I think something that would really add to gameplay would be a deadly race with immense power and huge amounts of space under control. Comparable to the borg from star trek, the empire from star wars, the daleks from dr.who and the list goes on. This race would not be evil per se, perhaps just solely concerned with its own survival and not interested in the survival of other races. The purpose of such a race would be for extra fun and to provide something even very skilled players will find very challenging to fight. Perhaps a very mysterious race which players can come together and try to understand as a group. Of course, the sole purpose of the game would not be defeating this species like many people may expect, the oppurtunity would simply be there. I understand most species will be randomly generated and that the purpose of space stage is diplomacy with aliens and exploration and such, but I think it would add some fun to the game for players who may over time grow bored of that. Where do we stand on this?

If Thrive will play like how it is being predicted to play, races will evolve on their own, which will make it so enemies will eventually pop up.

I understand this, but I mean, one preset antagonist race won't hurt and that whole randomly generated races, it's great and all but a lot of people including myself don't want to spend the rest of gameplay on that save just with alien diplomacy, exploration, and all that jazz. Imho, it would get boring, not fast, but it certainly would eventually.

Right, but, and I hate to use this example, but if you look at Spore there at 5 or 6 alien races in your galaxy arm who are are bigger than you that can even start off hostile, and then there are the Grox.

A good solution would be to have it so space faring civilizations can become space faring before, after, and during you rise to power. If you look at the Mass Effect series, a lot of the races are mentioned to begin colonizing worlds while humans are still in the dark ages. The same should happen with Thrive, and if there is going to be any time of alignment system, will make it so hostile races who are just aggressive to everyone will occur.

As for a preset, I disagree. I love when a game changes each time you play it. So why should the dominant race in your sector be forced to be a war mongering species? Why not make it so that the big bad is an economic superpower who forces less powerful races into slavery, or a benevolent races who's empire spread so far across that the only way to expand is through trade or war?

I'm not saying I don't like that kind of game, I'm saying I wouldn't want to spend the rest of gameplay essentially doing the same thing. Space stage will be fun, but I think I would enjoy one final challenge before I decide to start with ascension. Again, I never said it would be the ultimate goal of the game, I only said the option would be there. Some kind of race that's existed, like you said, longer than the players race, but this one might be the oldest in the galaxy. I just don't think it would hurt to add one.

Although I think thats an interesting idea, I have to agree with PTFace. One of the beauties of this game is how each time your rivals evolve differently, and I don't think that this pattern should be broken with the inclusion of any presets. Based off of the auto-evo system, there will be several races that are well ahead of you once you reach the space stage. Of these races, at least one is bound to have been aggressive enough or powerful enough to forge themselves an empire before you reach space. ultimately, what im trying to say is that the auto-evo system itself is already able to produce such races (although its not guaranteed for each game).

Also, the idea of a preset super race reminds me of the Grox, which in turn reminds me of Spore, which in turn brings back bad memories.

well, as long as incredibly challenging races like what I described appear, I suppose it's fine.

I'm sure that you'll find more than enough species that you can war with, which many would be equal in strength to your species or even stronger. To help you from becoming bored of the space stage.

Cool Idea, but i'm definitely with PT on this. Not necessary.

An idea that may satisfy.

Maybe space fairing societies every once and awhile have advanced AIs that go rouge. These AIs are so advanced that they develop a god complex of sorts and decide to ditch your pathetic meat bags and create their own empire. While small at first they would produce infrastructure and units much faster, and would have to be subdued before growing larger than the biological races. Essentially the future world from Terminator.