Dangerous Gasses

[lastofthelight (OP)]

So, I'm a new player trying to create a new race and I'm having some troubles.  I've realized that the game seems to be trying to steer you towards as humanlike an atmosphere as possible (though why I can't imagine - in a game this complex that seems like it'd be easy to fix).  I'm trying to make as nonhuman an atmosphere as possible.  I've discovered it HAS to have oxygen, but I can't figure out what counts as a 'dangerous gas', and can't find any helpfiles or anything on the wiki that points towards any clarification.  Do you know what counts as a dangerous gas?

[Hawkeye]

Well, you can create a race of methane breathers. This simply makes methane the required gas and makes oxygen a dangerous gas.

Non-dangerous gases (all as far as I know):
Nitrogen, Carbon-dioxide, all noble gases (argon, helium, neon and so on) and save greenhouse/anti-greenhouse gas

I do believe, all other gases are dangerous

[lastofthelight (OP)]

How do I change what gas they breathe, then? I don't see any option to switch from oxygen to methane. 

Edit: Ah, I see, you just select a methane planet and it does it for you.  Thanks!

[sloanjh]

How do I change what gas they breathe, then? I don't see any option to switch from oxygen to methane. 

Edit: Ah, I see, you just select a methane planet and it does it for you.  Thanks!

Correct.  You first select a new race's homeworld, then generate the new race.  The new race's environmental requirements (including gravity) will be such that that homeworld is considered perfect.  That being said, you can only have oxygen or methane breathers.

John

[Brian Neumann]

To see which gasses are dangerous on a planet open up the system display screen (F9) and click on a planet that has an atmosphere and has been surveyed.  If you look at the box bottom center labeled atmosphere notes it will list all gasses that are dangerous, and thier minimum colonization cost.  The colony cost can be higher than this indicates if the temprature makes it worse than the gasses in the atmosphere.

Which gass Oxygen or Methane is listed as dangerous depends on which race you have selected in the upper right hand corner.

Brian

[UnLimiTeD]

Maybe Aurora II will offer more options there.