As you may have heard (previous blog post!), we are working really hard on the upcoming release of Dungeon of the Endless.
However, you Endless Space lovers, we have not forgotten about you! Indeed, we have prepared a nice surprise for those who happen to purchase the Founder Pack of Dungeon of the Endless...
We are introducing the Vaulters, a brand new faction in Endless Space: Disharmony, but also Endless Legend!
THE VAULTERS
The Vaulters, in Endless Space: Disharmony
The Vaulters are underground humans, hiding in caves and underground dungeons, tinkering with their great, grim machines. They are technological savants, dedicated to rebuilding the great machinery of the Endless (though they do not know it was the Endless). Vault 51! They are afraid of the surface and the light.
The style is not steam-punk, but aluminium-steel-lasers-electricity. Their technology is polished and sleek, not hand-crafted brass and leather. They are the only “Sci-Fi” faction in Endless Legend, though, hiding for ages inside the remains of their ship / vault /dungeon and afraid to come out, they have lost much of their science and initial power and need to rebuild it.
THE VAULTERS IN ENDLESS SPACE
Implementing them to Endless Space is quite a challenge, because we want to keep the same philosophy as the one they will have in Endless Legend. As pictured previously, they are rather oriented towards defence and science. So here is the Affinity we want to give them:
Affinity
The Vaulters are able to instantly teleport a Fleet from one system to another under their influence, if both systems have a “Portal” built on them.
The portal
- The portal is already built on the Home World at the start of the game
- The portal can only be built on a COLONY
- The portal can only be used by a Vaulters Affinity
- The portal is visually shown in the Galaxy View by an icon
- The portal can only be shared to allies and factions with an open border
The teleportation
- The teleportation consumes all the movement points, and requires at least 1 movement point
- The teleportation is automatic between two systems with a portal
- The teleportation is not activated if the player uses CTRL, which forces the use of Free Move
- The teleportation has to be considered when computing the shortest path between two systems
- The teleportation is forbidden when the origin system is guarded by an opponent
- The teleportation only works between two systems under the empire’s influence with a Portal
- When playing a teleportation, a FX is played at ship’s origin and at its arrival
This affinity gives them a tactical advantage in fleet deployment and allows them to do a better map control if they create an early outpost far from their home system.
Traits
To reinforce their orientation, we give them all the traits reinforcing the system’s defence; as well as Crowded Planet to evoke the fact that they learnt to live underground on Auriga, allowing them to house more population on a planet. For Science, we give them Scientist I, Isolation Shield per default and a new Trait which gives + 1 Science / population. We want them to be good at science but not at the same level than the Sophon. They may concurrence them but not overcome them on this field. They also benefit from Legendary Heroes II because of their loaded history, full of great personality, as Dungeon of The Endless & Endless Legend will show.
In the other hand, they have two drawbacks:
- As they spent a lot of time underground; they are less competent farmer and are not able to exploit the full potential of planets regarding foods. So we give them Black Thumb I.
- As they are the origin of humanity, and they focused on defence, they are less gifted for space battle and suffers from damage reduction given by Human Weapon I
Recap
- Fearless Warrior II: +25 Defence / pop
- Rebellion II: +100% Ownership gain // -80% Ownership loss
- Kitchen Chemist: +1 Science / Population
- Scientist I: + 10% Science on systems
- Isolation Shield (unlock technology of same name)
- Crowded Planet I: + 1 pop on Tiny / Small / Medium
- Legendary Heroes II: + 2 level on hired hero
- Black Thumb I: - 10% Food
- Humane Weapons I: - 12% Damage
More details on the "Dungeon of the Endless" Steam Store page.
