Reptiles don't have chitin?

Started by Mook, April 15, 2015, 07:23:43 PM

Yes, I am this neurotic.  And it's just my opinion that this isn't a case of 'Zalanthas has different physics,' but is more likely a case of people not caring that the inix they were desc'ing would have a shell (made of keratin or bony extensions) but would not have a 'chitinous shell.'  A mekillot would not have chitin.
I'm not suggesting that existing instances of the word be corrected, but I wanted to mention this in hopes that builders and staff give it some thought when writing future objects.  That Doom Lizard you're building might have a spiked ridge or shell along his back, but it's kinda silly to describe it as chitinous.  Insects and other arthropods have chitin, lizards and reptiles just have shells.
Murder your darlings.

To be completely fair, mekillots are giant pill bugs.


QuoteA female voice says, in sirihish:
     "] yer a wizard, oashi"

April 15, 2015, 07:26:26 PM #2 Last Edit: April 15, 2015, 07:30:40 PM by RogueGunslinger
Which reptiles are described as having chitin?

edit: Skeet maybe? I think I might remember getting a hunk of chitin off of a skeet before while skinning.

QuoteNormally feeding on tough vegetation and occasionally digging up tubers and the like, skeet are tough-skinned reptiles with a central strip of relatively flexible, yet protective, chitin. They have been known to scavenge, as do almost all Zalanthan beasts (and even a few Zalanthan plants).

Yep, that is weird.

April 15, 2015, 07:34:30 PM #3 Last Edit: April 15, 2015, 07:36:13 PM by Mook
Quote from: RogueGunslinger on April 15, 2015, 07:26:26 PM
Which reptiles are described as having chitin?
The standard inix purchased in Tuluk is desc'ed with a chitin shell IIRC (And inix may still be available after Tuluk closes.)  'Chitin' from skeet lizards is common and found in various armors.  Mekillots are described has having chitin in 'help mekillot' which also describes them as 'lizards.'

Also, what's the plural of inix?
Murder your darlings.


Technically there's no such things as reptiles anymore either, as it was found to be a polyphyletic group. They didn't want to throw birds in to fix it, so they split the reptiles up into some new categories (one of which has birds).

But that's being pedantic, and also it happened after inix were created in game.

Yeah, back on topic; I imagine that the chitinous shells of inix are actually a generic "shell" item that comes from different animals. Some are insect, some are lizards. I know of several different species that can have their parts broken into the same ingame objects. This might be an artifact of that.


QuoteA female voice says, in sirihish:
     "] yer a wizard, oashi"


Quote from: Mook on April 15, 2015, 07:34:30 PM
Also, what's the plural of inix?

INXS

/80sreference
So if you're tired of the same old story
Oh, turn some pages. - "Roll with the Changes," REO Speedwagon

Quote from: Mook on April 15, 2015, 07:34:30 PM
Also, what's the plural of inix?

Quote from: LauraMars on December 15, 2016, 08:17:36 PMPaint on a mustache and be a dude for a day. Stuff some melons down my shirt, cinch up a corset and pass as a girl.

With appropriate roleplay of course.

gmta  ;)
So if you're tired of the same old story
Oh, turn some pages. - "Roll with the Changes," REO Speedwagon

Quote from: Mook on April 15, 2015, 07:23:43 PM
Yes, I am this neurotic.  And it's just my opinion that this isn't a case of 'Zalanthas has different physics,' but is more likely a case of people not caring that the inix they were desc'ing would have a shell (made of keratin or bony extensions) but would not have a 'chitinous shell.'  A mekillot would not have chitin.
I'm not suggesting that existing instances of the word be corrected, but I wanted to mention this in hopes that builders and staff give it some thought when writing future objects.  That Doom Lizard you're building might have a spiked ridge or shell along his back, but it's kinda silly to describe it as chitinous.  Insects and other arthropods have chitin, lizards and reptiles just have shells.

I generally just chalk it up to the same reason we have feathered snakes, 8 legged lizards, gigantic insects, etc. The same thing that ruined the Known World and turned it into a horrible wasteland probably mutated a lot of wildlife in unnatural ways, and even the wildlife that looks mostly normal has evolved to be highly lethal (or good at something else) to survive.
All the world will be your enemy. When they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you; digger, listener, runner, Prince with the swift warning. Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed.

Maybe they're insect-lizards.
Former player as of 2/27/23, sending love.

What are turtle shells made out of?

Do salamanders have fingernails?

Turtle shells are made of bone and keratin (thank you wikipedia).  I have no idea whether salamanders have fingernails.  And feathers are structurally and genetically a variation of scales, so there's nothing very unusual about feathered serpents.
I'm aware of the 'Zalanthan physics!' explanation, but this still seems more like writers using 'chitinous' to mean 'keratinous' without thinking about it, in my humble opinion.
Giant insects that have apparently overcome their surface area to volume ratio -- that's clearly intentional.  Magick is clearly intentional.  But if a writer is trying to describe a reptile's shell or scales, 'chitin' is (imho) not an accurate word to use.
Murder your darlings.

So...lets replace the descriptive word with scaley and alls well?

Quote from: Mook on April 16, 2015, 02:20:35 PM
Turtle shells are made of bone and keratin (thank you wikipedia).  I have no idea whether salamanders have fingernails.  And feathers are structurally and genetically a variation of scales, so there's nothing very unusual about feathered serpents.
I'm aware of the 'Zalanthan physics!' explanation, but this still seems more like writers using 'chitinous' to mean 'keratinous' without thinking about it, in my humble opinion.
Giant insects that have apparently overcome their surface area to volume ratio -- that's clearly intentional.  Magick is clearly intentional.  But if a writer is trying to describe a reptile's shell or scales, 'chitin' is (imho) not an accurate word to use.

The thing is you don't know. We have no idea whether its a mistake or intentional, so why not just treat it as intentional? We got flying lizards, smart spiders, walking bug-giant men, Intelligent Mantis, Psionic tentacled crabs, giant centipedes, pterodactyls, Crystal-hide worms... so on and so on.

Quote from: RogueGunslinger on April 16, 2015, 06:23:46 PM
We have no idea whether its a mistake or intentional, so why not just treat it as intentional?
Why not just treat is as a mistake?  ;D
Murder your darlings.

I think that with the quality of writing that Armageddon strives for, this is something that should be changed, unless there is evidence that it was intentional.
Will it break yar immersion if inix shell and skeet bellies and their crafted goods are changed? I hope not and seriously doubt it.
Could things like this make a new player looking at the game think, "Man, I expected better here." Possibly.

Sounds like a good builder project!
Quote from: Twilight on January 22, 2013, 08:17:47 PMGreb - To scavenge, forage, and if Whira is with you, loot the dead.
Grebber - One who grebs.

What? Why? He have bug-men why can't we have bug-lizards?

Typo it in game and let staff decide whether to take care of it, that's my vote.
Former player as of 2/27/23, sending love.

I keep reading this thread title as "reptiles don't have chins"
Quote from: Decameron on September 16, 2010, 04:47:50 PM
Character: "I've been working on building a new barracks for some tim-"
NPC: "Yeah, that fell through, sucks but YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIREEE!! FIRE-KANKS!!"

Quote from: Talia on April 16, 2015, 07:07:27 PM
I keep reading this thread title as "reptiles don't have chins"

LOL
Kore ga watashi no nindouni!

Fixed.
Quote from: LauraMars on December 15, 2016, 08:17:36 PMPaint on a mustache and be a dude for a day. Stuff some melons down my shirt, cinch up a corset and pass as a girl.

With appropriate roleplay of course.

Quote from: Nyr on April 16, 2015, 09:17:26 PM
Fixed.

But, wait. DO reptiles have chins?!?!?!
Quote from: Decameron on September 16, 2010, 04:47:50 PM
Character: "I've been working on building a new barracks for some tim-"
NPC: "Yeah, that fell through, sucks but YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIREEE!! FIRE-KANKS!!"