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General => Fan Section => Topic started by: Kraettoa on Jan 14, 2023, 09:27:31 PM

Title: Creating a Venomous Xenomorph Phenotype (3D Art/Lore/Statues, picture heavy)
Post by: Kraettoa on Jan 14, 2023, 09:27:31 PM
Giger's work has massively inspired my desire to make art for years, so I think it's finally time for me to tackle a tribute to his Xenomorph. Mixed with a bit of Takayuki Takeya's beautiful take on the Xenomorph too.

So taking that passion and mixing it with a bit of my love for speculative evolution, I decided to attempt to create a new subspecies of Xenomorph that remains true to the original Big Chap - Not just a different host-type, but modified life cycle stages to accomidate the ecological challenges of a hostile world.

Everything here is still a work in progress, especially the texturing - it's just polypaint and not the final material setup I do for my modelling pipeline in Substance Painter.

I ideally plan to turn these into (posed) 3D resin printed display pieces eventually. I've included a link to my Artstation in the images, but haven't posted them there yet.


The Venomous Xenomorph
ID: Xenomorph ssp. paralysis (subspecies), Nicknamed 'Cocytusmorph'
Species: Linguafoeda paralysis
Location: LV-929 "Cocytus"
Host type: Human (in imagery, capable of implanting LV-929 natvie fauna
XenoMorph.jpg

The Xenomorph specimens found on the exoplanet LV-929 (also known as Cocytus) exibit some unusual traits and adaptations to the harsh conditions of the world. The origin of Xenomorphs on this world is unknown, but it is clear they have co-existed with the native fauna for a prolonged period of time.

LV-929 presents extensive challenges for the local Xenomorph ssp. From inclement weather to toxic flora, the main preasure presented is the large native fauna with unusual respiratory systems. This has made the traditional impregnation methods of Facehuggers non-viable, as both restricting airflow via the tail and releasing aerosol paralytic chemicals into the airway are non-viable means of subduing the native fauna. It is likely that this proved an issue to early Xenomorph specimens on the planet, leading to the radical adaptations we see today.


The Facehugger
ID: Manumala somnusintrusor, nicknamed "Torsohugger"
Stage: I
Xenohugger.jpg

The unique adaptations found in this ssp. are immediately visible the Stage-1 of it's life cycle when compared to the mainline species. Displaying darker tones, a body large enough to restrain the upper torso of an adult human, and a (relative to body size) shorter tail that ends with a sharp barbed appendage used to deliever venom. These traits exemplify the adaptations to the local fauna, with the later being the most noteworthy trait carried on in the additional stages. Concerningly, our survey teams have reported that these adaptations do not make the species any less capable of taking human hosts.

While additional data is required, it is clear that these "Torsohuggers" - a name assigned by the survey teams - spends relatively little time in their Ovomorphs, instead autonomously venturing in search of hosts. It demonstrates stalking behaviour more commoning found in more advanced castes, identifying a host and ambushing it in an attempt to strike with it's scorpion-like tail barb before retreating to hide and seemingly monitor the host from afar. If sucessful, this causes rapid-onset paralysis of the host. Notably the host appears to remain conscious through this endeavor.

Once the prey collapses and ceases to struggle: the Torsohugger will emerge, crawling towards the prey. At this stage they have been witnessed tapping the host's body with it's two central appendages, seemingly attracted towards the release of carbon dioxide. Upon finding the breathing apperatus it will lower it's abdomen above this opening (in a human: the mouth cavity) forcing it open with specialized claws before it's implantation appendgage decends from a clawed "mouth".

The implantation process is brief. The creature will hide nearby and wait for the process to complete, they have been noted to act defensively over the host - attacking and attempting to paralyize any interlopers. While anecdotal evidence suggests it can only implant one host, and this behaviour is purely defensive, any additional Torsohuggers will use such a individual unfortunate enough to be paralyzed in such a manner as a host.
Xenohuggertex.jpg
Post mortem examination has shown that this variant implants an "organic resin cluster" containing proteins, enzymes, and growth hormones for the purpose of morphologically altering the host to produce the juvenile "Chestburster" analogue, the "Torsoburster".

These proteins, upon birth of the juvenile Cocytusmorph, cause the host to begin the process of "Eggmorphing". With the dying Torsohugger tightly holding the host's corpse during this process, adding to the biomass which dissolve together as they are recycled into a new set of eggs proprotional to the size of the host.

An adult human can produce one to two Torsohugger eggs, smaller than Queen-birthed Ovomorphs. These Sleephuggers hatch similar sized to traditional Facehuggers, but grow rapidly to the full Sleephugger size. They are capable of implantation immediately after birth assuming the host is sized proprotionally.

The host remains conscious, albeit paralyzed, through the entire gestation process.



The Chestburster

ID: Xenomorph ssp. paralysis (subspecies), Nicknamed 'Torsoburster'
Species: Linguafoeda paralysis
Stage: II
Xenobursterwip.jpg


Due to their adaptation of hunting larger prey, the Torsoburster's growth is far more punishing to human hosts - demaning more nutrition and growing larger than a human host's body can take. The Torsoburster rapidly pulls nutrition from the host; visibly draining them of organic internal tissue over approximately 33 hours. This leaves the host with a progressively more a "Anorexic"  emaciated apperance as their tissue is absorbed, except for their stomach and chest cavity which becomes inflamed and grotesely swollen by the oversized parasite within. 

"Birth" on a human host is almost always immature due to the growth of the much larger burster will either kill the host by presaure against import internal organs or by rupture of the chest cavity. At this stage the weakend mid-torso of the host is split open, bones cracking and "egg white" (sic; anecdotal per survey team) spilling out over the exterior of the now-deceased host. This process has been compared to a juvenile snake being born from an eggshell, pulling it's self out the "yolk" as the umbilical cord is torn. The enzymes of this "yolk" spilling into the torso cavity, starting the aforementioned eggmorphing process. This appears to be a supplemental form of reproduction for the species, making use of biomas that would otherwise be wasted. The viablity and success rate of this process is not known, but decayed "failed" eggmorphing sites have been noted by ground teams.


The Torsoburster, though approximately 3-4x larger, is similar to the traditional Xenomorph Chestburster-stage. The expression of traits found in the Torsohugger is also prevalent; demonstrating a larger body size with relatively shortler tail length, and retaining the paralyzing venomous capablity found in the Facehugger-stage analogue of the Cocytusmorph, though this capability is now found in the creature's bite rather than the scorpion-like tail.


The Alien
ID: Cocytusmorph Drone
Species: Linguafoeda paralysis
Stage: III
XenoMorphuntex.jpg

The Cocytusmorph Drone visually presents less deviation from other strains compared to earlier stages, but can be identified by it's comparatively lanky form, shorter tail, and paralyizing bite.

The life cycle of the Cocytus Xenomorph Subspecies post host-birth is comparable to other known species of Xenomorph, sharing many castes with them, but is seemingly locked into a fixed caste development system. Lacking the alternative "evolutionary" paths that some strains pocess for specalized castes to develop.

While the Cocytusmorph retains traits from the host, every Torsoburster is birthed from the host as a Cocytusmorph Drone. A Drone of this strain represents a immature Warrior, known to favor ambush tactics over direct combat. Within an established hive they are less offensive, taking on caretaking and hive-resin construction roles. Upon maturing into the Warrior stage they are known to leave the hive in search of hosts and prey, eventually consuming enough biomas to evolve into a Praetorian-caste: an immature Queen. While each hive only has one true "Queen", these Praetorians are the ultimate protectors of their hive. As the queen becomes immobile due to her ovomorph production, these hulking beasts fiercly disuade any interlopers from getting near.


Praetorians are known to leave the hive if conditions are correct, venturing out by themselves to produce a new hive. They moult into a Queen once a suitable location is found, forming their own hive. While retaining the "feminine" figure of the traditional Queen, this slightly smaller variant lacks the secondary arms and overall deviates less from the standard castes than other species of Xenemorph. Notably every cast retains the "skull dome" from the Drone stage, at least partially.




I'd love to hear your feed back on their designs. Once I've finished these three I plan to move on to the Warrior, Praetorian, and Queen variants of the Cocytus-type Xenomorphs.

Facehugger status: 3d model mostly finished
Drone Status: 3d model mostly finished
Chestburster status: 3d model early stages


Title: Re: Creating a Venomous Xenomorph Phenotype (3D Art/Lore/Statues, picture heavy)
Post by: Retropocalypse on Jan 16, 2023, 08:27:20 AM
Wow, these are amazing!

I love the effort you've put into their designs and biology. If you ever get around to it, you should definitely write a fanfic story that involves these.