Dimorphism

[Stratadrake]

Enter another topic that's difficult for me to categorize (and the poll is just for fun).

So what is dimorphism? To me, it's one of those words that I just stumbled across the other day while browsing through the dictionary for a different word. And as a rule, it's currently one of my favorite terms since because it's "new" to my vocabulary, so don't mind me if I end up over-using it a bit. I'll get over it.

Noun form - dimorphism
Adjective form - dimorphic

Dimorphic means being able to exist in two different forms or states. While the Webster definition is pretty specific, pretty limited, for me the word has a much greater use in a broader and more artistic sense.

Namely, I think it's a great way to summarize any character who has two different "forms". A lot of artists like making characters who can shapeshift from one form (usually human) to another (usually not).

But the problem for me is (and this is where the mood swings from -> ), I hate it.

I like the word and how it can be used, but the quality that it represents -- I just can't stand that anymore. Perhaps I've seen and heard of too many characters being graced with such terminology as "human form", "dragon form", "demon form", etc.

Dimorphism in art and original characters has become one of those things that in itself is an interesting and, often, useful thing -- but it shares the same fate as, say, original Sonic characters: It's overused. Clich. As if every artist has a slew of original and dimorphic characters residing in their gallery or fanfictions, shapeshifters with two different "forms" but so little thought and originality given to the concept of such, that -- well, grrr. GRRR! :angry:

And that concludes my rant on the subject. At least for now I have more thoughts on the issue, but I'll leave those for a later time.
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[KFelidae]

Don't need it, don't use it. If I ever need a "different form" of something, I just create a new character. Good and Evil Kiff, for instance. Kiff has no Jeckle-Hyde thing going on, just two seperate entities that share the same basic form. Theoretically, they could be in the same room at the same time. ...If Evil Kiff wouldn't try to kill Good Kiff, that is. XD

I simply find no use for it. Real creatures that change via metamorphisis have no real control over it, and cannot change back. Why should a chacter that you intend for others to take seriously?

Now, Andrake in kitten form... >=D *evil, maniacal laughter*


-KF

[VR_Jay]

Clich. In fact, any picture that features some character's "half demon half dragon form" I simply skip over immediately. <_<
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[InUyAsHaSgIrL4eVeR]

[quote="KFelidae (Brenda Karlsson)"]Don't need it, don't use it. If I ever need a "different form" of something, I just create a new character. Good and Evil Kiff, for instance. Kiff has no Jeckle-Hyde thing going on, just two seperate entities that share the same basic form. [/quote]
That is a better idea that making them one character.If they have 2 distinct personalities then why not 2 different characters?Split forms are overused (and can get annoying when they use the character they draw like that in an RP)Original characters should be just that,original.

[fallenangel]

I always assume that when there's a picture of, say for example, "My OC Loki in demon form! ^_^ ", that 'Loki' was just too boring a character to stand on his own and needed a super cool 'demon' to make it at all interesting.
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[DragonicFlames]

I wonder if that word kind of covers for Past/Future changes. Because I was think about doing past lives of some of my freaky dollz.... Oo; But I am not sure since all of you are kind of "anti-other-forms" people. But since I don't use it as in "half vampire and demon" thing (how can you be half vampire?! You can only be one and some vamps are already considered demons.. --; )

I guess I'll be clicking the "don't know, don't care" button.
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[Stratadrake]

I would've responded sooner if my computer hadn't kept freezing up on me...

To me, dimorphism refers strictly to characters who can shapeshift from one distinct form to another -- this does not include so-called 'hybrids' and 'anthros'. (I [i]could[/i] give a rant about them too, but that's a different story).

Maybe it's because many artists don't take time or thought to ponder the technicalities of shapeshifting qualities or, more importantly, the consequences thereof. To them, it's as if dimorphism is something as easy and natural as Transformers. Vehicle/beast mode! Robot mode! Blink of an eye or two and they're changed from one form to the other, no ill effects either in short or (especially) long term.

For example, using a few memories of a Wolf's Rain episode I once tuned in to... one moment you see a human. The next, they take a hit from a stun blaster and you see a wolf fall to the ground. In another moment, literally one cut away, you see the human again running off and performing wire-fu jumps as if there is no spoon....

One moment you have a man in a white suit surrounded by enemy guards. Cut to one of them and return to see a white wolf pouncing upon them and taking them out. Next scene, it's the man in a white suit again.

Okay, I'll admit that is slightly exaggerated. But I really wish more artists would take into account such basic factors as:
- What happens to their clothes or whatever else they're wearing?
- Doesn't shifting from one form require a lot of energy, and thus the mere act of it exhausts them?
- What if something goes wrong?

[quote]Real creatures that change via metamorphisis have no real control over it, and cannot change back.[/quote]

Agreed. Sort of like my two versions of Andrake, it was strictly one-way from the first to the second form. And whenever I draw out his third form, the v3.0 follows that same rule.

One story I've been working on, magic of transformation/shapeshifting plays an important role for several of the characters . . . but it's no picnic, the logistics of it are a force to be reckoned with. For example, the more time they spend in one 'form', the more difficult it becomes to morph into their 'other form', and it also becomes difficult for them to even [i]think[/i] in terms of their 'other form'. In other words, the more time they spend in one shape or the other, the more they 'become' it, in all ways, aspects, terms, and consequences.

I should do a full dissertation of my opinion on that subject sometime... people need to think these things through, and it's clich when they don't.

[quote]Good and Evil Kiff, for instance. Kiff has no Jeckle-Hyde thing going on, just two seperate entities that share the same basic form. Theoretically, they could be in the same room at the same time. ...If Evil Kiff wouldn't try to kill Good Kiff, that is. XD[/quote]

You know, we've just [b]got[/b] to see Evil Kiff sometimes
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[jhonenfreak]

I have all of 3 pics that are dimorphic... sorta. One was of a girl who was made out of water (although it's been deleted from my gallery for a while), a snake that is half snake, half gardening hose, and an emoticon that evolves from fish to human (although that might not exactly fit the definition of "dimorphic"). I actually don't have any half human / half animal characters at all.

EDIT:
[quote]dimorphism refers strictly to characters who can shapeshift from one distinct form to another [/quote]
Kind of like the characters from the Animorphs books, huh? If that's the case, non of my art work is like that.
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[fallenangel]

You know I've spent way too much time reading posts I don't care about when I can reply to this, but Strata, Wolf's Rain doesn't involve shapeshifting. They aren't actually humans. They really are wolves, and the "human" image is just an illusion. It's not a form they change between, just a different view of them from the audience perspective.

At least, that's what I've read... Meh.
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[Stratadrake]

[quote]You know I've spent way too much time reading posts I don't care about when I can reply to this, but Strata, Wolf's Rain doesn't involve shapeshifting. They aren't actually humans. They really are wolves, and the "human" image is just an illusion. It's not a form they change between, just a different view of them from the audience perspective.[/quote]

Thanks for the correction. You [i]know[/i] I'm not well versed in the ways of much anime, and that impressions I may receive from tuning into a random episode aren't going to be very accurate ... and what I was describing, that's all they were, impressions....
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[JediRevan20]

I only have drawn one dimorphic character, and I'm only using her on an rp right now. Most of the time, I use humans.

[DaBear]

what was the third? never have-never will! anyway my characters are just human, and amazingly live in the real world, in real time. Ive grown tired of guys in tights seeing through walls, Inuasha's that are half this and half that and live in the past, or Gokus that take four years to power up. sh*t I think if he was in front of Bo, she'd pull an Indiana Jones on him, and just pull her gun out and shoot him!

well, anyway, I liked that sorta thing as a 12 year old, and sometimes a new toon will catch my attention span for about a week, but its corney, overdone, and really getting old....for as much the writters of this sh*t want to make it seem fresh!

my summary on this is: DONT DO IT
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[Kathy100]

Wow I...never even thought about it before O_O;. You're right though...there are a LOT of characters like that out there~. It didn't bother me before, but I'm sure now that you've pointed it out I'm going to start getting annoyed by it XD XD.

[Ogrim_Doomhammer]

i had never seen that word before... so i dont think i used it without knowing about it...
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[Rindi_chan]

Dimorphism must DIE! Because I like capitalized words. I chose this because I was stupid a bit earlier and decided to browse through the RP forum. Bad idea - shapeshifting is rampant, everyone's overpowered... I could go on all night, but that's beside the point.

Something isn't right when every other character can turn into a dragon or a demon at will and take out whole armies at a time. Oh well. I guess I was once 12 and didn't think too hard about stuff like that either. It's all part of the quest to be cool and original, which doesn't work when everyone's trying to do the same thing.

[Jailcrow_of_Mandos]

I mostly agree, Strata

I must say my part in favor, though- or in remote favor. I mad eup a few of my characters five to ten years ago and slowly developed them into what they are. All the characetrs from one of my stories are 'aliens,' so some look a little demonic, others like furries. But I've been trying to develop them more and more to be more unique- small details on the ears or any features.

I've also made basic languages to make names that tie closer to their cultures, but that's something else entirely >.> On one fellow, though, I drew the inner features of his mouth once because he can lick his wounds to help them heal, or he can spit this anti coagulant because he is a blood drinker. This doesn't make him a vampire, demon, or anything but an Aumehan- so I suppose that's not the best example.

I do have one of what looks like a furry, though There is a history behind them being able to morph, though. I had a story up for a while about two characters Teku and Veru. They were the first people on their world, and their god was too weak to protect them. They died, so when he regained his strength, the god made it where they could 'morph' and hide themselves. They do look too earthish, though- they need a lot of work. I'm all for the aliens that are sea sponges or something else weird. Already that race look more like rat dogs than anything else, but in the upright form, they look like no mor ethan furries...

I just think with a bit of creativity, it can be valuable, but a person with just a cat tail is worthless :/ And after a bout of RPGs titled "half cat/wolf/angel/unicorn demon RPGs" I was tempted to start one called "1/3 demon angel wolf cat hairy monster 1/3 human 1/3... martha stewart or something" :/ Yeah... well, there's my take on it, lol.

[JediRevan20]

True, people do overdo things. Personally, I've had characters that are human\elf, but that's it.

[Drakedragon]

By now alot of the people I know that almost every character I make in a roleplay has this trait. I want to try something different for once...and actually have a few times. For example I was a fox demon in one rp instead of a drakken. In my stoires so far only one out of 3 or 4 characters have been shapeshifters. Surprisingly enough...

Also I tend to make my characters a little too adaptive. I'd like to go into an rp and see what would happen if my charater wasn't the person with the super powers for once. If I ever decide to get off my lazy butt and do this you will know.

[Jailcrow_of_Mandos]

But what exactly is a fox demon :/ a fox with rabies, a fox inhabited by a demon, a demon who tookt he form of a fox, a mean fox in general, fox blessed with magic? I think the titles give people too much lee way (whoo hoo, nautical term!)

Like I said, I really have no characters like this; I haven't since like sixth grade when I played a bounty hunter that could shift into a lizard or something. I don't remember. I have a few that look that way, but they're really just aliens I don't see the advantage of being a fox demon when you could be.... say a guy with a chainsaw and the uncanny urge to hack up fox demons

In fact, the only time I would probably really be ok with dimorphism would be in my First Age of Middle-Earth RPG, once I get it rolling onto a chapter 2. There are a subclass of gods called Maiar (Sauron, Gandalf, and others are all part of that class). They can change forms. The Vala (upper class god) Melkor was pretty, then nasty, then a whiff of cloud, then a massive monster, normal-sized guy. Sauron was a pretty-boy, a giant wolf, a vampire, a great lidless flaming eye, and a shadow. So... yeah, I could see it there. I allowed people to be Maiar, given that I found them responsible.

As for human/elf people- that's rather normal in my book Haha! This conversation made me think of DBZ- what a lame show

[ramza_belourve]

Kupo?

this is the first time i actually heard about this
hmmm
whatever i dont care too much