how??? how do they think of the creatures of oddworld???

slaney · #1 06-23-2003, 06:54 PM

i think the tiel says it all but how do the oddworld creators think of the creatures and then get them onto paper

one theory i have is that they think of real life creatures and change there names and how they look but you can still put them to an animal.

fleech = leech
slog = dog
elum = mule
paramite = mite
etc
etc

but what about the ones like slig what is that like it cant be human for it had no legs, etc...

please reply

paramiteabe · #2 06-23-2003, 06:58 PM

Well your right they do base everything off of research they do before makeing up the characters.

A slig would be related to a Squid or a slug.

Glukkon would an Octapus

and a Gabbit would be the conbination of a frog and a shark

Just like Steef is a Gorillia and a horse.

Mudokins well probobaly native Americans.

***Xavier*** · #3 06-23-2003, 07:04 PM

scrabs are rhinos and lions
sligs = squills
paramites are hienas and spiders
I can't think any more now

slaney · #4 06-23-2003, 07:25 PM

ok, i thought that was the case

what are squills???

***Wil*** · #5 06-23-2003, 07:54 PM

Oh jeez, I could natter on for ages about the inspiration behind the creatures and characters of Oddworld, but I'm not going to. Just to give you a little idea of how complex Oddworld are when designing creatures, I'll tell you a bit about Munch (take note, Raymond Swanland

).

Munch, primarily, is a rabbit. Notice his bunny hopping motion and the little bop tail? This of course reflects his test subject nature. However, he is also described by Ed Fries as a fish, although we can look at many aspects of his physical characteristics that come from different marine creatures. Gabbit society is, esentially like that of the dolphins - they swim in pods which are esentially their families, and they are very musical and playful. However, the way in which they are netted and canned is highly suggestive of tuna fish, which are viscious sea fish with a fiesty attitude similar to Munch's. Munch's mouth is a cross between an alligator's (very wide grin with asymmetrical teeth) and a coelocanths's (just the general appearance). Note also that the word Gabbit is a mix between Rabbit and 'Gator.

In addition, Munch's single leg is similar to a seas horse's tail, almost irregular in its design. Munch's flute-like tongue is designed to mimic dolphin noises, but in itself is very frog-like. His torpedo-built head could be mistaken for a shark's dorsal fin when he surfaces, and of course his fins come directly from that of a catfish. Munch is a uniquely designed and highly Oddworldian creature.

Chicken hillbillies are not.

***Xavier*** · #6 06-23-2003, 08:10 PM

wow, amen to this...
sure the design of the ckickens things are pretty lame, a bit like those salamanders... the next Oddworld doesn't have all those nice desinged creatures

slaney · #7 06-23-2003, 08:12 PM

wow, that makes alot of sense, and helped alot.

:

Chicken hillbillies are not.

are you talking about the new oddworld, steefs oddysee, lol.

i bet when the game comes out it will be amazing but at the moment i dont think it has the same effect as the other oddworld made.

***Xavier*** · #8 06-23-2003, 08:18 PM

:

Originally posted by slaney
are you talking about the new oddworld, steefs oddysee, lol.

we are not sure yet it will be called Steefs Oddysee, because it isn't one of the Quintology games, so maybe not an oddysee

MojoMan220 · #9 06-23-2003, 08:23 PM

:

Originally posted by Max the Mug
Chicken hillbillies are not.

You're really picky, aren't you? They seem like any other creature Oddworld would come up with. You're making too much fuss over these guys. Perhaps you would make a better character designer. If you're so dissapointed in one tiny aspect of the game, you will probably be dissapointed every time they release new info. OWI have been making games for a while now, they know what has worked and what hasn't. Your ambitions for this game seem higher then the developers themselves, it's just a game. Besides, the gameplay is what matters most anyway, right?

slaney · #10 06-23-2003, 08:26 PM

im not being picky i said im sure it will be a really good game

but it doesnt seem as odd as the other oddworlds

MojoMan220 · #11 06-23-2003, 08:33 PM

:

Originally posted by slaney
im not being picky i said im sure it will be a really good game

but it doesnt seem as odd as the other oddworlds

My post was in reply to Max.

slaney · #12 06-23-2003, 08:51 PM

ok sorry

oddguy · #13 06-23-2003, 10:53 PM

Sheesch! Nobody has even played this game and people are allraedy making judgments on it! The gameplay screens on the X factor were just a prototype of what the game might(keyword being "might"!)look like. Remember Lorne saying that they were doing that so OWI could show it to ED. And another thing, it wasn't completely finished and the bump mapping wasn't totaly done. Also, you couldn't hear anything, which I consider a good portion of the game. I'm waiting to make my final judgement when I put the disc in my Xbox.

paramiteabe · #14 06-24-2003, 03:36 AM

:

Originally posted by oddguy
Sheesch! Nobody has even played this game and people are allraedy making judgments on it! The gameplay screens on the X factor were just a prototype of what the game might(keyword being "might"!)look like. Remember Lorne saying that they were doing that so OWI could show it to ED. And another thing, it wasn't completely finished and the bump mapping wasn't totaly done. Also, you couldn't hear anything, which I consider a good portion of the game. I'm waiting to make my final judgement when I put the disc in my Xbox.

Amen to you Oddguy! Why are we makeing such judgements? Geez this game is not even done yet and its getting critisise! Yes its not wrong to have an opinion. We see one picture of a crazy looking creature and its like "Ok this games sucks!" That is amazeing!

Dequibenzo · #15 06-24-2003, 04:02 AM

I'm probably going to regret this, but I have to stand up for Max here. The chickens were a dissapointment for me, but not a deal breaker. The shimmying sallamanders, though? Broke m'heart. Maybe it's just a game to some people, and I agree that it shouldn't be the next literal cult phenomenon, but, as an artist myself, Oddworld has always been a major influence on my work, as I'm sure it's been for other artists I know in these forums. Max's point is very valid- a gabbit is indeed a unique and intriguing creation, a perfect example of the incredible artistic style OWI has given us before. The chickens are pushing it. The salamanders are lifted from Croc 2. I can't help but be hesitant.
Of course, I felt this way about Fuzzles too, and Munch still had the aforementioned Gabbits, plus Vykkers, Interns, and the decently original Meep. From the X-factor interviews we see a similar Dr. Moreou-ish character design behind Steef, and that gun-toting hunter doesn't look too bad either. So, yes, the proof is in the putting, and I agree we won't know until the game is out. But I believe Mr. The Mug has a valid concern.

***Xavier*** · #16 06-24-2003, 07:57 AM

:

Originally posted by oddguy
I'm waiting to make my final judgement when I put the disc in my Xbox.

yup maybe, but then it's too late to give some advice to the devloppers...

***Wil*** · #17 06-24-2003, 12:04 PM

Okay, perhaps my wonder with language has left some of you in the dark, or perhaps you just haven't been paying attention, because at no point have I dissed Oddworld 4 and claimed it will be rubbish. At no point have I judged what sort of game it will turn out to be. For the record, and bearing in mind that I'm getting tired of typing it out over and over again, I am disappointed with ONE aspect of what we have seen so far of OW4, and that is with SOME of the VISUAL DESIGN. Sorry for typing in capitals, but it seems to me a bit of highlighting had to be done. People who have judged the game prematurely are people like eponine who have already lost faith in what Oddworld 4 has the potential to become. Personally, I'm looking forward to OW4, and will no doubt enjoy it despite the poor character design, but there is no logic in any of you lot complaining about me disliking the visual design and airing my opinions. It's just plain sad that you can't accept that there can be something wrong. I know you can accept that: MojoMan, I've read that you dislike the salamanders, so why you're getting all uppity at me for disliking the chickens is totally unreasonable. If you think that the chickens are as unique, original and Odd as Scrabs and Paramites, well, there's nothing I can do or am going to try to do that will change that, but from where I'm sitting, they'd be far more comfortable in a cartoon, which Oddworld is not and should not be. At this point I'd like to re-emphasise that I'm talking only about the VISUAL design here - I heard those townsfolk on the X-Factor video, and I think they're funny in the right sort of way for Oddworld.

I don't want to say the same thing another time, so before you go to another topic and begin to get upset by what you believe is me pre-determining my view of Oddworld 4 as a whole based on everything I've seen so far at this early stage, just remember that I'm commenting on one aspect, and that my disappointment in this field is retained entirely within that field. And if you disagree, then learn to live with my views. Thank you to all those that have said they are retaining their judgement, because that's sensible, and is what I'm doing, and thank you to all those who defended my right to actually have an opinion.

Oh yes, and finally, I would like to tell Oddguy that I'm ever so apologetic if he mistakes my love of language for getting wound up by 'just a game'.

Oddsville · #18 06-24-2003, 12:17 PM

Would everyone just lay off of Max and the others, this is getting really annoying! All Max did, along with several others including me, was comment on a design we did not fancy. Then everyone seem's to be jumping on Max saying he's judging the whole game and that he should wait till he plays it! In the first place we never, ever said anything about the game in general nor did we mention that we did not know that Lorne was just showing a prototype, never once! Everyone should just calm down and stop trying to save OWI, Im sure they can handle themselves. Let us not forget that Critisizim can be good at times, so just drop it.

***Alcar*** · #19 06-24-2003, 12:43 PM

I think people need to take a major dosage of Chill Pills. This has all stemmed from the the premature assumption of the game. As Alf pointed out, the things shown on X-Factor might have been changed.

If you also look at this month's inhabitant profile, you will see that storyboarding has only just begun, according to Guatam (spelling?). So, that leaves many oppurtunities for many or everything to be changed.

However, my opinion is that the Chickens do look too cartoonish, or too Earth-like. I'd like to see some more Scrab/Paramite/Fleech kind of creatures.

Alcar...

MojoMan220 · #20 06-24-2003, 01:09 PM

I'm just voicing my opinion on the chicken folk, like everyone else. It makes things more interesting when people disagree on a subject. We need people to argue for these forums to work, it's what makes this a forum. Disagree all you guys want!

slaney · #21 06-24-2003, 06:19 PM

:

However, my opinion is that the Chickens do look too cartoonish, or too Earth-like. I'd like to see some more Scrab/Paramite/Fleech kind of creatures.

i agree with alcar there, they don't seem that odd to me because i've seen chicken like things before

but we cant judge the game till we have tried it