Doodle God is a popular casual simulation and world-building game created by indie games studio JoyBits. First released in 2010, Doodle God has seen many iterations over the years across multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Facebook, and more recently Nintendo Switch.
The objective in Doodle God is to combine different elements starting from basic building blocks like earth, fire, water and air to create more complex materials and lifeforms. Players start with a limited number of elemental items and mix and match them to unlock new combinations. For example, combining fire and water makes steam, while combining air and earth makes dust.
The gameplay mechanics center around experimenting with different element combinations to gradually build up the game world from scratch. With over 330 elements to discover, Doodle God offers an addictive and entertaining experience for players of all ages to learn about science and the origins of the universe.
Table of Contents
Obtaining Clay
Clay is one of the key elements that players will want to create early on in Doodle God. Clay can be obtained by combining the earth and fire elements within the game.
To combine elements in Doodle God, players first need to have unlocked the two elements they wish to combine. Earth is available from the start, while fire will need to be created by combining energy and air. Once both earth and fire are unlocked, players can drag one element on top of the other in the main game window to merge them.
When earth and fire are combined, the clay element will be created. An animation will play showing the elements interacting and transforming into the new clay element. The clay icon will then be added to the main element menu so players can use it going forward.
Creating clay is an important step in Doodle God as it opens up many new element combinations. Having clay will allow players to create materials like brick, porcelain, ceramic, and more, helping them progress further in their world building.
Uses for Clay
Clay has served many important purposes throughout human history. Two of the most significant uses of clay have been crafting bricks and pottery, which helped drive technological advancement and the rise of civilization.
Clay’s malleability, durability when fired, and waterproof nature make it an ideal material for bricks. Sun-dried mudbricks date back over 10,000 years as one of humanity’s earliest building materials. Fired clay bricks emerged later and enabled the construction of large, permanent structures. The advent of brick architecture expanded cities, infrastructure, and technology.
Clay pottery also traces its origins back thousands of years. Early civilizations shaped clay into vessels for cooking, storage, and transport. Over time, innovations in pottery and ceramics enabled improvements in food preservation, trading goods, art and self-expression. The discovery that clay could be turned to ceramic with fire led to production of early tools, utensils and decorative items.
Both clay bricks and pottery were fundamental to establishing agriculture, permanent settlements, trade routes and early economies. Clay therefore played an instrumental role in the advancement of human civilization and technology in ancient times.
Clay Combinations
One of the most exciting aspects of clay in Doodle God is experimenting with combining it with other elements to create new materials. Here are some examples of interesting clay combinations you can try out:
Clay + Water
Adding water to clay produces mud, a fun moldable material. Mud flows and drips, unlike stiff clay, allowing you to pour it into molds.
Clay + Air
Exposing clay to air allows it to dry out and harden. Once dry, you can carve and decorate the clay to make sculptures, bowls, tiles and more. The drying process transforms soft clay into hardened ceramics.
Clay + Fire
Applying high heat from fire bakes the clay, driving out any remaining moisture and hardening it permanently. This transforms it into materials like earthenware, stoneware or porcelain. Try experimenting with different firing temperatures.
As you can see, combining clay with other elements produces exciting new crafting materials to play with. Keep trying out different mixtures as you progress through the game. The possibilities are endless!
Clay in Mythology
Clay has long been associated with creation and life myths across many cultures. In Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus shaped the first humans out of clay. After shaping these figures, Athena breathed life into them. Thus, in Greek myth, clay represents the raw substance from which life emerges.
The Jewish legend of the Golem also involves shaping a figure from clay. In the story, a rabbi brings a clay monster to life to defend the Jews of Prague from persecution. The parallels between clay golems and Adam, the first man shaped from clay in Genesis, are clear.
These myths tie life itself back to the humble origins of clay. Just as clay is transformed by the potter into vessels, gods and humans shape clay into living figures. The myths reveal an ancient reverence for the creative power locked within this ubiquitous material from the earth.
Clay in the Real World
Clay is an important material in the real world with many unique properties and uses. It is composed primarily of fine-grained minerals such as illite, kaolinite, and smectite. The composition and exact properties vary based on factors like the parent rock it formed from and environmental conditions during formation.
Geologically, clay forms over long periods as igneous rocks like granite break down into sediments. Water transports these sediments, deposits them in layers, and compacts them. With time, temperature, and pressure, the sediments transform into clay deposits like shale or mudstone.
Today, clay is utilized in many areas of society and industry. In construction, clay is used to make bricks and ceramic materials for buildings. In manufacturing, it is molded to create pottery and other ceramic goods. Clay is also a component in drilling mud used during oil and gas drilling. Some specialized clays have applications ranging from cat litter to cosmetics. Overall, clay remains an abundant and versatile material thousands of years after human civilizations first utilized it.
Tips for Obtaining Clay
Clay can be a tricky element to obtain in Doodle God, but with the right strategies, you can unlock it efficiently. Here are some tips for getting clay quickly:
Efficient Element Combinations: The quickest way to make clay is by combining water and earth. Both of these elements are relatively easy to obtain near the beginning of the game. Combining them will immediately create clay. Trying random combinations can be time consuming, so remember this key recipe.
Avoid Pitfalls: Some combinations seem like they should make clay but won’t work. For example, combining mud and earth or combining dust with water. Save yourself some guesses by learning what not to combine.
Useful Game Strategies: Upgrade your elements as soon as possible to level 2. This will unlock new recipes. Also focus on obtaining earth and water first if your goal is to make clay fast. You may also want to replay easy levels that give you those two elements as a reward.
Creative Uses of Clay
Clay in Doodle God opens up a world of creative possibilities. With a bit of imagination, clay can be used to craft storylines, roleplay, and build entire communities.
One of the most common creative uses of clay is storytelling and worldbuilding. Players can craft elaborate mythologies and lore for their civilizations using the clay elements. For example, you could create a legend about an ancient clay goddess who molded the first people from riverbank mud. The types of clay monsters, artifacts, and landmarks you discover and create will shape the narrative themes and atmosphere of your world.
Clay also facilitates roleplaying games within Doodle God. Players can imagine themselves as the rulers, warriors, farmers, or artisans of their clay-based societies. The clay can represent building materials for creating villages, castles, temples, and more. You can act out diplomatic encounters with rival clay civilizations, or dramatize major historical events and myths.
Finally, clay has become a creative medium for collaborative storytelling in the Doodle God community. Players share their clay designs, headcanons, and fanciful tales through fanart and fanfiction. Entire collective universes with original characters, factions, histories, and relationships have been built around the clay element. The open-ended nature of clay appeals to creative minds and fuels community bonding.
With a bit of imagination, clay can transport Doodle God players into an endless world of creative possibilities. It provides a flexible storytelling medium, roleplaying catalyst, and foundation for collaborative community projects. So craft your own clay stories, characters, and worlds!
Clay in Other Games
Clay is a common resource found in many worldbuilding and crafting games similar to Doodle God. Its versatile nature makes it a useful component for players to collect and utilize.
In Minecraft, clay is an item found near bodies of water such as rivers and beaches. It can be mined and used to craft bricks and clay blocks for construction. Structures made from clay have a distinct pixelated texture and brownish-orange color.
The resource management game Terraria also contains clay deposits underground. Clay can be used to craft pottery items like vases, cups, and plates. Special clay pots even allow players to craft bait and summon boss enemies. Clay is therefore an integral resource.
Other examples include Don’t Starve Together and Dragon Quest Builders 2. Both games feature clay as a material that can be shaped into a variety of forms from simple bricks to elaborate pots and sculptures. Obtaining and utilizing clay is a core part of crafting new items and structures in these sandbox games.
Across many popular building and crafting titles, clay stands out as a versatile substance players want to collect and play with. Doodle God carries on this tradition by making clay an important base element that can be combined into more complex minerals, materials, and lifeforms.
Conclusion
Clay is one of the most vital elements in Doodle God, allowing you to craft bricks, statues, pots, and more. It unlocks new combinations that let your imagination run wild. While clay may seem simple on the surface, it opens up a world of creative possibilities when you dig deeper.
As Doodle God expands, who knows what new uses for clay will emerge? Perhaps you’ll be able to make more intricate pottery, bricks of different strengths, or even clay golems. The future looks bright for this malleable material.
In the end, clay is an essential part of the Doodle God experience. Mastering its combinations and uses is a rite of passage for any player. Clay helps turn doodling into creation, making your imagination real. No matter how you choose to utilize it, clay will always be a foundational element that breathes life into your doodles.
