Anyone enjoy playing as a bizarre looking species?
- Thread starter Kryndude
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Not looks so much as biology, and how that determines its psychology. Think traits, not ethos.
Dolphins, bats, spiders, etc probably interpret the world a lot differently than we do, and those are species that evolved alongside us on Earth. A species that evolved on another planet would likely be even weirder, in both body and mind. Again, the heptapods from "Arrival" are a good example -- look how hard it was to learn their written language, let alone understand their culture and motivations. If we ever run into aliens in the real world, it'll probably be more like that than shaking hands with a Vulcan.I'm not saying aliens would somehow be less intelligent than humans. I'm saying that they're likely operating on a different level of thinking than humans, and that their motives and culture would be extremely difficult to figure out. Not impossible, but difficult.
Dolphins are actually counter-argument to your post, they are quite different in physiology and habitat, yet they are known to be quite intelligent and show a lot of traits common to humans. Including empathy, social bonds, primitive communicationNot looks so much as biology, and how that determines its psychology. Think traits, not ethos.
Funny fact: there was a recent study using machine-learning programs for visual/audio pattern recognition that identified that Egyptian fruit bat colonies' chatter is based on individual bats "speaking" to individual bats. The majority of these calls fell into four categories: disputes over food, disputes over roosting positions, disputes over crowding, and disputes over "unwanted sexual advances" from male bats.Not looks so much as biology, and how that determines its psychology. Think traits, not ethos.
In fairness the Heptapods language was so difficult to decode because their minds operated in a fantastical manner that existed outside of linear time.
It's impossible to say jhow difficult, is the thing. Even on Earth, nonhuman intelligences are... ultimately pretty familiar. If you've ever taken much of an interest in birds, especially social birds, you'd know that they play, get sad, get lonely, make jokes at the expense of others... and that's while operating on a flock-based social structure fairly different from that of humans.
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You know what's unrealistic? To assume that evolution of extraterrestrial life would somehow go along parallel lines with life on Earth. Stellaris' species roster stretches the believability beyond limit even without the humanoid phenotype by copying lifeforms that exist on our planet.
If I'm playing as a species with a high breeding rate, I imagine them as Space Karlings/Habsburgs. There's no Inbred trait in Stellaris, so I just choose the ugliest-looking species that could conceivably be a deformed human.
As long as they have some kind of hands or appendage, I'm all for them. As soon as they start getting into floating jellyfish state, I'm all "How even into space?".
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That's kind of my point. We don't know how bizarre aliens might turn out to be. Not every species is going to be like the Vulcans or the asari. Some might be more like the Reapers or the Shadows.
Fair enough. I admit I haven't studied this in any great detail, it just seemed logical to me. Still, considering the age of the universe I expect any sentient aliens we encounter will be thousands or even millions of years older than us. That alone would probably make them unfathomable.
In any case, it would be nice for more unusual cultures to be modeled in Stellaris. Hopefully Traditions will scratch that itch.
I overwhelmingly favor non-humanoid fungoid and arthropoid species for my playthroughs, usually give them the best bios, too. I also really like the moth-tree plantoid.
While I accept your fundamental point, the Heptapods were a bad example to call on because as far as we know, the thing that made them so alien is impossible.
Apes or Angels, yeah.Fair enough. I admit I haven't studied this in any great detail, it just seemed logical to me. Still, considering the age of the universe I expect any sentient aliens we encounter will be thousands or even millions of years older than us. That alone would probably make them unfathomable.
In any case, it would be nice for more unusual cultures to be modeled in Stellaris. Hopefully Traditions will scratch that itch.
Causality is going to be pretty hard to disprove."as far as we know"
There's no reason we can't talk about "alien" aliens while still remaining within the realm of what's definitely possible.
True. I guess I got sidetracked. We've strayed pretty far from what's applicable to Stellaris.
Bottom line is, more complex culture should be possible in Stellaris, IMO. If only for the sake of immersion.
I depends what you consider weird. Personally i have never launched a game or made a species of Humanoids in Stellaris because i find them too boring and plain. The only Humanoid i would consider is the one with tubes that looks a little techy or a tech/robot game but i have always went with other races for that untill now, like the geckos. Otherwise i prefer stuff that isnt too plain and not too ugly. Most of the Cuties are my favorites tbh except the butterflies which i find a little weird But in general i think i play kinda varied. Preferring to pick a new species each time.
But in general i think i play kinda varied. Preferring to pick a new species each time.- 2
Muahahahaha! Someone has already mentioned Dolphins in this thread, that makes my job easier.
In response to the idea that humanoid aliens are somehow unrealistic because 'aliens would evolve completely differently', I would like to point to Cetaceae, Ichthyosauriae and Selachii.
AKA Dolphins (and Whales and Porpoises), Ichthyosaurs and Sharks. Three groups of animals that all look fairly similar but that have massively different origins and physiologies. In fact, even though Cetaceans are more closely related to us Humans than they are to either Sharks or Ichtyosaurs, they look more similar to both than we do to some of our closest relatives (Tarsiers and Galagos, for instance). Convergent evolution is a thing so Humanoid aliens aren't any more or less unrealistic than any other shape, is what I'm saying.
So Stellaris, with it's mix of Anthropomorphs (what Stellaris calls humanoids, who look like slightly altered humans), Humanoids (who look like human-something hybrids) and xenomorphs (who look waaaaay different) does representation of the potential range of realistic alien forms well. Much better certainly than most Space games which either go fully humanoid or fully xenomorph for their aliens.
In response to the idea that humanoid aliens are somehow unrealistic because 'aliens would evolve completely differently', I would like to point to Cetaceae, Ichthyosauriae and Selachii.
AKA Dolphins (and Whales and Porpoises), Ichthyosaurs and Sharks. Three groups of animals that all look fairly similar but that have massively different origins and physiologies. In fact, even though Cetaceans are more closely related to us Humans than they are to either Sharks or Ichtyosaurs, they look more similar to both than we do to some of our closest relatives (Tarsiers and Galagos, for instance). Convergent evolution is a thing so Humanoid aliens aren't any more or less unrealistic than any other shape, is what I'm saying.
So Stellaris, with it's mix of Anthropomorphs (what Stellaris calls humanoids, who look like slightly altered humans), Humanoids (who look like human-something hybrids) and xenomorphs (who look waaaaay different) does representation of the potential range of realistic alien forms well. Much better certainly than most Space games which either go fully humanoid or fully xenomorph for their aliens.
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I'm personally quite fond of more 'alien' looking species. That said I can understand the rationale behind wanting to play as more humanoid looking ones. I actually think Stellaris is one of the best space strategy games out there atm for providing a real variety of species designs. I'm hoping that we'll continue to get a wide range of portraits (from 'rubber forehead' humanoids to truly bizarre-looking xenoids) in future so that everyone has a bunch they want to use.
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I like to look at them and imagine based on their appearance where they would live. Then, how would living there affect their behavior?
For example, I imagined the shadowey authropod - with its dark shell, eyeless face, and bioluminescence would be perfectly adapted to living underground. Then I thought, "What would make a species live entirely underground?" and imagined their home world being a scorching desert, their civilization progressing in shelter from the hostile desolate surface. Then you think about how they would live and go from there
For example, I imagined the shadowey authropod - with its dark shell, eyeless face, and bioluminescence would be perfectly adapted to living underground. Then I thought, "What would make a species live entirely underground?" and imagined their home world being a scorching desert, their civilization progressing in shelter from the hostile desolate surface. Then you think about how they would live and go from there
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meh, I always play human, but when I don't, I don't
some of the species do look bizzare, but I think it's actually pretty funny and cool, though I do hate some of them (especially after randomly coming across them during playthroughs and having them declare war upon me!)
some of the species do look bizzare, but I think it's actually pretty funny and cool, though I do hate some of them (especially after randomly coming across them during playthroughs and having them declare war upon me!)
Frankly, I think the game needs a lot more "weird" looking species. The game has too many generic looking humanoids at the moment, and it kind of kills immersion for me.
There's literally an entire universe's worth of possibilities out there. Why limit yourself to the mundane alone?
The "Alien Suns" mod does a good job correcting this with races like the following. I just wish they were animated.
As far as vanilla goes, I'd say my favorite is probably the Arthopod on the first now, 6 columns over.
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