Continuing the space theme, here's some old alien race ideas that I've been dusting off and expanding upon as a writing exercise. This was original intended for an imaginary computer game, but it pleases me to dump it here, in yo face. Note that these names are just placeholders for 'cool' names: (*runs back to doing DaftNES stuff*)
Spider Crabs: cybernetic arthropoid omnivores
Strengths: survivability, shipbuilding, close combat, espionage
Weaknesses: science, diplomacy
Desired habitat: arid, subterranean, medium pressure
Special pop type: Cocoon
The main body is compact, roughly the size of a large cat, and protected by tough exoskeleton. A large brain makes up most of the interior. Their are eight motive limbs, and four small dextrous arms arranged around the mouthparts. The size of the limbs varies between clan lines, some can have very long spider-like legs, some can have shorter legs that end with additional grasping appendages. Their senses are generally poor, often dependent on artificial aids. Similarly, chewing and digestive organs have atrophied to the point that most individuals are now dependent on pre-processed nutrient fluids.
Spider Crabs have been dependent on electronics and machinery for hundreds of thousands of years. Almost all of them have neural implants which can connect their consciousness to various digital networks; many of them never leave this state, and leave their small physical bodies cocooned inside life-support pods for centuries. Necessary functions in the 'real' world can be assigned to automatic routines, or experienced as a kind of separate channel within the cybernet. In any case, they are adept at controlling technology with thought, and can make use of powerful cybernetic exo-suits as naturally as other races use their physical bodies. They are just as easily able to sequestrate enemy technology. These qualities give the Spider Crabs many advantages when it comes to space travel and warfare. Yet, although they have a long history with machinery, they are slow to grasp new ideas - which is precisely why they have remained on their homeworld for so long with little thought for outer space. They will struggle to understand the psyche of other races.
Crest Heads: humanoid omnivores
Strengths: social, diplomacy, science, population
Weaknesses: espionage, industry
Desired habitat: terran coastal/swamp, warm, medium pressure
Special pop type: Mystics
The Crest Heads are roughly humanoid in shape and physiology. They have an amphibious lineage, with smooth sensitive skin, and large flipper-like feet, although the latter have changed role to become a sign of health and status. The adults are about as tall as a human, only because of a large bony scimitar-like crest which protrudes up to two feet from the top of their heads, topped with muscular auxiliary nostrils. The crest contains resonating chambers that can produce very loud sounds, though it also contains a more human-like system of vocal chords in its lower section; the mouth itself is of limited use for speech. The skin on the front of the crest contains chromatophores which can change colour to express emotion. The mouth also protrudes forwards, similar to a duck's beak, giving the whole head a crescent shape in profile. Combined hearing, breathing and smelling orifices are located behind the protruding and retractable eyes, which are fairly large and uniformly black. The arms are somewhat weak, but the hands have superior dexterity and sensitivity to humans.
The Crest Heads are blessed with a painless and efficient means of reproduction; babies are born well-developed and through a specialised abdominal opening. Overpopulation has been an issue for thousands of years. But the species is not territorial in nature and major wars have been rare. The Crest Heads are naturals at diplomacy, and have traditionally turned to science to relieve pressure on resources. They are rather lazy by nature, and not suited to hard manual labour. This has been another spur to the development of technology, making Crest Heads enthusiastic users of gadgets. They are genetically incapable of taking things too seriously, which makes them well suited to pondering the deeper mysteries of the universe. Their lax attitudes can leave them exposed to the machinations of their enemies. But when it comes to the defence of their homeworld, they are surprisingly patriotic and will use tactics and technology to counter physical weaknesses.
Space Monkeys: tri-symmetrical arboreal omnivores
Strengths: social, ecology, close combat, building
Weaknesses: industry, science
Desired habitat: terran jungle/forest/mountainous, warm, high pressure
Special pop type: Druid
A small teardop-shaped head emerges from the centre of three large muscular arms, placed equidistantly around the central axis. Behind the arms, there is a bulbous segment containing all vital organs including the primary brain, arranged in an orderly fashion; two-thirds of the radius is devoted to paired organs, while the final lobe holds singular organs and the main digestive tract. From here the body tapers off into a long and muscular tail. Total body length can exceed 5 metres, but 3 metres is the average for adults. Some organs are protected by skeletal cradles, but otherwise there is no true bone structure; cartilage joints and extremely strong tendon-like fibres are to found instead.
An extendable serrated proboscis emerges from the tip of the small head. Vocal communication is achieved via internal 'rattle' chambers; body language also remains prominent. Space Monkeys lack the ability to chew, but can inject digestive fluids into or onto their food, whether it be plantlife or small animals. A few individuals are born with functioning venom glands, but the ability has long since been lost from the larger population in favour of energetic hunting and passive gathering. The head has three large eyes arranged symmetrically at its widest point, but is also covered with many small sensory pits; some detect infra-red, some detect sound, while others are sensitive to electromagnetism. Auxiliary sense-pits are located between the shoulder joints, and in sparse clusters along all three lines of symmetry.
Space Monkeys are unique in having many different ways of locomotion; the three main limbs are well-engineered, extremely flexible, and also long enough to allow a Space Monkey to hand-walk, either tail-up or head-up. The tail is also strong enough to support the main body in an upright posture, while slithering snake-like in any direction. But the most favoured form of locomotion is climbing, at which Space Monkeys are extremely adept. Even with the advent of civilization, they are reluctant to spend too much time on level ground; their artificial dwellings are tall hollow cylinders lined with interior ledge-rooms, connected by precarious arrangements of ropes and holdfasts. Instead of sitting, they will often hang by their tail, leaving all three hands free to manipulate objects. This flexibility makes them dangerous combat opponents, whether in zero-g hulls or in cluttered planetary environments.
With a keen sense of 3D motion, this race may have made supreme pilots and space-dwellers; unfortunately their deep sensitivity to electromagnetism - an evolutionary reaction to the severe atmospheric hazards of their homeworld - makes them uncomfortable around all kinds of high-energy devices. Their pursuit of science and space flight has been relatively slack as a result. Development of industry has also been hindered by their genetic urge to protect all food sources in their territory; plants and animals of their homeworld also play a prominent symbolic role in all aspects of their culture. The actual worship of nature-in-abstract is a more recent and intellectual development, and one that has achieved a surprising level of social tranquillity. Despite all this they are prolific builders, and take pride in weaving essential structures and transport links into the natural landscape with minimal fuss. They are keen to study the climates and atmospheres of other worlds, and may well be pioneers of terraforming techniques.
