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Your Project Ideas; A place to share your ideas for projects
Topic Started: Oct 14 2015, 09:27 AM (65,418 Views)
Dr Nitwhite
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I've come up with an idea. It a collaborative project (anyone can contribute) and is set in a zoo/museum in the near future. The animals in said zoo are genetically modified, but for a specific purpose: to teach biology. Concepts such as gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium, symbiosis, mimicry, and population genetics are taught to the general public through the exhibits, and plenty of scholarly work is conducted behind the scenes. Biologists test theories, create new organisms, and teach the public in the innumerable lecture halls, laboratories, and realistic habitat reconstructions. Most of the project would be open for public work, but it would have to adhere to some basic rules (no random, crazy organisms, this is a place of learning dammit!) I have come up with a few animals and places already.

The Hall(s) of Ecology- This area has small "biodomes", unique biospheres that are self sustaining. Other ecological concepts, such as predator/prey relationships, are tought here.

There are also two species I literally dreamed up, and are over in the species factory (I didn't know what to do with them at the time). These are a flying monkey with wings made from stiff keratin "feathers" that operate much like a birds. This animal is used to teach convergent evolution and possible revenues of how flight evolves. The second is a bipedal rodent that is colored like a plover. It is used to demonstrate mimicry.

The only things keeping this from being fully fledged is my inexperience with these sorts of projects, as well as how preliminary a project it is. I have no idea how to handle canonizing other peoples work, or how strictly I would wield this power, or if I would even handle it at all or if other people would help me. Advice and criticism are welcomed with beverages and a ready made meal.
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CaledonianWarrior96
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What about a project where non-avian raptors (dromeasaurs, troodontids, oviraptors) survived the K-Pg extinction, made it to today and were domesticated by humans to fill a similar purpose to dogs and in now have many different breeds of these dinosaur groups, like how we have many breeds of dog and cats
Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums;

Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum)
The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution)
Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution)
- Official Project
- Foundation
The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone)

- Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni)
The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe)
The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe)

(Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner)


And now, for something completely different
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Corecin
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Have you ever been bitch slapped for lack of listening? lack of doing what your told? cuz i'm not far from slapping you
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CaledonianWarrior96
May 23 2016, 03:20 PM
What about a project where non-avian raptors (dromeasaurs, troodontids, oviraptors) survived the K-Pg extinction, made it to today and were domesticated by humans to fill a similar purpose to dogs and in now have many different breeds of these dinosaur groups, like how we have many breeds of dog and cats
If you look back a few pages I have that same exact concept, except for the human part, they wouldn't be around.

Oh yeah, another concept I had was for a project called Colonies. The idea is that it looks at human colonized planets to see the flora, fauna (genetically modified because it wouldn't really be spec if there were no new animals) and the native humans civilizations and culture.
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dino-ken
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Quote:
 
What about a project where non-avian raptors (dromeasaurs, troodontids, oviraptors) survived the K-Pg extinction, made it to today and were domesticated by humans to fill a similar purpose to dogs and in now have many different breeds of these dinosaur groups, like how we have many breeds of dog and cats


A huge problem is with this idea - is that the survival of these maniraptors would alter the mammalian evolution of Earth. Basically it is highly likely that humans or humanoids would not even evolve. Much more likely is that the dromaeosaurs, troodonts, oviraptorsaurs & alvarezsaurs would dominate the mammals during most of the Paleogene(at least).


But an alternative idea would be for humans to retro-engineer certain kind of birds in to looking like various types of maniraptors. Although these "dromaeosaurs, troodonts & oviraptorsaurs" would still just be nothing more than genetically modified birds.
Edited by dino-ken, May 24 2016, 01:15 AM.
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CaledonianWarrior96
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dino-ken
May 24 2016, 01:09 AM
Quote:
 
What about a project where non-avian raptors (dromeasaurs, troodontids, oviraptors) survived the K-Pg extinction, made it to today and were domesticated by humans to fill a similar purpose to dogs and in now have many different breeds of these dinosaur groups, like how we have many breeds of dog and cats


A huge problem is with this idea - is that the survival of these maniraptors would alter the mammalian evolution of Earth. Basically it is highly likely that humans or humanoids would not even evolve. Much more likely is that the dromaeosaurs, troodonts, oviraptorsaurs & alvarezsaurs would dominate the mammals during most of the Paleogene(at least).


But an alternative idea would be for humans to retro-engineer certain kind of birds in to looking like various types of maniraptors. Although these "dromaeosaurs, troodonts & oviraptorsaurs" would still just be nothing more than genetically modified birds.
I was working on the prefix that for the sake of simplicity in the project that the 'raptors would change history' bit would be looked over as this would take place entirely in the present. It would just make it easier to work with
Come check out and subscribe to my projects on the following subforums;

Future Planet (V.2): the Future Evolution of Life on Earth (Evolutionary Continuum)
The Meuse Legacy: An Alternative Outcome of the Mosasaur (Alternative Evolution)
Terra Cascus: The Last Refuge of the Dinosaurs (Alternative Evolution)
- Official Project
- Foundation
The Beryoni Galaxy: The Biologically Rich and Politically Complex State of our Galaxy (Habitational Zone)

- Beryoni Critique Thread (formerly: Aliens of Beryoni)
The Ecology of Skull Island: An Open Project for the Home of King Kong (Alternative Universe)
The Ecology of Wakanda: An Open Project for the Home of Marvel's Black Panther (Alternative Universe)

(Click bold titles to go to page. To subscribe click on a project, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "track topic" on the bottom right corner)


And now, for something completely different
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GlarnBoudin
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Dr Nitwhite
May 22 2016, 06:47 PM
I've come up with an idea. It a collaborative project (anyone can contribute) and is set in a zoo/museum in the near future. The animals in said zoo are genetically modified, but for a specific purpose: to teach biology. Concepts such as gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium, symbiosis, mimicry, and population genetics are taught to the general public through the exhibits, and plenty of scholarly work is conducted behind the scenes. Biologists test theories, create new organisms, and teach the public in the innumerable lecture halls, laboratories, and realistic habitat reconstructions. Most of the project would be open for public work, but it would have to adhere to some basic rules (no random, crazy organisms, this is a place of learning dammit!) I have come up with a few animals and places already.

The Hall(s) of Ecology- This area has small "biodomes", unique biospheres that are self sustaining. Other ecological concepts, such as predator/prey relationships, are tought here.

There are also two species I literally dreamed up, and are over in the species factory (I didn't know what to do with them at the time). These are a flying monkey with wings made from stiff keratin "feathers" that operate much like a birds. This animal is used to teach convergent evolution and possible revenues of how flight evolves. The second is a bipedal rodent that is colored like a plover. It is used to demonstrate mimicry.

The only things keeping this from being fully fledged is my inexperience with these sorts of projects, as well as how preliminary a project it is. I have no idea how to handle canonizing other peoples work, or how strictly I would wield this power, or if I would even handle it at all or if other people would help me. Advice and criticism are welcomed with beverages and a ready made meal.
Well, you won't get experience with them until you try! If you're going to accept other people's ideas, however, I would suggest asking Sayornis for help; he's done something similar for the Library. Or are you talking about adding creatures from other people's projects? If it's the latter, I would advise against it, but having little homages to them would probably be alright; Sheatheria, for instance, could be an epic fantasy setting or mockumentary series.
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Sayornis
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@Glarn: I didn't intend the Library to be a collaboration at first-- Flashman was inspired to pick up a project I had begun (in a very sketchy state) and abandoned. So I'm not sure how much of an expert I am in running collaborative projects; I just accept (with input from Flashman in a few cases) what's compatible with canon. Also, I'm a woman.

Dr Nitwhite
May 22 2016, 06:47 PM
I've come up with an idea. It a collaborative project (anyone can contribute) and is set in a zoo/museum in the near future. The animals in said zoo are genetically modified, but for a specific purpose: to teach biology. Concepts such as gradualism vs. punctuated equilibrium, symbiosis, mimicry, and population genetics are taught to the general public through the exhibits, and plenty of scholarly work is conducted behind the scenes. Biologists test theories, create new organisms, and teach the public in the innumerable lecture halls, laboratories, and realistic habitat reconstructions. Most of the project would be open for public work, but it would have to adhere to some basic rules (no random, crazy organisms, this is a place of learning dammit!) I have come up with a few animals and places already.

The Hall(s) of Ecology- This area has small "biodomes", unique biospheres that are self sustaining. Other ecological concepts, such as predator/prey relationships, are tought here.

There are also two species I literally dreamed up, and are over in the species factory (I didn't know what to do with them at the time). These are a flying monkey with wings made from stiff keratin "feathers" that operate much like a birds. This animal is used to teach convergent evolution and possible revenues of how flight evolves. The second is a bipedal rodent that is colored like a plover. It is used to demonstrate mimicry.

The only things keeping this from being fully fledged is my inexperience with these sorts of projects, as well as how preliminary a project it is. I have no idea how to handle canonizing other peoples work, or how strictly I would wield this power, or if I would even handle it at all or if other people would help me. Advice and criticism are welcomed with beverages and a ready made meal.


I love this idea! Interesting variation on the park-project theme. Maybe there could even be exhibits demonstrating obsolete or questionable scientific theories, like spontaneous generation and Lamarckism. Not sure how that would work, though; depends on just what genetic engineering can and can't do in this canon, and whether you think that demonstration of such theories would be appropriate for the museum's mission.

As an aside, the plover-mimic rodent is an especially interesting concept given that plovers sometimes mimic rodents as a distraction display. Your subconscious was on to something there (assuming you didn't know about this plover behavior).

An idea of my own that's up for grabs if anyone wants it: a project along the lines of the Cryptozoologicon based on creatures from medieval bestiaries. Not (just) the familiar beasts of myth, but distorted accounts of real animals such as the panther that lures prey with sweet breath, the Bonnacon that uses dung as a weapon and this hoofed/flippered creature someone posted in the fossorial-animal COM thread.

e: and the barnacle goose tree could be explained as an anserine whose precocial young jump from a nest into the water like baby Wood Ducks, though with some sort of symbiotic link to the tree. Such as the tree growing special pods in which the birds nest, and in the birds consume insects that attack its leaves.
Edited by Sayornis, May 24 2016, 09:39 PM.
The Library is open. (Now under new management!)
Dr Nitwhite
Aug 19 2016, 07:42 PM
As I said before, the Library is like spec crack.
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Beetleboy
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I had an idea similar to Dr Nitwhale's, called the Ark.
Basically, some scientists find themself in alt universe (don't know how yet) which seems to be an immense zoo - in fact, it never seems to end. They never see any people there, but the Ark seems to be self-operating. Each Enclosure contains a species taken from Earth, either from the past, present, or future, but the Enclosures have a strange physics of their own. They are self-cleaning, and create openings to Earth to engulf the animal's food then bring it back to the Enclosure (maybe not very sustainable, may have to think of a different idea or a solution . . .). At the end of an animal's lifespan, its body is taken away, and another individual appears. How this works the scientists can't fathom, but they work out that every Enclosure has the same number of individuals in it always. Also, there seems to be some factor stopping evolution, though exactly how it works they don't know yet.
It would focus on the future evo creatures that are present in the Ark, but also feature some from the past, where they might discover some interesting things about the animal's habits, appearance, etc.

It sounds awful when I write it out, but it sounds better in my head . . .
~ The Age of Forests ~
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DINOCARID
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I think it sounds great!
Check out my deviantart here
Projects
The Fieldguide to Somnial Organisms
The Tetrarch (coming soon)


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Beetleboy
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neither lizard nor boy nor beetle . . . but a little of all three
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DINOCARID
May 25 2016, 09:16 AM
I think it sounds great!
Thanks! ^_^
~ The Age of Forests ~
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Dr Nitwhite
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Well, thanks everyone for the feedback. I'll probably get everything in order by late June. Not only do I have my main project, but the rest of my life as well. I'll have the whole mess sorted by then, and figure out a basic back story and canon. Well, untill then.
Speculative Evolution Projects-

Other Relevant Work-

Final SE Lifelist standings

BREAKING NEWS
We interrupt your regular programming to bring you this cutting edge report.
ATTENDANCE DROPS DRASTICALLY ON SE SERVER
This past Monday on Discord, famous server Speculative Evolution took a hit in the attendance office when it's offline member list suddenly reappeared. Mods scrambled to rectify the situation, but unfortunately there was little anyone could do. Server member Ivan was asked what he thought of the situation. "So long as Flisch, lord of machines and scion of Urborg lives, all will be well". SE, (in)famous for it's eccentric userbase, has recently been spiraling downward, and now we have hard conformation of the decline. Moderator "High Lord" Icthyander states "There is nothing to be concerned about, Discord is merely changing its UI again", but members are beginning to suspect the honesty of their staff.
Stay tuned, we'll be back with more at 11.
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Dapper Man
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I might want to start a project called "Start from Scratch"- where, in a terraformed world, the only animals introduced are Invertebrates, particularly Mollusks. Plants are introduced as well, but only in the form of Algae.
Speculative Evolution:

Manitou; The Needle in the Haystack.
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Corecin
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Have you ever been bitch slapped for lack of listening? lack of doing what your told? cuz i'm not far from slapping you
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Probably one of the more out there ideas I've had, y'know those projects where people try to come up with an alternate world where mythical creatures exist? Well I'll be doing the same, but with the animals from Avatar the Last Airbender.
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Mega-raptor
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Well, here is a Idea I got but likely won't be doing anything with...

A planet with a extremely slow rotation cycle, in which the planet is coated with a forest of giant fungi like organisms that during the time the sun is directly upon them, they harden into a stiff material, however when the night beings, they unhardened and moisten into spongy fungi trees. Life likely requires hibernation or migration per rotation and water is scarce.
Check out Newgen Dinosauria: Ascension

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I'm not actually all evil... I mean... No, I still fight for good... depending on my reward.
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xaritscin
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i tried to make an abyssal reef consisting of organisms from the Ediacaran biota, and most of the Paleozoic invertebrates...with a little help from chemosynthetic bacteria and well, typical Hydrothermal organisms...
Edited by xaritscin, May 31 2016, 05:13 PM.
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