Build A Planet And We'll Reveal Your Famous Alien Twin!
- by Michelle_Sanders
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Don't get us wrong, the earth has a lot going for it. It's got interesting peoples, each with their own rich, complex culture. It's got a splendid array of flora and fauna, both wild and domestic. It's got amazing landscape, impressive cities, breathtaking natural landmarks as well as man-made ones, a wealth of innovative technology and a whole lot more. And, we mean, yeah, this planet is far from perfect, much like the people who inhabit it. There's plenty of room for improvement, but even still, there's a lot of awesome stuff here. We have to take the bad with the good.
There's a lot to say in favor of the earth, and there's a laundry list of stuff we all need to work on as well. But, like it or not, the chances that any of us will be moving to another planet in the near future are slim to none. Still...wouldn't it be cool if we could? If we could pick up all of our belongings, pack it in and board a spaceship to another world? We think that sounds rad! So, take a few minutes and construct a completely new planet—unlike anything that this solar system has ever seen—and once that's done, we'll reveal a famous alien twin.
Give this new planet a name
Before we go getting ahead of ourselves, let's put first things first. Before you designing your planet completely, you should give it a name. It could be something cool, it could be something quirky, it could be something completely different. Hey, this is your planet, so you play by your own rules! Pick one of the following names for this new place.
Decide on a shape for this planet
We don't exactly *get* physics, we kinda slept through all of of our science classes during high school, so...yeah. Anyway, we don't know if planets have to be spherical for some sort of gravitational reason or what's the deal with that. But since this is all speculative and won't possibly throw the whole universe into a state of disarray, now's your chance to decide what shape your planet will take.
Where is this planet located?
Everything is somewhere. That's a fact. Once this planet is complete, it's going to have exist in a certain place in space. The question is, where? The universe is vast as heck! All those galaxies, all those stars. There's a lot of free real estate up there, so where do you want to plant your planet?
What space feature sits nearby?
Now that you've got your new planet nestled into its space lot—like this is some kind of intergalactic subdivision for upper middle class heavenly bodies—it's time to start decorating the lawn a little bit, so to speak. What amazing space feature sits near your planet that gives it that extra ZING?
What is this planet's main resource?
According to a bus load of sci-fi flicks, one of the main reasons why aliens venture to other planets is to find resources. Indeed, that's also one of our own motives, as human beings, for space travel. Energy is important, whether you're an Earthling or a Martian, and each planet has something unique to offer. What important material does your planet have an overabundance of?
What is this planet known for?
Most planets—at least the ones in our solar system, anyway—are associated with different things. Mars, for instance, is associated with hot tempers. Venus is associated with love. Jupiter is associated with people getting more stupider. You know how it works, so what do you want this new planet of yours to be renown throughout the galaxy for? Pick something good!
How many moons does this planet have?
Earth has one moon. We know. We've counted. And our moon goes through phases, waxing and waning over a period of about 29 to 30 days. But it would be silly to assume that every planet has the same kind of deal going just because that's the lunar haps with the Earth. What's up with your planet? How many moons will it have?
Does this planet have a sun?
Here on earth, we have days, and our days are determined by the sun. But, maybe your planet's days aren't determined by the sun. Heck, maybe your planet doesn't even have a sun—OR, maybe your planet has ten suns! Who are we to say? This is your planet, so you make the call.
What are the days like here?
Here on earth, the days are pretty straightforward and uniform. The sun comes up in the morning, it hovers over us all day long, then it sets in the evening, which gives way to the night. After that, it's a whole new day all over again. What we want to know is, what are the days like on this new planet that makes it different from Earth?
What makes this planet special?
Each planet is unique. It's completely and totally it's own thing, and we think that's beautiful. The Earth has water, Saturn has all of those fancy rings, Pluto—which, by the way, is *too* still a planet!—is covered in rock and ice. Each planet has something that makes it interesting, so what makes this new orb buzzworthy?
Give this planet some atmosphere
It's time to give this place some atmosphere—and, no, we're not talking about the kind of atmosphere that we human beings need in order to survive, we're talking about ambiance, here, folks. Every planet has a certain feel to it, or so we imagine, so...just how does this planet make you feel? What's the vibe?
Does this planet have gravity?
Earth has been blessed with a healthy dose of gravity. Even though it seems like it would be fun not to have to deal with gravity sometimes, especially when you happen to be as clumsy as we are, it definitely has it's uses. Will your new planet have gravity, or not? You decide.
How big is this planet?
Alright, so...how big do you want this planet to be? Are we talking record-setting big, or "so little it could fit inside a child's doll house" small? Because there are a lot of different sizes to consider when making a planet, and there are no wrong moves, here. How big should this heavenly body be? It's up to you.
Is this planet a part of the solar system?
Our solar system is huge. We don't have exact measurements on us at the moment, but it's hecka big. And yet, as enormous as it is, that's still not the end of it. For all we know, the universe goes on forever! So, is your planet a part of our solar system, or is it some place else?
What's on the horizon?
From the surface of this planet looking out, depending on the time, we can see clouds, sun, stars and moon, and a somewhat limited combination of those things. But, from the surface of this new planet, what amazing things can you see? Surely, there's something new and exciting on this foreign planet's skyline!
Describe the planet's forests
Forests are fun, if not a little unsettling, so let's give this planet one! Why not, right? This forest could be like the ones we know here on earth, with trees and ferns and the whole nine yards—OR, it could be completely different. It could be, oh, say...a forest of lollipops, or a forest of broomsticks. You're limited only by your imagination, and these four choices.
What are the oceans like on this planet?
Oceans are cool. Maybe we only think that because, much like outer space, the underwater world is still in large part a big mystery to humans. There's so much down there that we can't explore, so it's just one big question mark to us. Give your planet an ocean. What makes this body of water remarkable?
Describe the planet's deserts
Earth has deserts, so clearly, it must follow that *every* planet has deserts. Okay, so obviously that's probably not the case, but we're not NASA, over here! Our planetary terrain frame of reference is woefully limited. But since it's not out of the realm of possibility for this new planet to have deserts, you should pick a kind for it.
Does this planet have seasons?
Everything is cyclical here on earth. Day turns into night, which turns into day again, which turns into night again, and so on. Spring turns into summer, which turns into fall, which turns into winter, ad infinitum. But just because our world has seasons doesn't mean that rule is set in stone for other planets.
What special feature does this planet have to offer?
Earth has some things that other planets just don't, like the Grand Canyon and Mount Everest. Those are impressive natural landmarks you simply can't find on, say, Mercury. But, then again, Mercury has tons of gorgeous craters the likes of which the Earth has never seen. Every planet has something neat to offer. Give your planet a cool feature now.
Give this planet some magical creatures
It's high time we introduce some fantasy to this sci-fi situation. You've got the new planet, you've got the aliens, and that's all very well and good. But why stop there, we ask you? Give your planet some special creatures. Choose a supernatural or mythical beast to let loose in your new world.
What kind of aliens live there?
This brand, spanking new planet is coming along swimmingly! But now it's time to give this place some inhabitants. That's right, people, now's your chance to come up with a cool alien race, which is, let's be real, everyone's dream. What kind of extraterrestrials do you want to reside on your new planet?
Give these aliens a name
Before we get any further into the alien concept designing process, let's take a minute and think about what they should be called. They need a name. We mean...we guess you don't *have* to call them anything, but it seems like you *would*. Look, just pick one, okay? We worked really hard coming up with these potential alien names, it'd be a shame not to get any use out of them.
How did the aliens get there?
You know, some people (namely, our slightly unstable uncle, Dan) say that humans were dropped onto this planet by giant robotic storks? Yeah, we don't believe that either, but the point is, every planet's inhabitants has their own back story, so pick one for your aliens. How did they get to this place?
Are the aliens interested in space exploration?
We humans tend to believe that aliens are way more advanced than we are. That they know how to navigate their way through outer space like the back of their hand. But is that really true? What if it's not? This is your new planet, so you decide. Are your aliens interested in space travel, or, meh, not so much?
What technology have these aliens conquered?
Since we don't even know if there are aliens out there at all, it would be impossible to compare our comprehension level of technology to them. But, assuming aliens do, in fact, exist, and assuming they are as intelligent as literally every alien movie in the history of ever has lead us to believe, which technological feat we humans struggle with have your aliens have already conquered?
Do these aliens connect with other species?
We imagine aliens are a lot like people. Maybe not in appearance, but personality-wise, there's bound to be a similarity or two, right? There are probably introverted and extroverted aliens. Aliens who have wicked intentions and those who have a strict moral compass. Tell us about your aliens. What's their deal? Do they like to socialize with the other species, or no?
How do the aliens on this planet get around?
Transportation is important on any planet, and we're not just talking about space travel—rockets, UFOs and all that jazz. We mean, yeah, getting from one planet to another would obviously come in handy, but we're just talking everyday transport, here. How do the aliens on your new planet get from point A to point B?
Does this planet have a government?
When you've got a group of anything together—whether it's people or horses or dogs or, we can only assume, aliens—it becomes necessary to have some kind of government. Or...does it? Maybe your new planet has a system for governance, or maybe the people who live on it are so advanced that they don't need one. You tell us!
Give these aliens a special power
In most sci-fi movies—which, at this point in time, are just about all that we have to base our alien opinions on—aliens have special powers. Maybe they can communicate with each other without talking, or maybe they can make themselves invisible. Give your aliens a special talent to make them even neater.
What makes these aliens so advanced?
In books and on TV, aliens are often depicted as being technologically superior to us humans, and that may very well be the case. So give your aliens an edge on other species out there in the galaxy. What makes your E.T.s so special? What field do these guys, gals and/or any variation thereof seem to excel in?
What makes these aliens behind other species?
Different beings are good at different things, and we're not all great at everything. Fish are good at swimming, monkeys are good at climbing, pigs are good at building houses out of sub-par materials, perfect for blowing down wolves. While everyone has their strong suits, we've all got our pitfalls, too. What makes your aliens behind other species?
Which Earth landmark have the aliens been using for communication?
Lots of people think the aliens helped the Ancient Egyptians build the pyramids. In the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the aliens used Devils Tower in Wyoming as a meeting place. What if the aliens really have helped us humans create some of our most famous landmarks? If that were the case, which one would you most like your aliens to've helped construct?
What weird holiday do the aliens of this planet celebrate?
Here on earth, we celebrate lots of holidays. True, these special celebrations tend to vary depending on the cultures, but still, holidays are important to us, no matter who we are. We thought it would be fun to give these new aliens a cool holiday to celebrate. Not be afraid to go wild and weird with this one.
Give these aliens a quirky superpower
Aliens are complex beings, just like humans. But, unlike humans, they have different abilities. Where we human beings excel at binge-watching TV shows into the wee hours of the morning when we *really* should be in bed because we have work in the morning, aliens have their own sets of unique talents instead. Which one sounds coolest?
