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Why do players make "human" custom aliens?

tilartatilarta Member Posts: 1,801 Arc User
I've seen this enough times to be genuinely curious as to the reason why it's done at all.

Whenever I'm in KDF or Romulan Republic only zones, I keep seeing ordinary humans.
I assume these are custom aliens, as there is no human option for these factions.

You have unlimited potential to create your own species as a custom alien and the best thing they can think of is to just make an ordinary average human?
To me, that is just wasted potential, you can do anything and you choose to do nothing at all with the options?

I suspect the reason is that they actually resent the faction they are playing, so are choosing to pretend they are still a human for some reason.
I've met one player who was doing a James Kirk riff on his fake human and tried to get me to play along on my custom alien KDF (who does not resemble a human at all!).
If ingame characters could have given death glares, mine would have! :mad:

And I've also seen "white" Orions enough to know that's another way to simulate humans.

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Post edited by tilarta on
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Comments

  • thecosmic1thecosmic1 Member Posts: 9,365 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Efficient springs to mind. Lots of people like that Efficient Trait. :)

    Plus a lot of people enjoy playing the oddball character. Just as a Romulan Captain is odd in the Federation - I have one of those! - a Human Captain in the KDF or Republic is likewise odd.
    STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
  • tehbubbalootehbubbaloo Member Posts: 2,003 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    i cant create a human in the kdf, for one.
    secondly, it opens a lot of tailor options for me.
    thirdly, there arent any race traits that are really worth having kdf-side.
  • rahmkota19rahmkota19 Member Posts: 1,929 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I guess simply to play as a human, but without restrictions that apply to factions and species. No faction borders, no forced species traits. Stuff like that.

    I for one start with a human for all my aliens, and then change bits and pieces to create a Star Trek Alien: aka human prostetic. Just gives me the correct feeling.

    If you look at my avatar, you might see a human. Its an alien, with small details to distinct himself from humans. Lets see if people find the.
  • maskedmarvel1maskedmarvel1 Member Posts: 119 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    don't aliens have 9 trait slots and all the other races have only 8 ?
  • revandarklighterrevandarklighter Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I actually heavily regret not having build my fed-humans as aliens.

    My reasoning:
    RP.
    My RP background for most of my characters is one of Human mercenaries. Or better a very human like species (essentially augments. But not related to Khan^^).
    This is why my KDF tac looks human, and my romulan tac is nothing but "another version" of the same character, in RP terms its the same character.. And since I consider most of my characters to exist in the same continuity his involvement with the RR is being married to my Romulan Eng which is half Romulan. Both use an identically looking and named ship and each has a BO version of the other.

    Another reason for me is away team lead issue: I have about 20-30 costume slots. And I usually recreate every bo of the same sex as costume, so I can "in rp terms" send down my first officer or tactical officer to lead away teams.
    Pity that I can't build female costumes on my male characters and vis a verse.... ^^
  • norobladnoroblad Member Posts: 2,624 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    don't aliens have 9 trait slots and all the other races have only 8 ?

    Sort of. Yes, but the other races have (or had?) a racial trait. Not sure after this last patch. ? The total was the same, the aliens could choose their custom "racial" bonus is all.

    thecosmic1 wrote: »
    Efficient springs to mind. Lots of people like that Efficient Trait. :)

    Plus a lot of people enjoy playing the oddball character. Just as a Romulan Captain is odd in the Federation - I have one of those! - a Human Captain in the KDF or Republic is likewise odd.


    I don't think aliens that cosmetically look like humans have this trait, or even if they did, all aliens would have it regardless of cosmetic choices.


    Someone said it is unlimited but this is not true; it is extremely limited. It allows only humanoid (2 arms, 2 legs, upright, one head, no tail, ..... no fur, only a few skin patterns, ....) shaped creations and all you can really do is distort that a little (long legs or neck or oblong head or extremely short etc).

    BTW humans are not the only ones you see. Ive seen romulan klingons, among others. Basically, if you want to be a rogue member of a race that has joined another faction, the alien gen lets you do that.
  • thecosmic1thecosmic1 Member Posts: 9,365 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    noroblad wrote: »
    I don't think aliens that cosmetically look like humans have this trait, or even if they did, all aliens would have it regardless of cosmetic choices.
    I have made many Aliens with Efficient over the years. Aliens always come with a blank slate when it comes to Traits. I cannot speak for the Season 9 changes as I have not played any of 9 yet, though.
    STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
  • norobladnoroblad Member Posts: 2,624 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    thecosmic1 wrote: »
    I have made many Aliens with Efficient over the years. Aliens always come with a blank slate when it comes to Traits. I cannot speak for the Season 9 changes as I have not played any of 9 yet, though.

    well, if they have it they have it ( I could not remember what the big list to pick from had) but this is still totally unrelated to how the alien actually looks....
  • ussdelphin2ussdelphin2 Member Posts: 525 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    The aliens are the best pick out of the lot, all the customization options, my main alien is more like a changling, she is vulcan, human, andorian, klingon, cardi, bajoran, romulan, nightelf..... And a few others, she has a stupid amount of costume slots.... I just wish I could use all of my borg parts on my alien...
    How I picture a lot of the forumites :P
  • rmy1081rmy1081 Member Posts: 2,840 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I made an alien human before LoR because, at that time, humans didn't have access to the accuracy trait.
  • pashganpashgan Member Posts: 9 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Aliens look better than "native humans" (more customization options). Plus 1 foot height.
  • jestersagejestersage Member Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Also, those white girls? They are possibly orion. Reasoning is that Orion girls are the only one that can wear bikinis everywhere.
  • coolheadalcoolheadal Member Posts: 1,253 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I guess aliens come in all different sizes where some players have micro size aliens running around at the battlezone quick! Sure earlier today I seen plain clothed human with nothing special on him like he was going to do some farm work.
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  • anothervisitoranothervisitor Member Posts: 414 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    thecosmic1 wrote: »
    I have made many Aliens with Efficient over the years. Aliens always come with a blank slate when it comes to Traits. I cannot speak for the Season 9 changes as I have not played any of 9 yet, though.

    This is the main reason why people choose Alien really. Most freedom in everything. I guess some people find it funny to have a 'human' running around the KDF, where 'real' humans are restricted to go.
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  • captainkeatzcaptainkeatz Member Posts: 92 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I even make human-looking alien toons as a Fed, because of more slider range.
  • chiyoumikuchiyoumiku Member Posts: 1,028 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Same reason I cloned my klingon player on tribble, Extra trait slot :D Okay that's a dirty move I know, but my main alien toon is straight up alien. Love that 9th Trait Slot.
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  • coldicephoenixcoldicephoenix Member Posts: 344 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    jestersage wrote: »
    Also, those white girls? They are possibly orion. Reasoning is that Orion girls are the only one that can wear bikinis everywhere.


    Eh I got so tired of those Orion beach babes at Qonos I went ahead and rolled a shirtless Orion hunk who is TRIBBLE :P

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  • tekehdtekehd Member Posts: 2,032 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    thecosmic1 wrote: »
    I have made many Aliens with Efficient over the years. Aliens always come with a blank slate when it comes to Traits. I cannot speak for the Season 9 changes as I have not played any of 9 yet, though.

    I do know from my KDF Orion female toon, that while the seductive trait does not show in the list since the S9 change, the ability still works from the tray. So it seems like specific specific traits are still there, just that they are no longer selectable and do not count against your trait selection.
  • futurepastnowfuturepastnow Member Posts: 3,660 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    What's it to you?
  • edgecrysgeredgecrysger Member Posts: 2,740 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    tilarta wrote: »
    I've seen this enough times to be genuinely curious as to the reason why it's done at all.

    Whenever I'm in KDF or Romulan Republic only zones, I keep seeing ordinary humans.
    I assume these are custom aliens, as there is no human option for these factions.

    You have unlimited potential to create your own species as a custom alien and the best thing they can think of is to just make an ordinary average human?
    To me, that is just wasted potential, you can do anything and you choose to do nothing at all with the options?

    I suspect the reason is that they actually resent the faction they are playing, so are choosing to pretend they are still a human for some reason.
    I've met one player who was doing a James Kirk riff on his fake human and tried to get me to play along on my custom alien KDF (who does not resemble a human at all!).
    If ingame characters could have given death glares, mine would have! :mad:

    And I've also seen "white" Orions enough to know that's another way to simulate humans.

    Romulan aliens or alien species can be very hard to distinguish from just humans. You can see an alien that the ony thing it has are ribbs on the head and a slithghy pattern. If you dont look really closer you will always think it is a human. But its not.

    Some people just want some light aliens with some interesting patterns and some physical details, thats all. The rest of the body will be 100% human. The "alien" species is made for that purpose, to have a human look with finer details. Thats the reason people creates alien toons. That and for all the trait possibilities. And of course, for the costumes.. since starfleet costumes are TRIBBLE, most of em.
  • hecarriesmehecarriesme Member Posts: 9 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    tilarta wrote: »
    I've seen this enough times to be genuinely curious as to the reason why it's done at all.

    Whenever I'm in KDF or Romulan Republic only zones, I keep seeing ordinary humans.
    I assume these are custom aliens, as there is no human option for these factions.

    You have unlimited potential to create your own species as a custom alien and the best thing they can think of is to just make an ordinary average human?
    To me, that is just wasted potential, you can do anything and you choose to do nothing at all with the options?

    I suspect the reason is that they actually resent the faction they are playing, so are choosing to pretend they are still a human for some reason.
    I've met one player who was doing a James Kirk riff on his fake human and tried to get me to play along on my custom alien KDF (who does not resemble a human at all!).
    If ingame characters could have given death glares, mine would have! :mad:

    And I've also seen "white" Orions enough to know that's another way to simulate humans.

    I am curious as to why It isn't possible for a human to rebel and switch factions. Why couldn't a human decide they wished to join the Klingon faction is that all that impossible or you just don't want to see it?
  • centersolacecentersolace Member Posts: 11,178 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Aliens have the most customization options and the largest trait pool. The alien sliders can also be tweaked more than the normal sliders, so you can get specific looks you can't get regularly.

    You can do quite a bit by altering just the body sliders. It's possible to create pumps, platform shoes, and you have access to long nails and more hairstyles.
  • commanderkassycommanderkassy Member Posts: 1,005 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    thecosmic1 wrote: »
    Efficient springs to mind. Lots of people like that Efficient Trait. :)

    Plus a lot of people enjoy playing the oddball character. Just as a Romulan Captain is odd in the Federation - I have one of those! - a Human Captain in the KDF or Republic is likewise odd.

    Indeed.. I have both an Andorian and a Vulcan in the KDF :D
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  • anothervisitoranothervisitor Member Posts: 414 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I am curious as to why It isn't possible for a human to rebel and switch factions. Why couldn't a human decide they wished to join the Klingon faction is that all that impossible or you just don't want to see it?

    Why would any human even want to? Their kitchen is terrible. :P
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    For the glory of Tempus!
    I am the hands of Shar!
    Flames of Kossuth, protect me!
    Oghma, grant me knowledge!
    Lolth commands, and I obey!
  • sunfranckssunfrancks Member Posts: 3,925 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    Because they want to?
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  • lan451lan451 Member Posts: 3,386 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I have a human looking alien simply because I can change his species anytime I want. Since we don't have an official means of changing species, I improvise with the alien tailor. One of my Fed aliens used to be a Cardassian, but then I got bored of that and changed him into a human. If I ever get bored of him as a human, I can just change him into something else. I don't care too much about traits and whatnot. It's all appearance for me.
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  • sekritagentsekritagent Member Posts: 510 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I got a "Human" (well a mutant) in the KDF.

    I'm also rocking an Alien "Joined Trill" in the Romulan Republic (Starfleet-aligned of course).
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  • sirokksirokk Member Posts: 990 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    The aliens are the best pick out of the lot, all the customization options, my main alien is more like a changling, she is vulcan, human, andorian, klingon, cardi, bajoran, romulan, nightelf..... And a few others, she has a stupid amount of costume slots.... I just wish I could use all of my borg parts on my alien...

    ...and maaaaaybe... UNDINE! :eek:
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  • rmxiiirmxiii Member Posts: 221 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    I once had a Federation "Romulan" Alien before Legacy of Romulus. He got deleted when Legacy of Romulus was announced.
    I did try a KDF "TOS Klingon" Alien, but I could never get him to look right so ended up being a no go for me.
    If i ever made another Alien character I would probably go and say that they are a Changeling and have very different looks for each costume.
  • vhiranikosvhiranikos Member Posts: 208 Arc User
    edited May 2014
    KDF - Because I want to be a traitor to the federation, obviously. If 'human' was a choice (even via zen) I'd have done that instead. I really hate that Klingons are all over in the Federation but there are no humans in the KDF... certainly the idea of honor in battle and personally dispensed justice strikes a chord in some humans... hell obviously it does, since we're all humans playing KDF in the first friggin place.


    As to Rom Repub, well STO roms are basically humans with pointy ears already so I don't bother.
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