What werewolves should NOT look like.

[Scott Gardener]

You are correct; the great mobility of the human shoulder is an advantage generated by a unique placement of the scapula posteriorly and the glenoid fossa laterally.

(Anatomist to English subtitles: the shoulder sticks out to the side instead of down.)

Wolves, like most mammals, have scapulas that are positioned on the side of the torso, rather than being moved towards the back. This gives additional support for weight bearing (which humans don't have to worry about, since we walk upright), but limits range of motion.

For a wolf to stick one's forelegs out to the side, that would be the equivalent of a person reaching from the side to the back--the arm can only go so far.

[outwarddoodles]

These done by the wonderful Jakkal:

Barrel chested.

Human Torso

The barrel chest means the creature is a runner. The barrel chested creature could not extend it's arms to the side. It limits upper arm strength but allows for better running on fours.

Human chested allows for great upper body. However, due to having the clavical, it strains the ability to run on all fours.

I vote human torso.

[Scott Gardener]

There's no reason we can't have both. They are, afterall, shapeshifters.

[IblisPendragon]

These done by the wonderful Jakkal:

Barrel chested.

Human Torso

The barrel chest means the creature is a runner. The barrel chested creature could not extend it's arms to the side. It limits upper arm strength but allows for better running on fours.

Human chested allows for great upper body. However, due to having the clavical, it strains the ability to run on all fours.

I vote human torso.

I vote human torso too..but the barrel chested one looked good too, but as Scott said both forms are possible. If they need to run on all fours a little shifting of the forelegs would be possible, and cool.

[Doruk Golcu]

I prefer the barrel chest, otherwise, it looks too much like a human with a wolf head pasted on.

[Shadow Wulf]

i vote for the human chest, theres a reason why werewolfs are half human, but the barrel chest looks good even though it will make it look like a wolf standing upright

[Adriancolac]

I've watched many werewolf flicks, read extensively on the subject, the reason i was first drawn to this topic of taboo, was not because i grew infatuated with the whole man turns to wolf idea, but the fact that if i ever came face to face with one id soil myself.

Thats what veiwing "american werewolf in london" will do to an 11 year old kid. It was like losing my horror virginity to a porn star, (which would really be amazing but somewhat painfull)

It was a simple flick, simple story, yet it was powerful in the sense that the CURSE outweighed the special effects. The boy couldnt control his destiny, nor did he want the gift given to him. There was no logical way out of his dilemma.

Maybe a movie based on such a plot, would increase veiwer respect for the amazing creature that is "the werewolf". The thing is that along with the big budgets set aside for amazing cgi and props, a weak plot is something normally acts as an achor.

The thought about werewolves being misunderstood and peaceful is another concept i think is plainly stupid. If you refer to folklore, the very basis of the term werewolf struck fear in the heart of europe. The werewolf should be depicted as it truly is, " a ravenous cursed animal, who wants to be normal, but cannot due to its fated curse" It must plague mankind because other wise it wouldnt be feared. It can try to control its urges by restraint like shown in "BAD MOON" where the character handcuff himself to a tree. Werewolf hysteria plagued ENGLAND to the extent that there are no WOLVES left in the country today. So myth we're dealing with is one BAD MUTHA ******.

I really hated the Van Helsing tail-less, bubbling CGI. the fact that it stood on two legs wasnt so much the concern as the fact that the metamorphosis was shown as if it were some kind of transfiguration, where in fact, if i were an actual werewolf, the change according to me would be incredibly painful (you know the whole bones shifting, hair sprouting, limbs turning)

Dog Soldiers creatures were a refreshing change, they are hairy, ferrocious but took quite a beating convincing me that they were honed killing machines standing on two legs. I mean how lanky and stilty did they look? I would imagine the werewolf to be lean yes, but muscular and well built.
[img][b]
but hey thats just my opinion.. and the werewolf is too big a myth for one person to monopolise.[/b][/img]

[Aki]

The Werewolves of Europe where Demonized by the Church the simple fact that they were not a Christian thing, they were a 'Pagan' influence. So, naturally, they slated Werewolves as 'EVIL' among other things, so they could eliminate opposition and grow in might. Most old Werewolf myths show them as peaceful. That is, before the rise of the Church in Europe, where all things like magic and Shapeshifting were evil, heresy, and the work of the Devil.

So, naturally, people being stupid, say "Okay" and thus, gave rise to the demonic and cursed Werewolf mythos. As people believed this, and oft would tell stories of such, think they were one or such. And in old legend, your standard Werewolf turns into a Normal wolf. So many men, and women, and wolves lost their lives because someone decided to assert their power by eliminating all contenders.

[outwarddoodles]

Maybe a movie based on such a plot, would increase veiwer respect for the amazing creature that is "the werewolf". The thing is that along with the big budgets set aside for amazing cgi and props, a weak plot is something normally acts as an achor.

Thats what I dislike about some things. Alot of horror movies I like just try to give me scarey images but are a useless peice of crap with no story plot nor any reason.

The thought about werewolves being misunderstood and peaceful is another concept i think is plainly stupid. If you refer to folklore, the very basis of the term werewolf struck fear in the heart of europe. The werewolf should be depicted as it truly is, " a ravenous cursed animal, who wants to be normal, but cannot due to its fated curse" It must plague mankind because other wise it wouldnt be feared. It can try to control its urges by restraint like shown in "BAD MOON" where the character handcuff himself to a tree. Werewolf hysteria plagued ENGLAND to the extent that there are no WOLVES left in the country today. So myth we're dealing with is one BAD MUTHA

I seem to like all kinds of werewolves, the cursed demented beasts of folk lore are one of them. I've always loved werewolf myth and legend, yet ofcource right now we are looking at werewolves being regular humans, who shift into a wolf. Yet I just don't like the little 'magical defenders of nature and gaia fluffy fluff fluff' stuff.

[Silver]

Couldn't let this one alone.

First, if I remember all our postings on the subject, there is no reason why both types of chest can't be used. As the WW flows from bipedal to quadapedal, the chest shape would, I think, have to change. And back again.

[outwarddoodles]

Well when I think of werewolves I think they have three set shapes, with the gestalt actually not being realistic but put in there because we all love it so much. Without a set coding of information for the gestalt form then it would take the skill of the werewolf to create that form.

[Figarou]

Couldn't let this one alone.

First, if I remember all our postings on the subject, there is no reason why both types of chest can't be used. As the WW flows from bipedal to quadapedal, the chest shape would, I think, have to change. And back again.

I like the sound of that.

[Shadow Wulf]

Well when I think of werewolves I think they have three set shapes, with the gestalt actually not being realistic but put in there because we all love it so much. Without a set coding of information for the gestalt form then it would take the skill of the werewolf to create that form.

Then agien, I dont see how anyone find the wolf form realistic sense impossible for a human to have a barrel chest and have all that body parts, atleast the gastalt it still haves human parts to it.

[Lupin]

Yet I just don't like the little 'magical defenders of nature and gaia fluffy fluff fluff' stuff.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I was never into that myself. It's not bad, but I never liked it as much as the 'run before it rips out your entrails and eats them' kind of werewolf.

[Lupin]

Then agien, I dont see how anyone find the wolf form realistic sense impossible for a human to have a barrel chest and have all that body parts, atleast the gastalt it still haves human parts to it.

Wolves and humans aren't too different. Nature is pretty lazy. For the most part the skeletal structure of most vertebrate animals is very similar, with most of the changes being variations in proportion.

[Shadow Wulf]

Then agien, I dont see how anyone find the wolf form realistic sense impossible for a human to have a barrel chest and have all that body parts, atleast the gastalt it still haves human parts to it.

Wolves and humans aren't too different. Nature is pretty lazy. For the most part the skeletal structure of most vertebrate animals is very similar, with most of the changes being variations in proportion.

except, that wolves have barrel chest, and the long skinny hind leg, the small paw print thats looks almost the same for all 4 paws, as if you would look at a human hand and a foot, it looks quite different, even when you stand on tippe toe, althought this goes for the galstat as well, but we humans have ears on the side, while wolves have it on top of thier heads, but we do have the same basic body parts, toes, tumb, head noes.

[Lupin]

except, that wolves have barrel chest, and the long skinny hind leg, the small paw print thats looks almost the same for all 4 paws

The difference is only skin deep. If you look at the bones, they're almost exactly the same.
Human's hand:
http://fenrir.nonexiste.net/~lupin/human_hand.jpg
Edit: This would work a lot better if I didn't save it as .bmp!

Dog's forepaw:
http://fenrir.nonexiste.net/~lupin/cotr ... 01_big.jpg

Human's Foot:
http://fenrir.nonexiste.net/~lupin/human_foot.jpg
Dog's rear paw:
http://fenrir.nonexiste.net/~lupin/cotr ... 02_big.jpg

as if you would look at a human hand and a foot, it looks quite different.

Apples and oranges. The bone strucure of a human hand, comparted to a wolf's forepaw, looks similar, and a human's foot compared to a wolf's rear paws look similar too.

[Shadow Wulf]

the foot and the rear paws still looks quite different,and the dog has 4 toes not 5 like the human foot, as for the hands and front paw, as I said before it still has the basic components, thumb and four fingers.but it still looks really different.

[Lupin]

the foot and the rear paws still looks quite different,and the dog has 4 toes not 5 like the human foot

What would be the big toe is there. It's just really tiny. I missed myself when I was looking at it the first time.

[Shadow Wulf]

I dont see the big toe

[Lupin]

I dont see the big toe

Like I said, the bones are really tiny.

[Shadow Wulf]

I dont see the big toe

Like I said, the bones are really tiny.

ok so it has toes, but its far from where a human would be and its twice as small making a canine body just as defferent. and the toe doesnt even show outside of the skin.

[WolvenOne]

I'm not sure I like the "spontainious shifting to accomadate a 4 legged stance" on the fly idea. Seems too convenient to me.

I vote for, human chest with some slight modifications to make it somewhat better for a 4 legged stance.

[Lupin]

ok so it has toes, but its far from where a human would be and its twice as small making a canine body just as defferent. and the toe doesnt even show outside of the skin.

I didn't say they were exactly the same, just that they were similar. The human foot and wolf foot evolved different things. We got a plantigrade stance, and they got a digitigrade one.

[Shadow Wulf]

ok so it has toes, but its far from where a human would be and its twice as small making a canine body just as defferent. and the toe doesnt even show outside of the skin.

I didn't say they were exactly the same, just that they were similar. The human foot and wolf foot evolved different things. We got a plantigrade stance, and they got a digitigrade one.

And Like i said wolves bones contains the basic components of that of a human