New sexual reproduction

[PurpleYouko]

I have just had an idea regarding sexual reproduction.

How about if we use a type of shot that causes the target to send back a DNA package (like a sperm cell)
When this sperm cell hits the original bot, it will cause this bot to reproduce with a mixture of her own DNA and that contained in the sperm.

This way it gives a potential mother a method by which she can choose the father of her children.

Alternatively, robots could simply fire sperm shots at other bots. Then all the bots could have cycles during which they could be receptive to such a sperm shot. maybe they can even choose to be receptive based on what they see.
This system would make it necessary for both partners to "agree" to the mating before it happened. Also opens the door for different sex definitions within bots.

Maybe a couple of new sysvars, *.sex and *.refsex

Hehe. They could even change sex or have their sex forcibly changed by other bots with info shots or ties.

 :D

[Griz]

good ideas.
well ... maybe not that last one ...
forced gender changes sorta, kinda gives me the creeps. ;)

[Numsgil]

One thing to keep in mind:

There are two different outlooks on sex depending on your scale.

To microscopic organisms sex is a joining of two organisms into a new single organism.

To macroscopic organisms sex is impregnation of a female by a male (or, among funguses, some either weirder things).

[Endy]

choose to be receptive based on what they see

I think I like this idea the best. This way the receptive bots have a better say about events. A bot could set it's receptive period to some length, or disable it by storing a zero. Alternativly a sneak could fire at any receptive bots around, in hopes it's shots are closer than the male the female wants.

We could also use a gene re-arranger sysvar. Would help out by spreading similar duplicates around in the genome, providing different genes the chance to affect evolution.