[Erax]

To create good aliens, you might want to read stories by writers who make good alien races. I suggest Larry Niven, Hal Clement and James White. There's also an excellent book called 'The Alien Way', but I don't remember the author.

These are all oldies from my father's SF collection, but they're probably still in print.

Edit : The system maps in SEIV are not astronomically accurate. I suggest you make up your own units to describe them - Sectors, Standard Units, whatever works for you.

I see the quadrant map more as a representation of the warp paths between the systems, not as an indication of their physical location in space (although there is the issue of distance for warp point openers and such).

I personally try to avoid using 'north-south-east-west' for directions in space, these terms are meant to be used on a planet's surface.

[ June 19, 2003, 14:25: Message edited by: Chief Engineer Erax ]