"TOO Alien As A Figure Concept? Not Enough? Or Just Right?" Topic

C'mon, you Goldilocks. What do you say?

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Would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks.

Dan

I like the look. I'm no sculptor, but the legs look like they may be too spindly to do properly as a figure. But other than that, I'd love to see these produced.

Well, looking at it did not cause me to go insane, so it isn't too alien. There is nothing man-sized on earth that even remotely resembles it, so it surely isn't 'not alien enough.' But, I'm not a big fan of that particular alien either so it is not 'just right' either.

In 28mm, I think it would difficult to get the arms and legs right without the miniature being to fragile.

Well done but not to my taste… it's got a fairly traditional face and the skinny legs/arms make it seem really fragile.

sort of a 'alien'(from the movie) combined with 'Greys' (from UFO fame) and pod machines (of 'War of the Worlds) along with ostrich legs and the still two eyes …this evokes still a earth-world effect.

Perhaps look deeper into close ups of insect kingdom for more inspiration? Most people are kinda freaked out when looking at insects really, really close up.

but nice work

Nice lower-gravity world concept….though if thinking it to be a "Martian," it needs bigger eyes for lower-light vision IMHO. Why stop at 4 limbs? Four legs and two arms might be even better. Certainly looks alien enough.\

Pete

Why do so many aliens not have clothes, harnesses and the like (and, for that matter, orifices)? Why is that guy tooling about an alien (to him) planet in a warzone buck naked?

Aud Minis Ter: "and the still two eyes …this evokes still a earth-world effect."

What if, instead of the two eyes, it had eyes like these?

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Would that make it un-Earthy enough?

Andrew Paul: "Why do so many aliens not have clothes, harnesses and the like"

I was actually going to try to sculpt it with some sort of tight-fitting clothing/armor.

I'm just soooo plain tired of bipedal creatures. I figured that the tri-pedal look (with added appendages) would be a refreshing thing.

Thanks.

Dan

I like the leg/arm/hand layout. rest is so-so.

Lentulus, what would make the rest not-so-so?

Thanks.

Dan

Dan,
While you obviously have way too much time on your hands, an alien figure like that might get me back into SF gaming. Beautiful work.

Seriously, why stop at 4 eyes? wolf spiders have *8* eyes, and look really alien.

As far as number of legs go, I think your best option would be 6 limbs, either centauroid 2+4 or 6-on-the-ground insect style. tripods are inherently stable, so hard(er) to move around quickly.

Nick,

LOL.

I've been trying to track down Aaron's original concept drawings and finally found them today (first links in my first post).

What attracted me to the body concept is the mainly tripedal method of locomotion.

I've seen the occasional image of similar tripedal concepts, but keep coming back to Aaron's.

I don't plan to outright steal his work. Instead, I want to incorporate some of his creatures' qualities into an amalgam of sorts, one that appeals to the majority of gamers if possible.

Thanks.

Dan

Cool!

I love those aliens, I think the bit in war of the worlds where they're exploring the callar is the best bit of that movie. If they had these eyes, as you suggested – picture
_ I think they'd look great. BTW I think that's one of the most amazing photos I've ever seen!
Also some nice photos here – link – brrrrr. BTW the aliens from war of the worlds would've looked spindly and not used to our gravity, hence their tripod walkers. But yes, they'll need beefing up to be a castable miniature.

Love the figure. Give it some clothes and a weapon. Make a couple poses. Im in for a dozen or so.

Looks just right to me.

As mentioned, the legs will either need to be made a bit thicker to stand up to gaming, or made of a more robust metal, like pewter, or other metals with a high tin content.

sort of a 'alien'(from the movie) combined with 'Greys' (from UFO fame) and pod machines (of 'War of the Worlds)

I would replace that last part with Puppeteer (from Ringworld).

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IMHO, the only let-down is the face, I agree. With eyes and a mouth in the general configuration we expect on earth (particularly with mammals), I'd go with "not alien enough." Since the alien uses a sort of trilateral symmetry, how about a tri-jawed alien with eyes along each "segment?" Sort of like the Urs from David Brin's Uplift Universe…?

Damon.

"like the Urs"?

Not familiar with that one.

Dan

CC, if you want an illustrated book of non-humanoid aliens, here you go:

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The Urs are out of David Brin's Uplift series. They're like a small centaur with a cone shaped tri-lateral face.

Then there's the g'kek, which is like a squid in a wheelchair.

And the glaver, which is like an anteater with eyestalks and a hand on it's tail.

And the brothers of the night, which are shark aliens out of your worst nightmare.

and on and on…

You'll love it.

Wonderful. I'll check it out. Thanks.

I also found the shows "Alien Planet" and "Blue Moon" to be very inspiring:

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"The Future Is Wild" was nice too, but all the animals and plants derived from existing examples on Earth:

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Dan

CC, I designed this a while ago to make something truly alien. Some liked it, some not.

I can't the original post though . . . .

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I'd say just right on the first few….

Alien, but not so much as to be completely bizarre.

I really liked those WotW aliens, actually loved everything about the technical part of the movie except the reason the aliens came and those basket thingies, seemed a bit off.

I did consider doing not-WotW aliens but they are basically supertank crewmen when it all comes down to it and probably would not have enough depth of sales to support the range.

But how do they poop?

Tripedal locomotion, why not go for three eyes?

I agree, three eyes and a three part mouth.

Something along these lines with an extra eye and mouth part picture

CC,
yup, anything more or less than the usual two eyes are freaky.
the four eyes…they give me, anyways, the heeby-jeebies…

I think the multi-eyes will give your boy the 'correct' effect.

The tripedal body plan seems to be fairly well thought out but the head seems rather massive and indeed evokes the gray alien a little too much (on purpose, one supposes). I'm not sure the head needs to be trilateral since the body isn't, but I'd prefer something a little sleeker and I would also loose the humanoid face concept.

As to the questions, it's not too alien by any means, in fact it's roughly alien enough. However it's not just right either.

what would make the rest not-so-so?

Ditch the Independence Day head – the hands layout is so novel that the copycat head betrays it.

Also, can the hands reach the mouth? I'd be surprised at hands you can't eat with – but that is a minor patch.

Excellent suggestions! Thanks guys.

I'll try to work the guy into my schedule. As I get to each step of the project, I'll make sure to let you know.

Thanks again.

Dan

Sounds sweet. Agree with the multiple eyes thing. Are you doing it in 15mm at all?

Lampyridae,

I'm tempted to do one for 15mm and one for 28mm, simultaneously. But it will have to be when I get a little free time next month.

What do you think?

Dan

Wow. I hadn't seen these before:

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Dan
PS. This is interesting too:
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I love this illustration I've just found:

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Dan

umm Dan, that is the same pic you found on 11 Mar 2010?

It is still fun though :)

LOL

Wow, it seems like lack of sleep is doing terrible things to my thinking ability and memory. It really felt like I was seeing it for the first time.

Sorry.

Dan

LOL I do that a bunch while looking through my many boxes of notes and drawings…"oooh a nice monster" "hey what a great idea" "ahh a piece of candy"