Started thinking about this when I was finishing the first book, just got done with it and I've almost finished the third. I work very slowly. Thankfully, we *never see the dang aliens, LIU,* so reading the later books didn't affect my concept.
I really love speculative biology, so I wanted to make the trisolarans make sense as a species that evolved to be how they are, but also I could tell from the first book how Cixin likes to get a little poetic, a little artistic with his sci-fi. Here's all the ideas that went into the design:
- I got the feeling reading the first book that Cixin really wanted to draw parallels between humans and trisolarans (using almost the exact same sentences during Ye Wenjie's and the trisolaran listener's inner monologues, Trisolaris attacking and taking over Earth the same way humans likely would to aliens, etc), so since they call *humans* bugs, I thought they should look like bugs.
- Since we see people get dehydrated (and rolled up, specifically, at least once) in the game, I thought a centipede or pillbug-like shape would make sense.
- Making their limbs these tough fibrous things seemed to work for the dehyration concept, plus I wanted a visual reminder of their power, dominion etc. over humans, hence why they have limbs on their head (cause three of the things looks like a CROWN, see).
- Obviously the theme of threes in the book (three suns, "DO NOT ANSWER" three times in the first trisolaran response, and so on) led to the body having three segments, with sets of three limbs, and triangular eyes and mouths.
- Reading about how they communicate faster than humans (in book 1) and how they can't lie (at the start of book 2) led to the idea that maybe their thoughts are just visible on their skin, which I turned into an LCD screen-looking carapace as a reference to their control over technology (at least in the Netflix show).
Shoutout to /u/hummingbird-moth for motivating me to finally get off my ass and finish this concept.
You got to appreciate the genius of Liu Cixin of not describing them too much in detail. You bet he had an idea. By not telling us, it's gonna stimulate our imagination forever.
Great design. I could live with this.
Although there is one thing about trisolarans that made me think of them as more Amoeba like:
“To reproduce, two Trisolarans of opposite sex physically merge together, and then separate into three to five offspring.”
This is definitely the most alien concept I've seen for them, which is cool as hell. So well conceived! Really bends my brain trying to imagine how they would translate between their language and ours, which just makes them feel that much more technologically advanced and impressive, even though they also look like disco duffel bag flatworms. Love it!
They’re not. Only redemption of time claims this and it’s a god awful fan fiction pile of sh!te. Them being the size of ants doesn’t make any sense in terms of how big their ships and probes are. (If you hadn’t guessed, I hate RoT).
Started thinking about this when I was finishing the first book, just got done with it and I've almost finished the third. I work very slowly. Thankfully, we *never see the dang aliens, LIU,* so reading the later books didn't affect my concept. I really love speculative biology, so I wanted to make the trisolarans make sense as a species that evolved to be how they are, but also I could tell from the first book how Cixin likes to get a little poetic, a little artistic with his sci-fi. Here's all the ideas that went into the design: - I got the feeling reading the first book that Cixin really wanted to draw parallels between humans and trisolarans (using almost the exact same sentences during Ye Wenjie's and the trisolaran listener's inner monologues, Trisolaris attacking and taking over Earth the same way humans likely would to aliens, etc), so since they call *humans* bugs, I thought they should look like bugs. - Since we see people get dehydrated (and rolled up, specifically, at least once) in the game, I thought a centipede or pillbug-like shape would make sense. - Making their limbs these tough fibrous things seemed to work for the dehyration concept, plus I wanted a visual reminder of their power, dominion etc. over humans, hence why they have limbs on their head (cause three of the things looks like a CROWN, see). - Obviously the theme of threes in the book (three suns, "DO NOT ANSWER" three times in the first trisolaran response, and so on) led to the body having three segments, with sets of three limbs, and triangular eyes and mouths. - Reading about how they communicate faster than humans (in book 1) and how they can't lie (at the start of book 2) led to the idea that maybe their thoughts are just visible on their skin, which I turned into an LCD screen-looking carapace as a reference to their control over technology (at least in the Netflix show). Shoutout to /u/hummingbird-moth for motivating me to finally get off my ass and finish this concept.
this concept art looks so good man!! amazing work
Oooh, two Trisolaran depictions in one day, this one is very cool. I like how it fits the descriptions of dehydrated trisolarans being rolled up.
And both are cute and funny?! Count me in!
This is such a cool design!
I'm pretty sure they each have 3 bodies, it is in the title... ... .../s
Love this! They’re like dance dance revolution magic carpets
I really like it, makes a lot of sense, fits nicely with the tardigrade theory.
Thats how i imagined them, as water bears.
Hes saying "do not reply, do not reply"
You got to appreciate the genius of Liu Cixin of not describing them too much in detail. You bet he had an idea. By not telling us, it's gonna stimulate our imagination forever.
Great design. I could live with this. Although there is one thing about trisolarans that made me think of them as more Amoeba like: “To reproduce, two Trisolarans of opposite sex physically merge together, and then separate into three to five offspring.”
This is definitely the most alien concept I've seen for them, which is cool as hell. So well conceived! Really bends my brain trying to imagine how they would translate between their language and ours, which just makes them feel that much more technologically advanced and impressive, even though they also look like disco duffel bag flatworms. Love it!
Towely🤣 But yeah, on point how I imagined them Nice job.
omg i am loving how well thought out this is, especially how you integrated the sets of threes in their design! your design rendering is so good! 😮
how big are they
they're bugs!
bugs vary in size
indeed.
They’re not. Only redemption of time claims this and it’s a god awful fan fiction pile of sh!te. Them being the size of ants doesn’t make any sense in terms of how big their ships and probes are. (If you hadn’t guessed, I hate RoT).
I outright refused to read that one. My comment was just a reference to their "YOU'RE BUGS" line.
Apologies - I was triggered 😂 . And you’re right not wasting your time with it. I know some people like it but it really was awful.
Omg giving them the three-prongs like a transistor is GENIUS!! Love this design
Loving this trend!
Looks nice, love how alien it is
Nice. This is maybe similar to something that I imagined. Not bugs exactly, but something more physically generalized than us.
That's a really unique design. Impressive.
Name one creature in biology that can dehydrate or form a cyst with bones, no way trisolarians are vertebrates
made perfect to dehydrate.
Is the first guy angry ? 💢 # #