I remember the original intent of minor races as being races you could exploit to help you attain a level of economy, technical achievement, and power to compete with the major races (the AI also was able to exploit them). The minor races were limited to how far they could expand (only within their initial sector) and travel. I guess too many people thought the minor races were too limited, so theiy became more like major races. I see a "minor races" tab on the foreign diplomacy screen, but have yet to see any. Since we now have 9 major races, could the minor races be a thing of the past? (Perhaps the "minor races" tab is just an artifact of GC1 yet to be eliminated from the game?).

remember the original intent of minor races as being races you could exploit to help you attain a level of economy, technical achievement, and power to compete with the major races (the AI also was able to exploit them). The minor races were limited to how far they could expand (only within their initial sector) and travel. I guess too many people thought the minor races were too limited, so theiy became more like major races.

Maybe the restriction should be brought back (if minor races are going to be in) but set to say their start sector and those immediately adjacent to it. That way they can expand a little and become moderately established without breaking into the major league.

In gc1 minor races could almost everyhing a major race could, but they were harder to talk to. A minor in a good start position would sometimes become once the strongest races in the galaxy. My problem with this is that effectively the minors ARE major races, they just cant claim victory and they don't have the graphical niceties like an animated embassador. And they seem to be annoying as hell to handle diplomatically. If thats true what is the point in having minor races, just make them into fully fledged major races and be done with it.

What I'm saying is there should be a clear distinction or none at all.

maybe you could have a rome total war style protectorate option. no idea how it'd work.

EDIT i suppose that isnt too helpful, but thats why im not a succesful computer games desiegner, i suppose

one of the games i onced played i GC1 i ended having minor race owning half the star map (conquering a couple of majour races ) and im sure when you have that much power u become a majour power by default

See thats what I'm talking about. A minor race shouldn't be able to do that. When the system allows for minors to do everything a major race can, why not make them all into major races and just have done with it?

I think the minors need to have a more defined place in the game, like an expansion limit to keep the real focus on the major races.

My original idea for this topic was to see all the arguments and thoughts of others. I have read through them and am convinced that the follow would satisfy most of you.

-Diplomatic relations should be limited in some ways also. (hence minor race).
-Minor races should be used as slave or trade races (Somthing you can benefit from).
-Minor races should have a cap on how many planets and solor stystems they can conquer (5-10 Planets, depending on map size).
-Minor races should be the quirky entities that pop out of the unexpected in the galaxy. They should be made for laughter or leverage, maybe bold and prideful or fearful of all.

Just some suggestions i would love to see.

Hello,
Just one question...Dont the Major Races start with the same Possessions as minor races?
1 Planet...maybe a ship or two and so on?
If You as a major race have the chance to dominate the Galaxy why not also the minor races?
Of Course diplomatic relations should be possible with thos races too as it is with other major races!

Greetings from a portuguese living in Germany!!

would u still say America was a minor power? i think what alot of people are saying is that minor powers become majour ppowers but are still treated as minor powers

And I'd certainly like to hear their suggestions as to how said races would become "Major". As far as I can tell, "Major race" in GC2 means "playable race"...

Either acting as a protector of them or being the leader of a "League of Nonaligned Worlds" of your own.

That is any excellent idea. I like trying to keep the minor races near my territory alive, and it would be great if I had a diplomatic option to warn other races of the consequences of attacking my minor friends.

My idea for minor races will be the following, let the minor races be assimilated by the first one who discover them, sort I found you and you become a colony of my empire and you will produce for my empire, maybe one is rich in military resources, another in economical resources, another in research resources or a mix of all of them with different percents in each different minor race.

i agree with Yaguer, keep them similar to the way they are now, but add a couple of new diplomacy options

If this thread is any indication, the terms "minor" and "major" are not clearly defined. The "Storyline" versus "Also Ran" distinction is interesting, and can be useful in the context of a story or game... but... I feel it reduces realism, and is not very scientific.

My view of the split defines "major" as unlimited or unrestricted, with access to any action you would expect from a starfaring race, able to spread throughout the galaxy like a plague.

"Minor" would apply to any races that lacks this freedom; in other words, it has some major limitations that place fundamental limits on its accomplishments. A group of experts including scientists, sociologists, and economists could study some members of a race, and declare "This race will ultimately be minor, because..."

Minor races would be interesting if their unique traits (and consequent limitations) were explained. A few possibilities:

1) Unique homeworld chemistry. All planetary life depends on unstable chemical X, which rises continually from the core to maintain a fairly constant atmospheric level. It has a halflife of mere days, and thus cannot be stored for long voyages. The identity of X and how it is created defy even the most brilliant scientists of visiting major races.
Limitations: This race can never colonize another world, even with domes. Depending on the halflife of X, or length of time the race can survive without X, they may be capable of spaceflight, but with maximum range Y.

2) Ancient slave race. These peoples were genetically engineered or modified by a now-forgotten master race. Their genetic data is ingrained with limitations to preclude a slave rebellion. Like a prisoner with a bomb-collar, they must follow the rules or die.
Limitations: Could be various possiblities. For example, must stay within X lightyears of the home star, whose core resonance prevents an autoimmune self-destruct sequence; may do anything EXCEPT use weapons, allowing a peaceful (and defenseless) trading civilization of unlimited size; must obey any command given by any other race; must not engage in diplomacy; must kill all aliens EXCEPT master race on sight; and so forth.

3) Transdimensional Space Phantoms. This race has tinkered in forbidden sciences, and angered beings unknown. Any ship in space, outside of the protective gravity well of a planet or star, faces a high chance (X% per turn) of attack from these space phantoms. There is no defense, and in every case the crew simply vanishes.
Limitations: Race can only colonize high-gravity planets, and has extreme difficulty with space travel and keeping large fleets. They cannot ever really be an offensive threat.

Well, these are just a few possiblities. Dystopic listed a few others:

devotion to the culture, art, etc.
internal strife, lack of organization
minor intelligence
excessive tranditionalism
fear of the unknown
unusually poor resources

In general, reasons for "minor" status, and real limitations (inability to colonize, or spread outside a certain area, or live outside nebulae, or arm warships, and so forth) that render a minor race incapable of majority would be fun, and give minors a clear role. Intermediates (generic races, unlimited like majors but without the personality) might be useful as well, but these are very different from minor races.