[Baron Munchausen]

Actually, I prefer that technology not be allocated as a rigid racial 'trait' that no one else can possibly understand. It's completely illogical and unrealistic. If research can be designed differently for SE V we could have different areas of research needing different kinds of research points, sort of like components need various amounts of the three basic resources. Then races/species could have different aptitudes for different kinds of research just as they do for different types of resource production. If you are an 'Organic Technology' race your aptititude in Organic Manipulation research could be ten times better than a race which is not of that type. BUT... it would still be possible for a non-specialized race to research the technology. Which is only reasonable.

Now, considering the question more literally, I do have some ideas for more interesting 'racial traits' in SE V, and some changes for the existing traits...

Emotionless should include immunity to Ship Insurrection and Puppet Political Parties if it doesn't already. How do you 'incite' an emotionless people to rebellion?

Mechanoids should be immune to special Psychic weapons -- Mental Flailer and Allegiance Converter. If they are machines, how does a "psychic" attack affect them?

Hardy Industrialists should be able to build ships at any planet without a special space yard. The slight increase in production speed is a joke for 1000 points.

New Traits:

*'Non-respiratory' : This is a race that does not need to breathe, like Silicoids in MOO, and so treats all atmospheres the same -- even None! They would thrive the same in allatmospheres. Other planet conditions (like gravity or radiation) could still affect them, though. Should probably be as expensive as "Emotionless" since it's another sort of immunity.

* "Xenophobe" : Races that are "Xenophobes" would have very limited diplomacy options due to extreme hatred/fear of anyone not like themselves, but would get some racial points back to use elsewhere. (Sergetti for example)

* 'Anarchist' racial trait -- ability to do without "Seat of Government" (assuming this is implemented in SE V!) and not suffer the usual penalties. (XiChung? Norak because of religious trait?)

* 'Fragile' : A race that is so physically delicate that it cannot engage in ground combat at all. Not able to use troops, and no militia appear to defend planets when invaded. If enemy can land troops on the planet, invasion is automatically successful. Returns lots of racial points to be used on something else. (The Amon Krie are good candidates for this. How do worms operate battlemechs?)

* 'Resistant to Infiltration' - Several types of races are considered to be 'naturally' resistant to infiltration. A single specific trait should be created for this. Then, a psychic race or a 'hive-mind' race that should be hard to use any sort of intel projects against can choose it and have better 'thematic' consistency.

Or perhaps this could be implemented as a feature of some other racial traits, like 'Hive Mind' and/or 'Psychic'.

[ January 20, 2003, 03:37: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]