Artificial races could work as long as they maintain individual atonomy and don't simply act for a central controller. The reason being that hive minds tend to develop into purely antagonistic forces that ultimately distract from world and plot development more than they add to it.

As long as an individual robot can decide not to follow orders, I don't have a problem with it.

The IC will start once I get four or five submissions. 

Everyone starts with three systems. You have to expand to get more.

I'll post a list of existing systems, nations and species when I get off work. Around 4:30-5pm.