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Technological Speculation
Topic Started: Aug 2 2008, 12:01 PM (932 Views)
lamna
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We have speculated on biology, and now a little on culture, but not on technology.

With a different body plan comes the need for different tools. I mean consider nemo ramjet’s Dinosauroid? Evens something so simple as a chair would be different for them.
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Saxophlutist
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That's what I dislike from a lot of tv shows and movies. When they have a completely different race of organisms in a civilization but all of their technology is antropomorphic, and would poorly meet their physical needs.

I've been thinking of what troodonts and dromaeosaurs would use for their technology. It would definitely have to suit their wrist design.
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lamna
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Perhaps they could have some kind of couch they could lie on so they could take there weight off their feet.

So are swords out of the picture for dromeosaurs?
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Ànraich
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That's true. Imagine, for instance, an alien with tentacles instead of arms. It cannot use hammers because it lacks the muscular stability to hold it. Therefore it must use somethign else, perhaps screws instead of nails to build structures. If something has a tail, it probably doesn't sit in a chair to eat dinner. More likely it has a table low to the ground (if a table at all) and curls up on a pad or pillow of some kind (if at all). If something can fly, it has no need for roads.
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"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

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Livyatan


lamna
Aug 2 2008, 12:17 PM
Perhaps they could have some kind of couch they could lie on so they could take there weight off their feet.

So are swords out of the picture for dromeosaurs?
Why need swords when you have claws and teeth, perfectly designed for killing? XD
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Saxophlutist
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Maybe artificial talons and mouthguards made from different metals?
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Livyatan


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Aug 2 2008, 01:29 PM
Maybe artificial talons and mouthguards made from different metals?
Possible, but who's to say that they'd need them? Perhaps warfare is inherit of all sophontistic beings. :o
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Aug 2 2008, 01:33 PM
Saxophlutist
Aug 2 2008, 01:29 PM
Maybe artificial talons and mouthguards made from different metals?
Possible, but who's to say that they'd need them? Perhaps warfare is inherit of all sophontistic beings. :o
Good point. But when you also consider that these are Maniraptors we're dealing with... :)
Actually, it seems archosaurs are violent in general. :D Crocodilians and birds are good modern examples... Chickens and water waterfowl are vicious creatures from what I've heard and seen... (But so are a lot of ratites if you mess with them)
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lamna
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Why would humans need swords? We can kill each other without them. Why do we need Atomic Weapons, Tanks, Rifles?

Even though they might be better armed naturally than us, that won’t stop them wanting to have a edge in war. Oh yeah, could therapod throw something? Because if it could not then Grenades are out until they build launchers.
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Maniraptors would definitely need good projectile weaponry for long distance combat. It seem that they wouldn't be able to throw things as efficiently as primate descended sophonts because of their wrist/arm structure. (Correct me if I'm wrong though ;) ) So thrown weapons wouldn't work as well and would need more advanced "projectors".
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Sliver Slave
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I'm going back to basics.

I recall the dinos in dinotopia had "sofas" which were these padded things that they would walk over, and then sit on. It was basically like a curved table covered in fabric, which they would walk over so their torsos were above it, and then stop holding themselves up with their legs.
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lamna
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Yeah that is where I got the idea for the couch.

Therapods could could not throw over hand if I remember.

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I think some of the more basal theropods could throw overhand, but the maniraptors can't due to their wrist structure.
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lamna
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So not only will they find it hard to build a fighter plane to get there tail in (I expect they would have to lie prone to fly) they would not be able to throw grenades or us axes, swords or maces. Would their shoulders we wide enough to brace a rifle/crossbow butt against?
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Hmm, I didn't think about stress on the arms... I'm guessing that Maniraptors (including birds) had very strong arms, so that should be a problem. I'm guessing they would rely on crossbow/gun type weaponry to make up for the lack of throwing dexterity.
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