| From: | "Mark L. Neidengard" <mneideng@****.CALTECH.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Paraanimals |
| Date: | Sun, 22 Feb 1998 10:36:51 -0800 |
>In a message dated 98-02-22 01:08:28 EST, mach@****.caltech.edu writes:
>> Hmmm. A fierce nitpick here. Large non-fish vertebrate bone structures
>> are all _very_ similar, other than size and shape of individual bones. An
>> Eagle's talons are on its _feet_ not hands, while the hands and arms form
>> the leading edge of the wings. I would only assume that a shapeshifter
>> would not sprout entirely new limbs, but would use what's already there.
>> Limbs would simply distort to their alternate size, shape, and covering.
>
>Actually, it was a matter of structure and re-determinance that we did this in
>the games here. The "graphics" were just something that we threw in for the
>NPC from the NAN-North book.
>
>The "Hands" and the "Talons" perform the same function in men and
birds.
>Grasping, Holding, Fighting. "Feet" in mankind has lost much of it's
>function, while in birds/avians, the feet have become dual purpose. The
>shoulders are the support of structure in hominids, and with birds, they are
>the strongest muscleforms in the body, next to the heart. It also makes
>people stop and consider other possibilities than what a "person" would
>consider versus what nature might.
I agree with Jeff on this one. Structural isomorphisms are one thing, total
bodily redesign is something else.
--
/!\/!ark /!\!eidengard, CS Grad, VLSI http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/~mneideng
"Fairy of sleep, controller of illusions" Operator/Jack-of-all-Trades, CACR
"Control the person for my own purpose." "Don't mess with the Dark
Elves!"
-Pirotess, _Record_of_Lodoss_War_ Shadowrunner and Anime Addict
