Onos

Rozdower

<div class="IPBDescription">what's it mean?</div> I noticed all the alien names mean something, execpt Onos, I couldn't find a definition for it. Does it mean anything?

Supernorn

i heard it was based on what everyone would scream when they saw it....."OH-NO!"

i wonder why it wasnt called........something else personally <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->

Fieari

It's a forum consensus (or was at one time) that the plural of Onos is Oshi.

coil

Technically, "lerk" doesn't mean anything either. "Onos" is a made-up word, decided upon by Flayra and NS lead writer Jeff Paris. It actually came to existence independently of the popular IRC phrase "Ohnos!" but later made a little nod to it in the manual description of the name's origin (which is fictional).


Personally, I see two parallels in it:

1) "Onus" meaning "a disagreeable necessity"
2) Cronos/Kronos, the father of the major Greek gods (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia).

Cronos deposed his own father, Uranus, when Uranus' wife Gaea grew weary of bearing him children (Uranus fathered Cronos, Pallus, Oceanus, the Cyclops and the Titans). When it was foretold that one of Cronos' own children would remove him as well, he decided to eat all of the children his wife bore him. Zeus survived because she tricked him and fed him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes. Zeus then returned as an adult and slew his father, releasing his brothers and sisters. Or something. (: Alternately, he simply banished Cronos from heaven, but there's still the question of how his siblings got out of the guy's stomach.

pardzh

oh noes! D:

Mr_Radical_Ed

Thanks for the information Coil <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
I always loved reading greek mythology

10RoUNdTOmMYgUN

lol , i remeber when a fade was called blinky and the gorge was bob , hehe been a while.

Insane

<!--QuoteBegin--10RoUNdTOmMYgUN+Apr 4 2003, 06:23 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (10RoUNdTOmMYgUN @ Apr 4 2003, 06:23 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> lol , i remeber when a fade was called blinky and the gorge was bob , hehe been a while. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Heh, the skulk was called Bob. But as much as I'd like to, let's not start that again, the dev's wouldn't like it very much ^_^

RyoOhki

Interestingly if it's taken from greek origins the plural is onoi. Which just sounds better anyway.

Oh right, you were being sarcastic <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

Cowswin

Onos means the game is over and the aliens have massacred the marines <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

<!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif'><!--endemo--> > <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo-->

<!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->

teh_Lurv

I don't suppose that anyone here reads Wheel of Time? I was talking about NS with some friends when one of them pointed out that skulk and fade are two names for a type of creature in that series. Anyone know if any other alien class names are based on references.

Fieari

I read WoT. Skulk isn't in it. However, there are Lurks (note the U) and Fades, which are two names for the same creature, namely Myrdraal (may not be spelled correctly) whom you can think of like a significantly less powerful/mysterious Nazgul. Myrdraal are also known as Halfmen, Fetches, Shadowmen, Neverborn... lots of name.

Cereal_KillR

I suppose you haven't read the manual...
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Though it can seem like a joke (and one in poor taste, considering the devastation this species has caused), the name "Onos" does actually come from the phrase "Oh no." Early on in the conflict with the Kharaa, a Frontiersmen squad was fighting to regain control of a solar array in the Eleme system. Sporadic audio contact had been maintained with the squad by an experimental broadcasting spike, driven through the station's hull. In the besieged marine base, heavy turret placement and reinforcements had allowed them to hold off wave after wave of attack. Time stamp 65.05.43: Through the sound of gunfire and grenades, the screech of leaping Skulks and swoosh of acid rockets, a faint roar is heard. The alien weapons fall conspicuously silent. The turrets stop. The roar is heard again, much closer, much louder. Then four marine's, almost in unison … "Oh no". All hell breaks loose, contact is lost. These "Oh no's" mark the first contact with this species.
<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Jower

coil just said that's made up...
hehe

Redford

it is a play on words based on what you would say in the PTs when you saw one:

OH NOS!

Comprox

Well, one day Flayra posted about 100 various names in IRC and we picked through them and matched up ones with certain aliens that sounded good. We didn't like the name Onos the first time we saw it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> After a while we narrowed it down to a few each liked for each alien, and Flayra picked ones from that.

Onos though is from the parody everyone mentioned "oh nos!"

Butt_monkey_salad

Frankly I think:

Skulk should be called Skul cuz of how boney it looks

Lerk should be called Learn cuz it takes some learning and practice to use it effectively

Gorge should be called Forge cuz it builds things, not eat alot fast( or at least u never see it)

Fade should be called Fad cuz of how commonly people immediately gestate into it when the opportunity arises (not counting skulk since its what u start with)

Onos should be called Rhi-Nos cuz its a Rhino clone alien thing (sorry, couldnt think of any thing better to say about it <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> )

<!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

Dunsby

<!--QuoteBegin--supernorn2000+Apr 4 2003, 10:41 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (supernorn2000 @ Apr 4 2003, 10:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> i wonder why it wasnt called........something else personally <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Like... <b>F4</b> ?

I prefered the old aliens names... <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

Bob
Pudgy
Level 3 - Forgot
Blinky
Level 5 - Forgot

That_Annoying_Kid

OH NO, 1t'5 teh on0s!
please pardon my leet

<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "Hey Commander... Theres a bunch of thoes Rhinos things coming at out base, can you pass out guns or something" <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Thanatos

I allways thought it had something to do with Oni.
Oni being some sort of Japanese demon usually associated with ending your life in different painful ways.