At the core, all three Nations all still are interbreedable, so, there have not been enough genetic variances yet for there to be NEW species, therefore they are simply new races of homo-sapian. If the devs were to say that the UIT, Itani and Serco could no longer reporduce with each other then you could say that they are a new species. The backstory is not detailed enough regarding the lifes of each of the nations to truely answer the question. But my money is that we are all still Homo-Sapian, we have remained the same for 5 thousand years not, another 2 might not have that big an impact, but then again, it could, and I would leave that to the devs to answer.
=)

Actually JesBes, we are not real. We Serco are just another AI extension of the game, like the Hive. Our code-based objectives compel us to generate fake user names and glib conversation to lull you into a false sense of complacency as we plan our Ultimate Conquest of the Universe� for the Serco Dominion.

But let's keep this just between us as our little secret, OK?

Shedu

"We came from Neanderthals"

We did? Wheren't neanderthals just another species of people? I was under the impression that neanderthals and the modern human, like we know now, even coexisted a long time ago. No?

Ahh you're right ArAsH, I wasn't doing my research. :) I was in a hurry to try and make a point but I erred. Thanks for the correction. :)

"New research in Africa, Europe, and Asia suggests that the abrupt disappearance of the Neanderthals and the sudden appearance of early anatomically-modern humans throughout much of Western Eurasia after 47,000 BP is more than a coincidence. The last fifteen years in particular have seen flourishing scientific advances in areas such as improved radiometric dating techniques and the recent recovery of Neanderthal DNA. These are making it increasingly clear that the Levantine Neanderthals and early modern humans were probably different species, indirectly competing with each other in the same ecological niche. Further, the Levant appears to have shifted hands repeatedly between Neanderthal and early modern human occupations until around 47,000 BP, after which Neanderthal populations dwindled, culminating in their extinction by 28,000 BP. Concurrently, modern humans were expanding into western Eurasia, replacing Neanderthals along the way. "

- Scion

Homo Sapiens Guerriens? (guessing on the latin). Knowing, Warring human. That seems to define the majority of what modern man does.

Interesting facts of the day:

-The average weight of a Serco warrior is 320 pounds, including all implants and gear carried on a daily basis.

-UIT citizens take calcium-boost nanopills from the time they're very young so that they can visit stations with artificial gravity.

-Most Itani have never eaten bread. When in space, they subsist mostly on sheets of dried, salted seaweed for snacks and nutritional supplement pills for meals. Due to generations of a vegetarian lifestyle, their digestive systems are completely unable to handle meat.

The question though is are the 3 races Homo Sapiens? I think we all concur that they are from the genus Homo (Human) but are they Sapiens (wise/philosophers) as well? ;) That I think is the tougher of the two words to define with these 3 races.

In "homo sapiens", sapiens means "knowing", not wise. Otherwise renaming would be called.

"sap-, sapi- (Latin: wise, wisdom, to be wise, to have wisdom; to know, knowledge; to taste [of], to perceive)."

We're both right Sun. :)

- Scion

Latin is tricky indeed and it is often very hard to decide what is the meaning of a word even in a given context. However I think we have in "homo sapiens" a good case where no doubt is allowed. From Agamemnon to Jestatis Bess in AD 4432 they are just too many examples of human madness ;)

one things for sure, we are definitely human => http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/7/11337

same old, same old :)

Can't recall where, probably a discovery channel documentery but homo-sapian was refered to as the "thinking man" so I would have to agree with Sun Tzu and the "knowing/thinking" man, not "wise", wisdom is something that you get after ataining knowledge, your not innately wise.

Yeah I was just going by what the dictionary was spouting at me. Its up for interpretation and which meaning you wanna use for the word "Sapien". Also I'm kinda gonna disagree with you on your statement, "...wisdom is osmething that you get after attaining knowledge...", you can be wise without knowledge. Knowledge and wisdom are separate to me. You can be a super genius but be a fool. Yet you can be the dumbest person on the world but you can be a wise fool ;). I'm not saying that knowledge doesn't help because I think it does. But its not mandate that you have knowledge and be wise as well.

give me an example of one wise fool? please =)

I refer you to line #3
wis�Edom P Pronunciation Key (wzdm)
n.
The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
Common sense; good judgment: �gIt is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things�h (Henry David Thoreau).
The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge: �gIn those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations�h (Maya Angelou).
Wise teachings of the ancient sages.
A wise outlook, plan, or course of action.
Wisdom Bible. Wisdom of Solomon.

"give me an example of one wise fool? please =)"

ME! :D But if you want a real name umm gotta give me time to look that up. lol

See section II:
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv4-70

"The classical
archetype for the figure of the wise fool is Socrates,
whom later theorists constantly invoked. Not only was
his educational method based on exposing the folly of
the supposedly wise, but he himself claimed that his
own wisdom was derived from an awareness of his
ignorance. "

So-Crates was AWESOME dude!

Yes, I was gonna use ancient philosophers who many considers wise as an example. Socrates, Confucious, etc. Knowledge? They created their own knowledge.

I asked a friend of mine if he considers fools wise and he gave me a great response.

"fools are the ones that are the geniuses, they give the other ppl the idea and inspiration...because we all work not to be fools..."

my response was "indirect wisdom?"...can that be possible...to indirectly provide wisdom through actions that are considered fool-hardy.

And wow...going from game topic to philosophical topics!

and thanks Mod for the lookup. That was interesting reading actually. :)

We can disagree on what wisdom is, but back on topic, Serco ARE human. Possibly a more superior form but at it's core they are still human.

Itani: Think D&D Monk... Diamond mind and Diamond body. Combat prowess based on training through "natural" stresses. Biologically and mentally advanced... "organically grown"

Serco: Think Machine... upgradeable, modifiable... "Genetically engineered." +tech elements. Serco are Cyborgs... the "implants" of someone who is born Serco will always be superior to those of someone who tries to become serco.

UIT: Base model... high practical intelligence... Only what modifications are necessary to survival... "mutations to adapt to changing conditions" I have seen nothing that would indicate they could hold their own in man to man combat with either a serco or itani.

We're all meat... Serco just have crunchy bits... UIT are soft... and Itani are like jerky...

yeah... that works...?

-Zoras

Jes: Not that my "Meat" comment was meant to provoke but to illuminate. Given the base premise that we *were* all human, it's necessary to look at what our "recorded" history has done to us.

Serco have evolved, as described in previous posts, to necessitate your question.

I agree that it is a valid question to pose to the Devs. Have Serco evolved sufficiently to be reclassified from human to something beyond?

Homo-Bionic??

I think "cyborg" applies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyborg