|
An excellent read Ponera! Thanks for taking time to write this. I really love your "scientific" approach to the Zerg anatomy and metabolism. It's always great to see other people interested in exploring the idea of living weapons and how they might work.
I also wanted to present my idea about the possible function of the extra spikes on the bodies of Roaches, Zerglings and other Zerg. I think they may simply function as protection against projectiles. The hard structure of a spike could easily stop a bullet or a slug. Furthermore, against explosive munitions, those spikes could trigger detonation of the shell before it comes in contact with (or penetrates) the creature's body, giving a significantly higher chance of surviving the explosion. Same thing applies to the "Hydralisk effect" jaws - they may simply protect the face from being blown off and losing important sensory organs.
Just my two cents 
|
Lol nice job,pretty entertaining analysis.
|
On September 10 2012 01:01 neobowman wrote:Show nested quote +On September 09 2012 20:16 Zera wrote:[B]On September 07 2012 18:52 Ponera wrote:
Anyways, if someone can find a glaive wurm pic I'd love to take a crack at it more in depth.
I found a picture of it ![[image loading]](http://ve3dmedia.ign.com/thumbs/02/32/23223_thumb.jpg) I'm sorry, but that's a lurker.
Really? O.o it was written it is a Glaive Wurm... anyway, BW gif. still counts ^_^
|
At first I was like LOL NERDS but now i'm on page 7 having read through every post. :L
Please do an overlord and explain the sounds they make!
There appears to be quite clear pictures of zerg units in HotS:
screencaps are from HotS campaign windows.
+ Show Spoiler +
Screenshots found at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/media/screenshots/#/1
and HotS zerg gameplay trailer
|
I am really, really wanting to do swarm host next. Why don't you nerds love the new units?
|
Italy12246 Posts
Because we love everything you have posted in this thread, no distinction :D
|
The do the swarm host...followed by the overlord!!!
|
On September 07 2012 18:52 Ponera wrote:
Anyways, if someone can find a glaive wurm pic I'd love to take a crack at it more in depth.
Glaive Worms as requested
http://sc2pod.com/wiki/File:Flyer_Attacks.png
![[image loading]](http://sc2pod.com/w/images/1/1d/Flyer_Attacks.png)
Since they are "worms" couldn't they be a symbiotic parasite that can only survive for a few seconds outside of their Mutalisk hosts??
|
On September 10 2012 10:42 Chriscras wrote:Show nested quote +On September 07 2012 18:52 Ponera wrote:
Anyways, if someone can find a glaive wurm pic I'd love to take a crack at it more in depth.
Glaive Worms as requested http://sc2pod.com/wiki/File:Flyer_Attacks.pngSince they are "worms" couldn't they be a symbiotic parasite that can only survive for a few seconds outside of their Mutalisk hosts??
I actually think that might be the corruptor projectile...I may be wrong.
|
Jesus, you sure have a lot of time to do such things. Sheesh.
|
Naw each write up only takes me 20 mins or so. It's not like I do a load of research, I'm profoundly lazy.
I think that the glaive wurm was an intestinal parasite that was adapted.
|
Sweet Jesus above, this is awesome. Keep it up.
|
This is really fascinating, like a biological starcraft version of steampunk sci-fi. I would love to read your take on the drone or the queen.
|
swarm host would be cool also!!
|
Just a fun fact on Zerg cells in case you don't know yet: apparently zerg have two cell types: a regular, mutating cell type and a killer cell type. Survival of the fittest on the cellular level, or at least that's how it is described. No zerg will ever get sick or old or anything like that.
|
So in other words they have an auto immune system? Way to be in depth, blizzard. :/
|
On September 10 2012 12:16 Ponera wrote:
So in other words they have an auto immune system? Way to be in depth, blizzard. :/
No, not auto immune. The killer cells kill the mutating cells, so that only the strong ones survive. Supposedly it makes them strong because natural selection on the cellular level.
|
|
|
On September 09 2012 08:30 Ponera wrote:
As far as the wings of the zergling for heat exchange: dragonflies actively use their wings for heat exchange. They lay them horizontally to heat up and even do a behaviour called "Obelisking" to cool down. If you look at the zerging animation post-speed, they actually do get a little bit of hang time in the air from time to time. This is logically similar to flying fish, who leap out of water to get some speed and some air!
Couldn't the wings be dual use then? I would favor the wings as heat exchangers as the primary role and the boost as a secondary function. Wings as heat exchangers would give the Zerglings improved endurance, but since in-game all units have infinite endurance that upgrade translates as increased speed instead. The boost function of the wings is just a happy benefit. Seeing as how the design of the Lings is not streamlined for aerodynamics to better support gliding through the air as a means of improving distance covered per movement cycle I would not favor that as a primary role.
As to the hydralisk-effect jaws not being eliminated, well in the lore for the evolution of the Zerg, it is said that even though the proto-Zerg assimilated all manner of organisms, they never lost their "Zerginess," rather they changed the assimilated organisms into something that looks like it belongs with the Zerg. So, the basic coloration of the Zerg and the weirdo jaws are likely just examples of common Zerg physiology from the base Zerg worm creature that gets applied to everything else to show how it is part of the Swarm.
BTW this is an awesome read Ponera.
On September 09 2012 04:15 fire_brand wrote:
Good stuff, I definately recommend reading the books for some reference into Protoss anatomy. They give a lot of insight into the actual evolution of the race and ancient, pre evolved bodily structures. Did you at one point Protoss had mouths? Check it out, it's worth taking a look at if you're serious about this whole project.
Well they would have too. It isn't feasible for organisms as large as a Protoss to consume all its necessary nutrients through osmosis. Yes, you can get large trees that do infact absorb nutrients passively through their root system, but they also take a long time to reach that size and they aren't exactly known for their active lifestyles. That fact that Protoss no longer have mouths is weird. Since we've never seen young Protoss I've always had the idea in the back of my head that Protoss go through a metamorphosis like butterflies. They would have a young form that has a voracious appetite, spending its entire time eating to store up the nutrients it will need to undergo the process of maturation and then survives the rest of the its life on psychic energy and the nutrients it would absorb naturally.
|
Protoss anatomy will be a fun one, it will probably be my longest one as there will be no overlap in concepts.
As for the Hydralisk-effect...it makes no sense to just make things look zergy. If they lose functionality or gain extras that really aren't needed then it actually hinders them. What I find odd especially is that they pick organisms based on traits they have already. For example, infestor was a super organism and roach already had amazing regenerative powers. To make them "more zergy" as a rationale is absolutely retarded; why not just evolved their own strains further instead of take on new ones? Not to mention that zerg strains are meant to be utilitarian. They don't have sexual selection, they don't need to intimidate. They do a job as effectively as possible for as cheaply as possible. At least that would be MY goal if I were to make an interstellar force of biological attack units. Then again, Kerrigan did have biological heels and retained her nice boobs...so...perhaps she put a bit of flare into things? I wonder why she didn't stop conquering and just make a line of biological purses for women to buy? She could take over the universe one hand-bag at a time.
That reminds me, I should do zerg-kerrigan and infested terran stuff sometime.
Thanks everyone! You are all so awesome. I am glad that several of you have decided to probe further or even contribute yourselves. I hope that we can flesh out all of these ideas more and then add them to the database on this site or even send them to blizzard to make our game more interesting!
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT![[image loading]](http://i47.tinypic.com/2mzbmft.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://us.media.blizzard.com/sc2/media/screenshots/swarm-screenshot12-large.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://us.media.blizzard.com/sc2/media/screenshots/swarm-screenshot10-large.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://us.media.blizzard.com/sc2/media/screenshots/swarm-screenshot13-large.jpg)
