Norn (Creatures)

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A Norn is an artificial lifeform in the computer game series Creatures. Norns are the focal species in the game. The game revolves around hatching, breeding and teaching these creatures while watching them grow and develop.

Norns begin their life cycle by hatching from eggs, and gradually grow in both size and mental capacity, learning to speak and manipulate their environment.

Norns can breed, or "kisspop", with the offspring sharing DNA from both parents. As Norns are haploid, and only about eight can live in the same game world at the same time, the player can breed any two Norns together so long as both are fertile, no matter how closely related they are (this prevents inbreeding). However, through random genetic mutations and deliberate genetic manipulation (gene splicing) on behalf of the player, Norns can evolve in a variety of ways. These variations can range from simple things like increased or decreased resistance to poisonous plants, to underwater breathing ability. Sometimes the Norn's appearance may change, such as altered fur color or body parts that normally belong to a different breed. Also note that these mutations can become active only at certain stages of the Norn's life cycle.

If it weren't for the mutations present in the game, it could be possible that all of the Norns would breed together over succesive generations to eventually produce identical offspring. Thankfully, the mutation rate is high enough in the game to keep this from happening; however, some breeders also find it useful to diversify their gene pool by isolating some of their Norn populations for a while, or getting new Norns from other players. The game comes with an import/export function which allows players to take their Norns (or sometimes other creatures) out of the game in the form of .exp files. This allows a Norn to enter a state of suspended animation outside of the game world, where it can stored for later usage, "cloned" by copying the file, or distributing it over the Internet in the form of an email attachment or link.

Norns have genetics in the form of haploid dDNA, a biochemistry system, several organs (only in Creatures 2 and 3), and an artificial neural network that serves as its brain. A Norn has an average brain size of about 1000 neurons, and can learn from its experiences and be trained.

There are different breeds of Norns, and some of their differences may not be related to appearance. For example, in Creatures 3, there are Magma Norns, which prefer hot environments, and Toxic Norns, which thrive on poisons and diseases which normally kill other Norn breeds.

Norns have an average lifespan of about 5 to 15 hours, depending on its genetics, diet, how it reacts to its environment, and the kind of care its owner gives it. It is possible that an immortal Norn can be created through splicing or a mutation, such as through an altered gene which causes the Life chemical in Creatures 2 to constantly rise.

Norns can be classified as omnivores; that is, they eat both plants and animals. Their diet changed slightly over the course of the games, but it generally includes carrots, cheese, honey, herbs (sometimes harmful ones), fruit, fish, potatoes, nuts, and sometimes even certain insects. Norns generally use only chemical energy as their main nutritional need; in Creatures 1, they generally eat Starches to turn them into Glucose, and Glycogen for energy storage. However, in later games, their biochemical systems and nutritional needs became more complex, and they required a balanced diet of starches, fats, and proteins to stay healthy. Once taught, Norns (especially those in Creatures 3) can be quite capable of feeding themselves without direction from the player, although they may develop preferences for "junk foods", such as honey, rather than the energy-rich foods they need to stay healthy.