03-27-2016, 03:47 PM
(03-27-2016, 04:33 AM)YDH Wrote: What bugs me is that the avali occupy a really awkward slot where they're similar enough that I want them to interact freely with everyone else, but different enough for that to be problematic (I'm not the only one--pretty much everyone seems to want to hug them). A human could comfortably exist on the same world as a floran (or a klingon, or a wookie), and could hug or shake hands with him or her, but with avali I have to resort to a whole bunch of hand-wavy "augments" which probably wouldn't actually work. On the other hand, they're not as alien as a horta or a formic (to use the polite term from the movie). They're basically extremely social dinosaurs, and their biology makes them harder to write without really giving a whole lot of payoff. The reason I chose avali for my machinima was the interesting relationship between them and humanity, but there's nothing about that that requires their weird biology.They'd be cold to the touch (Although not freezing just slightly uncomfortable like wet clothing cold, although they'd feel even colder the warmer it is.) and probably have a set of "netting" laced through their fur for the temperature regulation. It's more efficient to have it collect to a single point where the heat is rapidly expelled like a radiator. Thing is it would constantly be hot enough to start fires at such a point, which would allow them to use that thermal energy to increase the battery life/reduce strain on the avali. Thus likely on the back with what would amount to a basic HEV computer and regulation systems about as small as a fannypack. They'd also probably have an in mouth breathing regulator that would be VERY uncomfortable without long periods of training beforehand. Connected to the cooling net-work.
Meh. Sorry, I'm ranting. Maybe I was more skilled in writing xenofiction, I wouldn't have these problems.
If it bothers you that I say "never," perhaps I'll rephrase. I think there are so many obstacles that the avali learning to farm on their own that the chances of it coming about are negligible.
Moving on, we have a pretty good idea of what was on our ancestors' plates. We had a basic omnivorous diet and scavenged off kills by other predators. I don't think there was ever a time when we were only hunters (though some later cultures came close), but after we started using stone tools we started eating a lot more meat. We hunted larger game using our famous endurance technique--basically following prey at a jog for hours or days until it exhausts itself. I haven't read anything about systematic cannibalism in human ancestors, though I am familiar with the stories of cannibals that European explores liked to bring back.
I don't know if racism is the right word to describe conflicts between humans and related species. Inter-specific competition would be more accurate. But you are correct that early humans were probably much more violent than modern ones--famous still-extant primitive tribes often have long series of killings and revenge killings. I imagine stone-age avali would have behaved similarly, basically the opposite of their modern mindset (at least with the super-loyal, hyper-unified species I give them). Hey, that could be an interesting story idea if I can pull it off.
On a different note, it occurred to me that avali operating in an Earth-like environment with temperature regulation augments like Rhaomi's might actually be warm enough for other races to touch. Their body would be constantly absorbing heat energy from the air around it, and that heat has to go somewhere to keep from melting the avali's internal organs, so it's probably radiated outward. So Rhaomi may be quite huggable (aside from the fact that he would probably bite you). It would be like hugging a reptile. Or maybe not, I haven't really finished thinking this through.
Just a "heat repulsion" system like you are thinking would rapidly overheat and burst into flames as the avali dies a flaming sparking mess of death.
I actually have a point to make on the prior point about, cannibalism stuff. I'll leave a spoiler here this time.
As I said, we are lucky we have vast amounts of edible plants. We WERE and ARE hunters in the absence of easily edible plants. Look at the Western and Northernmost Inuit culture(I hesitantly call them by the insult Eskimo to make sure people know of what I speak...) Entirely based around hunting culture and survival all. They're just lucky enough to have others trade them some other things now and eventually found some roots that they then took into use.
Oh right. On icy worlds and in icy zones what rocks actually visibly show up are mineral rich, meaning metals are easily obtained. But limited in use to hand pounding in most cases. Meaning basic hooks, wire, and snares. How are they mineral rich? Volcanoes originally formed the island and all of the softer stone has been worn off over metal deposits by ice flows.
Wait wait WAIT! On a world with a hydrogen atmosphere. Fires would burn WAY hotter and produce pure water although hard to start. That's how hydrogen reactors work(partly). Our environment rapidly reacts with hydrogen which is why we don't have enough to have produced hydrogen tech as early as we could have otherwise.
I HAVE FOUND THE MISSING LINK!
Hydrogen reactors produced as early as the stone age by accident. that would have been a tech catalyst right in front of them that could have slingshotted them like metalwork did for us along a very different set of discoveries.