Captain Xenon Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Key point, is we dont know what is 'normal' for habitable worlds yet. gravity? atmosphere? dominant lifeforms on average? What if humans are the biggest species, physicaly? there was a movie where this happened, and when the alien cop landed on earth he was like 12" tall at most. Humans are bipedal primates who work in groups, are omnivores, and use tools. we have a septic bite, and we can train ourselves to break stone with our bare hands. we know kung fu! now, how common are primates? or mammels? in 'never play chess with a dragon', most races are dinosaurs, or bugs, or even plants- mamals are rare and looked upon as vermin. Think how life evolves. we have an oxygen atmosphere, because some plant came along and polluted the atmosphere with a chemical toxic to everything else. So we have an edge over amonium atmosphere evolution- we can seed algea to kill their ecosystem. Then you get the cambrin explosion. every last possible option is explored at once, and the best adaptation becomes the new planetary standard. Theres a bunch of factors involved, but if you get an exotic enviroment, then you may end up over-specialized. Then life evolves and competes... do you have land outside your ocean you can move onto? hard to get fire underwater. once on land, whats the best form? dinosaurs were the best form on earth, until a chance meteroite killed em off planetwide and let the vermin breed and evolve higher than rats. We wont see big one-celled creatures because of how cells grow (surface area vs volume). we wont see many big 'bugs' because of how their exoskeletons breathe. we wont see many smart plants. but we have no data whatsoever on non-organic life (silicon base?). looking at what can evolve... based on what we know, it seems more likely that the top of the line will be a dinosaur-derived group. and we all know that giant apes always beat mutant lizards. our victory is assured what about social systems? the winner has to be evolved to work as a group. tribal or herd behavior. lone predators dont need starships. i like the psionic ideas. what if we are the most radiation-resistant? able to expose ourselves carelessly to 'lethal' energy feilds with little care or concern? x-rays, magnetic feilds, and so on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattingly Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We didn't spend all of our points on a Racial Package, so we can become whatever we want. Or we're made out of meat, so the other races keep us around for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraterMaker Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" I like the idea that the Human Race's advantage (over other galactic civilizations) is the ability to empathise.. This would give some advantage in trade, peace, and war. Perhaps other races are inept at understanding the motives of their fellow aliens, which breeds misunderstanding, confusion, and conflict, and encurages isolation... -CraterMaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlestaff Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" I would say our adaptability and our ability to work together as a group. In an episode of Babylon 5 that G'Kar talks about what makes humans unique. He siad that if any other race had built a station like Babyon 5, it would have only be open to that race. But the humans, when they built such a station, opened it to everyone. The sense of community allowed them to use the best of these other species to help themselves and others. Humans are incredibly adaptable to their environment. Most other species in sci-fi settings come from mono-climate plantes, so they are specially adapted to one type of environment. Humans are able to live anywhere. That's why we can grab the bad planets, and use those to support bases on the good planets where people want to live. Plus, we breed like rabbits compared to several other sci-fi races, and there are always humans around willing to take up available space. We are a curious little race, with some people always wanting to see what's over the next hill. They seek out the new places, then move on. These explorers are followed by the settlers, those trying to find someplace new, where they can be "free." Plus, unlike many other sci-fi races, we can find ways to make a buck off of anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We steal their women. We are Kirk of the Earth All your Babes are belong to us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We steal their women. We are Kirk of the Earth All your Babes are belong to us! This is true. If Scifi has taught us anything, it's that all alien races want to have sex with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted June 6, 2007 Report Share Posted June 6, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" This is true. If Scifi has taught us anything' date=' it's that all alien races want to have sex with us.[/quote'] Fortunately, alien women are all green sexpots or hotties with bumpy foreheads. Unfortunately, alien men seem to be masses of tentacles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alverant Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Another question would be, why would aliens have special abilities except for higher tech? I read this thread from the start and I couldn't think of any reason aliens wouldn't be as adaptable, reproducing, tolerant, social, etc as any human society. I can't "realistically" see why aliens would have super-strength, hyper IQ, psychic powers, and so on. Why should they have abilities and not us? The problem we have is that we haven't seen an alien civilization to compare ourselves to. Nature is a give and take force. Cheetahs are the fastest land animal on the planet, but they're so exhausted after making a kill they can't fight for their meal if something else comes by to claim it. Owls have great eye sight, but their eyeballs take up so much room in their skulls they're rock stupid. Nature hates specialization. If you give an alien race one ability standard, they should have a common weakness. For example if they have better eyesight, give them worse hearing. If they have a diverse and rich culture, they become snobs and disdainful of all other species. A military culture would have less empathy for outsiders. Some other minor ideas for ways aliens can be inferior: * Reproductive restrictions. The species has been isolated within their own groups for so long their races are genetically incompatible by either a strict caste system or physical isolation for most of their evolution. (In humans, an Inuit man and a woman from Bombay can have a child.) * Weaker spacial awareness * Unable to taste/smell certain things (cats can't taste sweet) * Dietary restrictions * Severe sexual dimorphism * Lack of biodiversity on their homeworld * Inability to dream * Poor diplomats * UGLY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We steal their women. We are Kirk of the Earth All your Babes are belong to us! Seem to remember K'Ehleyr, Luxana, and Deanna discussing this once, and raising their glasses in a toast to the Men of Earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted June 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Another question would be' date=' why would aliens have special abilities except for higher tech? [/quote'] Because it's a superhero universe... While it is true that the Champions universe ended up depowering its aliens except for a few that went into seclusion, I assume that's because of the decision to put the science fiction games in the future of the superhero universe. But there's a reason why I posted this in the Champions area instead of the Star Hero. On Ben 10 all aliens appear to have powers because that's what his gimmick is dependant on. In DC while not all "aliens" have powers, an awful lot of them do, maybe more than don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Seem to remember K'Ehleyr' date=' Luxana, and Deanna discussing this once, and raising their glasses in a toast to the Men of Earth.[/quote'] That scene wasn't influenced by fantasizing writer geeks, was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battlestaff Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We steal their women. But sometimes they steal our women. Remember, Mars Need Women!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" We write all the fiction? Been done - "So Bright the Vision" by Simak I loved that book. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Fortunately' date=' alien women are all green sexpots or hotties with bumpy foreheads. Unfortunately, alien men seem to be masses of tentacles.[/quote'] Which explains why starships are overwhelmingly crewed by males. Well, except for the Japanese ones... cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Unfortunately' date=' alien men seem to be masses of tentacles.[/quote'] You say that as if it were A Bad Thing. Why do you hate tentacle porn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Mackinder Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" The one thing that humans can do that others can't is, sadly, warfare. No other species so regularly fights in large groups against itself. In a galactic game like that, humans are generals. I really don't buy into the grossly overused assertion that any race sufficiently advanced to acheive interstellar travel MUST be peaceful. I really don't. For all we know, when compared to other starfaring sentients, the entire Human race may seem like long-haired, tree-hugging, folk-singing, peacenik hippies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" I really don't buy into the grossly overused assertion that any race sufficiently advanced to acheive interstellar travel MUST be peaceful. I really don't. For all we know' date=' when compared to other starfaring sentients, the entire Human race may seem like long-haired, tree-hugging, folk-singing, peacenik hippies.[/quote'] "Look at these people! They call their planet "Dirt" and then, get this, when they fight, they don't target non-combatants!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapsedgamer Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" i always imagined the federation recruited most of its security officers from frontier planets which unlike earth still have selection due to fitness which would explain Tasha Yar, if you can survive planet of the rape gangs your not going to hesitate about firing phasers. not like some prissy vineyard owners archaeologist wannabe son with an artificial heart. Repped for making me laugh out loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitewings Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" I really don't buy into the grossly overused assertion that any race sufficiently advanced to acheive interstellar travel MUST be peaceful. I think it unlikely that a race capable of building large interstellar fleets would be at war with itself, considering the effort and resources required to do so. This does not, however, mean that they'll be peaceful per se, just not busy fighting each other. For a (very) rough analogy, Britain couldn't have built its imperial fleet if the island were a collection of warring tribes, but the Imperial British were certainly not gentle, peaceful, and accepting of other cultures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" I think it unlikely that a race capable of building large interstellar fleets would be at war with itself' date=' considering the effort and resources required to do so. This does not, however, mean that they'll be peaceful per se, just not busy fighting each other. For a (very) rough analogy, Britain couldn't have built its imperial fleet if the island were a collection of warring tribes, but the Imperial British were certainly not gentle, peaceful, and accepting of other cultures.[/quote'] I think that would depend on the nature of the race and how many were at war, the degree of conflict, the resources of their home world. If the race has expanded and has several competing natons, tribes groups that are also expending across space they could verily easily be in conflict with themselves as well. One of the drives to expand could actually be to find new resouces for the "war effort". The resouces of a planet or a solar system would stretch further than the resouces of just Britain. Having fleets of interstellar craft wouldn't mandate the race is living in peaceful harmony with itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nexus Posted June 7, 2007 Report Share Posted June 7, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" The one thing that humans can do that others can't is, sadly, warfare. No other species so regularly fights in large groups against itself. In a galactic game like that, humans are generals. Sort of like "A call to Arms"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapsedgamer Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Humans are the toughest bastards in the known universe, the ultimate survivors. Call it luck, adaptability, ingenuity or pure cusssedness, but we outlast them all. When in doubt go back to the classics. Man is what he is, a wild animal with the will to survive, and (so far) the ability, against all competition. Unless one accepts that, anything one says about morals, war, politics--you name it--is nonsense. Correct morals arise from knowing what man is--not what do-gooders and well-meaning old Aunt Nellies would like him to be. --Robert A. Heinlein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" Humans are the toughest bastards in the known universe, the ultimate survivors. Call it luck, adaptability, ingenuity or pure cusssedness, but we outlast them all. When in doubt go back to the classics. Man is what he is, a wild animal with the will to survive, and (so far) the ability, against all competition. Unless one accepts that, anything one says about morals, war, politics--you name it--is nonsense. Correct morals arise from knowing what man is--not what do-gooders and well-meaning old Aunt Nellies would like him to be. --Robert A. Heinlein But Heinlein was retarded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapsedgamer Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" But Heinlein was retarded. Yeah, but in a good way. To be fair, I just love that quote. I probably shouldn't have tried to shoehorn it in here, but I couldn't resist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 8, 2007 Report Share Posted June 8, 2007 Re: Humans are "Special" So he and I are alike.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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