Races?!

[Mor (OP)]

There is a new check box on the Game Creation and Game windows that allows you to specify that all new races discovered during the normal exploration process will be non-TN. Whether they are NPRs or not will depend on the existing 'Generate Races as NPRs' check box.

I don't understand, what other option for non-TN race can be except for NPRs?  I know it suppose to be self explanatory, but I keep stumbling over the definitions\functions. To my understanding, we have Player Races, Non-Player Races, and Aliens:
* Player Races - Either Humans, or whatever you conjured in SM. All controlled by the player.
* Non-Player Races - Just like Player Races only  controlled by the AI.
* Aliens - Ai controlled opponents with interesting quirks.

Also for all purposes an Empire and Race is the same thing. And all empires\races can have several subspecies.

Is there any other variants to the above, and where the non-TN, non-NPR falls 

[83athom]

No. It just means any generated during system exploration will be player/sm controlled.

[Mor (OP)]

Make sense, like I said it should be obvious.. although it didn't occur to me that someone would want to spawn sm controlled races, when you can already do that with SM.

Ok what about natural or maybe civilian Races I seen mentioned somewhere?


Also wouldn't it make more sense if "generate non-TN races only" option will follow the "Generate new races as NPRs" While "realistic commanders promotion" will be followed by "use commander political bonus". Seems like a more logical grouping.

[sloanjh]

Make sense, like I said it should be obvious.. although it didn't occur to me that someone would want to spawn sm controlled races, when you can already do that with SM.

All of the spawned (non-spoiler) races were player-controlled before Steve put in the AI code (which was probably about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way in to the lifespan of Aurora).  This was also the kase (of course) in Starfire (Assistant) - there's no AI.

Both approaches have pros and cons.  The big advantage for AI is the element of surprise - you don't know the enemy deployment, strength, or weapons loadouts.  The big disadvantage is that the AI is often foolish and predictable (although it keeps getting better).  For player-controlled, the advantage is that you can have the aliens apply clever tactics, while the downside is that you need to be a good role-player to avoid having your knowledge of one side affect your choices for the other.

I recall seeing some people say that they never play with AI controlled aliens, because the AI aliens lead to designs and tactics that are optimized to take advantage of the AI's weaknesses.

John

[Mor (OP)]

I think that we can all agree that having more options is good, it allows for more freedom and creativity as we can see in the fiction section (btw amazing stuff). Although, I can't imagine myself playing any long tem gand stategy game with ampant non-NPRs. I'd rather create few unique to exploit specific situation.   

Anyway speaking of options, any ideas on how the civilian\natural Races work, i recall seeing something about it but I can't find it in the game create race options.