Gas Giant Aliens | Part One | Designing Aliens

Earlier this month, I hosted a livestream where I designed a sapient alien that evolved in a gas giant. In the days since, I have been working on the lore and world building for that species with the help of my discord community.
This is the first part of (probably) two, but the second part is still very much in the brainstorming phase, so if you'd like to help then there's still time! Join my discord server with the link below and go to the world building thread to contribute to the conversation.
Discord - / discord
Patreon - / cree8ball
Instagram - / cree8ball
TikTok - / cree8ball
Reddit: / star_scapes
0:00 Introduction
0:13 Biology of a Gas Giant
2:15 The Pastoralists
4:55 The Storm Mages
6:48 The War for the Maelstrom
8:47 The Walking Spirits
10:46 A People's Revenge
12:28 Dawn of the Space Age
13:50 Outro
Subscribers: 29,175

[@joaobaka8404]

That was really intresting, but i have some questions. Where the metal comes from? what are their tools made of? Do they build houses? Do they need to sleep?

[@Cree8Ball]

The metal comes from the core and basically works its way up the food chain. Kind of like that volcano slugs on Earth that incorporate iron into their skin, the animals on this planet do something similar, so the Aijes are able to "mine" metal from animals in their environment Their tools are mostly made from metal and bone The Pastoralists are able to make pretty traditional houses on the floating rainforests and the Walking Spirits can build simple dwellings on the side of the giant animals they travel with, but the Storm Mages don't really have anywhere to build, so they're much more nomadic And yes, they do need sleep -- they sleep the same way that dolphins do, where just enough of their brain stays fully awake as to not swim their way into imminent danger Hope that all makes sense, thanks for commenting!

[@joaobaka8404]

@@Cree8Ball that's really creative, i wanted to make my own alien species, but i don't know so much about biology

[@Cree8Ball]

@@joaobaka8404 I didn't either when I got started, I just had to learn and grow overtime

[@Woodledude]

@@joaobaka8404 I might recommend Alien Biospheres by Biblaridion - It serves as a sort of biology crash course for people interested in spec evo, since it talks about a lot of Earth based biology as points of comparison. Regardless, I'd suggest just researching some biology, especially the base principles, and just seeing what you can build from what you know. Have fun with it! Even if your work isn't "100% accurate," I mean... No one's is. This is all fictional, at the end of the day, even with how much work some people put into making their stuff biologically plausible. You could just as easily try your hand at making your own rules, and seeing where that takes you. There are a lot of ecosystem/evolution simulations out there, and most of them make simplifications and explore different possibility spaces than the natural world we're used to - They could serve as great inspiration for a project that's a little less concerned with strict physical accuracy.

[@Bullet_Trains]

Wonder how Aijje reproduce

[@ProjectRejectus]

With the trend in your aliens I thought this guy was about to be the size of my hand or a dog but man was I wrong

[@Cree8Ball]

That's exactly why I made them so big lol, I realized that all my aliens (while still being different sizes) are mostly in the same size range. So I wanted to go with a really crazy extreme on this one

[@ProjectRejectus]

@@Cree8Ball glad you did I was hoping to see a giant alien soon

[@justtes1961]

I thought they would be the size of a cat…

[@ProjectRejectus]

@@justtes1961 same but then they got me with the “two times the size of a blue whale”

[@Lecubecinimaticuniverse]

Life doesnt care about what should and should not be possible Like me, when someone puts a bag of string cheese across a massive ravine

[@Cree8Ball]

Bro's gonna get that string cheese -- no matter the cost

[@ivanmax3595]

"From an aerodynamic specialist's perspective, a bumblebee can't fly. However, a bumblebee doesn't know anything about aerodynamics, so it doesn't care" -- Russian anecdote

[@MarshalMarrs-eu9yh]

@@Cree8BallI want to see an alien that is loosely inspired by ground sloths!

[@schizophreniagaming1187]

@@Cree8Ball I wanna see aliens that has some of the dummiest thiccness in the entire galaxy. With each clap, as they walk around, they basically reenact the Big Bang all over again. But, of course, we're only just getting started. I want them to also have some serius honkers. A real set of badonkers. Packing some dobonhonkeros. Massive dahoonkabhankaloos. Big old tonhongerekoogers.

[@demetriajones3231]

Anything for string cheese

[@gandalf2447]

Although it’s probably a very annoying trope within sci-fi world building, I’d honestly love to see their reaction to meeting humans. They are so used to colossal beings, that meeting a race of what would appear to be sapient parasites sounds like it would be very interesting.

[@marialuyan]

They would probably ignore us at first before (assuming this is like when we’ve conquered some solar systems) being colonized by us

[@3PADJPQep9]

The only conflict that could erupt during first contact would be space resources such as asteroids. Theoretically the Aije could make sterile gas giants habitable for themselves, and because they couldn’t survive on an Earth like body, a trade deal would be the most beneficial for both parties.

[@HYDROCARBON_XD]

@@3PADJPQep9i mean they could survive on the oceans if the liquid of the gas giant is similar to water

[@user-nu7vq6ei5q]

​@@HYDROCARBON_XDit's not an actual liquid the deeper atmospheric layers are so dense that the gas behaves like a liquid so the oceans would still be unliveable to them.🙄

[@3PADJPQep9]

@@HYDROCARBON_XD Also, most Gas Giants tend to be made of Hydrogen or Helium. The liquid is most likely hydrogen (Although Ice giants do exist, Uranus might infact have a water ocean, but this is due to pressure). Unless tfus (CHUS) is somehow an exotic gas giant that is made primarily of nitrogen or oxygen, water is most likely incompatible with Aije biology.

[@ilovemoths234]

the spirit guys attacking the wrong people was funny lol

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

They go in genocide mode, I just thinking they fight like a space battle, where they're 1000 fleet bombarded the place with laser, I just remembered an planet destroying game 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@darwinjones2059]

Funky alien gas squids that shoot lightning AND The Mountain Goats “There is Power in A Union” consider me hooked

[@Cree8Ball]

Hell yeah! I always love finding Mountain Goat fans in the wild like this, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@curious_corvid]

Agreed

[@AenVegra]

@@Cree8Ball nevermind that you've got basically laser mages "I summon lightning!" " *I SUMMON THE UNMATCHED POWER OF THE SUN* "

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

​@@AenVegra, 1)I have Bioweapon. 2)We had lightning. 3)We harness the energy rivaling the sun.

[@feb4252]

Absolute banger from John right here

[@Kay-ql2wl]

OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS STYLE OF WORLDBUILDING it feels like hardcore sci-fi is passionately serenading beastly and arcane fantasy and it sings softly in response, I CAN'T GET ENOUGH

[@Cree8Ball]

I'm so glad you enjoyed! I'll try and get part two out within the next couple of weeks

[@ScarletRebel96]

Gas giant is what my parents use to call my uncle lol

[@Cree8Ball]

That's what they called my uncle too

[@happynihilist2573]

This is some of the best alien world building there is 10/0.1 well done everyone

[@Cree8Ball]

Thank you my guy!

[@T.S.rel11]

1000/10

[@damirdanko9859]

Dang a gas giant sapience video

[@Cree8Ball]

Heck yeah, dude

[@damirdanko9859]

What Will be next ​after has Giant sapience @@Cree8Ball

[@Cree8Ball]

@@damirdanko9859 well I still gotta make part two of this species, but after that I've got some ideas for a sapient hive mind and I've also been wanting to remake some of the earlier episodes in this series

[@damirdanko9859]

@@Cree8Ball nice

[@HYDROCARBON_XD]

@@Cree8Ballof maybe life that inhabits asteroids and eats them

[@rimaproductions9369]

Hell yeah aliens

[@Cree8Ball]

Hell yeah!

[@theaustraliankangapus16]

I love aliens that come from Gas Giants, the untapped potential of a world with no land and sea is so unused in sci-fi media. I will be watching this short series with great interest! 👽❤

[@somedummyonyoutube3362]

The Walking Spirits go hard

[@ArmandoEnfectana-bp6jo]

I think they're weapons are worse than atomic bombs 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kalabring]

Oh huh this could be neat-oh god that was metal af.

[@Cree8Ball]

That's exactly what I was going for lol

[@dr.unventor]

I’ve always wanted to see a project like this! The way biology changes based on unusual settings is an insanely interesting concept to me

[@catnipflowers5803]

I really loved this video, I never expected a gas giant video, and was astounded. Though i really wonder how the Aije managed to start the industrial revolution due to the lack of information on it. I hope it gets brought up in pt2!

[@Cree8Ball]

I'll see if I can squeeze it in lol

[@user-zx5rn4ue2y]

Wow, I ALWAYS wanted gas giant stuff and here comes more of it! Thanks for making this wonderful worldbuilding. :)

[@Thundernugget]

These are some of the most creative aliens i have seen lately

[@xaviwashere_]

Foray is a really good word. (Also this video was really good but that matters less.)

[@Cree8Ball]

Yeah, there's a reason I said foray twice in the script lmao

[@mobgabriel1767]

"we don't know who we are, we don't know why we are here all we know is that we must kill" -the spiritwalkers about to anihilate the pastoralists

[@Cree8Ball]

This is a direct quote

[@Blurby-Sir]

CREE HAS GIVEN US SALVATION

[@samuellima6193]

This is truly a Elijah win

[@ASPECTICKLE]

Those blimp things were really cool jusy saying

[@Cree8Ball]

I appreciate it, thank you!

[@mr_unfunny777]

This is literally the Wandering Vagrant from the Risk of Rain series

[@hanneskolm8581]

yay more aliens

[@Cree8Ball]

And there's even more to come, just for these guys in the next few weeks

[@hanneskolm8581]

@@Cree8Ball yes yes yes perfect

[@admiralfluffy42]

Ooohh hey another alien video Great!

[@RafaCB0987]

I love how you go above and beyond whit this series, props to everyone involved!

[@Cree8Ball]

Thank you! We've already been cooking up some cool stuff for part two, too

[@vazio4540]

you should do a species that when dies their bodys become another species

[@shatteredreality6211]

Hell yeah new alien video!!

[@azimoth2074]

Holy shit, not gonna lie, your channel is one fresh breath of air in alien design and spec evo, compared to the oversaturated ones in most pop media if I may be honest, awesome! If I may ask, how did life came to be in the gas giant? As in, I'm curious on how did life emerged in the first place. How do they deal with the ionizing of the star? How do you even evolve anti-lightning armor?

[@AlexHunter2525]

This is so cool. I've always been super interested about life evolving on a gas giant. It seems as natual to me as life evolving on an ocean world except with more upper potential due to the size, comparative lack of pressure, increased light and ease of travel. So glad to see some leviathans too can't wait to see how they travel through space.

[@Kaiser7068]

Imagine if those guys, the Aije, actually make videos about what would life look like on a solid planet, and theorise about creatures named “humans” who live on “land” with “two flat eyes”

[@lordfrostdraken]

Very well done, I love these ones

[@TABs-lu8os]

I like the idea of plant life also as; as the atmosphere gets denser the plants could look like strange mushrooms or pyramids as the grow through different layers

[@Cree8Ball]

That is a pretty cool idea, actually

[@edmonblackmouth2743]

Love it when specevo involved spec-anthropology.

[@Cree8Ball]

Most of my specevo is just an excuse to do spec-anthropology lol

[@mrsquid8034]

we need later histories of your aliens, we need to know what happens next! great video.

[@blitzkreg335]

This is actually epic. I love it.

[@sips3812]

oh, wow heck yeah this is high quality! I wish you well, Cree8Ball!!

[@ReidLindner]

I have no clue what any of this is, but man, i am invested in it now

[@Cree8Ball]

I have a few videos like this already on the channel, and I have a ton more on the way

[@hanxilblitzer3806]

This is an incredible take on gas giant life forms and I really love the effort in worldbuilding, looking forward to part 2

[@Cree8Ball]

I'll try and have it out within the next week or so

[@Exgant]

aaaaaaaaaaa I can't wait for pt 2! I love this so far and cant wait to see more!!!!

[@Cree8Ball]

I'm gonna try and get it out in a week or two

[@fref7938]

words cannot express how amazing this video was, at least to me, MOAR representation for life in gas giants, within sci-fi. Perhaps even fantasy to a degree too! You have done very well with no less than a sapient species with a badass martial arts that literally let them wield lightning.

[@Cree8Ball]

Thank you, my guy! I'm so glad you enjoyed! Part two should hopefully be out within the next couple weeks, so there's more to come

[@fref7938]

@@Cree8Ball absolutely no problem man, I just love how the pastoralists were the first to discover near-modern medical practices on top of being able to see their organs in perfect detail without X-rays (or an equivalent). I have to ask how you came about this race? Do you go into greater detail regarding how life might evolve or even live in such turbulent, crushing worlds? I wonder how an organism might perpetually fly without getting tired. Heh- curse being a land-based organism, even if such life isn't possible- I love the concept regardless. Definitely will use this as a reference point for how I might go about making my own "gas giant" life. Also, how does the "land" of the pastoralists' turf even stay aloft? Oh- and wouldn't the crushing depths of deeper areas of a gas giant not really allow titanic life forms? How might they even make structures to live in, unless they just live in not-too-well-defined wall borders? Sorry I asked a hefty bit, I just genuinely like to think about truly alien concepts that challenge our perception instead of sticking to the same tiresome tropes of humanoids. lol

[@Cree8Ball]

@@fref7938 I'm not a scientist, so my answers won't be backed by any scientific understanding, but I'll tell you what my half-informed thought process was while writing Basically everything we learn about in this video takes place in a part of the atmosphere that is basically liquid, since the gravity has condensed the air. So they aren't "flying," they're swimming and floating, which is how they don't get tired -- it's the same way most fish are able to float forever and sleep while they float. And the floating forests are like the globs of floating seaweed you may find in the ocean, rather than giant trees or chunks of rock, like the image I used kind of implies And the giant animals are able to live at deeper depths, because the density of the atmosphere cushions them, kinda. It supports their weight, the way water supports a blue whale's weight (at least that what I think might maybe could possibly happen)

[@Quarataia]

This is the type of video I pay my internet for.

[@Sansational69Sansational-iz5dy]

4:28 I SAW THAT OONE I SAW IT YOU SNEAKY SNAIL god I love that book

[@Sansational69Sansational-iz5dy]

10:51 also why do they have human skulls on their clothing

[@Sansational69Sansational-iz5dy]

nvm you got rid of it

[@macalmedia]

IM SO HOOKED Cant wait for the second part

[@BlackReaper0]

I love everything about this.

[@Cree8Ball]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed

[@건치]

Fabulous work

[@jellyfrenchfries8610]

really cool species

[@captainseadog673]

Now thats incredible(ly gassy!)! Good job!

[@zacharyfishman7617]

"These are bigger than you expect" Oh, of course! They live on a gas giant. They aren't gonna be man sized, more like elephant sized or something. "Twice the size of a blue whale" OH

[@yazaniragi6591]

I love it!

[@lucasahumada6913]

These guys are so cool, especially the living underworld aspect

[@neves5083]

That's super cool

[@369mr6]

This is so cool! I have a similar creature in my world-building project. I use the Japanese flying squid, which uses water jets to fly like a jet fighter. Your idea really resonates with me🔥🔥

[@Cree8Ball]

Oh wow, that's an awesome idea, I'm glad my space squids reminded you of yours lol

[@necron8992]

god dang this is great

[@ethanwinters3281]

Based

[@gibbous_silver]

yea

[@Cree8Ball]

Based

[@otistically]

Sees "Giant Aliens" in the title: **Angel Attack intensifies**

[@TroyTheCatFish]

This is a certified 👾 classic

[@tikimillie]

I like this a lot

[@marialuyan]

I can only imagine them coming across a now much stronger and wide spreading humanity on some sort of gas giant colony before being invaded and slaughtered for there large amount of metals

[@lilzombie1337]

HELL YEAHHH!!!

[@T0B3573R]

It’s possible that they could have floating cities if they used the bodies of dead creatures/organic compounds as a sort of “boat” that floats over a certain area because of its buoyancy. They could put the floaty ones at the bottom and the less floaty at the top so it balances itself out. I mean, I don’t know what other natural recourses they have other than themselves.

[@yggdrasil2]

In hindsight, this might be your best thumbnail yet.

[@Cree8Ball]

Thank you, I'm pretty fond of it too, honestly

[@TheRealBeef-od7vv]

FINALLY SOMBODY ELSE DID THIS

[@user-ry7tq6bc8c]

Nice

[@AlaskanWilf]

MOUNTAIN GOATS SOLIDARITY FOREVER REFERENCE

[@kristyandesouza5980]

Damn. THIS IS COOL

[@loveskngm31hstsdaily1]

I AM HOOKED!

[@Woshelyw]

Im Going To Catch Some Fish🐟

[@I_am_caiman]

Wake up guys cree posted

[@gabrielamaralpassos9537]

really fun

[@summer_dude7777]

so cool! =]

[@happyboy4770]

very big creatures and stuff

[@seanodonnell7169]

i can imagine the lower layers would also be called the land of the dead because when they die they fall down there

[@shinygoldenpotion1587]

Imagine exploring this gas giant as a human from the future

[@Cree8Ball]

That'd be pretty cool, but I'm pretty sure a person would die instantly 😂

[@reza6832]

damn its coool i need to do smth like this

[@houselemuellan8756]

I hope part 2 will have them interact with the other aliens you've worldbuilded. Maybe even humans too maybe?

[@elysainempire4628]

This pretty amazing. It'll be cool if you could do a version of this with the liquid metalic hydrogen core most gast giants are supected to have. This two part series could be more focused on Ice giants(Neptune and Uranus) which are thought to have a sold core/surface.

[@Cree8Ball]

Oh yeah, I didn't really think about that distinction, but your right t|us would have to be an ice giant

[@moth500]

Could Earth animals survive here? Shrimp in the floating rainforests maybe?

[@Cree8Ball]

Tardigrades probably could, but I think just about everything else would be evaporated

[@kremstoin]

Space age let's gooooooooooo!

[@TheCreatureThatExists]

4:24 Are those neuron flies from Rain World?

[@Bullet_Trains]

I WAS THINKING THE SAME DAMN THING

[@DFG1125]

I've been wanting to make a Subnautica type game that takes place on a gas giant. Too bad I can't code a game, or even draw. Glad someone with some talent had the same idea

[@Cree8Ball]

@@DFG1125 I've got your back, my guy

[@DFG1125]

@@Cree8Ball thanks man

[@CATLOVER69428]

Yay

[@purplebuzzguy3736]

It’s the wandering vagrant!

[@gabrielsfilms2086]

love the accidental space travel

[@Cree8Ball]

"Oh hey, we just took a massive technological leap as a species. Whoops."

[@captain_buggles]

If skyscraper sized aliens rolled up to Earth I would just surrender instantly. I'm not even waiting to hear what they want or if they're even actually hostile. I'm just surrendering.

[@brianhirt5027]

Size doesn't always convey advantage. In many cases it actually works against them. Inverse square laws really bite in hard where warfare is involved. Our species regularly commercially hunted whales many, MANY times our mass for over two hundred years. In crafts built out of wood & propelled by the wind via sails made of canvas....As a for instance. Such creatures from such a high pressure biome would be exquisitely sensitive to any pressure disruption. Pop a hole in any point of that armor and they turn into biological confetti. Not to mention shockwaves would probably prove to be universally lethal, since the higher pressure the medium, the more efficiently it transmits waveform energies.

[@captain_buggles]

@@brianhirt5027 Logically, yes, but I was being dramatic for humor.

[@Dogman262]

Where and how do they extract/create resources like metal/textiles/ect

[@themushroominside6540]

I love how when the pastoralists responded with biological warfare, the Walking spirits showed up with living plasma blasters taking death to the next level

[@Cree8Ball]

Yeah, they really showed them the true meaning of biological warfare

[@denifnaf5874]

Next design aliens that evolved in a blackhole

[@Ehnosigudcuhsinudisgudcuskinuh]

I can't way for the epic final chapter when all of the species of these videos have to team up and form an interplanetary coalition against the greatest enemy they'll ever face... The Neo-Humans

[@Woshelyw]

HU-MON

[@axelkusanagi4139]

Badass.

[@guimts8881]

So here's a thought, it was mentioned at the end of the video that the Spirit Walkers freed slaves from the Pastoralists, could it be that those slaves were in fact the result of unwilling intercourse between Storm Mage captives and Pastoralist captors? If so, this would provide an opportunity to keep the Nunnan as pets by the descendants of said freed slaves. This really wouldn't interfere with the rediscovery of germ theory, given that as these freed slaves were suspected of having Pastoralist blood by the Spirit Walkers, they would always be at the very bottom of the social hierarchy, never really being able to make scientific progress due to lack of social credit.

[@Tyrant_Boi]

What drawing app-thing did you use? Is it free? I am a fast learner so i can learn it quickly but i am broke.

[@Cree8Ball]

It's photoshop and it is NOT cheap lol

[@Cree8Ball]

I've got a joint account with my dad, but if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to afford it

[@Tyrant_Boi]

Ok. I will try to get enough for photoshop

[@KlaxontheImpailr]

12:02 this is giving me a Homeworld vibe.

[@daniszuromi455]

Just like other, I luv it n i have questions :D Why does anything grow bones in a floating terrain where you've gotta be full of gas to be able to float? Also, how are floating forests not blown apart by the wind? Are the high-atmosphere winds more moderate like... those of Jupiter's?

[@stuckonaslide]

this is a really cool world. I wanna ask about plants though. how do they work? I know you mentioned a lot about algae. but does that mean there are no vascular plants to grow tall? and how do they survive in the air without soil? I can see them fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere using bacteria since many earth plants can do that, but how would they get the necessary minerals and metals like phosphorus and potassium?

[@ProbablyNotFelon]

Very interesting video! Question: How do they get metal and stuff in a gas giant?

[@Cree8Ball]

I have a pinned comment where I explained in the replies, but they basically mine it from animals that get it from the core

[@SpasticTyping]

Probably one of the more solid concepts for a gas planet sophont that I've seen. The idea that they wouldnt know what space is makes sense and is a really nice cultural touch Large creatures in speculative biology normally indicate a high oxygen content due to the energy demand for that size. Are there ever natural fires or explosions on this world? Also how exactly do they speak?

[@igorsenez111]

I cant finda the link to the stream. Awesome Project by the way.

[@Cree8Ball]

Oh my bad, I forgot to link the stream this time. You should be able to find it on my channel though

[@maxximus6418]

Hehe orbital laser hehe- **gets reduced to atoms in mere milliseconds**

[@MaveenFriel]

Can you make a sapient alien that shoots solid projectiles to hunt prey? Maybe like the bio gun from your all tomorrows series or a specialized sack on their back.

[@Cree8Ball]

Ooh, a bio gun sapient would be really cool, actually