Idea for dragons: Display gender

[Shian]

*Whistles innocently*

The only complaint I had was they re-used too many clips for my liking. Wanted MORE not re-used things!

[Frith-Rae]

I like Zeox do get offended, as a dracophile, when people consider them big lizards or big reptiles.

I agree with others - they are their own classification - though I DO think that if you're going to put "real world" biology into it then yes - I'd say the cousin of dino/crocs/birds fits a lot better than lizards/reptiles/amphibians/etc.

And fantasy can have its own logic and world biology - it just isn't necessarily EARTH (ours) logic and biology. Hence why you can have Pern, among other well developed fantasy (Pern isn't scifi for the mere fact that it has dragons, but its not pure fantasy either you're right) worlds and mythologies - where everyting in its own mythology and "science" works and makes sense - but putting our own categorizations and trying to make it fit OUR science doesn't.

And way to hijack!!

But yes - if this was RL and you cam eup and said "dragons are lizards" we'd get into a 3 hour long discussion on it and it woudl be interesting - I wouldn't actually get "angry" or anything but I AM NOT A LEEZARD!

[Vaz]

And fantasy can have its own logic and world biology - it just isn't necessarily EARTH (ours) logic and biology. Hence why you can have Pern, among other well developed fantasy (Pern isn't scifi for the mere fact that it has dragons, but its not pure fantasy either you're right) worlds and mythologies - where everyting in its own mythology and "science" works and makes sense - but putting our own categorizations and trying to make it fit OUR science doesn't.

Pern does not have dragons. It has a planet where six-limbed creatures are common, and one of those creatures was somewhat dragonlike, so the colonists, being human, decided to call those creatures "dragons." They genetically altered/developed the "dragons" to a much larger size, to be fit for fighting Thread.

Sorry for the off-topic comment(s). It's just that, while I was recently reading a Dragonriders of Pern book, I briefly wondered if anyone could believe it's not sci-fi. Apparently, disappointingly, the answer is "yes."

[Oakleif]

I suppose it all depends on what book you read. Dragon Singer and Dragon Song for instance, are very close to Fantasy and not so much Sci-Fi. First Fall, the White Dragon, and one ones written for a time period after that are definitely more Sci-Fi.

[tramsan]

You know, potentially, something can be both SF and fantasy at the same time.

[Vahrokh]

Tetrapoda (four-limbed vertebrates)
Amphibia (amphibians)
Amniota (amniotic embryo)
Sauropsida (reptiles)
Anapsida (turtles)
Diapsida
Squamata (lizards and snakes)
Archosauromorpha (dinosaures)

Crocodylia

Aves (birds)
Synapsida (mammal-like reptiles)
Mammalia (mammals)
I'd say, if dragons exist, they'd be cousin of Crocodiles and birds, and descendants of Dinosaures.

This classification is vastly outdated.
Nowadays even Darwinism has been left behind by the new evolution studies (i.e. punctuated evolution, cladistics etc.).
A branch of late dinosaurs appear for many reasons to be the "fathers" of birds.

Four legged dragons don't find a real space in Earth evolution, if they were hindlegs plus forewings they might be located in the second half of Mesozoic.

I personally /hate/ when dragons are called lizards or reptiles.

In modern paleonthology, lizards and crocodiles are less related to dinosaurs (and dragons) than to birds. There's even plausible evidence of late dinosaurs migrating to semi-warm blood-ness (big ones) and warm blood-ness (7-8 feet and smaller ones).

Getting scientific and categorizing dragons in a magical world seems almost goofy in my opinion. I mean... its magic. You can't explain that scientifically. Dragons are magical; there's no way around that and therefore - I say again - cannot be classified with other animals.

If dragons were not at least partially warm blooded (the body mass grants such a low warmth dispersion that being full hot blooded is not fundamental) they could not keep their movements, their gait, nor could even hope to fly. Cold blood grants a very short burst in activity like i.e. when doing a quick assault to a prey, but then that's it.

If all the different sorts of dragons that are in myths and legends were to exist, the term 'dragon' would cover a nigh infinite amount of creatures. Often times, dragons are depicted with fur. Fur and scales. Fur and feathers. Feathers and scales ( though feathers are just a variation of scale, really ). Heck, there've even been fleshy dragons. All this having been said it would be clear that dragons would be their own class/family/insertproperscientifictermhere.

The smaller the creatures, the hotter the blood system, the more needed is thermal insulation. Apparently small (human size and below) dinosaurs would have developed warmth feathers, a sub group of them would develop those feathers into flight feathers in the late age of dinosaurs.

New characterstics can randomly appear at any moment of the evolution (if you belive in Darwin :P).

Actually Darwin would tie those random "anomalies" that randomly end up being a better solution for the current environment.
It's very simplicistic and based on the belief that Nature is basically "stupid".
I found that "punctuated evolution" looks much more realistic.

In addition, someone can create a world where magic would follow scientific rules, this science being specific to this world, without loosing credibility (look at Full Metal Alchemist, alchemy is considered as a real science).

We are stuck at believing we live in the only way, in the only planet, the only everything.
Many, many universal theories past Einstein suggest we are but one of many "realities", our whole universe is based on some constants that with minimal differences would lead to a completely different existance.

If you think this is "nuts" of whatever, then why do you believe in science, one of its quantum theories predicting a lot of verifiable stuff... on the supposition our universe has 26 dimensions?


Nowhere is proved there can't be another billion universes where sentient dragons are wondering how's possible that two legged small creatures with intelligence could ever conquer their environment.

[Zexoin]

In addition, someone can create a world where magic would follow scientific rules, this science being specific to this world, without loosing credibility (look at Full Metal Alchemist, alchemy is considered as a real science).

We are stuck at believing we live in the only way, in the only planet, the only everything.
Many, many universal theories past Einstein suggest we are but one of many "realities", our whole universe is based on some constants that with minimal differences would lead to a completely different existance.

If you think this is "nuts" of whatever, then why do you believe in science, one of its quantum theories predicting a lot of verifiable stuff... on the supposition our universe has 26 dimensions?


Nowhere is proved there can't be another billion universes where sentient dragons are wondering how's possible that two legged small creatures with intelligence could ever conquer their environment.

Well, I've never been talking about physics and so on, I was talking about imaginating other world ruled by other laws. Never said they were possible o not. Anyway, we will never be able to verify if they are true or not, so why bother about their existance, except when reading a book or watching a film for entertainment *shrugs*

[Frith-Rae]

It's just that, while I was recently reading a Dragonriders of Pern book, I briefly wondered if anyone could believe it's not sci-fi. Apparently, disappointingly, the answer is "yes."

Disappointingly?? Why so disappointed that I consider it fantasy? I mean I've read all what..18 20 22 of them or so? I hate scifi for the most part so just be glad I gave her some money :P

But yea now that you remind me -they are genetically altered lizards basically....in every sense of the word as we understand it . (just add wings and a "blink") ROFL.

[Spirit]

You know, potentially, something can be both SF and fantasy at the same time.

They're on the same shelf in my book store...

Rakku (the now Adult dragon Rakku woohoo!)

[lightning claw]

This classification is vastly outdated.
Nowadays even Darwinism has been left behind by the new evolution studies (i.e. punctuated evolution, cladistics etc.).
A branch of late dinosaurs appear for many reasons to be the "fathers" of birds.

Four legged dragons don't find a real space in Earth evolution, if they were hindlegs plus forewings they might be located in the second half of Mesozoic.



In modern paleonthology, lizards and crocodiles are less related to dinosaurs (and dragons) than to birds. There's even plausible evidence of late dinosaurs migrating to semi-warm blood-ness (big ones) and warm blood-ness (7-8 feet and smaller ones).



If dragons were not at least partially warm blooded (the body mass grants such a low warmth dispersion that being full hot blooded is not fundamental) they could not keep their movements, their gait, nor could even hope to fly. Cold blood grants a very short burst in activity like i.e. when doing a quick assault to a prey, but then that's it.



The smaller the creatures, the hotter the blood system, the more needed is thermal insulation. Apparently small (human size and below) dinosaurs would have developed warmth feathers, a sub group of them would develop those feathers into flight feathers in the late age of dinosaurs.



Actually Darwin would tie those random "anomalies" that randomly end up being a better solution for the current environment.
It's very simplicistic and based on the belief that Nature is basically "stupid".
I found that "punctuated evolution" looks much more realistic.



We are stuck at believing we live in the only way, in the only planet, the only everything.
Many, many universal theories past Einstein suggest we are but one of many "realities", our whole universe is based on some constants that with minimal differences would lead to a completely different existance.

If you think this is "nuts" of whatever, then why do you believe in science, one of its quantum theories predicting a lot of verifiable stuff... on the supposition our universe has 26 dimensions?


Nowhere is proved there can't be another billion universes where sentient dragons are wondering how's possible that two legged small creatures with intelligence could ever conquer their environment.

To point out that there are many types of Dragons Hz Uses the Greek /Roman types as models others en clued Egyptian Chinas and a few others

[blackdog60]

a very simple method for annotating which dragons are male and female is just change the color our name is displayed.
You could easily make that available for every race in the game.
I don't recommend necessarily pink and blue, but you get the idea.

Those dragons that would just stay unknown could pick a 3rd neutral color.

I have never considered Freya as neuter, but female from conception to now.

I would imagine that the coding required would not be very complicated. As far as physical differences, you could make female dragons bigger,
just my simple solution to an important matter

[LOVWYRM]

that sounds like a VERY good idea to me, blackdog

[Ivy]

lol, a dragon with breasts .. and the mental image of how a male dragon would look just made me giggle tears !

Personally I always thought dragons to be left-over Dinosaur types, I dont really have a lot of knowledge of that time - but I always expected them as some kind of different evolution from the raptor / bird pathway. A Dragons chest very strongly reminds me of birds, and its wings look like those of the flying dinosaurs.

[Lunarya]

I must have been in a bad mood when I said this wasn't a good idea. lol

anyways. dragons, you can never be too sure of, because they are fantasy, and a made up creature, and if they WERE real, they are probably all dead now because I don't think they would have been a 'magical' creature who can talk to humans and such.

dragons, most likely, would be in the dinosaur category...if that IS a category lol

[Tcei]

... As far as physical differences, you could make female dragons bigger...

*clears throat*
I like big scales and I cannot lie...


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[Ivy]

I like that idea

[Greenclaw1]

Unless I've over looked it in game I think a simple solution for Dragon gender id is to add a Bio tab to the character window where players add their own description of their dragon. People would only have to browse the other persons bio.