RTJ
Designing your race
To define your race I need to know its name, the numerical values of the six categories described below, a definition of your home planet, the overall strategy you think you will pursue, and a ranking of which category you want your special ability to come from. You are welcome to add any details you like - physical descriptions, psychological profiles, cultural traits/patterns/attitudes, historical development, governmental patterns or structures, and so on. In fact I would encourage it and will incorporate it as much as I can.
The categories assigned numerical values are: Aggressiveness, Initiative, Adaptability, Reproduction, Creativity, and Patriotism. Aggressiveness and Initiative are rated on a 1(low) to 10(high) scale. You may set your race at any level you choose. Remember however that there are both positive and negative aspects to these two values.
The remaining four values (Adaptability, Reproduction, Creativity, and Patriotism) must total 16, in other words you have 16 points to assign to those four categories. You do not have to assign points to every category, you may leave some at 0 (but you cannot assign a negative value to a category). You may assign all 16 points to one category if you wish, or you can divide them as you choose. You may also ‘trade in’ 2 points for an increased technological base. Note that unlike Aggressiveness and Initiative there are no negative aspects to these four categories. The higher the value the greater your advantage in that area. Brief descriptions of the six categories are listed below.
Your home planet is a terrestrial planet defined by its gravity and climate. Gravity can be Low, Medium, or High. Climate can be Cool, Temperate, or Warm. Climate must also be either ‘+’ or ‘-‘. This is not a value judgment but simply an indication of two different sets of climate conditions.
The overall strategies for Space that I have seen fall into three broad types. The first involves intensive development of a small core area with little or no exploration outside the core area (‘don’t go looking for trouble’). The second also features intensive development of the core area but also features wide exploration outside the core (‘find them before they find us’). The third features wide exploration and development of as many worlds as possible (the hive or horde: ‘we’re everywhere – can’t kill us all’).
The special ability of each race can come from one of four groups. Economic abilities improve production; Ship abilities add improved capabilities to your spaceships; Military abilities increase the combat prowess of your ships and troops; and Industrial abilities give advantages in building units. List in order of preference, 1st through 4th choice.
AGGRESSIVENESS: This is a measure of the competitive drive and willingness to use force or
the threat of force possessed by individuals of your race. High Aggressiveness helps in
combat and increases militarization, reduces industrialization, and increases unrest
potentials.
INITIATIVE: This is a measure of the degree of individual initiative and the willingness to
make independent decisions possessed by individuals or your race. High Initiative helps
in combat and in interacting with other races but slows development, and increases unrest
potentials.
ADAPTABILITY: This is the range of planetary climates that are habitable by your race.
REPRODUCTION: This is the rate at which your population grows.
CREATIVITY: This covers the ability of your race to do original research and development.
PATRIOTISM: This is the loyalty/unity and the industriousness of your race.
Here are the numbers from Space2 (with 8 players):
Aggressiveness averaged 5 with a range from 3 to 8.
Initiative averaged 7 with a range from 2 to 10.
Adaptability averaged 3 with a range from 0 to 6.
Reproduction averaged 3 with a range from 0 to 4.
Creativity averaged 5 with a range from 1 to 12.
Patriotism averaged 5 with a range from 3 to 7.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 21:06, Sat 12 Mar 2022.
