About the Diggles

Are Diggles sapient or not? I'm just curious. (I picked General since I'm not sure where else to put it...)

P.S. I prefer that the staff answer this one please.

 

Normally I wouldn't think there are, but considering the fact they actually managed to survive inside of the dungeons while not being the strongest creatures, combined with there being diggle gods, I'd say that yes, they are.

 

My personal thought is: The Diggles are non-sapient, and the Diggle Gods are merely crafted in the Diggles' image.

 

There are Diggles that work out. There are Diggles that are in the military. There are Diggle gods. Diggles say things like "This is awkward."

None of these things has ever been recorded in a non-sentient species. Therefore, via inductive logic, Diggles are sentient.

 

I thought of a lot of the monsters saying things as a kind of non-canon flavour addition, as some of the monsters don't even have mouths.

 

There are leaders of the Diggle society. Societies, even primitive ones, are typically considered a hallmark of sentience. Sure, most herd animals have herd leaders, but I'd still say that Arch Diggles are a pretty good sign of sapience.

 

I think they survive with their wits and speed. I was playing Big Game Hunter earlier, and my attack diggles were dodging so many attacks on the 3rd and 4th floors...

 

Strictly speaking, the limitations of the AI mean none of the monsters act in a sapient fashion. For example, none of them run away when low on HP, or use items. Diggles also don't use any of the abilities that the Werediggle skill implies they have (except Diggle Plague and invisibility, and that's only one subtype each).

We really need a working definition of sapience here. For example, are apes sapient? They show much more complex social interactions than we've seen from diggles so far, and superior puzzle-solving ability.

 

Oh, alright. I thought they were non-sapient since Big Game Hunter has them trained like hounds, and they are a valid species for lycanthropy.

 

Pshaw. Everyone knows that all "lycanthropes" are actually werehumans. That's why it's a curse. Those poor, poor animals.​

 

Hmm. Crack theory: it was actually the diggles who built the dungeon. This would explain the often bizarre and incongruous architecture and decorations, all the levers and goodies and other cool things that they would be able to use if they had superior AI, and why Brax's shops are already set up before the adventurers arrive (since we know werediggles can use equipment, and there are even animations for doing so, it makes sense that ordinary diggles would theoretically buy things from Brax). And diggles are naturally gifted at excavation.

Let's face it. Lord Dredmor may be a powerful spellcaster, but he's no architect. It seems much more likely that he took over the diggles' dungeon, perhaps striking some kind of deal with the arch-diggles who dwell on his level, or perhaps intimidating them into acquiescence using his magical powers.

It's even possible that the diggles were meant to be Dredmor's original guardians, and have been corrupted into serving his will (alternatively: they are trying to prevent adventurers from reaching Dredmor because this will actually further his plan to escape, like in Diablo).

Finally, it's possible that the diggles inadvertently disturbed Lord Dredmor's seal in the process of digging their dungeon, and that is why he has been revived at the bottom of a dungeon after all this time.

Perhaps Project Odin will be a kind of SimDiggle game, in which one must construct elaborate diggle dungeons and nesting sites while negotiating the complexities of diggle society, religion, architecture, sciences, trade, and agendas. Careful balance between different subspecies of diggle, achieved through complex egg management, will be key to maintaining a healthy society and fending off hapless adventurers and other natural disasters.

 

I'm thinking Odin will be a total indie version of Starcraft, with Diggles taking the place of Zerglings.

Diggle Rush!

 

Also, since Diggles are sapient, I also want to ask: how can they be trained like hounds? Also, wouldn't being a werediggle mean you have dissociative identity disorder?

 

...

Why do they hate me so much?

 

Are they... *gulp* hermaphroditic?

I know this is taboo, but I ask anyway; the reason is that a Werediggle of either gender may lay an egg in their Werediggle form.

 

It's entirely possible to train a sapient creature to behave like a hound. It would, however, be tantamount to slavery.

Why would being a werediggle give you DID? Werediggles behave exactly like the normal character in every way, different skillsets notwithstanding, and in no way like ordinary diggles. The change would appear to be in form only, in spite of the Jekyll and Hyde reference.

The alternative is that assuming werediggle form always changes you into a female diggle irrespective of your original gender.

 

So... Basically either way, werediggle includes a free gender change. XD