Photocyte

The Photocyte is the first cell type encountered in the game. It can convert the energy in light incident on it to chemical energy.

## Description

The Photocyte is a cell full of little stains and dots that look like Chlorophyll. It feeds energy from light. This cell is one of the three main cells used for feeding an organism, the others being the Devorocyte and Phagocyte.

The Photocyte is a high consumption cell with an Energy Usage Coefficient of **2.5 ng/h**.

The amount of energy that a Photocyte produces is proportional to the its surface area.

## Settings

**Make adhesin**
**Type:** Switch
If checked, this cell's children will be linked by adhesin.
**Default:** No
**Prioritize**
**Type:** Switch
If checked, this cell will gain extra nutrient priority when it is dangerously low on mass.
**Default:** Yes
**Cell type**
**Type:** Cell type selection
The type of the cells that are on this mode.
**Default:** Phagocyte
**Initial**
**Type:** Switch
Whether or not this mode will be the one placed on the substrate.
**Default:** Yes if M1, otherwise No

**Child 1**:

**Mode**
**Type:** Mode selection
The mode of child 1.
**Default:** Current mode
**Keep adhesin**
**Type:** Switch
If checked, child 1 will keep the adhesin connections that the parent already has, assuming it ends up on the side where the connection is.
**Default:** Yes
**Mirror\***
**Type:** Switch
If checked, this cell will be mirrored with respect to its parent.
**Default:** No

**Child 2**:

**Mode**
**Type:** Mode selection
The mode of child 2.
**Default:** Current mode
**Keep adhesin**
**Type:** Switch
If checked, child 2 will keep the adhesin connections that the parent already has, assuming it ends up on the side where the connection is.
**Default:** Yes
**Mirror\***
**Type:** Switch
If checked, this cell will be mirrored with respect to its parent.
**Default:** No

**Split mass**
**Type:** Slider
The minimum amount of mass the cell should have before it can split.
**Default:** 2.538 ng
**Snap values:** Split at age 0.50 h, 0.774 ng, 0.900 ng, 1.026 ng, ... , 3.546 ng, Never split
**Split ratio\***
**Type:** Slider
The ratio of mass distribution between the two child cells.
**Default:** 0.50:0.50
**Snap values:** 0.100:0.900, 0.133:0.867, 0.167:0.833, ... 0.900:0.100
**Nutrient priority\***
**Type:** Slider
The cell mass flow priority of this cell.
**Default:** 1.00
**Snap values:**

10

−
12

12

,

10

−
11

12

,

10

−
10

12

,
…
,

10

12

12

{\displaystyle \sqrt[12]{10^{-12}}, \sqrt[12]{10^{-11}}, \sqrt[12]{10^{-10}}, \dots , \sqrt[12]{10^{12}}}

**Split angle**
**Type:** Slider
The split angle relative to the cell's front.
**Default:** 0°
**Snap values**: 0°, 15°, 30°, ... , 360°
**Child 1 angle**
**Type:** Slider
The angle of the first child relative to the split angle.
**Default:** 0°
**Snap values**: 0°, 15°, 30°, ... , 360°
**Child 2 angle**
**Type:** Slider
The angle of the second child relative to the split angle.
**Default:** 0°
**Snap values**: 0°, 15°, 30°, ... , 360°
**Red color**
**Type:** Slider
The amount of red that this cell has.
**Default:** 0.000
**Snap options:** 0.000, 0.044... , 0.088..., 0.133..., ... , 1.000
**Green color**
**Type:** Slider
The amount of green that this cell has.
**Default:** 0.000
**Snap options:** 0.000, 0.044... , 0.088..., 0.133..., ... , 1.000
**Blue color**
**Type:** Slider
The amount of blue that this cell has.
**Default:** 0.000
**Snap options:** 0.000, 0.044... , 0.088..., 0.133..., ... , 1.000
**Adhesin stiffness\***
**Type:** Slider
The amount of resistance to rotations that the adhesin connection should have.
**Default:** 0.000
**Snap options:** 0.000, 0.044... , 0.088..., 0.133..., ... , 1.000
**Cytoskeleton**
**Type:** Slider
The hardness of the cell.
**Default:** 1.0000
**Snap options:** 0.5000, 0.5625, 0.6250, ... , 2.0000
**Adhesin length\***
**Type:** Slider
The length of the adhesin connection made when this cell splits.
**Default:** 0.000
**Snap options:** 0.000, 0.044... , 0.088..., 0.133..., ... , 1.000
**Max connections\***
**Type:** Selection
If the cell is already connected to this many or more cells, it will not split.
**Default:** 20

## Usage

This is a light cell which could make plants and algae for prey and things. It could make immortal (not really) species.

## Trivia

* This cell has the highest energy consumption of all cells.
* Even though it's the first cell encountered and is unlocked since the start of the game, it appears third on the list of Cell Types in the Genome tab, right below the Flagellocyte.
* Petter has released preview images of an additional Photocyte pigment property, which can be chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and melanin.

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