The (not really) Official Endgame Summon Thread!

[MaxWilson]

I think if you had said "heterotroph" instead of "animal" you would not have gotten the "Hunh??!!" reaction. Rather you would have gotten, "Well, duh."

"Animal" is pretty well-defined as belonging to the kingdom animalia, which excludes bacteria, for instance. If there were fungi which were genetically closer to humans than some animals, even very simple ones, it would mean there was probably something very strange going on with transgenic migration. That would be interesting, but apparently it's not what you meant.

-Max

[Lingchih]

MaxWilson said:
I think if you had said "heterotroph" instead of "animal" you would not have gotten the "Hunh??!!" reaction. Rather you would have gotten, "Well, duh."

"Animal" is pretty well-defined as belonging to the kingdom animalia, which excludes bacteria, for instance. If there were fungi which were genetically closer to humans than some animals, even very simple ones, it would mean there was probably something very strange going on with transgenic migration. That would be interesting, but apparently it's not what you meant.

-Max

Well, I haven't really been following this post for a while, but yes, there are fungi which are closer genetically to animals than plants, in the same way that corals, although appearing plantlike, are actually animals.

I'm an experienced, although technically amateur, Mycologist. I can look up the scientific papers on this, if you like, though I would rather spend my time playing Dominions.

[llamabeast]

I think HB's claim that we weren't sure about wasn't that some fungi are closer to animals than plants are, but rather that there are some fungi that are closer to humans than some animals are. I'm fairly sure that, using conventional definitions, this falls into the classification of "non-true".

[TheMenacer]

This is getting pretty far off topic folks, biology's pretty cool but until the developers integrate genetics, I doubt any of this is going to come up in Dominions 3.

[JimMorrison]

TheMenacer said:
This is getting pretty far off topic folks, biology's pretty cool but until the developers integrate genetics, I doubt any of this is going to come up in Dominions 3.

Dammit, don't burst my bubble!? Anyone remember Sim Life? I want a Sim Pretender who -sometimes- does what I want, as I guide his efforts to develop powerful magic and breed his race of super mutants out of Hoburgs.

Forget the summons, whatcha gonna do when the HOBURGS come for you???

[MaxWilson]

Point and laugh.

-Max

[HoneyBadger]

Actually, that was Lingchih's claim. I'm not the one that started this whole mess but I have heard-and generally accept-that certain species of plants aren't all that removed from animals. I could also accept that fungi are even closer to animals than other types of plants, because they have some animal-like qualities-for instance not requiring sunlight as their direct and primary source of fuel. That would therefore suggest-should it all be biologically correct-that yes, some fungi *are* closer to humans than other plants, and allow the possibility of some animals-having split off before plants, or what have you, to be further removed from humans than other animals.

The horseshoe crab, I would think, would make a likely candidate. Someone ought to do something with horseshoe crabs for Dominions-they really are quite strange creatures. Trichordates might be fun too.