Variations on a theme - trait design contest! Results!

[Sushidragon]

Another very difficult contest to judge! Whenever I have a contest like this I always think 'nobody's going to have any ideas, there's already too many traits!' and I'm always pleasantly surprised Thank you so much for all of your awesome ideas and entries!

In the end I couldn't decide between two, so the winners are Origami_Dragon with Feathered Collar and CosmicDragoon with Barbed Ears! Congrats! Please let me know what colors you'd like for your Sams

Second place is Bluestarwolf12 with Pea Tail!

And third place is Janalee with Stridens!

Congrats and thank you again to everyone for entering

--

Rythe has been doing a lot of work on the admin functions for the site, and one thing that’s now a lot easier for me to do is add traits to the traits list that have different variations. However, at the moment the only trait with variations is the Leonine Mane (there's a different version for mares and stallions), and that needs to change!

The trait contest is simple - design a trait for Samanayrs that has at least two variations! One trait will be chosen be me as the winner and become an official new Samanayr trait How exciting!

Here’s the full list of traits that already exist:

http://samanayrs.com/traits.php

Rules!

- All entries must be posted to this thread! There is a limit of one entry per person.
- Please review previous entries to make sure that nobody has already entered with a similar idea.
- Entries can be drawn, written, or a mixture of both.
- Your entry should have at least two variations. The variations could be based on gender (like the Leonine Mane), species, habitat, etc.
- If you're using a photo(s) to help explain your idea, please post it as a link (using the URL tag) rather than as an image (using the IMG tag).
- You are welcome to change your trait idea before the end of the contest. If you would like to change your entry, please edit your original post to say something like 'see later post' and have your new entry in a new post.
- You can make edits to your entry like adding sample images or expanding on your description, but if you're changing your trait radically please make a new post.

Oh yeah, how about the prizes?

First place - A semi-custom Sam (you choose gender, colors, and which variation of your trait you’d like) that will be the first to have the new trait!

Second place - The very first draconic Aeronayr!



Third place - A Lamanayr with the new Wing Pennants trait:



In addition, each person who enters will receive a random tradeable item!

To enter, please reply to this post with the following filled out:

Username:
Trait name:
Description:
Have you read through the other entries?

The contest will be open until September 6, 1pm PDT - good luck!

[CosmicDragon]

Username: CosmicDragon
Trait name: Barbed Ears
Description: Large ears with bony protrusions similar to thorns or barbs. Aerial species (like Lamanayrs) tend to show a variation with barbs that travel in a single Centered line down the back of the ear, in a way that is more streamlined than the heavy cluster of barbs at the end or Tip of the ear that is common in non-aerial Samanayr species. Desert Samanayr can also show the Rim variation, where a large number of small barbs travel the outer edge of the ear, leaving the inner surface bare to better regulate body temperature. The number and size of barbs ranges greatly in any variation.


Have you read through the other entries? First~ |D

So many ideas. Urgh. Narrowing it down to just one was SO HARD, ohgosh. D: It was between this and Fascinators... Guh. Must... Not... Flip-flop... *twitches*

[Codress]

Username: Codress
Trait name: Leaf Wings
Description: These wings would be different based on where they live and time of year they are born. If in the jungle would be the different type of leaves that are there then just other ideas like for mountain area, (for the ones in black in white was just to show a pic of the different leaves), swamp, desert, and so on. Now these wings keep growning so the sam will have to keep pruning their wings. Now for color will also be based on when they are born. For the different areas that dont have too much or at all no changes will always be the same type colors but like in the mountians for spring, fall and winter very different. So if a Sam is born in the winter time it will have those colors and look of those wings all the time. The wings don't change color in the different seasons. Also these wings are not for flying JUST gliding or protection from their elements, depending on where they live. Some will be able to glide long distances and some short depending on how they take care of their wings. But watch out on VERY windy days don't want to tare. Only trait that would be hard to have with this one would be Pudgy, but could work if they work hard on their wings to take care of the weight.
Have you read through the other entries? Yes as of 8/24/15

I hope all know what i'm going for and it make sence. I have been thinking about this for a longgggg time and hey this seemed like the best time to bring it up. >.< I'm not the best with words so did my bestest.

[RikkuGirl]

Username: RikkuGirl
Trait name: Ossicones
Description: Both female and male have a main pair of ossicones, however the females' are thin and tufted (Fluffy at the ends), while males' are mostly thicker and bald on top as a result of frequent sparring over time (Bald at the tips). In some species of sams males grow a second pair of ossicones behind the first pair - I would say Deserts :3 Just cause they are kinda Giraffee already.
Have you read through the other entries? Yup! 3rd baby! Wooo

Examples:
Female : FEMALE EXAMPLE - Fluffy!

Male : MALE EXAMPLE - Nubbed at the top

[tierasa]

Username: tierasa
Trait name: Vine Wrap
Description: A series of vines wrap around one or more parts of the samanayr. Available with or without leaves, flowers, thorns.
Have you read through the other entries? Yep. Vine Wrap would look awesome with Leaf Wings. It's not quite the same as Florae either. I see it mainly on legs, but it could also be on tails, wings, or any other part of the sam.

[Janalee]

Username: Janalee
Trait name: Stridens
Description: Modified scales used to make sounds through stridulation. Males have at least one patch of small, saw-toothed scales, and may have numerous patches; when rubbed together, they produce a loud hissing sound, similar to a venomous snake, which is used to scare predators away, and may be used as part of a territorial song. Females have at least two patches, one a single, large scale with a ridge, which is used as a pick to strum against the other, larger patch of long, gradating scales, which produce the sounds; typically they have two of each patch type. The sound produced from these is soft and harmonic, somewhere between a low pitched cricket and a xylophone, and is used to accompany their songs, particularly lullabies and songs of remembrance. Locations of the Stridens of either gender vary widely, though in many species they are most commonly found on their legs or fins- Arboreals will tend to have at least one patch on their prehensile tails though, while winged species tend to have patches on their wings and sides, which may cause a gentle humming sound when flying.
Beware- rough sketches are rough!
Have you read through the other entries? Yep! And I suspect this is another contest where I'm glad I'm not a judge. XD Have fun with it, and I can't wait to see the new trait! And I may be just a bit bias, but I have to say that I love how the Wing Pennants look on Draconic Wings.

[Rythe]

Username: Rythe
Trait name: Coronet
Description: The Coronet trait is a bioluminescent band over a Samanayr's brow that fades out between the ears. At the very center of the forehead, the coronet breaks for a specific style of mark that is also bioluminescent.

A Diamond Coronet would have a diamond or spike shaped patch in the center.

A Star Coronet would have a starburst style patch in the center.

A Void Coronet would have nothing in the center, and rather than glow, would be pitch black and seem to draw in light.



Have you read through the other entries? Yes! Leaf Wings and Vine Wrap would be a great combo. ^^

PS: Totally used some of Sushi's art to speed that demo image along. <.<

[ElvenArcher]

Username: ElvenArcher
Trait name: Cheek... something... I couldn't think of a single name for them...??
Cheek tufts, Cheek fins, Cheek spikes(or horns), and Cheek curved spikes(or curved horns)
Description: Spikes on the cheeks would be the normal one but for an Aquatic you could have fins on the cheeks instead. Or Curved spikes for a Desest Sam and Tufts of fur on the cheeks for Northerns. I was thinking feathers too but then remembered Cheek Feathers already exist hahaha
Here is a rough drawing (I was drawing with a sore wrist so they aren't spectacular drawings . )
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e289/ ... wtsmqd.jpg
Have you read through the other entries? Yes and they all sound awesome! Leaf Wings would be a new favorite of mine

[Echos]

Username: Echos
Trait name: Frilled Collar
Description: an expressive frilled collar around the face of the sam used for communication. The collar can lay back and flat against the neck or be dramatically flared around the face. On males collars are larger and more elaborate, sometimes composed of multiple frills while female tend to have smaller collars. Collar shape can vary a lot from individuals and species but all collars are typically have bright colors or patterns.
Have you read through the other entries? Yep, love the idea of Stridens

[Harroway]

Username: Harroway
Trait name: Cobra Hood
Description: A cobra-like hood beginning from just below the Samanayr's ears that extends down the neck and wraps around to the center of the chest. These hoods are used to ward off predators, making the Sam not only appear larger, but more intimidating/threatening. Male hoods are smooth around the edges and generally larger, while females have smaller hoods with spiked edges. When not in use, the hood flattens against the neck and chest of the Sam. Hoods can be flared out to about 1.5x the width of the Sam's shoulders.

Eye patterns are fairly common on the inside of the hood, making the Sam appear much, much larger than they normally would be. Eye patterns vary from individual to individual, but are generally based on the Sam's coloration. A Sam's species can effect the look of the hood, as an Illiayr may have bioluminescent eye spots or color patterns, and a Sa'krien's patterns would lean more red.

Have you read through the other entries? I have! My favorite is the luminescent coronet!


Hopefully this isn't too close to Echos' idea!

[Bluestarwolf12]

Username: Bluestarwolf12
Trait name: Pea Tail
Description: A feathered tail consisting of many long fancy feathers. The tail typically remains relaxed, trailing behind the Sam, but it can be fanned out and up in an elaborate display, typically for courting, though it can also be used to frighten predators. Male Pea Tails are typically massive, extremely long and elaborate, sporting many eye spots and a wide variety of brilliant colors. Female Pea Tails are typically much smaller, usually (though not always) having duller colors than males. Female Pea Tails may occasionally be mistaken for regular feathered tails when at rest, though they consist of many more feathers and can still fan dramatically out and up.

Because of how much of a burden this trait can be for males despite it's glorious appearance, male Kodylas are much more likely to express this trait than a typical stallion in the wild, both because of selective breeding by the Sharians as well as their increased protection and care. Kodyla Pea Tails are also usually larger, brighter, and more elaborate than on normal Sams thanks to selective breeding.

Other common modifications for other species include:
-Illiayrs or other bioluminescent Sams, eye spots may glow
-Aquatics/finned combo tail, finned tail extends to the length of a pea tail, webbing usually has eye spot markings, usually no actual feathers
-Northern, tail is often reduced in size and potentially paled in color, especially in males
-Sa'Kriens, eye spots are almost always red
-This trait is extremely uncommon in Desert and Aboreal Stallions simply due to the difficulty of living in their environment with such a physical burden. Typically only exists in these two species due to magical interference.

Male Examples: {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}
Female Examples: {1}{2}{3}{4}{5}

Have you read through the other entries? Yup! :3 Love the different reptile hoods and the coronet!

[Bighorns]

Username: Bighorns
Trait name: Saberkin Fangs (?)
Description: These are based off the large fangs you see on Saber-Tooth Tigers with a twist. For the males they will be down fangs large and very visible with a forked notch at the bottom. So instead of going to a one point they will have 2 points at the end. For the females instead of going down like the males will go up instead with the same kind of point.
Have you read through the other entries? Yes. Very interesting ideas and would like to see all come to life.

Just did a play on the name it can be different.

[Operetta]

Username: Operetta
Trait name: Ibex Horns
Description: Large horns that curve back from the top of the head. They can be twisted or curled outwards before curving back. All three variants can be smooth, partially ridged, or fully ridged.
Have you read through the other entries? Yes.

Example pics to come

Regular Ibex Horns that are Fully Ridged

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/t ... tnyil6.jpg

Twisted Ibex Horns, though the ones that I am talking about would actually curve back just as the regular ones do instead of being straight like the ones in the picture.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/t ... augemn.jpg

Curled Ibex Horns. I have two pictures here just to try to provide the right angles so that you can see how they curl out to the side before curling back around to the back. They also end in points going up instead of down in the picture, which could be another variant on the curled horns.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/t ... wvpwxl.png
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l84/t ... wrjtwq.jpg

Accesories could also easily be made for these such as cuffs/bracelets to go around them or jewelry that dangles from them.

[Jaes]

Username: jaes
Trait name: tattoos
Description: Designs that are painted, or cut and then painted into the skin. These marks can be indicators of family or something like a badge. Depending on the type of sam, different materials and styles are used: aquatic sams use squid ink and so their tattoos are black, sams who live on the land can make use of plant dyes, and sams with feathers tend to use those feathers as a paint brush, so their designs are much softer.
Have you read through the other entries? Yes! I like them all!

[LvSoulFriend]

Username: LvSoulFriend
Trait name: Polydactyl
Description: Found primarily in the foot genes (with the exception of one wing trait), Polydactyl creates extra toes or hooves, similar to the Triple Hooves trait, but causing more than three toes/hooves to develop. Often found on the front feet only, or on all fours, Polydactyl is rarely found only on the back feet. It's most common with Clawed Paws, Hooks, Long Hooves, Paws, Sharp Hooves, and Talons, though it can occasionally be found in Fins, Opposable Claws, Opposable Hooves, Splayed Feet, Webbed Paws, Wing Claws as well. Dainty Hooves, Round Hooves, Solid Hooves, Spikes, Tendril Fins, Tentacles, and Triple Hooves either will not often have this trait, or will not have it at all, due to it not being possible.
Have you read through the other entries? Yup! I'm liking Barbed Ears, Ossicones, Stridens, Coronet, and the two lizard ones!

For examples, look up polydactyl cats!

[Seren]

Username: Seren
Trait name: Curly Coat
Description: The coat of the Samanayr is curly (a great companion trait to the Curly Mane trait!). There are two variants, Corkscrew and Ridged. Corkscrew curls are tight curls close to the coat, similar to the coat of Baskhir Curly Horse or a Curly Coated Retriever. Ridged Curly Coats have longer, looser curls, with especially long curly hair around the cheeks/muzzle and chest. There is also a line of longer curls that run opposite of the rest of the coat up the spine, hence the name "Ridged". In addition, Sams with the Curly Coat trait that also have feathered wings exhibit curls at the base part of the wings, similar to the Frillback Pigeon.
Have you read through the other entries?Yes! They sound fantastic <3

[Origami_Dragon]

Username: Origami_Dragon
Trait name: Feathered Collar
Description: A row of long, stiff feathers ringing the base of the neck. Usually only runs from shoulder to shoulder across the back of the neck, but may occasionally have shorter feathers completing the loop across the front as well. On females the collar tends to be larger, with the longest feathers rising up above the top of the head, while on males it is generally somewhat shorter, only rising to chin level. In addition, the type of feathers seen varies with the environment for which the Sam is adapted.

Northerns tend to have thick, almost wooly feathers that resemble fur from a distance and carry the collar close to the neck for warmth.
Lamanayrs have a looser collar with wider spacing between the feathers, which lays closer to the back to decrease air resistance. It can still be fanned upwards, but the default pose is to be lowered.
Aboreals tend to have shorter collars, each gender's being about half the length of that seen in the other species, to avoid snagging them in the trees.
Desert Sams tend to have thin, wispy feathers with few side barbs and just a tuft at the end, similar to a peacock's head crest. This avoids trapping heat.
Aquatics rarely display this trait, and when they do it is both shorter than usual like the Aboreals, and held lowered like the Lams.
Illiyars often have glowing eyespots on their collars and have feathers that arch and curl back away from their ears to reduce the interference with their echolocation.
Kodylas tend to have very fancy collars, having been bred for even more decorative feathers than usual. Elaborate, multilayered collars have been seen on them, with a long peacock like layer being covered with many shorter layers than fan up to varying degrees rather than the more common single layer of feathers.
Sagrisayrs collars tend to lay back like those of Lams, but are usually thicker.
Other species all tend to have similar styles of collars, with a single layer of mostly straight feathers fanning around the neck. Sakrien do tend to have red tips to their collars though.

Have you read through the other entries? Yup, going to be fun seeing the new trait, whichever is chosen!

[Kentouma]

Username: Kentouma
Trait name: 'Cerberus'
Description: A sam with multiple heads and a long serpentine tail! Most commonly found with two or three, more might be possible, but it's most likely to be uber-rare. More likely to be found with paws/claws and canine/upright ear traits, but not excluding any other foot/ear traits, and occasionally can be overridden with wolf-tail (or much more rarely multiple tails), the only other tail traits that can apply are combination/tufted. It is extremely rare (if not impossible) for functional wings to show up with this trait, slightly more likely on 2-heads vs. 3-heads (so a lam or winged sam with the trait would most likely only be 2-headed regardless of gender? Or else could only have nonfunctional/vestigial wings) and it would be rarer on aquatics due to mobility issues as well. 3-heads are more likely to be stallions but it's not gender dimorphic, it's mostly variable expression or a trait penetrance effect (a.e. stallions have 70% chance of developing 3 heads if they inherit the trait, vs. a mare's 30% chance..._ so breeding 2 cerberus sams calculates the chance that the baby inherits, and then calculates the chance that they develop 2 or more heads based on gender? (Any more heads than 3, if possible, would have a vanishing probability) In this regard, you could also theoretically (if you like!) have members carrying the trait who show the long serpent tail and only have one head (a.e just as rare as more than 3 heads, more likely on a female than a male in a reverse of the males being more likely to have 3, etc).
Have you read through the other entries? Yes! And ooh man, can't we have like... 4 or 5 new traits?! XD *gives puppy-eyes of doom*

[Sushidragon]

Another very difficult contest to judge! Whenever I have a contest like this I always think 'nobody's going to have any ideas, there's already too many traits!' and I'm always pleasantly surprised Thank you so much for all of your awesome ideas and entries!

In the end I couldn't decide between two, so the winners are Origami_Dragon with Feathered Collar and CosmicDragoon with Barbed Ears! Congrats! Please let me know what colors you'd like for your Sams

Second place is Bluestarwolf12 with Pea Tail!

And third place is Janalee with Stridens!

Congrats and thank you again to everyone for entering

[ElvenArcher]

Congrats everyone!!

I can't wait to see the new traits!

[Janalee]

*laughs happily as she hoards all the Wing Pennants for herself* Congrats to all the winners, and I can't wait to see the semi-customs!

[CosmicDragon]

Oh my gosh, this is so unexpected. o-o There were so many exciting ideas, I didn't expect my lil' ear barbs to tie for first! I'm just so honoured you liked the concept that much, Sushi~
And aaaah, Feathered Collar was my favourite, so glad that will become a real trait now too!

Hum... Colors... *squints and ponders and mutters*
This Design Seed? ... Yes, that'll work. *nods*

[Bluestarwolf12]

*laughs happily as she hoards all the Wing Pennants Aeronayrs for herself*

-pets her new glowy blue sky sam- x3

Major congrats all! I can't wait to see these new traits in action 83 Gonna need me a desert with barbed ears for sure o_o

[LvSoulFriend]

Congrats guys! Love those traits

[Operetta]

Congrats!