Which is the Ideal Praetorian design

[[cancerblack]]

Praetorian as in the dudes that protect the Queen? The design of the dudes in Aliens protecting the Queen is just fine.

I'm aware of your long standing arguments on the issue but I'll die on the hill that a more conventional body type with a partial royal crest is a fun design area to play with, and that the redundancy mostly comes from the naming convention (ie; you could do a lot of other things with the basic visual idea).

[SM]

Praetorians are cool enemies for games to provide variety.  Little else.

If Tristan Jones design in Defiance counts as a Praetorian - then that one.

[Local Trouble]

While we're at it, can we find a place for the giant bonce-clamper?

You rang?

[SM]

It will always have a place.

[[cancerblack]]

Praetorians are cool enemies for games to provide variety.  Little else.

I'd be fine with them appearing in film or television entries for the visual variety alone, but you're right that if it involved exposition to the effect of "These new Aliens (tm) are called Praetorians (tm), action figures available now from WalMart" it'd leave a rotten taste.

[Still Collating...]

The Praetorian has always had a place in my heart. And they're introduced logically enough. Since the Alien has always had massive inspiration from the insect world, for some eusocial insects, there are multiple stages between the worker and the Queen. Warriors and Major Warriors and so forth. If it's good enough for the natural world, it's good enough for me. Some species just have the differentiation from worker to Queen. But the species that are most numerous, and are most aggressive have the most variety. So both have a precedent in nature.

I see no problem with Praetorians and even though some don't like them here, they've only grown more and more popular with now multiple appearances not only in the games till this day, but now also in comics and novels. They ain't going nowhere and it seems the Crusher is also becoming more mainstream.

Do I believe a Praetorian will ever appear on film? Doubt it, but wouldn't mind at it all.

[SM]

Queens are born Queens and if Praetorians are guards then we see guards in Aliens. If they're a stage between baby Queen and adult Queen then the design should reflect that - crown, back spines and extra arms.

[Thatguy2068]

Queens are born Queens and if Praetorians are guards then we see guards in Aliens. If they're a stage between baby Queen and adult Queen then the design should reflect that - crown, back spines and extra arms.

I like your idea of the Xenomorph Praetorian resembling more of the queen in some aspects. I would like to see them have the extra arms being underdeveloped like the 1979 chestburster.

[Immortan Jonesy]

Should we apply the same to kings? (Jk )

[Thatguy2068]

Should we apply the same to kings? (Jk )

Maybe 

The Praetorian has always had a place in my heart. And they're introduced logically enough. Since the Alien has always had massive inspiration from the insect world, for some eusocial insects, there are multiple stages between the worker and the Queen. Warriors and Major Warriors and so forth. If it's good enough for the natural world, it's good enough for me. Some species just have the differentiation from worker to Queen. But the species that are most numerous, and are most aggressive have the most variety. So both have a precedent in nature.

I see no problem with Praetorians and even though some don't like them here, they've only grown more and more popular with now multiple appearances not only in the games till this day, but now also in comics and novels. They ain't going nowhere and it seems the Crusher is also becoming more mainstream.

Do I believe a Praetorian will ever appear on film? Doubt it, but wouldn't mind at it all.

Agree, the idea just make too much sense to me, personally

[Still Collating...]

Queens are born Queens and if Praetorians are guards then we see guards in Aliens. If they're a stage between baby Queen and adult Queen then the design should reflect that - crown, back spines and extra arms.

So besides the extra arms that no one has done yet (underdeveloped mini arms would be cool), you basically mean the look of existing Praetorians? The ones in AvP2, AvP2010 and especially AvP Extinction fit into those requirements (though all Praetorians have some of those aspects, Fireteam Elite has one with a huge Crown, Dark Descent has the 3 pairs of back spikes).

And who says they can't have multiple roles? Just like the stock Alien drone/warrior does. And no, if some of the roles overlap, it doesn't mean that there is no point in them. This is a versatile adaptable species, just because most Aliens can do most stuff, doesn't mean some aren't better in one role than another.

The hive in Aliens was relatively young and small compared to what we see in the expanded universe. A bigger and more mature hive could have more specialized roles (similar how some ant and termite species do). Just like eggmorphing is being reintroduced into the media, doesn't mean it's redundant. If eggs can be reproduced by multiple means (excellent redundancy measures), multiple ways of getting a Queen can be plausible IMO. It's obvious that getting an instant Queen from the egg directly is probably the fastest way to go. No Queen egg/facehugger? Eggmorphing or promote an existing Praetorian. A single isolated Alien, on a remote place with no hosts whatsoever? So no eggmorphing. Molt to a Praetorian and then a Queen. Make eggs, sleep and wait for someone to stumble along. Having options is great for survival.

And a Praetorian or two could have the role of guards near a Queen's chamber, of a larger and older hive while also being a plan B for the Queen's death. Cause the guards in Aliens were pathetic in regards to how easily Ripley handled them (one of the few flaws I see in a great movie).   

[[cancerblack]]

Queens are born Queens and if Praetorians are guards then we see guards in Aliens. If they're a stage between baby Queen and adult Queen then the design should reflect that - crown, back spines and extra arms.

We've already burned through a lot of insect roles with the naming conventions which makes things trickier, but I always liked the idea they were "females" (for lack of a better word) who didn't get the fertility gene switched on during incubation because there was already a queen around. They're inherently a bit bigger and have "crown buds" but the specific morphology to become a queen and be trussed up laying eggs, never developed.

[SM]

And who says they can't have multiple roles? Just like the stock Alien drone/warrior does. And no, if some of the roles overlap, it doesn't mean that there is no point in them. This is a versatile adaptable species, just because most Aliens can do most stuff, doesn't mean some aren't better in one role than another.

Yes.  Queens are better at laying eggs than other adult Aliens.  Those same adult Aliens (warriors, drone, whatever you want to call them) gather hosts, build hives, take out threats, guard the Queen, take eggs and place them in front of hosts, sneak on dropships, etc.  Don't need a new different caste to do that.  You just need a new different caste to not make video games tedious.

Queens are born Queens and if Praetorians are guards then we see guards in Aliens. If they're a stage between baby Queen and adult Queen then the design should reflect that - crown, back spines and extra arms.

We've already burned through a lot of insect roles with the naming conventions which makes things trickier, but I always liked the idea they were "females" (for lack of a better word) who didn't get the fertility gene switched on during incubation because there was already a queen around. They're inherently a bit bigger and have "crown buds" but the specific morphology to become a queen and be trussed up laying eggs, never developed.

What purpose do they serve though?

[[cancerblack]]

Looking sick as f**k, which is enough sometimes.

[SM]

I will accept looking sick as f**k and being a bullet sponge.