I always had the impression that Elemental is based on or inspired by Altarian prehistory (since the GalCiv universe long predates the GalCiv games) but is not actually meant to represent it. There's too many conventional fantasy elements (ahem) that don't quite fit: for instance, I think it's mentioned in one of the Drath techs in TA that there is no mammalian life on Altaria apart from the Altarians. I think they're two different stories - based on the same original ideas, but filtered differently through the lenses of their respective genres.

That would be the Divergent Evolution tech (the Altarians have it too).

I think it's closer to someone replacing certain parts of a story he's telling, in order to make it easier for people to understand, because they would otherwise lack a frame of reference (or because to storyteller is just too annoyed having to constantly explain every single minute detail of the story he's trying to tell).

It's just that you are a couple years too late to this discussion. It has been known for a long time that Altaria is Elemental. Just take a look at this post regarding the history of the Altarians from during the TotA beta (you can find the same text in the Altarian tech A history of Benevolence too). Or how about the description of the tech Shrine of Tandis?

"Tandis was an Arnorian who took part in the great Precursor struggle on Altaria that became known as the Cataclysm. In that war, Altaria was devastated and it was during this time that the Drath began to leave with the help of sympathetic Precursors who remained.

Tandis arose again to aid the great nation known as "The Kingdom" in its darkest hour when the Empire and remnants of the Dread Lord allies, known as the Fallen, threatened to bring about the ruin of the world."

Doesn't all of that sound awfully familiar, if you know anything about Elemental? Not to mention, that it was known before E:WoM was even announced.

Well I've kind of followed some things since 2007. In the manual of Dark avatar expansion they explained that they were based on a game from 1994, and a few other games. Looking at Sins of a solar empire you can tell that they do a lot of borrowing of concepts. I wouldn't call that a spoier. I'm assumng that the Altarians and the Humans are connected somehow. I would like to know how. Here's an idea the Altarians were the Homo Heldeberg captured by the dread lords and transported to Altaria. The Drath are the original species the Altarians were created by the Dread lords weren't they, or maybe my idea of being captured from earth. That would explain how they are so similar genetically. There aren't no mammals on Altaria because they were created by the Dread lords. If I'm wrong, or you can answer some of my questions, or guess at some of this. please elaborate