Using black as a color scheme for the Shadows was ingenius.
Without hard looking their ships wont be noticed on the galaxy map.
I for one was playing and suddenly out of the blue a planet near my colony turns into a Shadow world and I went:"WTF!" till I notice per accident that there were more Shadow colony ships nearby.
This is gonna turn out fun in the later stages.
@Veers:
You might want to turn the intelligence ratings on random.
In my current game the Centauri and the Shadows are awfully ahead in tech and military might of me, the Narn and the Minbari with the Narn gaining strength after allying with me.
The vorlons I haven't even met yet. Now, if THAT doesn't sound B5ish...