot to learn! On another note, I would like to get back into some of my Creatures stories. There are a few ideas, and some partially finished stories, floating about that could do with a good sit-down. And last, but not least, is something rather big for Creatures Challenges!

I love creating for Creatures, even if I’m not exactly doing anything amazing! It’s a fun learning experience for me, and I can see myself moving onto more advanced projects over time. Time is what I need more of, though… The day I finish a project is a great one, and I do believe I need to start checking some things off my list soon!

What COBs, Agents, Breeds, Metarooms, Etc. Do You Use the Most?

In terms of Creatures 1, I use a very select group of add-ons. C1 worlds can be a little finicky when they get too filled, and I tend to err on the side of caution. I typically use COBs that fix things, rather than adding anything brand new. The custom world I recently posted is pretty much identical to the world I always use! On that subject, I should have an alternate version out soon with some other suggestions from Malkin. I usually follow a whole lot of recommendations when it comes to Creatures 3 and Docking Station. Those worlds are full of customization options, and I’ve tried out a lot! I thought about making a list of some of my favorites, although I know I would end up leaving a lot out. My list of C3/DS underwater agents includes many of the agents and fixes I use in most worlds, and I have a few other COBs I use from time to time listed under my recommended C1 add-ons. There are a lot of excellent creations out there, though, and I’m always excited to try something new… Even if it’s from years ago!

What Would You Like to See More of?

Tough question, because my go-to answer is EVERYTHING. What I would really love to see are new creators, as corny as that may sound! It takes a lot to create something new, yet we tend to get so many new perspectives with new players. I feel like we’re all very open to teaching others about the more advanced sides of CAOS and genetics. There isn’t one tiny group of experts who want to keep that information purely for themselves. Ask a question, and you’ll typically have a handful of people trying to teach you how to solve a problem. Granted, it’s not always easy to jump in, and I keep meaning to post some simple tutorials. I also love seeing new creations from those who released something long ago, or just the other day. I may not personally use every new add-on, yet I’ll be excited about it! Create. You can do it.

What Would You Like to See Less of?

The only thing I never truly embraced were breeds that used up breed slots, yet whose sprites were simply recolored from the originals. This is most prevalent in C3/DS. Although it has the most breed slots available, there is still a limited number. Yet in pretty much every other case, no one can go wrong. Everyone seems to have unique ideas that translate into downloads that are completely different. So long as everyone doesn’t get the idea to create a million versions of cheese at once, I think we’re good to go!

What Pet Peeves Do You Have with Add-Ons?

First, not properly crediting someone or using something without permission gets to me… Yet I haven’t seen this happen anytime recently, and I can’t even remember a particular instance. I only mention this because I do know that it can happen, and the best thing to do is to simply ask. My policy might sound strict, but anyone who has asked to use something of mine has been met with a warm reception. Second, I get irked by a lack of a Readme file or some sort of identifier with a download. When I save these for later use, I have to go searching for any special installation instructions. More importantly, I have no idea who to thank for creating it unless I remember where I downloaded it from. A Readme can be the simplest text file that just lists the add-on, the creator’s name, and some quick installation instructions.

Finally, please be sure to properly test a new add-on. I’ve had some crashes directly related to incomplete COBs or agents that probably could have used a little extra time before being released. This isn’t to say that anyone should shy away from the creation process: Just be sure to inject your own creation and test it out for at least a few minutes. Everyone’s Norns, Grendels, and Ettins will be much happier for that extra check!

What Do You Love to See?

The boring fixes for the games are often my most favorite, but I know I’m an outlier in that respect! Anything that hasn’t been done before always gets my attention, too. I’m easy to impress, mainly because Creatures has so much to offer. Seeing others create and release new stuff inspires me to do more, too! So although I might not necessarily use a new download, I’ll feel the need to finish up a small project of my own. Chances are I’ll get sidetracked before that happens. Ha! I’m also impressed by the more nontraditional releases, such as art and stories. There are a plethora of talents that can be applied to Creatures. I’m looking forward to what comes out during this year’s CCSF!

As I mentioned in some previous answers, I’m constantly changing how I play the games. In particular, C3/DS seems much more open to different possibilities. I expect I’ll continue to try out different agents, breeds, and metarooms. There isn’t a perfect combination of add-ons because new releases come out quite regularly, and it’s fun to experiment with different objects. I’ve already mentioned it, but I truly appreciate each and every person who has taken the time to create for Creatures, or to teach about the concepts behind creating. Our community has many, many years of new ideas to put into the games!

How Has the Way You Play Creatures Changed Since You Started?

For one thing, I got a little smarter and now know what I’m doing most of the time! The biggest change is in the way I treat the complex elements. When the Genetics Kit was first released, I remember it making its way onto my birthday list. I had no idea what anything did. My biggest triumph was creating a green Norn… And I think that happened because I followed a tutorial. Back then, I never thought I would ever touch genetics and CAOS. Yet here I am, learning more about real world genetic concepts while I learn how to fix the food in Creatures 1. Although a lot of these complex aspects require a more serious demeanor, the one that that hasn’t changed is the laughter. I feel like I can dive deeper into the games without losing sight of the lighthearted nature it possesses. I can be right in the middle of figuring out which neurons do what, when a Norn will attempt to eat a lift and look so disappointed when that just won’t happen. Too funny!

What Has Stayed the Same?

As I mentioned, I still get a lot of enjoyment out of the simple joys in Creatures. As short and boring as that answer is, I think it’s one of the big reasons why I’ve never lost interest in the games. Sure, I take a break every now and then, but I think we all do. What draws me back are those simple smiles, and silly moments. In the past I remember carefully raising Norns from birth, and that still remains just as central to my playing style now, if not more so!

Do You Play a Different Game More?

I barely gave Creatures 3 a chance back when I first got it, but over the past few years I’ve found more ways to enjoy it. I also never played Docking Station, so that’s certainly made it onto the list! However, Creatures 1 is still the game that takes up most of my time. And although it’s definitely not my favorite game, I still pick up Creatures Village once every couple of months. There’s more to it than first meets the eye, just like the other games.

Have You Picked Up a Different Play Style?

From reading many different blogs throughout the years, I’ve tried out more world customization in C3/DS. I’ve also come to enjoy wolfling runs, which never worked for me in the past. That may have been due to the fact that I called them “wolfing” runs… One letter off, and that was enough to throw me off. I’m easily thrown off and distracted!

Have You Thrown Out One Species and Embraced Another?

I’ve always preferred Norns over the other species. There was even a time when my brother and I wrote up a document stating how Ettins had to interact with Norns… It was a set of makeshift “laws” that would result in a trip to the Splicing Chamber for bad behavior. Luckily, we never did get around to implementing it! Although I’m still drawn to Norns, I’ve grown quite fond of my Creatures 1 Grendels. I owe a huge thanks to The Truth About Grendels and The Realm for inspiring me to give these strange, green beings another chance.

I suppose the power of this post was too much, because I had a lovely power failure right in the middle of writing this up! Unexpected darkness when it’s already dark outside is not my idea of a good time. Luckily, that rarely happens! Although it does tie into this not-as-short-as-originally-planned post, because it reminds me of how completely lost I was when I first played. Now a sick Norn gets immediate treatment, rather than me sitting there wondering if pushing the lift button would be a relevant medical solution. Ha! I imagine I’ll always change over time with all of the new things that constantly come out. We have a very innovative and imaginative community, which is not something to take for granted. I’m excited to learn more about Creatures, to share some of that knowledge with anyone who could use it. I guess all I need to do is spend more time with those silly Ettins!

How Would You Describe Your Playing Style?

I hover. That’s all there really is to it. Ha! In Creatures 1, I’m always jumping around to check on all of my Norns and Grendels. It gets difficult when there are a lot of them spread out, yet I enjoy having a “hand” in their upbringing. Oh my, the bad puns are back! I like to watch them grow up independently, yet the first game is more conducive to players who want to be involved. In C3/DS, I tend to take an uninvolved stance mainly because it feels like I’m not as needed. I treat those times as a sort of documentary, where I’m just there to look for interesting mutations. If a C3/DS Norn gets sick, I usually don’t step in. If a C1 Norn gets sick, I’m on the edge of my seat setting up a quarantine and food station within seconds! What works for me differs between the games, and I think the Creatures series allows all sorts of players to find their preferred playing styles. There isn’t one right way to play, and that’s the beauty of the games!

Do You Have Lots of Worlds, or a Few?

For Creatures 1, I typically have my main world filled with all of the Norns and Grendels whose lives are documented on Discover Albia. I often have another world solely for testing projects I’m working on, or for taking a look at COBs created by others. I’m so attached to my C1 Creatures that one main world is definitely plenty for me! When Creatures 2 decides to cooperate, I usually have a single world… Which usually crashes after a few hours. Ha! Creatures 3 and Docking Station are a little different because there are so many customizable options. The selection of agents, breeds, metarooms, and other add-ons means that it’s easy to tailor each world to a specific purpose. For me, it doesn’t make sense to have a world with aquatic areas and vast tree houses. I like to separate my worlds based on type, although it’s rather fun to mix a little bit of everything together every now and then!

Do You Have Strict Wolfling Runs or Do You Individually Nurture Your Creatures, or Both?

As many probably expect, the answer to this question depends on the game I’m playing. In Creatures 1, I raise every Norn and Grendel. I spend about 10 minutes with a baby as soon as he or she hatches to teach vocabulary and the most important lesson: How to eat! No one has much privacy in my world, although I will say that C1 is severely limited in its food sources. I often drop carrots randomly to make sure everyone is happy and healthy. This results in me getting attached quite quickly. I’ve got my quarantine process down pat, and now the only thing I can’t stop is old age. I will allow my Creatures to have the chance to take care of themselves, though. Sometimes I sit back and just observe for a bit. When one of those sad faces shows up, though, I’m back in action!

In C3/DS, I usually have a little more of a mixed playing style: I’ll set up a world and hatch some eggs. If there’s a major catastrophe or if I feel like something unfair has happened, I’ll lend a “hand” to the aggrieved party. With these puns, I’m sure anyone reading this feels that this is a terrible situation. Ha! There are times when I’ll leave a world running in the background. The downside to this way of doing wolfling runs is that there isn’t an actual log of what happened. Even when I choose not to raise any Norns, I still like to know what happened during their lives.

Any Particular Habits or Quirks?

I try to hatch eggs during even minutes only. This is easy in Creatures 1, but much more difficult in the other games. Why do I do this? I did it when I started playing, and I’ve stuck with it. That’s definitely a quirk! As soon as a baby is conceived, I immediately check out the genome to see what mutations might be waiting to hatch. When I absolutely must punish a Creature, I try to use the verbal “bad” or “no” in place of a slap. It’s not always possible… And it’s a little silly because both do the exact same thing. Yet when it comes to praising someone, I’m definitely offering up more tickles. I also abuse the play and pause buttons, all in the name of getting the best pictures!

Somehow I feel like the way I play Creatures sounds overly dull and boring, yet it works for me. I also love how I can go and do something totally out of character, like actually having a Creatures 1 wolfling run. The best part of reading the other Creatures blogs is to see how others play: Often I get ideas for new worlds, or just blatantly copy a concept to enjoy for myself. It’s easy to try something new with Creatures, even after all these years. I imagine there will be a few things released during the CCSF 2016 that will make me want to try something different! That’s one of the best parts about our little community: A single idea can inspire all sorts of players to enjoy the games in new ways. Who knows: My answers to these questions might be quite different a year from now… Or even next month!

How Did You Get Into Creatures in the First Place?

It was my birthday, and I was just getting into playing computer games. I believe this was around the time of the original series of Catz and Dogz, collectively known as Petz. I was also very interested in my Tamagotchi, which accidentally took a swim with me one day… I was so upset that my dad went through the trouble of dismantling it and drying out all of the components. I can’t remember if it actually survived, but I remember nervously waiting around. I was serious about my virtual pets! So it was no surprise that one of my gifts was a game all about raising little critters called Norns. It was called Creatures, and I was in love with it just from the pictures and text on the box. I owe this lifelong joy to my family!

What Game Did You Start With?

Creatures 1 was the first game I started with, and is still the game I play the most. I have to say that I was lucky with the timing: Several years later, and I probably would never have felt as interested if I started with Creatures 3 or Docking Station. There is a special connection we often have with the games, movies, music, and other things that came around during the happy times of our childhoods. Those of us who grew up with Creatures are lucky!

What Intrigued You About It or Was the Most Fun?

The fact that these little critters were capable of learning and were actually alive was amazing to me. All of the history behind the Shee and Albia also piqued my interest: These Norns had been abandoned, and it was up to me to take care of them. Mind you, I started playing when the internet was still pretty new and I didn’t connect with anyone that way. Of course I knew that this was just a game, but somehow I felt like I had this enormous responsibility to make sure the Norns lived. I had no clue what anything did, and I was just excited about naming my Norns! I had no idea what I was doing. It felt like I was too young to understand everything. Glycogen? Histamine A? Science?! I didn’t understand much of it. And that is precisely why I fell in love with the game. It felt like an experience I could grow into: Something I had to learn to fully appreciate it. At the same time, I had to make sure those Norns were getting plenty of food and tickles! Not to get off-topic for long, but I really think this is one of the hidden strengths of Creatures. It’s a game series that challenges players to do more than just click. I literally had to teach myself all manner of things to “get” the game, and to this day I’m still learning! Perhaps it’s not the flashiest nor most entertaining game, yet I’ve always seen it as more than just a game: It’s truly an experience that’s unique to each person. Just as each Norn is unique, so is each player. Truly wonderful.

Do You Have Any Special or Fond Memories?

Where to begin?! Oddly enough, I can still remember most of the Creatures I’ve written about on Discover Albia. Those memories are tucked away forever in an endless supply of blog posts that I can always look back on for some laughs and tears! Going way back, I often reference the story of the Christmas Eve wolfling runs my brother and I setup for several years in a row. We would start out early in the night with a few Norns and the fancy Santa Norn! We were always excited to see what would be waiting for us on Christmas morning. Yet without fail, the world only progressed about 20 minutes… Because we always forgot to disable the computer’s sleep mode! Even though those were a failure, it was still so much fun to set things up for our Norns that night. We raised them to be adults and spoiled them with plenty of toys. Just goes to show that even those apparent failures can still work out to be nice memories!

I also vaguely recall the moment when my Norns started to explore so I could see the rest of Albia. When I first played Creatures 1, I didn’t know how to use the Favorite Places to navigate without any Norns in the world. It felt like the world went on forever, and there was just so much to see. Even now, I still notice a little something here or there that I never saw before. It’s such an intricate world, and its warm color palette was right up my alley. The little bits of music also reminded me of one of my favorite movies of all time: Labyrinth. It all seemed so perfect!

A few points to me for keeping that reasonably short! I could go on and on about Creatures because I adore it so much. There has never been a game that comes close to the series. Even though I prefer the first game, I still have fond memories from Creatures 2, Creatures 3, and Docking Station from years ago. Each game is different enough from the rest that it’s difficult to get tired of the series. My only regret is not remembering my very first Norn and what he or she was like. I get attached to these little critters, just like I did with my Tamagotchi! Luckily, Norns can go swimming… Just be sure those who aren’t amphibious have a friendly Pufferfish nearby! Creatures 1 will always be with me, and it’s the only video game I’ve stuck with for so long. It’s a game that stands on its own, and that uniqueness has always drawn me to it. Plus it’s hard not to love those cute Norns and Grendels!

It seemed like just a moment ago that Souliei was contemplating her pregnancy, but soon enough there was an egg to show off. Martagon watched over his little family while the egg grew and Souliei took a well-deserved nap. This Creatures 1 world has a lot going on with so many Norns and Grendels, yet these two stayed together throughout the course of my play session. There were some kisspops mixed in there, but luckily C1 Norns take awhile to recover. Egg laying is supposed to be worth the effort. Martagon and Souliei looked like they found their place in the world, even if it wouldn’t last forever. One can never expect Norns to stay in one place forever!

Sleep was the common thread that brought everyone together. Although not visible, there is actually a day and night cycle that exists in Creatures 1. I’ve never looked into it in great detail, although I believe it: Often many different Norns and Grendels, on opposite sides of the world, will fall asleep around the same time. Or maybe I just tend to make everyone tired on the same schedule… In any event, Jucunda was taking her nap! She was actually in a very explorative mood, traveling by lift and teleporter. I often label certain Creatures as brave, but I do believe going through a teleporter qualifies as the bravest. I sure hope the Shee left those teleporters in acceptable shape and with no mechanical issues.

Then, it happened. The one occurrence that I forgot about with my Grendels and try to avoid with every generation of Norns. Pentlandii was horrified, while Rehmannii found it hilarious. That’s right: These two adult male Grendels are now identical! For reference, Rehmannii is on the left and Pentlandii is on the right. I have a feeling that Pentlandii might have a little more blue to him, but not enough to make things easy for me. Now begins the fun part of trying to tell these two apart! This also means that there isn’t just one adult male Grendel anymore… Watch out Jucunda!

I headed off in search of the youngest Norn, Souliei… Oh. Dear. That’s not right. The old body data and sprite project I never returned to came up in a conversation recently, and this pose really made me realize that I need to get back to that project. Fast! These issues are purely cosmetic, yet I feel like they give Creatures 1 an unpolished image, which it doesn’t deserve. Older games can sometimes be less appealing based on their graphics, even if they have some of the best and unique features. I have an idea about how I can at least create some sort of “temporary” collection of fixes… I say “temporary” because the scope of the entire project encompasses hundreds, possibly even thousands, of images and text files. That will take awhile with my busy schedule.

Fortunately, there were no other body data issues to plague my mind… For now. Nanum had almost snuck an entire pregnancy under my nose, courtesy of the way the Observation Kit only shows a small number of Norns at once! Martagon looked quite pleased, and it wasn’t until Nanum was almost ready to lay her egg that I realized why. She deposited her little bundle of joy in the treehouse, near the cable car bay, and went straight down to the happening scene: The lair of the deathcap mushroom. Then she did something a Norn seldom did: She pushed the up button on the lift. Might I point out how the deathcap mushroom was still intact when she left? She ignored it! Go, Nanum! Maybe she can teach the others a thing or two about how to survive.

Souliei soon came to terms with the way her body would always be completely off, and she kind of enjoyed being able to appear partially invisible. I found her contemplating this, when I realized there was something new about her, and it certainly wasn’t invisible. She was carrying an egg! Martagon was prowling around the treetop, but in a nice sort of way. He was very nice to anyone who happened upon him, unlike some of the other males. This pregnancy means that everyone in the world has at least one child, thereby securing their legacies. I have two more Norns to add to this generation, yet the world is already somewhat overcrowded with 10 Norns and 4 Grendels. Likely we won’t meet those last babies for awhile, although there seem to be plenty of antics that can happen in the meantime!