Once again it seems all the aliens are the star trek style of human bodies with a alien head on top.Boring.
- 43
- 4
- 1
-
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.
Well it's certainly better than Star Trek (more than superficial facial differences). However it does seem like there is an overweight of human-like aliens, at least it seems they all stand upright, but not all are directly humanoid:
- 12
I think I need to make a slight modification to your post to make it more accurate to the facts...
- 14
- 3
you guys do realize the term "humanoid" actually mean more than just having heads and upright bodies right? it has to actually look something like a human.
- 13
- 1
As for video games (I mean, not serious SF) I am perfectly fine with 'human bodies with an alien head' cliche, as some 'humanization' is necessary if we are going to simulate human-like empires. Just make sure this head is alien, NOT RECOLORED HUMAN, NO USUAL UFO GRAYSKIN, NO ELVES AND NO ORKS!
Of course, more creative species are cool too. But Stellaris can't go extremely faraway from human body structure if it's going to simulate relatively plausible space empires (with an economy, individuality, politics, society etc)
Also,
If that's 'humanoid' for you then ants are humanoid as well...
Of course, more creative species are cool too. But Stellaris can't go extremely faraway from human body structure if it's going to simulate relatively plausible space empires (with an economy, individuality, politics, society etc)
Also,
If that's 'humanoid' for you then ants are humanoid as well...
- 12
- 3
- 1
If that's 'humanoid' for you then ants are humanoid as well...
I don't see that as humanoid either. I don't think it's even clear that it's a creature that walks upright anymore than a picture of a dog on its hindlegs indicates that dogs walk upright.
- 5
When people complain about "humanoid" aliens, I always wonder... What do you think they should look like then? What awesome-yet-remotely-plausible body plans do you feel are missing?
- 4
Hope this helps.
From Clarifications in the sticky section -
#3. There are not seven playable races. This misunderstanding probably came about because we’ve used the word “phenotype” for the main classes of species – and there are six of those (Mammalian, Avian, Reptilian, etc). There are also six art styles related to these classes, for ships, buildings, and so on. There are pre-scripted races available for a quick game start, though you will never run into any of these as AI controlled factions. (The universe is populated with random species.) When you start the game, you can choose one of these scripted races or customize your own star-trekking population through a very simple process.
From Clarifications in the sticky section -
#3. There are not seven playable races. This misunderstanding probably came about because we’ve used the word “phenotype” for the main classes of species – and there are six of those (Mammalian, Avian, Reptilian, etc). There are also six art styles related to these classes, for ships, buildings, and so on. There are pre-scripted races available for a quick game start, though you will never run into any of these as AI controlled factions. (The universe is populated with random species.) When you start the game, you can choose one of these scripted races or customize your own star-trekking population through a very simple process.
- 1
I want arachnids and squids. Also aliens that don't stand upright.
Nothing implausible about those, all they need is something to manipulate their environment with, a human hand with opposable thumbs is not necessary. Earth Octopuses can actually do a great deal.
- 2
Once again it seems ashbery76 makes a factually wrong argument out of ignorance.
It's actually extraordinary, I accidentally run across his posts every once in a while and every time it's either something hilariously wrong or silly. It truly is a gift.
It's actually extraordinary, I accidentally run across his posts every once in a while and every time it's either something hilariously wrong or silly. It truly is a gift.
- 4
- 3
I don't mind that all playable races are humanoid but I do hope their sare som very werid non-playable races that you can interact with. (a conscious planet, a hive species, stealth cattle-species etc.
- 2
All examples of races we've seen until now I would define as humanoid and humanfunctional. Compared to the potential diversity there is and is plausible this would be very booring.
There is one big hope though; Mind controlling parasite races have been confirmed, which would be non human in both form and function. I dearly hope they really make an effort to come up with more variants like this, it would greatly enhance the immersion of the game.
Lets all cooperate and come up with suggestion of cool variant ailiens that is more then a reskin of us humans, I will start:
- You could have water (or liquid based races), unable to uphold there bodies if not present in some liquid (natural habitat in seas).
- Some synthetic race is a must, even if you can't start as it and they are more like the fallen empire type (once overthrew there masters and now just hang around in there corner of space).
- Do all life have to be on the meter scale? No! something around milimeter in size, yes please!
- The hive mind appear from time to time and while the individual units can be humanoid it functions vastly different.
- Underground based, would expand there colonies much slower but can potentially use much more slots of the planet.
Whats the big difference between plant and animal growth? Each animal grow acording to one fixed blueprint, hair colour and small details can differ but the limb number, arrangment and shape is always the same. Have you ever seen two trees with the same number of brances? Same shape? Same arrangment? No!
All SciFi tend to make there species have animal type morphology in that sense, I would which for some with plant like in this sense (so not in the sense that you randomly stick some leafs and flowers to there body, and make them wooden!).
Some variation here would be wonderfull.
In some games like Mass Effect you are more limited in how you can shape the aliens, and you have to make a lot of things that doesn't make sense. In many ways Stellaris don't have the same limitations, it could be one of few games (and the first I actually know about it) that makes a proper and diverse representation of aliens.
There is one big hope though; Mind controlling parasite races have been confirmed, which would be non human in both form and function. I dearly hope they really make an effort to come up with more variants like this, it would greatly enhance the immersion of the game.
Lets all cooperate and come up with suggestion of cool variant ailiens that is more then a reskin of us humans, I will start:
- You could have water (or liquid based races), unable to uphold there bodies if not present in some liquid (natural habitat in seas).
- Some synthetic race is a must, even if you can't start as it and they are more like the fallen empire type (once overthrew there masters and now just hang around in there corner of space).
- Do all life have to be on the meter scale? No! something around milimeter in size, yes please!
- The hive mind appear from time to time and while the individual units can be humanoid it functions vastly different.
- Underground based, would expand there colonies much slower but can potentially use much more slots of the planet.
Whats the big difference between plant and animal growth? Each animal grow acording to one fixed blueprint, hair colour and small details can differ but the limb number, arrangment and shape is always the same. Have you ever seen two trees with the same number of brances? Same shape? Same arrangment? No!
All SciFi tend to make there species have animal type morphology in that sense, I would which for some with plant like in this sense (so not in the sense that you randomly stick some leafs and flowers to there body, and make them wooden!).
Some variation here would be wonderfull.
In some games like Mass Effect you are more limited in how you can shape the aliens, and you have to make a lot of things that doesn't make sense. In many ways Stellaris don't have the same limitations, it could be one of few games (and the first I actually know about it) that makes a proper and diverse representation of aliens.
- 2
- 2
How to make a "proper representation" of something we don´t know, we don´t know if even exist, and only have vague speculations? It´s like making a proper representation of the Kingdom of God, or magic
- 5
Somebody has always something to complain. "Oh Paradox should make Plant aliens because they could be more diverse and are not so plain and boring like your animalistic aliens..."
Personally I like the Aliens in Animal Basis. It does make the most sense. Cause there is no plant known who has something like a brain.
Personally I like the Aliens in Animal Basis. It does make the most sense. Cause there is no plant known who has something like a brain.
- 4
- 1
Well its highly unlikely that all species would speak the same language. Or have eyes just like we do. Or distinct heads.
While I don't know that 95% of all beings in the milky way have 4 limbs, 2 eyes I would be highly surprised if so was the case. While many games for practical purposes ignore some of these issues (and I have full respect for them doing so, gameplay over realism) I think that Stellaris will have the oppertunity to be slightly more imaginative in there ailien representation.
Its easy to make an good alien that is based on humans, but if they also made an effort to make some (good) not based on humans I think that would make the game more immersive.
- 3
- 1
Oh, I'm fine with having many of the aliens based on animals. I just think they should be more animalistic then, and not conveniently standing so they can wear clothes while posing for the picture. Well actually that can be cool too, but variety please.
Some aliens that have to be zoomed back a bit because they are standing on more than two legs, or hovering in water. I'm actually fairly content with what we've been shown so far, it's better than most of these games already. I'm just still hoping for a species based on an octopus, and a very non-human arachnid.
For that matter the Fungoid species we have been shown looks vaguely humanoid. That's not unreasonable as such, but if there are multiple Fungoid species that all look vaguely humanoid in different ways then that's pretty uninspired.
- 2