Assimilation: How does it work?

[Sheliek]

It's something I've been wondering for a while. What makes a species assimilated?

The difference between infestation and assimilation seems to be that infestation is temporary. An infested terran (or protoss, based on Creep) happens on a case-by-case basis. They are not permanent additions to the Swarm in the same way a zergling is. The zergling is a permanent addition to the Swarm, and was assimilated from another species (the Zz'gashi dune runners).

At one point does a species become assimilated? Does every individual need to be infested? Is it something different? For that matter, why do the zerg infest when they would be better off assimilating? Can terrans be fully assimilated into the zerg without them going extinct?

[Kimera757]

It's something I've been wondering for a while. What makes a species assimilated?

The difference between infestation and assimilation seems to be that infestation is temporary. An infested terran (or protoss, based on Creep) happens on a case-by-case basis. They are not permanent additions to the Swarm in the same way a zergling is. The zergling is a permanent addition to the Swarm, and was assimilated from another species (the Zz'gashi dune runners).

At one point does a species become assimilated? Does every individual need to be infested? Is it something different? For that matter, why do the zerg infest when they would be better off assimilating? Can terrans be fully assimilated into the zerg without them going extinct?

Infestation is "quick and dirty". If you don't have time, you just infest. If you do have time, you assimilate. The only assimilations we've seen "on-screen" are banelings (took a long time) and roverlisks (really fast).

You can also partially assimilate a breed. For instance, in Heart of the Swarm, the Zerg Swarm can assimilate yeti. There's no yeti breed (or infested yeti), rather, just their resistance to cold was stolen.

According to Abathur, anytime you add DNA to the Swarm, you also reduce the flexibility of further mutations. (So you run out of mutagen slots in-game, I suppose.) As a result, you should only assimilate "good" species, or "good" traits of otherwise "junk" species. (I'm guessing yeti are "junk", but their resistance to cold is a "good" trait.)

Incidentally, terrans are a "junk" species too. Their only "good" trait was psionic potential. Once they had that, zerg attacks on terrans had nothing to do with assimilation. (The zerg were looking for resources, artifacts or just plain revenge on Kerrigan's part.)

There's nothing to indicate you need to assimilate an entire species. I'm pretty sure the Zz'gashi dune runner is still alive, and wouldn't be surprised if the seemingly-widespread mantis screamer is still out there. Zerg do generally try to wipe out the rest of the species though. Presumably they give that low priority; if you're in the midst of a war, better deal with your enemies first.

[Zeraszana]

well, i forgot the whole process but i know that they put something into the genes of the species in question (for assimilation) and through generations that come afterwards those add-ons put them more and more into the zerg swarm (something like that, i think it is written somewhere more accurately)

yes, a species does become assimilated but not every individual is required to be infested therefore the zerg may assimilate a species without them going extinct but as they destroy everything that isn't theirs i'd imagine that the assimilated species disappear afterwards.

they infest because it is way quicker. while the infestation is only on small numbers and doesn't add a species permanently it does temporarily create new soldiers/specimens on a quick basis which is good if you need a rather quick boost in either your numbers or evolution (remember the mini stories when kerrigan was forcing evolution)

and i would opt for yes on the last question, but only if it means that earth and the UED remain somehow away from the zerg, but if you only refer to the terrans in the Koprulu sector then the answer would probably be no even though i imagine that packs of terrans would remain unaffected because we got balls

edit: damnit, kimera stole half of my reply :P quick bastard

[Sheliek]

Infestation is "quick and dirty". If you don't have time, you just infest. If you do have time, you assimilate. The only assimilations we've seen "on-screen" are banelings (took a long time) and roverlisks (really fast).

You can also partially assimilate a breed. For instance, in Heart of the Swarm, the Zerg Swarm can assimilate yeti. There's no yeti breed (or infested yeti), rather, just their resistance to cold was stolen.

According to Abathur, anytime you add DNA to the Swarm, you also reduce the flexibility of further mutations. (So you run out of mutagen slots in-game, I suppose.) As a result, you should only assimilate "good" species, or "good" traits of otherwise "junk" species. (I'm guessing yeti are "junk", but their resistance to cold is a "good" trait.)

Incidentally, terrans are a "junk" species too. Their only "good" trait was psionic potential. Once they had that, zerg attacks on terrans had nothing to do with assimilation. (The zerg were looking for resources, artifacts or just plain revenge on Kerrigan's part.)

There's nothing to indicate you need to assimilate an entire species. I'm pretty sure the Zz'gashi dune runner is still alive, and wouldn't be surprised if the seemingly-widespread mantis screamer is still out there. Zerg do generally try to wipe out the rest of the species though. Presumably they give that low priority; if you're in the midst of a war, better deal with your enemies first.

Thanks for the detailed response. That cleared a lot of it up.

I'd argue against what you said about terrans being a junk species. Look at the aberration. It's a pretty strong strain, and is basically a heavily mutated terran. I agree with the psionic potential bit, though; it's why the Overmind left once it had Kerrigan. It's almost a shame we didn't see more psionics in the swarm beyond Kerrigan.

[Twilice]

Ultralisk > Aberration, I think I think it's some kind of mix infestation.

[Sheliek]

The ultralisk is indeed better, but I believe the abberation shows terran potential as a fully assimilated strain.

[Kimera757]

When you compare terrans to, well, any other Earth species of approximate size, we tend to be slower and weaker. (Even a chimp, which is only about 6 million years separated from humans, is three times stronger pound for pound, putting it at about twice as strong. They're also tough enough to wrestle with each other without suffering dislocated shoulders.)

Humans do have intelligence (you can beat a tiger with a spear, or fire, or better yet both plus group tactics), but the zerg (according to the original manual) already developed the ability to make smarter breeds after "absorbing" xel'naga, and with other intelligent breeds (eg brood mothers) they don't need more of that. The only thing left is psionics.

As far as I can tell aberrations aren't assimilated, but are a product of devoting more resources to infesting terrans. Those kinds of resources could be better expended elsewhere, IMO.

[Sheliek]

When you compare terrans to, well, any other Earth species of approximate size, we tend to be slower and weaker. (Even a chimp, which is only about 6 million years separated from humans, is three times stronger pound for pound, putting it at about twice as strong. They're also tough enough to wrestle with each other without suffering dislocated shoulders.)

Humans do have intelligence (you can beat a tiger with a spear, or fire, or better yet both plus group tactics), but the zerg (according to the original manual) already developed the ability to make smarter breeds after "absorbing" xel'naga, and with other intelligent breeds (eg brood mothers) they don't need more of that. The only thing left is psionics.

As far as I can tell aberrations aren't assimilated, but are a product of devoting more resources to infesting terrans. Those kinds of resources could be better expended elsewhere, IMO.

Fair enough.

I'd ask if we'd see the assimilation of them as a psionic strain, but we have Kerrigan already. It's obvious where that would go.

If, however, psionic zerg don't default to something Kerrigany, I could see a psionic spellcaster strain, sort of like ghosts or high templar.

[mr. peasant]

It's something I've been wondering for a while. What makes a species assimilated?

The difference between infestation and assimilation seems to be that infestation is temporary. An infested terran (or protoss, based on Creep) happens on a case-by-case basis. They are not permanent additions to the Swarm in the same way a zergling is. The zergling is a permanent addition to the Swarm, and was assimilated from another species (the Zz'gashi dune runners).

At one point does a species become assimilated? Does every individual need to be infested? Is it something different? For that matter, why do the zerg infest when they would be better off assimilating? Can terrans be fully assimilated into the zerg without them going extinct?

This is probably a gross oversimplification and the lore-masters would probably smack their heads in my inaccuracies but I see the difference between infestation and assimilation as such:

1. Infestation is the incorporation of Zerg genetics into an alien host, mutating and enslaving the organism.
2. Assimilation is the incorporation of the alien's genetics into the Zerg swarm, creating a new strain and/or enhancing existing ones.

In short, an Infested Terran was once a man while a Zergling (assimilated species) was never a Zz'gashi dune runner but instead grew/developed from a Zerg larva.

[Twilice]

+1 pylon for your post mr.peasant. Short and good explaination :P

1. Infestation is the incorporation of Zerg genetics into an alien host, mutating and enslaving the organism.
2. Assimilation is the incorporation of the alien's genetics into the Zerg swarm, creating a new strain and/or enhancing existing ones.