I think the bigger problem with playable Aenar is that Aenar are blind, so the full playable Aenar experience would involve staring at a black screen with the only the UI and sound effects to tell you what is going on.
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think the bigger problem with playable Aenar is that Aenar are blind, so the full playable Aenar experience would involve staring at a black screen with the only the UI and sound effects to tell you what is going on.
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think a better comparison would be that albinos (regardless of species) tend to have worse eye sight then it is norm for that species, it doesn't mean all are near blind but there's a tendency towards eye sight issues. Aenar even seem to be just albino andorians with a tendency towards telepathic abilities.
I think the bigger problem with playable Aenar is that Aenar are blind, so the full playable Aenar experience would involve staring at a black screen with the only the UI and sound effects to tell you what is going on.
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think a better comparison would be that albinos (regardless of species) tend to have worse eye sight then it is norm for that species, it doesn't mean all are near blind but there's a tendency towards eye sight issues. Aenar even seem to be just albino andorians with a tendency towards telepathic abilities.
Oh dear, not a disability power but a differently abled power, don't you know.
'But to be logical is not to be right', and 'nothing' on God's earth could ever 'make it' right!'
Judge Dan Haywood
'As l speak now, the words are forming in my head.
l don't know.
l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
I think the bigger problem with playable Aenar is that Aenar are blind, so the full playable Aenar experience would involve staring at a black screen with the only the UI and sound effects to tell you what is going on.
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think a better comparison would be that albinos (regardless of species) tend to have worse eye sight then it is norm for that species, it doesn't mean all are near blind but there's a tendency towards eye sight issues. Aenar even seem to be just albino andorians with a tendency towards telepathic abilities.
Possibly, though most Aenar tend to be rather weak telepaths if at all, from the little we saw in ENT.
Also doesn't that link refer to superpowers that come directly from the disability (like Daredevils sonar sight) rather just disabled people who happen to have super powers.
I think the bigger problem with playable Aenar is that Aenar are blind, so the full playable Aenar experience would involve staring at a black screen with the only the UI and sound effects to tell you what is going on.
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think a better comparison would be that albinos (regardless of species) tend to have worse eye sight then it is norm for that species, it doesn't mean all are near blind but there's a tendency towards eye sight issues. Aenar even seem to be just albino andorians with a tendency towards telepathic abilities.
Possibly, though most Aenar tend to be rather weak telepaths if at all, from the little we saw in ENT.
Also doesn't that link refer to superpowers that come directly from the disability (like Daredevils sonar sight) rather just disabled people who happen to have super powers.
It refers to people who's disabilities are countered by their superpowers.
It refers to people who's disabilities are countered by their superpowers.
You mean people whose different abilities are countered by different abilities?
On topic, as much as I think that the minor factions or fractions could do with more variety, especially the Roms (Suliban have been requested for as long as I play this game),
Are you asking that they be a cross-faction race while you're at it, or yet another thing that leaves the Romulans, KDF, and JH out in the cold?
(my emphasis) this would make no sense, since the Jem'Hadar faction is, well, a Jem'Hadar faction (and not a dominion faction as some have said). Which has to do with the origin being applicable to JH only and making no sense for any Vorta, Joined Trill, or Aenar.
Restricting entire races based on the personal history of one character is pretty arbitrary.
But then all of STO's "faction" restrictions are.
Arbitrary yes, but the principle is not without its merits. While there were quite a few individuals in canon "crossing the line" to another faction, it would feel strange to have gazillions of Vulcans roaming First City, or similar, which could easily happen depending on which characters seem desirable.
If you should ask the question about dozens of Voth and Breen and Dominion ships circling Earth, well ... yeah, that is already bad enough.
What doesn't make sense is treating aliens as blatant racial stereotypes.
Sense storywise? Not really, completely agreed. However, from the point of view of a writer, be it books, movies, or video games, it is a question of efficiency. We see a unnamed Klingon starship captain, we can assume certain character traits. If it were a society of individuals, as humanity is and would be expected from different species as well, we wouldn't know what to expect. That's why (almost) all of fantasy or science fiction uses the "Planet of Hats" idea, with sometimes the efforts of an individual focused on by the story make everybody change their hats, which makes even less sense in real life.
Now, there's an abundance of literature, movies, games which only has humans in it and still works, so it could certainly be done differently. But then the other point kicks in: what would be the reason to include a different species in the first place, if it didn't have a hat and was to be just like mankind, with gazillions of individuals covering every character trait imaginable? In the end it probably a question of hitting the right spot: a tendency towards certain attitudes because of history, genetics, whatever, but a broader range of differences within a species than is usually seen.
Some media even seem aware of the problem and make humanity renowned throughout the galaxy for the differences that can appear inbetween individuals. I think Mass Effect as an example tries to make that point. But then it gets even sillier, when you think it through - if Krogans are "hattier" then humans, what about the Krogan poet? Other examples are off as well. But you still haven't solved the underlying issue but just handwaved it.
But I think for practical purposes it is best to accept hats as they come, however unrealistic, so we can get to the story faster. Especially in Star Trek which, despite some tries to counter it, is hatty as hell in canon, so it makes a lot of sense to have it in STO.
My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
Restricting entire races based on the personal history of one character is pretty arbitrary.
But then all of STO's "faction" restrictions are.
Arbitrary yes, but the principle is not without its merits. While there were quite a few individuals in canon "crossing the line" to another faction, it would feel strange to have gazillions of Vulcans roaming First City, or similar, which could easily happen depending on which characters seem desirable.
It feels strange NOT to have a bazillion vulcans and whatnot roaming First City, considering we've been allied since 2014.
That said, vulcans should not be allowed for KDF origin, since it doesn't seem possible for a vulcan to have served as the second officer on a BoP in the tutorial where the story starts from, during a time tthe Federation and Empire are at war. That question is the only one logical one that should be asked deciding "faction" restrictions for charcters. Could the character have been there for the origin story?
If you should ask the question about dozens of Voth and Breen and Dominion ships circling Earth, well ... yeah, that is already bad enough.
What doesn't make sense is treating aliens as blatant racial stereotypes.
Sense storywise? Not really, completely agreed. However, from the point of view of a writer, be it books, movies, or video games, it is a question of efficiency. We see a unnamed Klingon starship captain, we can assume certain character traits. If it were a society of individuals, as humanity is and would be expected from different species as well, we wouldn't know what to expect. That's why (almost) all of fantasy or science fiction uses the "Planet of Hats" idea, with sometimes the efforts of an individual focused on by the story make everybody change their hats, which makes even less sense in real life.
Now, there's an abundance of literature, movies, games which only has humans in it and still works, so it could certainly be done differently. But then the other point kicks in: what would be the reason to include a different species in the first place, if it didn't have a hat and was to be just like mankind, with gazillions of individuals covering every character trait imaginable? In the end it probably a question of hitting the right spot: a tendency towards certain attitudes because of history, genetics, whatever, but a broader range of differences within a species than is usually seen.
Some media even seem aware of the problem and make humanity renowned throughout the galaxy for the differences that can appear inbetween individuals. I think Mass Effect as an example tries to make that point. But then it gets even sillier, when you think it through - if Krogans are "hattier" then humans, what about the Krogan poet? Other examples are off as well. But you still haven't solved the underlying issue but just handwaved it.
But I think for practical purposes it is best to accept hats as they come, however unrealistic, so we can get to the story faster. Especially in Star Trek which, despite some tries to counter it, is hatty as hell in canon, so it makes a lot of sense to have it in STO.
Do you see how incredibly racist that sounds? Hint: try to substitute any real demographic for the magic space aliens and then say we should accept stereotyping to get to the story faster. Nevermind we're not even talking about story in this thread, but player options.
BTW, the krogan you mention calls out a human character for assuming all krogan are the same. This is not "silly." Bioware is using "Planet of Hats" in a realistic way, by having people use and believe in stereotypes (as people tend to do) but not actually making them true. In other words, krogan are not actually "hattier" than humans, but some characters think they are.
Restricting entire races based on the personal history of one character is pretty arbitrary.
But then all of STO's "faction" restrictions are.
Arbitrary yes, but the principle is not without its merits. While there were quite a few individuals in canon "crossing the line" to another faction, it would feel strange to have gazillions of Vulcans roaming First City, or similar, which could easily happen depending on which characters seem desirable.
It feels strange NOT to have a bazillion vulcans and whatnot roaming First City, considering we've been allied since 2014.
That said, vulcans should not be allowed for KDF origin, since it doesn't seem possible for a vulcan to have served as the second officer on a BoP in the tutorial where the story starts from, during a time tthe Federation and Empire are at war. That question is the only one logical one that should be asked deciding "faction" restrictions for charcters. Could the character have been there for the origin story?
It would make sense for cross-faction HW access to be allowed after a certain point in the story.
It refers to people who's disabilities are countered by their superpowers.
You mean people whose different abilities are countered by different abilities?
On topic, as much as I think that the minor factions or fractions could do with more variety, especially the Roms (Suliban have been requested for as long as I play this game),
Interestingly, there are signs that the devs were considering making Acamarians and Suliban playable races for the Romulan Republic faction, but changed their minds for much the same reason as the Jem'Hadar story.
You can make one with a custom alien. The skin color is tough, because the base texture is colored simply setting it to white doesn't work, but G12 is reasonably close.
What I think they are doing is adding in discovery content for the discovery faction while also adding in maybe the klingon content. Knowing them they are most likely not adding a Klingon Discovery faction. They could maybe add In both Aenar and Andorians but I do not think they will do the Aenar they would maybe have to convince Cbs. If they were able to do so then they would just need to add the code to both. If they did decide to do a Klingon starting point which they should and have it involve the I.S.S Discovery. They could add in the Klingon Uniforms from Discovery for them and the outfits. They should then make the starting races for them. Klingon, Trill and Orion's. I think one of them wants to but they didn't have the time. I can see why they have so much to work on and have so little devs to do it with. Which is why Age of Discovery is being released into three or four parts. I noted they updated the Klingons adding in different regular human faces, and they added them to the character creation point of the game. Maybe making room for future Klingon Customization options. Which I'm hoping the update for the races and the adding in of some of the discovery races as well as customization options from discovery like the eye and facial implant seen on Keyla Detmer will make it in in January with a couple of new missions. But we don't know what to expect till they release more Info hopefully around Christmas Time but more then likely we won't see any information on it till next year.
Hypothetical mechanically, how would you go about limiting/opening access at points in the story?
I mean, I can think of 'a' way to do it,b ut it would require some serious investments and possibly server changes to do it, since it would be effectively 'level locking' some of the core social areas of the game in a manner similar to Ker'rat's leveled instances.
…
…
…
or something like that?
No, that's massively over-complicating it... I was thinking more like how it works in the Romulan extended tutorial where you're stuck with using the Flotilla until you finish the mission to scout Dewa III.
But for this the unlock would probably come from Surface Tension.
No, that's massively over-complicating it... I was thinking more like how it works in the Romulan extended tutorial where you're stuck with using the Flotilla until you finish the mission to scout Dewa III.
But for this the unlock would probably come from Surface Tension.
That would leave us with the issue of Klingons roaming ESD in plain sight for low level characters who are at war with them.
Yes I do see that and noticed it while writing. However, while I do think that the idea of "keeping politics out of entertainment" is silly in and of itself, since every inclusion as well as exclusion of topics is inherently political (we had that discussion with the two klingon girls during House of Pegh - saying "I don't want them to be included, keep politics out of this" is inherently also political, thus making the argument somewhat invalid), I do not think that every issue needs to be addressed in every aspect, because the main point is to make a story work.
And one thing that can be different in fantasy/scifi settings is having significantly differing abilities between different people which even with intra-species variance will still hold up strongly, and saying Ents are stronger than Hobbits wouldn't be racist but a correct observation. This is one thing these genres can do that realistic human stories can't: explore what would be and happen if different species really have different strengths and weaknesses. But yeah, all this can be construed as over the top with always mining dwarves and always swearing Tellarites and always-heroes-due-to-their-inherent-variability humans.
As for the Krogan: yes, he calls this out. But apart from the Tuchanka scientist, who is somewhat un-Krogan, he is the only one not wearing the Krogan hat. Granted, ME handles other species better (especially the Geth in 2 and 3, but Turians and Quarians also work, Asari not so much) but as much as I liked both Wrex and Grunt (and the tank-bred Krogan you meed on Grunts recruitment mission as a throwaway) they do enforce the stereotypes all the way. Eve makes it change a little, but it still holds up for males, and in Andromeda even the females tend to fall more under the hat than before. So nope, in general Krogans are portrayed wearing hats, and one fig leaf doesn't really change the dress code.
My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
Yes I do see that and noticed it while writing. However, while I do think that the idea of "keeping politics out of entertainment" is silly in and of itself, since every inclusion as well as exclusion of topics is inherently political (we had that discussion with the two klingon girls during House of Pegh - saying "I don't want them to be included, keep politics out of this" is inherently also political, thus making the argument somewhat invalid), I do not think that every issue needs to be addressed in every aspect, because the main point is to make a story work.
And one thing that can be different in fantasy/scifi settings is having significantly differing abilities between different people which even with intra-species variance will still hold up strongly, and saying Ents are stronger than Hobbits wouldn't be racist but a correct observation. This is one thing these genres can do that realistic human stories can't: explore what would be and happen if different species really have different strengths and weaknesses. But yeah, all this can be construed as over the top with always mining dwarves and always swearing Tellarites and always-heroes-due-to-their-inherent-variability humans.
Aliens being different, or more different than real human groups, is not a problem. What is a problem is the suggestion that people who are not like us are not individuals with free will, their own thoughts and opinions and capable of making their own choices.
That's something that shouldn't be promoted, regardless of what factors real or fictional are used to decide what counts as "like us."
As for the Krogan: yes, he calls this out. But apart from the Tuchanka scientist, who is somewhat un-Krogan, he is the only one not wearing the Krogan hat. Granted, ME handles other species better (especially the Geth in 2 and 3, but Turians and Quarians also work, Asari not so much) but as much as I liked both Wrex and Grunt (and the tank-bred Krogan you meed on Grunts recruitment mission as a throwaway) they do enforce the stereotypes all the way. Eve makes it change a little, but it still holds up for males, and in Andromeda even the females tend to fall more under the hat than before. So nope, in general Krogans are portrayed wearing hats, and one fig leaf doesn't really change the dress code.
Yes, most of the krogan we meet in the game try to shoot us. But then most of all species we meet in the game try to shoot us, it's a shooter game. We meet and interact with characters involved in fighting in some way.
This is much the way the "hats" in most science fiction work. Not necessarily that <insert race here> are all evil, violent barbarians, but that the barbarians are the ones we see because the plot is driven by conflict. Especially for the "bad" races who get mostly non-speaking roles as "nameless evil mook #371."
EDIT: To bring this back on topic, my point is that just because the group of aenar we saw in Enterprise were isolationist doesn't mean that all aenar ever are compelled to be the same. And that even if they were, it would be because they chose to follow their ancestors' teachings, not because they were unable to choose at all. Thus any claim that it doesn't "make sense" one of them could choose to join Starfleet and thus become a player character, is baseless.
Well heres the thing, some say races can stick to their archtypes. But well Andorians are one of the major founders of the Federation of Planets, its Ideals are far more Aenar as it isn't a warrior culture. Aenar had to agree in order for it to come to be. If you take the two and make them subraces, Then Aenar and Andorians are both founding Members of the Federation. The thing about telepathy is you can feel a lot of things ohter people might be feeling including death, the warrioristic way of Andorian Culture might have very well have been painful for them. So they hid, and shielded themselves from it. But because of the Federation they would most likely be able to thrive away from this warrioristic society. Shran had a child with the Aenar woman who treated him. I do hope they will do something more with both Andorians and Aenar in Discovery. Maybe have a Aenar Crew Member. Or two or three. Personally I think they should have been playable from the beginning along with the Andorians in the Federation Faction, You see a lot of four founding member races at the Academy that includes Aenar which would make it five founding races but basically Aenar are Andorians too like some people have mentioned. They should have been among the races in the tos faction because they too are a founding member.
> @ruinthefun said:
> patrickngo wrote: »
>
> Did they explain WHY a group of telepaths might want to be away from the non-telepaths though?
>
>
>
> Does there NEED to be an explanation? Why would a group of anyone want to be away from the nons? Because they're NON! Computer people don't really want to hang around non-computer people, etc. Because they're non. They don't speak your language and just make funny noises at you and don't understand anything you're saying.
That aside it was explained. Mainline Andorian society is a Militaristic Warrior culture, the Aenar are pacifists.
consider WHY Aenar might be pacifist. Imagine what violence feels like when you're ONLY getting input from your own perspective, now imagine it when you're not just feeling what YOU feel, but what everyone AROUND you is experiencing. Imagine experiencing the death you just caused, even in a muted form, or the pain, or the anger?
Non-telepaths don't shield their thoughts. Imagine what that must be like for a receptive telepath.
Got to consider the Betizoids as well and their culture, telepathy is the main reason why they don't war against one another. Aenar might be more powerful telepaths then them. In the Mirror Universe I think the Aenar might be an oppressive race enslaving the Andorians and because of this might even be the reason why so many of them are in the Terran Fleet. Maybe they do it out of fear of non telepathic species but I can imagine this is how it is in the mirror universe. But in the Main they are pacifist because they telepathic and strongly more telepathic compared to a Betiziod. It could be an evolution of the extreme environments they were living in.
I don't think telepathy is inherently pacifistic in nature. Larry Niven did a good job with very brutal, savage, and warlike telepaths in his Thrintun.
As for the Aenar/Andorians: there are cultural differences and there are phenotype differences. About the same a you'd get in a Japanese and an African human. Are they really two species? Or are Aenar just pale, sometimes telepathic, and sometimes blind Andorians? The fact that they can interbred speaks strongly for the idea that they are, like humans, one race.
If this is true, then Aenar are already in the character creator, under Andorian. Just as Japanese and African are in the character creator under Human.
As far as I know, the Andorians don't get the unique eyes of the Aenar and can't match their particular skin colour. You also don't get the special abilities innate to the Aenar (which the Bridge Officers all have).
Meaning you're not an Aenar, just a very pale Andorian or a hybrid (like Shrans daughter).
Or Maybe the Aenar share a bit more with the Andorians than they like to let on. Maybe they’re just as militaristic as their cousins. Maybe telepathy makes it easier. To harm with a thought. To kill with a thought. Maybe that’s why there’s so few Aenar. Maybe that’s why they are in hiding. Not to protect themselves from us...but to protect us from them.
Your pain runs deep.
Let us explore it... together. Each man hides a secret pain. It must be exposed and reckoned with. It must be dragged from the darkness and forced into the light. Share your pain. Share your pain with me... and gain strength from the sharing.
Comments
Not all Aenar are blind, but it's a tendency, in the same way all white dogs are not deaf, but it's a tendency. But even the blind ones get some kind of visual sense from their antennae, as was described by Shran's GF when she is caught checking him out as he sleeps. I think of it as a radar in the electro-magnetic bands, but that's my headcanon. Sharks and rays have exactly this kind of sense, though it is very short range in the case of the terrestrial animals. It was never described scientifically in Entreprise.
I think a better comparison would be that albinos (regardless of species) tend to have worse eye sight then it is norm for that species, it doesn't mean all are near blind but there's a tendency towards eye sight issues. Aenar even seem to be just albino andorians with a tendency towards telepathic abilities.
l don't know.
l really don't know what l'm about to say, except l have a feeling about it.
That l must repeat the words that come without my knowledge.'
Also doesn't that link refer to superpowers that come directly from the disability (like Daredevils sonar sight) rather just disabled people who happen to have super powers.
You mean people whose different abilities are countered by different abilities?
On topic, as much as I think that the minor factions or fractions could do with more variety, especially the Roms (Suliban have been requested for as long as I play this game),
(my emphasis) this would make no sense, since the Jem'Hadar faction is, well, a Jem'Hadar faction (and not a dominion faction as some have said). Which has to do with the origin being applicable to JH only and making no sense for any Vorta, Joined Trill, or Aenar.
Arbitrary yes, but the principle is not without its merits. While there were quite a few individuals in canon "crossing the line" to another faction, it would feel strange to have gazillions of Vulcans roaming First City, or similar, which could easily happen depending on which characters seem desirable.
If you should ask the question about dozens of Voth and Breen and Dominion ships circling Earth, well ... yeah, that is already bad enough.
Sense storywise? Not really, completely agreed. However, from the point of view of a writer, be it books, movies, or video games, it is a question of efficiency. We see a unnamed Klingon starship captain, we can assume certain character traits. If it were a society of individuals, as humanity is and would be expected from different species as well, we wouldn't know what to expect. That's why (almost) all of fantasy or science fiction uses the "Planet of Hats" idea, with sometimes the efforts of an individual focused on by the story make everybody change their hats, which makes even less sense in real life.
Now, there's an abundance of literature, movies, games which only has humans in it and still works, so it could certainly be done differently. But then the other point kicks in: what would be the reason to include a different species in the first place, if it didn't have a hat and was to be just like mankind, with gazillions of individuals covering every character trait imaginable? In the end it probably a question of hitting the right spot: a tendency towards certain attitudes because of history, genetics, whatever, but a broader range of differences within a species than is usually seen.
Some media even seem aware of the problem and make humanity renowned throughout the galaxy for the differences that can appear inbetween individuals. I think Mass Effect as an example tries to make that point. But then it gets even sillier, when you think it through - if Krogans are "hattier" then humans, what about the Krogan poet? Other examples are off as well. But you still haven't solved the underlying issue but just handwaved it.
But I think for practical purposes it is best to accept hats as they come, however unrealistic, so we can get to the story faster. Especially in Star Trek which, despite some tries to counter it, is hatty as hell in canon, so it makes a lot of sense to have it in STO.
That said, vulcans should not be allowed for KDF origin, since it doesn't seem possible for a vulcan to have served as the second officer on a BoP in the tutorial where the story starts from, during a time tthe Federation and Empire are at war. That question is the only one logical one that should be asked deciding "faction" restrictions for charcters. Could the character have been there for the origin story?
Not bad at all for me.
Do you see how incredibly racist that sounds? Hint: try to substitute any real demographic for the magic space aliens and then say we should accept stereotyping to get to the story faster. Nevermind we're not even talking about story in this thread, but player options.
BTW, the krogan you mention calls out a human character for assuming all krogan are the same. This is not "silly." Bioware is using "Planet of Hats" in a realistic way, by having people use and believe in stereotypes (as people tend to do) but not actually making them true. In other words, krogan are not actually "hattier" than humans, but some characters think they are.
My character Tsin'xing
But for this the unlock would probably come from Surface Tension.
My character Tsin'xing
That would leave us with the issue of Klingons roaming ESD in plain sight for low level characters who are at war with them.
Yes I do see that and noticed it while writing. However, while I do think that the idea of "keeping politics out of entertainment" is silly in and of itself, since every inclusion as well as exclusion of topics is inherently political (we had that discussion with the two klingon girls during House of Pegh - saying "I don't want them to be included, keep politics out of this" is inherently also political, thus making the argument somewhat invalid), I do not think that every issue needs to be addressed in every aspect, because the main point is to make a story work.
And one thing that can be different in fantasy/scifi settings is having significantly differing abilities between different people which even with intra-species variance will still hold up strongly, and saying Ents are stronger than Hobbits wouldn't be racist but a correct observation. This is one thing these genres can do that realistic human stories can't: explore what would be and happen if different species really have different strengths and weaknesses. But yeah, all this can be construed as over the top with always mining dwarves and always swearing Tellarites and always-heroes-due-to-their-inherent-variability humans.
As for the Krogan: yes, he calls this out. But apart from the Tuchanka scientist, who is somewhat un-Krogan, he is the only one not wearing the Krogan hat. Granted, ME handles other species better (especially the Geth in 2 and 3, but Turians and Quarians also work, Asari not so much) but as much as I liked both Wrex and Grunt (and the tank-bred Krogan you meed on Grunts recruitment mission as a throwaway) they do enforce the stereotypes all the way. Eve makes it change a little, but it still holds up for males, and in Andromeda even the females tend to fall more under the hat than before. So nope, in general Krogans are portrayed wearing hats, and one fig leaf doesn't really change the dress code.
That's something that shouldn't be promoted, regardless of what factors real or fictional are used to decide what counts as "like us."
Yes, most of the krogan we meet in the game try to shoot us. But then most of all species we meet in the game try to shoot us, it's a shooter game. We meet and interact with characters involved in fighting in some way.
This is much the way the "hats" in most science fiction work. Not necessarily that <insert race here> are all evil, violent barbarians, but that the barbarians are the ones we see because the plot is driven by conflict. Especially for the "bad" races who get mostly non-speaking roles as "nameless evil mook #371."
EDIT: To bring this back on topic, my point is that just because the group of aenar we saw in Enterprise were isolationist doesn't mean that all aenar ever are compelled to be the same. And that even if they were, it would be because they chose to follow their ancestors' teachings, not because they were unable to choose at all. Thus any claim that it doesn't "make sense" one of them could choose to join Starfleet and thus become a player character, is baseless.
Got to consider the Betizoids as well and their culture, telepathy is the main reason why they don't war against one another. Aenar might be more powerful telepaths then them. In the Mirror Universe I think the Aenar might be an oppressive race enslaving the Andorians and because of this might even be the reason why so many of them are in the Terran Fleet. Maybe they do it out of fear of non telepathic species but I can imagine this is how it is in the mirror universe. But in the Main they are pacifist because they telepathic and strongly more telepathic compared to a Betiziod. It could be an evolution of the extreme environments they were living in.
As for the Aenar/Andorians: there are cultural differences and there are phenotype differences. About the same a you'd get in a Japanese and an African human. Are they really two species? Or are Aenar just pale, sometimes telepathic, and sometimes blind Andorians? The fact that they can interbred speaks strongly for the idea that they are, like humans, one race.
If this is true, then Aenar are already in the character creator, under Andorian. Just as Japanese and African are in the character creator under Human.
Meaning you're not an Aenar, just a very pale Andorian or a hybrid (like Shrans daughter).
Maybe the Aenar share a bit more with the Andorians than they like to let on. Maybe they’re just as militaristic as their cousins. Maybe telepathy makes it easier. To harm with a thought. To kill with a thought. Maybe that’s why there’s so few Aenar. Maybe that’s why they are in hiding. Not to protect themselves from us...but to protect us from them.
Let us explore it... together. Each man hides a secret pain. It must be exposed and reckoned with. It must be dragged from the darkness and forced into the light. Share your pain. Share your pain with me... and gain strength from the sharing.