Talking Predators

[Darkraven]

Im writing a predator story at the moment that me and my friend slack badger are going to be making in the future and it involves a few scenes with just predators, a group of them are looking for something (not going to say what because it will spoil it) and i was wondering how to get across the fact they are talking without obviously making up a predator vocabulary which would be sill and i would incur the anger of all predator fans

i was thinking about using body language but im not sure it would get the point that one of them has found something important which give them a clue as where to look for their target

Any ideas?

Raven

 

[rocktuskpred]

i would do body language/hand movements and various clicking sounds

i think that would be the best way to do it without establishing any sort of actual yautjan language

hope this helps

 

[Darkraven]

Yeah it does thanks, i just had nightmares of seeing subtitles over predators movements lol

 

[rocktuskpred]

if your doing basic sign language and body movement you wont need any subtitles

 

[Joker Laugh]

Perhaps Preds move different mandables to mean different things i.e two movements of the top right and one top left might mean "Hey its over here" etc.

 

[rocktuskpred]

if there wearin bios then you wouldnt have to worry about the mandibles movin

all you'd need are clickin sounds

 

[tommynator1024]

Unless the situation requires them to go stealthy and soundless, I'd strongly vote against hand signaling /sign language. They're technologically advanced and highly intelligent. Sign language would make them look retarded in my opinion. Furthermore, it would be distracting having them use typically human gestures.

 

[rocktuskpred]

i'd say go for the sign language dude

ppl arent gonna be happy if you establish any type of language for them aand not onnly that it would be hard as hell to do

you would have to edit the persons voice and all that boring stuff

but if you do sign language and body movements then ppl wont get mad because you didnt have to establish anything at all

preds usiing sign language has already been done in AVP and i dont think it looked retarded at all IMO

 

[Eraserhead]

Well, the novels had no problem doing this with the preds talking/ having their own language. It never bothered me reading those books, it only makes sense having an intelligent species have their own vocal language. So I say go ahead But thats just my opinion..

 

[rocktuskpred]

but not enough words are spoken in the novels to makew actual conversations between preds

trust me i read them all

so if he was to have them speak he would be makin there language up

which would not make some fans to happy

and to me the film industry is about makin ppl happy (but fox doesnt do that becasue they suck and all they want is money)

 

[Darkraven]

Im torn i would love to make up their language but if i get it wrong if it looks stupid then i wont be happy, ill do a few test videos with predators to see how it looks

thanks guys

 

[Macguyver]

Do it like Lassie talked to lil' Timmy everytime his dumbass fell into a big hole in the ground!

But instead of writing it as *one bark* = "yes" & *two barks* = "no", you just need to change it into *one click* = "yes" & *two clicks* = "Hey...guys...c'mon over here and check out what I found!".

 

[Darkraven]

Predator- Click click clicky click

Alien - Whats that some stupid humans have stolen your plasma caster now your all pissed off cos you cant kill us all, Awwww

 

[ONEYE]

That clicking sound isn't their teeth/mandibles, it's morse code being tapped out by hiiting their Predator "hydraulics" against their metallic crotch guards.

 

[edlebizarre]

Sign language would make them look retarded in my opinion.

I don't agree with that. Being able to understand out of gestures may rather require being smart anyhow.

What's more you only want to feature a very simple communicatio there: "Hey, look" or some of the same kind. Intelligent beings like predators won't be eager to spoil highly evolved language ressource just for something that simple.

I'd say you could make it reallly close to the sign languauge of Dutch's team in P1 when they are close to attack the ennemies' base, it would make them sound rather organised and able to cope in military-like hunt conditions. I really consider it as a good option which would make them be taken seriously.

 

[Skullsplitter]

They're technologically advanced and highly intelligent. Sign language would make them look retarded in my opinion. Furthermore, it would be distracting having them use typically human gestures.

Eh, FYI:
Chimps are, despite their cute looks, fierce hunters, who use sign language to coordinate silent attacks on prey, improving their rate of kill.

So I think sign language is a great step forward.

 

[Darkraven]

Ive got a couple of weeks off from college so what ill do is do two shots, one with sign language/ military signs, one with verbal communication and body language ill post the videos here and get peoples opinions, thanks guys i really appreciate your help

Raven

 

[edlebizarre]

We also used these in the Marine Corps.

*pic*

 

[Darkraven]

Sweet, thanks one eye

 

[JAILER1955]

please forgive my spelling, I'm normally pretty good, but not today.

I think that they would use any and all types of communication when the situation dictated it.

If they were hanging around the two blade bar, chewing on barbqued hugger wings, I'm sure that the language would be spoken. There is no stealth to maintain and no helment to hide the mandibles. Also, the spoken work is more expressive than grunts and waving hands. This would also be helpful in teaching others and associating new learned languages with their own, meaning what they say in human is what they meant to say. I know that they also minique prey, but I am not addressing that here. You may picture something different but I see GUTTERAL WHALE CALL with intermittant clicking. My reasoning for this is the visible structure of the mouth.

If they are running in a hunting pack or just do not want to be heard by others in attendance, where they are in eye contact with their leader or conversation pardner, then hand signals would come gracefully into play.

In stealth mode, cloaked; talking is out of the question. I'm sure that their bio-helmets can see other cloaked predators as it would be very embarrassing to trip over each other in front of their elder. So I think that hand signals would still find a place in this instance.

The clicking is most likely a part of all types of predator communication. There are afrian tribes that use clicking of the tongue in their language.

This is an interesting topic, but I gotta go for now.

George