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EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => Player Driven Content => Topic started by: Synthia on 18 Aug 2016, 14:18

Title: Xenobiology
Post by: Synthia on 18 Aug 2016, 14:18
Something I've been thinking about recently, is player-made planets and the life-forms encountered thereon.

What would you say is too implausible for a player-made planet ?

Canon examples, are Sarum Prime III, Mekhios, which was "home to several sub-sapient species that scientists believe may have one day evolved intelligence if allowed a few more million years of development."
And the non-Terran lifeforms of the Hanging-Long-Limb, and the Fedo.

Which of the things in the poll would you consider to be implausible ?

Mutant humans would be human populations who have naturally changed due to environmental conditions on their planet. The Ealurians might be considered one of these, depending on your point of view.

Gene-o-manced humans would be human populations who have been deliberately altered in some way, by either existing or extinct civilisations.

Civilised aliens would be your Star Trek rubber forehead types. Personally, I'm not a fan of such in the EVE setting - humans are the alien monsters, etc, etc, grimdark.

Intelligent xeno-animals would be creatures, not necessarily from Terran ancestry, that can be trained as individuals to a significant degree - I'm thinking along the lines of parrots who can be trained to talk and are capable of complex thought, but as a species, do not have anything like a civilisation.

Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Korsavius on 18 Aug 2016, 14:46
Yeah I'm in agreement that of that list, the only that should be kept away from EVE are :space alienz: cause fuck that shit. If I wanted aliens in my EVE then I'd just go play Star Trek or some game like that. Everything else, I think, seems plausible or could lead to interesting pathways.
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Morwen Lagann on 18 Aug 2016, 14:48
I haven't done a ton of worldbuilding in terms of 'new' flora and fauna things, but I probably wouldn't do anything bigger than a horse for animals. Plants... not sure. But I'll say that anything similar to the Tholian (or some RL fungal colonies!) might be pushing it for me.
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Korsavius on 18 Aug 2016, 14:55
Personally I'm more open to the sorts of player-created flora rather than fauna.

For flora, a Venus fly trap-like plant the size of a car would be okay in my book. However, an ancient tree which wraps around a 50,000 ft mountain may be pushing it, ya feel?

As for fauna, I would say it really depends. A massive, deep-sea lochness-type monster could very well be plausible. But a giant space crab which steals the children of lonely miners might not, ya know?
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Synthia on 18 Aug 2016, 15:10
Well, in the things I've done things with, there are a few gene-o-manced people, explained as Takmahl-origin genetically engineered people, for unknown and unknowable reasons.

I was thinking about some of the odd creatures that I've mentioned as being present on Kaztropol, particularly the oceanic creatures. Giant Lobsters, and curious cuttlefish. I was wondering what level of intelligence the cuttlefish in particular would have. I was leaning more towards the idea of individuals being intelligent enough to learn, just like parrots can, but the cuttlefish don't have a society as such.

Something where Synthia might have an Idea to Reclaim the Cuttlefish and teach them the Scriptures.
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Morwen Lagann on 18 Aug 2016, 17:42
But a giant space crab which steals the children of lonely miners might not, ya know?

As long as you can hit it in its weak point for massive damage, it's all good.
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Nicoletta Mithra on 18 Aug 2016, 18:19
For flora, a Venus fly trap-like plant the size of a car would be okay in my book. However, an ancient tree which wraps around a 50,000 ft mountain may be pushing it, ya feel?
Actually, the biologist in me thinks of the "Venus fly trap-like plant the size of a car" as stretching it too much. A Plant this size moving a trap by tugor change of it's cells which would need to be triggered somehow, too... no, really way out there.

On the other hand the "ancient tree which wraps around a 50,000 ft mountain" seems more plausible to me, if it's something like a banjan growing around the mountain below the tree line. After all what looks like a banjan grove here is actually a single tree:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Acharya_Jagadish_Chandra_Bose_Indian_Botanic_Garden_-_Howrah_2011-01-08_9728.JPG/1280px-Acharya_Jagadish_Chandra_Bose_Indian_Botanic_Garden_-_Howrah_2011-01-08_9728.JPG)
So, you can possibly have one tree growing all around an enormous mountain, thus 'wrapping around' it.
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Korsavius on 18 Aug 2016, 19:54
For flora, a Venus fly trap-like plant the size of a car would be okay in my book. However, an ancient tree which wraps around a 50,000 ft mountain may be pushing it, ya feel?
Actually, the biologist in me thinks of the "Venus fly trap-like plant the size of a car" as stretching it too much. A Plant this size moving a trap by tugor change of it's cells which would need to be triggered somehow, too... no, really way out there.

On the other hand the "ancient tree which wraps around a 50,000 ft mountain" seems more plausible to me, if it's something like a banjan growing around the mountain below the tree line. After all what looks like a banjan grove here is actually a single tree:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Acharya_Jagadish_Chandra_Bose_Indian_Botanic_Garden_-_Howrah_2011-01-08_9728.JPG/1280px-Acharya_Jagadish_Chandra_Bose_Indian_Botanic_Garden_-_Howrah_2011-01-08_9728.JPG)
So, you can possibly have one tree growing all around an enormous mountain, thus 'wrapping around' it.

somethingsomething alien biological advantage
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Ché Biko on 19 Aug 2016, 14:50
 :s I messed up my votes like 180 degrees. :eek:
 :oops:
Title: Re: Xenobiology
Post by: Arnulf Ogunkoya on 20 Aug 2016, 15:03
As I understand it all the canon background people in EVE are mutant humans. The Jove are definitely engineered humans and I gather there is one player theory that so are the Caldari.

Slaver hounds are a good example of an alien life form that is bright enough to be trained.

If memory serves correctly, not including non human civilizations was a deliberate design decision by CCP when the game was created.