Intelligent Design
 

I'm not really that much of a fan of cut-and-pastings in my Space Empires. I firmly believe the coolest user-created content is the stuff you can't find in a movie, or televsion series, or video game. It kind of saddens me that people are clamoring for Star Trek and B5 races and images and mods instead of using them as inspiration to create their own.
MM has given us a blank canvas for Sci-Fi beyond our wildest dreams (or, maybe, exactly what's in our wildest dreams)

Let's use it.

In that vein, I want to get something going relate to race portraits - in my eyes, one of the most overlooked parts of SEIV, and it seems like it's being given new importance in SEV.
Mr. Shane Watson's race portaits really set the bar high this time around, and they're all... well... alien-looking.
(my number one complaint about Star Trek and the like: new head-wrinkles does not a cool alien make)
I can't say I can reach Mr. Watson's level, but I've been painting for a while and I would like to try if I could produce a few of these for the community.
So I'd like to ask you for what you think an interesting alien ought to look like. How would it move? What would it eat? What kinds of senses would it have?
Think up an actual, viable alien, and I'll try to render it as best as I can.

To get this started, here's an in-progress save of the one I'm working on:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...051/scrins.jpg

(Too anthropomorphic, I think, but too late to turn back now http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif )
Still needs a lot of work - bottom's unfinished, needs a background, and general shape and blending stuff. This one served to help me switch from PS:CS to PainterIX.
A Scrin, he's called. I have some ramblings and concept art that I'll post later, because it's getting late.

Let's get this going. I'm excited already.
(PS: The weekdays might be slow. School's gotta come first)
(PPS: Mods, if you don't want this thread image-heavy let me know and I'll try to knock together a web page for this stuff)

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Good idea. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif I can do shipsets, but FORGET about the 2d stuff. I'll have to see if I can whip up some matching sets.

That image would actually work as-is, though more stuff certainly wouldn't hurt!

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Yep good looking picture. Your on to something here...there are plenty of artists, and plenty of modellers, and plenty of writers...all 3 can get together, and make some new races to add to the universe...

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Wow, great painting! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif You actually painted it with real paints and paintbrushes? Looks good!

When first I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be a discussion about evolution, creationism and intelligent design and what should be taught in schools. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Nice work! I can see stuff like this being added in a future SE:V Image Pack!

Re: Intelligent Design
 

When I saw that picture I thought to myself "AHHH! ITS RENEGADE 13!" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

But seriously...that is great work! I wish I could draw/paint like that.

Re: Intelligent Design
 

He doesn't look too suited to technology usage though, kinda barbaric for a space-faring race IMO.

Grumpy today,
TT

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Wow...very nice indeed!

As far as "what he eats" I'd file that under whatever he wants. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Intelligent Design
 

He's got some fight'n hands and some bit'n teeth, good job.

Re: Intelligent Design
 

Hey now, I never thought I was quite that vicious looking! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Looks great by the way. No way I could do anything that good http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif