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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 1:24AM
#151
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One of the problems with half sized humans is the unchanging proportions. Halfling a human quarters the size of their brain (three dimensions, so halved half). 4e halflings (aka three-quarterlings) have brains a little more than half the size of a normal person. In contrast, children - like the new halfling art - have a much larger head-to-body ratio.
The proportions are even more dramatic than those of the concept art.
While that's interesting, the "hobbit" or Homo floresiensis had a skull less than one third the size of a human's, but the brain was formatted differently, and we know for sure they made and used relatively well crafted tools, using techniques well out of the reach of chimps, but similar to those used by homo sapiens of similar timeframe.
So, it's not necessary that a small sentient humanoid species have toddler like proportions.
True, but humans with microcephaly (small brains) have brains somewhere between 70-80% a regular human and they have intense retardation. Halfings, with brains even smaller (a quarter the size a microcephalic) are pushing it.
That's a human with a brain much smaller than a human brain is supposed to be. Halflings aren't humans.
Again, Homo floresiensis. A species with a smaller brain is not necessarily less intelligent (at all, much less noticeably) than one with a larger brain.
From wikipedia:
An indicator of intelligence is the size of Brodmann's area 10, the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with higher cognition. LB1's region 10 is about the same size as that of modern humans, despite the much smaller overall size of the brain.[5] Notwithstanding the small brain of H. floresiensis, the discoverers have associated it with advanced behaviors. Their cave shows evidence of the use of fire for cooking, and Stegodon bones associated with the hominins have cut marks.[2][3] The hominin specimens have also been associated with stone tools of the sophisticated Upper Paleolithic tradition typically associated with modern humans, who have nearly quadruple the brain volume (1,310–1,475 cm3 (80–90.0 cu in)) and 2.6 times greater body mass. Some of these tools were apparently used in the necessarily cooperative hunting of Stegodon by these hominins.[2]
More sex and gender equality and racial equality shouldn't even be an argument--it should simply be an assumption for any RPG that wants to stay relevant in the 21st century.
I could say anything in D&D is silly though, because it's a silly game and we are silly people.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 4:42AM
#152
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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Half as tall as humans was the Tolkein hobbit... and completely mundane? However the halfling - wee folk are as magical or not as one might want them to be, and sorry this is a fantasy verse sublime magic permeates.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 5:38AM
#153
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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completely mundane?
To my knowledge, Halflings have never by default been flavored as any more magical than Humans are. They are perhaps considered lucky, but that's about it. They're as mundane as races get.
Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am the Unfailing Arbiter of All That Is Good Design (Even More So Than The Actual Developers) TMSpeaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further. Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 5:48AM
#154
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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They are perhaps considered lucky, but that's about it.
Yes that bits a tolkein heritage
They're as mundane as races get.
I am asserting as "as races get" is not necessarily very mundane at all I would say so completely not mundane that applying scientific limits to "appearance" is an arbitrary restriction of the fantasy...and is utterly rediculous.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:06AM
#155
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- Forum Guide
- Hero Craftsman Gold Medalist
- Master Dungeon Master
Date Joined:
Jun 23, 2005
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To intentionally proportion them as toddlers?!
Proprtion? Sure. it's a fine model to show whan a creature that size might be. Contrary to what people had been saying, it's not unrealistic. And comparing the halfling art to The Jester's toddler pic, the feet don't particularly appear too thin or small.
So, suddenly, the criticism has to change. Instead of "unrealistic" or "cartoonish", now it's "infantilizing". Well, no. The halfling has adult features within the childish proportions. Broad shoulders, facial hair, facial lines, etc.
At any rate, the whole point of Tolkein creating the hobbit as a half-size human was to give them a childish quality. Which is not to make them children. But to give them a visual representation of their metaphorical innocence.
Now, I can understand the aesthetic issue people may have with this. For people who liked halflings as humans writ small, this is a change.
But I also understand why Jon Schidehette had problems with the Fantastc Voyage halfling. They were just humans. I mean take a look at the 4e halfling pic roduced earlier in this thread. How are we to know this isn't a human? It means a halfling has no visual identity. It's just a human until we have some other object stuck in the frame. Adult features in childish proportion gives the halfling visual identity.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:07AM
#156
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2005
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I'm sorry, but could you work on your use of punctuation or something because it's actually pretty difficult to read your posts sometimes. I am asserting as "as races get" is not necessarily very mundane at all...
If you can find any indication that Halflings have ever been considered anything but totally mundane as races, I am absolutely all ears.
I would say so completely not mundane that applying scientific limits to "appearance" is an arbitrary restriction of the fantasy...and is utterly rediculous.
I do not necessarily disagree with this (though I do happen to specifically in this case of Halflings). I'm just saying.
Why, yes, as a matter of fact I am the Unfailing Arbiter of All That Is Good Design (Even More So Than The Actual Developers) TMSpeaking of things that were badly designed, please check out this thread for my Minotaur fix. What have the critics said, you ask? "If any of my players ask to play a Minotaur, I'm definitely offering this as an alternative to the official version." - EmpactWB "If I ever feel like playing a Minotaur I'll know where to look!" - Undrave "WoTC if you are reading this - please take this guy's advice." - Ferol_Debtor_of_Torm "Really full of win. A minotaur that is actually attractive for more than just melee classes." - Cpt_Micha Also, check out my recent GENASI variant! If you've ever wished that your Fire Genasi could actually set stuff on fire, your Water Genasi could actually swim, or your Wind Genasi could at least glide, then look no further. Finally, check out my OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE article, an effort to give unique support to the races that WotC keeps forgetting about. Includes new racial feature options for the Changeling, Deva, Githzerai, Gnoll, Gnome, Goliath, Half-Orc, Kalashtar, Minotaur, Shadar-Kai, Thri-Kreen, Warforged and more!
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:18AM
#157
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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To intentionally proportion them as toddlers?!
Proprtion? Sure. it's a fine model to show whan a creature that size might be. Contrary to what people had been saying, it's not unrealistic. And comparing the halfling art to The Jester's toddler pic, the feet don't particularly appear too thin or small.
yes they did.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:25AM
#158
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Date Joined:
Jan 15, 2009
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I'm sorry, but could you work on your use of punctuation or something because it's actually pretty difficult to read your posts sometimes.
I am asserting as "as races get" is not necessarily very mundane at all...
If you can find any indication that Halflings have ever been considered anything but totally mundane as races, I am absolutely all ears.
I would say so completely not mundane that applying scientific limits to "appearance" is an arbitrary restriction of the fantasy...and is utterly rediculous.
I do not necessarily disagree with this (though I do happen to specifically in this case of Halflings). I'm just saying.
The hobbit was meant to somehow have faded in to a merger with humans a combination of drinking magical ent water and some of them getting larger...
But really what I mean is when the universe you are in is supporting Giants that break with square cube strength rules and various other anomolies of physics the most mundane we can imagine doesnt need to be realistic at all (and yes there were a race of humans somebody dubbed halflings who had small heads  in real life.
Peoples expectations are going to be based on the lord of the rings and the hobbit movies folks...
I can see the desire for identification of size through porportion but I think it will fail to evoke the fantasy.
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:29AM
#159
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- Forum Guide
- Hero Craftsman Gold Medalist
- Master Dungeon Master
Date Joined:
Jun 23, 2005
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To intentionally proportion them as toddlers?!
Proprtion? Sure. it's a fine model to show whan a creature that size might be. Contrary to what people had been saying, it's not unrealistic. And comparing the halfling art to The Jester's toddler pic, the feet don't particularly appear too thin or small.
yes they did.
I would not call that disproprtion significant. (Note I accommodated the thickness of shoe leather.)
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4 months ago ::
Jan 28, 2013 - 6:31AM
#160
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- Forum Guide
- Hero Craftsman Gold Medalist
- Master Dungeon Master
Date Joined:
Jun 23, 2005
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Peoples expectations are going to be based on the lord of the rings and the hobbit movies folks...
I agree that one of the halfling subraces should be the hairfoot, with oversized fuzzy feet and no shoes.
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