Why are all aliens in GalCiv humanoids ?

I wont be that sure about the Krox being humanoid.

And "humanoide-hood" is not only a matter of "face-components"
And I do not consider the Torians humanoid too

Convergent evolution

2 eyes required for stereoscopic vision, the vast majority of creatures have 2 eyes, some critters like spiders have more but not many.
1 nose is all any critter needs
1 mouth is enough for most people!

As for "Human Model" you could equally well say "ape model" or "bear model" or "aardvark model" or "ravenous blugblatter beast of Trall model"

But they follow ALL the same princip. I wont say thats wrong, but dont you think that at least one totally different race would be nice ?

Sure, like a body that had orifices for neutrient input, perhaps scattered all over its body; no eyes, as other senses such as acoustic are all that is necessary for 3d geolocation; no mouth, as communication could be through brain-wave contact, etc. I could think of several more differences that would make an interesting "character"

Well, how do you know that they would even have the same body processes as humans? I mean, perhaps they don't even need to eat or drink in the way that humans do. Weirder things have happened. LOL

Bugs standing on the last pair of legs might look humanid, but I'd call them Arachanoid
Lizards rearing up on their hind quarters might be Sauren.
Furry, creatures with muzzles, long teeth and claws might be best described as canine, feline.
Cows, buffalo etc are bovine
Fish, Squids, Octopus might be better known as marine follwed by a sub classification etc...
Slime doing quite well on top of pond water or in leaf detritis...well that's a whole 'nother story.

Regardless, I think the real question Citizen The It posted is WHY only humanoid, and not a more obvious mix of exotic lifeforms?
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Actually, we already have the advanced version of this life-form here on Earth, we are more familiar with them as "Politicians".

Seriously though (and not to get too off topic...), what are everyone's thoughts on Silicon-based life? Possible or impossible?

Two arms, two legs, body and head all the aliens have them.

I asked this question along time ago back in the GC Beta days.

The reasons I got were,

It would remind people too much of Master of Orion.

Questions would need to be answered,

Example, If you had an intellegent giant bag of gas.

Why would the gas bags cares about humanoid habitable
planets ?

Why could you not for example have humans on Earth type planets with the giant gas bags on the gas giant planets ?

All of this could of been done the danger is the game would look less that less like GC.

So the aliens are much like the Aliens in Star Trek, humans and guys with alien makeup.

I hope new ideas like, non-Humanoid aliens does make it to GC-2.



It is interesting that in almost every case you can replace Carbon with Silicon.

I did read an article in Discovery that claimed Silicon based life was not possible.

That's been the general Theory for (don't quote me) about the last 20 or so years. Prior to that, it was thought possible. Now, I'm beginning to hear views that are saying it IS possible again.
It's an interesting concept; and I think sometimes scientists think too "mammal-centric". Many of the great visions in Science were originally from fiction.

Bags of gas may need a certain gas to interact with in order to survive, and they will eventually run out of food if there is nothing to replace it. Just like ugly bags of mostly water, they would need another life form to live off of. Something to take water and seperate the components to make hydrogen for example.

The success of an alien race in a game such as GalCiv might depend on how well a player can identify or at least except the plausible reality that such a race would require.

For example, silicoid life that looked like a heap of crystals, versus a molten bloob with vent holes versue a tall statue with arms and legs that looked like a glass human.

Each of these forms gives rise to a different feeling/first impression and I would think also to different plausible explanation of their existance.

If GalCiv's main ethos is human-centric, the last of my examples might work better than the first, but that wouldn't move the game very far into this diversity arena.

You may be able to imagine the same range for any other plausible system - neon, cobalt, energy, fire

If the explanation I've heard here is correct, that GalCiv does not want to appear as MOO3, then choosing dissimilar systems, but with some human qualities might get around that and still be diverse?

Carbon based forms on Earth are pretty diverse, so we don't have to go far to see a huge range that are far enough away from human as to seem quite exotic and alien - snakes vs spiders for example.

Personally, this is a dimension that has added enjoyment to MOO3, so if done properly would also add to this game (without sounding too MOO3 fan-ish).

Possibly "It's life Jim, but not as we know it" but seriously carbon life depends on the transfer of energy when converting one compound to another and then back again, such as within the mitochondria in cells. There are no similar reversable reactions for silicon. Also most simple carbon compounds (oxides etc)are at STP gaseous or in the liquid phase which makes them easy to deal with by living creatures, the oxide of silicon is an insoluble solid (better known as sand) and a bit of a sod for a creature to excrete.

Some people will point out that Carbon is in the same column of the periodic table as Silicon, to which I would reply so are Lead and Tin, nobody is suggesting Lead based life forms!



Oh yeah, give me 5 examples. Silicon does not combine in the same manner as carbon. The problem is that long chain molecules cannot be formed from Silicon.

Having said all that, Silicon is used by life (as we know it), Diatoms in both fresh and salt water extract silica from the water to use as a component of their cell walls.

Not really choosing dissimilar systems.

GC is much older than Master of Orion. GC for windows is an upgrade from the orginal OS/2 version of GC so it should have some things in common.

Besides I am trying to remember a thread I participated in more than a year ago, I may be wrong. :notsure:

Personally I say give me non-human Aliens, Giant talking spiders are cool. I can use my imagination.

You know a mod is likely possible to replace the Aliens ?

LOL

I appreciate the primer Strek! And I mean that, Chemestry is a weak point for me.
I believe Life is common in the Galaxy, but common in a big place can still leave it "few and far between". There are probably a lot more sections of the Galaxy where Life can't exisist at all than where it could thrive.
As for what's out there: probably a lot of stuff much like here. Many different species forming Eco-systems, some more advanced than others. Conditions dictate size and shape and who Dominates.
Intellegence is a different story. We need to find that here first.

Couldn't agree more!


Absolutely, the hub of the galaxy would be probably ever so inhospitable, lots and lots of radiation and stuff, perhaps OK for giant mutant cockroaches, but they would never have had the chance to evolve in the first place. But out here in spiral arms it is very pleasant.


More than you imagine I suspect, the bigger a planet (or more accurately: heavier) the smaller the maximum size of a creature could be - this is obviously due to gravity.
The main factor is temperature, recognisable life is going to be where water can exist in or near its liquid phase, as for shape: form follows function - some form of locomotion, legs are pretty inevitable for land dwellers, manipulators of some kind are useful, I doubt if we could have developed much intelligence without our opposable thumbs which allow us to do very precise work with our hands.
Where the temperature is way above boiling or way below freezing is the (twilight) zone of the extremeophiles, and there all bets are off!

Our imaginations can certainly come up with a set of plausible constructs for “any” system. There is no section of the universe that can’t support some form of sentient life in our imaginations. Plenty of pulp sci-fi out there to support that contention.

After all, this isn’t science its science-fiction. Hence, I don’t think that’s the criteria for selecting an alien race.

I believe, the key is how well a selected race fits into the games ethos, its objectives, and player demographic.

Even Star Trek has plenty of way-out-there aliens in their episodes (just not part of the Federation). They always choose an alien form that fits the storyline. So should GalCiv.
(Personally, I think its for pratical reasons Star Trek uses humans – its much easier to find human actors and much harder to find talented yet alone talking squids, at least any that are willing to appear on television)

If the game is intended to be played strictly as Humans, trying to assemble an Imperium as a way of conquering the universe, and these Humans are human-centric and perhaps even prejudiced in favour of two hands and two feet, then that’s the way to go. (i.e. a Battlestar Galactica type universe, rather than a Star Trek type universe)

IMO, any game, certainly GalCiv, can easily break away from these molds and be a better game for it.

It's worth noting that the reason races in Star Trek look alike is because an ancient "humanoid" race seeded all of those worlds with their own genetic code.

Season 6: The Chase.

I really hated that episode.

I think the real reason is it is easier to put make up on humans. LOL

Back to the original question...

I wouldn't care if they were humans from 7 breakaway planets colonized from Earth. They are the "enemy" and how they evolved won't matter much after the Terror Stars arrive...

LOL