Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Creatures?
A: Creatures is a remarkable artificial life program from Cyberlife. If you didn't know that, what are you even doing here? Go to Cyberlife's site to learn more about the game, then, if you're interested, buy the game. It can (usually) be found at a software store near you. In the U.S., it runs about $40, though I've seen it for $35.

Q: Are any demos available?
A: No. Only games that are played in levels or that have features that can be disabled can have demos. Creatures, by its very nature, can't have one. Therefore, it doesn't.

Q: What is Creatures 2?
A: Creatures 2 is the upcoming sequel to Creatures, slotted for release in fall 1998. It will be distributed by Mindscape to the U.S. More information about Creatures 2 is available elsewhere on this site.

Q: What is the Life Kit?
A: The Life Kit is a Creatures add-on marketed by Mindscape, the U.S. distributor of Creatures. Although it is unavailable outside North America, you can go to Mindscape's site for more information.

Q: What are the Darwin/Doctor and Cheese cheats?
A: The Doctor and Cheese "cheats" (the Doctor cheat was once called the Darwin cheat, because of how it was used in an earlier version of Creatures) are actually features in the game that Cyberlife took out. These features can be reactivated by using the "cheat". I think the only way to use this is in Windows 95, by editing the registry; however, there might be a corresponding INI file entry somewhere for Windows 3.11.

WARNING! Editing the registry can potentially damage Windows 95. If you are inexperienced with computers, DO NOT attempt to use this cheat without a pre-made file. (Files to install the cheats are available on some sites.)

To use the Doctor or Cheese cheats:

  1. In Windows 95, open the registry editor. (If you don't have a shortcut for it, select "Run" from the Start menu, and type "regedit".)
  2. Select "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" from the list. Then select "Software", then "Millenium Interactive" (the former name of Cyberlife), "Creatures", and finally "1.0".
  3. In the right pane of the window, select the value that says "Priveleges", and hit ENTER to edit it. The current value should be "User". Change this to "Doctor" or "Cheese". (The Doctor is the most full-featured of the two. The Cheese cheat only lets you pick up objects, whereas Doctor offers many other options.)
  4. Close the registry editor and run Creatures. From the World menu, which did not appear before, select "Open" and load World.SFC, which is the world you were working with before. (You can use other worlds using this technique. You merely have to copy Eden.SFC and rename it.)
    It is very important that you manually save the game from the World menu when you quit. The game will no longer autosave when it is in this mode.
Cyberlife warns that these modes may not act as expected, as they are no longer supported. You must also take care to save your world every time you quit the game, or else lose any changes that have happened.

In the Doctor cheat, you will notice another new menu that says "Log". All the commands on this menu are grayed out and unusable; they are no longer implemented.

Q: What is a COB file?
A: A COB file is an object made for Creatures. It contains information that an object injector uses to create a new object, and scripts that the game uses to manage the object.

Q: How do I use a COB file?
A: You need to have the most recent version of Creatures, including an object injector. Without it, you can't use new objects.

Q: Where can I find the object injector applet?
A: To get the object injector, go to Cyberlife's site and download the two expansion packs. Install them in the order they were released: expansion pack #1, then #2. DO NOT download the object injector alone, as it doesn't work unless the game knows it's supposed to be there--the expansion packs take care of setting up the injector for you.

Although other programs, such as CobCom and Alexander Laemmle's COE, can inject objects as well, you're really better off getting the object injector and the latest version of Creatures, if you don't already have them.

Q: What is a Sweet/Highlander/immortal Norn?
A: "Sweet Norn" is another name for immortal Norns, a.k.a. Highlander Norns. Some people refer to immortal Norns as Sweet Norns because the very first (known) immortal Norn was named Sweet. These Norns are impervious to aging past a certain point due to a genetic abnormality. They stay at 100% health almost all the time.

In addition to the Highlander gene which causes this, there is a similar mutation called the Zeus gene which also makes Norns live forever. These Norns have somewhere between 95%-98% health most of the time. The mutations both alter the same chemical reaction (a digestive reaction in which glucose is converted to glycogen), but they alter it in different ways.

Q: What is a Forest Norn? What is a Ron Norn?
A: Forest and Ron Norns are new breeds of Norns, which were introduced in the Life Kit. The Forest Norns are easygoing and the female, Nancy, has an expanded concept lobe. Ron Norns have better fight-or-flight instincts. Ron Norns look very dog-like, because they are based on Ron, the original Norn. Forest Norns are blunt-nosed, frizzy-haired, and tall; they remind me of Fraggles. (If you've never seen Fraggle Rock, then that description probably won't help any.)

Q: What are the Ettin and Shee?
A: The Shee and Ettin were species Cyberlife was originally thinking of releasing along with Norns and Grendels. The Shee are the mysterious creatures who preserved the Norn race (as I understand it--the info's hazy), and the Ettin were supposed to be benevolent dragons.

Although the Ettins' future is uncertain, Cyberlife has stated that they will not release the Shee.