Markdoc Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! but makes less sense when you consider how much maintenance the hive requires You're thinking biologically: it doesn't make sense in terms of a living organism, but it makes perfect sense in terms of a biological weapon designed for a sudden population explosion, followed by a rapid population collapse. Since I don't know of any movie references that suggest aliens actually hibernate - but the first film definately indicates that the eggs will survive a long time - you get an engineered lifecycle that goes like this: 1. Drop some eggs onto your target population. Chestbursting ensues. 2. Rapid population of Xenomorphs develops and - instinctually driven - the Xenomorphs create a "queen egg" if they don't already have a queen. 3. The queen gets to laying eggs. The xenomorphs scour the surrounding territory and bring prey back to the nest. At some point they run out of prey and the xenomorphs with their rapid metabolism, and short lifespan, start to die off (including, eventually the queen). 4. You now have a depopulated area. Move in and (carefully now!) harvest the eggs. As long as you don't go waving anything big an' meaty near them they'll stay good for a long time. 5. At some point, move back to 1. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Since I don't know of any movie references that suggest aliens actually hibernate - but the first film definately indicates that the eggs will survive a long time - you get an engineered lifecycle that goes like this: The second movie - Aliens It's clearly shown that after the colonists have been wiped out, the xenomorphs go to sleep. The xenomorphs are shown to wake up after a chestburster is killed and the marines are in the middle of the hive. What there are no movie references for is a short lifespan - that's not expressed anywhere, only implied in the first movie that the creature is entering it's next stage in the shuttle, whatever stage that happens to be. It could equally have been going into hibernation after running out of food sources. Mind you in the roleplaying game - the mass of xenomorphs is assumed to come from non-organic material. They eat things other than organic life. Which is the reason why none of the bodies in the movies have ever been consumed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! I'm sorry' date=' but even in a sweet and sour, liquid metal would be awfully bland. Bulk filler in a smoothie, at best. I'd have to go with the Alien on this one.[/quote'] True, but what if you combined the two in a kind of jambalaya? The liquid metal would take a lot of edge off the molecular acid in the alien... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drhoz Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! 2. Rapid population of Xenomorphs develops and - instinctually driven - the Xenomorphs create a "queen egg" if they don't already have a queen. Actually the cut scene from Aliens showed that a Queen Facehugger is covered in spines. Newt's Dad was really, really unlucky that the first chestburster brought back to the colony was the one that doomed it. Of course, he was dead by then so probably had other things on his mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! The second movie - Aliens It's clearly shown that after the colonists have been wiped out, the xenomorphs go to sleep. The xenomorphs are shown to wake up after a chestburster is killed and the marines are in the middle of the hive. I'd just assumed that they were resting to conserve energy, in the absence of any food: the fact that they woke up rapidly and went straight into action, indicates that they weren't hibernating as we understand the term - by definition, it's a form of slowed metabolism much deeper than sleep. Still, it's an alien life-form: who knows how it actually operates? What there are no movie references for is a short lifespan - that's not expressed anywhere' date=' only implied in the first movie that the creature is entering it's next stage in the shuttle, whatever stage that happens to be. It could equally have been going into hibernation after running out of food sources.[/quote'] No, I agree with that - the short lifespan is purely extrapolation. It's something you'd want in a bioweapon - the "organic machines" we make ourselves, like viral vectors for vaccine or drug delivery are exactly like this: they have an engineered flaw (usually multiple engineered flaws) which ensure that they die after generating the response we want inside the body. Mind you in the roleplaying game - the mass of xenomorphs is assumed to come from non-organic material. They eat things other than organic life. Which is the reason why none of the bodies in the movies have ever been consumed. This does explain where the alien in the original film got its extra mass - though it also opens the question why we never see any signs of them eating anything inorganic - or indeed, why they didn't just eat their way out of prison in the 4th movie instead of killing one of their members. That said, in a cut scene from the first movie, you have this dialog, when Ripley finds Dallas cocooned and the Brett-egg, she says to Dallas, "I'm going to get you out of here" and Dallas replies, "No, it's too late for me, the alien has eaten to much of me already... see what it did to Brett" It's hard to say too much definitive - most of the people taken by aliens in the film are simply never seen again. Eaten? Implanted? Who knows? Interestingly though, it raises one question - if aliens can eat inorganic material, then presumably they could implant androids. That'd be an interesting baby! It also raises the question of why they need biological hosts at all - though if they were a bioweapon, I guess that could have been designed in. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! And the important thing for us roleplayers - is that there is just enough ambiguity in the interpretation of "canon" (by whatever arbitrary subjective manner we define the term) - to cover a variety of life cycles, origins and purposes for the xenomorph. Because they can be re-interpreted, they can fit into existing plots in campaigns more easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! True' date=' but what if you combined the two in a kind of jambalaya? The liquid metal would take a lot of edge off the molecular acid in the alien...[/quote'] I tend to like my carbs over more fibre in a one-pot dinner like jambalaya, so swapping the rice out for liquid metal wouldn't be ideal. but would liquid metal act like dietary roughage in the intestines, or would it reassemble itself into a murderous mandroid with razor-sharp hooks for hands? These kinds of thoughts wake me up nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austenandrews Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! And the important thing for us roleplayers - is that there is just enough ambiguity in the interpretation of "canon" (by whatever arbitrary subjective manner we define the term) - to cover a variety of life cycles' date=' origins and purposes for the xenomorph. Because they can be re-interpreted, they can fit into existing plots in campaigns more easily.[/quote'] If an alien can take the shape of a victim, might it not adapt aspects of the life cycle as well? That would be one nasty evolutionary trait. Whatever it kills, it takes the strongest parts for itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megaplayboy Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! You're thinking biologically: it doesn't make sense in terms of a living organism, but it makes perfect sense in terms of a biological weapon designed for a sudden population explosion, followed by a rapid population collapse. Since I don't know of any movie references that suggest aliens actually hibernate - but the first film definately indicates that the eggs will survive a long time - you get an engineered lifecycle that goes like this: 1. Drop some eggs onto your target population. Chestbursting ensues. 2. Rapid population of Xenomorphs develops and - instinctually driven - the Xenomorphs create a "queen egg" if they don't already have a queen. 3. The queen gets to laying eggs. The xenomorphs scour the surrounding territory and bring prey back to the nest. At some point they run out of prey and the xenomorphs with their rapid metabolism, and short lifespan, start to die off (including, eventually the queen). 4. You now have a depopulated area. Move in and (carefully now!) harvest the eggs. As long as you don't go waving anything big an' meaty near them they'll stay good for a long time. 5. At some point, move back to 1. cheers, Mark I prefer Saiyan bioweapons. More cost effective. Send one baby and a moon simulator. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted March 5, 2010 Report Share Posted March 5, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! I prefer Saiyan bioweapons. More cost effective. Send one baby and a moon simulator. Problem solved. Unless he hits his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! True' date=' but what if you combined the two in a kind of jambalaya? The liquid metal would take a lot of edge off the molecular acid in the alien...[/quote'] Then you can open up a Mexican restaurant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! I'd just assumed that they were resting to conserve energy, in the absence of any food: the fact that they woke up rapidly and went straight into action, indicates that they weren't hibernating as we understand the term - by definition, it's a form of slowed metabolism much deeper than sleep. Still, it's an alien life-form: who knows how it actually operates? No, I agree with that - the short lifespan is purely extrapolation. It's something you'd want in a bioweapon - the "organic machines" we make ourselves, like viral vectors for vaccine or drug delivery are exactly like this: they have an engineered flaw (usually multiple engineered flaws) which ensure that they die after generating the response we want inside the body. This does explain where the alien in the original film got its extra mass - though it also opens the question why we never see any signs of them eating anything inorganic - or indeed, why they didn't just eat their way out of prison in the 4th movie instead of killing one of their members. That said, in a cut scene from the first movie, you have this dialog, when Ripley finds Dallas cocooned and the Brett-egg, she says to Dallas, "I'm going to get you out of here" and Dallas replies, "No, it's too late for me, the alien has eaten to much of me already... see what it did to Brett" It's hard to say too much definitive - most of the people taken by aliens in the film are simply never seen again. Eaten? Implanted? Who knows? Interestingly though, it raises one question - if aliens can eat inorganic material, then presumably they could implant androids. That'd be an interesting baby! It also raises the question of why they need biological hosts at all - though if they were a bioweapon, I guess that could have been designed in. cheers, Mark Well, they could have had originally a built-in shortened lifespan built in, but mutated. (which could explain why we havent come into contact with the Pilot race or whomever they were fighting, as they found a way to live longer, or at least the queen did, and exterminated their creators) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! I prefer Saiyan bioweapons. More cost effective. Send one baby and a moon simulator. Problem solved. So, who wants to create the Saiyan vs. Xenomorph thread? Wait, an implanted Saiyan, with the chestburster taking on Saiyan characteristics? I think I just pooped myself. Holy moly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted March 7, 2010 Report Share Posted March 7, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Well' date=' they could have had originally a built-in shortened lifespan built in, but mutated. (which could explain why we havent come into contact with the Pilot race or whomever they were fighting, as they found a way to live longer, or at least the queen did, and exterminated their creators)[/quote'] I heard Ridley Scot was considering a prequel about the Pilot's race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Hmm, the Siayan xenomorph started my mind working in overlord. In a what if we put them through cross-genre universes. (assuming they could implant these races of course) -Vampire xenomorphs -werewolf xenomorphs LOTR edition -orc xenomorphs -elf xenomorphs -dwarf xenomorphs (not that interesting to me but) Inuyasha anime edition -demon xenomorphs (course one like Naraku would probably absorb the alien queen into his being instead, and besides that miasma of his was like the xenomorph's acid on steroids) or the just plain crazy -Chuck Norris xenomorph (ok yeah, Chuck Norris's antibodies would just kick the implanted chestburster to be's butt out of his body) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Sauron as a xenomorph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Sauron as a xenomorph You mean a balrog? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Hmm, the Siayan xenomorph started my mind working in overlord. In a what if we put them through cross-genre universes. (assuming they could implant these races of course) -Vampire xenomorphs Sparkly xenomorphs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! The what now? Sparkly, centuries-old xenomorphs that still look like teenagers with towering hair, who brood over the girls they don't want to touch --except possibly to implant them with their eggs? I'm getting cognitive dissonance here. Care Bears sparkle, too, but you don't seem them waiting 4 books to... Okay, admittedly, Care Bears have a "G" rating. But still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraven Kor Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Sparkly xenomorphs! Stab you. In the neck. With a fork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Stab you. In the neck. With a fork. I'll help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! It was worth it! *dies* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! The one thing that Twilight was missing - was Edward puncturing Bella's head (to discover nothing) with his secondary set of jaws.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Well, I was thinking more the classic vampire and werewolf movies instead of Twilight to be fair. I try not to think about Twilight. ANd thanks Susano for mentioning balrogs. I thought of him just after I posted, but was too lazy to bother. And thanks to the previews of clash of the TItans The Krakenmorph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Re: I love me some xenomorphs! Well, I was thinking more the classic vampire and werewolf movies instead of Twilight to be fair. I try not to think about Twilight. ANd thanks Susano for mentioning balrogs. I thought of him just after I posted, but was too lazy to bother. And thanks to the previews of clash of the TItans The Krakenmorph (Game over, man, game over) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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