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HELP ME COME UP WITH (BIG) CREATURES
Posts
SnowOwl
5188
SnowOwl
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CloseAs some might know I'm working on a sci-fi game where you go from planet to planet and explore. The ultimate goal of traveling is to find undiscovered creatures, specifically very big creatures. When I say BIG, I really mean big. I mean 100+ ton creatures. I mean big enough that one screen is not enough to show it. I mean big enough that it will crush you just by looking at you.
I will need quite a few of these creatures, however. And so, I think some help would be nice. What I need is your idea of one, or more, creatures.
There's a few things you should keep in mind though.
It has got to be somewhat realistic, no fantasy type magic-spitting thingies. This also means for example if it is meant to fly, there has to be some thought behind how it does so.
ANY enviroment you could find in any place anywhere is fine (creatures living in space is a-ok as long as, again, it's realistic). It's probably better if it's somewhat unpopulated by humanity though, since they are meant to be undiscovered. Big creatures rarely go undiscoverd for long if they live next door to you. Humanity have spread out in the future in the game, but basically finding unexplored planets is no problem at all so this shouldn't be a problem.
Keep in mind how the creatures enviroment affects it, for example in a high gravity enviroment creatures will have crushing gravity to overcome to become massive, on ice worlds it will have cold working against it, etc.
Here's a template for those who like to follow these kinds of things:
Size:
Habitat:
Diet:
Description:
Pictures are helpful but not needed!
I will need quite a few of these creatures, however. And so, I think some help would be nice. What I need is your idea of one, or more, creatures.
There's a few things you should keep in mind though.
It has got to be somewhat realistic, no fantasy type magic-spitting thingies. This also means for example if it is meant to fly, there has to be some thought behind how it does so.
ANY enviroment you could find in any place anywhere is fine (creatures living in space is a-ok as long as, again, it's realistic). It's probably better if it's somewhat unpopulated by humanity though, since they are meant to be undiscovered. Big creatures rarely go undiscoverd for long if they live next door to you. Humanity have spread out in the future in the game, but basically finding unexplored planets is no problem at all so this shouldn't be a problem.
Keep in mind how the creatures enviroment affects it, for example in a high gravity enviroment creatures will have crushing gravity to overcome to become massive, on ice worlds it will have cold working against it, etc.
Here's a template for those who like to follow these kinds of things:
Size:
Habitat:
Diet:
Description:
Pictures are helpful but not needed!
The first thing that popped up would be some kind of giant turtle going into hibernation mode every once in a while forming some sort of island or something ashore (hell even something snail-like or lizard-like retreating, be it in danger or whatnot)
.. then I remembered how utterly ridiculous that is, haha..
Well. I will try to think of something.
.. then I remembered how utterly ridiculous that is, haha..
Well. I will try to think of something.
Wow, this sounds super-cool! I'll be sure to come up with a giant creature, though I'm operating on low-sleep today, so it'll probably be sometime tomorrow or the day after. Still, really looking forward to participating in this ^_^
SnowOwl
5188
author=KylailaIt's a idea I hadn't considered myself and you could probably come up with something neat based on it although a turtle specifically would probably be a a no, I would like the creatures to be nonexistant creatures, not a big version of a earth creature. With some pretty minor changes you can make anything look alien, so it's a good idea to use existing creatures to give an idea of how it looks, though.
The first thing that popped up would be some kind of giant turtle going into hibernation mode every once in a while forming some sort of island or something ashore (hell even something snail-like or lizard-like retreating, be it in danger or whatnot)
.. then I remembered how utterly ridiculous that is, haha..
author=unityLow sleep-mode is the best for creativity.
Wow, this sounds super-cool! I'll be sure to come up with a giant creature, though I'm operating on low-sleep today, so it'll probably be sometime tomorrow or the day after. Still, really looking forward to participating in this ^_^
author=SnowOwl
Low sleep-mode is the best for creativity.
Good point! Is a creature that has other creatures living inside it okay? Like a creature who's like a giant living insect-nest or something?
SnowOwl
5188
author=unityauthor=SnowOwlGood point! Is a creature that has other creatures living inside it okay? Like a creature who's like a giant living insect-nest or something?
Low sleep-mode is the best for creativity.
Yes, that is totally fine. Anything is (except magic), as long as it's big. It doesnt even have to weigh much.
Okay, here I go! First, here's a quick and messy sketch of the creature:
Size: At least the size of a mountain
Habitat: Lives on a somewhat barren rock world, that still has plenty of wildlife for prey. Burrows in the earth, but due to its massive size, much of the creature is usually sticking out of the ground. Moves from burrow to burrow as food supply changes.
Diet: The hive of insect-like creatures inside of it bring it nearby animals and drops them in its massive maw. In turn, the insects feed on polyps growing inside the hard pyramid-like organic structure on the creature's back.
Description: A huge beast with an enormous nest of alien insects living inside of it. They live in a symbiotic relationship. The big creature's skin is coated with a slug-like slime (aside from the organic structure on its back) and has a multitude of appendages that it uses to burrow in the ground. The organic structure is where the insects dwell. The walls are very sturdy and are hard to damage, and there are many openings where the insects enter and exit.
Here's a sketch of the insects themselves. They're bigger than a horse in size.
Is that alright? ^_^
Size: At least the size of a mountain
Habitat: Lives on a somewhat barren rock world, that still has plenty of wildlife for prey. Burrows in the earth, but due to its massive size, much of the creature is usually sticking out of the ground. Moves from burrow to burrow as food supply changes.
Diet: The hive of insect-like creatures inside of it bring it nearby animals and drops them in its massive maw. In turn, the insects feed on polyps growing inside the hard pyramid-like organic structure on the creature's back.
Description: A huge beast with an enormous nest of alien insects living inside of it. They live in a symbiotic relationship. The big creature's skin is coated with a slug-like slime (aside from the organic structure on its back) and has a multitude of appendages that it uses to burrow in the ground. The organic structure is where the insects dwell. The walls are very sturdy and are hard to damage, and there are many openings where the insects enter and exit.
Here's a sketch of the insects themselves. They're bigger than a horse in size.
Is that alright? ^_^
Does it have to be a scary monster? Because if not, then:
Sky-Whale (image taken from the movie: Battle for Terra)
Size: Could vary, but should be at least twice the size of an ordinary airship.
Habitat: The thick, ocean-like clouds (or just simply, the skies)
Diet: It's an herbivore, and feeds mostly on the leaves of local trees
Description: The Sky-whale is a gentle being. It is harmless and can be easily approached or even petted without any risks. Because of this, the sky-whale tends to fall prey to those wanting to exploit it. Sky-whales, like real-life whales, can be a good source of blubber or oil (or another valuable resource of sorts), which will lead to the reason of it being a hunted being. The fact that it doesn't put up a fight further encourages poachers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sea-Serpent (image is a depiction of "Bakunawa")
Size: Large enough to swallow a moon whole (since that is it's ikigai)
Habitat: The abyss beneath the ocean.
Diet: It feeds mostly on plankton (or similar, microscopic creatures). Though it will not turn down the occasional human or two.
Description: It generally remains quiet under the ocean. It viciously defends its territory (and all creatures residing within it) from outsiders, and will likely attack all those that it thinks will endanger them. This creature is revered for its awe-inspiring might and its surprising gentleness towards its fellow sea creatures.
Sky-Whale (image taken from the movie: Battle for Terra)
Size: Could vary, but should be at least twice the size of an ordinary airship.
Habitat: The thick, ocean-like clouds (or just simply, the skies)
Diet: It's an herbivore, and feeds mostly on the leaves of local trees
Description: The Sky-whale is a gentle being. It is harmless and can be easily approached or even petted without any risks. Because of this, the sky-whale tends to fall prey to those wanting to exploit it. Sky-whales, like real-life whales, can be a good source of blubber or oil (or another valuable resource of sorts), which will lead to the reason of it being a hunted being. The fact that it doesn't put up a fight further encourages poachers.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sea-Serpent (image is a depiction of "Bakunawa")
Size: Large enough to swallow a moon whole (since that is it's ikigai)
Habitat: The abyss beneath the ocean.
Diet: It feeds mostly on plankton (or similar, microscopic creatures). Though it will not turn down the occasional human or two.
Description: It generally remains quiet under the ocean. It viciously defends its territory (and all creatures residing within it) from outsiders, and will likely attack all those that it thinks will endanger them. This creature is revered for its awe-inspiring might and its surprising gentleness towards its fellow sea creatures.
SnowOwl
5188
That is great, unity. It definitely feels nothing like a creature on earth, which is precisely what I'm looking for. It also will make it super easy to create a world around it, since it's almost a complete ecosystem in itself.
The pictures are really helpful too ^^
@karins_soulkeeper
skywhale: While non-threatening creatures are certainly fine, it's not very original, plus humanity hunting it won't work, since the creatures are supposed to be undiscovered. Plus, how does it fly? Why does it need to fly if it just eats leaves? It needs some work.
Sea serpent: Again, it's a pretty basic idea.
Why does it need to defend other creatures in it's territory? What does it gain by doing so? That is not how nature works, usually.
Needs some work.
Sorry to shoot you down when you're trying to help, but I want something a bit more alien. Try to think outside the box ^^
Edit: maybe this will help
How to create a plausible alien life form
The pictures are really helpful too ^^
@karins_soulkeeper
skywhale: While non-threatening creatures are certainly fine, it's not very original, plus humanity hunting it won't work, since the creatures are supposed to be undiscovered. Plus, how does it fly? Why does it need to fly if it just eats leaves? It needs some work.
Sea serpent: Again, it's a pretty basic idea.
Why does it need to defend other creatures in it's territory? What does it gain by doing so? That is not how nature works, usually.
Needs some work.
Sorry to shoot you down when you're trying to help, but I want something a bit more alien. Try to think outside the box ^^
Edit: maybe this will help
How to create a plausible alien life form
@SnowOwl> Reading them back, yeah they are pretty cliche'd.
This is a really good read though; I enjoyed it.
Mind if I give it another shot later? After I finish mulling about it, that is.
author=SnowOwl
Edit: maybe this will help
How to create a plausible alien life form
This is a really good read though; I enjoyed it.
Mind if I give it another shot later? After I finish mulling about it, that is.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
I feel like the Sky Whale is probably a perfect example of why he specifically requested that "if it is meant to fly, there has to be some thought behind how it does so."
However, these are on alien planets, so perhaps the atmosphere is made of a gas that's denser than its body. Or maybe the gravity is just extremely low. Or maybe it's highly intelligent and has developed a sky whale sized antigravity propulsion suit that it wears all the time.
Anyway, here's another one.
Teurrelkian Neurite
Kinda like this thing except maybe less fiery; like a giant neuron in a cave with tendrils sticking out to all the cave walls
Size: The visible part would be large enough to fill a small auditorium, but the neural tendrils leading out from it split like roots and spread microscopically through the ground under a large area. The area affected by a fully grown neurite can be anywhere from a few acres to the size of a large metropolis.
Habitat: The core of a Teurrelkian Neurite will usually be found in a cavern deep underground. The planet has a vast number of such caverns, as a result of other tunneling species. The neurite's tendrils extend through the bedrock and soil up to the surface but are not visible on the surface, being microscopic.
Diet: Feeds on the energy of plants on the surface, as well as the energy of animals that are standing on the ground, by draining energy through its tendrils like roots.
Description: Can affect the minds of animals (or people) that spend too long standing on the affected area. Typically causes affected animals to kill far more prey than they could eat themselves, and drag the prey back into the area affected by the neurite so that it can feed on the corpses. Technically a single-celled organism, it reproduces by mitosis.
Whatever makes the tunnels that the neurites live in could potentially be a second large creature on the same planet, if you wanted to sometimes have more than one per planet.
However, these are on alien planets, so perhaps the atmosphere is made of a gas that's denser than its body. Or maybe the gravity is just extremely low. Or maybe it's highly intelligent and has developed a sky whale sized antigravity propulsion suit that it wears all the time.
Anyway, here's another one.
Teurrelkian Neurite
Kinda like this thing except maybe less fiery; like a giant neuron in a cave with tendrils sticking out to all the cave walls
Size: The visible part would be large enough to fill a small auditorium, but the neural tendrils leading out from it split like roots and spread microscopically through the ground under a large area. The area affected by a fully grown neurite can be anywhere from a few acres to the size of a large metropolis.
Habitat: The core of a Teurrelkian Neurite will usually be found in a cavern deep underground. The planet has a vast number of such caverns, as a result of other tunneling species. The neurite's tendrils extend through the bedrock and soil up to the surface but are not visible on the surface, being microscopic.
Diet: Feeds on the energy of plants on the surface, as well as the energy of animals that are standing on the ground, by draining energy through its tendrils like roots.
Description: Can affect the minds of animals (or people) that spend too long standing on the affected area. Typically causes affected animals to kill far more prey than they could eat themselves, and drag the prey back into the area affected by the neurite so that it can feed on the corpses. Technically a single-celled organism, it reproduces by mitosis.
Whatever makes the tunnels that the neurites live in could potentially be a second large creature on the same planet, if you wanted to sometimes have more than one per planet.
author=SnowOwl
That is great, unity. It definitely feels nothing like a creature on earth, which is precisely what I'm looking for. It also will make it super easy to create a world around it, since it's almost a complete ecosystem in itself.
The pictures are really helpful too ^^
Thanks! I'm glad I could help! If I think of any more, I'll send them your way ^_^
SnowOwl
5188
@karins_soulkeeper
Please do!
@LockeZ
I figured this would be right up your alley. The way it spreads roots reminds me of mushrooms and similar plants that spread networks. It's a mix of a few nasty parasites on earth too, like with the mindcontrol (except more sophisticated) and draining energy. Definitely alien, plus a mix between plant and creature.
Consider the idea stolen.
Please do!
@LockeZ
I figured this would be right up your alley. The way it spreads roots reminds me of mushrooms and similar plants that spread networks. It's a mix of a few nasty parasites on earth too, like with the mindcontrol (except more sophisticated) and draining energy. Definitely alien, plus a mix between plant and creature.
Consider the idea stolen.
LockeZ
I'd really like to get rid of LockeZ. His play style is way too unpredictable. He's always like this too. If he ran a country, he'd just kill and imprison people at random until crime stopped.
5958
Fun fact: I had to respell Teurrelkian three times because apparently Star Trek already has Tarellians, Tarellians, Terrelians, Tyrellians, and two different unrelated races called Terrellians. It's a popular series of syllables for aliens I guess. Feel free to change it again to basically any other word - I just was trying to come up with a name that sounded like it was named after some kind of region or categorization.
Rine
1378
If you need some ideas, try googling warhammer 40k Bio-titans. Some of those are very weapon-like (on purpose), but if you need ideas for big awful looking beasties, there ya go.
Shinan
4314
A variant of the sky-whale is the giant solar-powered flyer. With its immense wingspan it collects energy right out of the sky and spends most all of its life floating in the sky. Very light with an enormous wingspan. It has a symbiotic relationship with smaller creatures that live on the wings and "clean and repair" them by eating things that might grow on the wings.
Habitat: Maybe a low-gravity planet with a liquid surface. Maybe it reproduces by dropping "eggs" into the liquid below. And as the eggs mature, floating around in the liquid, there's gasses inside that make them float like bubbles and when they pop a young, and already flying, creature appears.
For Size maybe a wingspan close to a football field or something. And the wings might have a kind of leathery bat quality to them, strong but so thin to almost be transparent.
Then a root creature. An underground-dweller. A sort of nervous-system look to it with a central core somewhere but lots and lots of tendrils that shoot up and through the ground. These tendrils can then take the properties of other wildlife. So a "forest" might actually just be parts of one larger creature. It might feed off creatures that wander through the tendril forests. Maybe it looks like a field of grass but walking on it is thorny and drinks blood of creatures that hurt themselves on it. A carnivorous plant with a memory can be a pretty scary thing. You think you killed it off but it was just one of so, so many parts of one central system.
Might also have a sort of symbiotic system where its waste has a narcotic or euphoric effect. Making it more likely that creatures willingly succumb to it. A living druggie needle. Being stung by a tendril is poisonous but a rather pleasant poison or something.
This creature would probably have to live somewhere where the ground is soft-ish. With lots of dirt or sand. The tendril might have a worm-quality where they soften the ground they go through. Maybe making fertile ground where it then can hide in as a kind of camouflage that benefits other life.
The central part could be a kind of ball of yarn, slightly moving all the time as the tendrils grow and shoot out. The ball itself might be fairly small, but as it has more and more parts it would probably grow in size and getting to the core would be more difficult than cutting into Sleeping Beauty's castle.
EDIT: Both my creatures were variants of already posted creatures I suppose :) The sky-whale and the Neurite.
Habitat: Maybe a low-gravity planet with a liquid surface. Maybe it reproduces by dropping "eggs" into the liquid below. And as the eggs mature, floating around in the liquid, there's gasses inside that make them float like bubbles and when they pop a young, and already flying, creature appears.
For Size maybe a wingspan close to a football field or something. And the wings might have a kind of leathery bat quality to them, strong but so thin to almost be transparent.
Then a root creature. An underground-dweller. A sort of nervous-system look to it with a central core somewhere but lots and lots of tendrils that shoot up and through the ground. These tendrils can then take the properties of other wildlife. So a "forest" might actually just be parts of one larger creature. It might feed off creatures that wander through the tendril forests. Maybe it looks like a field of grass but walking on it is thorny and drinks blood of creatures that hurt themselves on it. A carnivorous plant with a memory can be a pretty scary thing. You think you killed it off but it was just one of so, so many parts of one central system.
Might also have a sort of symbiotic system where its waste has a narcotic or euphoric effect. Making it more likely that creatures willingly succumb to it. A living druggie needle. Being stung by a tendril is poisonous but a rather pleasant poison or something.
This creature would probably have to live somewhere where the ground is soft-ish. With lots of dirt or sand. The tendril might have a worm-quality where they soften the ground they go through. Maybe making fertile ground where it then can hide in as a kind of camouflage that benefits other life.
The central part could be a kind of ball of yarn, slightly moving all the time as the tendrils grow and shoot out. The ball itself might be fairly small, but as it has more and more parts it would probably grow in size and getting to the core would be more difficult than cutting into Sleeping Beauty's castle.
EDIT: Both my creatures were variants of already posted creatures I suppose :) The sky-whale and the Neurite.
I'm not sure if this is any better, but here's another shot:
Golem (I just googled "rock golem" for this image, picked one that seemed relevant)
Size: Varies; Size depends on the age of the golem. It grows larger as it gets older, by continuous accumulation of random materials.
Habitat: Near springs, crystal caves, and any other area with high concentrations of salts (not just table salt, but ALL salts ).
Diet: Salts, as mentioned above. Examples would include Table Salt, Ammonium Dichromate, Magnesium Sulfate, and etc. All of these form crystals when solid, and are generally soluble in water.
(The main idea I had here, was that the golem eats crystals. After a little research, I found out that certain fungi and bacteria do "eat" and live off of acids and bases found in rocks and certain crystals. I figured that a fungi-like creature with a taste for salts wasn't too far out. The fact that salts almost always form crystals when solid finalised the idea.)
Description: The golem is not exactly one being. Rather, it is a collection of near-microscopic fungi-likes. These fungi-likes tend to form colonies, and create a sort of collective "body" out of whatever material appears abundant in their immediate surroundings; most of the time, this meant rocks, dirt, mud, and leaves.
The colony of fungi-likes think, act, and live as one being; with a single consciousness, and a rudimentary level of intelligence. Their level of intelligence, while incomparable to humans, are high enough to allow them to use crude tools, like sharpened tree trunks that they use to dig out their "food" from beneath the ground.
The shape of their "body" depends on the shape of what creatures it encounters during its growth (so they shouldn't be humanoid in shape, unlike the image above). The golem feeds on salt which it collects from springs and caves, processing it and distributing it equally amongst the members of the fungi-like colony; emitting a weak glow (via bioluminescence), and a distinctive, acid-like stench.
Golem (I just googled "rock golem" for this image, picked one that seemed relevant)
Size: Varies; Size depends on the age of the golem. It grows larger as it gets older, by continuous accumulation of random materials.
Habitat: Near springs, crystal caves, and any other area with high concentrations of salts (not just table salt, but ALL salts ).
Diet: Salts, as mentioned above. Examples would include Table Salt, Ammonium Dichromate, Magnesium Sulfate, and etc. All of these form crystals when solid, and are generally soluble in water.
(The main idea I had here, was that the golem eats crystals. After a little research, I found out that certain fungi and bacteria do "eat" and live off of acids and bases found in rocks and certain crystals. I figured that a fungi-like creature with a taste for salts wasn't too far out. The fact that salts almost always form crystals when solid finalised the idea.)
Description: The golem is not exactly one being. Rather, it is a collection of near-microscopic fungi-likes. These fungi-likes tend to form colonies, and create a sort of collective "body" out of whatever material appears abundant in their immediate surroundings; most of the time, this meant rocks, dirt, mud, and leaves.
The colony of fungi-likes think, act, and live as one being; with a single consciousness, and a rudimentary level of intelligence. Their level of intelligence, while incomparable to humans, are high enough to allow them to use crude tools, like sharpened tree trunks that they use to dig out their "food" from beneath the ground.
The shape of their "body" depends on the shape of what creatures it encounters during its growth (so they shouldn't be humanoid in shape, unlike the image above). The golem feeds on salt which it collects from springs and caves, processing it and distributing it equally amongst the members of the fungi-like colony; emitting a weak glow (via bioluminescence), and a distinctive, acid-like stench.
