20 réponses à ce sujet

[Megan140]

So this has been on my mind for a while and I just can't find any info that satisfies my curiosity. What advantages do elves have by having pointed ears? I know on the wiki page it says that elves can see better in the dark than humans but it also says that elf eyes glow like cat eyes so that could explain that. However, reading a theory on generic elves and how their ears could act as heatsinks which gives elves night vision /infrared sight made me wonder if Dragon Age elves have something similar. I wonder if the pointed shape captures sound better giving elves better hearing.
I'm curious what other people think on this and if anyone has any definitive answers.

[Illegitimus]

The really large pointed ears would have slightly better range on their hearing.  But round ears are still better at identifying the direction a sound is coming from. 

[mousestalker]

They provide handles for their romantic partners, ensuring coitus leads to completion.

[andy6915]

Could help with balance, maybe? I know human ears have to do with that, maybe it makes elves have better balance than humans. Might explain how they're so much more nimble and acrobatic compared to humans, like some of the crazy crap Tallis does in her introduction scene in DA2.

[Megan140]

Could help with balance, maybe? I know human ears have to do with that, maybe it makes elves have better balance than humans. Might explain how they're so much more nimble and acrobatic compared to humans, like some of the crazy crap Tallis does in her introduction scene in DA2.

I could see that. I thought balance was more of an inner ear thing though

[Megan140]

The really large pointed ears would have slightly better range on their hearing.  But round ears are still better at identifying the direction a sound is coming from.

I did not know that

[andy6915]

I thought balance was more of an inner ear thing though

Well, I think it is. I'm just throwing out ideas. Maybe it has to do with making it easier to hear the commands of elven gods through some weird magic, maybe they had an ancestor species that had long ears and it simply didn't evolve away because there's no natural selection pressure to do so since the trait doesn't negatively effect the species, maybe it enhances their fade connection to be better than other races, maybe it really is for increased hearing range. The balance guess was just my first one.

[Megan140]

Well, I think it is. I'm just throwing out ideas. Maybe it has to do with making it easier to hear the commands of elven gods through some weird magic, maybe they had an ancestor species that had long ears and it simply didn't evolve away because there's no natural selection pressure to do so since the trait doesn't negatively effect the species, maybe it enhances their fade connection to be better than other races, maybe it really is for increased hearing range. The balance guess was just my first one.

Don't get me wrong, I like the balance idea. It would explain how Tallis did all the **** she did and could also explain why elves are considered more nimble than humans

[Kantr]

Don't get me wrong, I like the balance idea. It would explain how Tallis did all the **** she did and could also explain why elves are considered more nimble than humans

Yeah, but the shape of the outer ear has nothing to do with that. It hardly helps with hearing either.

[thats1evildude]

Ear twitches were part of the ancient elven mating rituals.

[Megan140]

Ear twitches were part of the ancient elven mating rituals.

It's late here so forgive my oblivious-ness. You serious or joking?

[keeneaow]

i know the answer to this puzzle from a story:

 

a human & alien couple decided to switch partners for a night,

the next morning, the human wife asked her husband whats it like to do an alien woman ?

he answered " nah, she was ripping my ears off, i didnt like it, what was it like for you ?"

 

she answered that " when we were about to start, he asked me how big i wanted it ?,

and i asked if he could actually change size ?

he said " yes, twist my left ear for length and my right ear for girth !"

[MerAnne]

So this has been on my mind for a while and I just can't find any info that satisfies my curiosity. What advantages do elves have by having pointed ears? I know on the wiki page it says that elves can see better in the dark than humans but it also says that elf eyes glow like cat eyes so that could explain that. However, reading a theory on generic elves and how their ears could act as heatsinks which gives elves night vision /infrared sight made me wonder if Dragon Age elves have something similar. I wonder if the pointed shape captures sound better giving elves better hearing.
I'm curious what other people think on this and if anyone has any definitive answers.

From a purely physical/anatomical standpoint  - there is no advantage for the pointed ears with ALL other factors being the same - overall surface area, location on head, curvature directing sound to middle/inner ear, etc.  Based on the way the ears are drawn (especially in DA2), there is no advantage to hearing either - well, maybe they can hear things that are on the ground better, but the angle is poor for a general improvement in hearing.

 

Balance is middle and inner ear related.  Maybe elephants are nimble and have excellent balance, but i don't think it is related to the size of their outer ear.

 

A larger outer ear could have benefits to hearing, but the shape/angle needs to be correct to actually capture sound and direct it into ear.

 

Heat sink would be a benefit in a desert situation, but requires a large ear surface in proportion to the size of the body.  That would mean that elf ears would need to be SIGNIFICANTLY larger to have a benefit as a heat sink.  A heat sink would not create better vision.

 

Since Ferelden isn't in the real world, you can give the ears any magic or lore related benefit that you like.  Since the Dalish had/have multiple gods maybe the pointed/larger ears made it possible for them to hear their gods more clearly.  Maybe the pointed ears let them hear the language of the wild animals and trees.  Or maybe Dalish men and women think that pointed ears were incredibly sexy and natural selection caused more men/women with pointed ears to get married, reproduce and have elf children with pointed ears.

[Ulv Elskeren]

It's just a hunch, but I think Cole's offhand comment to Sera in DAI might indicate more than it seems: 

 

Cole:  "Sera, no matter how you turn your head, your ears point to the Fade. Do you do it on purpose?"

 

Obviously, the pointy ears being something like "fade antennae" is a bit ridiculous, but still- there may be some actual relationship there.  Perhaps a physical holdover (like the human appendix) from a time when the veil was new and all elves were casters?

[andy6915]

Since Ferelden isn't in the real world, you can give the ears any magic or lore related benefit that you like.  Since the Dalish had/have multiple gods maybe the pointed/larger ears made it possible for them to hear their gods more clearly.  Maybe the pointed ears let them hear the language of the wild animals and trees.  Or maybe Dalish men and women think that pointed ears were incredibly sexy and natural selection caused more men/women with pointed ears to get married, reproduce and have elf children with pointed ears.

It's just a hunch, but I think Cole's offhand comment to Sera in DAI might indicate more than it seems: 
 
Cole:  "Sera, no matter how you turn your head, your ears point to the Fade. Do you do it on purpose?"
 
Obviously, the pointy ears being something like "fade antennae" is a bit ridiculous, but still- there may be some actual relationship there.  Perhaps a physical holdover (like the human appendix) from a time when the veil was new and all elves were casters?

As the one who came up with that balance idea, I just need to once again say that I also mentioned those too.

Well, I think it is. I'm just throwing out ideas. Maybe it has to do with making it easier to hear the commands of elven gods through some weird magic, maybe they had an ancestor species that had long ears and it simply didn't evolve away because there's no natural selection pressure to do so since the trait doesn't negatively effect the species, maybe it enhances their fade connection to be better than other races, maybe it really is for increased hearing range. The balance guess was just my first one.

[keeneaow]

i still think pulling them made it bigger

[Megan140]

From a purely physical/anatomical standpoint  - there is no advantage for the pointed ears with ALL other factors being the same - overall surface area, location on head, curvature directing sound to middle/inner ear, etc.  Based on the way the ears are drawn (especially in DA2), there is no advantage to hearing either - well, maybe they can hear things that are on the ground better, but the angle is poor for a general improvement in hearing.

 

Balance is middle and inner ear related.  Maybe elephants are nimble and have excellent balance, but i don't think it is related to the size of their outer ear.

 

A larger outer ear could have benefits to hearing, but the shape/angle needs to be correct to actually capture sound and direct it into ear.

 

Heat sink would be a benefit in a desert situation, but requires a large ear surface in proportion to the size of the body.  That would mean that elf ears would need to be SIGNIFICANTLY larger to have a benefit as a heat sink.  A heat sink would not create better vision.

 

Since Ferelden isn't in the real world, you can give the ears any magic or lore related benefit that you like.  Since the Dalish had/have multiple gods maybe the pointed/larger ears made it possible for them to hear their gods more clearly.  Maybe the pointed ears let them hear the language of the wild animals and trees.  Or maybe Dalish men and women think that pointed ears were incredibly sexy and natural selection caused more men/women with pointed ears to get married, reproduce and have elf children with pointed ears.

That's kind of a pity. I mean. I was going to make **** up anyways but I was hoping that there was some sort of real-life advantage I could start off with. Ah well, the more you know!

[Megan140]

It's just a hunch, but I think Cole's offhand comment to Sera in DAI might indicate more than it seems: 

 

Cole:  "Sera, no matter how you turn your head, your ears point to the Fade. Do you do it on purpose?"

 

Obviously, the pointy ears being something like "fade antennae" is a bit ridiculous, but still- there may be some actual relationship there.  Perhaps a physical holdover (like the human appendix) from a time when the veil was new and all elves were casters?

I forgot all about that quote (mostly because I'm one of the people where party banter doesn't always trigger). I wonder if it actually means something or the writers were just making **** up. I kinda like the "fade antennae" idea though

[MerAnne]

That's kind of a pity. I mean. I was going to make **** up anyways but I was hoping that there was some sort of real-life advantage I could start off with. Ah well, the more you know!

If they hadn't drawn the ears leaning away from the head, it would have made sense to say that they improved hearing.  But the angle of the ears.... They would probably be able to hear things on the ground more clearly.  It is probably REALLY hard for an earthworm to creep up on an elf and attack their footwear.  A larger upright ear would have made sense.

 

If you want to ignore the artwork, you could say that they have improved hearing. No reason to mention the earthworms