Comic Discussion > ALICE GROVE
Alice Grove MCDT March 2015
BenRG:
--- Quote from: cesium133 on 19 Mar 2015, 06:42 ---I still haven't quite figured out where to stuff the lasers' power supply, though.
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Meh; there's lots of room in the skull if you remove all the gooey bits most people don't use! :evil:
explicit:
I certainly don't use it.
I'd remove the logic part of my brain for laser eyes. Though, I do think that's a prerequesite towards getting laser eyes in the first place.
Loki:
--- Quote from: Wildroses on 19 Mar 2015, 06:23 ---Scientists are the cause of a hell of a lot of problems for fictional characters, either because they are evil, mad, or the sort who would say: "Gee I wonder what would happen if I did this?" or "I'm sure nothing wrong will happen if I do this." Fictional Scientists like Grand Viziers. If characters just killed them as soon as they met them, they'd probably live very peaceful, untroubled lives.
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May I put this into the signature on a roleplaying forum I frequent, and if so, how would you like to be attributed?
mikmaxs:
--- Quote from: BenRG on 19 Mar 2015, 00:28 ---Size allows them to reach higher branches and gives them the height to see potential threats at a greater distance.
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They evolved from birds... Birds which, presumably, could get to higher areas easily. And again, they have no natural predators once they're mature, why do they need to see danger at such a long distance?
--- Quote ---Muscular necks give them the strength to tear roots out of the ground.
--- End quote ---
That's what their claws are for.
--- Quote ---As herbivores, they probably are roamers; they'd need strong legs to travel miles to find food. They probably have more endurance than sudden bursts of speed and strength.
--- End quote ---
In a dense forest? They don't live in barren, wide-open areas where food-bearing plants would be few and far between. Plus, they live in a cave, so they clearly live in a settled area. I don't see them roaming. (Especially when they have chicks.)
--- Quote from: KevxD on 19 Mar 2015, 02:32 ---As adults they have no natural predators, likely still have to protect their chicks from predators.
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There are two problems with that idea:
One, it implies that there is a predator which specifically hunts chick Struthio ridiculencis, but doesn't hunt the fully grown ones because they're too dangerous... Even though the fully grown ones would be defending the chicks. If the predator is sneaking into the nest to kill the chicks while the adults are out gathering food, then the Struthio wouldn't need to be large enough to defend their nests, because they would never get a chance to fight the predator.
Two, the comic says that they have NO natural predators. But if they have no natural predators, then they wouldn't need to grow to be so huge, because they never have to fight of predators... Which would make them smaller over time, turning them into better targets for hunters. Natural selection usually finds a happy medium, where the prey is just large enough to fend off or run away from predators without being so small or frail that they're totally helpless and without being so large that it's a waste of energy.
The only exceptions that I am aware of in real life (That is, large animals without predators,) are perhaps the Elephant, Rhino, and Hippo... All three of which do occasionally deal with predators (Usually being attacked in groups,) tend to respond aggressively in the wild, and most importantly are MAMMALS, which create huge physiology differences. The largest bird is the Ostrich, which stands around 7 feet tall and weighs, at most, around 300 Lbs. (346 Lbs. is the highest recorded weight, according to Wikipedia, but 230 Lbs. is the average.)
--- Quote from: Wildroses on 19 Mar 2015, 03:53 ---I'm not ruling out the possibility that those birds didn't occurred through the science of natural selection and evolution, but the science of genetic engineering because some idiot scientist... (Cont.)
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I'd buy that for a dollar. It makes a little sense, especially with the rest of the universe we've seen.
I wouldn't mind so much as the silly alien physiology, if Jeph hadn't tried to explain why things were the way they were. Just say 'They're passive creatures,' okay, cool. If you try and explain it thoroughly though, then the explanation has to make sense. (To me, at least.)
(I should mention that I'm a hopeful-but-not-yet-published fantasy and sci-fi writer, and I spend a lot of time thinking about explanations for fantastical concepts and ideas like these, making sure that concepts make sense and aren't just included for the Rule of Cool. Speaker For the Dead is one of my favorite books. This is something I focus on because it's important to me personally, not something I expect everyone to care about.)
BenRG:
--- Quote from: mikmaxs on 19 Mar 2015, 12:41 ---
--- Quote from: BenRG on 19 Mar 2015, 00:28 ---Size allows them to reach higher branches and gives them the height to see potential threats at a greater distance.
--- End quote ---
They evolved from birds... Birds which, presumably, could get to higher areas easily. And again, they have no natural predators once they're mature, why do they need to see danger at such a long distance?
--- End quote ---
Firstly, because they are ground-dwelling and can't fly at all; one development would demand the other. Secondly, because it would still be nice to see a stampede or an on-rushing flash-flood before it arrives.
--- Quote from: mikmaxs on 19 Mar 2015, 12:41 ---
--- Quote from: BenRG on 19 Mar 2015, 00:28 ---Muscular necks give them the strength to tear roots out of the ground.
--- End quote ---
That's what their claws are for.
--- End quote ---
Bzzt. Wrong. There is a difference between digging up and tearing loose. Birds can't chew and crushing beaks make it unlikely they could cut it up using their beaks like scissors, so they'd have to rip the food into small bits before swallowing.
--- Quote from: mikmaxs on 19 Mar 2015, 12:41 ---
--- Quote from: BenRG on 19 Mar 2015, 00:28 ---As herbivores, they probably are roamers; they'd need strong legs to travel miles to find food. They probably have more endurance than sudden bursts of speed and strength.
--- End quote ---
In a dense forest? They don't live in barren, wide-open areas where food-bearing plants would be few and far between. Plus, they live in a cave, so they clearly live in a settled area. I don't see them roaming. (Especially when they have chicks.)
--- End quote ---
Yes, even in a forest. Fruits, nuts and other plant materials are relatively energy-poor. They'll use up all the food in any given area very, very quickly so they have to keep moving.
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