Silicon-based Species

[seijika-san]

Is there any chance of these appearing as a playable option in Stellaris?

There has been mention of AI/robotic revolts in the midst of games (and at least one type of fallen empire devoted to stopping such things) but no mention of being able to play as artificial life. Its something of a major trope in sci-fi.

Plenty of variety - abstract AI programs, automatons, nanobots, androids, etc. Similarly different values - do they seek parity/co-operation with carbon-based life, distance/independence, superiority or to exterminate it all.

Perhaps a future expansion/dlc - like how you could not play as republics in CKII at the outset?

 

[KonradKurze202]

Not at launch. In future expansion I would be surprised if alternate life forms (Energy beings, AI, Gas Giant Gasbag creatures, Silicon species...) weren't in one of the DLCs within a year or 2 (I doubt they will be first, maybe #3 or so).

 

[ahhheygao]

Is there any chance of [silicon-based species] appearing as a playable option in Stellaris?

Not at launch. Has moderate chance of becoming available in DLC expansions at a later time since non-carbon based lifeforms are in demand.

There has been mention of AI/robotic revolts in the midst of games (and at least one type of fallen empire devoted to stopping such things) but no mention of being able to play as artificial life. Its something of a major trope in sci-fi.

Incorrect, it has been confirmed you can eventually play as toasters, just that you can't start as toasters.

Plenty of variety - abstract AI programs, automatons, nanobots, androids, etc. Similarly different values - do they seek parity/co-operation with carbon-based life, distance/independence, superiority or to exterminate it all.

Yes, all of the above is possible.

 

[Gaussia]

I don't think there is any distinction made between carbon and the (hypothetical) silicon based life in the species protraits.

If you talk about artificial life (another thing, artificial life made by humans would likely be carbon based, rather than silicon based) we don't know yet. We know there are technology in the society tech tree that lets you alter species traits (or let them do so without your intervention as well). I don't think it is impossible that if you veture down that tech path that you will be able to customize pops.

In that case, we don't know about the dangerous techs in the society tech tree, but a powerfull technology like that would probablu have consequences.

 

[PG908]

Silicon-based species aren't robots, they're a hypothetical form of life that's an alternative to carbon-based life like ourselves.

Yes, current robots are based partially on circuitry with silicon as a main component, but it isn't necessarily the only way to do it. It's just most practical for us.

 

[Admiral Howe]

Silicon-based species aren't robots, they're a hypothetical form of life that's an alternative to carbon-based life like ourselves.

Not really hypothetical as they're more conjectured. The chemistry of silicon is quite brutally against actually silicon life, sadly.

But, since this is sci-fi, those rules need not apply.

 

[TomBombadil]

Incorrect, it has been confirmed you can eventually play as toasters, just that you can't start as toasters.

It has occurred to me, what would happen if you built loads of machines then purged every pop of your species? Or even if you purged every pop of your species, leaving another species dominant? Will be interesting to try out =P

 

[ahhheygao]

It has occurred to me, what would happen if you built loads of machines then purged every pop of your species? Or even if you purged every pop of your species, leaving another species dominant? Will be interesting to try out

You can find out for yourself when you play! Devs have already confirmed these can be done. See Wiz's tweet about how a QA exploited the uplift/enlighten Happiness bonus by wiping out the original primary species, thus retaining only Happy POPs.

 

[Mr Hoot]

Silicon-based not so far-fetched. After all, Eathlings are made out of meat...

 

[Admiral Howe]

Silicon-based not so far-fetched. After all, Eathlings are made out of meat...

Yes, but our respiration doesn't involve exhaling sand.

 

[Scourgeclaw]

I for one, welcome our new rock overlords

 

[Murmeldjuret]

Silicon based life is not impossible, it just faces a few more problems than carbon. Silicon is also over a magnitude more uncommon in the universe. Clouds of ice, carbon-dioxide, and such are not some hypothetical situation, we know they exist. They even found a nebula of carbohydrates, including alcohol. Silicon is just trace elements. Even on a planet of silicon-based life carbon would be a more abundant element, so unless the universe has conspired to deprive a planet of carbon, life will most prefer carbohydrates.

The issue of silicon-based life is more involving the situation IF we discover a planet without carbon but with some silicon, we can't rule it out as lifeless.

 

[Brownbeard]

If silicon chemistry had 0,1% potential of carbon chemistry, we would have synthesized the building blocks of silicon life in laboratories long long time ago. No element can match carbon, chemistry of all other elements combined is next to nothing when compared to carbon chemistry.

If there is variation, it is in oxidizers and reducers. Carbon is unlikely to be the limiting element anywhere where life might evolve.

I see fictional silicon life more like explorable anomalies than playable alien race.

 

[Garfazz Steamfang]

Honestly mineral phenotype would be cool estheticly. But it would be the same problem as synthetics for balance.
I mean think about it rock and metal (synthetic) don't need to eat, they can live everywhere even in molten world or barren wastelands (they don't need to breathe) and they are immortal... It would be pretty hard to balance synthetics and mineral for being at the same level than organics beings.

Don't talk about gas or energy beings... these things are IMPOSSIBLE to play. They are extremly overpowered. They don't need to eat, breathe, they can live everywhere, they are immortal AND they don't need buildings (they are energy after all), they don't need ships for travel the space... All core mechanics are useless for this phenotype they just can't be played. But, like organic swarm it's pretty confirmed that we can play with energy/organic swarm technology after retro-engineering during late game crisis.

 

[Brownbeard]

Somewhat (un)related... wouldn't worlds with non-oxidizing atmospheres be more preferable for synthetics than those with oxygen in their atmosphere? Less corrosion... even a step further... a zero/low-g environment without atmosphere as most productive for synthetics.

 

[mrinku]

Vacuum has almost as many problems for machines. Bits weld, temperature variation is brutal and so on.

 

[Sapidianus]

It would be fun to purge ugly giant bags of mostly water as xenophobic silicons.

 

[Mcwynne]

Honestly mineral phenotype would be cool estheticly. But it would be the same problem as synthetics for balance.
I mean think about it rock and metal (synthetic) don't need to breathe, don't need to eat, they can live everywhere even in molten world or barren wastelands and they are immortal... It would be pretty hard to balance synthetics and mineral for being at the same level than organics beings.

Don't talk about gas or energy beings... these things are IMPOSSIBLE to play. They are extremly overpowered. They don't need to eat, breathe, they can live everywhere, they are immortal AND they don't need buildings (they are energy after all), they don't need ships for travel the space... All core mechanics are useless for this phenotype they just can be played. But, like organic swarm it's pretty confirmed that we can't play with energy/organic swarm technology after retro-engineering during late game crisis.

I am pretty sure that living rocks would have to consume something (to obtain the energy needed to continue moving about, living and such). Granted it doesn't have to specifically equate to eating and breathing but I would still abstract it to food in game terms.

Otherwise they would just be rocks.

 

[mrinku]

Hmm. Why do you call them "living rocks" anyway? You don't call Terran life "living coal".

Silicon replacing carbon means the complex self-organising chemicals would have a different chemistry and probably need a different solvent to water, but it doesn't follow that they're rock-people.

One alternative I've run across in fiction (can't quite remember where - Niven or Anderson I think) was to have naturally evolved computer processors. I think they were basically sessile.

 

[Mcwynne]

Regarding the basic chemical (and other) problems that you have to explain away to get believable silicon life. Would it not be easier to instead exchange the mostly calcium based skelettons (endo or exo) of earth, To something more rocky (silicates/aluminium oxide or whatever)? This would give carbon life that at least looks like rocks. Or ewould stone beetles be cheating?