Battlezone Forums

*Clears throat*



This is Burns.

I'd actually be happy with just a simple texture change, the shape of the head doesn't need these weird Biometal protrusions.

But please, dull dark eyes, skin that doesn't look like a corpse, a bit of hair, and none of those knockoff tribal tattoos because that is tacky and rather unbecoming of the Scion race in my opinion.

Coxxon, your work is beautiful, and the change's to Braddock's walker are brilliant, but ya can't just go headcannon-retconning the appearance of pivitol characters like this.

Ya just can't. Against da rules.

AHadley wrote:I like the look, but I'm not sure on the idea of Burns being fully Scion given the way the story implies that he's more human than the others.

.... mmm, I don't necessarily think the story implies that he is "more" human than the others. He's just the only one we actually see out of a suit.

DeusExCeteri wrote: but ya can't just go headcannon-retconning the appearance of pivitol characters like this. Ya just can't. Against da rules.

Yes, yes I can, though I don't see what I'm doing as necessarily retconning. (Besides I've seen other stuff where fans and community appear to have retconned a bit themselves.)

The original Burns looks too Star Trek Borg - and I don't like that. As well the original model also makes him look to much like Davros from Dr. Who. Now I love me some STTNG and DW, but I wanted the Scions to be better fleshed out than a simple "toss some tech on their faces."
So I went more with the idea that they are truly intermixed with bio-metal (not just cyborgs with bio-metal-based tech). Therefore the lighter skin and metallic growths. Basically the metal has become a part of their human biology, giving them less human color and more metallic color. The yellow eyes are there to create a connection with the yellow parts on Scion vehicles, and to give them a little more color and alienness. Also I elongated the back of the skull to fit in with the idea that they are more than human and have better brains (n this case, literally bigger brains). This also helps to explain why their helmets are elongated to a point in the back (in the original, not just mine) - they have bigger heads.

coxxon wrote: .... mmm, I don't necessarily think the story implies that he is "more" human than the others. He's just the only one we actually see out of a suit.

Hole in One wrote:A tissue sample taken before Burns' disappearance showed characteristics of both biometal and human tissue, and a DNA test run through the ISDF database flagged a match with Braddock himself. Other Scion tissue samples, interestingly, did not display any of these features.

i'm thinking a mullet with a fu manchu is in order

Red Devil wrote:i'm thinking a mullet with a fu manchu is in order

Or how about the Mr. T look, with lots of bio-metall necklaces. "I pity da fool, that don't let bio-metal rule."

OR maybe something Stroggy like Matthew kane

AHadley wrote:

Hole in One wrote: see lines below

Yes, I was aware of this line, heck I just messed with that briefing a week ago, but let me break down how I read it.

Hole in One wrote: A tissue sample taken before Burns' disappearance showed characteristics of both biometal and human tissue,

- Which to some extent backs up my changes

Hole in One wrote:and a DNA test run through the ISDF database flagged a match with Braddock himself.

- Which is never explained on how that affects anything.

Hole in One wrote:Other Scion tissue samples, interestingly, did not display any of these features.

- Fair enough, but it doesn’t give us any insight into why or how the tissue samples are different from 1st generation (?) Scions or how the “others” might have looked different.

Two other things to consider:
1 - All these briefing reports were being given second hand, and the story shows various levels of deception by characters and many loose-end plot points or unexplained background details, so I think there is some legitimate leeway to say the Player was not being given full or always accurate information.
2 – Burns and the other Black Dog Furies had been combined with bio-metal for at least 20 years by the time the BZII story starts. I would think that over that time their bodies would have changed because of the bio-metal influence (installed/hybrid, born with it, cloned, or manufactured).

So for me, and the purposes of this mod, I’m going to take some artistic-license with things when I feel it is appropriate or brings something new to the look and story that doesn't actually wreck the whole thing – such as giving the Scions a more alien appearance. Also, after 16 years, I don't feel that a mod like mine needs to be such a slavish reproduction, especially since the change in the Scion appearance has no real effect on the story or the gameplay.

DuoRanger wrote:OR maybe something Stroggy like Matthew kane

Well ... I kind of feel like that's simply a more refined version of the same tech implants that the original Burns has (or back to my original Borg comparison). But I would say that Kane wouldn't look right done as I have done Burns, since the Strogg were all about being cyborgs.

My view is that Burns was combined with bio-metal as a malleable/changing substance, not with already built bio-metal based equipment that could be swapped out. Otherwise, this makes the Furies and Scions just human cyborgs, and not an actual new species or race (as they're often called in the game).

... I am feeling a sudden urge to load up Q4 though.

Do what you want, I guess, Coxxon, but your Burns is creeping me out, I can hardly even look at your avatar.

It's the face-tats and yellow eyes, mainly. The tattoos don't fit and the eyes are really rubbing me the wrong way, I'd prefer solid black over that neon yellow.

D :

I'm scared of going into detail when I don't like something because I hate telling people I don't like something they've worked hard on, but I will say that as he is, your Burns is nothing like what I've pictured. I've always liked the "Borg-like" (I don't see it) concept art of his face. Is that really just me?

those...aren't...tats...

Red Devil wrote:those...aren't...tats...

Well whatever they are, then, the vaguely-grey squiggles on his face that serve no clear purpose. They aren't doing it for me.

reminds me of my mom when she started swinging the broomstick and dog leash - i swear she morphed right before my eyes...

DeusExCeteri wrote:Do what you want, I guess, Coxxon, but your Burns is creeping me out, I can hardly even look at your avatar.

lol, couldn't let that one slide...



Also, those aren't tattoos, they're bio-metal. I did make the skin a little more human though. My original concept was to have it look more metallic, (and I may revert to a Scion blue), but for now I can live with darker skin.

Another note, something A-Symetrical might help it. After all, Burns was supposed to be Braddocks first experiment with bio metal - human hybrids, so he's supposed to look more....hmm, rough? Botchy? whats the word...

Okay, to be fair, they look a lot more like Biometal without the blue skin.

And those yellow eyes, seriously.

They should be deep, dark voids that shine dimly like a lone star in an overcast night sky.

Like mine.