Falling during the transformation

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:04 pm

I'm not talking about whether the werewolf can walk around on two feet, just whether it can fully complete the transformation without either falling over or dropping to a different position.
I know we've had several discussions about four-legged stances in werewolves versus two-legged stances in werewolves, but I couldn't find a thread on this exact part of that topic. If I messed up again, feel free to merge.
The poll assumes that we are talking about the sort of transformation that has been decided on for the Freeborn movie - the kind where the transformation normally starts at the human form, proceeds through a gestalt form with mixed human and lupine characteristics, and ends at a four-legged wolf form - but I don't need your answers to apply just to the werewolves you want to see in Freeborn, but rather to any werewolf that undergoes that sort of transformation.
Obviously, it would be much easier for a werewolf with a less extensive transformation to not fall over during the transformation. If you REALLY want to, you can have your answer to apply to a werewolf with a less extensive transformation, but if you do this, please say that you're doing this in your post so that we know we're talking about different sorts of werewolves.

White Paw · Post by **White Paw** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:06 pm

of course it would fall down...its cringing in absolute pain during the TF.

Shadow Wulf · Post by **Shadow Wulf** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:07 pm

Dude, by now you should know things like this belongs to the how a werewolf should be section, not general stuff.

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:12 pm

Shadow Wulf wrote:Dude, by now you should know things like this belongs to the how a werewolf should be section, not general stuff.

Oops, sorry. I didn't realize where I was. Feel free to move.

Lupin · Post by **Lupin** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:25 pm

Done.

Going to full wolf they'd kinda have to 'fall over' eventually.

Timber-WoIf · Post by **Timber-WoIf** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:37 pm

i figure... yea... they may just put a hand on a tree trunk/wall/whatever structer happens to be next to them to maintain balance. but i suppose seasoned weres would be used to balancing...

Set · Post by **Set** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:11 pm

This question is pointless if they're going full wolf.

If it's to gestalt, I'd think the more experienced werewolves would be able to balance. The new ones would fall flat on their faces.

forsaken_wolf · Post by **forsaken_wolf** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:24 pm

lol kinda true what you said Set.

RedEye · Post by **RedEye** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:41 pm

Fall? Not Fall? I'd say it was more a matter of where they were when they shifted than anything else. If they're out in the boonies, then falling would be likely simply because of uneven ground and the getting tangled up in shoes, pants, and the like. Sometimes, it's hard to stay upright even if you are rock solid stable, walking over broken terrain and all those tree roots, rocks, soft spots, etc.
Let's look the other way...the first shift happens indoors, with friends helping the new"pup" in the pack. Likely the shifter would be guided to a seat of some sort, and supported as the change happens.
Not all shifts, first or subsequent, might happen outdoors. They might happen in somebody's living room...or bed...

Vuldari · Post by **Vuldari** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:29 am

When I feel really sick or really, really strange, I know I don't stay on my feet. I sit down...or in extreme cases, I've found myself in very strange positions on the floor in the middle of a room...including, but not exclusive to the "Fetal" position.

I think that only an experienced werewolf with a good reason to stay on thier feet would do so. Otherwise, with all those changes going on, I think it would usually be easier and would be a bit of a relief to lower ones center of gravity and allow themselves to take different positions to ease the strain.
(...and un-experienced ones would do so out of natural self-preservation instincts to reduce chance of injury)

Crouching...on the knees...on thier back...even just leaning up against something.

I would imagine that even after one began to adjust to the process, knew what to expect, and learned to ignore most of the pain, they would still probobly work out some kind of shifting routine that made it the most comfortable.

*Simple Example* (when in stress-free environment and free to relax and take it step-by-step)

- Start standing - carefully kneel down to take weight off feet while they change - stretch out in 'all fours' position to allow tendons to extend, tighten and reposition - roll back on to hind legs once feet feel strong enough, into crouching position - stand up and stretch again to loosen and relax new muscle configuration - etc. -

Personally, if I was a Werewolf, I don't think I would usually try to do it standing unless I was in a hurry to take off running, or was intentionally trying to look dramatic and intimidating.

In seclusion, I think I would take it easy and rest on all fours, or maybe even relax and lay on my back and/or side if that made it easier. You know...take a deep breath and mentally walk myself through the motions, or something like that.

howlbigbadwolf · Post by **howlbigbadwolf** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:03 am

ya I feel like i would fall to my hand and knees during my first transformation like how that guy did in American werewolf in London (still one of the best transformation to date in my thoughts) but after a while i would enjoy the the pain like a sick pleasure, to feel my body getting stronger more Feral hair growing through my skin my screams turning in to low grawls (snarl)

Damn that would be the ultimate pleasure............(why are they looking at me funny)

LOL but all in all it would be painful but over time you would enjoy it if you wanted this gift or curse.

Vuldari · Post by **Vuldari** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:39 pm

howlbigbadwolf wrote:ya I feel like i would fall to my hand and knees during my first transformation like how that guy did in American werewolf in London (still one of the best transformation to date in my thoughts) but after a while i would enjoy the the pain like a sick pleasure, to feel my body getting stronger more Feral hair growing through my skin my screams turning in to low grawls (snarl) Damn that would be the ultimate pleasure............(why are they looking at me funny) LOL but all in all it would be painful but over time you would enjoy it if you wanted this gift or curse.

The use of prosthetics and other SFX in that scene WAS quite impressive, but I don't care at all for how it was acted out. That looked a litte TOO painful ...too much screaming. ...overexagerated motions and poses...

Anyway... though I ceaselessly maintain the idea that it would Allways be Considerably painful, that doesn't mean I don't think I could not also be an experience that one could learn to enjoy at the same time. Some Painful Experiences can be enjoyable.

Take Spicy food, for example. You don't eat it because you enjoy being in pain...but the sensation adds a bit of exitement to the other flavors that come along with it.

Even the most extreme spice lovers have thier limits, and keep something to cool thier mouths with near by. Likewise, experienced Werewolves, even those who greatly enjoy the feeling of transforming, I think would learn over time ways to make it happen as smoothly as possible.

Perhaps chomping down on something like a leather belt, or leaning forward onto a chair or table, or letting themselves drop down to the floor would help relieve some of the stress so they can just focus on blocking out the pain and discomfort, and enjoying the rest. ...if they are welcoming enough to the change to do so.

RedEye · Post by **RedEye** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:38 am

Here's a question to further confound the situation: Say, for example that the Shift takes thirty seconds: Stand/No stand ? Two Minutes:Stand/No Stand? Five Minutes: Stand/NoStand? Half an hour: Stand/ No Stand? ....(maybe order Pizza?)

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:53 am

I would picture standing on your feet as they change would cause undo pain in them as they fight against gravity or temporarily weaken before resolidifying so getting them off the ground may be important.
I could see one change when lifted then the other. Or falling down when that part starts.

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:13 am

RedEye wrote:Here's a question to further confound the situation: Say, for example that the Shift takes thirty seconds: Stand/No stand ? Two Minutes:Stand/No Stand? Five Minutes: Stand/NoStand? Half an hour: Stand/ No Stand? ....(maybe order Pizza?)

I think the shorter it took, the harder it would be to keep your balance. But, if the change took half an hour, I mean, I don't normally stand for half an hour anyways. There'd be much more liklihood that the werewolf would just sit down at some point, if it took half an hour, unless there was a really compelling reason to try to remain standing the entire time, such as someone bet the werewolf that he/she couldn't do it without falling over.
I imagine that it may be difficult to remain standing on feet that are actively changing, with the level of difficulty increasing as the speed of change increased. It might be a bit like trying to stand on a blanket that someone else is pulling across the floor. If it is being pulled fast, it is quite likely to knock you off your feet unless you have really good balance.
At one time, I was actually planning a short story based on the idea that werewolves couldn't keep in one position during the entire change, because, for example, if they lay on one side, then that side would be flattened. Same with the feet, except it was more of an issue because it was hard to walk afterwards with flattened feet. So, even if they could stay in one position without falling over, it was best to keep changing position so that one part of the body wasn't under too much pressure.

howlbigbadwolf · Post by **howlbigbadwolf** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:57 pm

Half an hour Dang man even i would not want somthing to take that long unless it was a kinda pleasure pain deal then i would toatly want to take that long.....mabe

Vuldari · Post by **Vuldari** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:04 pm

howlbigbadwolf wrote:Half an hour Dang man even i would not want somthing to take that long unless it was a kinda pleasure pain deal then i would toatly want to take that long.....mabe

I think it has less to do with "WANTING" it or not, and more to do with it possibly "NEEDING" to take that long, realisticly speaking, because of the complexity of the changes that need to happen.

Kzinistzerg · Post by **Kzinistzerg** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:55 pm

Methinks they owuld be capable of tsaying o ntheir feet after a while, but also that you would have a lot easier time of it sitting down or layign down.

Terastas · Post by **Terastas** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:07 pm

Shifting can be both incredibly painful and incredibly unpredictable, so I imagine a lot of werewolves would either drop down to their knees or brace themselves up on something while shifting. Even werewolves accustomed to shifting may have become accustomed to shifting on all fours. I imagine at least half the pack would get on their knees before shifting. You probably could stay up on all fours, but it'd be tough, and it's also not really crucial enough that a veteran werewolf would make a point of learning how.

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:27 am

Just had a funny thought for quik poof transformations. Jump into the air like Transformers robots and change there before hitting the ground.

Figarou · Post by **Figarou** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:40 am

Rhuen wrote:Just had a funny thought for quik poof transformations. Jump into the air like Transformers robots and change there before hitting the ground.

Suuuuurrrrre...and yell out "Switch to beast mode" at the same time.

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:48 am

Figarou wrote:
Rhuen wrote:Just had a funny thought for quik poof transformations. Jump into the air like Transformers robots and change there before hitting the ground.

Suuuuurrrrre...and yell out "Switch to beast mode" at the same time.

Just imagine it, a person jumps high into the air and yells out "Lycanthropize!" and does a forward flip as they transform before landing.

Figarou · Post by **Figarou** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:21 am

Rhuen wrote:
Figarou wrote:
Rhuen wrote:Just had a funny thought for quik poof transformations. Jump into the air like Transformers robots and change there before hitting the ground.

Suuuuurrrrre...and yell out "Switch to beast mode" at the same time.
Just imagine it, a person jumps high into the air and yells out "Lycanthropize!" and does a forward flip as they transform before landing.

And that same werewolf can join with 4 others to become one. Just like Voltron.

psiguy · Post by **psiguy** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:16 am

Oh please! werewolves aren't machines!

They're capable "killing machines", but my god, you take it a step into the literal direction.

To me, it all depends on the werewolf form given at the end of a transformation. To me, my werewolves tend to be 100% canid with a quadrupedal gait. They are bound to lose balance and fall over if they were standing upright.

Rhuen · Post by **Rhuen** » Wed Oct 18, 2006 1:09 am

either sarcasm is hard to read in text or I am reading you guys wrong.
Are you thinking I am serious about the jump and flip poof thing?

Its a joke

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Falling during the transformation

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Falling during the transformation