This looks a lot like a re colored version of zenith, but with modified patterns too. Very similar structure? Hard to tell with the render angles here. Is this monochamber?

Well inflatables are always somewhat limited in terms of what you can do with design due to the materials limitations, but this will not be mono-chambered, also note the legs are not "organic" made like on Zenith.

http://inflates.yiff.ru/images/3D%2.....oject/Side.jpg

I don't know side view probably shows a bit better, it has structural differences. Neck shorter, and head more down and such. Also the patterning is not the same, I think it's kinda ridiculous for people to be whining about slight similarities though. Basically if we think like that there will only be ONE inflatable dragon and only one of [insert x species here] which just doesn't work... :/

If the overall end result looks different enough and isn't traced like in that one other case you're probably aware of, why should it matter if it has aspects of something else. That's how inspiration works, you see something you like and adapt it to something else. All ideas have basically already been made so it comes more down to mixing and matching at this point if you think about it.
But ofc. the structure is similar but not the same, that's just due to being the same species and well designing an inflatable and making it appealing limits you a lot more than you might expect, and is actually quite challenging in some ways.

You can't just do whatever you want without thinking about tension points and all that, geometry is important or it will just break from it's own tension/pressure when inflated. This has been known to happen with some designs that I'm aware of, but basically I hadn't really thought about it cause to me it didn't have enough similarities to make me notice it. Perhaps he was inspired by Zenith when he made this I don't know I didn't ask, but I would obviously not have taken this job if it was some sort of a rip-off because I'd rather stay out of that sort of trouble.

You are ofc. entitled to your opinion though but I really don't think this is similar enough to raise any valid complaints. :/

Originality doesn't seem to count for that much anyway, if you've been following my PlesioDrake project on HollowPaws you've probably seen how that turned out regardless of coming up with something completely different, only to find out someone had already invented something similar and just not announced it until the last minute... People just think more alike than you'd expect. :/ But my main point is that as long as it isn't traced or copied any similarities should not really matter because they are most likely coincidental.

Sorry for walloftexting btw implications like these just make me a bit paranoid, I'm sure you can understand that ^^

TLDR: It's not traced and that's what counts, it may look somewhat similar I won't deny that but it's different enough to be fine imo or I would not have taken on modeling this design because I would like to stay out of the drama pool if at all I can.

I'm actually a bit frustrated because you got kinda defensive instead of answering my curiousity. However, Thank you, that side view is really something you should have put here to better show what it actually looks like. *shrugs* Very cute toy, those head frills just have me worried.

Sorry, I felt a bit "attacked" I've been under stress and I was surprised that you brought something like that up because I didn't take you for that kind of guy. I thought you were implying that it was copied but I apologize if my misunderstanding offended you in some way.

I'm just REALLY sick of people whining about that back and forth. :/ and edgy because of what happened with my project.

You're right, I'm not the kinda guy to attack, which is why I wasn't. ^^ I was simply musing that it looked fairly similar and hence why I was curious if it'd be monochamber as well, and I was also curious what the material would be like and actual size. I saw a Zenith for the first time in-person this past weekend at our FWA Inflatables meet-and-greet, and it just made my G&G dragon pale in size :( Buuut, it also made me realize the Zenith is almost unrealistically big, despite loving that it IS big. Just no room in my current premises!

Zenith is great, it sucks that you couldn't have one... but this dragon will be similar in size I think. But obviously Zenith can't be ridden standing without wrecking it even if you don't weigh that much so this has separate legs to make that potentially possible. (if you're not too heavy at least)

I don't tend to keep my Zenith inflated much due to that... space issues, but I do give him some love every now and then though it's usually not long till I start getting annoyed at the cluttering it makes. :/ With bigger space though it's awesome!

There's a dragon in our plans that should be more manage-able in size... by a lot actually (not the PlesioDrake though but it's a secret for now, I'm still working out the design for that and it's in very early stages atm)

Also check the link in the description :b I think he posted the specs there... and you could have seen the side view there too, albeit of the old artwork but you can see the improvement with the model I did if you compare it.

Yeah, was like this too, because "This looks a lot like a re colored version of zenith, but with modified patterns too." sounded a bit like "Ohh, you took a PP toy and just changed the colors, FFFFFUUUU!" and not like curiosity. I guess we misunderstood each other as I didn't attack you or your comment, sorry if it sounded like that, but these whole "rip-off"-discussions where people hate each other for stealing ideas without even thinking before. There are things that just CANNOT be made completely new and that is what many people don't think about. I mean let people do their stuff as long as they do their artwork themselves (not like Aaron, it was confirmed that he just modified the wolf drafts). What I was able to change compared to other dragons I did change to get something that I like but is still different to other dragons. I just can't stand seeing people hating each other cause of such bagatelles.

As for your questions, length will be 8 ft. design is 7-chambered (wings + legs seperate) because monochambering on standing toys is just stupid and material will be 0.4 PVC.

It looks like it combines the best traits of all three of the existing inflatable dragons.

That was basically my point, improvement is had by mixing and matching already existing concepts because everything has practically been made already. That doesn't really make it less original per say imo, it's just intelligent inspiration. It may have become more similar to Zenith due to my anatomical fixes but it's not really feasible to say you can own anatomical correctness or a simple standing pose like that.

I would have thought people would be happy about taking the best of all things and adding it into one, although that was not a conscious intention but now that you mention it you're probably right. In any case I believe there would have already been plenty of shit-storming if anyone had a problem with this since it has been posted before, just not on FA.

Okay, just signed up to make my point clear myself instead of letting Ameroth do it. Uhhm, how do I explain it best. You can't complain about basic things like a dragon having claws/wings or a pose, because there is standing/sitting/pouncing, no room to do something new. But even when it comes to non-basics there is surprisingly few possibility to create something new that looks good. Just an example:

just designing the tail: What possibilities do you have to design a dragon tail without making it look bad:
1 Spikes - Zenith had that
2 attach some "decoration at the end" PP seadragon had that
3 nothing at all - Aaron dragon had that
4 unusual shape - Merek Dragon
As you see, the possibilities are VERY limited and if you try to design a new toy of a certain species yourself you will surely recognize that. The membranes between the spikes is at least something else, even if the basic spikes may be similar to the Zenith. But as said there is not much choice.

I really tried to do something new: the tail membraned are something new, the head shape is totally new, the colors are new the patterns on the wings are new. But people do not see a design and think "Hey, that's new.". No they think "Hey, I have seen that before." and then they complain about the very basics like the number of colors (Merek dragon had 2 basic body colors, Zenith had 3, more than 3 or only one looks shit, so what to do?), or the pose, or the fact that it has wings. What comes next? "It has 4 legs, that is definitely taken from another design."

If people keep on complaining about such basics we end up having no more new custom toys at all, is that what you want? So yeah, when you are trying to design something new that looks good you will surely recognize the limited possibilities. I REALLY tried to change the things that were possible to be changed. But in my opinion arguing about a pose being "copied" or the idea of having claws/wings being "stolen" is just ridiculous.

^^^THIS! SO FUCKING THIS!^^^

There's a difference between complaining and asking. I wasn't attacking, but now I'm a little angry because of the sudden defensiveness. =(

Sry I didn't mean it like that, I wasn't trying to be offensive just direct to make clear what I think about all these "copying discussions". It is not just about my design, but about the whole thing in general. Such as one of those one-offs on ITA.com caused an argument cause I think it was Cyrin who said tht the POSE was stolen from the PP wolf without being announced. This is a basic problem in my opinions. I didn't want to attack anyone but wanted to make clear what I think about all those discussions in general, sorry if you misunderstood it, it wasn't meant like this.

I agree...I think the tail membrane is a good idea.