How do you like the new Nimitz?

MaxxQ wrote:His true-feet - the hindmost paws - should look more like regular paws, with much stubbier "fingers", and the center pair should be somewhere in between the true-hands and true-feet as far as "finger" length. The comic art looks to have them all the same length, though. Actually, looking closer, if those are his true-feet at Honor's hips, then his feet have longer fingers than his hands.

There were a couple of different versions of the feet/hands shown. The most interesting/convincing visually didn't look much like the description in the book.

I don't mind if it looks a bit meaner, but, as someone said, would YOU let your kid bring THAT into yout house? I'd chamber a round.. So, even though fluffy and cute can be toned down a bit, catbat-from-hell look is taking it a bit too far..

Besides, the thing looks like a small horse, it should be able to fit across Honor's shoulders, not look like it's doing unnatural and pervy things to her..

And I'm thinking that his life support module would comfortably fit Honor and Mac, plus a smaller marine in a full battle gear

Oh, it just dawned to me...
There's some Species 8472 thing going on with Nimitz

MaxxQ wrote:20 kilos? Are you sure? That's 45 pounds. Still, I suppose it's possible...

Well, on the one hand, the official record for cats is nearly 49 pounds, the unofficial record over 56 pounds.
On the other hand the cat in question was troublesome to weigh so it may be a kg or two off, i don´t think so but it´s theoretically possible at least.

But most of those "record" cats are heavy due to being fat(and fat is much less dense than muscle), you tend not to notice cats with unusually much muscle nearly as much, as they just look "scaled up" a bit.

MaxxQ wrote:Anyway, about his true-hands. I happen to think that those are about the only thing that looks right, aside from the size. Maybe make them a bit more slender, but other than that, his forepaws - or true-hands - should look pretty much like four-fingered hands

Hmm, i think you missed what i was criticising?
I called them arthritic for a reason, they look misshapen and gnarly in a way that just shouldn´t be normal.
Also, proportions seems very off.


*****

There were a couple of different versions of the feet/hands shown. The most interesting/convincing visually didn't look much like the description in the book.

Yeah, that tends to be a common problem, it´s why so many cartoonists draw 4 fingered hands instead of 5 for example.

Oh, well...
Let's put my pocketfull of coins in here

Nimitz only and, well, my opinion only.
Publishing the first pic (pg.1) without the explanation that it was only the "hairless" version was a mistake. As an example of how the six-limbness will work it is not that bad, the fingers - if you keep in mind that this is skin only - not bad too. I think the artist might have looked at some racoon front legs, which is a good idea for the true hands and to some extend for the hand-feet. Otherwise - nope, not really.
The second pic (pg 13). The coloring (I presume this is fur-included) is not that far of the mark. The tail looks believable as far as showing the tubeness when not in climbing(open) mode - except the tail end should not be pointed. The eye collor is right on the money, the look is there too, somewhere. Otherwise everithing is way too big as a whole, and the proportions of the head and hands/feet are off - too big compared to the body.
And please get rid of these things on his head - way too many of them.

Now for some suggestions.
When I think of Nimitz and treecats in general, I imagine something that:

1. Can succesfully be substituted for the serval in this pic - http://www.classifiedspet.info/uploads/pets/798/kitten1.jpg
2. Is furred somewhat as the lynx in this one - http://ecologyadventure2.edublogs.org/files/2011/04/canadian-lynx.jpg-2-2e8qx7n.jpg

If you are looking for alienness, there is no big need to imagine something new - just go look at a caracal:
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/display/30714231
http://www.fotocommunity.de/pc/pc/display/28830988

That critter can look as cute as you want it to
http://lilia73.deviantart.com/art/Karakal-115388130
http://galerie.chip.de/k/tiere-unterwasser/wilde-tiere/karakal/190507/
http://www.raubkatzen-im-zoo.at/assets/images/karakal_1h.jpg
...right up untill it doesn't
http://www.tierdoku.com/images/Karakal-01.jpg
http://www.raubkatzen-im-zoo.at/assets/images/karakal_2h.jpg

That's all for now. I'm off searching for some lemurs and other critters for tail suggestions. Hope I can find something interesting.

SWM wrote:Nimitz is 65 cm long, not counting tail. People here should probably compare 65 centimeters with their own body. If his hindlegs are extended downward (which they must be, given how the truefeet are gripping) the size depicted in that picture is only a little bit too big. It is not as far off as some people have implied.

His body might be 65cm long, but that's when he's fully stretched out. Most of the time he's muuch shorter than that in appearance, as is typical with cats. He's always described as sitting on Honor's shoulder, not clinging to her back, and many times has his tail "protectively" wrapped around her neck. His true-feet may be grabbing her lower shoulder blades, but his hand-feet are on top of her shoulders.

The new image is just too big, period. And it isn't cute and adorable like domestic cats are. And as just been pointed out, treecats have retractable claws that are normally hidden, not extended all the time.

On the other hand, the new image, if sufficiently inreased in size, would make a great hexapuma (hell, it already has a leopard-like look). Hmm, maybe that's what happened, the artist got treecats and hexapumas mixed up.

I still feel that the proportions are way off. My reasionong is due mostly to hand placement. First, remember, Honor is rather tall, so the 'cat would look even bigger on most people. Second, count the hands. Nimitz has both true feet on her hips and both true hands on her shoulders. He also has one hand foot with each other pair. That means either his arms are huge relative to his body, or he is much larger than he should be.

Also, how I have always pictures a treecat standing is with his rear legs in the small of his person's back, mid limbs on the shoulder, with fore limbs free to use and his head slightly higher than his person's. The way they have it, the 'cat is clinging on to her with his paws, and not with his claws.

Tenshinai wrote:

MaxxQ wrote:20 kilos? Are you sure? That's 45 pounds. Still, I suppose it's possible...

Well, on the one hand, the official record for cats is nearly 49 pounds, the unofficial record over 56 pounds.
On the other hand the cat in question was troublesome to weigh so it may be a kg or two off, i don´t think so but it´s theoretically possible at least.

But most of those "record" cats are heavy due to being fat(and fat is much less dense than muscle), you tend not to notice cats with unusually much muscle nearly as much, as they just look "scaled up" a bit.

MaxxQ wrote:Anyway, about his true-hands. I happen to think that those are about the only thing that looks right, aside from the size. Maybe make them a bit more slender, but other than that, his forepaws - or true-hands - should look pretty much like four-fingered hands

Hmm, i think you missed what i was criticising?
I called them arthritic for a reason, they look misshapen and gnarly in a way that just shouldn´t be normal.
Also, proportions seems very off.


*****

There were a couple of different versions of the feet/hands shown. The most interesting/convincing visually didn't look much like the description in the book.

Yeah, that tends to be a common problem, it´s why so many cartoonists draw 4 fingered hands instead of 5 for example.

The E wrote:

Renegade13 wrote:Treecat's have NEVER been described as having a reptilian or 'alien' appearance. There is a good reason why they were called treeCATs by humans; although there are obvious differences, the visual similarity was a striking one!

I gather that you must have missed the part where Evergreen said that they weren't sure yet how they would pull off the fur, so what we're seeing is a version of the model without fur applied.

I did not see that (would have been nice for it to be noted in the initial post!!!), so in regards to the fur issue, I will refrain from criticism, and simply refer the artists to the books for better description of what it SHOULD look like (and specific examples listed below).

I saw where SWM gave a reference of 65cm for Nimitz's body and head length (just over 2'). That is significantly shorter than my estimate, but as I consider it, I agree that seems a more accurate size, and would still be appropriate for the way that Honor usually carries him.

I think that the best example for me to give involves a comparison to 2 domestic cat breeds - the Savannah, and the Maine Coon.
Savannahs are the largest domestic cat breed, and have a long and thin - but strong - body. Savannahs can reach 30lbs on that frame... a perfect basis for a treecat's heavy world, athletic body type. Treecats would have longer tails in comparison - useful for their balance, and nearly as prehensile as some primates'.
Maine Coons are a bit longer than Savannahs (the record is 123 cm/ 48.5 inches from nose to tip of tail), and are much more heavily furred. That fur (which is composed of two layers - outer and under coats - the way treecats are described) should be the general model for a treecats' fur... it is too perfect an example to be ignored.

I still think that the size of the page 1 example is fairly decent for the largest treecats; but the one on page 13 is much too large.

In ref to the two examples in this thread (page 1 and page 13) - neither of the heads is even close. I would combine the general ears of a Savannah with the overall head size/shape of a Maine Coon, and then work from there. The artists could modify that combination a bit to make it a little more 'alien', without losing the look that would be 'cute and cuddly' enough when the treecat was calm and/or happy.

Although a treecats' tail is longer and much more specialized than that of a domestic cat, the tail of the creature on page 13 is WAY too long; and the tail of the page 1 'thing' is completely off - it looks like it has a stinger or spike on the end! (actually, now that I look more closely, BOTH of them give me that impression)

I looks to me like the artists are too concerned with the alien parts of the treecats' appearance, instead of the similarities to domestic cats and the multitude of descriptions in the various books! That is NOT the way to make this project work!!

Telra wrote:ok,
the ships, weapons, uniforms, spacestations so far...i could understand and tolerate, maybe even accept....
but this...abomination????? WTF! If i was the one paying for it, i would ask money back....
who did this, the next Rob Liefeld? Or himself...
I mean NO,NO,NO,NO...i am sorry but thats so far off that....
f-k it all, my life and everything. I don't know, if i was DW, i would be furious about this....this is so much off on something so crucial that......

AGREED!

Nimitz is too large and no fur.
Should have been smaller, furry, rings on tail.

The current Nimitz sucks. Treecats are supposed to be very cute, right until they reveal killer claws. I think I found the perfect Earth analog to give an idea of what treecats should look like, albeit with different coloring and an extra set of limbs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_panda