In the irradiated wasteland of Vortex, companion animals have undergone remarkable evolutionary adaptations. Companion Pets are eternal, loyal companions that bond with survivors. Unlike short-lived creatures, Vortex pets live forever—they grow, mature, and never perish permanently, regardless of stat fluctuations.
Eternal Lifecycle & Growth
Pets are born as young companions and grow continuously as their Age in Days progresses. Because pets are eternal, dropping to 0% Health or 100% Hunger will never cause death or permanent loss. Instead, prolonged neglect or poor conditions directly impact the pet's mental stability, emotional satisfaction, and temperamental mood state.
The Complex Mood & Sanity Spectrum
A pet's state is governed by a dynamic mental and emotional rating system tracking five core vitals:
- Health (HP) & Stamina: Physical condition. Never drops below a 10% survival floor.
- Hunger: Increased over time. High hunger causes agitation and drains sanity.
- Sanity (0% to 100%): Represents the companion's psychological balance. Drains under starvation or harsh conditions.
- Satisfaction (0% to 100%): Reflects affection and care. Boosted by feeding, petting, and web dashboard interactions.
Mood Classification Tiers
Depending on overall care, your pet's mood dynamically shifts between four distinct states:
- ✨ Radiant / Ecstatic (85% to 100% Mood): The pet is in peak happiness, emitting a bright glowing aura.
- 😊 Happy / Content (60% to 84% Mood): A healthy, well-balanced companion providing standard stat boosts.
- 😔 Glum / Agitated (30% to 59% Mood): Shows signs of mild neglect and restless behaviour.
- 👁️ Sinister / Insane (0% to 29% Mood): Severely neglected or traumatised state. The pet emits a dark purple/red aura and begins synthesising eerie, corrupted materials.
Dual-Tier Yield Production: Pristine vs Sinister Items
A pet's mood directly governs the nature of items it generates for its owner:
- Happy & Radiant Pets: Synthesise pristine, highly valuable resources such as Pure Vita Essence, Golden Spores, Pristine Crystals, and High-Grade Alloys.
- Sinister & Insane Pets: As sanity plunges, the pet's altered biology begins producing strange, dark, and uncanny materials such as Eldritch Flesh, Corrupted Spores, Dark Void Residue, Sinister Relics, and Nightmare Essences.
Both categories of items possess unique crafting applications, market value, and trade demand across the wasteland. A savvy survivor can choose to maintain a happy, radiant pet for pristine medical supplies or deliberately cultivate a dark, sinister companion to farm uncanny mutated artifacts!
