Interspecies breeding?

[Caspoi]

May I just remind people, that the Sith species from Star Wars, those guys:


Are the product of humans breeding with the original Sith species. After a civil war in the Jedi Order, only twelve of the Dark Jedi were left alive, who were banished from known space. Those twelve eventually landed on Korriban where they took over the ruling caste and ruled over the Sith, hailed as demi-gods for their mastery of the Force. One of the Twelve, Sorzus Syn (I believe) found a way for the two species to breed, and as such, the twelve Human Dark Jedi eventually died, leaving a different sub-species of Sith that would eventually replace the previous species. This was done thanks to Sith Alchemy, which can alter flesh in minor details used safely. Experiments of Sith Alchemy have been known to result in mindless creatures or horrible mutations...

And may I remind you that Star Wars holds space magic (in the most obvious sense ever)? If we are to justify this in a scientific manner and not just "I want this" (which seems to be what we are doing) then that is not exactly a good source on information on the matter. I am aware hybrid species have been created in the ScFi genre Before, that does not stop my opinion on it being incredibly non-scientific from being right.

 

[9pmg5665]

AS much as I didn't want to say, Star Wars is just as much Space Science as it is Space Magic.

I agree that inter-species romance should be available. I also believe that there can be many modifications to a species. As said in Developer Diary 14 or 13, species can evolve, even if they are your species, just because of their environment. If a planet is half lizards and half mammals, left alone for a few thousand/million/billion and they adapt to the exact same circumstances, I think there could start to be enough similarities from the two to make one species, but that's depending on how long the game is (Possibly forever). And gene splicing or the tube babies are of course still a possibility, but I agree with someone whom said it earlier, they're most likely sterile and aren't actually their own species or subspecies.

 

[Caspoi]

AS much as I didn't want to say, Star Wars is just as much Space Science as it is Space Magic.

I agree that inter-species romance should be available. I also believe that there can be many modifications to a species. As said in Developer Diary 14 or 13, species can evolve, even if they are your species, just because of their environment. If a planet is half lizards and half mammals, left alone for a few thousand/million/billion and they adapt to the exact same circumstances, I think there could start to be enough similarities from the two to make one species, but that's depending on how long the game is (Possibly forever). And gene splicing or the tube babies are of course still a possibility, but I agree with someone whom said it earlier, they're most likely sterile and aren't actually their own species or subspecies.

Sharks and dolphins don't mate as far as I know.

 

[Wuddel]

I did not read the thread. But as a biochemist, who did a lo of plant genetics back in the university, I say there is absolutely no chance. Maybe some kind of biotech which would allow specific genes introduced into your species only using xeno-biochemistry as a template.

 

[SolarGuy]

I did not read the thread. But as a biochemist, who did a lo of plant genetics back in the university, I say there is absolutely no chance. Maybe some kind of biotech which would allow specific genes introduced into your species only using xeno-biochemistry as a template.

Without changes to the biology of the person(s), breeding wouldn't be possible in most cases. With such a technology, it would be very likely that someone would start using it that way.

 

[Finalsong]

H E R E S Y
E
R
E
S
Y

 

[Galloglasses]

Several points:

1) Guys, we're talking about a game universe where its possible for an individual to fly from one section of space to the other by getting outside of Einstein's Cage and defying the tyranny of Light Speed and do so admirably without having to resort to generation ships or super cryostasis or a combination thereof. Our entire modern understanding of physics, the universe and everything is being chucked out the window from the word go for the sake of the game play. We can never and will never ever ever ever ever ever ever have it be possible to ever be in a situation where honest exploration of the Galaxy is ever possible ever without discovery some new SCIENCE and then having to question approximately ALL OF OUR SCIENCE all the way back to the Ur Empire, frankly, we're more likely to chuck the new science than uproot millenia of knowledge. Going faster than light in any way is like saying 'whats faster than fast?' or 'whats more horizontal than horizontal?' So keep that in mind when you try to make appeals to suspension of disbelief and realism and slapping anyone down for their wild and crazy Sci Fi ideas, theirs are just as legitimate, and frankly, likely as the premise in the first place. Take a breather.

2) Regardless of the ability to reproduce, interspecies romance is a genuinely interesting social topic but, I think, not nearly as big an impact on the gameworld as people think it would be. If you think Captain Sheparding about the place would be acceptable not only by one species but by any other species than you woefully misunderstand tribalism, or the xenos equivalent. On a practical game level, it will never reach the point where you'd need to worry about rebellions. I'm sorry, but even in real life if you persecute teh gays (for the nearest taboo equivalent), you'll never worry about teh gay rebellion, it simply isn't happening and if it does it'd be hilariously crushed. So too would the same be true of a xenos-love rebellion in the game of stellaris, it'd be an uprising so insignificent your weakest planetary governor would probably barely notice it on his day-to-day oppression and tyranny news updates. It'd only ever really be a problem in EXTREMELY cosmopolitan planets but then it'd be a question of 'how' cosmopolitan, too much diversity of genuinely incompatible species would only reinforce tribal habits present in real life human societies, with people hanging around those most similar to them. Not a healthy environment for hot green skinned alien babe lovin'. Except prostitution.

Except it does have interesting applications in terms of seduction.

Imagine you had a very talented agent, or general, or planetary governor, whats to say that a rather comely looking little thing of another, but mechanically applicable species worms their way into his good graces? I mean, sure, they'll never have a kid, but thats not your concern as Space Emperor.

You're concern as Space Emperor is the fact your planetary governor has a xenos whispering sweet, sweet, nothings into his ear at night.

And making him dream dreams you'd rather not be on his mind when he woke up the next morning.

Behold, the dawn of Space Bond.

3) Genetic modification: That a chromosome splicer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

4) Possibility of other species being compatible with species X: About as likely as FTL travel. Go nuts. Just make sure it fits the universe's internal logic.

5) Reproduction: Generally speaking it depends largely on how Paradox plays this. A species pulling an Asari is... relatively believable, because its arguable if they even NEEDED the genetic material of another being in the first place. But if paradox does the old 'Precursor race edited/made/engineered/Garden of Edened' younger races into being, a la Star Trek, with the pre-conceived intention that genetic strands would all produce similar dominant species on different planets eventually, then sure, go nuts. Also genetic engineering does make this possible, as does nanotechnology or, if you have the testicular fortitude to be bloody honest about it, Space Magic.


That said, I wouldn't mind it personally if it WAS possible for different species to interbreed. It would make the question hold actual moral weight in my eyes, whereas otherwise I'd just see them as hedonistic little nothings trying to justify exotic lust with situational morality.

 

[Orinsul]

I think it'd be ok if
1) You needed to research a specific technology for each combination
2) a facility was needed on that planet for it to happen

like it couldnt happen on it's own, but if you had a special lab and worked it out, you could science it

 

[Caspoi]

Several points:

1) Guys, we're talking about a game universe where its possible for an individual to fly from one section of space to the other by getting outside of Einstein's Cage and defying the tyranny of Light Speed and do so admirably without having to resort to generation ships or super cryostasis or a combination thereof. Our entire modern understanding of physics, the universe and everything is being chucked out the window from the word go for the sake of the game play. We can never and will never ever ever ever ever ever ever have it be possible to ever be in a situation where honest exploration of the Galaxy is ever possible ever without discovery some new SCIENCE and then having to question approximately ALL OF OUR SCIENCE all the way back to the Ur Empire, frankly, we're more likely to chuck the new science than uproot millenia of knowledge. Going faster than light in any way is like saying 'whats faster than fast?' or 'whats more horizontal than horizontal?' So keep that in mind when you try to make appeals to suspension of disbelief and realism and slapping anyone down for their wild and crazy Sci Fi ideas, theirs are just as legitimate, and frankly, likely as the premise in the first place. Take a breather.

2) Regardless of the ability to reproduce, interspecies romance is a genuinely interesting social topic but, I think, not nearly as big an impact on the gameworld as people think it would be. If you think Captain Sheparding about the place would be acceptable not only by one species but by any other species than you woefully misunderstand tribalism, or the xenos equivalent. On a practical game level, it will never reach the point where you'd need to worry about rebellions. I'm sorry, but even in real life if you persecute teh gays (for the nearest taboo equivalent), you'll never worry about teh gay rebellion, it simply isn't happening and if it does it'd be hilariously crushed. So too would the same be true of a xenos-love rebellion in the game of stellaris, it'd be an uprising so insignificent your weakest planetary governor would probably barely notice it on his day-to-day oppression and tyranny news updates. It'd only ever really be a problem in EXTREMELY cosmopolitan planets but then it'd be a question of 'how' cosmopolitan, too much diversity of genuinely incompatible species would only reinforce tribal habits present in real life human societies, with people hanging around those most similar to them. Not a healthy environment for hot green skinned alien babe lovin'. Except prostitution.

Except it does have interesting applications in terms of seduction.

Imagine you had a very talented agent, or general, or planetary governor, whats to say that a rather comely looking little thing of another, but mechanically applicable species worms their way into his good graces? I mean, sure, they'll never have a kid, but thats not your concern as Space Emperor.

You're concern as Space Emperor is the fact your planetary governor has a xenos whispering sweet, sweet, nothings into his ear at night.

And making him dream dreams you'd rather not be on his mind when he woke up the next morning.

Behold, the dawn of Space Bond.

3) Genetic modification: That a chromosome splicer in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

4) Possibility of other species being compatible with species X: About as likely as FTL travel. Go nuts. Just make sure it fits the universe's internal logic.

5) Reproduction: Generally speaking it depends largely on how Paradox plays this. A species pulling an Asari is... relatively believable, because its arguable if they even NEEDED the genetic material of another being in the first place. But if paradox does the old 'Precursor race edited/made/engineered/Garden of Edened' younger races into being, a la Star Trek, with the pre-conceived intention that genetic strands would all produce similar dominant species on different planets eventually, then sure, go nuts. Also genetic engineering does make this possible, as does nanotechnology or, if you have the testicular fortitude to be bloody honest about it, Space Magic.


That said, I wouldn't mind it personally if it WAS possible for different species to interbreed. It would make the question hold actual moral weight in my eyes, whereas otherwise I'd just see them as hedonistic little nothings trying to justify exotic lust with situational morality.

1. Even if we accept some inevitabilities it does not mean that we should throw science out of the window. We may still hold our opinions.

2. FTL-travel is necessary for the game to function as intended, this is just side fluff at best of times.

 

[Generally_Generic_Jason]

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.

It could be like whip-tailed lizards, which are all female and reproduce through parthenogenesis, but simulated mating behavior increases fertility, so hypothetically a human (male or female) could serve as a "father" despite contributing no genetic information.

 

[MWSampson]

It should depend on the backstory of the galaxy.
If everyone has been placed on their different planets with their evolutionary traits mapped out, but with the expectation that they'd be able to mate... It would be quite reasonable to be able to mate them.

If we had a really strong understanding of evolution mutations being able to predict what might happen in 100 generations of mutation might be easy, 10,000 might be hard, and 1,000,000 might be nearly impossible. But given we're dealing with Science Fiction...
Given a perfect understanding of evolutionary processes, and a little nudging here and there, is it not possible that they could select 1000 or so valid samples that they know will evolve to be interbreedable if they survive. And if they spread these across the galaxy they would guarantee they were separated to not interact with each other for a certain period - planning one day to return and then selectively breed between them for the perfect slave - or even as a social experiment played out on a galactic level when they expect them to meet, after all, all of the species start spacefaring at the same date (a little odd for coincidences like that to happen).

This is obviously outlandish. But if we presuppose that FTL travel is possible - and that we may have precursor or end-game races that are much much more powerful than our own at beginning and end game, then this isn't the most outlandish suggestion.

Heck, I'd say this being in any particular game (but not in every) could be a great clue about the history or future of the galaxy that you are in.

 

[sterrius]

well, if we start adding tons and tons of time to the equation.

Even humans living in different planets will become different species.
After some time some will not even be called humans anymore.

Star wars before disney used a lot this.

 

[MWSampson]

I mean you can sci-fi it up a bit, add internal self-replicating nano-bots that will successfully ensure that the species can be interbred. My point was that you can create a scientific excuse for this feature - particularly when it comes to the interaction with god-like species.

 

[vyshan]

well, if we start adding tons and tons of time to the equation.

Even humans living in different planets will become different species.
After some time some will not even be called humans anymore.

Star wars before disney used a lot this.

Not Quite. They were classified as a near-human* but still regonized as being generally human. Mirialans, Zeltrons, Miraluka and so on. Biologically speaking they should be compatiable for breeding. Of course even if one can't properly breed with one another it doesn't stop romance as interspecies romance is a common trope throughout most of Scifi.

though I do hope that I can have humans on colonies turn into hot green or blue men and women

*Several other species had near equlivalents of their own, such as the Near-Duros with the Nemidoians being the best example of one of their cousins.

 

[Orinsul]

I mean you can sci-fi it up a bit, add internal self-replicating nano-bots that will successfully ensure that the species can be interbred. My point was that you can create a scientific excuse for this feature - particularly when it comes to the interaction with god-like species.

Or just, a couple go to a special clinic, they take genes from each 'parent' and create a Chimera embroyo, implant it in whichever parent wants to be the mother, or hey, a tank
BAM
Child from two incompatible parents.

But you'd need to be high up the tech tree.
Like, interspecies couples, why wouldn't they just adopt a child of either species rather than going for a mix?

 

[Premu]

Besides "mechanical" problems with inter-species reproduction there would be an even more fundamental issue: How do other alien races encode their inherited traits? Unless somehow they get the very same DNA as us, any crossbreed is impossible.

 

[Vanhal]

Considering Stellaris won't be character centered like the CK2, and the timescale would not be counted in millenia, even if there were some biologically compatible species, the numbers of hybrid would be negligible anyways.

 

[TheRomanRuler]

Why does OP get so many "disagree"? Stellaris is science fiction, is it not? So if it makes for an interesting game mechanic, why not allow interspecies breeding? Star Wars is full of nonsense, but it is darn fun and interesting. Huge amount of stuff in Sci fiction, would not actually work well in RL, but it is very interesting so people use it.
In my opinion, interesting game mechanic should go ahead of realism. And like said, it is possible for humans to mate with other species. Just, like explained, unlikely to work.

 

[Caspoi]

Why does OP get so many "disagree"? Stellaris is science fiction, is it not? So if it makes for an interesting game mechanic, why not allow interspecies breeding? Star Wars is full of nonsense, but it is darn fun and interesting. Huge amount of stuff in Sci fiction, would not actually work well in RL, but it is very interesting so people use it.
In my opinion, interesting game mechanic should go ahead of realism. And like said, it is possible for humans to mate with other species. Just, like explained, unlikely to work.

Selective bold text? I can do it as well.

Stellaris is a science fiction, hence it follows naturally that science would be very important to it. After all how can a game boast of being a science fiction if it does not uphold science.

 

[TheRomanRuler]

Selective bold text? I can do it as well.

Stellaris is a science fiction, hence it follows naturally that science would be very important to it. After all how can a game boast of being a science fiction if it does not uphold science.

But it does uphold science, as 2 separate species can interbreed. And even tough extremely rare - this is a game. A science fiction video game, AKA game mechanics and fun over scientific accuracy.

So i don`t really understand your point, please explain. Do you think it just is so unrealistic that it should not be included, even tough it is extremely interesting game mechanic that has not (?) been done before. Please enlighten me, as clearly, i do not understand why you seem to be against the idea.