I just like the current genetic approach...on the other hand I think for players like you transformation spell for your children can be implemented to make those nice to look at again...

I want to create the ugliest race of Sovereign descendants ever seen. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you're opinion is universal.

Changing interesting game mechanics because some people may behave in an inefficient and facile manner is silly.  And besides, if some people want to role play a biggoted sovereign who only breeds with his own kind, then all the power to 'em. 

Actually, I think you could come up with some pretty good game mechanics based on this principle.  What if, for instance, you had other xenophobic sovereigns whom frown upon you if you marry your children off to partners whom are not your own race?  Or simply with political enemies of their own?  Your children could even have their own different levels of obedience.  Perhaps a son or daughter is willing to accept whatever it is you choose for them?  Or perhaps they are bold and headstong, demanding to marry whomever they please?  Maybe you might even have to open up a dialogue box with some of your children to gode/strong arm them into making the proper "political gestures."

On a related note, it would be interesting to have children's willingness to marry based partially on the attractiveness of the proposed partner. It would be cool to figure out how to code who finds whom attractive.

Actually, from what I can gather, as long as you dont intermarry with any Fallen factions you should be okay in terms of looks.

I like the childrens' genetic code idea.  Please keep it in game even if it results in horrid grandchildren. 

Other ideas, such as the xenophobia one discussed above, are also good ones.

From a gameplay perspective, I could see my powerful empire forcing a weak kingdom to marry their beautiful princess to my troll ugly son.  Or, perhaps, I would have a difficult and unpleasant daughter who I tell to either do as I say or I will marry her off to the goblin lord.

That definately needs to go in.

Also you coudl also have sovering that will refuse to marryt heir child to you even if you are in very good terms simpyl because they don't want their bloodline mixed with an other race. It would add very deep psychological sense to the game genetecs mechanics and political as well.

I looove the xenolphobia/philia idea! Attractiveness modeling can be actually made fairly complex with a few simple equations and many independant variables, like this:

• Traits come in two types: sliding and swapping:
  • "Sliding" traits are things like skin tint, nose length, leg thickness, et cetera that can be shown on a continuum broken up into discrete integers.
  • Swapping traits are things like skin texture, warts, extra arms, and such: either you have them, or you don't.
• Each faction has several specific presets, which are duplicated for each trait:
  • "beautiful": what trait value they think the ideal (wo)man should have in that specific area. Scales, fur, milky white eyes, and so on.
  • "weight" for each trait: how much value they place on that trat for attractiveness.
  • "tolerence": how much (or little) deviation from the "ideal" will affect attractiveness. A xenophobic faction would have mostly positive tolerence values, while a xenophilic one would be mostly negative.
    
• Thus, attractiveness can be measured as: Average((trait one weight)*(trait one attractiveness value), (trait 2 weight)*(trait 2 attractiveness value), (trait 3 weight)*(trait 3 attractiveness value)...). )(Bear in mind that negative is "ugly", positive is "hot", and 0 is "meh".
  
• Individual attractiveness values would be calculated by:
  • weight*((1+absolutevalue(beautiful - trait)/intolerence) for swapping traits, and
  • weight*(-(absolutevalue(beautiful - trait)/intolerence) for sliding ones
  • (I think these equations are right.... maybe not).......

I take it you've never heard of furries.

Is this a serious request? I can't tell if he's joking or not.

I concour. I'm not a troll, but I imagine the worst thing for them is to watch a flame post (d?)evolve into insightful conversation .

While he seems to be serious, I don't think he's trolling -- he means well enough.  It's just that most of us (including myself) disagree with his opinion.  The "genetics code" is a feature I'm definitely looking forward to!