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| Genesis; GM in the year 2261 | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 24 2010, 10:48 AM (1,813 Views) | |
| Ddraig Goch | Jan 24 2010, 10:48 AM Post #1 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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The aim of this project is to create the GMed lifeforms living on Genesis, along with their habitats and ecosystems. I shall provide more information on the sentient races, along with their home worlds, shortly. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 28 2010, 11:13 AM Post #16 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Thanks for the tip. And, no; the Na'vi are Homo pandorus, and so I assumed that the term homo could refer to any sapient species. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Empyreon | Jan 28 2010, 12:58 PM Post #17 |
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Are you plausible?
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It seems that the general rule around here is, with very few exceptions, that taxonomic names need to be distinct from real-world taxonomy. If a creature isn't literally part of a specific classification of life (in this case the genus homo) then it's needs a different name. Honestly, I don't fully understand the justification for this stipulation... Edited by Empyreon, Jan 28 2010, 12:59 PM.
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| T.Neo | Jan 28 2010, 01:15 PM Post #18 |
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Translunar injection: TLI
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[rant] See!? They even have the same genus name! [/rant] . Well, for example, in real-world taxonomy, two organisms from two different kingdoms can have the same genus name. See Euhelopus. So I don't see why organisms on different planets couldn't have the same genus name. And names like "homo" for example need not be limited to sophonts- any organism could then be called "homo". |
| A hard mathematical figure provides a sort of enlightenment to one's understanding of an idea that is never matched by mere guesswork. | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 28 2010, 04:01 PM Post #19 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Alright then; Homo ava ora it remains. And T.Neo - whilst I appreciate any input you have for this project, I must ask you to kindly keep all Avatar-related rants to one of the many threads on the subject. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Holben | Jan 29 2010, 01:11 PM Post #20 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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*raises eyebrow* Well, we do have- is it three projects?- on it, but they really don't have an excuse. |
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Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
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| Empyreon | Jan 29 2010, 01:39 PM Post #21 |
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Are you plausible?
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Out of curiosity then, why was the name homo assigned to the genus? How does it reference the homo we're familiar with? Edited by Empyreon, Jan 29 2010, 01:40 PM.
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| Holben | Jan 29 2010, 02:59 PM Post #22 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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It seems probable it was a reference to their sapience. |
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Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 29 2010, 05:27 PM Post #23 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Indeed - you are correct, Holbenilord. Although, now that you come to mention it, I was just going to label all of the sentient lifeforms "homo"... that's not going to work, is it? |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Empyreon | Jan 30 2010, 02:21 AM Post #24 |
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Are you plausible?
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If they're on the same planet, and are all closely related, then it would be very appropriate. If not, and they all have the same name, then a good explanation of the nomenclature would justify it just fine, IMO. |
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| Holben | Jan 30 2010, 06:29 AM Post #25 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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You could reference homo in their species names- homavis, or homosaurus, perhaps? |
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Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
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| Ddraig Goch | Jan 30 2010, 04:44 PM Post #26 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Thanks for the tips, I'll take them on board. I'll probably get round to typing up the Sk'yr tommorrow. |
| Save the Blibbering Humdinger from extinction! | |
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| Canis Lupis | Jan 30 2010, 05:01 PM Post #27 |
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Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth.
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If you want a taxonomic name that refers to sentience, I suggest using our species name sapiens. Our scientific name (Homo sapiens) means "wise human" (or is it wise man?). Perhaps you could name them (using the Olo as an example) Sapiolos kharakinsis ("wise Olo from Kharak"? |
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| Holben | Jan 31 2010, 03:57 PM Post #28 |
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Rumbo a la Victoria
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'vir' is latin for man. Maybe they could have their own taxonomic systems? Or perhaps they would have ascended to cladistics? |
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Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea. "It is the old wound my king. It has never healed." | |
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| Empyreon | Jan 31 2010, 11:07 PM Post #29 |
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Are you plausible?
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If the aliens have their own system of self-classification that's great, but if it's something that we as humans would have a hard time following, then I'd rather have a system we can understand.
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Take a look at my exobiology subforum of the planet Nereus! COM Contributions food for thought
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| Ddraig Goch | Feb 4 2010, 11:17 AM Post #30 |
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Ar hyd y nos
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Yeah, I think that a human method of classification would be better. Sk'yr (Sapioskyris sordicus) One should note that the species know nothing of their human taxonomy, although it is quite appropriate. Fortunately, the Sk'yr are unable to read. This is because they have no eyes. What they have instead are fleshy noses with a powerful sense of smell, "collapsable" ears (giant ear membranes that fold away whilst hunting), and long, sensitive whiskers. They navigate using a form of echolocation, like that used by all Sk' vertebrates. The Sk'yr are semi-bipedal, as they drop down to all fours whilst hunting. They have two legs, two arms, and a small feeding arm. This is used to pass food into their "mouths", which are roughly circular in shape, and are lined with teeth. Sphincter-like lips can seal up this maw. Their skin is covered with a thick, yet soft, fur. Even so, they are still described as "repugnant" by those who meet them. Sk'yr rarely leave their homeworld. It was a stroke of luck that they came across a Terran vessel. Their main reason for staying planet-bound are their feeding habits. They do farm a large, pig-like species, and they do grow some crops, but they still hunt. This is partly for tradition, and partly because they enjoy it - it is almost "sport". They never use weapons on these hunts - they prey is caught and killed with the Sk'yr's considerable claws. It is worth noting that the male Sk'yr have their feeding-arm on the right side of their mouths, whearas females have them on the left. The reasons for this are not at all clear, although they do make identification by Terran diplomats a lot easier. Edited by Ddraig Goch, Feb 4 2010, 11:31 AM.
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