Switching the Verpardi into an original species

Heya guys!

Hmm I have already discussed this with close friends but I thought I'd talk about it here with the few fellow patreon supporters who have stuck by me side for the past few weeks, months or years ^^

Anyway this is regarding the verpardi race. For those who aren't aware, the Verpardi race is NOT canon to the Ratchet & Clank universe. They were created by me, based off Ace Hardlight's face alone. You see, Ace's species is unspecified in the games, and you never see another character of his species in the entire series. Heck, you dont even get to see what Ace looks like in other clothing, what his body looks like, even his arms and ears. You dont even know if Ace is furry all over his body, or if he's mostly skin. Or how many spots he actually has. Oh and lets not forget about females of his race, their appearance is completely unknown. For all I know, they could have the long face and be muscular just like Ace.
What you see 'exposed' of him in my artwork, was my interpretation of how I think he'd look underneath that DreadZone suit. It's not canon.  I also made his species 'partially furry' because I thought that fitted him and it's pretty unique me thinks... and of course, I made his legs a LOT more muscular and thicker than they were.

So what does this mean? Well basically, this means that about 75% or more of the race is basically designed by me. Female design was by me, all those unique traits some of them have (the partial manes, different spotted patterns, subspecies etc) all by me. And I honestly think after much debate, discussion and thought that... this can be an original species of mine. However, I will always be sure to maintain the fact that it was originally inspired by Ace Hardlight - because well, it was! :-) I just added lots of my own ideas and influences into the race to make it more interesting, diverse and alive. And in my honest opinon, it doesn't look like a race that fits in with the Ratchet & Clank world. When you have verpardi standing next to lombaxes, you notice immediately that lombaxes have abnormally large heads and hands, with a tiny body. While verpardi (my intepretation of them) are more realistic and belieable than the lombaxes, markazians and other races in that universe. I even made my markazian character Kurt have a smaller head by purpose! (because it looked weird to have Kurt being disportionate while he's with the Seekers)
The Verpardi to me, are like a tribute or a spiritual successor for Ace. At least this way, he can never truly be doomed to obscurity and be forgotten. 

So yeah, I'm going to make Verpardi an original species. HOWEVER, I dont mind if people use the verpardi race for Ace Hardlight or their own OC's in the R&C world like I already did. That's totally fine with me. They're not a closed species and likely wont ever be, although they would still need to be 'approved' by me to truly be accepted as part of the Vaelidian universe of mine.

The original version of Verpardi will only have some slight changes, because they're already distinct and distant from the R&C world. Ace is really the absolute only inspiration for them from that world, everything else the verpardi were influenced by; were Great apes, Big cats and of course, humans. And some hints of my own creativity and tastes. Vaelidius and all the wildlife and ideas on that planet are my own ideas too. It's my own little world, and that's what I've been working hard with behind the scenes.

Those of you who can see my WiP art, would have already seen some work with 'original versions' of some of my existing fancharacters. Characters like Kurt & Aster are getting 'species changed' to original races, and so on. I'll show you guys as I get more into it... :-)