Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Distant Worlds is a vast, pausable real-time, 4X space strategy game which models a "living galaxy" with incredible options for replayability and customizability. Experience the full depth and detail of large turn-based strategy games, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. Now greatly enhanced with the new Universe release, which includes all four previous releases as well as the new Universe expansion!

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Gargantou
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Gargantou »

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

I don't mind some human like races. Its probably why I also like Star Trek more than Star Wars. Otherwise it becomes too much Fantasy and not science fiction in my eyes.
There's nothing necessarily fantastical about non-humanoid sentient races.

Not any more so than the concept that we'd encounter another race that has evolved completely independently of us that looks almost exactly like us except with some different skincolors etc.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Deto »

ORIGINAL: Gargantou

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

I don't mind some human like races. Its probably why I also like Star Trek more than Star Wars. Otherwise it becomes too much Fantasy and not science fiction in my eyes.
There's nothing necessarily fantastical about non-humanoid sentient races.

Not any more so than the concept that we'd encounter another race that has evolved completely independently of us that looks almost exactly like us except with some different skincolors etc.

Exactly. Everything depends on the place they originate from, what kind of world it is, what they 'had to do' to survive and grow and evolve and so on.. heck, some humans look alienish enough as it is and its only variation in the breed :)
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Gertjan »

I suppose it is a matter of taste then.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

Here are a few more, from some of the in-game screens... the first ones are unlikely space-farers, but anything is possible. I look at them sort of like "lemmings in space", given their characteristics.

Atuuks are very friendly, but rarely develop sufficient technology to be space-faring. However with their high reproductive rate, Atuuk communities can grow quickly.

They have preserved a detailed oral history reaching back hundreds of generations. Over time they have also developed a complex social order. Each individual must accept their preordained status within the community, or face ostracism.

Their unwillingness to tolerate any innovative thinking has caused their culture and technology to stagnate at a fairly primitive level.

Above all else Atuuks enjoy hunting in the jungles of their homeworlds. Their preferred prey is the striped Caguar, a huge sabre-cat armed with razor-sharp claws. Hunting this enormous beast is extremely dangerous. Atuuks usually hunt Caguars in teams of 30-40, armed only with simple stone-tipped spears.

Atuuks live in crude tree-huts on Continental or Marshy Swamp planets.

Characteristics
Race Family: Ursidian
Default Reproduction Rate: 24%
Extremely Stupid (-50)
Quite Aggressive (+15)
Extremely Reckless (-50)
Extremely Friendly (+38)
Very Dependable (+25)
Natural Optimists: happiness +30%

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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

Dhayuts are very aggressive and highly unfriendly. They can also prove to be treacherous partners, betraying their allies whenever expedient.

They reproduce at a low rate, and thus their populations can take some time to grow.

When they are angered Dhayuts can become frenzied and temporarily insane, acting instinctively wild. At these times they are extremely dangerous, becoming totally fearless when attacking.

Dhayuts are also famous for their ruthlessness. They generally have no qualms about stealing, cheating or murdering if it furthers their interests. For this reason it is wise to use extreme caution when dealing with them.

The Dhayuts natural fascination with hyperspace technology has led them to develop the VelocityDrive ST3, an extremely fast and efficient hyperdrive.

The natural habitats of Dhayuts are rocky retreats on Sandy Desert planets, but they may also be found on Continental or Marshy Swamp planets.

Characteristics
Race Family: Insectoid
Default Reproduction Rate: 6%
Quite Intelligent (+6)
Very Aggressive (+19)
Slightly Reckless (-5)
Extremely Unfriendly (-35)
Extremely Unreliable (-30)
Fierce Rivalry: lower war weariness -50%
Special Technology: VelocityDrive ST3 (HyperDrive)


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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Wade1000 »

ORIGINAL: Deto

ORIGINAL: Gargantou

ORIGINAL: Gertjan

I don't mind some human like races. Its probably why I also like Star Trek more than Star Wars. Otherwise it becomes too much Fantasy and not science fiction in my eyes.
There's nothing necessarily fantastical about non-humanoid sentient races.

Not any more so than the concept that we'd encounter another race that has evolved completely independently of us that looks almost exactly like us except with some different skincolors etc.

Exactly. Everything depends on the place they originate from, what kind of world it is, what they 'had to do' to survive and grow and evolve and so on.. heck, some humans look alienish enough as it is and its only variation in the breed :)

Agreed, Gargantou and Deto. Those are smart comments. :)

I know there are back stories explaining, in part, the similiar looking races in Galactic Civilizations 2 but it still seems cheap and boring. Yeah, the Korath are a different race. They are a different faction of the Drengin. That is boring to me too. Actually, all of the races of Galactic Civilizations 2 are rather Humanoid: 2 eyes, 2 arms, 2 legs; even the "insectoid" race.(Actually, most Distant Worlds races also have 2 eyes. I suppose it can be considered a common evolutionary trait.) I suppose it's a variation of the Star Trek theme of alien races. It's a theme I don't like. I'm glad to see other agree.

When I play a space game, especially one with a focus on exploration like Distant Worlds seems to be, I like to encounter truely alien races. The races of Distant Worlds so far seem good for this, except the Securan.
It's an odd approach to make a human look-alike race because if you apply the same approach to each of the other races, which SHOULD be reasonable, it starts to be even more odd. Imagine a look-alike for EACH of the other races. There would be double the races. We might think the developers were being uncreative.

Perhaps the developers just think it will be appealing to more than I think to have at least one Human look-alike race...or a space Elf race. I hope that the Securan are not mocked too much in the future. I hope that the Securan do not affect the popularity of Distant Worlds negatively. Maybe I am over evaluating the Securan. :)
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

An insectoid race with four arms. Gizureans can also fly short distances with their small wings.

They are aggressive and unfriendly, though not very intelligent. Gizureans tend to be highly belligerent. They often make inflammatory claims of their own tribal superiority, viciously mocking and insulting other tribes. This leads to frequent inter-tribal battles.

Gizureans have an intense dislike of other alien races, especially non-insectoid races. This trait makes it very difficult to peacefully assimilate Gizureans into an empire.

They have a very high reproductive rate, and thus their empires can grow and expand very quickly.

Gizureans typically build their cavernous underground homes in rocky areas of Sandy Desert planets, but can sometimes also be found on Volcanic planets.

Characteristics
Race Family: Insectoid
Default Reproduction Rate: 27%
Quite Stupid (-16)
Quite Aggressive (+10)
Quite Cautious (+16)
Extremely Unfriendly (-30)
Very Unreliable (-20)
Master Engineers: ship maintenance -35%
Special Government: Hive Mind


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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

A fierce half mammal, half reptile race. Mortalens have extremely fast reflexes, an ability that can surprise those unfamiliar with them.

They are easily provoked by the slightest insult, and will pursue an enemy relentlessly until they get vengeance.

Mortalens are excellent warriors – a pursuit they spend much time perfecting. Their warrior code is highly developed. Mortalens consider defeating an enemy in battle as the highest possible achievement. They are widely recognized as almost certainly the best fighters in the galaxy.

They have developed a powerful vectoring engine, the Swift Vector 5000. This advanced engine component gives Mortalen star ships unrivalled agility and maneuvering.

Mortalens enjoy a fairly simple life, following many ancient traditions. These traditions mainly focus on honor and risk-taking.

One particular tradition requires any male seeking tribal leadership to hunt and kill one of the fearsome Mortaks. Mortaks are terrifying large monsters that inhabit the vast sandy desert wastelands of the Mortalen homeworlds. The name Mortalen means “Slayer of the Mortak”.

Mortalens are normally found living in simple block dwellings in the scrub-covered canyon floors of Sandy Desert planets. They can also be found on Continental or Marshy Swamp planets.

Characteristics
Race Family: Reptilian
Default Reproduction Rate: 11%
Moderately Intelligent (+5)
Very Aggressive (+27)
Quite Reckless (-8)
Very Unfriendly (-20)
Very Unreliable (-20)
Warrior Class: troop maintenance -25%
Fierce Rivalry: lower war weariness -35%
Special Technology: Swift Vector 5000 (Vectoring Engine)

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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

Towering, fearsome reptiles with intense red eyes. Although they are reptilian, Naxxilians are covered in shaggy fur. They have immensely powerful forearms that equip them well for hand-to-hand combat.

They are highly aggressive, but can be quite loyal allies if befriended. Naxxilians tend to be extremely cautious, though they can be quite friendly once they become familiar with others.

Naxxilians are fanatically devoted to a competitive sport they call Todash. Todash is a game played with two small rocks. The object of the game is to get both rocks into the opposing team’s goal area at the same time. A point is scored when this happens. The first team to reach 10 points wins the game.

In Todash, there are no strict rules about how you can tackle a player carrying one of the rocks, so the game can sometimes become rather brutal. Possession over the two rocks can see-saw back and forth for considerable time, with no clear advantage for either team. Games can sometimes stretch on for many hours, and can even be adjourned to resume the next day.

Many Naxxilians live in small tribal encampments. However they also have highly-developed urban areas, filled with advanced industries such as starship construction.

Naxxilians normally live on the tundra wastelands of Ice Glacial planets, but can sometimes also be found in the polar and mountain areas of Continental planets.

Characteristics
Race Family: Reptilian
Default Reproduction Rate: 18%
Slightly Stupid (-3)
Very Aggressive (+21)
Very Cautious (+25)
Quite Unfriendly (-12)
Quite Dependable (+12)
Warrior Class: troop maintenance -40%

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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

And an updated Quameno...

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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Wade1000 »

Oh my god. Cool! Erik started posting all of these new races as I was writing my previous post. I was wondering when the rest would arrive. I hope that we get them all on this thread before the game is released.
Time to look them over.

The race characteristics on these in game screen shots do not show the poitive and negative number modifiers and the race "family" like shown with the other race portraits.
-Are the modifiers and race "family" viewable in game?

-Does the race "family" affect diplomacy?
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

Yes, you can see the exact modifiers in the Galactopedia.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Wade1000 »

-Does the race "family" affect diplomacy?
-Is the race "family" in the Galactopedia?

-Is there the large portrait artwork available like the other races that have been posted and will you post it?
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Gertjan »

I really dont know which race to choose in my first game, there are so many interesting ones! An expansion with even more races would be great. This really adds value to the game, big time!
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

Some races instinctively dislike other races, which is a pretty steep hill to get over if you want to build positive relations with them. As far as if we could add races in an expansion - absolutely, but don't tell the artist that now! [;)]
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Wade1000 »

ORIGINAL: Gertjan
I really dont know which race to choose in my first game, there are so many interesting ones! An expansion with even more races would be great. This really adds value to the game, big time!
I agree!

-Are all these races playable "main" races or are some of them only non space farers we encounter on planets?
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Erik Rutins »

These are all playable races.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by mbar »

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins
As far as if we could add races in an expansion - absolutely, but don't tell the artist that now! [;)]

Well please tell the artist their work is wonderful. The work adds to the games appeal tremendously.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Wade1000 »

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

These are all playable races.
Thanks! Heh. Yeah now I noticed the screens say, "Your race".

-Are there a comparable number of "minor" non space farer races that we discover on planets? Do they have similiar artwork and statistics? Will you post them at a later time?
ORIGINAL: mbar
Well please tell the artist their work is wonderful. The work adds to the games appeal tremendously.
I agree!
I think it was a very wise choice to get an great artist and then to post the artwork before release. It most likely has expanded the popularity of Distant Worlds. Art is a major part of entertainment and is usually very appreciated.

Are there any individual developers and publishers here that deserve the credit for this wise marketing? :D

Maybe the artist should be named. Maybe you are keeping him/her secret a while.
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RE: Distant Worlds: Introduction of the alien races.

Post by Webbco »

I just counted all the races revealed to us so far by Erik and I see 19. Is there one last race that you are holding back? [;)]
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