• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
As far as I can tell, you don't really have control over that, unless you create it as a single player game and then host it from the save file. The drawback is that other players will not be able to pick their species and trait unless they gave it to you to create and add into game.
 
Am I correct in thinking, then, that were I to create a bunch of empires and then host a multiplayer game, I might be able to choose from these empire, and have them appear as AI in the game, but anyone who starts the game with me won't be able to choose one of them, or properly see their avatars/flags in game?