Races

"MoO3 has a story to tell, and the races in the game are important actors on the stage. There is more than just the usual random campaign game in the box."

1. Species and Races
2. Custom Races
3. A Graphical Overview
4. Monsters

1.
Master of Orion 3 will be released with 8 species. Each species will consist of 1-3 races (scroll down for a graphical overview). For example, the Sakkra, Raas and Grendarl are races of the Saurian species. Each of these races is being fully fleshed out. In every way: Unique ships; Unique Ground installments and units; Unique Characters!
Some old races of MoO1 and MoO2 like the Mrrshans (grr) and Elerians have been removed, because QS decided to concentrate on those that were truly unique and which they felt were going to be exciting to play.

2.
You'll be able to vary a lot of aspects of races, but not absolutely everything. When you see a race, you will have a frame of reference about it. As currently designed, it won't be a completely blank slate/scratch built entity that could represent anything, but an evolution (or mutation) from a certain beginning point. This one is likely to prefer a certain type of habitat, that one tends to be better at diplomacy, that sort of thing.

3.
Humanoid

Humans	Psilon	Evon

Etherean

Imsaeis	Eoladi

Geodic

Silicoids

Cybernetik

Meklar	Cynoid

Ichthytosian

Trilarian	Nommo

Harvesters

Ithkul

Insectoid

Klackons	Tachidi

Saurian

Sakkra	Raas	Grendarl

Height Comparison of the races

4.
Of course there are non-player life forms that you simply have to deal with in one way or another. They aren't part of (or interested in) the "galactic politics", for whatever reason, but in the natural course of their life they might hinder (or even accidentally help) your progress. They're not just the "shoot 'em and make 'em go away" thingie of MOO2.