Really, the best you could come up with for Humanoid Species Pack Themes was Warhammer 40k?

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FuriousGreg

Second Lieutenant
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Aug 16, 2010
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Somewhat disappointed in the lack of imagination from the developers on Humanoid Species Pack Themes. Try starting with deconstructing the ideologies behind the ascension perks maybe drawing themes from Void Dwellers (what would a Humanoid species be like if they only lived in space?), or Cyberpunk stuff from the idea of becoming machine intelligences, and if you have to a Humanoid theme based on recreating "magic" through technology and what that would look like, but seriously dwarves, elves, and orcs?

How about we give these guys some ideas to work with here eh'?

Edit: I get that this is a free thing, that's not my point nor should it be your counterargument. My point is that there is a wealth of SiFi stuff out there to draw upon and to just give up because it's "a bit trickier, because there are no direct fantasies that apply to them in general, so we instead chose to focus on fantasies that align with things like dwarves, elves, orcs or humans." is a copout IMO. That's my argument. Sure add some "Fantasy" ideas, fine, but don't just give up there draw on some real SiFi as well.

Edit 2: I took out a couple of disparaging remarks about reading, it was a bit harsh :) I still think there are better ideas besides worn out fantasy trops but there was no need to be mean about it ;)
 
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Don't forget about the alien singer from the Fifth Element. Also they are elves? I thought they were Romulans or something. Ugh now it cannot be un-thought.
 
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Wait, has the Custodian team released a list of features that will be added to that pack?

EDIT: Oh, they have indeed teased it. I normally get email notifications for these :(
 
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I see what you're saying, but you're literally getting stuff for free (assuming you own the species pack).
 
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I see what you're saying, but you're literally getting stuff for free (assuming you own the species pack).
Yeah, the fact that we are getting new civics, rather than just cosmetics, is good enough for me.

I would like to see some new events as well. Maybe some exclusive to humanoid empires?
 
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I think it's too early to jump to conclusions. PDX is probably still working on it, or they would have made a complete announcement by now.

I don't think it will be as expansive as Necroids, but new ways to play always sells it for me, though I already have the pack, so I don't think my opinion counts towards sales :X
 
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Also they are elves? I thought they were Romulans or something.
Ah, but you see, Romulans are space elves.

I would like to see some new events as well. Maybe some exclusive to humanoid empires?
I'm always down for more events, but I don't know why you would arbitrarily restrict them based on how much your portrait looks like a human. I think the goal here should be more in the vein of Necroids - you may use the pack mechanics with its portraits, and it makes thematic sense to do so, but you're not required to - rather than say Lithoids.
 
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I'm always down for more events, but I don't know why you would arbitrarily restrict them based on how much your portrait looks like a human. I think the goal here should be more in the vein of Necroids - you may use the pack mechanics with its portraits, and it makes thematic sense to do so, but you're not required to - rather than say Lithoids.
That's true. I was just thinking of excuses to add events to the update, in a way that incentivizes buying the pack.

Could also be some midgame crises involving elves and/or dwarves, which only happen if the DLC is enabled, but affect everyone, regardless of portrait.
 
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Seriously disappointed in the lack of imagination from the developers on Humanoid Species Pack Themes. This is a SiFi game not a fantasy game, try a little harder. Try starting with deconstructing the ideologies behind the ascension perks maybe drawing themes from Void Dwellers (what would a Humanoid species be like if they only lived in space?), or Cyberpunk stuff from the idea of becoming machine intelligences, and if you have to a Humanoid theme based on recreating "magic" through technology and what that would look like, but seriously dwarves, elves, and orcs? Try reading some books folks.

How about we give these guys some ideas to work with here eh'?
OP: I feel you are missing something important:
What sort of things are there about humanoids that make them any different than Avians, Reptilians, and Mammalians?

Because that's what it boils down to.
Physiologically speaking, as far as we know, all terrestrial vertebrates have roughly similar body plans, with a main trunk, four limbs, and a head housing the central nervous system. Any explorations like "what would a Humanoid species be like if they only lived in space?" are hardly unique to humanoids.

Now, they could develop generalist gameplay mechanics that could apply to more species classes, but then the species pack might as well be renamed "Vertebrates", and might still bleed over to Plantoids, Arthropoids, etc.
Also given how strongly people identify with humans in fantasy, I believe the best choice is to assume the 'standard' game is being played as Humans, so big overhauls in the way humans are played is a bad idea.

fyi, I'm not an especially big fan of warhammer 40k, but it covers a very broad span of fantasy themes. Plus, you don't have to buy it, it's free if you already have, and the pack's species portraits already clearly feature dwarves, orcs, and hobbits.

Edit: One more thing, I don't agree that 'sci-fi' and 'fantasy' are incompatible things. They are both fictional, just one is more logical and the other more fanciful. Stellaris absolutely features fanciful themes that aren't fully grounded in sci-fi, particularly Spiritualists. Don't neglect that the the Force in Star Wars operates as 'space magic' rather than anything scientific the way most sci-fi does.
 
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Stellaris absolutely features fanciful themes that aren't fully grounded in sci-fi, particularly Spiritualists. Don't neglect that the the Force in Star Wars operates as 'space magic' rather than anything scientific the way most sci-fi does.
Honestly, the Force is no more magical than the "science" in a typical Star Trek episode. Their approach to science is not particularly scientific.
 
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I think that if they are honoring all of these incredible Sci-Fi writers that they could make so much more interesting choices then Fantasy copy-paste. There are many sci-fi interpretations of humanity's future out there. Maybe they update the Human species pack along the lines of famous Sci-Fi writers of the 20th century? It would be a great honor to the roots aswell as a nice influx of new and diverse material, with the added benefit of spreading awareness about those authors.
 
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Well no, you're getting stuff for however much you paid for the original species pack to make up for the discrepancy in value between earlier species packs and later ones.
which is still an amazing thing for them to be doing when most games would leave those packs to being aesthetic only
Honestly, the Force is no more magical than the "science" in a typical Star Trek episode. Their approach to science is not particularly scientific.
that's only because George Lucas is an idiot who ruined the distinction between his more space opera corner of scifi, and more "science sounding" scifi. I love star trek, but midi-chlorians should have never happened. there is a more fantasy based scifi like dune and star wars and that's ok. and it's ok for them to clash, as materialists can still dig up technology from spiritualist fleets and do science on their mind voodoo shields :p
 
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I don't agree with categorizing Star Wars as sci-fi. Yes, there are a lot of sci-fi elements in the universe, especially in the EU, but everything in the movie screams "space fantasy", not "science fiction". The science of things is barely important. It is a story full of magical and Just Works™ elements that happen to be set in space, in the past.

Of course I fully support including references to SW in Stellaris. Heck, of all the things Stellaris references or draws ideas from, Star Wars is my favorite by far. But it isn't, and never was, designed to be sciency in its core.
 
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I don't agree with categorizing Star Wars as sci-fi. Yes, there are a lot of sci-fi elements in the universe, especially in the EU, but everything in the movie screams "space fantasy", not "science fiction". The science of things is barely important. It is a story full of magical and Just Works™ elements that happen to be set in space, in the past.

Of course I fully support including references to SW in Stellaris. Heck, of all the things Stellaris references or draws ideas from, Star Wars is my favorite by far. But it isn't, and never was, designed to be sciency in its core.
yes, well the insistance on maintaining 70'd era distinctions in the terms isn't gonna take away from the fact that george lucas himself obliterated the distinction to his own art's detriment when he gave the explanation for the force which in my runthroughs has not been seen in over a decade now lol, nor does it take away from the fact that it has entered into mass consciousness as scifi and there is no point to the debate because as you said it is in stellaris. as are space elves and dwarves and orcs.
 
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Speculative Fiction is my favorite term for the SF which SciFi and Fantasy both live inside.

I just hope the noble Space Orc gets a +2 to manhandling Space Elves.
 
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