We humans are not as we are by accident. Whether you believe intelligent design or evolution, or a bit of both, we are so perfectly adapted for what we do (yes we choose to do many things that require physical protection from the elements but that's just because we can). Think about it. In order to be the creators, designers, engineers, that have developed the world and its materials in the way that we have, not having hands with opposable thumbs, or a different amount of fingers on each hand, or less or more hands, arms, legs, or feet, and the way they each do their job, would mean we probably would not be the kind of beings we've become as the brain would have no need to develop in quite the same way in order to evolve the skills it has. That's why the idea of what a similar or more advanced alien species might look like, disregarding gravitational influences affecting overall size and shape, must still bear some resemblance to us. Of course, there are such a wide range of strange looking creatures all around us on planet Earth that it's understandable why we might imagine intelligent alien life would probably look very different to us, but all the other animals (primates excluded) could never do what we do, whether they were 'intelligent' or not because their body structure just wouldn't allow them to manipulate the world in the right way. Thoughts?
You are making the assumption that their world looks like ours, solid, land and water, and that they must look like we do if they conquered their world like we did. Some planets are gas, some planetoids are covered in water and a layer of frozen water over it, some frozen methane, some solid rock, no water. Maybe some other form or being conquered their environment without opposable thumbs, due to the more necessary need to master a different environment? Opposable thumbs becomes much less of a focal point if your enviroment is all gas. Sound moves objects, perhaps better developed vocal cords are the equivalent.
Yes...sound vibration, that might make things a little different. Do you think if your environment is all gas you're likely to develop into something that can use what will be very limited resources and eventually learn to travel in space (assuming life could even evolve in such a place?) I think I'm just making the assumption that for life to exist that has to be a certain basis upon which it can begin. We've only just begun to understand a little about how life on Earth actually began and there have now been successful experiments in creating artificial life in the lab. But to master your world and develop to the point where you can become space explorers must eliminate much of the your speculation about gas planets, being too far from the closest star, etc.
Carl Sagan talked about what other life forms that evolved in different environments may look like, but I cant find the video clip. I think it's in Cosmos, though. Whoops, it's actually a show with Stephen Hawking that does this(strongly recommended if you're interested in this, this isn't some nutjob talking about aliens, it's Stephen motherfuckin Hawking): http://www.icefilms.info/ip.php?v=121730&
I would tend to think that if you are oriented toward moving thru 'space' in a gas giant, you would have less to conquer attempting to move thru nominal space to get to another planet. Time has much to do with it too, if you live a life of a thousand years you would linearily accomplish more, than collectively short lives back to back. I also think that eliminating a planet based on our needs isn't a good way to think, as it would tend to develop concepts only based on our planet and our adaptations.
As well as your leaning toward the improbability of a gas giant being having the level of development for 'something able to travel in space' I would think that your assertion that a gas giant has limited resources isn't correct either. If you think it all thru, they are really just loose planets. Lots of swirling 'stuff', but the same 'stuff' as we have, just in a different construction? And the size... so very very immense, so very very much 'stuff' to mix and match. Statistically probable.
I get exactly what you're saying man. When people tried communicating with dolphins they felt like we were the dumb ones. But dolphins can't do shit with their bodies lol