Ailments
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This article is about chronic health conditions that cannot be treated completely using medicine alone. For physical damage, see Injury. For treatable conditions, see Disease.
'mtb' stands for 'Mean Time Between', and is how it's presented in the game files.
Some conditions can give rise to other conditions; the risk of this happening will diminish if the condition is treated.
Most permanent ailments are curable with body part replacements or usage of the healer mech serum.
Chronic
Ailments that come with age. EIther non-fatal, or progresses extremely slowly towards fatality compared to infectious diseases.
Alzheimer's
A brain disease usually associated with aging. Alzheimer's disease causes progressive degradation in the ability to think and remember. Patients are known to forget close relatives and sometimes wander around in confusion.
Alzheimer's progresses by 0.003 per day, meaning that it will take 333.33 days for it to reach full severity from when it first appears.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's (minor) | >=0% severity |
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| Alzheimer's (minor) | >=20% severity |
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| Alzheimer's (major) | >=50% severity |
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| Alzheimer's (major) | >=80% severity |
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A human pawn can first get Alzheimer's at age 34.
| Alzheimers Chance |
|---|
Asthma
A chronic health condition where inflammation causes the airways to narrow, restricting the flow of oxygen to the lungs. Unlike other chronic diseases, asthma can be contracted at almost any age, meaning it's not terribly uncommon to have an asthmatic person some time down the line.
When not treated, it progresses by a rate of 0.25 per day, meaning it will take 2 days to reach full severity (50%).
Good treatment will reduce the rate of progression by up to 0.8, meaning it will regress by 0.55 a day; it can be returned to its initial severity, but cannot be cured completely.
Asthma's severity will fluctuate depending on the quality of treatment received, with a treatment quality of 32% beginning to regress the stages of asthma (the higher, the better).
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Asthma (minor) | >=0% severity | -10% part efficiency |
| Asthma (major) | >=30% severity | -30% part efficiency |
| Asthma (major) | >=45% severity | -50% part efficiency |
Treatment:
- The severity of asthma can be reduced with treatment, which can be given every 420,000 ticks (around 7 days). One treatment applies to both lungs.
- Asthma can be cured by replacing the lung with a non-diseased one.
A human pawn can first get Asthma at any age.
| Asthma Chance |
|---|
Bad Back
Degradation in the spinal column and surrounding musculature. This makes it hard to move and bend smoothly.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Bad back |
|
A bad back can be cured by installing a bionic spine
A human pawn can first get a Bad Back at age 41.
| Bad Back Chance |
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Cataracts
Milky-looking opacity in the eye. Cataracts impair vision.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Cataract | -50% part efficiency in the affected eye. This results in 50% sight if both eyes are affected. |
Cataracts can be cured by replacing the affected eye with a bionic or archotech eye.
A human pawn can first get Cataracts at age 49.
| Cataracts Chance |
|---|
Carcinoma
A carcinoma (or cancer) is where mutated cells uncontrollably divide to form tumours, which then 'crowd out' normal bodily cells and hinder bodily function in that area. Carcinomas can be surgically removed (requires a surgeon with at least 10 medicine skill), or healthy parts can be transplanted in some cases. Ordinary treatment (which can be performed by anybody) will prolong the development of a carcinoma or speed up remission, with better treatment being more effective. Installed Nuclear stomachs 
create a carcinoma on the torso with an MTB of 120 days.
A carcinoma typically starts out at 30% severity. There is a 30% chance that a carcinoma won't cause any pain whatsoever.
A cancer has 3 stages; growing, stable and remission.
- When growing, it progresses by 0.003 per day, multiplied by a factor of 0.45 - 1.65.
- When stable, it neither grows nor regresses on its own.
- When in remission, it regresses by 0.002 per day, multiplied by a factor of 0.7 - 1.5.
Good treatment can slow progression by 0.0027 per day, meaning that the carcinoma will grow slower when in growing stage, regress slowly when stable (or for very slow-growing carcinomas), and regress quickly when in remission.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Carcinoma (minor) | >=0% severity |
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| Carcinoma (minor) | >=15% severity |
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| Carcinoma (major) | >=40% severity |
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| Carcinoma (major) | >=60% severity |
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| Carcinoma (extreme) | >=80% severity |
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| Carcinoma (extreme) | 100% severity |
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Treatment:
- Treated every 240,000 ticks (66.67 mins)
- Surgical removal; this needs 4 medicine (regular or above) and a doctor of Medicine skill 10 or above, and has only 70% base chance to succeed
A human pawn can first get a Carcinoma from normal aging at age 23. Carcinomas from other sources including Toxic buildup and Nuclear stomachs can happen at any age.
| Carcinoma Chance |
|---|
Dementia
Dementia is simply the functionality of the brain declining, and affects all cognitive functions.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Dementia |
|
A human pawn can first get Dementia from aging at age 69. Dementia from other sources including Toxic buildup can happen at any age.
| Alzheimers Chance |
|---|
Frail
Generalized loss of muscle and bone density. Note that frail can stack with bad back.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Frail |
|
Can only be cured with Luciferium or a Healer mech serum
A human pawn can first get Frail at age 51.
| Frail Chance |
|---|
Artery Blockage
A blockage in one of the critical arteries in the heart. Heart artery blockages randomly induce heart attacks.
Artery blockages progress by a base of 0.0007 per day, multiplied by a random factor between 0.5 - 3.
This means that artery blockages can take anywhere from 7.9 to 47.6 in-game years from onset to become fatal on its own.
Artery blockages can be treated by replacing the heart.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Artery blockage (minor) | >=0% severity |
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| Artery blockage (minor) | >=20% severity |
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| Artery blockage (major) | >=40% severity |
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| Artery blockage (major) | >=60% severity |
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| Artery blockage (extreme) | >=90% severity |
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| Artery blockage (extreme) | 100% severity |
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A human pawn can first get an Artery blockage at age 21.
| Artery blockage Chance |
|---|
Hearing Loss
Inability to hear quiet sounds due to degradation of hair cells in the cochlea.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Hearing loss |
|
Can be partially mitigated with one or two cochlear implants Can be completely mitigated with a single bionic ear, even if the other ear remains affected
A human pawn can first get Hearing Loss at age 49.
| Alzheimers Chance |
|---|
Acute
Some ailments arise as a result of an acute lack of food or exposure to extreme temperatures. These ailments can only be treated by addressing the underlying cause (e.g. providing food or moving to more comfortable temperatures).
Malnutrition
When a pawn's food meter reaches 0% they will begin to suffer from malnutrition, shown on the Health tab. When a colonist is starving they will prioritize eating over other activities, including firefighting and doctoring.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Malnutrition (trivial) | 0.0 days since hunger hit zero |
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| Malnutrition (minor) | 1.2 days since hunger hit zero |
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| Malnutrition (moderate) | 2.4 days since hunger hit zero |
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| Malnutrition (severe) | 3.5 days since hunger hit zero |
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| Malnutrition (extreme) | 4.7 days since hunger hit zero |
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| Malnutrition (extreme) | 5.9 days since hunger hit zero |
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Blood Loss
A reduction in the normal blood volume. Minor blood loss has relatively mild effects, but when blood loss becomes severe, oxygen transport becomes badly impaired and the victim loses the ability to move. Extreme blood loss leads to death.
Blood loss occurs when a pawn has untreated bleeding wounds. Bleeding wounds are identified on the Health tab by a blood icon and a tooltip shows the bleeding rate. Total blood loss is listed under Whole Body and its tooltip shows the total blood loss. Overall bleeding rate is shown at the bottom.
Once all bleeding wounds are healed the pawn will start recovering from blood loss. It takes up to 4 days to fully recover.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Blood loss (minor) | >=15% blood loss |
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| Blood loss (moderate) | >=30% blood loss |
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| Blood loss (severe) | >=45% blood loss |
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| Blood loss (extreme) | >=60% blood loss |
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| Blood loss (extreme) | 100% blood loss |
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Heatstroke
Heat stroke occurs when a pawn has prolonged exposure to temperatures well above their maximum comfortable temperature.
N.b. It is possible for a pawn to have both Heatstroke and Hypothermia at the same time if time is spent in both extreme heat and cold. Their severities are unrelated.
The exact way the rate of severity gain is calculated is currently unknown to this wiki.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Heatstroke (initial) | >0.04 Severity |
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| Heatstroke (minor) | >0.20 Severity |
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| Heatstroke (serious) | >0.35 Severity |
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| Heatstroke (extreme) | >0.62 Severity |
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| Heatstroke (100%) | =1.00 Severity |
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Hypothermia
Hypothermia occurs when a pawn has prolonged exposure to temperatures well below their minimum comfortable temperature.
N.b. It is possible for a pawn to have both Heatstroke and Hypothermia at the same time if time is spent in both extreme heat and cold. Their severities are unrelated.
The exact way the rate of severity gain is calculated is currently unknown to this wiki.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothermia (shivering) | >0.04 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (minor) | >0.20 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (serious) | >0.35 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (extreme) | >0.62 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (100%) | =1.00 Severity |
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Hypothermic Slowdown (Insectoid)
"A special biological state used by some creatures to survive extreme cold. Instead of trying to stay warm, the creature's body chemistry adapts to prevent internal freezing despite very low temperature. Bodily functions are slowed and capacities are reduced, but the cold does no permanent damage. Some biologists call it a wakeful form of hibernation."
Insectoids avoid Hypothermia and experience Hypothermic Slowdown instead with similar penalties but avoiding death at 100% and no frostbite.
Slowdown value increases many times above 100% with apparently no upper limit. When defrosting insects this total value is used so defrost time is proportional to total time frozen.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothermia (minor) | >0.04 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (moderate) | >0.20 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (serious) | >0.35 Severity |
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| Hypothermia (extreme) | >0.62 Severity |
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Drug damage
These ailments are caused by excess drug use.
Cirrhosis
A degenerative liver disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption. An otherwise healthy pawn with cirrhosis will have an immunity gain speed of 70%, making them extremely vulnerable to disease.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Cirrhosis |
Chemical damage
Permanent damage that occurs as a result of drug overdose or tolerance. There are two variants.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Chemical damage (moderate) |
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| Chemical damage (severe) |
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Treatment:
- Kidney chemical damage can be cured by replacing with a non-damaged kidney
General
These ailments appear in gameplay, and usually wear off on their own (except death-causing ones).
Cryptosleep sickness
After-effects of using a cryptosleep pod. Cryptosleep suspends and replaces many bodily functions in order to prevent aging and death. Upon exiting cryptosleep, the body takes time to restart and rebalance its natural metabolic processes. While this is ongoing, the patient suffers from nausea, dizziness, and a sense of fuzziness in the mind.
Occurs after having been in a ship cryptosleep casket or a cryptosleep casket for any amount of time. The colonists in the "Crashlanded" scenario have a chance of starting with cryptosleep sickness, as they were in cryptosleep before crashing on the planet.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Cryptosleep sickness |
|
Treatment:
- Wears off after 10,000 ticks (2.78 mins)
Food poisoning
Occurs after having eaten a contaminated meal or occasionally from raw food. The chance of contamination for cooked meals is determined by the cook's skill and the cleanliness of the room where it was prepared
Raw food has a flat chance of 2% of causing food poisoning. Note that food poisoning starts at 100% severity and drops to zero (and goes away) over the course of 24 hours.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Food poisoning (minor) | 0-4 hours from onset |
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| Food poisoning (major) | 4-20 hours from onset |
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| Food poisoning (recovering) | 20-24 hours from onset |
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Toxic buildup
Primarily occurs with exposure to toxic fallout. A colonist under a roof is protected from exposure. Prolonged exposure gradually increases the buildup level. Once a colonist returns to a roofed area their buildup severity will gradually decrease. The buildup severity occurs in stages. The later stages cause permanent dementia which does not wear off even after toxic buildup subsides. When a pawn affected by toxic buildup dies, there is a chance that its corpse will instantly rot - this chance is equal to the severity.
Alternatively, some attacks also cause toxic buildup, such as cobra bites, the venom talon or venom fangs .
Once no longer exposed, severity reduces by 0.08 per day, meaning that it will take up to 12.5 days to eliminate all toxins accumulated in the body. However, colonists that reach high stages of toxic buildup are likely to develop further complications.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Toxic buildup (initial) | >=4% severity |
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| Toxic buildup (minor) | >=20% severity |
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| Toxic buildup (moderate) | >=40% severity |
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| Toxic buildup (serious) | >=60% severity |
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| Toxic buildup (extreme) | >=80% severity |
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| Toxic buildup (extreme) | 100% severity |
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Brain shock
"After-effects of an electrical shock to the brain. This is generally cause by feedback from brain implants hit by EMP pulses." - In-game description
Occurs when an EMP effect hits a pawn with the following brain implants:
It lasts between 2,500 ticks (41.67 secs) and 3,500 ticks (58.33 secs).
Despite only occuring with implants from the Royalty DLC, it is defined in the Core code.
| Stage | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Brain shock |
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Surgical
These ailments happen with medical operations.
Anesthetic
Used in surgery to make sure that a pawn is unconscious. It can also be administered outside of operations using a medical bill, consuming medicine.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthetic (sedated) | 0-6 hours from onset |
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| Anesthetic (woozy) | 6-12 hours from onset |
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| Anesthetic (wearing off) | 12+ hours from onset |
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Treatment:
- Wears off on its own between 45,000 ticks (12.5 mins) to 75,000 ticks (20.83 mins) even if severity has not reached 0%
- Surgery is unaffected even if it wears off before finished
Version history
Prior to 1.1 it lasted only 15,000 ticks (4.17 mins) and did not have any other stages afterwards.
Resurrection
These may occur after a dose of resurrector mech serum is applied on a dead pawn.
Resurrection sickness
After-effects of being resurrected by mechanite injection. Artificially-kickstarted body processes take time to rebalance themselves.
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Resurrection sickness |
|
Treatment:
Probability:
- 100% chance of being applied
Blindness
Mechanites fail to properly repair the eyes, instead causing more damage to it, resulting in blindness.
Blindness from resurrector mech serum applies to both eyes, resulting in total blindness
| Ailment | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Blindness |
|
Treatment:
- Replace eyes with bionic eyes or archotech eyes
Probability:
- 2% chance when used at 0.1 days or less of decay
- Linearly increases to 80% after 5 days decayed
Resurrection psychosis
Chaotic thought patterns caused by the decoherence of resurrection mechanites. Resurrection psychosis progresses and eventually causes total psychosis and death.
The severity of the psychosis increases by 0.01 per day, meaning that it will kill in 100 days. Hopefully this gives you enough time to find a healer mech serum, the only treatment for the disease.
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Resurrection psychosis (hidden) | >=0% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (early) | >=10% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (moderate) | >=25% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (advanced) | >=40% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (severe) | >=55% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (total) | >=70% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (catatonic) | >=85% severity |
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| Resurrection psychosis (catatonic) | 100% severity |
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Treatment:
- Healer Mech Serum
- Allowing the pawn to die again, then resurrecting once more (rerolls the disease)
Probability of contracting:
- 2% chance when used at 0.1 days or less of decay
- Linearly increases to 80% after 5 days decayed
Heart Attack
Heart Attacks can randomly occur on any pawn/animal at any time, but they become more frequent as they pass half of their life expectancy (e.g. 40 years in Humans), triggered by Birthday event. There must be more than 2 colonists on your colony for this to occur.
The average interval between heart attacks is curved as follows (in days).
0-50% of LE: 99,999,999 - 99,999,999
50-60% of LE: 99,999,999 - 2,500
60-100% of LE: 2,500 - 300
Examples of intervals and chances:
55% of Life Expectancy (e.g. 44 in humans): 50,001,249.5 days (approx. 0.00000002% per day)
80% of Life Expectancy (e.g. 64 in humans): 1,400 days (approx. 0.000714% per day)
Stages
| Stage | Begins at | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Painful | 0% Severity |
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| Debilitating | 60% Severity |
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| Fatal | 100% Severity |
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Progression
Heart attacks always start at 40% severity. Every 5,000 ticks (1.39 mins) the heart attack severity will randomly change by a value between -40% to +60%. This means that it is possible for a heart attack to treat itself on its own, but usually the heart attack progresses to fatal severity.
Treatment
Like injuries, medicine can be used to treat a heart attack.
Doctors treating heart attacks will administer treatments rapidly, consuming medicine in the process. Each treatment has a chance to succeed, reducing the heart attack severity by 30%. Successfully reducing severity below 0 will completely treat the heart attack.
The maximum chance a particular treatment can succeed is 65%.
Version history
- 0.7.581 Added with Cataracts and bad back
- 0.8.657 - Hypothermia, frostbite, heatstroke, or burns from being in extreme-temperature areas added
- 0.9.722 - Food poisioning added. Cryptosleep sickness added. Some ailments can now cause vomiting.
- 0.10.785 - Starvation and blood loss are now staged and affect consciousness as they worsen.
- 0.12.906 - All organisms including animals have life expectancies and will develop chronic conditions like frailty or cataracts in old age. Heart attacks added