Biochemistry
The biochemical system of a creature is simple compared
to even a bacterium's,
but as you shall see, it has an appreciable level of complexity.
Overview
Each large square represents a chemical system, each small square represents a
chemical,
and the circles represent the Reactions gene for the enzyme responsible for the
chemical reaction.
The arrows show the flow between different chemicals via reactions.
| The Immune System
The Energy Shot System
The Drive System
|
 |
The Fight or Flight System
The Toxin and IV Systems
The Dancing System |
Below shows the detail of this diagram, showing the gene number for each reaction.
Next is a breakdown of each system, some also have links to pages with even more details.
Basic Chemical Systems
The Digestive System
In many ways this is the core system, without it the creature would die.
The first part of the system begins with Starch, which is present in
food. It is broken down into Glucose (some Glucose comes from IV Energy injections).
Glucose is then stored as Glycogen (this is detected as "health"), and broken
down again, in an endless cycle.
The production of Hunger and Hunger-- goes hand in hand
with this cycle, when the norn has just eaten, there is more Glucose than Glycogen, so
lots of Hunger-- is produced.
If the norn is starving, Glucose goes down, and so lots of
Hunger is produced.
In the second part of this system, Hexokinase, produced by muscle action, breaks down glucose into CO2. In Ron norns Activase is also produced.
Glucose is further used up in the Adrenaline, Female and Immune Systems.
Glycogen is destroyed up by the Geddonase and Glycotoxin Systems.
There is more information on this page.
The Drive Systems
This system is much larger that the diagram below shows, as there are thirteen
drives, each with its own Drive, Drive++ and Drive-- chemical.
On the right we see that Drive++ (for example Pain Increase) splits
into the Drive chemical (for example Pain) and Punishment.
Thus the Drive++ chemical
increases the amount of the Drive, this punishes the creature for not addressing it's own
needs.
Complimentary to this, Drive-- (for example Pain Decrease) breaks down Drive
chemicals into Reward.
So the creature is rewarded for satisfying its needs.
To the left we see that the Reward and Punishment chemicals are broken down into Echo versions of themselves and Reinforcement, all of which help the learning process.
The Adrenaline System
Adrenaline is produced from stressed norns, or can be injected IV.
Adrenaline breaks down Oestrogen and Testosterone so the norn does
not concern itself with breeding in a survival situation.
Adrenaline also burns Glucose,
and is further involved in the Flight or Fight System.
The Female System
This system is governed by female-only genes that are carried by males, but
unused by them.
Gonadotrophin is produced by the foetus, it uses up Glucose in one cycle, and breaks down Oestrogen in another.
Oestrogen is also broken down by the Adrenaline System.
More details can be found here.
The Immune System
This system is more complex that shown here, there are ten Antigen chemicals
numbered 0 to 9, and ten complimentary Antibody chemicals.
Antigens are converted to Antibodys of the same type using Glucose,
these then kill off the bacterium and thus stop further Antigen production.
The Antibody
chemical lingers in the blood to prevent further infections of the same type for a while.
Note that baby creatures are born with some natural immunity via some antibodies.
The Fight or Flight System
This chemical system was first introduced in Ron norns.
Activase, produced from the breakdown of Glucose, reduces Fear and Anger.
Turnase turns Fear into Anger, so preparing for fight instincts, Collapsase turns Anger into Fear, preparing for flight.
Intravenous and Toxic Chemicals
The Energy Shot System
The simplest system, a single reaction turning injected Energy into Glucose and
Pain++.
The Toxin and IV Systems
The intravenous chemicals generally produce positive Drive alterations.
Antioxidant
makes the creature live longer by adding to is Ageing chemical, the chemical that breaks
down as the creature ages.
Histamine A is produced by bacteria and some Weeds and causes
sneezing which spreads the bacteria to other creatures and the environment.
Sleep and
Fever toxins are present in various Weeds, and have obvious effects.
Alcohol produces
Anger in males and Sex Drive in females, both sexes receive Sleepiness from Alcohol.
The Glycotoxin and Geddonase Systems
These are relatively simple toxin systems.
Geddonase (introduced in the PMN norns) uses
up Glucose and Glycogen in two cycles, only the Glycogen one reduces the amount of
Geddonase.
Glycotoxin breaks down with Glycogen to produce Pain++ and Sleepiness++.
Geddonase genes were first introduced in Purple Mountain norns.
The Dancing System
Dancing or Purple Mountain Alcohol breaks down Boredom and NFP.
This was first introduced in Purple Mountain Norns.
