FreeOrion

Here is a quick concept sketch of a Grindling...

Introduction – Grindlings are a strange small race of highly territorial beings. They are not aggressive, but just very territorial. They are no bigger than a Chuwawa but are relatively strong for their size, and can carry roughly 40 lbs upon their backs. Their Strengths come from their keen perception which make them extraordinary strategists. In a space battle they can see minuet movements in opponents fleets which help them anticipate and plan actions and reactions. Despite being extraordinary strategists they are lousy scientists and have a slower time researching than other races. They also have penalties on ground combat due to their diminished stature, but will/won't ever retreat from a conflict even if the chance of winning is zero, they have to much pride. Lastly, Grindlings though not mean natured, are horrible at diplomacy due to their difficulty relating/communicating to other races.

Homeworld – Grind is a small mountainous moon that orbits a gas giant Gilgore. It has a good atmosphere with a lot of water, but the majority of the water is in the form of snow upon the peaks of the many mountains. The air is composed of oxygen, carbon dioxide , and other elements just like earth and in fact Grindlings breath oxygen just the same as humans. There are few plants and a few varieties of animals but the size of the planet leads to dwarfism and lack of variety. The entire moon is about ¼ the size of earths moon.

A reason for leaving the home planet – As the Grindling nations progressed they saw the need for more land so that they could continue to grow in numbers. Food was becoming scarce and the song “It's a small world” never fit so well as with Grind. Grindlings' first satelites and shuttles found that though Gilgore was totally uninhabitable, with some effort colonies could be set up on several of Gilgore's numerous moons. And so the Grindlings set out in exploration of new homes. As they colonized these different moons the Grindlings sense of adventure and intrigue grew. They were so use to the same few plants and the same few animals that when seeing alien landscapes caused a renossance of sorts. Their poets wrote sonets and their artist painted murals. And with every new moon colonized came new food and new sights. Soon the Grindlings had colonized every moon but wanted more adventure and new territories so they set off to search for new worlds and new sights.

Physical description – Grindlings are small. If on earth they would be classified as mammal but lay eggs just like a platupus. They have for feet each with a hoof and an opposabal digit. These hoofs are slightly magnetic and helped them actually stick to their natural terrain. As they have ventured farther and farther from Grind they have slowly lost their magnetism however but still contain some traces of it. Grindlings are deaf because they have no ears, instead they have highly developed eyes which cells are so sensitive can actually detect vibrations in the air and thus Grindlings hear in a sense through sight. That is why their culture is so fascinated by new sights, they enjoy seeing just like you may enjoy eating ice cream or a steak. This has lead them to have difficulties communicating with other races though because of the differences in how they percieve one another and thus Grindlings are horrible diplomats. They can hear the intentions of others but get frustrated that others can hear their intentions in the same way. Grindlings are also covered by a thick fur that is warm but corse. Lastly Grindlings only eat meat, but will never eat it raw.

Social Structure – Tribal, territorial. Grindlings seek to build their libraries of art for the whole species but tend to be nomadic and tribal in their government. Therefore their government is inefficient but works.

History – Still in the works.

Race Attributes – One of the best space combatists. Poor research, poor ground combat, poor diplomacy. Phobia towards water, thus can't live on water worlds.

A promessing start more detials on how the "hearing with sight" works would be useful. As would more details on their culture/social structure, its just as important as their biology.

I like alot. They are awesome.

It may be able to be explained like this. You have seeing through hearing. Bats, Dolphins, ect. They use sound and are able to see objects around them, you and I can't do this but we can guess what it might be like. Well this is just reverse. As sound hits the Grindlings eye the cells could contract or dialate depending on the frequency and thus give a variation of color. We, being human, have never experienced hearing through sight but can come close to what it might be like. For example as someone got mad and raised their voice we may see the envrionment turn red or if someone was scared we could see the envrionment tremble with their voice. This is just a basic example. Having been born like this the Grindling could read every influctuation every hint of irony or humor; and just like a sin wave can be read by a computer these fluctions can be taken in and processed by the Grindlings brain to make sense.

So picture this, squids tenticles are so sensitive they can taste what they touch. Is that so strange? Yes it is because we can't do that. Sharks can feel their envrionment with electric sensors in their nose. Is that weird, a little... So there are a lot of cross modualtes in nature. Seeing through hearing, taste through touch, feel through smell; so why is hearing through sight so strange? If something doesn't have eyes its brain finds a way to see without them. So the Grindlings brain found a way to hear through sight. Is it going to be the same hear as we have, no; but it is an alien right?

So essentially they see a massive picture that is the the sum total of all the sound in the area as well as more detailed than the average brain's sound processing? If so that is seriously cool, creative and neat! Just one question, if they hear through sight, what do they use to see by? Or is there an bat-like echo detection somewhere in that picture?

Out of curiosity do you think such an arrangement would be inherently better, or do Grindling's just have very good eyes when comapaired to other's average quality ears?


P.S. squids taste isn't that weird, we taste what we touch, just have to touch it with our tongue.

So this might not be exactly what it would be like, but I think it get the point across. If we saw a jet it might look like this:




If a Grindling saw a jet they would see it like this and also be discern what kind of noise it was making by the color. Is it mechanical, is the pilot preparing missiles to fire, is the wind blowing ect.




I think it would have it's benefits and its disadvantages. Not necessarly better, just different. It helps with guessing movement and reading intent however, so it is better in that regard.

I understand, really cool idea

In hopes to contribute something, and improve my skills using painter I decided to start trying to do some concept art for the Grindlings.

Any feedback or critique is more than welcome. Also if anybody is really good at painter and wants to give me some pointers I am all ears.

This first attempt posted at the start of this subject was a simple pencil/water colour. It was quick and slopy but it was a type of test with how the different brushes work and get my general vision across of what these things looked like.

Here is a quick sketch with very rough coloring. Wanted to build a grindling from the bones up, so will start today with this, go to muscle and the like later, and then flesh it out as a final stage. Then try to do different poses, clothing, cultural ornamentation, and the like.

So here is a quick skeletal sketch.

Your earlier image has a big crest along the top, but there doesn't seem to be any bone structure to support that. Also, if it's going to be hold up the heavy head with those legs, it probably needs a bone ridge running a long the bottom of its body, as an insertion point for the muscles that pull the proximal segment of the leg down in order to hold the head up. Also also, the angle joint seems to be missing on the skeleton...

The earlier image as you said actually has a head and a body; also the earlier image didn't have a disjointed jaw. I decided to go with a more centralized look to give the eye a more central roll. If you look closely I also took out the nostrils intending for the eye to be the only sensory organ besides touch and maybe taste.

Looking at the skeleton I agree I need to put a bone ridge for the leg support, but I didn't understand what you meant by angle joint seems to be missing... what angle joint? Or is that your point ;P

EDIT: If the angle joint is in reference to the foot, yes, I went with one less joint for the legs.

Typo: I mean ankle. The joint closest to the foot.