[Space] Interactions between species

[Refplace]

I wrote a few articles you might find useful.
An Alien Way of Thinking. Pyramid #3/110 Deep Space
Its a short Appendix Z type article that goes over interacting with and races that think differently due to certain racial advantages. Most of the word count is devoted to telepathic races but I give a paragraph each for different senses, mathematical ability, Memory, and superior senses.

Exotic Social Communication, Pyramid #4/6 Sci-Fi Tech II
The last kickstarter so if you did not subscribe it likely wont be available on W23 for a year or more. This is a full length article useful for fantasy or sci-fi that gives ideas on how races might develop and interact based on how they communicate. This extends my thoughts on senses from the previous article considerably. How would a race communicate based on smell? Psychometry? Virtual reality? Hive Minds and other forms of telepathy, and even just using touch.

[WingedKagouti]

Depending on how hard you want to go on the Hard SF angle, different manipulators will require different grips. Even if two species use the same basic manipulator (such as hand with fingers) the dimensions of each element of that manipulator will dictate how well gear appropriate to that species will fit another species. For instance, a human-sized species with 6 inch long fingers will almost certainly find that human equipment has uncomfortably small grips, while humans will likely struggle to use their equipment with one hand.

Same with two tentacled species, where one has roughly 1/2 inch thick tentacles and the other has roughly 2 inch thick ones. Not only will the grips and controls of any device be tailored to the standard size of each species, but it's likely that the thicker tentacles can carry more weight and thus their equipment seems likely to be bigger and heavier overall.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Exotic Social Communication, Pyramid #4/6 Sci-Fi Tech II
The last kickstarter so if you did not subscribe it likely wont be available on W23 for a year or more. This is a full length article useful for fantasy or sci-fi that gives ideas on how races might develop and interact based on how they communicate. This extends my thoughts on senses from the previous article considerably. How would a race communicate based on smell? Psychometry? Virtual reality? Hive Minds and other forms of telepathy, and even just using touch.

For the latter, GURPS Template Toolkit 2 has the Signals advantage, which gives you the equivalent of linguistic communication in a medium other than sound. There are specifics for color changes, light flashes, electrical pulses, and chemical secretions.

[jason taylor]

They might use things like trail sign and dumb barter.

[dcarson]

Different size races can use the same aircar/cantina easier if things are scaled to the larger one. Centaur sized cantina humans may need tall stools and booster seats in the aircar but they can use it.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by dcarson

Different size races can use the same aircar/cantina easier if things are scaled to the larger one. Centaur sized cantina humans may need tall stools and booster seats in the aircar but they can use it.

In a multi-species campaign setting, many basic items of equipment will also be adjustable to allow different species to use them - at least sort of. For example, simple chairs might actually be oddly-shaped polygons, with each face somewhat adapted suit each species. Turn the item to the suitable face and sit down.

More expensive equipment might have active adaptation measures which involve smart matter or equivalent. Press the right button (or whatever) and the item adapts itself to suit your species (or you, personally).