Non-humanoid original aliens

[Laughing Man]

I like that idea of an aliens life force which inhabits an artificial body, not actually artificial intelligence but an 'real' alien intelligence in a non-biological form.

*cough*

Stargates done that one as well, (Urgo, Entity)

 

[laikenf]

I like the Hanar in Mass Effect

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

*snip*

I completely agree. Especially when you consider a highly evolved species, you will often see similar traits across a wide variety of species. And besides, how could a quadruped with paws control (or build for that matter) any kind of machinery? Our intricate usage of tools has influenced the evolution of our hands to allow for more complex and more efficient interaction with tools and machinery. The chances that you will see a species without any discernible limbs have advanced technology is highly unlikely, to the point where I would even call it impossible.

Along with the evolutions in our brain we also evolved limbs to better allow us to interact with our surroundings. We evolved these limbs based on our higher intelligence.

Now with a series like Star Trek: The Next Generation (they've actually done some research on how evolution could affect a species from another planet) you sometimes see a space faring creature that doesn't rely on technology at all. These are special cases. In some cases these are creatures that have evolved to live in space. There is even one case in Star Trek: Voyager where they found a species of animal that lives in dark matter nebulae.

This begs the question, how much more efficient is evolving and intelligence and limbs capable of developing technologies when compared to a purely biological evolution? The key comparison would be Human versus any Space Faring creature.

It's just easier to find the path of least resistance, and in humanity's limited experience, that means carbon based life. (speaking of aliens: the documentary series "extra terrestrial" (I think it was by National Geographic) has some very interesting takes on various forms of life, mostly non-humanoid too)

The documentary was done by Discovery channel, although it might have been a joint project with National Geographic. They discussed creatures that didn't evolve a higher intelligence. Essentially they discussed the Dogs, Lions, Elephants, and Birds of an alien planet, but stayed away from intelligent species like Humans.

The documentary was basically following a fictional probe's (guided by artificial intelligence) journey on an alien planet. I am assuming you are referring to this documentary.

Well there was a doc about a probe that went waaaaay into the future to see how life had continued to evolve on Earth, I think they assumed that humanity had either gone extinct or had left Earth behind, but it was pretty crazy, Squid like creatures had moved onto land and were on track to become tool users I think. But there was the Extraterrestrial Doc by whichever channel, that showed various interesting concepts of life on other worlds.


But Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if alien life had similar traits on every world they may occupy. If all life must be relatively similar to that of the earth e.g. carbon based and whatnot, then it wouldn't be surprising if all life was indeed similar(insectoids or icthyoids or amphiboids or reptiloids even). But if you had life that was silicon based or something else, then who knows what that life may look like or if it could even exist.

 

[Molikroth]

Anthropomorphic aliens come off as more freindly looking and more relateable they say, the Xenomorphs from Aliens. Also, fans of these aliens are oftern pervertate nerds and they like to fantasise about these character, esspecialy the female characters. Guess thats why those blue chicks from Mass Effect caused so much of a sture.

We resent the term "pervertate". We prefer "depraved".

 

[Arbitrary Imposition]

My favorite alien was the Lovecraftian "Alien" from Watchmen. The idea being that it was so different, so truly *alien* to anything humans could have expected, that we were unable to even comprehend it without psychological devestation.

 

[RufusMcLaser]

Anyone have a copy of to Extraterrestrials [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlowe%27s_Guide_to_Extraterrestrials]? Go have a look. The comparative size chart on page 53 brings one point home like a sledgehammer- our writers are stuck on bilateral symmetry, and on anthropomorphic body styles. That's understandable when it comes to TV and movie aliens, which are usually restricted by time and budget constraints to what were basically men in rubber suits, but it's a terrible failure of imagination when you're a novelist. How many truly original alien "designs" can you think of? I can pick a handful out of Barlowe's and memory: Niven's Puppeteers, Niven and Pournelle's Moties, Christopher's Masters, Anthony's Polarians... Precious few. In consideration, however, all of them still have comparatively anthropomorphic psychologies. Few writers bother go to the trouble of coming up with truly alien motivations. Heinlein did it, somewhat, for Valentine M. Smith's foster parents.

 

[RufusMcLaser]

I'm hearing "arms, legs, this instead of a spine". Still using elements found on Earth. Yeah, the whole package isn't found on Earth, but you could say the same thing about a dragon or an aurumvorax.

Art is fundamentally about people, anyway, so the only reason to have aliens or elves is for comparison/contrast and some of the Issues that come up. It doesn't really matter just *how* they're different.

Not sure I agree. The thing I liked about the Moties was their comparatively original psychology and sociology. Their design wasn't as original as one might have liked, but I give Niven/Pournelle points just for getting away from a symmetrical body structure! I also take issue with your last statement (a little narcissistic perhaps?) The radical differences of the Moties were of fundamental importance to the story. It was necessary that they physiology and society behave in a certain way; it explained their motivation and provided a good deal of the drive behind the story. If they'd been abstractly weird, it wouldn't have worked.

 

[JMeganSnow]

I'm hearing "arms, legs, this instead of a spine". Still using elements found on Earth. Yeah, the whole package isn't found on Earth, but you could say the same thing about a dragon or an aurumvorax.

Art is fundamentally about people, anyway, so the only reason to have aliens or elves is for comparison/contrast and some of the Issues that come up. It doesn't really matter just *how* they're different.

Not sure I agree. The thing I liked about the Moties was their comparatively original psychology and sociology. Their design wasn't as original as one might have liked, but I give Niven/Pournelle points just for getting away from a symmetrical body structure! I also take issue with your last statement (a little narcissistic perhaps?) The radical differences of the Moties were of fundamental importance to the story. It was necessary that they physiology and society behave in a certain way; it explained their motivation and provided a good deal of the drive behind the story. If they'd been abstractly weird, it wouldn't have worked.

I've read the book, it's just one more example of Niven and Pournelle's "cyclical history" theory, only dramatized with aliens rather than humans. Read Lucifer's Hammer [http://www.amazon.com/Lucifers-Hammer-Larry-Niven/dp/0449208133] if you want to see an example of this theory being applied to humans.

There are two kinds of art. The kind that is about humans (even if only indirectly) and the kins that is utterly pointless.

 

[Kevvers]

I completely agree. Especially when you consider a highly evolved species, you will often see similar traits across a wide variety of species. And besides, how could a quadruped with paws control (or build for that matter) any kind of machinery? Our intricate usage of tools has influenced the evolution of our hands to allow for more complex and more efficient interaction with tools and machinery. The chances that you will see a species without any discernible limbs have advanced technology is highly unlikely, to the point where I would even call it impossible.

Now hold on there friend you are forgetting that an alien would have an alien environment which could facilitate life without limbs.
An alien filled with inflatable pouches which it could use to collect and feed of bacteria shooting out of vents, could funnel the gasses into appendages needed to build things using other resources in the environment.
But when we attack their ships because that's what we do; we would find a crew of balloon things that explode in a cloud of disease.

Somebody get the flame-thrower...