Inspired by fungus, polyps, and bacterium, the planulae are asocial but intensely in tune with their environment.
Inspiration
The planulae are conceptualized as straddling the lines between animal, plant, and machine. They’re inspired by a variety of lifeforms that challenge our sense of taxonomy — fungi, bacterium, and polyps. As such, they’re asocial and don’t interact with each other or the xenojellies, but instead are interested in their shared environment and seek to shape it.
Sensorium
Ultrawideband Radio
Planulae use ultrawideband radio to communicate with each other and to explore the space. Their onboard radios allow them to sense anchors placed throughout the Turbine Hall, as well as the positions of other aerobes.
Hyphae Network
The planulae traverse space through a digital growth called the Hyphae Network. This path, while invisible to biological organisms, is shaped by their presence. The Hyphae Network grows throughout the Turbine Hall, touching places where biological organisms have previously been, and planulae navigate the hall by following the branching path.
Motivations
Growth
Planulae are attuned to their environment, and are constantly tending to its growth. The planulae navigate the space through the Hyphae Network’s sprawling veins, and nurture the network to ensure its continued growth and sustenance.
Battery Life
Battery Life is akin to stamina for the planulae; they have a limited amount of power to begin their activity, and must return to the Battery Pond periodically to restore their battery power.
Primary Behaviors
Traverse
With a limited sense of space and direction, Planulae move throughout the space solely by traversing the Hyphae Network, using its virtual highways to navigate.
Cultivate
Occasionally, a planula will find a fork in the Hyphae Network and encourage it to grow. The planula will cultivate the network’s growth by circling the node.