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Vader
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Fri 20 Dec 2019, 13:23

There's also value in catering to the common parlance rather than being overly technical when you're trying to engage the casual fan, and the casual fan thinks Xenomorph = XX121.
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Yep.  Alien can many things to the average punter.  If you say Xenomorph, any familiar with that term knows exactly what you're talking about.
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I'm afraid both of you may probably be right on the mark here, unfortunately -- the game does indeed seem to be settling for the lowest common denominator, rather than trying to be stringent, or "correct".

One might be curious as to whether this is (a) a conscious effort to tone it down to a "casual" fan level lest people get scared off by TMI; (b) a conscious effort to avoid raising the hackles of fans who are emotionally invested in the commonly accepted paradigm; (c) because the game's authors themselves are just casual fans, and simply wrote what they "knew"; (d) the background research being capped at a minimum level for cost efficiency, because, hey, the "hardcore" fans will buy it anyway, so we don't need to cater to them; or -- perhaps most likely -- (e) simply written from the material that the Company (i.e. the property holders) provided the authors with, and that they thus were contractually obligated to stick to.

Whatever the reason, I personally feel it's a pity. Publishing the game presented a golden opportunity to address issues arising from misconceptions or just sloppy thinking that had taken root in the fan community's "world building", and e.g. rectify terminology like this, and generally bring the material closer to the world we actually see in the movies.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
sathyr
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Fri 20 Dec 2019, 14:41



One might be curious as to whether this is (a) a conscious effort to tone it down to a "casual" fan level lest people get scared off by TMI; (b) a conscious effort to avoid raising the hackles of fans who are emotionally invested in the commonly accepted paradigm; (c) because the game's authors themselves are just casual fans, and simply wrote what they "knew"; (d) the background research being capped at a minimum level for cost efficiency, because, hey, the "hardcore" fans will buy it anyway, so we don't need to cater to them; or -- perhaps most likely -- (e) simply written from the material that the Company (i.e. the property holders) provided the authors with, and that they thus were contractually obligated to stick to.

Whatever the reason, I personally feel it's a pity. Publishing the game presented a golden opportunity to address issues arising from misconceptions or just sloppy thinking that had taken root in the fan community's "world building", and e.g. rectify terminology like this, and generally bring the material closer to the world we actually see in the movies.
The book goes out of it's way to utilize the more accurate terminology Xenomorph XX121 and Plagiarus praepotens and pokes fun at the less accurate and poorly conceived names of Internecivus raptus and Linguafaeda acheronis. It also takes the liberty of turning the fanon nickname Protomorph into the more accurate term Praetomorph. The book pulls from, and references, and consolidates, material from every dark and obscure corner of the franchise, making deliberate nods to it's inconsistencies and idiosyncracies, canonizing long-held fan rationalizations, and more than once it goes out of it's way to provide both sides of a contentious piece of information and leaves it up to the reader to "decide" which version is "true".

It should be abundantly, undeniably clear to anybody who reads even a portion of this book that the authors have a deep, profound, and informed love and understanding of the franchise. Using our context clues, I think it's easy to say that their use of the term Xenomorph comes from the pursuit of readability and not from incompetence or ignorance.

I'll also argue again the technicality: XX121 and Neomorph life cycles are the only "Alien/Strange/Other-Forms/Shapes" presented in the book. The other creatures are known and identified by the galaxy at large, so calling them xenomorphs would be scientifically inaccurate. The only creatures called xenomorphs are the ones that are actually alien, so the terminology is still technically correct.
 
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Diego
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Fri 20 Dec 2019, 15:08


It should be abundantly, undeniably clear to anybody who reads even a portion of this book that the authors have a deep, profound, and informed love and understanding of the franchise. Using our context clues, I think it's easy to say that their use of the term Xenomorph comes from the pursuit of readability and not from incompetence or ignorance.
Good point well made buddy. Sadly there is a small but loud portion of the fan base that only accept their paradigm as been the correct one and often back it up with unreliable science and cherry picking from the source material available. Like you I have to agree it is commendable that the authors went out of there way to try and incorporate as much material as possible, present all of it like a thesis on something which is hardly understood and which allows gm fiat to determine which pathway to go down. Given that this is an IP whose secrets are largely laid on the table, it is with variety of choice and the organic nature to which we have had this material presented to us, it is a good thing that the gm's of the game are given material to still surprise their players.
Alien: Wanderer
https://alienwanderer.obsidianportal.com/
Session 9+ now up
 
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Vader
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Fri 20 Dec 2019, 15:43

I'll also argue again the technicality: XX121 and Neomorph life cycles are the only "Alien/Strange/Other-Forms/Shapes" presented in the book. The other creatures are known and identified by the galaxy at large, so calling them xenomorphs would be scientifically inaccurate. The only creatures called xenomorphs are the ones that are actually alien, so the terminology is still technically correct.
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So that from a more interstellar perspective (as opposed to a more Sol-centric one), "extrasolar" isn't actually the same as "alien" ... rather, then, actually "alien" would mean "unknown to the wider galactic community"...

That's a good one. I'll buy that for a dollar.

Pity, then, that this section in the book is called "Alien Species" ... kind of ruins it.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
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Vader
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Fri 20 Dec 2019, 15:51


It should be abundantly, undeniably clear to anybody who reads even a portion of this book that the authors have a deep, profound, and informed love and understanding of the franchise. Using our context clues, I think it's easy to say that their use of the term Xenomorph comes from the pursuit of readability and not from incompetence or ignorance.
Good point well made buddy. Sadly there is a small but loud portion of the fan base that only accept their paradigm as been the correct one and often back it up with unreliable science and cherry picking from the source material available. Like you I have to agree it is commendable that the authors went out of there way to try and incorporate as much material as possible, present all of it like a thesis on something which is hardly understood and which allows gm fiat to determine which pathway to go down. Given that this is an IP whose secrets are largely laid on the table, it is with variety of choice and the organic nature to which we have had this material presented to us, it is a good thing that the gm's of the game are given material to still surprise their players.
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Took the words right out of my mouth there, you did ... nice to see you couldn't stay away for long, BTW. Also, that I'm able to assist you in some small way.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
S.M
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Joined: Sat 14 Dec 2019, 06:58

Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Sun 22 Dec 2019, 11:14

The authors were deeply informed by a deeply informative creative bible provided by Fox. :D
 
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Vader
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Sun 22 Dec 2019, 15:24

:thumbup:

(e), then. Obvious, really.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
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Diego
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Wed 01 Jan 2020, 15:01

Took the words right out of my mouth there, you did ... nice to see you couldn't stay away for long, BTW. Also, that I'm able to assist you in some small way.
Stay away? I just bowed out from our 'discussion' since it was clear it had stopped been friendly. Also I think you miss understood what I said above, I was responding to sathyr. He was of good assistance.
Alien: Wanderer
https://alienwanderer.obsidianportal.com/
Session 9+ now up
 
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Vader
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Sat 04 Jan 2020, 01:36

As for the host DNA determining the type of creature - that's not an Alien 3 thing.  It was established back when they were making Alien.
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Could you point me to a reference for this? And in particular -- did this concept make it to the screen?
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
S.M
Posts: 133
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Re: Trying to make sense of "Xenomorphs"

Sun 05 Jan 2020, 00:55

It made it to the screen in Alien.

Ridley Scott talks about the host influencing the creatures characteristics in the Alien Official Movie Magazine from 1979 (page 53).
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