[General Battuta]

I like the functional names for Shivan wings. I hope that you use them, instead of making up something silly. Because, frankly, anything you do create will be a betrayal of our image of the Shivans. The less you know about them, the more frightening.

The only way I think you could effectively make up names for the Shivans is if you created a whole general ethos or culture for them. If you made the wing names in each mission spell out a stanza of poetry, or if you gave them goofy titles a la Iain Bank's Culture ships, that could work -- but only if you accompany the naming convention with an overall take on Shivan culture, i.e. they're warrior-poets or they approach their genocidal work with a light heart.

Otherwise, please stick to the functional names. And please don't use the hackneyed 'they like the name 'Shivan'' device. That's an awful, cliched SF tripe. How could an entire species not have a name for themselves and then decide they like a random one from an inferior race? You can use Shivan, but please, make it clear that it's a translation. Either that, or you could avoid using it at all.

[varsaigen]

So true. But what I notic is that they take names from Greek mythology for the names of Shivan shps. Yes, I know Shiva is a Hindu goddess with 6 arms. But their name is fitting. The names given to their ships all relate to the devil and demons from hell. Because of the fact that they are a warrior race well adept at destruction, the names given to their craft suits them perfectly. I prefer to use demonic names when naming craft, wings, and ships. I even have a design for my Shivan Flagship. Not to mention a Terran/Vasudan ship with 3 shivan reactors. 16 beam turrets, 30 flak turrets, and 20 laser turrets. My ship is the size of a juggernaught and I try my best to keep the design more demonic and dangerous looking when I plan them out. And I see the logical idea of their designs being demonic with all of those spikes they have, the red glow, and the dangerous beam cannons they use.

Edit: Here is a screen from Hi-poly Karnak model by galemp. this is a good example of what the Shivans have as the deign of their hallways. Perhaps this would be better? It does give the Shivan felling (at least to me). But, that's just a suggestion.

[Flaming_Sword]

And please don't use the hackneyed 'they like the name 'Shivan'' device. That's an awful, cliched SF tripe. How could an entire species not have a name for themselves and then decide they like a random one from an inferior race? You can use Shivan, but please, make it clear that it's a translation. Either that, or you could avoid using it at all.

Like I said, that was already stretching it, and hopefully the last stretch I ever have to make (I plan to lampshade the fact that Sol is cut off even though the GTVA could stick a radio telescope in Alpha Centauri and send/receive messages). Also, the name is only used for communications with others (see techroom entry). More along the lines of: "If you have to call us something, call us that name, because it's less confusing than using a generic word like Destroyers."

I think things might be easier if everyone posted to the mod release thread instead of here.

[varsaigen]

and I just thought of how that pic I posted could become a great main screen. All that would have to be done would be to add a glow effect of the thing and have the glow fade and brighten up again, repeating the process. And, perhaps have doors opening when the mouse is put over them. That's one way to design it.

[Flaming_Sword]

Given my lack artistic skills, I suggest you put your money where your mouth is and give it a go.

[varsaigen]

Ah, but I don't know .gif D: I really should try it. But, I know peole who do. Oh well, It's not my call as I'm not part of the team (if any), plus I'm practically a noob when it comes to FS2 modding. :/ I'm just learning how to model (trying to make a Shivan stealth fighter). I'm just great at coming up with ideas and logical explanations.

[General Battuta]

And please don't use the hackneyed 'they like the name 'Shivan'' device. That's an awful, cliched SF tripe. How could an entire species not have a name for themselves and then decide they like a random one from an inferior race? You can use Shivan, but please, make it clear that it's a translation. Either that, or you could avoid using it at all.

Like I said, that was already stretching it, and hopefully the last stretch I ever have to make (I plan to lampshade the fact that Sol is cut off even though the GTVA could stick a radio telescope in Alpha Centauri and send/receive messages). Also, the name is only used for communications with others (see techroom entry). More along the lines of: "If you have to call us something, call us that name, because it's less confusing than using a generic word like Destroyers."

I think things might be easier if everyone posted to the mod release thread instead of here.

Awright, cool! Sounds like you know what you're doing.

It might be interesting to see a kind of Epic Roll of the various things the Shivans have been called by the races they've destroyed. One of those Greek-myth-style "Achilles who is called so-and-so and so-and-so, breaker of horses and men" things, except for a whole species.

Or, er, not. Whatever!

[Al Tarket]

random shivan words you say huh?  .

Code: [Select]

tr - a.              dda - h. szza - o. daun - v.
ei - b.              qaai - i. saizn - p. imall - w.
fx - c.                bau - j. oappw - q. dqa - x.
au - d.         ioan - k.         fiaiom - r. iibi - y.
lai - e. taow - l. ceeaki - s. fj - z.
tmn - f. valrp - m.         yc - t.
ltw - g. haib - n. guu - u.

example of shivan writing

"imallddatryc trfiaiomlai iibiszzaguu taowszzaszzaioanqaaihaiblwi tryc". and it could just be as long in quantum pulses which terrans nor vasudans understand.

ceeakilaifiaiomtrsaizaddaqaaivalrp - work this one out .

besides this, terrans and vasudans alike have their own names for these ships, just what is their actual name from the shivan side though and for that matter what do the shivan call the vasudan and terran crafts.

[General Battuta]

That sounds incredibly irritating, doesn't it? I mean, it would be incomprehensible and carry no symbolic value.

[Colonol Dekker]

I suggest using the etak sound or the comm-node ambient noise as a base and use goldwave to change pitch or tempo to imply anger, urgency  or fear. For text? Use custom images and cutscene sexps or keep it blank.