A sudden change of species 2.0?

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #40 on:** October 08, 2018, 10:47:00 PM

I like all three suggested species change!

Spike as bellydragger is fitting. I'll imagine that he can only flop back to the water after a good meal.

Cera as a Microraptor... now that's classy. I imagine that she'll have loads of trouble adapting, considering her personality is inverse of Guido's. I almost pity Guido considering he's 99.9999999% going to be dragged into her rants. I can imagine the flying lessons.

Ruby as a threehorn would be unlike a standard threehorn. Or would it be? I really don't know, but boy does it sound promising.

Leaving the circumstances vague might be best for now, consideting that a good chunk of the initial portion will be adapting to these changes.

Littlefoot505 · **Reply #41 on:** October 09, 2018, 10:05:17 AM

I really like that idea, for a lot of the reasons everyone else said.

Ducky123 · **Reply #42 on:** October 09, 2018, 10:34:36 AM

Wait a second, I think we need to set our priorities straight now.

1. So far, I think the main idea was the gang switching species only among each other only. For plot device reasons *snickers* If we want to stick to that, some of the most recent suggestions would merely sabotage the spirit behind the idea.

2. If we were to use suggestions like Spike turning into a bellydragger (a hilarious idea I approve of), we'd have to trash that whole concept we worked out (otherwise the idea behind the transformations would be at fault)

So we have two choices I think. Either we stick to the plan we had (changing among each other due to adult distrust, which has a little plothole called Chomper and Ruby indeed) or we come up with a different reasoning and use these pretty hilarious suggestions instead.

Give me a little while to ponder about it and I'll provide one such scenario

DarkWolf91 · **Reply #43 on:** October 10, 2018, 12:17:11 AM

I think we should come up with another explanation then, because I love the Microraptor and Bellydragger ideas

Ducky123 · **Reply #44 on:** October 10, 2018, 10:58:48 AM

Ok here goes.

For some reason [plot device] the gang don't get along anymore. Instead of harmonious gameplay, they bicker and argue whenever they meet. When their discord grows too great (huge fight?) they completely break apart. That night, a curious sleepstory haunts them all and when they wake up from it, their bodies have changed. At first panicking, they soon discover a strange, ominous feeling inside them [similar to LBT 10] that tells them where to go. There is no telling whether they'd change back at the end of their long journey but something tells them it would, deep down (just like in LBT 10 where they kinda know something is gonna happen). Desperate, they meet in the middle of the night and leave the valley together. All hoping that they would one day be able to return to how they were.

It will be a journey to restore the friendship that was forged once long ago.

---

Alright, that's the spirit. Now we just need a concept behind the changes. I suggest based on the ideas so far that every dinosaur turns into a species which challenges their faults.

Littlefoot turns into a carnivorous dinosaur.
Cera turns into something small and defenseless. (Not sure if it should be a microraptor. Maybe whatever Hyp is? XD)
Ducky turns into a flyer. (Turns into something strong?)
Petrie turns into a swimmer. (Turns into something strong?)
Spike turns into a bellydragger (because it's funny as hell)
Chomper turns into a longneck. (
Ruby turns into something slow? (Clubtail xD) (Or threehorn)
Any other character joining them?

Not all of our previous suggestions would work nice with that concept so I offered some food for thought. Please discuss.

EDIT: Oh and I think they should be older. Teenaged. Old enough to fight sharpteeth. Because that would be awesome.

Sovereign · **Reply #45 on:** October 10, 2018, 11:47:26 AM

Now that's a concept I really like.

The rp would start with enough drama and a really strong premise without actually repeating older plot points of other stories. It's a great idea to make this journey also about restoring their friendship as it also offers countless possibilities for the players along the way. The reason for their discord doesn't have to be too complex but it could follow some disaster or tragedy that changes one or two of the Gang or they could simply be growing apart. The transformations also start to look quite spot on. But about the last point, I'd personally prefer the Gang to stay roughly at their normal ages but it's not a major issue for me in the grand scheme of things.

rhombus · **Reply #46 on:** October 10, 2018, 03:16:13 PM

I can certainly get behind this idea. I do share Sovereign's preference for the gang being close to their current age, however. Perhaps having them in their pre-teens might be a good compromise? That way they could be strong enough to take on smaller sharpteeth, but still vulnerable to medium and larger ones. And I also like the idea of some kind of tragedy or hardship changing some of the gang and causing their bonds of friendship to be strained. Something like a death in a family, for example, might make some of the gang begin to question their adventures and the risks that they take. That might serve as a good basis to drive a wedge in the gang.

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #47 on:** October 10, 2018, 09:46:52 PM

I like the idea of strained bonds between the seven as well. Pre-teens (Time of Great Growing-ish?) sounds like a decent age from the consensus, and it'll allow for a little bit more maturity in terms of conversations, banter and interaction.

Sneak · **Reply #48 on:** October 11, 2018, 03:06:11 PM

Ok, here's my thought:

I generally like your idea, Ducky.

When they start from a huge discord, and escape a valley with such discord in their hearts - this is good for me.
And as I said, I like mystic, so their species changing, feelings about trip to some place, and possible further events during their journey - this is what I like!

Still, we need come to agreement with species, because "Spike is bellydragger because it is fun as hell", or simple switching species or turning into species opposite to original one - that's not good, me think. As I see - during, or at the end of journey, they should realize why exactly they changed into what they are now. I think the most of you just want to see Littlefoot as hunter and Chomper as leafeater and all others as swithed species or opposite species, but I think it's not the right start - everything should be logical, reason should be the same for all gang members, and their changes .

I think you understand me.

Anyway, if I would be alone with this point, I don't mind, I would easily accept your list of species.

Quote

Oh and I think they should be older. Teenaged. Old enough to fight sharpteeth. Because that would be awesome.

I agree to see gang more grown up, from couple to five years old older. Plus, around this age, kids' temper starts to change, so this is where discord come from.
But ahem. Five years and 0 years old kids "easily" kicked ass of the possibly most dangerous Sharptooth on the planet. And it was OSOM!

So I don't think they should be very elder teenagers or something like that. Plus, even if they would be old teenagers, I don't think she would do something in direct fight with sharpteeth like velociraptors - gang are still too young for this.

rhombus · **Reply #49 on:** October 11, 2018, 04:02:53 PM

Quote from: Sneak on October 11, 2018, 03:06:11 PM

Ok, here's my thought:

I generally like your idea, Ducky.
When they start from a huge discord, and escape a valley with such discord in their hearts - this is good for me.
And as I said, I like mystic, so their species changing, feelings about trip to some place, and possible further events during their journey - this is what I like!

Still, we need come to agreement with species, because "Spike is bellydragger because it is fun as hell", or simple switching species or turning into species opposite to original one - that's not good, me think. As I see - during, or at the end of journey, they should realize why exactly they changed into what they are now. I think the most of you just want to see Littlefoot as hunter and Chomper as leafeater and all others as swithed species or opposite species, but I think it's not the right start - everything should be logical, reason should be the same for all gang members, and their changes .

I think you understand me.
Anyway, if I would be alone with this point, I don't mind, I would easily accept your list of species.

Quote
Oh and I think they should be older. Teenaged. Old enough to fight sharpteeth. Because that would be awesome.
I agree to see gang more grown up, from couple to five years old older. Plus, around this age, kids' temper starts to change, so this is where discord come from.
But ahem. Five years and 0 years old kids "easily" kicked ass of the possibly most dangerous Sharptooth on the planet. And it was OSOM!
So I don't think they should be very elder teenagers or something like that. Plus, even if they would be old teenagers, I don't think she would do something in direct fight with sharpteeth like velociraptors - gang are still too young for this.

I think the switch between Chomper and Littlefoot would make sense from a logical point of view as it would allow them to see the world from the other's point of view. This logic also works for Ducky and Petrie. Though Ducky and Petrie are good friends in the series I can see their friendship becoming strained if Petrie begins to take on the more solitary demeanor of the males of his species (assuming they behave as we think his species did back in that time - with little male investment in children or family). By having them swap this could allow them to better see the other's perspective - more family-oriented and vulnerable in the case of swimmers - and more solitary and free in the case of flyers. So I think Littlefoot, Chomper, Petrie, and Ducky's changes are all logical from this point of view.

As for Cera the change to microraptor would force her to deal with the lack of recourse to her strength, and allow her to see the world from a more vulnerable perspective. Likewise, as she would have to rely on the wind and thermals to fly, it would force her to be patient and contemplative as opposed to her previous threehorn bravado.

I do agree, however, that Ruby and Spike need a logical reason to change into a certain species. Does anyone have an idea for those two?

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #50 on:** October 13, 2018, 10:35:05 AM

Offhand I feel that perhaps since Ruby is always more analytical and cautious about a situation, instead of charging straight in (with a healthy dose of skepticism) like Cera, an argument over managing a situation could force her to see things from a more direct point of view, where she'll learn to be more brash instead of contemplative/worried. This probably could have something to do with her protective big sister-like instinct of Chomper.

Yeah, these words don't quite make sense since I'm typing them after a long day but I hope the general gist of it got across. Rereading it, that viewpoint feels like gibberish... a little off. Hopefully someone can extract something better from that random muse.

As for Spike...

flat out of ideas for a solid reason besides pure humor. Can someone help assist?

DarkWolf91 · **Reply #51 on:** October 13, 2018, 10:53:14 AM

Hmm, it's hard to think of one for spike because he really doesn't get all that much development in the series. He's just the "chill guy." Maybe something that forces him to be more active? I think definitely something meat-eating, because if his food isn't easy to find this will force him to be proactive (and probably also grumpy

)

Sovereign · **Reply #52 on:** October 13, 2018, 05:26:05 PM

I'm not completely sure but maybe being a bellydragger would teach him to earn his food for a change with hard work. That dubiously would go for any sharptooth species but maybe Spike would also be forced to take a leading or at least more noticeable role in the Gang due to his newfound brute force instead of mostly relying on his friends? Also, the change from the most peaceful member of the Gang into a large, violent beast would probably be a harsh but eye-opening one.

rhombus · **Reply #53 on:** October 13, 2018, 08:45:22 PM

Quote from: Sovereign on October 13, 2018, 05:26:05 PM

I'm not completely sure but maybe being a bellydragger would teach him to earn his food for a change with hard work. That dubiously would go for any sharptooth species but maybe Spike would also be forced to take a leading or at least more noticeable role in the Gang due to his newfound brute force instead of mostly relying on his friends? Also, the change from the most peaceful member of the Gang into a large, violent beast would probably be a harsh but eye-opening one.

That is a very good point. So it seems like that we now have a good plot basis for everyone's changes. Littlefoot to a T Rex. to see Chomper's pov and vice versa; Ducky to a flyer to see Petrie's more solitary pov, and Petrie to swimmer to see her more communal and family-centric perspective; Cera to a microraptor to be forced to deal with situations without her brute strength and to be forced to rely upon patience, and Ruby to a threehorn to force her to sometimes be required to take a less diplomatic and more brute force method to solve her issues; and Spike to a bellydragger to teach him to earn his food through hard work. Each of those ideas that have been put forth make sense to me and also opens up the door to both dramatic tension and potential humor in the roleplay.

Now, I guess, there is simply the matter of what has caused discord to come between the members of the gang?

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #54 on:** October 14, 2018, 08:37:00 AM

I can't really think of a specific point of tension (having attitude changes due to Time of Great Growing is a cop-out answer IMO, but perfectly valid), but I'll say this. Considering that almost every single change is to get someone to loosen up their ideals and accept things from another member's of the gang's POV, whatever this discord and tension is between them should probably relate to them all being selfish and sticking up to their personal ideals, (eg. Cera and Littlefoot's brawl at the climax of the first movie, with Littlefoot defending his mother and Cera's "never back down" threehorn attitude that she'd had up to this point.)

rhombus · **Reply #55 on:** October 14, 2018, 03:57:06 PM

Alright, I think that we have a basic idea prepared based upon the DMs, PMs, and chats that I have had over the last day. Nonetheless, I would appreciate a vote either for or against the following proposal. If it is approved then we can proceed, I do believe, with reserving characters.

Due to the coming of the Time of Great Growing (the gangs are now the equivalent of preteens) the gang begins to grow apart. Cera begins to once more take on the antics of an arrogant threehorn as she struggles to maintain status in a herd based upon dominance; Littlefoot begins to focus on his duties as a future potential herd leader and considers joining with Bron’s herd; Ducky and Petrie begin to grow apart as Petrie begins to take on the solitary mannerisms of a flyer male and Ducky, being a swimmer, remains of a more family-oriented mindset; and Ruby and Chomper out of necessity begin to plan for their eventual departure from the valley. Chomper’s eventual departure and need to become a ‘true sharptooth’ obviously creates some misgivings between the purple sharptooth and the longneck. This eventually culminates in a fight which is hinted at not being an isolated incident.

The night of the latest fight they are all greeted by a weird sleep story that hints at something significant. A ghostly voice tells them some variant of “The broken band has been broken by pride, now it shall be united by being broken. Go forth to this broken land… and protect the land you love.” they then wake up thinking that the sleep story is nonsense. That is until they look at their respective bodies…

I think the gang will be discovered in the morning upon waking, but the valley will not chase them as in the previous roleplays as many of them are still leaf-eaters and can explain things before it gets too ugly. I think the ‘valley knowing’ possibility would allow for some interesting interactions before they go forth on their quest. I do not think that their parents will stop such a quest as the freaked out valley would want them gone anyway out of fear that the ‘curse’ or ‘sickness’ might spread. This would also allow Guido (and perhaps a few others) to go with them as the new flyers will need training.

Though they have no guarantees that they will return to their original forms they all have a feeling that once the quest is completed that they can return to what they once were. Dreams, much like the original one, call to them to go to a particular place. All of them hope that they can return to as they once were.

It will be a journey to restore the friendship that was forged once long ago.
Littlefoot becomes a T Rex
Chomper becomes a longneck
Ducky becomes a flyer
Petrie becomes a swimmer
Spike becomes a fastrunner or bellydragger (whomever picks Spike can choose)
Cera becomes a microraptor (a glider like Guido)
Ruby becomes a threehorn or domehead (whomever picks Ruby can choose)

vonboy · **Reply #56 on:** October 15, 2018, 08:49:39 AM

Only other thing I can think of right now. What languages are the members of the Gang going to speak? I was thinking...

Littlefoot - sharptooth only, since he's a T-rex
Chomper - both, since he could before
Ducky - leafeater only
Petrie - leafeater only
Spike - Not sure if he'll speak, but he'd only understand one, depends on the species he ends up being.
Cera - Leafeater only
Ruby - Both, since she could before

Should that work?

Sneak · **Reply #57 on:** October 15, 2018, 09:16:34 AM

I am not sure Ruby could talk on Sharptooth language before (in this case I mean speak nornal, not only single words or simple short phrases Chomper possibly told her and other friends for fun).

Also, I think Littlefoot still can speak Leafeaterish, because I think only bodies was changed, not their minds and memories. But due to different set of teeth and mouth and other things - he would pronounce words with a big troubles, so maybe he should take some lessons of Teacher Chomper of Sharptooth Beginners School how to speak on Leafeaterish when you're sharptooth with a big teeth. XD And in case if he and Chomper would appear in society of sharpteeth for a short time period or for a while, he can also take lessons of Meateaterish language.

OwlsCantRead · **Reply #58 on:** October 15, 2018, 10:31:13 AM

Huh. This part completely slipped my mind.

Whatever the case, Chomper (and Ruby?) will probably have to play the role of translator for effective communication between the sharptooth members and the leafeater members of the new gang. It would make for a unique interaction nevertheless as they might end up reliant on a translator till they get affluent with their new/former languages to talk amidst themselves in a large group, especially if said discord is still fresh in their minds and the last thing any of them want is to be reliant on someone else to be able to communicate.

Ah, irony.

Sovereign · **Reply #59 on:** October 15, 2018, 03:15:16 PM

Yep, this plot idea is a good one.

As for vonboy's question, I agree with others that the Gang's languages depends on their species with Ruby and Chomper as the translators, at least initially. It brings more potential for further drama.

A sudden change of species 2.0?

Poll

Which of these options do you favor?