Honestly, should Andromeda been a bit more alien?

I was on the hype train hoping for lots of new aliens... Then people said it wasn't possible because clusters and science and stuff... But then I wonder why you would put the setting in a place in which such restrictions even exist? Or even better: why even bother to follow the known solar system? Star Trek had Earth and the Wilky Way but they branched out and created new worlds and new civilizations and didn't limit themselves with what they could explore. Star Trek is huge now and as I'm not one of those mega fans I couldn't tell you the difference between the Gamma Quadrant or the Delta Quadrant. But it's big. Anyway I'm definitely not for staying in the known universe if it leads to limitations like this all time.

When you think of it though, it is a bit silly that there can't be more than one species per cluster. I mean, each cluster is made up of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands or millions of stars. Who is to say that it isn't common in that region to find sapient life? We stumble upon a few planets which had primitive civilizations that were destroyed by the scourge, there could be a lot more unaffected planets out there.

Yeah, especially since there is no Mass Relay Array either meaning space travel has to be done conventionally. 

Nothing is lost. The size of Andromeda is huge compared to the OT and the. Cluster is neatly the size of the MW itself.

Let's think about this for a minute. Also, people are still playing this game.

Basic rule of Mobility - In the known galaxy, there are really only three ways an organism can move without magic tricks or warping time: Muscle contraction in a way that allows for movement, supportive motion requiring limbs, and swimming which is a combination of the two. That been said, the creation of new species would be pretty much limited to these movement types. Because of this, a lot of the alien look and feel will seem to be humanoid in respect, or familiar. Beyond humanoids, there are the multi-legged variety, like septapods, or any pods. Still the designing of these alien creatures will be more of less limited, albeit very creative. Still don't understand? Take a look at the "Waterbear." That little guy has all three types, and yet still looks very much recognizable. 

Basic Language understanding - It has been determined that in our basic understanding today, we can decipher what a person of a different race is saying simply by looking for the pattern in the language and matching that up to ours.  It is the understanding of these patterns that often takes time initially, and with practice become second nature. Vocalizing or emitting sounds can also be determined, albeit, not often easy when it becomes what seems like noise, such as a computer signal. Regardless, it should be assumed that technology, for advance as the human race are, as well as the other races, have evolved enough for us to build translators that can decipher the pattern in real time, and with just a few references, translate it into something we understand. Sure there is a baseline needing to be established, but, language is limited, how we translate it is another story. A good example of that is the movie, "Rival".   Still, the universal translator may not be entirely accurate, but very helpful. Look at Google's translator. 

Still not sure? How about this? You are reading a translation of what I'm saying. Truth! In the same respect, what you type in your reply is also being translated. How so? When you type, it is taking an input from your keyboard that have specific keys with specific symbols you recognize. Through a "translator," that signal is digitized--into the not familiar "language"--through your computer, processed, and sent to your display back in the format you had initially typed in. Similarly, when you hit post, it sends the entire transaction digitally across many trillions of pathways to the server, which then sends it out to anyone who wishes to read it. At the very core of this "language" is called machine language, consisting of 1's and 0's. If you look at what is here, and read the machine language translation of it, I highly doubt you will understand what you are looking at without this translator. 

Beauty - It's in the "eye of the beholder," as they say. The Angaran to me, and like some other posters, are rather … well, not appealing, sexually. That is because I see beauty and sex differently, but others might see them as one in the same. Sure, sexuality is beautiful, but again, I see it different from beauty. What gets me is that with all conversation with Jaal, it seems like BioWare wants me to have a relationship with him, whereas, I would have to work a little with the others, be it slightly. The others you have to let them know you are interested in a relationship, with Jaal, even if you avoid the relationship choices, he presents the opportunity for a relationship, and is persistent about it. Vetra, charismatic, egnimatic, and downright sexy, but still I would feel a little grossed out if a relationship started with her, sexually. One thing about the Asari, in MEA, is that they ALL look the same, save PeeBee: Same body, same face. So starting a sexual relationship with one, would be like having it with all of them, at least physically. 

Beauty is also about acceptance and what makes you feel good. It plays on nostalgia, either from the past, or sub consciously created. In many cases it gives a sense of purpose, or well being, and elicit the emotions and feelings to support what you feel is beautiful. No matter where you go, you will find beauty, even if it is a piece of dirty on a remote island that has been charred by the blast of mass effect field engine. The acceptance of something being beautiful is usually a culmination of things to spark the emotion. I see MEA as a beautiful creation, with all of the planets, stars, suns, moons, asteroids, creatures, plant life, and how BioWare managed to put it all together. The sheer size and scope is a little daunting, and there are bound to be some minor things slipping through. I see the creatures of MEA brilliantly designed, albeit the Asari do all look the same. I mean, even the Angaran have some differencing characteristics.  

Basic Perception of Aliens - We currently shoot the Aliens if we can … or that is what the general populace of the human race is, and definitely the mindset of the military, generalizing of course. It is expressed in MEA where we were shot at first trying to do first contact with the Kett. It is later supported by other races first encounter Kett. Simply stated, the Kett shot first and asked questions later. In Mea, we have evolved from the shooting first and asking question later mentality, and, in some cases, have paid the price. 

A side note: Kett, really? Can't you come up with a better name, I mean, Kett, Geth. Come on!!! Also, what is up with the ascension process of the Kett? Seems a lot like the Reapers Harvesting.  

Oh! I wrote too much … Bye!