cgi Save Point: Encyclopedia of Galactic Fauna

[Nate North]

There are many facets to world building in a fictional universe, and one of those is of course designing the animals that live there. While Save Point starts off, and for some, finishes off, on earth, many will travel to other places and encounter a variety of animals unique to the franchise.

Some will be analogues for commonly known animals, filling their place in the natural order, some will be horrific monstrosities, and some will be pets.

I'm starting this thread to have a place to put the concept art/designs for these various animals, so people can look at them, give feedback, etc.

There have been many concepts already created, but for the sake of organization, I'll upload entries one at a time.

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Torps - a small furry animal frequently kept as a pet by families across the galaxy. Torps are found in forests and fields, and feed primarily on vegetation.

Their six legs give them extraordinary balance and climbing abilities, useful for leaping from branch to branch in the forest canopies, or accessing difficult to reach human food while their owners are gone at work.

While many torp bear a similarity to domestic earth rabbits, genetically, they are closer to half Scottish fold cat and half Dutch rabbit.

A unique aspect of the species are it's unusual color patterns, which vary widely from one subspecies of torp to the next.

Torps have a special defense mechanism to ward off predators. When a torps hair touches any other torps hair, the colors quickly change to match, creating the illusion that the would be predator is facing one large enemy, rather than multiple small ones.

The behavior is common, and citizens encountering torps in the wild frequently come across large numbers of the animals at once.

When isolated, torps can use their chameleon like fur to simulate a second face, sometimes effective in convincing a solo enemy that it is outnumbered.

Torps have an unusual maturity cycle, in that babies are born with no ears, then grow a single ear in adolescence, and finally a second ear in adulthood.

 

[Nate North]

Another species of small animal native to the series is the terrifying extraterrestrial rodent species known as "Pongos". Genetically, they are a mixture of vampire bat and squirrel, and are terrifying to encounter in the wild, as they hunt in large packs, often raining onto unsuspecting victims from their invisible perches in the forest canopy.

With their rows of tiny, sharp teeth, these horrifying creatures have earned the nickname "Piranha of the land" due to their habit of hunting in large packs, and quickly skeletonizing prey, often leaving fully formed skeletons of animals and unfortunate humans on forest paths. If one is travelling through an alien forest and encounters a clean looking skeleton, it is best to turn back immediately, as a pack of Pongos may be operating in the area.

Adding to the dangerous nature of the creature is the fact that they look quite harmless most of the time, and this has encouraged many an ill fated hiker to make the grave error of approaching one.

It is critical to evade any pongo seen baring it's teeth, since this is not only a sign of aggression, but a signal to all nearby pongos, marking a potential victim. It's said that the hissing sound they make can be heard by other pongos up to a mile away, and it's not unheard of for hundreds of them to converge on a single victim.

Anyone encountering one in the wild is advised to immediately evacuate the area, especially if the animal begins hissing. A human sized creature can easily fight off a single pongo, but since dozens can appear in a matter of minutes, it's generally agreed that retreat is the best option.

Some have made the mistake of trying to domesticate pongos as pets, and paid the ultimate price. While it does seem possible for a single pongo to be tamed, the sound they make attracts other pongos that have not been tamed, leading to horrifying situations.

 

[Nate North]

The Hox is a horse like animal found in many of the outer worlds. They are relaxed and peaceful by nature, and hunt alone, with their major advantage being their running speed.

Hox are generally freindly and playful, and are sometimes ridden by children for fun.

While only a few species of Hox are known, they vary quite a bit aesthetically.

Their diet consists of virtually anything, including both plants and smaller animals.