Oddworld IS a moon

[Dequibenzo]

Now, here's a theory I've been thinking about. There's been a lot of argument over what kind of planet oddworld is, but I think it may very well be a moon around another, absolutely huge planet, like an enormous gas giant. This would explain the plethora of moons viewable from Oddworld, including-

the oft-refferred to moons of stockyard escape
the mudokon hand crater moon
the gabbit foot crater moon
whatever symbolistic moons we come across in future editions

If these were all smaller moons of the same planet that oddworld is orbiting around, then that would explain the sudden appearance of the gabbit moon. You would see it sometimes, but not alot. I mean, you would have noticed it before if it was a moon of oddworld, but not if it's orbit had kept it on the other side of the actual planet.
Or, although it's a little sketchy scientifically, it would be theoretically possible (and very dramatically cool) if the gabbit moon had been in orbit around the "master planet", for thousands of years, but finally got caught by Oddworld's orbit and became it's moon instead (moon moons are theoretcially feasible, we just don't have an example yet). If this sudden switch in orbit actually occurred at the end of MO in the timeline of things, then that would be a very cool spiritual event. It's not every day that you get another moon in orbit around your world. It could end up that every main character has a respective moon, but they only become introduced into the oddworld sky as the savior of it's respective race is found. New hero, new moon.
Or, even more interesting, it could turn out that the Gluks have some kind of space program going for them, and visit the other moons of the "master planet". It could be that they brought back sligs from one of these, Vykkers from another, all in the quest for dominance over the Mudokens, who we know for a fact were once the dominant species on their respective globe. Heck, it could turn out that the "ten times the size of earth" thing means that Oddworld is, in actuallity, not one planet or moon, but a series of them in orbit around one planet. This would explain the incredible variety in sentient species, as well as the whole gravity problem.
Just a thought, hope I'm not getting too obsessed with this...

[Majic]

those are actually very great ideas, although the whole system of plants being oddworld may be wrong. very interesting though. it seems you put much thought into this, very comendable. keep it up!

[Danny]

It shames me to say it, but I can't pick any holes in your argument scientifically, and have to resort to pathetic nitpicking over petty Oddworld details - Mudokons and Glukkons once jointly dominated the continent of Mudos. We know nothing about the dominant races of the other continents, so it can't be said that "we know for a fact [that the mudokons] were once the dominant species on their respective globe"...

I know, it's pathetic. I'll try and think of a better argument later. For now, I'll just say you've got a good theory going on there...

[oddguy 999]

That sounds like a great idear...
But do you think that the master planet would be like the sun in that it would be the prim energy sorce to Oddworld. Or do you think that the sun is the sun and thats all their is about it?
Maybe if the sun is the energy sorce of Oddworld and Oddworld rotates at the same speed as its orbit (like our moon- but moons do rotate differently aswell) its loonner months would be its days... And if Mudos was on the side facing away from the main planet then thats why we havent seen it yet also...?

It could also be that oddworld is in a sister planet sistem where it orbits around a planet of a simular size as its self?

[ODDBODD]

my head hurts!

AND THIS SHOULD BE IN THE SPOILER THINGY BECAUSE NOW I KNOW THAT THERE IS A GABBIT MOON!!! WHY DONT YA TELL ME THE FRIGGING END!

SARCASM!

[Landale]

Consider this: We know that Oddworld is in fact 10 times bigger than Earth - that's pretty darn big, so itsn't it feesable that all the moons of Oddowrld may have different orbits, and so the differnt moons cannot be seen at all times? If that planet is that big, then why can't there be moons that have elliptical orbits? Just a thought- but a good one I think *hehe*

[Wil]

It's already been explained, Oddbodd, that every hero of the Quintology will have his, her or its own moon. It's not a spoiler as such, it's been floating about for about two years.

Oddworld was intentionally created ever so slightly collosal so that there would be no need to investigate space. The moons, obviously are essential, and cannot be considered far away enough to be in Deep Space. But don't expect either a visit to the moon (this is fantasy, not sci-fi) or an explanation as to how the pawprints got there (Oddworld still has some spiritualism).

Still, your theory has intrigued me. A duel-planetary system? A satallite of a moon? It's an astronomers candyland!!

[Oddsville]

You bring up a good theory and Alf said in one of his letters this week that even though there may be three more storys left (not including the bonus games, Habitales, and Fearitales) there is still alot more storys left on Oddoworld...or something like that. Anyho, I still don't belive Oddworld is a moon but mabye just mabye it is?

[Dequibenzo]

I like that idea expressed earlier, that Oddworld, if it were actually a moon, has an orbit that constantly keeps mudos facing away from the "master planet". That would explain the lack of it's enormous presence in the sky, as well as provide for a very cool dramatic moment if you ever get to the other hemisphere- "oh, look, the sky is dominated by an enormous spiraling purple and orange thing here. How quaint". And, you're right, a lunar cycle would be a day. Interesting...
Now, I hate to question authority, but, actually, oddworld being a very large planet/moon/whatever wouldn't make for irregular lunar orbits, but instead quite the contrary. The larger a planet is, the much harder it is for outside forces to affect its gravitational influence, so something as big as oddworld would actually be much less likely to have orbital anomolies in it's sattelites. Just a thought.
Also, I don't know if I would call Oddworld fantasy instead of Sci Fi. To me, it's awlays been the textbook example of "hard to define" (If that sentance makes any sense at all, that is). The line between fantasy and scifi is a fuzzy one, and I think it's nice to have something that sits right on top of it, but doesn't involve robots riding dragons in space or anything insanely stupid like that. Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, and it all comes down to OWI's. With all the twists in style from Abe's adventures to Munch's, I've given up all hope predicting what will or won't happen in future editions. Space stations, moon moons, pro wrestiling levels, who knows? They're all feasible if you have enough imagination. Only time will tell.

[paramiteabe]

If you play Abes Oddyssy and you are in the Stock Yard's. One of the selestrial bodies in the sky looks like a gas giant. Maybe Oddworld is a moon?

[kleeng]

A slight problem comes to mind. if odd world where a moon for an other planet ike a gass gigant. it would occasionaly (or frequently depents on its orbit time and how that relates to the oddworld sun and the planet it orbits) pass behind the planet blokking out the sun.
Un less it rotates like sugessted earliyer with that side away from the planet it orbits.
Then the other side of odd world woud rotate always fasing the planet and would be almost devoid of sunlight. Onely getting sun when there to the side of the mother planet and that kind of stuf is like thwilight.
It would be like the north pole or colder.

[Dequibenzo]

Hmm... I haven't played AO in a while, I had forgotten that one of the stockyard escape celestial features was a gas giant. This would seem to support my theory a lot, actually. If a jovian planet is close enough to actually have visable features from the planet surface, it most likely is a moon. On Earth, we still feel minor tugs from Jupiter, and it's only a pinpoint in the sky. Curiouser and curiouser. Astronomers are actually always more interested in the jovian planets around stars in that life-supporting region of distance, what's called the "Goldilocks" region- not too hot, not too cold, just right. Terranian planets are usually still molten or frozen solid, but Jovian moons are always so varied that they're probably our best bet for finding more life out there. But that's science, and this is fiction, so who knows?

[Danny]

Originally posted by Dequibenzo
what's called the "Goldilocks" region- not too hot, not too cold, just right.

i had never heard it callrf likr thid...

[dark_xinos]

[sorry for interupting you're philesoficle descution(or whatever its called) ]I wounder what the sun is like then. Oddworld has deserts, so that must mean that there could be selfstarting grass fires or something. If Oddworld is orbeting a gas giant... whell, i think it might be kinda dangorus... What if it cathes fire and blows up? Would Oddworld be demolicht or turned into a compleat desert. Sence Oddworld is 10 times bigger then earth, the gas giant must be humongus, and that would turn it into a secund sun (veeery to close to Oddworld... if it cathes fire)

Yes that soves the gravity problem... Yes indeed. Ive been woundering for a long time about that. Yup. If it wasent for al those other moons everybody on oddworld would be squished like a bug to the surface.

[Sal the Mudokon]

im big on physics and i must say that your idea is rather likely, had oddworld be an actual place. you have yet another really good idea!

[Dequibenzo]

Hee hee, I love all this attention I'm getting. It's like being a kid on his birthday.
Anyway, back to business. I had another thought. No matter what sort of celestial body it is, if Oddworld is 10 times the size of earth, then it has reached the mass required to form a ring. Since rings almost always form equatorially, and you can't see it in any of the Oddworld games yet in the sky, then that means Mudos is not anywhere near the equator. And, since there are tropics and deserts there, that means the equatorial regions of Oddworld must be hot something fierce.

[Lantra]

wow u put a lot of thouhgt into this stuff. i dont like the idea from different races being from different moons, that would be 2 space agey and unoddworld like.

[kleeng]

Oddworld can be 10 times the size of earth as long as it isn't 10 time's its mass. Mass is what determins gravity not size.
Odd world could be a planet with out an iron core or a verry small one that would substancialy lower its mass and thus it's gravety.

[dark_xinos]

Originally posted by Sal the Mudokon
im big on physics and i must say that your idea is rather likely, had oddworld be an actual place. you have yet another really good idea!

Do you mean me?

[dark_xinos]

What im going to say, is (and i beat) unexplanable...

If oddworld is orbeting around a gas gaint, there wouldent be any life on it... sence gas gaints have a very short "lifespan" (abou 1 million years). SO. How can the life on oddworld had time to evolve?!?

[kleeng]

I don't know about your theory of gass gigants blowing up, but there is a gass gigant in our solar system and it hasen't blown up.

[Dequibenzo]

Not all gas giants have pre-set time limits on them. All of ours do- Jupiter is actually shrinking, not falling apart- but it's theoretically possible to have a really big, stable Jovian planet out there. As for Oddworld having lesser density, that would make sense- maybe it has an ice or crystal core, or something cool like that. Maybe it's made of nougat, who knows? 'Tis all up to Lorne and crew.

[Rat]

Huh? mesa am being confused

[kleeng]

MMMmmmm, nougat.

[dark_xinos]

Whats the e-mail address to alf att oddworld.com? I really need to ask a thing or two...