Now we need to fill the wiki with how each thing is like and I'll be golden.
What? Do you mean have the wiki have each TF's description? Because I think it already does that, vaguely, with the flags.
I meant it as in "I'm so silly my mind can't think of differences between zil chitinous arms and leithan chitinous arms, halp".
I think that's when you go to the respective race page and read their description and/or look at art, though the latter is subject to artistic vision and interpretation.
Ausar, since there's no foxes... Yet?
Ausar, since there's no foxes... Yet?
What's most disappointing about the starting race choices is... there aren't any sci-fi options at all! All four alternate options are just regular furries (one technically scalie), there isn't a single proper alien-like option or bot/synth option.
What's most disappointing about the starting race choices is... there aren't any sci-fi options at all! All four alternate options are just regular furries (one technically scalie), there isn't a single proper alien-like option or bot/synth option.
The problem here (and I think it shouldn't but hey gotta follow the rules) is that some (lots?) of the creators came from a furry-esque background and the blurry gray area that is the line demarking bestiality so for the sake of being safe (or unconsciously avoiding the area) what we end up with is humanoids that look extremely human except for minor things.
Coming up with really alien-looking aliens is hard. There's a reason why Vulcans are just space elves and Cardassians are just kinda wrinkly gray humans. True, we don't have costuming budgets to worry about in a text medium, but we instead have the challenge of communicating everything about how an alien race looks in only words. Only a lucky few races get pictures. Animal traits are an important shorthand for helping the reader form a clear mental picture of the race if you can't get an artist to help you.
That said, there are ways to get a little more exotic while keeping the picture crisp. Blended species like the naleen are a good example, taking two base species and producing a unique mix from it that's still easy to visualize. I'm attempting the same with Manisha by using both beetle and scorpion elements in her design, but only time will tell if I'm as successful.
the blurry gray area that is the line demarking bestiality so for the sake of being safe (or unconsciously avoiding the area) what we end up with is humanoids that look extremely human except for minor things.