Did anyone notice that when you posses a slig in AE, the other sligs know about it, and they start shooting you before you even start your mayhem? And in MO, there is clearly a bunch of sparkles floating over your possesed buddies head, and the other sligs don't even know. I think this is wierd.

No possesion sparkles=Sligs want you dead.
Possesion Sparkles=Sligs don't notice.

What's the deal? :fuzconf:

true it isn't realy logic, but don't try to find a meaning to that :fuzwink:

What it is is that the sparkles are not actually there, but are just used so you can clearly see who's possessed. In AO the Sligs shot you because they could tell by looking that the Slig was possessed. Alf says possessed Sligs had glazed eyes, although how the other Sligs saw that beneath the mask is beyond me. Maybe it's something else. By MO Abe has practised and refined his possession abilities, and so other Sligs don't notice. Ignore the sparkles, only you can see them (which is why it's silly for there to be sparkles hanging around Lulu in the good ending of MO).

Notice that Sligs don't realise their comrades are being possessed even if they're standing right next to them when they scream out. That's just an example of how bad the AI in MO was - you can actually walk past Sligs while invisible carrying Mudokons, and they won't notice anything strange. Or you can pick them up and throw them somewhere, but as long as they don't turn around afterwards they'll just stand there oblivious to everything. And you can walk within feet of a Paramite without it noticing you.

Why is it that in Oddworld Abe's Oddysee sligs' masks have one eye that go across the mask when in Oddworld Abe's Exoddus the masks have two eyes?

two official reasons.
 

The original one eyed mask made the sligs cross-eyed so the new masks were developed to correct that problem. Not kidding.

The real-world reason was because OWI wanted the sligs to be more expressionate, and two eyes are better than a visor for showing facial expression.


BTW, Alf also said that Abe's early possesions were clumsy and so the sligs didn't walk and have slig mannerisms. Plus the glazed over eyes. Like Max has said, Abe has gotten better at possesion since AO and AE.

That was one of those questions that I didn't expect to get an answer to.(Slig Possesion.) Thanks guys!

[list=1][*]If the Vykkers don't have good manipulation skills (what with thoes pesky claws and all), then how do they use the keys to lock/unlock Fuzzle cages?
[*] Over time, could Munch train himself to zap without drinking a Zap power up from a Vendo?
[*] If Mudokons are practically brothers, why do they sound so different?
[*] Abe has a nasely, low, goofy voice. Alf's voice went from high and lithpy to a tad lower, but still with the lisp. Munch just reminds me of a croaky voiced southerner. So what does Buddy sound like? Is he even featured in a Munch's Oddysee FMV?
[*] Would I get in trouble if a Mudokon in the comic were based greatly on Homsar (from Homestar Runner fame)?
[*] How funny would this be: Lulu (from Final Fantasy) meets Lulu the Glukkon?
[*] Was the last question really nessisary?[/list=1]

1. Who says that the Vykkers cannot use key's to unlock the Fuzzles cages? Im sure that they'd be able to handle the task just fine (they seem to handle surgical instruments just fine.). But if they ever did have trouble Im sure they'd just use some type of sophisticated(sp?) remote system.

2. Im sure he'd most likely be able to once he learns to controll it better. Just like Abe has gotten better a possession after practice.


3. Well, they are all brothers. Just cause their brothers dosen't mean the all have to sound the same.


4. No Buddy is not in any of the FMV's and knowone has heard him speak.....on Earth at least.


5. I highly doubt it but ask OWI if you want a full answer.


6. .....


7. .....

Who said that?
I didn't say that.
Nooo, sir.

My answers...
 

1. Vykker's little claws are actually very good a manipulation. Sure they are quite fingers, but despite their appearance they are very nimble and strong. Plus, their equiptment is made for their claws, not some other species hands.

2. Depends. Zap! was really more of a gameplay aspect of MO. The headport was meant to detect and open fuzzle cages, and the zapping effect was not intended by the Vykkers. So either something in Zap! allows Munch to shock people, or it helps make it easier to shock people. The latter would mean that he could eventually learn how to zap without the power drink.

3. Drones. I forget where, but it is official that there are mudokon drones who impregnate the queen. Each drone is genetically different so the mudokon offspring are also different. The sound of a person's voice is a genetic trait.

4. We don't know.

5. Legal trouble? No. But having a Homsar type character would be REALLY REALLY stupid and annoying. Unless of course, he was actually mentally retarded which could be interesting.

6. Not funny at all.

7. For you, probably.

Who even said Fuzzle cages are locked with keys? There could be some sort of intricate locking mechanism based on another kind. After all, if they can be unlocked with an electrical beam, rather emplies that they're electrically locked. And if Vykkers couldn't do it, they'd just get the Interns to.

EDIT: Brbrbrbr, you posted while I was typing, Khanz. Drones, eh? Great similarity to bees and all, but where exactly did you hear this, because to a certain degree, this is groundbreaking stuff. How Sam is impregnated has been a talking point for months. :fuzgrin:

Argh. I looked around and stuff but I can't find out where I heard that. I thought it was in Ask Alf somewhere but I can't find it...

Maybe I imagined it, or are remembering someone on the forum's theory as fact.

Maybe Xavier or Atusi can find it again. They're good at that.

I did a quick search through Dear Alf...

He didn't actually say that there are drones, though. And considering he once claimed on there that he was not a virgin, I think we can take whatever Alf says about the Mudokon reproductive system to be not fully official, at least for now.

Knowing how evil Lorne is, we'll probably never know, heh.

I was sure there was a different one though... oh well.

I have a question so difficult I bet that the creator of Oddworld can't anwser it. In AO the moon has four fingers and in AE it has three, why is it?

hahahaha.....maybe erosion on the moon filled in that part of the crater

Go out and buy the latest versions of Abe's Oddysee, and you'll see that there are only three fingers on the moon.

Well the realworld anwer is alittle long to explain (check max's FAQ)

Basically, there were legal reasons why the Oddworld games couldn't be sold in Japan because Abe had four fingers which is sort of taboo there. So OWI made the decision to cut off all the little pinkies from the mudokons and the pawprint on the moon.

There isn't really a good in-game explanation, since some of the old stuff was also changed. As far as oddworld is concerned mudokons and the moon have always had three fingers.

I'm sure Elum is going to showup in another game, but what about the hint flies? Yes, we all fall asleep by the time they tell us what we allready know, but they're so sparklie! :D

There were Hint Flies in Munch's Oddysee, they just don't spell out messages when you chant. Yeah, Hint Flies, LED screen, story stones (not those one with the big green button)...all so much better than the Shaman.

Where were the hint flies in MO?

At the start of the Mudokon Pens, when there are a four SpooceShrubs and a SpooceLock, look into the forest and you'll see two swarms of Fireflies.

I remember reading somewhere that OWI had removed Hint Flies from AE for a reason, like they did with Bats. Can't remember where I read this, or why it was, though. Boo! Bring back the Fireflies! Bring back the Bats! And the Bees!

I can't becouse I don't know were to buy it!!! oh, and also is it just me or is this site's text getting bigger?

You mean the font size? Looks fine to me. Sometimes Internet Explorer randomly changes the font size to a grade bigger or something, so that might just be it.

Unless you mean something different.

are you sure those are hint flies, Max? you can see them at the end of the Big Well fmv and they look more like floating feathers, though the ones IN-GAME did look like hint of fire flies.

Yes, I'm sure they're Fireflies. As far I know, feathers don't fly about in swarms. :)

And for all those who liked the Fireflies, there are plenty of other things in MO you might not have noticed. Slig Lockers, chemistry sets, even a brief mention of Molluck. ;)

Feathers could fly in swarms, i mean it is ODDworld:fuzwink:

Anyway, i noticed chemistry sets and all, but where did they mention Molluck?

In the Brewery To Be level. Study the areas that are enclosed until the Gluk donates carefully, you'll find it.

I just bought AO from Amazon, and the fmv still has four fingers. Must not be the latest one. Anyway, I'm going to look for the mention of Mullok in MO. Thanks Max! :D

Wider populations
 

So far all we've seen of Oddworld are sparsely populated rural areas, a few mudokon villages, and the industrial centres such as RuptureFarms and Vykkers Labs.

Now, in order for the Glukkons and Vykkers to be so powerful, they would need a suitably immense population of consumers to purchase their products. Who eats all the food that gets churned out by RuptureFarms? The images we get in AO are of a gigantic, highly automated facility - it must produce vast quantities.

Which leads me to wonder, is there a Glukkon city somewhere which we haven't heard about yet? Or are there, perhaps, yet more species which act as the Glukkons' consumer base?

Now, I realise I'm probably reading too much into the game world here, but I'd still like to know what you guys think.

No no Direvus, you're not at all. Your points are sensible and logical, plus well presented. Without wanting to offend anyone else, it's nice to have newbies such as yourself, especially after the last few weeks.

There are Industrial cities, great sprawling ones, full of Industrial races. Families such as the Magog Cartel and Vykkers Conglomerate are not picky about who they sell to, and will let anyone perchase their goods. Evidently the most prolific species they sell to are the Khanzumerz, whose roll in the Industrial side of Oddworld is not clear. How, for instance, do they acquire the wealth to buy all the goods? Are they just some parody of aristocrats, lazing about with some kind of infinite sum of money behind them? But there are no limits to who Scrab Cakes, Old Growth Toothpicks and Klime Java are sold to. There are even consumer Mudokons who are not slaves, but instead live in the cities are lead the lifestyle of the Industrials, although again how they obtain their Moolah is unknown.

Just as the Oddworld Quintology began in the outer reaches of Mudos society in what are, effectively, the slavery mines of Africa, so it will end in the connurbations and metropolises of Mudos. In one sense, that's what the OQ is about, tracking Abe's travelling from one extreme to another. One can only imagine the issues tackled by the final games - bogus insurance claims, child extorsion, distasteful, misleading and over-advertising. So many social issues to look at.

Well, i beleive khanzumers being as important as they are, make moolah simultaniously by receiving a proper education in money grubbing if you know what i mean. I beleive, though i don't know if this is official, that khanzumers aswell as city mudokons are taught to backstab, push, and assert their way to a juicy bank account.

My guess...
 

My theory has always been that the khanzumerz are such and almighty and physically powerful race (not to mention good looking, artistically gifted and x-ray vision) that all the other races have to serve them or else they will be killed. The glukkons and other industrial races made the best of the situation and created a whole big business economy where they are on the top... compared to everyone except the khanzumerz. The khanzumerz have unlimited amounts of moolah, but the glukkons and vykkers and co all have specified prices and stuff to make sure their economic system and social structure don't fall apart.

It is also interesting to imagine what happens to these vast cities of khanzumers after Abe would shutdown a facility. Just imagine how ticked the khanzumers got when meech munchies went bye bye. Now think of what happens when Rupture Farms and SoulStorm Brew goes outta business!

As for where the khanzumers gets their moolah...I'm thinking that maybe there was a lot of back stabbing to get to the top, and now there is a rich family of khanzumers that gives minor funding to their fellow up and comers to get going in life. I wouldn't think that khanzumers would give money without expecting anything in return...If you set up as many places as you can-those you've helped out, they are expected to keep you staying on the top and are sure to return favors. The point is to make as many powerfull shoulders to hold you up as possible. This just isn't in oddworld...real corupt businesses do this everyday. Keep your friends close, and your enimies closer.

Hasn't anybody thought that Khanzumers might just be like normal people who have jobs and stuff to get moolah? They dont have to be more powerful than the Glukkons, or smarter than the Vykkers, they could just be...well...consumers! Its not like we are all powerful over companies and labs, so why should Khanzumers be? I never really thought about them being powerful or anything...

I'm with drakan90 on this.

If the Khanzumers (I'd never heard of these guys when I posted my questions) live in cities and act as a massive consumer base, then their source of income is most likely the commercial layer of the economy.

To put it another way, they work in office jobs, and retail businesses. Sure, RuptureFarms processes the meat into food, but Khansumers aren't going to buy their food in those gigantic wooden barrels! They're going to go down to the supermarket and buy the food in a usable form. Who staffs the supermarket? More Khansumers.

So the Khansumer lifestyle is probably very much like yours or mine. Making money, buying stuff, making more money, buying more stuff. It is very likely that they don't have any idea of the terrible conditions in the Glukkon factories and Vykker laboratories.

Which really ties in nicely with the whole Oddworld analogy to our world. We don't know, and mostly don't care, what goes on at the abbatoir or the dairy farm, we just buy the 500g of minced meat and the litre of milk from the supermarket and get on with life.

At last! A noob who knows what he's talking about! :fuzgrin:

I guess we wont know exactly what Khanzumers do until they're in a game or something. I'd like to think that there's regular Khazumers like you're talking about...and big corperate guys like I'm talking about. If the Khazumer you're talking about, runs the store with all those goodies, then who owns the supermarket chain? It could very well be a Khanzumer-and supermaket chains buy in bulk to send all the goodies to their many convienently located stores! I'm just trying to say that Khanzumers could range from regular guy, to corperate big-wig! :D

odd, chroniclers are so ugly

I hear ya, oddguy.

It will be interesting to see whether it's the "big wig" Khanzumers who own the supermarket chains, or the Glukkons. It could well be the case that Khansumers aren't anywhere near as greedy or ambitious as Glukkons, and simply aren't interested in owning corporations, etc.

All of the species we've encountered so far on Oddworld have very distinctive values and ethics. For the Glukkons, the only thing that matters is the accumulation of wealth and power. The Vykkers are interested in wealth and power too, but they also have sharp and curious minds.

The Muds are lazy and dispirited, but looking at the remains of their once-great culture, you get the impression that they weren't always so.

By the way, I've noticed people on the forum referring to "Mudos". Is that just another word for "Oddworld", or is it more specific, like a continent, or a country?

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies to my original question. This is fun.