Question(s): Drawing the Line on Animals

[Tiermann]

I would like to get some opinions on what I should include or not include as animals at Animobil. There are a few different things I have been considering. I don't want to stretch the concept too far, but I do want to include anything people might expect to find there or find useful.

The question of the moment:

Do you count the troll as an animal by the way? 

I have up to now not included anything that would be a Klicky figure except for the bunny headed people. A Troll really seems more to me like a person and therefore not an animal. But what do you all think? Should I go ahead and include him in the Mythical category since he is in fact a mythical being?

Other things I would like comments on:

Really big animals like the 123 dinosaur, 123 Snail, the Swan boat from the Princess theme?

Bones and skeletons - right now I have the dinoaur skeleton and mammoth one since they make whole creatures, I have also included the triceratops skull because I like it. What about the fish skeleton (I am thinking probably next update for the same reason as the dino and mammoth)? Other bones? There are partial cattle type skeletons, the cow skulls, the short dog bone?

Similar to the troll - what about the alien figure in Super4? It's definitely a klicky. Other aliens? I have deliberately skipped them since they are a type of klicky, but they could get their own section like the bunny people, but then where do you draw lines there - what about other weird head types like the green or blue people?

I am adding that snake walking stick next update. Anything else accessory or small parts wise I may have missed that should be included?

Thanks for any comments you care to share on this topic

[Rhalius]

Personly I feel that anyone using a clicky body is a clicky, including bunny people.

To me the troll is as much a clicky as a chimp would be. Both have some clothing accesoires that only they can wear, and both can hold things in their hands.

Then there's also the asian humanoid dragons who can hold stuff and wear armor.

[Salamander]

I wouldn't count the troll or the swan boat as animals. Or the aliens.  Not familiar with the 123 items.

The bones are a tricky one! I think yes, as it's own section.

[Ismene]

I'm inclined to rank the troll as a humanoid.

Bones are dead animals, but I wouldn't include them since they are now objects, not animals. The swan boat is a boat shaped like an animal (it's hollowed out for klickies), where as the snake stick could plausibly be either. I would use the same guidelines for all animal-objects. Is it something that could plausibly pass as a live animal?

But ultimately, it is your project.

[Birdie]

I'm inclined to follow Ismene here: only include it if it works as an animal in itself. Lik the snake/staff.
I wouldn't count trolls or aliens as animals. Same for skeletons, especially the ones that are not 'intact'.

The 123 dinosaur & snail are not animals to me, because of the protruding thingies to hold a clicky on their back.

But of course if more separate categories like the bunny people, are an option, you could start a mythical section which can also include the unicorns, dragons, nessie etc. And trolls... and merepeople 

Then again, you also included animals in non-realistic colours, and toy animals. So then the playground 123 animals kinda work in that category 

Sorry, not helpful 

[Rasputin]

I say include them all. We're are not talking about thousands of individuals here. If you included the whole skeletons then the half skeletons too. If you included the mystical creatures then the troll too. If you included the toy animals then the animal boat too.

Aliens I would say no too, you would have to include lady ga ga then   

[Pynedor]

I have up to now not included anything that would be a Klicky figure except for the bunny headed people. A Troll really seems more to me like a person and therefore not an animal. But what do you all think? Should I go ahead and include him in the Mythical category since he is in fact a mythical being?

This is a very interesting topic. It made me think of what in general constitutes an animal, or a creature, or something living that is not, say, a plant or microscopic organism. Basically, that would include the bunny people and the troll for certain. So including all of those creatures sounds like the best idea to me.

That said, I thought of two other things:

I like how you have the bunny people in their own group and not with the Mythical creatures. That just somehow seems better to me, and I would keep it that way.

I also like how you have a page for the human, for completeness and to thank them for posing in the many images.

Other things I would like comments on:

Really big animals like the 123 dinosaur, 123 Snail, the Swan boat from the Princess theme?

I'm not sure if these really count. Maybe - if you really wanted to - you could make a new section for "Other" or something, but I don't think that these are necessary.

Bones and skeletons - right now I have the dinoaur skeleton and mammoth one since they make whole creatures, I have also included the triceratops skull because I like it. What about the fish skeleton (I am thinking probably next update for the same reason as the dino and mammoth)? Other bones? There are partial cattle type skeletons, the cow skulls, the short dog bone?

It sounds good to me to just add them together as one with their respective counterparts.

Similar to the troll - what about the alien figure in Super4? It's definitely a klicky. Other aliens? I have deliberately skipped them since they are a type of klicky, but they could get their own section like the bunny people, but then where do you draw lines there - what about other weird head types like the green or blue people?

Very interesting also... You could make a "Space Alien" section. That would make sense. I wouldn't add them in Mythical, but they should probably get their own section. Ghosts and undead figures could be included in Mythical though...

[Tiermann]

Thanks for the comments. I haven't made any firm decisions yet but I am leaning towards a rule along the lines of 'if it looks like an animal then include it'. That would bring in the 123 big ones and the swan boat since they look more like an animal than like something else. I think the troll is probably out under the same rule since it looks more like a person. Still thinking, and additional comments are most welcome.

[Rhalius]

I would say that the troll has more in common with the gorilla than with clickies. 

[VicKlicktor]

If I had a site called animobil, I would not include other creatures such as aliens, trolls or even bunny people (I would rename my site creaturemobil then) 
But this is merely up to you and how you feel after helping many of us when we consult your site. I agree once you choose a category you should include them all (eg half skeletons – the whale skeleton is a must).