[quote=“Lance”]
So yeah, I thought it was a great last boss gameplay-wise - decently varied and challenging - but stylistically and plot-wise I would have much preferred a “real” dragon too. But then I’m not much of a fan of the dragonmares anyway, as I’ve always thought they looked pretty out of place compared to the rest of the PD universe… they’re not bad designs by any means, they’re just not my idea of “Panzery”.[/quote]
So, I’m not the only one who wasn’t thrilled with the idea of Dragonmares?
Honestly, I think that they should stick to real dragons; adding them to the Panzer Dragoon series was a big mistake. Like you said, their design isn’t bad, but they seem too… Too… Well, there aren’t really any good words to describe how they don’t fit in. They look like they belong in a sci-fi or scary movie, not in a Panzer Dragoon game.
Umm, well, I like the fact they are dragonmares and not real dragons, would be too overkill if the Empire was able to create real dragons. And I don’t really mind their design, they look like a hugely mutated monster to me, specially their necks… Maybe they aren’t “panzerish” but maybe they aren’t supposed to be, how could the Empire design creatures as “good” as the ancients or as good as panzer’s nature? Again, I’d definitelly prefer Abadd being on a real dragon though.
Man in the next game I hope we get to explore more ruins and fight/see more of the Ancients’ creations rather than the empires’ abominations and crafts… Whatever happened to all the almost robotic creations like the Twin Guardians? I really liked fighting that kind of enemies.
The dragonmares just has so much potential to be the “dragons of the Empire”, but their design was just disappointing to me. I had imagined a crazy biomonster that looked more like a three year old Ancient built them, sort of like a gigantic blob of tattered wings and mismatched parts…but they gave me an Alien rip-off. The whole neck being a giant mouth thing (with the teeth on the sides of the neck, like it was zippered up) was pretty cool, though.
I really don’t see what’s so similar with the Aliens apart from the overall vague shape of the mouth… I mean seriously I understand that it might REMIND you of them but calling the whole design a rip off of Aliens is absurd imo…
Eh…I suppose I’m touchy after Fox completely stole the Alien design from Mr.Giger without giving him anything whatsoever, but that’s another story. =) Apologies if I offended.
I really agree that the design is very similar to Giger’s Alien from a stylistic point of view. It’s got the disturbingly elongated head and a face which is comprised of one massive mouth (as well as the holes / gaps in its cheeks which appear on some Alien versions). The fact that a dragonmare is monochromatic (only brown rather than grey) further adds to the effect. There’s even a shot in the intro where a dragonmare’s mouth bears down on Orta in exactly the same style that an Alien’s would.
Of course they’re not identical - the rest of the body is very different (although dragonmares do have a thin, pointed whip-like tail exactly like the Alien). But then again, the Aliens in the movies don’t actually look like some of Giger’s original “Alien” paintings either - the important point is the head, which was the really distinguising feature of the Alien and which is also the really distinguishing feature of the dragonmare.
I see where Azel121’s coming from at least, although I also see why you’re sceptical Al3x. Admittedly they’re not literally the same thing, so I don’t fear for Smilebit getting sued in the forseeable future
Giger was paid to design the Alien. I don’t think he was pleased with the result though; I’m pretty sure the only movie he worked on that he liked was “Kondom des Grauens” or, in America “Killer Condom”.
Besides, his “alien” is ment to look like a certain part of the male anatomy.
Giger was paid to design the Alien. I don’t think he was pleased with the result though; I’m pretty sure the only movie he worked on that he liked was “Kondom des Grauens” or, in America “Killer Condom”.
Besides, his “alien” is ment to look like a certain part of the male anatomy.[/quote]
The whole thing is a giant subtle (or not) reference to rape. All of his art has at least ONE blantant sexual reference in it. Maybe that’s why I like it so much. =P
He was paid to design the Alien for Ridley Scott’s film after Mr.Scott took a look at Nemocramian IV and decided that it was exactly what he wanted. Giger had a lot of say about what he wanted for the thing. He also did a lot of the sets. But they screwed him over in the second film for whatever reason. shrugs
