Yucopia Project (Massive, Collaborative, and Recruiting New)

[rickardspaghetti]

Can't I open it with winrar?

[Torco]

I dunno... maybe? I'll upload it in .zip or something. I wanted to upload it uncompressed, but alas, the board doesn't like .xlsx files. Sorry for the obscure format, I thought 7zip was more widespread. It's open source and better than winzip and winrar and stuff.

[Lukas Kelly]

Untitled People


The People
The people are tan skinned, amber eyed, and have tall wiry builds with fast-twitch muscle. They have a flat nose, long limbs, and straight thin hair that goes down to the bottom of the neck, giving shade but not much hair besides that. They aren't overly strong, but are very fast and have flexible hips(from running from predators, and stalking prey, respectively). Men tend to have an evenly built body, and grow hair on their chin, but not anywhere else usually. Women are slightly shorter than men, and tend to have smaller breasts.
Clothes
Men and women both wear a thin hide (that isn't as tight as leather) that goes from the waist to above the knee. It is still somewhat loose to allow for running though. Aside from that, they don't wear any other daily clothes. Hunters usually wears bones strapped to them with cord, and anyone who has killed a very strong beast, may wear the skull as a helmet.
Weapons and Tools
The weapons they use are a combination between bone and the stem of Ganuv flowers, which act as a very sturdy cane. The first major weapon is a spear, usually with a disk of bone to stop a charging animal from running itself up to the user's hands. Almost all men and many women have these. The next weapon is a simple harpoon, a short throwing spear with a hooked edge so it stays in the animal. The other two weapons are examples of ingenuity. One, is a throwing knife with a sharp, ax-like bone spade at the front end of a long, sharp bone knife, and the back has another blade of a bone knife sticking up at an angle at the back. This deadly combination of blades is used as a throwing knife which flies fairly straight for short distances, but has a great chance of sticking at least one implement into the animal. The other is a trap set in the fields, which consists of a stake on a pivoting branch. It is set next to rocks(all stacked on one side), and is tied down with sinew, so it points away from the rock. It is then tied with a weaker, but still strong, sinew on the other side. It is placed in grass, and when a heard is close, the tendon away from the rocks is cut, and the other sinew pulls it up, with the rocks stopping it at an upwards angle. The result is a surprise set of stacks that the animals crash into.
Tribal Structure
The tribe is made up of many families, with grandparents and immediate family in a home. The tribe is run by two men, the first is the Ziez, or the judge. He is the oldest and wisest of the village and settles disputes within the settlement. The other ruler is the Iwaz, or king. This position is not hereditary and is a man willing to give his life. The king leads hunts, and is expected to give his life fending off an animal to give the others time to escape when needed. On top of that, they lay the corner stone for any new house, and do jobs around the village, from construction to helping someone cook. The Iwaz's main principle is self-sacrifice and the kings are expected to hold their lives and interests as things to be sacrificed for everyone else. The hunters of the group tend to range from ages 14-22, with an informal group mentoring system for younger ones. All able-bodied women hunt during that period(though they may end earlier). Hunters, which are the majority, marry partners that are skilled in hunting, with the belief that an able hunter will care for a child if the other one dies. With hunters, the relationship is less like love, and more like a very powerful friendship. Women stop hunting when either they have children, or their breasts begin to sag(Because stalking becomes more of an awkward motion). Craftsman and such have a a mentality focused more on appearance, strength, and skill, believing that shoe traits will pass on to children and honor them. People at both groups marry around 16 or 17, but craftsmen may be a year or two later.
Home Life
The typical home is two stories and surrounded by a wall, with everything being made of large clay and root bricks. The entrance, is cut diagonally into the corner, so it is big enough for humans, but not for animals(who the wall is meant to keep out). Inside the wall contains any assorted plants that the family grows, and the house. The first floor is just an empty room with a ladder, a feature from before there were walls to keep the animal from killing while everyone slept. The second, is where everyone is. One half has hide sacks filled with grass, that act as beds. The other side has a stove(More like an enclosed fire pit that leads the smoke out through the roof), and a pit where everyone sits to eat and socialize.
Proto-Lang
Their proto-lang is being worked on. It seems to be having noun-classes and synthetic word building with a base VSO structure.
Flora and Fauna
The plains of the savanna is filled with animals, with the ones in the region of the people being described. The first is the Γaddum a large herbivore with a long, bulky body covered in rough, grey skin. It has two short tusks coming up from it's lower jaw, and has two ax-like implements coming from the sides of their head at an angle. The Γaddum will climb up the side of the tree(with its back legs on the grouns), and swing the axe-shaped bone growths to hack off branches. The main grazing animal of the region is the otherworldly Vüm. It looks like one of our grazing animals, but it has one powerful leg behind the back two. Its gait is altered because of this. It springs off of the back, and then propels with the other four before landing the back leg again. The final is the Zavum, the dominant predator of the savanna. It has four legs that are almost like a spider's in how they are positioned away from the body. It has a long nose, with a good sense of smell, and it's snout can open up to reveal razor sharp teeth. It hunts by stalking, as it is usually shorter than the waist high grass where it lives. For flora, there are two main crops. The first is the Ganuv plant. It is the most important crop of the people. It has a very sturdy stem that is about one meter high, and has a fruit sitting precariously on top. The fruit has a tough skin, but is very nutritious when peeled, and its seeds are smoked with a relaxant effect. The other major crop is an unnamed, whitish tuber. Not only is it very juicy when broken open, but it has a texture like a carrot, and a very sweet taste.
Con-Religion
There are already several parts, but I am still fleshing out some proto-mythology.
Early Philosophies

Aesthetics: The people have several different things that categorize as beautiful. For basic shapes, a balance between the geometric shapes that separate from nature and the softer curves that come with good craftsmanship. This leaves most buildings having clearly geometric designs, but lacking sharp edges. For humans, women should have hair to the shoulder blades, small breasts, and a lean musculature. For men, they should be nearly hairless, and be toned. In the aspect of rudimentary drawings, they draw and create carvings in a fashion like stick figures, but using purposefully curved lines.

Morality: They believe that the highest morality is self sacrifice, and that how you operate daily should be serving those around you, in the knowledge that you too will be served. Killers are sentenced to death, because killers are considered traitors, as all men are on the same side against the other animals. Taking anything forcefully (Theft, to mugging, to rape) is also dealt with being cast out of the village to the animals because this is the opposite of self sacrifice. Though typically mugging doesn't occur, and women are on par with fighting ability with men, so it isn't likely an option.

[Lukas Kelly]

Now, for an added twist, you need to find the person whose name is next in alphabetical order from yours. When they are done(ask them), read their stuff and cause some kind of schism. It can be a large polarizing divide, a violent shattering, peacefully splitting into clans, or a large migration. Make sure that whatever you do makes sense and isn't a break from the people's current canon (If they are peace-loving, they won't break into warring factions).

Hey! that's a nice idea! But certainly Ebba is right, it's kind of early for that. What we could do is something similar; maybe A reads B's stuff and asks an interesting question that A then answers in relative detail or something. Also, it would be neat if stuff was in the wiki for easier access, so we can read each other's stuff without having to navigate the already 9 pages of the thread. EDIT2: 8, whatever =P

EDIT: It's the compressed file format that all the cool kids are using these days. you can open it with 7zip, which in turn you can download from here

I don't think it's too early, mainly because it's a "get it done whenever" thing. You wait until your person is finished and gives you an ok, and then you help expand their people, and give them a twist to work with. It's not like your doing it when they are in the middle of finishing up.

[Cockroach]

Ditto Torco. We really should start putting what we have down on the wiki, and using this space for planning what we're going to do next, or is there's something we want to discuss as a group. I also agree with Ebba and Torco: I think helping other people in the project is really cool, but noone should be forced into involving another person in the development of their people

Also I didn't see any file in the RAR. (I have Excel 2003)

[Lukas Kelly]

My theory is that this divide should be random, and you might be biased to get a certain product if you decide how they break up. Obviously, there are many ways to turn it back into what you want. If it's warring factions, you have a great leader conquer and unite, or if it's two peaceful, have a scandalous event.

[maıráí]

I hope you guys are still taking people. D:
If you are, then-

I wanted that or the desert under Astriaos' land, but that seemed too close to the colonization continent. (Not that my selected piece is really that much further.)

[Cockroach]

Fine with me. There's always room for another neighbor

Though now that you're on this region



should get interesting

[maıráí]

Savannah should go to the Savannah People, shouldn't it?

I planned on having my people be as 'peaceful' as possible, (following someone's Risk gaming motto of, "Leave me alone and I leave you alone; attack me and I beat you into the dirt before you can recoil', ) but now I think I'll have them fuss over a piece of land they think is theirs anyways. Sometime in the future, anyhoo.

[Ċeaddawīc]

WAIT WAIT WAIT!!! I haven't been here for a couple of days, and you get like 6 pages of stuff done? Ahh! I'm so late! I'd like to claim a scrap of land, if I may:



I'd like to get a piece of this steppe/desert action. Hey, why not do something I'm familiar with. I like where I live, therefore I like steppes.

Eh? So we have to have details done by the end of the week? Holy crap, this will keep my busy over Thanksgiving.

So I was thinking about my proto-culture, and I think they should like colors. I mean, I like colors, so why not them? Is this a standard way of going about things? Just making them a reflection of yourself? I guess I might want to research how they got the colors. Ooh! maybe they could have a color-based proto-religion. I've also always wanted to have overseas colonies that spoke a dialect of my language, so why not take a bit of Torcoland in the future or something?

P.S. I've not really had much experience in conlanging, so this will be a learning experience. Bear with me.
P.P.S. By not much, I mean none.
P.P.P.S. By none, I mean I've spent my time since I was eleven studying up on linguistics, and I haven't actually gotten around to anything. It's amazing what 3 years of studying what you love can do!

[*Ceresz]

I'll add what I have to the wiki later today, but first I need to work some last things out. And I probably should try to make a higher-res map of my area some way.

[Astraios]

I've added my stuff to the wiki. And I also think it's too early to let time start moving - people still haven't got their concultures finished yet.

[Torco]

I also agree with Ebba and Torco: I think helping other people in the project is really cool, but noone should be forced into involving another person in the development of their people

Also I didn't see any file in the RAR. (I have Excel 2003)

Actually, I think involving another people in the development of one's conpeople is kind of the whole point of collaborative proyects. That wasn't what I was saying, but that such a measure would be better suited to later stages of development of this proyect.

I've added my stuff to the wiki. And I also think it's too early to let time start moving - people still haven't got their concultures finished yet.

Yeah, that

So I was thinking about my proto-culture, and I think they should like colors. I mean, I like colors, so why not them? Is this a standard way of going about things? Just making them a reflection of yourself? I guess I might want to research how they got the colors. Ooh! maybe they could have a color-based proto-religion. I've also always wanted to have overseas colonies that spoke a dialect of my language

Color are quite associated with emotions, and are therefore prominent in human cultures. What is rare, I think, is for a culture to have some sort of strong meaning associated with color in general, with the idea of color. Also, you mean that your guys love strong color, or just colors in general?

so why not take a bit of Torcoland in the future or something?

U STIL MAI LAN

[Torco]

Oh, and the .zip file thing should be fixed now, check that post here http://zbb.spinnwebe.com/viewtopic.php?p=823505#p823505

[Lukas Kelly]

For the new guys, just work on catching up. It shouldn't be too hard, because you can work on a lot of the stuff with free time during the day.

Also, I won't be posting at all today, and if I do, it will be late at night.

[Astraios]

For the new guys, just work on catching up. It shouldn't be too hard, because you can work on a lot of the stuff with free time during the day.

But that's exactly why it's hard for some people!

[Torco]

For the new guys, just work on catching up. It shouldn't be too hard, because you can work on a lot of the stuff with free time during the day.

But that's exactly why it's hard for some people!

exactly xD

Anyways, with me, valiums and roach surrounding it, the savanna to the south of Northcenter Landmass will have to have some cool interesting story; I move that we reserve it for extensive three-way creolization somewhere around the iron age.

[finlay]

OK, I don't get it. Is this supposed to be all ancient cultures? And what about this 'colonization continent'; is it meant to be devoid of humans when it's first discovered?

[Nannalu]

OK, I don't get it. Is this supposed to be all ancient cultures? And what about this 'colonization continent'; is it meant to be devoid of humans when it's first discovered?

We'll decide when we get to that point.

[Torco]

OK, I don't get it. Is this supposed to be all ancient cultures? And what about this 'colonization continent'; is it meant to be devoid of humans when it's first discovered?

We'll decide when we get to that point.

Not wrong at all, but we still need to know what we're gonna do with the great leaps forward: do all pages become obsolete at that point ? do we edit ?

Also, finlay, why don't you join in? there's a spot north of Chalmea with your name on it

[*Ceresz]

OK, I don't get it. Is this supposed to be all ancient cultures? And what about this 'colonization continent'; is it meant to be devoid of humans when it's first discovered?

We'll decide when we get to that point.

Not wrong at all, but we still need to know what we're gonna do with the great leaps forward: do all pages become obsolete at that point ? do we edit ?

Also, finlay, why don't you join in? there's a spot north of Chalmea with your name on it

Maybe we should just write it like 'from year X to year Y they did this and that'? And then keep adding to that. Poorly explained, but I hope you understand.

I'm not really sure either, but I think we should settle on a specific point in time eventually.

[Torco]

I'm down with that, as long as it's after the iron age, I'd love for gunpowder-level.

[Lukas Kelly]

OK, I don't get it. Is this supposed to be all ancient cultures? And what about this 'colonization continent'; is it meant to be devoid of humans when it's first discovered?

No, not at all. We are working on proto-cultures, and working them up into cultures right before a period of contact. From there, we will make decisions and continue building so that we affect not just our civ, but those that are around us. In turn, you have to react to everyone else's civs, and we end up with a timeline and peoples that no one planned for.

[Cockroach]

The way I thought it would work was that we would all describe our region and our people in the equivalent of the stone age, then once we had that all written up we;d advance to the bronze age, iron age, feudalism, early modern age, etc. Those who wanted to keep their culture in technological stasis could say so and spend the time other people were developing history to further flesh out their people, until they made contact with another group

[Astraios]

^ Me too.