Isn't one of the policies not making aliens that look so much like humans though?

3. Biodiversity is key. It's not terribly likely that you'll will get near-humans unless they're in an environment extremely similar to Earth. Even then, the chance is still quite low. I'm fine with humanoids and bipeds, but I would prefer to stay away from pointy-eared humans unless there is a good reason. On that note, I'm perfectly alright with strange biology, as long as it makes sense. Aliens don't necessarily have to be carbon-based, although that will likely be more prevalent.

In fairness, maybe it's just a discrepancy in the image and the description as they sound more alien in their description than the pictures linked.

Isn't one of the policies not making aliens that look so much like humans though?

3. Biodiversity is key. It's not terribly likely that you'll will get near-humans unless they're in an environment extremely similar to Earth. Even then, the chance is still quite low. I'm fine with humanoids and bipeds, but I would prefer to stay away from pointy-eared humans unless there is a good reason. On that note, I'm perfectly alright with strange biology, as long as it makes sense. Aliens don't necessarily have to be carbon-based, although that will likely be more prevalent.

In fairness, maybe it's just a discrepancy in the image and the description as they sound more alien in their description than the pictures linked.

I'm more talking about, say, Vulcan in terms of appearance. Humans with no changes except pointy ears.

This might be an extremely stupid question, but who are these gods?

This might be an extremely stupid question, but who are these gods?

EDIT: Nevermind.

Jeddaven said
I'm more talking about, say, Vulcan in terms of appearance. Humans with no changes except pointy ears.

In that case consider what I said earlier void.

zombieaccount said
In that case consider what I said earlier void.

I like the way you've yet to change your Unicorn avatar

I don't wanna Change it

zombieaccount said
Bird people all female and of course look like people.C'mon. Why not have a all-female race of space squid things or some radially symmetrical thing with 6 limbs and a short stature?Also there's this crude "map" that's really meant to point locations and is not official:http://flockdraw.com/c8ul38

Actually, scientists agree if there is alien life they would likely look very much like humans. Unless their planet is drastically different. In any case, I decided to make a carbon based life form so sue me.

Also, I don't have to -nor want to- cater anything to your liking. So there is that too.

Darkmatter said
This might be an extremely stupid question, but who are these gods?

It's more a figurative thing. Like, essentially, living beings - us - are the 'gods' of this universe. The ones who can change things.

Nations-

Name: The Grey Stars Coalition
Location: Athens Sector
Flag: WIP
Form of Govt. and Applicable Leader(s): Oligarchy of High Ministers, individual worlds operate on individual systems.

History:
The GSC was born from a coalition of human colonies set out to bring about their vision of eudaimonic societies through advanced genetic engineering and transhumanism. While many methods were pursued, eventually the social engineering ethos of Markov Geist was realized as the most immediately practical of methods in lieu of efficient matter-replication and difficulties in reliable retroviral genetic engineering. Under the principles of Markov Geist, a social ethos created by New Athens Colony that turned the social paradox of self-fullfillment for some being dependant upon the labor of a large exploited lower-class on its head. Instead of trying to eliminate the need for a unskilled and semi-skilled labor class as robotics and automation-advocates had tried for centuries, N-Athen’s solution was to develop a replacement working class in form of vatforms, genejacks, and biosynths. Combined with developments in gestalt and swarm intelligence and control by the neighboring colony of Brightling, a new mass-producible, adaptable, and obedient working class was created and the human workers of New Athens found themselves in a new society of plenty thanks to the tireless labor of the synthetics.

While moralists quarreled over the matters of whether synths had souls (it was eventually judged they did not), and whether the dream of eudaimonia was worth having it built on “neo-slavery” (the masses agreed it was), the ethos of Markov Geist and Synth production rapidly spread across the sector and was adopted en masse by the other eudaimonia-seeking colonies who adapted their own developments in social engineering, genetic engineering, industry, and automation into the principles of Markov Geist. The humans of the Athens Sector were now free to pursue self-fulfillment and satisfaction as they desired.

However the principles of Markov Geist promptly ran into problems when attempts were made to spread it further. While Athens colonies were open to neo-slavery and eudaimonia, their more capitalist and power-seeking neighbors were less than receptive to the idea and its implementation and refused envoys of “upgrades”. Furthermore, the social engineering involved in Markov Geist is fundamentally human in nature, unable to adjust for alien views and interpretations of eudaimonia, as well as the genetic engineering involved in Synths being reliant on the flexible human genome. Thus while eudaimonia rapidly developed in the Athens Sector, it did not spread outwards, and several neighbors went so far as to actively block attempts or subvert them in jealousy of their accomplishments.

Finally, the principles of Eudaimonia did not lend itself well towards natural development of heavy industry and large militaries, which caused a major rude awakening during the short Lanius-Athens war when a race of metallic entities descended upon the Athens sector in search of food such as dense urban centers made of refined industrial metals and rare elements. Despite the large sums of resources and funds raised to build militias and hire mercenaries, several worlds fell before the power of the Lanius before containment fleets could be built and armies raised, and millions died by Lanius living-metal plagues and advanced weapons or by outside powers raiding the reeling colonies to acquire their unique technology. Eventually, the bulk of the Lanius simply left the sector when they finished feeding, and the new fleets were turned to secure the borders of the sector while the colonies rebuilt.

The war changed the Athens sector. More than half of the natural born population was killed before military vatforms were developed in sufficient quality and quantity to replace human troops, and many of the core worlds had been ruined in the crossfire and from Lanius exploitation while the Athens sector realized it was surrounded by hostile foes. The military-industrial complex was not dismantled. Instead the new Grey Stars Coalition armed itself in preparation to exact vengeance on those who sought to attack it while it was weak, and to retake the fallen cradle worlds at any cost.

General Military Information:
The GSC Military is a blunt warmachine, akin to the Red Army of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Large fleet formations deployed en-masse, large space-dropped army units, mass-produced weapons and vatform soldiers. While the GSCM loses something in individual initiative and innovation with its extensive use of Synth personnel directed by AI overseers and tacticians, they have little other choice due to low natural-born population and even fewer able commanders and admirals to lead such forces. The flipside is that with mass-production comes deep reserves and plenty of replacement personnel and equipment, backed by highly efficient military-industrial complexes adapted from eudaimonic technology.

Other:

What's with the trait system?

ASTA said
What's with the trait system?

Basically an easy way for me to rapidly make admirals when situations require, plus it emphasizes how haphazard the GSCN's fleet command is in quality and composition.

Tons of tech, industry, and manpower resources, not a lot of experience or training beyond the division level.

GreivousKhan said
Actually, scientists agree if there is alien life they would likely look very much like humans. Unless their planet is drastically different. In any case, I decided to make a carbon based life form so sue me. Also, I don't have to -nor want to- cater anything to your liking. So there is that too.

Nope, in fact based off of earth's biodiversity, if there is life out that comes in animal, distinguishable, macro-sized form; it's bugs.

GreivousKhan said
Actually, scientists agree if there is alien life they would likely look very much like humans. Unless their planet is drastically different. In any case, I decided to make a carbon based life form so sue me. Also, I don't have to -nor want to- cater anything to your liking. So there is that too.

I stopped caring about that after GM implied they were okay.

If you want to talk on what's actually feasible for a intelligent alien species a seperate topic is required. Needless to say in any RP, even a "Sci-fi" I keep forgetting that what it comes down to is what someone wants to be over anything else.

The OOC will probably be going up Saturday, at the latest. I'll be choosing at least one mod, likely more, before the IC starts, so anyone that is interested should notify me.

Got a few announcements.

Skylar, would you be okay with my human nation providing military assistance to the Athens colonies? Earth's reaction to that sort of conflict would probably be fairly aggressive.

In addition-I've run into some troubles in regards with humans. Partly because of how old some of the aliens are, I'm having trouble justifying humans being able to militarily compete with them without them, by some weird chance, happening upon a badly crippled yet moderately advanced alien empire that nobody else has beaten them to the punch at. You can see the issue here - that solution really conflicts with one of the main points of this RP, namely being that humans are fearsome/powerful in their own right, not because some aliens took pity on them, or because they happened upon a stockpile of alien weapons, or for whatever other reason. The only solutions I can think of would either be making humans adaptable enough that they develop technology extreme quickly (which would evidently present a lot of problems one we get into the RP and humans have time to develop further), force everyone else to make their nations a lot younger, or breaking the aforementioned rule. If someone has a better solution, I'd be glad to see it.

Drop the longing to make humans juggernauts in the RP and simply go with the idea that every faction is more or less capable of great destruction. Unless you have someone in this RP trying to waltz in here with cannons that fire singularities and starship armor comprised of pure neutron star matter, everyone is more or less going to be on the same playing field.

Once a civilization achieves FTL technology and has the ability to traverse planetary systems with relative simplicity, you're looking at a species that can throw around firepower far in excess of the teraton range.

War with care is all I say.

ASTA said
Drop the longing to make humans juggernauts in the RP and simply go with the idea that every faction is more or less capable of great destruction. Unless you have someone in this RP trying to waltz in here with cannons that fire singularities and starship armor comprised of pure neutron star matter, everyone is more or less going to be on the same playing field.Once a civilization achieves FTL technology and has the ability to traverse planetary systems with relative simplicity, you're looking at a species that can throw around firepower in excess of the teraton range.War with care is all I say.

In regards to what I've said, I brought the issue up with someone else, and it's been solved. I don't know why, but I saw reverse-engineering as a shameful thing for humans to need to do. For those who suggested that before, that is the solution I've been convinced to srrive at. Essentially, what's going to happen is that humans will discover or capture more advanced alien technology, but, instead of directly copying it, they use it as a base to go down their own path.