Interspecies breeding?

[Edmund Funk]

Imagine the scenario of two or more different alien pops of the same type (eg. mammals) living in close proximity. At some point it would be bound to happen that they would try to mate with each other.

Do you think this would be part of the game?

Would it create an entirely new species?

Would they be sterile (like a mule)?

 

[LordLlamahat]

Looking at it realistically two species, developed in different solar systems, with entirely different biologies, would be incredibly unlikely to be able to produce viable offspring, assuming they can even get their genitals (them having genitalia at all being another assumption) to fit together at all. Regardless of their similar appearance (which is what a phenotype is, outward appearance). Even on Earth only incredibly closely related species can produce offspring together. From a gameplay perspective such a feature seems pretty minor, disproportionately difficult to implement and a little bit ridiculous. I wouldn't be too happy if it was in the game, and I do not expect it to be at all. Interspecies romance, perhaps, either on an individual level (depending on how Crusader Kings-y Stellaris gets) or through laws, but hybrid offspring between two very different alien species? No

And if it did somehow happen a single hybrid is not its own species, it is a cross of two others. A liger, for example, is Panthera leo♂ x Panthera tigris♀, not Panthera ligris. They are not always sterile, but often are. If they are not sterile and multiple hybrids establish a population then they become their own species, the result of hybridization. See: many, many domesticated plants. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_(biology)

Edit: In fact, I'd probably be a little disappointed if interspecies romance isn't represented. I think you're right about species in relatively tolerant societies, in close proximity to one another and with similar concepts of affection, being likely to want to have a go at one another. Adding laws to represent a government's view on such romances could be interesting. It may not be the most strictly realistic, but I think we are expecting a reasonable degree of anthropomorphism in this game, and alien relationships are a bit of a mainstay in science fiction. I wouldn't expect laws dealing with xenosexual marriages, per se, but perhaps the rights of xenosexual couples? Assuming the species is capable of feeling affection as we understand it I wouldn't doubt that it could be directed towards aliens.

 

[Aegrim]

No jokes about the Welshman asking about inter species breeding?

 

[vyshan]

Edit: In fact, I'd probably be a little disappointed if interspecies romance isn't represented. I think you're right about species in relatively tolerant societies, in close proximity to one another and with similar concepts of affection, being likely to want to have a go at one another. Adding laws to represent a government's view on such romances could be interesting. It may not be the most strictly realistic, but I think we are expecting a reasonable degree of anthropomorphism in this game, and alien relationships are a bit of a mainstay in science fiction. I wouldn't expect laws dealing with xenosexual marriages, per se, but perhaps the rights of xenosexual couples? Assuming the species is capable of feeling affection as we understand it I wouldn't doubt that it could be directed towards aliens.

Yea, this is something I would like to see. having Interspecies romance should have a couple of events related to them. for instance, if you are a democracy, How would people react if the president of earth had a repitilian as a wife? What if the heir to the throne takes a human as her Consort? and so on.

 

[aitaituo]

While the odds of convergent evolution allowing two alien species to interbreed successfully has to be one of the least likely possibilities in the universe, the idea of genetically engineering a fetus to make an artificially viable hybrid pops up in sci-fi from time to time. I don't see why this would be theoretically impossible, though obviously calling such a child a hybrid is a bit dubious. The most likely actual manifestation would probably be a child that is genetically of the mother's species with some traits added in imitation of the father.

We do know that you can take a pre-sapient species and add a couple extra traits to them in addition to intelligence, so I think that's a sufficient basis to say some kind of artificial hybridization would make sense in Stellaris. The question is if they can make it an interesting mechanic.

Perhaps this could generate a pop that is still considered of the mother species, but with some, primarily psychological, traits from the father species. The Asari don't actually appear to take any genetic material from non-Asari their "fathers", but they claim to have behaviorial traits passed down to them. The Sons of Mogh have barely any Klingon left in them by the time of the episode, but they formed a distinct culture on Gaia.

 

[LordLlamahat]

Ooh, that's a good point. Artificial non-sexual "hybridization," while not an essential feature, is something I'd definitely like to see as part of the whole genetic engineering thing. Possibly also as designer baby type things. Species made to be like individuals of another are common in sci-fi and make a lot more sense than the whole inter species breeding thing.

 

[Witty Name Here]

All these filthy traitors to the human race talking about making babies with Xenos.

Way to make the inquisition's job easier, heretics!

EDIT:

WHICH ONE OF YOU XENOPHILE HERETICS DARE DISAGREE WITH A SERVANT OF THE EMPEROR?! THAT'S TWICE THE HERESY! *BLAM!*

 

[Zupanicarr]

 

[Cuthuthulu]

What makes you think various species would even be compatible mechanically?

 

[CanadaLad]

I think it would certainly make royal marriages more interesting, but biologically it wouldn't quite work out

 

[Kollatius]

The chance for two species evolved in to separate solar systems to be adle to cross-breed would be low indeed, but in theory, it should be possible, if by QUITE a long shot

 

[Meraun]

well from a Biological view its impossible.. beacause as far as i know, one of the things wich makes a Species to a Species is the fact that it can mate each other.
It woud only work if two Species are really similar (Humans from two different planets?) Wich woud probably make it two Sub-Species of the same Main-Species.

Personaly, i hope we wont see it, because it woud kill a bit of the realism

as others said... a Cross Species made in a Lab... thats an other story

 

[Kollatius]

well from a Biological view its impossible.. beacause as far as i know, one of the things wich makes a Species to a Species is the fact that it can mate each other.
It woud only work if two Species are really similar (Humans from two different planets?) Wich woud probably make it two Sub-Species of the same Main-Species.

Personaly, i hope we wont see it, because it woud kill a bit of the realism

What I meant is that Genetically, it is possible just highly highly unlikely. And biologically, yes, it's nigh on impossible, but still possible

 

[bz249]

well from a Biological view its impossible.. beacause as far as i know, one of the things wich makes a Species to a Species is the fact that it can mate each other.

Biology is not that black and white. There is a large grey area from total incompatibility, mule-like offspring, big-cat hybrids (which can be fertile) to dog races

 

[Kuschelflummi]

As far as my biological knowledge reaches, for this two species must have made a very similar evolution. Or one species developed a adaption with let the breed with other species. Most likely this would be a all female species. Caus the male population is not able to become a child, at least not based on our current knowledge of this things.
Of course there could also be the possible of a all male species with in turn would rely on other species females to reproduce. But that's a bit more complicated during the more invasive part of the males. Also these child's would not grow up with there fathers. Sure, there is also the possibility ob abduction of female. But this in turn would be a most aggressive and not very action against any female of other species. With in turn could doom this all male species to a quick end. While a all female species just needs to find a "father" for a short period of time. After that it lies all by the mother.

rather complicated but most interesting.

 

[LordLlamahat]

The chance for two species evolved in to separate solar systems to be adle to cross-breed would be low indeed, but in theory, it should be possible, if by QUITE a long shot

Well... I mean technically yes, but that's like saying it's POSSIBLE that our sun may one day morph into a humongous stellar banana. You think I'm exaggerating, I'm sure, but they're both similarly implausible. If we chanced upon such species in space in reality I'd call foul play and give the universe a low score on Metacritic for unrealistic ridiculousness. They'd have to be VERY close relatives, separated for some reason by the void of space, or else have some crazy alien reproductive system that doesn't work like our own and merely requires another DNA donor or host or something. Closest to hybrids you might reasonably see are Kif Kroker or Xenomorphs

 

[Harle]

Interspecies breeding would be super complicated. I don't think Paradox should bother, especially since it'd have such a minimal impact on the game. And yeah, in reality, 'breeding' between species from different parts of the galaxy would be even less likely than animals from different parts of the Earth - which, at least, all share a common ancestor somewhere down the evolutionary line.

That said, in a world where genetic manipulation is relatively common, it might be a lot easier to take two different genomes and combine them to create a new species, but I'm not sure I'd call that 'breeding' so much as genetic engineering, which is already in the game to some extent. Maybe not with species mixing, but you could always just take an alien species and slap some of a different species' traits in there, call it a day.

 

[Kuschelflummi]

you could always just take an alien species and slap some of a different species' traits in there, call it a day.

Hey, I'm not Evolution

 

[Aegrim]

Lets all not forget the amount of additional artwork this would entail.

 

[sterrius]

Maybe make some event where some members of your species use genetic engineering to make offspring with another race. Would be interesting because it would have some impact faction wise. With anti-xenos having a outrage and pro xenos just saying "meh,let them do whatt they want!".

Would not be the only or first event that stellaris would have about the everyday life of your citizens.

The only real effect gameplay wise would be +aproval or disaproval with some factions and help lead to other more interesting events.
Numberwise a crossbreed would be so few and rare it would not be enough to make 1 POP. No point making artwork, etc for them.