Thanks!

Could someone please tell me if setting up a custom game for the purpose of checking these out is a fairly simple matter? Like, in order to set it up so that I would encounter space monsters very early on, would I simply adjust a few settings or have to edit an xml file? Would the editor dlc (which I don't yet own) let me create a map with a space monster skirmish of sorts, like my battlefleets vs. a whole bunch of monsters already placed that I could engage right away?

That's awesome, Old-Spider! Thanks.

Btw, I purchased the map editor and Snathi dlc's. I am mainly excited by the editor but am pretty stumped by it so far. Is there a guide somewhere that just explains how to make a simple custom map? Like how do I place a couple of ships and planets, assign them to a specific race, basic stuff like that?

The only restriction appears to be that they will not show up before Turn 80. There might have been something similiar in GC II, but I couldn't say as they weren't in TotA, which is the version of GC III I played. 

I might be thinking of the Dreadlords coming back into the galaxy and blending it with memories of GC1.