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KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#1: Nov 22nd 2010 at 8:43:28 PM

I'm trying to design a race of beings who are essentially a viral infection. So far, I've got this:

  • "They" are highly infectious, with a 95% chance of infection in humans. Thankfully, they can only spread through physical contact or transmission of bodily fluids.
  • When a person is infected, there is an initial incubation period of three weeks, exactly. After which, the victim's cells start to rapidly break down, killing the infected in under twelve hours. The raw material is converted by the virus into a very rough approximation of the victim. General physical proportions are kept, but the changes are obvious. The brain is reformed and the virus, having formed its new vessel, gains consciousness.
  • Initially, their behavior is infantile and unintelligent. They quickly learn and adapt, reaching the limit of the victim's brain capicity within weeks, after which further changes are made. Personalities develop slowly over a number of months. Distinguishable individuality is reached in a month or two, with distinct personalities following in another two to three.
  • True to their viral nature, the reformed can change their physical makeup to suit their environment, although "they" seem to prefer their base human form.

I know this is unscientific as hell, but can anyone care to give me some pointers, some areas where I can maybe make a few improvements?

edited 22nd Nov '10 8:45:53 PM by KSPAM

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
Tzetze DUMB from a converted church in Venice, Italy Since: Jan, 2001
SandJosieph Since: Dec, 2009
#3: Nov 22nd 2010 at 8:46:59 PM

So they're zombies?

If Yes then <3.

If No then D:<.

KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#4: Nov 22nd 2010 at 8:58:53 PM

[up] Not quite. They start as blank slates but eventually develop into "people" in the basic sense of the word. They have hopes, dreams, and motives and will behave as humans do.

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
GiantSpaceChinchilla Since: Oct, 2009
#5: Nov 22nd 2010 at 9:11:35 PM

I'm trying to design a race of beings who are essentially a viral infection. So far, I've got this:

•"They" are highly infectious, with a 95% chance of infection in humans. Thankfully, they can only spread through physical contact or transmission of bodily fluids.

sounds good so far, not everything can be airborne
•When a person is infected, there is an initial incubation period of three weeks, exactly. After which, the victim's cells start to rapidly break down, killing the infected in under twelve hours. The raw material is converted by the virus into a very rough approximation of the victim. General physical proportions are kept, but the changes are obvious. The brain is reformed and the virus, having formed its new vessel, gains consciousness.
* that sounds wrong to me no incubation period is exact
  • a 12 hour conversion period would generate enough heat to kill stuff, especially the viruses, which for some reason just killed their primary vector and source of mobility
  • brain thing sounds alright
•Initially, their behavior is infantile and unintelligent. They quickly learn and adapt, reaching the limit of the victim's brain capicity within weeks, after which further changes are made. Personalities develop slowly over a number of months. Distinguishable individuality is reached in a month or two, with distinct personalities following in another two to three.
* what brain capacity I though it was changed into viral mater, besides if it has a human host the brain would have a pretty impressive pattern to copy
  • Physical and mental changes sound alright
•True to their viral nature, the reformed can change their physical makeup to suit their environment, although "they" seem to prefer their base human form.
Eh, why not it's good for camouflage
I know this is unscientific as hell, but can anyone care to give me some pointers, some areas where I can maybe make a few improvements?
it's not that bad yet
They start as blank slates but eventually develop into "people" in the basic sense of the word. They have hopes, dreams, and motives and will behave as humans do.
Sounds fun to me

GenericGuy Since: May, 2010
#6: Nov 22nd 2010 at 10:10:06 PM

I have a similar “race” in my space-opera world

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=hdz8vcmhbvtm0p55nvo9z25s&page=1

Mine are more Zombie/Vampireish though, most are Zombiesh. A main difference is that they don’t end up blank slates, with no memories they have no context about the world and would be no better than animals.

"If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you; but if you really make them think, they’ll hate you." —Don Marquis
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