A short intro on what this post is about: --The 6 playable races we know are wonderful, but I was wondering about the possibility of adding a few new races that are characteristic of the Sci-Fi genre to fully complete the "space" experience that we are invited to explore. --I agree that over-saturating the game with too many races is an absolute "must avoid", however I personally believe 9 races seems like an optimal number to both fully diversify the world while still being manageable for completely fleshing out the back story of each race with a unique story. In-game, the character creation menu would simply have a 3 x 3 grid for race selection. --Starbound's current races are all based on similarly basic Sci-Fi tropes, but each with a unique spin that gives the game it's character. The idea here of course, is to present some of the Sci-Fi based themes for races, and discuss here ideas that breathe new life into them. So without further ado, here's my list of candidate races, enjoy! =============================================================================== 1.) Insectoid-Based Race Many sci-fi games feature a species of oversized bugs. Sometimes these species have free will, other times they follow the directive of a queen being. Either way, they are known for their combat prowess (unless you are a slug from FTL... haha) and their ability to unify better than almost any other species. 2.) Mineral-Based Race Way out in the land of space, there are a lot of places that are really hot. In such places, races that inhabit such areas need to be able to withstand such heat, and are often featured as not being organic based. Mineral-based races are known for their strength, and have no qualms about living underground. Lore-wise, they often exist due thermal energy powering their "life" functions. Naturally, they can relate to robotic-races quite well. Whether it be the elf-dwarf-mer or deku-goron-zora triangle that has worked so well over the years, this race fufills the niche of those bulky underground dwellers we know and love. 3. Reptillian-based Race In space, there are aliens. Reptoid aliens are often a popular depiction of these aliens, even in universes such as AVP and Halo. These races are usually unfriendly, but that's fine since they are such good killers anyway. These races are also often seen to have a tribal structure in their society. They also have four arms sometimes. Come to think of it, the only rules about these guys seems to be that they are always totally badass. Not a bad stereotype to have! 4. "Grey"- Based Race Greys. You know them. Although they appear physically frail, their psionic capabilities make them both powerful and popular in modern culture. Think- XCOM Enemy Unknown. The final boss isn't some sort of general-class fighter or a tricked out robot; it's one of these guys. Why? Because they're awesome. While these guys don't always appear as simple and grey since that can be kind of bland, the basic premise is often around, the mind is more than we know, psionic powers. (ex. Protoss) 5. Cat-Based Race Okay, I'm sure you know what Sci-Fi universe this refers to in particular. What may seem like a "joke race" also leaves open a lot of design space or opportunity to appeal to a wider variety of people. I suppose "Star Fox" could be put into this category as well. I'm just saying, Cat-Girls are pretty popular. I'm also just saying that in space, no one can hear you moan-- I mean scream. ========================================================================= Those are my thoughts for now, I'd like to hear what you guys think! EDIT: I thought I would just plug in this thread here to promote discussion, which touches on potential "cultures" or societal structures races could have. http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?threads/possible-new-race-themes.17627/ Edited for better readability
