New Shadowling Colors

[Zhampir]

There's never any confirmation about stuff like this, only speculation. Unless of course, the divine creator and master, Craig Stern, decides to use his powers of divine intervention to enlighten his devout followers.^^
Totally not kissing up -----^
XD

[SmartyPants]

I mean that the EMP in the blast was strong enough to alter his/her DNA to make him yellow, but not so to make him fluent in Light attacks, I mean, a Shadowling with a Light attack would be ridiculous.

According to you and my time playing TPA2, tons of shadowlings should also have altered DNA.  I play with alot of shadowlings and they all took alot of light attacks.

[KZ]

I don't really see any good place for yellow colour (hence my not being too keen on this idea). However, what of newborn shadowlings, if the folks are so desirious of getting in a new colour, why not give one to a newborn Shadowling- that might cast light on some interesting aspect of the Shadowling society, possibly provide a side-quest, and satiate your desires?

[SmartyPants]

However, what of newborn shadowlings, if the folks are so desirious of getting in a new colour, why not give one to a newborn Shadowling- that might cast light on some interesting aspect of the Shadowling society, possibly provide a side-quest, and satiate your desires?

Like a yellow shadowling version of Shabab?

[KZ]

For instance, yes. Though I am not sure of the colour yellow- maybe orange (ie, just a tad more powerful than red), to signify how babies in general have rather high amounts of energy, and though they tire easily, an adult would have trouble keeping up with their high intensity. Then the newborns will "red" quickly with time, and then spend quite a lot of time in that stage. Though Shabab is quite old and to provide for a bit more variety methinks a newborn could be involved- this also migh shed light on the question of where do Shadowlings come from, so to speak.

[Duskling]

I mean that the EMP in the blast was strong enough to alter his/her DNA to make him yellow, but not so to make him fluent in Light attacks, I mean, a Shadowling with a Light attack would be ridiculous.

According to you and my time playing TPA2, tons of shadowlings should also have altered DNA.  I play with alot of shadowlings and they all took alot of light attacks.

But we haven't encountered any enemy Shadowlings in TSoG, have we?

[SmartyPants]

maybe orange (ie, just a tad more powerful than red), to signify how babies in general have rather high amounts of energy

I still don't see how color has anything to do with how powerful a shadowling is.

[KZ]

You can read the finalised discussion on the old forums, for instance. The argument goes thus (also partly related to the shadowling anatomy, also discussed at length on the old forums): power is  energy transferred over time taken. Eneregy is proportional, via Plank's equation, to one over lambda, where the latter is the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. Red has longest wavelength, blue has shortest wavelength. Therefore, blue is indicative of higher energy than red.  Going from red to blue, power increases. Now, as Craig put it many times, colur is indirect indication of age, and it can also be an indirect indication of power- same way as we judge people on sight, to guess how old and how physically strong they are- sometimes we're mistaken, but, generally, we do get a rough idea. This correlates well with Shadowling or human age because: as the Shadowlings mature, they become more powerful, going blue. When they reach old age, they start to weaken, hence they start to go green (ie less power).
Note that this is completely separate from what element the Shadowlings use to express their Psy abilities- there is a difference between what you're made up of and what you're able to manipulate.
Also, the alternative "colour wheel" simply fits the data but it no way explains why it is so. This is simply something art folks use, and I don't see how you can make a credible connection to the Shadowling physiology from it. Whilst the explanation above correlates the two factors very well, also fits the data, but can also explain it in a very credible manner.
As for the notable exceptions of Nelis and Tastidian: think of a difference between a light bulb and the stars, the difference in prinicples under which they operate and the different orders of magnitude in energy that they operate on, and yet note the similarities in application of the two processes the humans have found. Given that Nelis appears physically different and is much older than the rest of the Shadowlings, I wouldn't be at all suprised that her physiology is a bit different from the rest of the Shadowlings, whilst Tastidian being so powerul and Gifted might mean that some alternative processes kick in due to the need to conatin all that power within his Shadowling shell (think of anerobic respiration starting up when we require lots and lots of energy, versus typical aerobic respiration- same being, same "vessel", but completely different chemical reactions taking place, with different side effects).
Actually, I, for one, would like to see another glowing Shadolwing in Somnus, but working in some civilian capacity.

[SmartyPants]

Note that this is completely separate from what element the Shadowlings use to express their Psy abilities- there is a difference between what you're made up of and what you're able to manipulate..

But what they are made of doesn't effect their power.  Turning from Red to Purple would not effect a shadowling's ability to use their Shadow element.

[KZ]

Well, surely age affects our ability to perform tasks, whether they be mental or physical? It just so happens that shadowlings tend to display both a crude indication of their age and their power in the colours they emit, which would then be indirectly related to how well they can manipulate their Gift. Think about it this way: a person's looks can give an observer a rough indication of their age and their bodily strength, which could make us deduce how well they'd be able to walk, lift things or in any other way engage their faculties. Now, the mental part is even less correlated in humans, though still generalizations are made- the logic process in children, for instance, onset of alzheimer's or dementia with old age, etc. Also, power is an additional tool, but not the core component of the ability to perform tasks - most can lift a grocery bag, but depending on their power, some can lift heavier bags, whilst others cannot. Same goes for Shadowlings- the more powerful Shadowling will be able to poerform a more devastating Shadow Blast, but that doesn't mean that a weaker Shadowling will be less adept at being able to manipulate the Shadow element, but without as much power put into it (ie power v skill, not mutually exclusive).

[SmartyPants]

Well, surely age affects our ability to perform tasks, whether they be mental or physical?

Physical tasks; yes. Menal tasks; sort of.  (30, 40, and 50 year olds would have about the same difficultly doing mental tasks.)  Just because age effects ones ability to do a task, doesn't mean a color would effect it.  For example, would General Darkeye's ability to stay youthful and red make him less powerful then an aging purple shadowing?

[KZ]

Methinks you're still missing the point I am trying to make: the colour is simply a facet of appearance that allows one to roughly gauge where the person's health (and ability to perform tasks) stands- thus, I'm saying that since "age affects ones abilty to do a task" and colour reflectes shadowlings age, it will reflect on the Shadowling's health/power/well being. But it is only a rough reflection- like judging people's strengths from their appearances, as it can be a very rough indicator of their age and strength.



Staiyng more on-topic, what think you of a new colour for a newborn Shadowling suggestion?
Given the light-power argument, I'd think that a newborn baby could be very healthy, highly energetic and therefore, possibly, quite orange, rather than fully red. Maybe a brick-red?

[SmartyPants]

What think you of a new color for a newborn Shadowling suggestion?
Given the light-power argument, I'd think that a newborn baby could be very healthy, highly energetic and therefore, possibly, quite orange, rather than fully red. Maybe a brick-red?

I was also thinking orange would work well for a young shadowling.


Somnus is being developed and I don't see any new colored shadowlings.  Based on the poll, many people will be disappointed.

[ArtDrake]

I just want to point out that with the wavelength theory, the shadowlings experience a supreme jump in power as soon as they hit purple.

I think that most shadowlings don't glow, and it's more a matter of pigmentation and scattered versus absorbed light, rather than emitting or radiating.

Perhaps, like flamingos, shadowlings' colors differ based on what kinds of emotions they consume. If young shadowlings feed on anger, middle-age shadowlings feed on sadness, and the older shadowlings tend to like subtle ones like jealousy, envy, pity and the like, it might cause them to change color. The gradual shift of food preference would explain why Malis is purple; she might have just switched, or is slowly moving in on sadness, but hasn't quite made it her full diet.

All speculation...

[SmartyPants]

I just want to point out that with the wavelength theory, the shadowlings experience a supreme jump in power as soon as they hit purple.

Are you saying that the wavelength theory is flawed because it would be unrealistic for the shadowling to jump from red to purple?

I think that most shadowlings don't glow, and it's more a matter of pigmentation and scattered versus absorbed light, rather than emitting or radiating.

So the shadowling are reflecting colors based off of their pigments vs emitting thier colored lights?  Having pigment would make more sense then shadowlings being colored lightbulbs.

Perhaps, like flamingos, shadowlings' colors differ based on what kinds of emotions they consume. If young shadowlings feed on anger, middle-age shadowlings feed on sadness, and the older shadowlings tend to like subtle ones like jealousy, envy, pity and the like, it might cause them to change color. The gradual shift of food preference would explain why Malis is purple; she might have just switched, or is slowly moving in on sadness, but hasn't quite made it her full diet.

In Somnus, a blue shadowling will feed off of the Hero's anger.  Plus, why would their diets change based on age? Also, Shadowlings don't only feed off of human emotions, so your theory would mean that there would be many colorless shadowlings who choose not to feed off of humans.