Race Vesper

Discussion in 'NPCs and Creatures' started by Wordsmythologic, Jul 21, 2015.

  1. Wordsmythologic

    Wordsmythologic Scruffy Nerf-Herder

    [​IMG]

    History:
    The Vesper are a technologically advanced race of wasp-like beings that build sprawling cities beneath the surface of whatever planet they inhabit, leading many naive starfaring travelers to meet their end when they stumble upon a Vesper-inhabited planet and start extracting the planet's resources. The Vesper are planetary parasites that use up as much of a planet's resources as possible before leaving in a starship swarm to their next potential hive. However, since the Vesper are a subterranean species, it is almost impossible to discern whether a planet may be a host to them. Their nomadic habit has lead to numerous planets being long abandoned, leaving large deserted Vesper hives within the planet, and the planet's ecosystem suffering from resource depletion, though planets abandoned long enough ago may have recovered since the Vesper's presence stopped affecting its ecosystem. The Vesper are currently a widespread species throughout space, and are viewed by many as destructive pests, despite their cultural introversion.

    They are a non-religious species, but each hive has a queen who they revere as an approximate deity. However, with clones becoming their dominant workforce, the queen is becoming an obsolete figure, in the eyes of some.

    Technological Advancement:
    Though the Vesper look like a simple race of bugs, they are, technologically, highly advanced and very powerful as an enemy; not easily to stepped on, as it were. And certainly not simple. Their technologies are primarily in energy production and planetary resource extraction, with some emphasis on cloning. Although advanced enough in their own right, they also are parasitic toward other races' technologies, most prominently the Apex. Indeed, imprisoned Apex scientists are not uncommon in Vesper hives. Though these scientist are ones who either wandered too far into the planet, prompting their capture, or who made the more dangerous mistake of actually attacking the hive. The Vesper's technological range includes things such as lasers, robotics, and computer systems. Their cloning technology is used as an artificial way to create secondary hives on nearby planets in the same solar system, used to serve the main hive. Vesper hives are filled with ore refining systems and industry, and they use geothermal heat as an energy source, resulting in abundant lava floes within the hive.

    Architecture:
    Vesper technology is visually based on hexagons. They make abundant use of industrial machines, including gears, drills, robotic machines, and large clockwork-like devices. Some of their mechanical technology is another thing they've parasitically taken from another race; in this case, the Novakids. They take whatever comes their way, if some Apex or Novakids accidentally happen upon a Vesper inhabited planet. What technology isn't appropriated from other species is largely based on tall honeycomb structures made of processed metals. The flowing lava seen throughout their hives gives off an impression of flowing honey... albeit deadly honey.

    Hostility:
    While the Vesper can be extremely territorial, they will only attack if they feel directly threatened or think that the hive itself may be in danger. The Vesper will almost always attack any outsider seen inside the hive, but will usually leave an outsider alone on the planet's surface.

    Race Perks:
    Slightly faster movement, slightly higher jumps, and a gliding ability. Maybe an ability to stick to walls?

    Historical/Defining/Notable moments:
    Vesper clones are, in Vesper culture, largely expendable and treated poorly within their own society. Clones are considered second-class citizens. Though, even with that, it is still true that all Vesper are equally ready to protect other hive members from outside attacks. The Vesper are a very familial race and will always defend each other, no matter class differences.

    With Vesper technology advancing and clone technology being used more and more, clones have become the dominant workforce of Vesper hives, leading to social tension between the naturally born Vesper and the clones, with clone rights being increasingly demanded and naturally born citizens becoming increasingly disdainful of the clone's and their demands, thinking that, since they were created for work, they don't deserve equal social standing, in addition to older traditions causing concern for the fate of the queen.

    Though Vesper are almost always socially tight-knit, there are occasional solitary members who decide to leave on their own for one reason or another. Sometimes curiosity borne out of solitude in a hive. This is growing increasingly common among clones and those who are fed up with the treatment of clones, in a hive, seeking to find a more socially friendly place to live.

    Visuals:
    The Vesper are made nimble with the aid of their wings, but after having adapted to technology for space travel and solitary, hidden life, underground, the Vesper have mostly lost the function of their wings, though they do still work enough to fly short distances and hover for a few moments.

    They have armour-like skin and are slightly taller than humans. Vesper also have four arms and come in a wide variety of colours, but hives will usually be comprised of one colour scheme. They have a furry mane-like collar around their necks and mandibles.The only visible difference between males and females is that the males generally have larger eyes, and that the females have stingers (this is based on real-world wasp anatomy). In pixels, they are roughly 36 pixels tall. Closer to 40, with their antennae.

    Size Chart:
    [​IMG]

    Side notes:
    • They don't all have to be striped like bees. Since this is a mock-up, I just did some pallet-swapping.
    • "Vesper" not only comes from taxonomic nomenclature for wasps, "vespid", but is also a Latin word meaning "evening star".
    • There's already a plant race, a fish race, a non-human mammal race, a robot race, a bird race, and even an awesome nebulous race. An insect race seems like the next logical addition, so I came up with this one. A reptilian race could also work as another one, but I figured wasps would feel more new.
    • Their wings are behind them, so they're not very visible in the references I made.
    • I have no idea what to do about clothes. I don't think they need them though. It might just be a case of slightly different sprite positioning needed.
    • I know wasps don't usually make honey (though, some do), but flowing lava in a mechanical hive sounds flipping awesome, right?
    • Since the races in Starbound have a common theme of going against expectations (medieval robots, western nebula people, smart monkeys, etc.), I figured... what are wasps most notoriously depicted as in media? Aggressive and violent without prejudice, invasive and monstrous with little intellect. Wasps tend to be monsters more than anything. So... these guys are introverted and don't voluntarily interact with other races at all, if they're left alone. And they're culturally advanced, rather than just ruthless alien monsters. In fact, wasps are probably among the most invasively and aggressively depicted animals there are. But these guys are the ones defending from outside attacks instead. So that's the idea. They're not monsters, but also not bugs you can just smack with a newspaper. Also, They're as tall as they are, because bugs are typically thought of as small. Thought that could be a clever twist.
    • Their height might make them a slightly easier target to hit though? It was kind of difficult to keep them wasp-like at shorter heights, but, to be honest, it is rather unrealistic for all sentient alien races to have the same height, so that's part of why I decided to keep them taller. But I'm not deadset on their height, and I'd be fine with making them as tall as the other races. I just think it's a bit more clever this way.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2015
    Jety Lefr likes this.
  2. Jety Lefr

    Jety Lefr Pangalactic Porcupine

    While I do hold a very paltry and probably negligible concern for the height difference from the normal sprite and how that might effect clothing, you did make note of it, so even that much tiny concern can be tossed as that issue is known and can be handled by the developers who may see fit to pursue the Vespers as a playable race.

    SO(!) I think these guys are A-MA-ZIIIIING!!!!!

    This is a really good idea and honestly way better than a lot of other suggested races. It has my full support! The mock-up sprites look really nifty. I would love to see some mock-ups of different sprite positions.
    Perhaps at a later time you could update with mock-ups of the hive inspired building materials they might use in their nests. Or maybe some possible concept art for furniture.

    Either way, I think this race would be really cool.

    Even if they stayed as are... a tall wasp-race... or even if they were miniaturized to the standard size (but let's face it. why do that if)... they would be a REALLY nice addition even as a Non Playable Race.
    I mean we do have races that don't conform to the usual body shapes. The frog guys, the unused mole dude, and even the same-size Argonian fungi men are all awesome universe building devices, as they add a level of immersion. The Vespers in my opinion would add a HUGE value to the game as a (in my opinion) very much needed new NPC race to round out the immersion of every unique planet.

    But then again, the Vespers would also be really fun as a playable race, and I encourage the development and incorporation of the Vesper race WHATEVER the actual use they may serve in the game.

    A+, Two Thumbs Up, Gold Star, aaaaaaand... something else that confirms my support.
     

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