As part of my Tron project which has me creating various related images I may be doing an image that involves Gridbugs... And depending on how my computer can handle it: a potential swarm/army of them.

Now, Gridbugs are one of the most enigmatic elements of the film. They are mentioned only once, with the accompanying dialogue and scene feeling quite random and forced. I realize they were used to add an element of danger, but there was never any follow through to further that threat. Yori seemed to be mildly concerned about them, but not enough to do more than mention them off handedly. To add to this the bugs we see seem to scurry off like digital cockroaches as the Solar Sailor Sim approaches. ...Not very threatening. Given that on-screen cue I'd guess that Gridbugs are noting more than a system nuisance... Possibly like a digital gremlin. However, Yori presents the fact that the bugs could cause serious harm to them if they chose to pursue and/or attack the Sailor.

So are the Gridbugs a deadly menace seeking out wayward and lost programs, or a common nuisance?

- Mike

wwwmwww Wrote:Interesting question... I remember hearing, maybe from DaveTRON, that the gridbugs had a bigger part in the script... or atleast one version of the script. Has the original script, with any cuts parts like this, ever been available to the public? If so that might answer your question and I'd find it interesting reading myself. Carl

I remembered that one well. In that version, they derezzed someone. However, given the vary nature of these little "digital bugs" I would have to think that they could be a few things:

- They're bugs like scorpians: Supports the idea that they could carry some form of venom that could cause unwanted "bugs"/Glitches in a program (Heh! It's a stretch! But I'll mention it anyways.) Pontentially dangerous. But much more of a nussance if anything.

- They're "Carnivourous:" They devour other programs like great whites. 'nuff said.

- They're territorial: Will attack anything that's in their territory

- Just plain aggressive: Will attack anything that moves

- Breeding: Er.... yeah..... you already know what I'm inplying. Er! NUFF SAID! ^^;

Anyways, that's all the theories I can come up with at the moment.

~Kamui.EXE

ettercap Wrote:Interesting thoughts, Kamui. The venom could be corrupt data inserted into the victim that then renders the program paralyzed... perhaps the equivalent of a Kernel Panic. Or perhaps the venom causes severe fragmentation in the program causing it to crash. Since the program, at this point it's not technically de-rezzed the gridbug could feed on it at its leisure. I'm seeing the tips of the legs as being the means of introducing the "venom" - only because it would be the easiest and first thing to make contact with prey/victim. OK... Here's another question: do they operate as individuals, or as a group? Do Gridbugs on a specific system share a common/collective intelligence being that they are all integrated into that given system's files and utilize that system's memory? If the answer to this is "yes," then I suppose they would operate as a group.

I think the gridbugs are pack "animals" and act in packs much like wolves. We've only ever seen them in packs so it can safely be assumed that they act as one. If they werem't pack animals, then in the solar sailor scene, they would have been highly territorial (And solitary) and pretty much start attacking eachother and fighting for who gets what and so forth. If they were solitary, a group of them could NEVER happen! So the best guess would be that they are pack animals and prefer to hunt in packs. This was implied by Yori when she was worried about the Gridbugs following the solar sailor. Since this is the case, it would also be assummed that within a gridbug pack, there would be one dominant bug that would control the actions and behaviors of the rest. Sorta like an "alpha male" so to speak. While they could act alone, it's generally not prefered by these creatures. They act in packs to take down large prey items. In this case, a full scale program. So in theory, they could have their own intelligances, but act together as one when it comes down to survival and taking down prey. I guess they could almost be thought of as the digital equivallant of "killer bees" which do attack as one unit. It's also quite an effective stratagy seeing as the way gridbugs are built. A gridbug my itself could be no match for anyone due to the fact that they don't appear to have the body build to handle prey on their own. So being solitary is probably too dangerous for them and of course, a poor means of survival. As a group, they would have a greater survival rate where the body build ceases to matter anymore and that the more of them there are, the greater the danger.

So in conclusion, gridbugs, by very nature, are pack animals and hunt in packs with (probably to my best guess) a form of "alpha male" helping in the control of movements while taking down large prey. Really, being feasted on while still rezzed and not being able to do anything about that it truely a horrible and painfully slow way to derezz.

Hopefully, this adds a wee bit of insight on the nature of gridbugs.

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ettercap Wrote:...I get the distinct impression you've worked all of this out prior to my ever posing the question. Now for the next question: how big are they? We never really get a sense of their scale... My personal feeling is that they're a little larger than a tank. A roving pack of Grid bugs at that size would be enough to put the fear of the Users into any program. It would also lend itself to Yori's concern. If they're small (say the size of a Lightcycle) then a large pack would be fearsome, but what's more menacing: a group of ally cats or a pride of lions?

Either one could be just as scary..... especially if they're right PO'ed. But I think the "Killer Bees" idea is probably more closer to the idea. In the Killer App game for GBA, it cn be seen that Gridbugs are more closer to under half the height of an average sized program. So if you were to do the actual sizing in our real world, those gridbugs would probably be close to the size of a large German Shepard. Imagine a pack of those coming right at you!

As for thinking that question through before posting, actually, it all (For the most part) came to me right on the spot (As with quite a few things). My trail of thought pretty much came down to "Based on the evidence in real world animal behaviors and the evidence that we are given in Tron, what would make the most logical sense?" And I just started from there. If you think that was impressive, you should have seen my "Psychology of Sark" ideas in one of the other topics! It was long but wow! Was it ever impressive!

~Kamui.EXE
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I think they're about 2.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet across, and they jump on you and drain energy. They hunt in packs. Interesting thoughts, guys.




P.s. Kamui, if you can find your "Psychology of Sark" post, I'd like to see it. I have some thoughts on that myself. I will now look for it....

EDIT: Never mind...I found it. *contemplates Kamui as Sark's psychologist, "Sing-A-Long Sark" night, and a few serious ideas*

Kamui Wrote:Another random thought: If gridbugs aren't solitary and are pack animals, it also suggests something about the strength of its toxins. It suggests that they don't carry enough and it isn't very strong (But probably annoying though). They also have to hunt in packs because it helps in the potency of the venom. Another thought deals with a gridbug's speed. When Yori was talking about the gridbug's persuit, it also suggests that a gridbug can easily outrun a solar sailor. Let's consider this: A solar sailor was NOT designed with preformance in mind. So its top speed would be close to about 40-45MPH. A gridbug might be significantly faster. I'm thinking they might reach 60MPH (Which is about the speed of a cheetah). The reason why I also say this is because of the length of their legs. Long legs are usually an indicator of another ability which is that of speed. many fast land animals have long legs so they can run fast. A gridbug also has incredibly long legs. So that suggests that a gridbug could be quite fast and could (In theory) outrun the solar sailor! The last thing to further underscore the preditor idea is a gridbug's "eyes." They are on the front of their "faces" and NOT on the side. In the animal kingdom, most animals that are preditors(/carnivorous) have eyes on the front of their faces to help them hunt down prey. Examples of this would be anything from the feline or canaine animal grouping. Anything that would be herbavorious would have eyes at the side of their faces for greater peripheral vision. Gridbugs don't have this. Their "eyes" are on the front of their faces, therefore, they definately ARE carnivours. ~Kamui.EXE

Good job!

Going with your long legged observation - I'm willing to bet that jumping and/or pouncing would be part of their standard means of attacking prey. ...Sort of combine a flea with your cheetah.

I'm thinking that if Gridbugs are capable of jumping they could cover a greater distance than if they just scuttled everywhere. There is no onscreen evidence to support the fact that they can jump... But by the same token there is no on-screen evidence that doesn't support this either.

If I could bring in a real-world comparison: historically speaking most long-legged predatory land animals have had the ability to jump/pounce. ...Actually, if we were to do a direct comparison via body type spiders come to mind, and aside from the aptly named Jumping Spider there are several other species known for their ability to jump impressive distances in relation to their body size.

If Gridbugs could jump, and I think that their anatomy would lend itself quite well to it, this could make them even more formidable. And would have lent some deeper concern to Yori's aversion to them... Just imagine a swarm/pack of them pouncing on some wayward program. *creepy*

EDIT: Freedom Forever posted while I was composing my response. Looks like we were having the same thought.

FreedomForever Wrote: P.s. Kamui, if you can find your "Psychology of Sark" post, I'd like to see it. I have some thoughts on that myself. I will now look for it.... EDIT: Never mind...I found it. *contemplates Kamui as Sark's psychologist, "Sing-A-Long Sark" night, and a few serious ideas*

Tee he he he! I remember Sing-a-Long Sark and me being the psychologist! (Actually, now I'm taking psychology so.... hm....) That was funny!

~Kamui.EXE