Ask me about: Space stuff

[Redfrogcrab]

Hi yall, I got a special interest in space flight and space in general, so I may be able to answer any questions about the following:

• Spaceflight
• Orbits
• Planets, moons, stars and other objects in space
• Space craft design and technologies
• Rocketry concepts
• Alien design, both sapient and non sapient

Don't be afraid to ask if you got any questions! I'm no expert but I do know quite a bit.

 

[pmmg]

So what makes a good alien seem...alien?

 

[Redfrogcrab]

So what makes a good alien seem...alien?

Make your aliens as unlike any life here on Earth while also taking basic biology into account

all sentient species need a few things:

1. A brain or similar system to interpret its environment, along with sensory organs to perceive that world, it also needs to be able to think critically and rationaly
2. A way to influence the environment, like a limb that can grab and hold stuff
3. A way to communicate complex ideas to others, such as pheromones or complex speech
4. Be social and form groups with others of their own species

You also have to take in account what the home world of what ever aliens you are trying to make, high gravity worlds will make muscular, stout critters while low gravity will make em tall and spindley.

Also, keep it consistent with the rest of your species on your planet (in short: don't make the Navi)

 

[pmmg]

The thing about aliens that I like, in a story sense, is the longer they remain unknown, the more mysterious they remain (obviously). After they are revealed, and become known, they start to lose their strangeness, which is a problem for all the insane making creatures of Lovecraft. They cant be described without losing their indescribable nature.

With aliens, I can imagine ways of thinking, or cultural differences (dont they all have something gross to eat), but really, how off can their thinking be? Logic does not stop at the planets edge. And as a writer, how can I assume a 4D brain with my own 3D brain. So to have something truly alien is not an easy feat to pull of. Mostly it is achieved through smoke and mirrors.

What was wrong with the Navi?

 

[Redfrogcrab]

What was wrong with the Navi?

All land-living life on pandora (Except the Navi) have the following traits:

• 6 limbs
• 2 natural HDMI cables built into them
• 4 eyes
• breathing holes on the chest

the Navi:

• only 4 limbs
• only 1 neural HDMI cable built into them
• only 2 eyes
• nasal passages on the head in the same place as in humans

this is a major inconsistency in the biology on Pandora, consistency is key when designing a biosphere, as everything shares a common ancestor, you don't just suddenly lose a pair of limbs or just figure out how to breathe with face holes (although, this IS excusable because if Jake fell in love with a non-humanoid, it would have some unsettling implications)

 

[pmmg]

Insects have many limbs, and eyes, and humans don't. It would seem in the realm of possibility that the Navi could be different than the others. The evolved out of the need for those extra limbs.

I am not sure it can be said that 'all' have those features. We have not seen all. Maybe Cameron said that.

 

[Redfrogcrab]

Insects have many limbs, and eyes, and humans don't. It would seem in the realm of possibility that the Navi could be different than the others. The evolved out of the need for those extra limbs?

I am not sure it can be said that 'all' have those features. We have not seen all. Maybe Cameron said that.

It's the time span, insects and mammals have been on different branches of life for over half a billion years, the Navi and the rest of pandora's fauna have split off relatively recently

You don't just, delete traits like that, that kind of change requires millions of years of change and WAY more examples of 4 limbed Pandoran life

 

[pmmg]

Or...they were created such.
Or...they themselves were on a different branch.
Or...millions of years have passed.

More likely, the six legged creatures are the anomaly. Of what value is a sixth limb to a cow?

Was it that Cameron said that about like on his planet? they all have six limbs? or is that inferred from the viewing?

 

[Redfrogcrab]

Or...they were created such.
Or...they themselves were on a different branch.
Or...millions of years have passed.

More likely, the six legged creatures are the anomaly. Of what value is a sixth limb to a cow?

Was it that Cameron said that about like on his planet? they all have six limbs? or is that inferred from the viewing?

Pandora has lower gravity than the earth, 6 limbs help with traction and getting a better grip on the ground, 6 limbs are present in ALL land living vertebrate-like fauna EXCEPT the Navi (debatable: prolemurus), thus, the Navi are the anomaly, I do like the "created as such" theory since their god is objectively real

 

[pmmg]

Their god is also created.

I am not sure how you can know that about Pandora. Did the creators of the fantasy state such?

 

[Redfrogcrab]

It's a mix of implied by the world, stated by the artists, and applying real-world science to a fictional setting
Im fun at parties

 

[pmmg]

Well, I am not going to research all things Pandora. Given the interconnected aspect of the planet, it appears to me it is just one giant organism, with a lot of helper parts. I already likened the Navi to ants (see avatar thread). Maybe they are the workers, and get only one port as is necessary for their role. Who knows? I would lean towards created/manufactured to suit the planets needs if evolutionary process does not suffice.

 

[pmmg]

Would you jump on a ship to a distant world, for the attempt to colonize it, even if there was no certainty the planet would sustain any life at all?

 

[Redfrogcrab]

Would you jump on a ship to a distant world, for the attempt to colonize it, even if there was no certainty the planet would sustain any life at all?

yeah, because it's more interesting than moping around here on Earth

 

[pmmg]

Hmmm...I think that would prove to be untrue. The flight over would be pretty uneventful...and once there it would either be over quick, and a lot of work just to stay living. On earth, you have internet chat rooms.

 

[pmmg]

So...I did look up a wiki on the Navi. They do say the prolemurus was included to show the evolutionary process away from six limbs. I'm gonna put that in the category of 'needed to make the movie work' But, I accept that they thought enough to explain.

While I do like the look of the six limbed creatures, I think they would not likely develop. A sixth limb has not much purpose that four could not also do. In fact, they may even get in the way.

 

[Redfrogcrab]

So...I did look up a wiki on the Navi. They do say the prolemurus was included to show the evolutionary process away from six limbs. I'm gonna put that in the category of 'needed to make the movie work' But, I accept that they thought enough to explain.

While I do like the look of the six limbed creatures, I think they would not likely develop. A sixth limb has not much purpose that four could not also do. In fact, they may even get in the way.

More limbs lead to better stability, it's also great for support on high-gravity worlds

The key take away: keep your trees of life consistent and develop your aliens around your planet, unless it breaks the story

 

[pmmg]

The key take away: keep your trees of life consistent and develop your aliens around your planet, unless it breaks the story

I am not sure that is my takeaway. It seems to have worked out for Mr. Cameron. Just need a plausible explanation, if even that. But point taken, you would like evolution to show itself.

The six limbs on the giant horse things would be impractical. When it ran, how would the middle leg avoid bumping into the front or back leg?

 

[Finchbearer]

What technology would compel one to make a very large mountain of mashed potato on one’s plate at dinner time?

 

[pmmg]

Apparently, just a VHS tape.

I used to do this whenever I got mashed potatoes, and my kids never got the reference.