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Your Project Ideas; A place to share your ideas for projects
Topic Started: Oct 14 2015, 09:27 AM (65,378 Views)
Rodlox
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Inceptis
Apr 13 2017, 05:42 PM
NOOOOO!!!!! How can I make these ideas original? I already had them, but there's so many invertebrate and ocean projects out there or being formed. Pretty much the only thing going for me is a massive, floating reef of coralline red algae.
focus on the parts that interest you the most, and on the parts you know about. that will make it original.

(also, "aquatic invert.s" is not a very narrow field; no need to worry or panic)
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"Marsupialless Australia" (what-if) & "Out on a Branch" (future evolution) & "The Earth under a still sun" (WIP)
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Mr.Scruth
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While reading my 1937 edition of The Natural History Of Selbourne by Gilbert White, I just had an ingenious idea; to describe the scenes, landscape and ecology of a small area of the English countryside through poetry and personal accounts- but 20 million years hence. It would describe a very different, yet recognizable landscape in a hopefully 18th-century parson-naturalist style. It might make an excellent snapshot Evolutionary Continuum project.
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GlarnBoudin
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An idea that I just thought of, brought about by the trifecta of ocean demiplanes that we now have here:

A collaborative project (Or maybe a COM) where two or more members are each given a demiplane with a list of creatures they can evolve and a set timeframe. However, every aspect of their project, from the size and shape of the plane to the timeframe allotted, is identical; each of these members would not be told who else would be doing the same premise.

The members would then each be given a timeframe to create an ecosystem for said demiplane without ever speaking or looking at one another's work. When the time's up, both ecosystems are then examined.

Basically, the idea is to see whether or not spec members will independently create the same or similar creatures for certain roles, i.e. apex predator or large browser.
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Uncanny Gemstar
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That seems really cool. I think it's a bit much for a COM, but as a seperate competition/game I'd gladly participate. Would people pick their partners or have them assigned at random? Also, wouldn't participants all have to 'sign up' at the very beginning in order to participate, which would greatly limit and restrict participants if they were inactive at the time, away, temporarily banned, etc?
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GlarnBoudin
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Uncanny Gemstar
Apr 14 2017, 01:47 PM
That seems really cool. I think it's a bit much for a COM, but as a seperate competition/game I'd gladly participate. Would people pick their partners or have them assigned at random? Also, wouldn't participants all have to 'sign up' at the very beginning in order to participate, which would greatly limit and restrict participants if they were inactive at the time, away, temporarily banned, etc?
They'd be assigned at random.

The 'sign up' would be through PMs to the organizer of the games, and wouldn't be revealed until the members had released their ecosystems.
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Uncanny Gemstar
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Well I'd say that it sounds pretty cool. If enough people wanted to participate then maybe the mods could make it proper official to see if it works out as a competition. Or you could make it an 'unofficial' competition/community spec.
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ForceofHabit
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I'd be willing to participate, but I do have my reservations about it successfully panning out. (Remember Symbiosis?)
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IIGSY
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Apr 12 2017, 04:21 PM
I've got something I've been working on since January. Some of you may remember it from the final post of my belated and botched April fool's joke, Salamand-Earth. That thread is dead and buried, and I ain't bring it back.


I call it: Project Littoralis


It centers around a series of artificial pocket dimensions, containing planet-sized O'Niell Cylinders (giant spinning terrariums, basically), as well as captured stars and planetoids for energy/resources. The pocket dimensions and cylinders were created by a race of enigmatic dimension-hoppers, as a means to test the possibilities of isolated and assisted evolution. Each cylinder is split into 8 sections, sections devoted to automated functions and resource processing, two for housing custom biospheres (each cylinder gets two biospheres of a similar theme), two poles housing auxiliary a.i components and rotation mechanics, one artificial sun connected to the poles, and an protective outer shell that holds it together, and collects solar energy from the captured stars.

The bioshere sections also contain plasma shielding to keep in the atmosphere and life-forms, as well as a means of artificial continental drift. As mentioned earlier, the life on each cylinder goes by a "theme", with each of the two biospheres within being a take on said theme. There are are worlds dominated certain mammal clades, by birds, by arthropods, by molluscs, by prehistoric reptiles (including non-avian dinosaurs), even creatures from a far off futures or strange alternate timelines. However, this project is focusing on one cylinder in particular: Littoralis. Littoralis's biospheres go by a theme of flora and fauna clades found in or near freshwater (though not all species seeded were freshwater, in order protect non-freshwater biomes from initial stagnation). The dominant terrestrial vertebrate clades on Littoralis A-B are descendants of amphibious vertebrates chosen specifically to become the dominant clade.

But that's where my current problem stems. I've gotten Littoralis-A's terrestrial vertebrate fauna down (mole salamander descendants), but I'm stumped on Littoralis-B. I've tried climbing gourami descendants, walking catfish descendants, even mudskippers and lungfish. I can't find a satisfactory founding vertebrate. I might try bichirs or caimans, but I feel that'd be too easy. I'm gonna try to get this project out by the end of the month, but it's getting frustrating finding a replacement that's satisfactory.
How about, no v e r t e b r a t e s


Try lampreys. Not only are they underused in spec, but they are among the basal most vertebrates. This mean your really starting from scratch and your essentially rewriting vertebrate evolution.
Projects
Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates
Last one crawling: The last arthropod

ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess)

Potential ideas-
Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized.
Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal.
Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents.

Quotes


Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups


In honor of the greatest clade of all time


More pictures


Other cool things


All African countries can fit into Brazil
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Inceptis
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I share your dislike of vertebrates. The reef I mentioned still has them, but let's just say that there are "fish" that aren't fish, but still fairly closely related to fish.

Besides, that's one of my three that are still quite behind in development. If I can focus enough, I might get a project up similar to Icthyander's CoZ, but with A. A. Milne including some animals from an island south of Ireland in his most well-known series.
This was getting fairly big.
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Talenkauen
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Apr 14 2017, 05:51 PM
Talenkauen Spec
Apr 12 2017, 04:21 PM
I've got something I've been working on since January. Some of you may remember it from the final post of my belated and botched April fool's joke, Salamand-Earth. That thread is dead and buried, and I ain't bring it back.


I call it: Project Littoralis


It centers around a series of artificial pocket dimensions, containing planet-sized O'Niell Cylinders (giant spinning terrariums, basically), as well as captured stars and planetoids for energy/resources. The pocket dimensions and cylinders were created by a race of enigmatic dimension-hoppers, as a means to test the possibilities of isolated and assisted evolution. Each cylinder is split into 8 sections, sections devoted to automated functions and resource processing, two for housing custom biospheres (each cylinder gets two biospheres of a similar theme), two poles housing auxiliary a.i components and rotation mechanics, one artificial sun connected to the poles, and an protective outer shell that holds it together, and collects solar energy from the captured stars.

The bioshere sections also contain plasma shielding to keep in the atmosphere and life-forms, as well as a means of artificial continental drift. As mentioned earlier, the life on each cylinder goes by a "theme", with each of the two biospheres within being a take on said theme. There are are worlds dominated certain mammal clades, by birds, by arthropods, by molluscs, by prehistoric reptiles (including non-avian dinosaurs), even creatures from a far off futures or strange alternate timelines. However, this project is focusing on one cylinder in particular: Littoralis. Littoralis's biospheres go by a theme of flora and fauna clades found in or near freshwater (though not all species seeded were freshwater, in order protect non-freshwater biomes from initial stagnation). The dominant terrestrial vertebrate clades on Littoralis A-B are descendants of amphibious vertebrates chosen specifically to become the dominant clade.

But that's where my current problem stems. I've gotten Littoralis-A's terrestrial vertebrate fauna down (mole salamander descendants), but I'm stumped on Littoralis-B. I've tried climbing gourami descendants, walking catfish descendants, even mudskippers and lungfish. I can't find a satisfactory founding vertebrate. I might try bichirs or caimans, but I feel that'd be too easy. I'm gonna try to get this project out by the end of the month, but it's getting frustrating finding a replacement that's satisfactory.
How about, no v e r t e b r a t e s


Try lampreys. Not only are they underused in spec, but they are among the basal most vertebrates. This mean your really starting from scratch and your essentially rewriting vertebrate evolution.


I don't think so. I'm trying to find a simpler, more efficient solution, not a more complex one. Trying to reinvent the wheel with lampreys, would be a lot more difficult than just using a more complex vertebrate. Besides, I'm already looking towards pond turtles and loaches as potential candidates.


Quote:
 
Inceptis: I share your dislike of vertebrates.



I don't. Vertebrates and vertebrate-like forms (even molluscs, to an extent) are my bread and butter. I find arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid for my tastes. You'd need high oxygen and/or low gravity for them to achieve the size and dominance vertebrates do naturally. Even then, they still wouldn't be as intelligent.
PLEASE NOTE: If I come off as harsh or demanding whilst talking to you, please tell me. I apologize in advance.....


UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Projects here
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IIGSY
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Talenkauen Spec
Apr 14 2017, 09:38 PM
I don't think so. I'm trying to find a simpler, more efficient solution, not a more complex one. Trying to reinvent the wheel with lampreys, would be a lot more difficult than just using a more complex vertebrate. Besides, I'm already looking towards pond turtles and loaches as potential candidates.
Aww. Well, it was worth a try.

Talenkauen Spec
 
I don't. Vertebrates and vertebrate-like forms (even molluscs, to an extent) are my bread and butter. I find arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid for my tastes. You'd need high oxygen and/or low gravity for them to achieve the size and dominance vertebrates do naturally. Even then, they still wouldn't be as intelligent.


So arthropods are "too alien", yet you like mollusks? I don't see how snails and squid are inherently more likable than crabs and flies. Plus, vertebrates are not "dominant". Nematodes are.

Talenkauen Spec
 
arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid


*Breaks into a burst of uncontrollable laughter*
Edited by IIGSY, Apr 14 2017, 10:01 PM.
Projects
Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates
Last one crawling: The last arthropod

ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess)

Potential ideas-
Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized.
Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal.
Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents.

Quotes


Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups


In honor of the greatest clade of all time


More pictures


Other cool things


All African countries can fit into Brazil
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Talenkauen
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Apr 14 2017, 09:59 PM
Talenkauen Spec
Apr 14 2017, 09:38 PM
I don't think so. I'm trying to find a simpler, more efficient solution, not a more complex one. Trying to reinvent the wheel with lampreys, would be a lot more difficult than just using a more complex vertebrate. Besides, I'm already looking towards pond turtles and loaches as potential candidates.
Aww. Well, it was worth a try.

Talenkauen Spec
 
I don't. Vertebrates and vertebrate-like forms (even molluscs, to an extent) are my bread and butter. I find arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid for my tastes. You'd need high oxygen and/or low gravity for them to achieve the size and dominance vertebrates do naturally. Even then, they still wouldn't be as intelligent.


So arthropods are "too alien", yet you like mollusks? I don't see how snails and squid are inherently more likable than crabs and flies. Plus, vertebrates are not "dominant". Nematodes are.

Talenkauen Spec
 
arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid


*Breaks into a burst of uncontrollable laughter*


Quote:
 
arthropods a bit too alien and biologically rigid


I should have said biomechanically restricted . Heavy exoskeletons, primitive ganglea, and inefficient trachae networks are not conducive to sophisticated megafaunal arthropods. I see my other statement:


Quote:
 
You'd need high oxygen and/or low gravity for them to achieve the size and dominance vertebrates do naturally. Even then, they still wouldn't be as intelligent.



Quote:
 
So arthropods are "too alien", yet you like mollusks? I don't see how snails and squid are inherently more likable than crabs and flies. Plus, vertebrates are not "dominant". Nematodes are.



Molluscs are more vertebrate-like than you think. They lack trachae networks and instead use gills/lungs, have bodies made of leathery/rubbery flesh over chiton exoskeletons, bare a skeleton/partial exoskeleton made of calcium, evolved camera eyes (more than once), and possess more complex brains and intellects.


As for nematodes....... You've got a point there. But, I meant dominant in terms of megafaunal potential, not general number of species.
Edited by Talenkauen, Apr 14 2017, 10:56 PM.
PLEASE NOTE: If I come off as harsh or demanding whilst talking to you, please tell me. I apologize in advance.....


UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Projects here
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IIGSY
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Talenkauen Spec
 
I should have said biomechanically restricted . Heavy exoskeletons, primitive ganglea, and inefficient trachae networks are not conducive to sophisticated megafaunal arthropods.


Arthropods actually have pretty well developed nervous systems.

Talenkauen Spec
 
Molluscs are more vertebrate-like than you think. They lack trachae networks and instead use gills/lungs, have bodies made of leathery/rubbery flesh over chiton exoskeletons, bare a skeleton/partial exoskeleton made of calcium, evolved camera eyes (more than once), and possess more complex brains and intellects
. Well, the gills/lungs of mollusks are very different to that vertebrates. And that last point only applies to cephalopods, as most other mollusks are pretty dumb. The average beetle is probably smarter than the average gastropod. But other than that, you make a sound point.

If you think of it, arthropods, mollusks, and vertebrates from a sort of trio of the most "complex" animals. They are also their most specious group in their respective superphyla. Here is a list of convergences between the three.

-The only groups that contain large, active species
-The only groups to develop aerial capabilities (remember flying squids)
-The only groups that show anything we can call intelligence
-The groups with the most well developed, and immediately noticeable eyes
-The groups that most thoroughly colonized land (terrestrial nematodes still live in a film of water, so are essential aquatic)

There's probably more that I didn't mention.
Projects
Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates
Last one crawling: The last arthropod

ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess)

Potential ideas-
Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized.
Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal.
Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents.

Quotes


Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups


In honor of the greatest clade of all time


More pictures


Other cool things


All African countries can fit into Brazil
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Mr.Scruth
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The higher and more complex up the tree of life you go, the larger the minimum size and less populous the creatures become.
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IIGSY
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Mr.Scruth
Apr 15 2017, 01:33 AM
The higher and more complex up the tree of life you go, the larger the minimum size and less populous the creatures become.
"Higher and more complex" is completely arbitrary. Evolution is a shrub, not a ladder. I thought we all knew this by now.
Projects
Punga: A terraformed world with no vertebrates
Last one crawling: The last arthropod

ARTH-6810: A world without vertebrates (It's ded, but you can still read I guess)

Potential ideas-
Swamp world: A world covered in lakes, with the largest being caspian sized.
Nematozoic: After a mass extinction of ultimate proportions, a single species of nematode is the only surviving animal.
Tri-devonian: A devonian like ecosystem with holocene species on three different continents.

Quotes


Phylogeny of the arthropods and some related groups


In honor of the greatest clade of all time


More pictures


Other cool things


All African countries can fit into Brazil
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
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