brian_s
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 587
Registered: 05-27-2004
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So far all the tarstuff grow the same. What about a new tarstuff with a different growth method. In particular one that grows only into squares connected orthogonally. A 2x2 blob would not grow into a 4x4 square, but grow into a small cross shape.
T = original tarstuff; G = growth area

 |G|G| 
-+-+-+-
G|T|T|G
-+-+-+-
G|T|T|G
-+-+-+-
 |G|G| 

Timo006
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 518
Registered: 07-19-2006
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1) What would the tarstuff do? Where can you cut it, how long will it take for it to grow etc.?

2) Also, I think (not so sure though) that briar grows in that pattern.

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Drod Number: 3034; 8th person to see the Second Sky

Chaco
Level: Smitemaster
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Registered: 10-06-2005
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I'll second the desire for an answer to 1). I can point out what 2) is, however.

Briar grows in that pattern in DROD: RPG, but not in regular DROD (where it follows similar expansion rules to tar, but without the provision of all cells necessarily being part of a 2x2 square) Nothing in DROD currently follows this pattern, and certainly not in a consistently-30-turn-per-spawn method.

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zwetschenwasser
Level: Master Delver

Rank Points: 200
Registered: 05-22-2007
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Expanded hypothesis:
The material was created in the early days of the empire through a fusion of tar and an exotic surface plant known as the Silmpurr. The material, as it is a fusion of tarstuff and surface life, was banned after being derogatorily dubbed "sludge".
1. The material can only be cut on the endpoints (corners and edges of the most outward layer) and is stable even at the one by one size (at which point it becomes uncuttable).
2. A two-by-two block of this substance, when cut, would become three one-by-one uncuttable blocks.
3. Due to the inability to completely remove it, architects decided not to incorporate its molecular structure into the tarstuff gate mechanism.
4. A sludge pipe is an indestructible obstacle that attaches to one of the edges of the sludge (for example, where S is stable sludge and P is the pipe:
S S S P
S S S
).
5. The sludge pipe would expand the sludge every sixty turns to every horizontally adjacent square (not diagonal, as said before).
6. Due to its lower surface tension, sludge CAN grow onto ortho squares and oremites, covering them up until cut.
7. Sludge will only grow outwards if attached at one point to the sludge pipe, and WILL expand into 1x1 projections if placed adjacent to a obstacle scenario comparable to one that would form indefinite streams of tar and mud babies.

____________________________
Currently working on GaTEB and KDD (never finished the silly thing).

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[Last edited by zwetschenwasser at 10-01-2008 10:50 PM]