> Humans are a species of bipedal predators with an omnivorous diet. They are known for being unusually resilient for a mammalian species, their inefficient bigendered system of reproduction, their relative talent with primitive projectile weapons, and their propensity to recreationally imbibe toxins. By galactic standards, they are a very young species and from a cultural standpoint, are unusually disunited and militant, having fought a devastating civil war two centuries before first contact. Their disparate feuding nation-states exist in the galactic backwater, and they have little sway in interspecies politics, though their mercenaries have found a niche as dirt cheap and disposable yet versatile and somewhat competent soldiers.
Let's make a semi-hard sci-fi setting
Levi Diaz
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Gavin Wilson
>their inefficient bigendered system of reproduction
Bitch, please. K-selection is a great reproductive strategy.
Juan Nguyen
The dominance of monocultures elsewhere in the galaxy leads to interactions with humans being incredibly frustrating. You make a deal with humans, think they are going to honor it, and only find out later that you only made a deal with a very, very small number of humans and no one else will recognize it.
This lead to a couple of minor windfalls for certain human factions (known as 'nations') which received alien technologies in return for things they never had any intention of providing, but ultimately these technologies are only enough to secure and advantage over other, weaker human nations. The flip side of this is that humans now find meaningful trade with alien cultures difficult to secure, because they have been stereotyped as being bad customers that do not negotiate in good faith.
> tldr: humans have shitty fucking credit and everyone knows it
Brayden Nelson
On Earth. The clay people that reproduce by budding can't imagine needing someone else to populate, and the frog people can't imagine having fewer than 30 siblings.
We still don't know how the Carsi reproduce. They have explained it. Many, many times. We even have what is supposed to be a video documentation of the process. They start off with 3 Carsi, and they end up with 7, but we can't figure out HOW.
Isaac Bailey
>Individual Human propensity to conceal weapons and to use them in rhetorical acts of violence have lead them to be greatly mistrusted when seen on some commercial centers and for them to be outright banned from others. Humans can only be found in sizable numbers on stations with either very high or very low security.
Julian Evans
>and their propensity to recreationally imbibe toxins
You forgot the part where they breathe rocket fuel.
Matthew Lee
If the aliens lack basic enough understanding of chemistry to know state and composition alter a chemical's properties then it's a wonder they developed interstellar travel.
Jonathan Green
> The image attached is of an amphibious Carsi newborn crawling out of a spawning pool, within two month's time it will be have developed quadrupedal locomotion, be capable of basic speech, and participating in the reproductive process.
Almost every species has an alcohol equivalent and traditional spices, but humanity is the only one that regular injects, snorts, and consumes organ-rotting chemicals in large numbers. Other species find humans borderline retarded, and can't fathom why anyone would risk permanent death for the sake of a temporary high.
Levi Walker
An odd cult is found among some human settlements, an "approaching End-times" religion which worships atomic bombs. These cultists believe that dying in a nuclear blast sends you straight to what they call "the great cookout in the sky", and should be considered extremely dangerous.
Tyler Reyes
>*regularly
It looks like I'm borderline retarded.
Justin Butler
Humans have a competitor in the merc business, a species called Hyradians. Hyradians have dark brown eyes, shaggy gold hair, light blue skin, and a long narrow mouth like an ant-eater. The natural path of their evolution has disallowed them feeling empathy or mercy, and they are usually totally silent. This total silence is because their language is so high-pitched that most races simply can't hear it, though they use devices to communicate with some races, so it is known that they do talk and do have a language. Hyradian fighting is characterized by extreme brutality, as their military regularly uses chemical weapons regularly, butchers civilian populations regularly, and uses flame weaponry (such as flamethrowers white phosphor etc).
Hyradians use clones at times, frequently using the square, Napoleonic wall, entrenchment, and the firing line, particularly when large numbers of clones are involved.
Jack Bailey
"Galactic" civilization implies a thousand/million-years old civilization. Don't underestimate the size of our galaxy. 100,000 light-years across.
Angel Jones
Presumably, if you're in a position where you can operate a functioning, efficient empire at a galactic scale then you're probably far beyond the point of caring about distance.
Zachary Moore
You realize alcohol is bad for your body too right? Moron.
Liam Ramirez
>they use all these mass killing weapons
>they also use napoleonic tactics for no reason
You are an idiot
Jason Allen
Why not go a step further and colonize other galaxies too? If you can travel from edge to edge of the galaxy within a lifetime, travelling to another galaxy wouldnt be a much bigger challenge.
>2.5 million light years to Andromeda.
So what? You can always travel the Milky Way (100,000 light years) in less than a year, or so you claim.
Adam Reed
My point was these beings have probably found a way around the distance problem which isn't just advanced GoFast tech. Don't get snippy with me just because you know how much space is in space.
Alexander Campbell
Human tech and technology philosophy can be based around simple three tier system. New tier is achieved, when colony is self sustained with only limited dependency on imported good/raw materials.
>Basic Tech
Commonly found on newly colonized worlds. Colony is utilizing crude mineral extraction tech, planet stationed solar power arrays, low output geothermal energy plants, hydroelectric plants and wind turbines for renewable energy. "Kitchen" nuclear fission reactors and hydrocarbon exothermic power plants if feasible and having reliable access to fuel. Producing only basic machinery, electronics, fuels and goods for colony.
>Advanced Tech
Found on "mature" (at least one new viable generation of colonists born on world reached productive age) colonies. Energy produced by high output geothermal plants, wave generator (is sea with sufficient hydrodynamics is present) or orbital solar arrays transferring wireless energy beams on planet. Nuclear fusion reactors have limited application. Colony produce advanced goods not only for self sustaining, but also for commercial exports. Material extraction from planet with advanced high energy systems. Transfer from chemical reaction based portable technology to purely electromagnetic systems. Tera-forming technology feasible and accessible. Surface-to-orbit transport economically accessible and colony is able to support extraplanet structures and outpost on other celestial bodies in system.
>Supreme Tech
Found only on "Core" worlds (Human home system and adjacent systems). Energy producing based on efficient use of systems star, backup systems using super-deep geothermal plants, fusion reactors and orbital solar arrays. Limited transition from electromagnetic systems to gravitational based systems. Wide usage of nanotechnology, micromachines and advanced biotechnology.
Angel Carter
>Galactic empire
>Hard Sci-fi
Thomas Fisher
Great contribution!
Owen Campbell
Who the fuck brought up the existence of a single galactic empire? I see nothing to suggest it but your post.
Ethan Wilson
>He doesn't use Matrioshka Brains to predict where there will be a rebellion.
Andrew Flores
Can we just make the Expanse? Because that QT marine gets me semi-hard.
Colton Nelson
The OP includes "By galactic standards, they are a very young species and from a cultural standpoint", which implies the existence of a greater galactic civilization.
Thank you
Samuel Walker
Blake Reed
>hard sci-fi
>pseudo realpolitik game of thrones in space except without decent character development or any original ideas
Justin Gomez
>>their inefficient bigendered system of reproduction
saaaaage