In ES, only major empires were represented (with "pirates" attacking you at the beginning of the game) : the representation of the "indigenous populations" of the colonized planets was made trough some anomalies like "Robot locals", "Hostile locals" or "Friendly locals", and we didn't know much about their level of development : were they advanced in science or not, how big is the population of the planet, is the planet very polluted or not, are they on the brink of extinction ?

During the first presentations of ES2, it was made clear that minor factions will have a real impact on your empire. The representation of minor factions in your senat is a simple yet effective way to show this ambition of Amplitude to do more thant just making the "strangers" possible troups or workers (as it was in EL, where they completed your armies and brought some useful bonus). However, the types of relations that could be established between your empire and the minor faction you just encountered are still to be defined : we all know for example that science progress always goes with social evolutions, and that a brutal uplifting can be destructive (the first example which comes to my mind is the case of the Krogans in ME, who became a danger for galaxy after being uplifted by Salarians). Because ES2 is still in early-development, I think it is an ideal time to add our brains in the equation (because 101 brains can, sometimes, produce far more than 100 : each one of us can have a constructive idea, if this idea is well-explained) ! So here we are : my project concerning minor factions, divided in several major parts.



I) The different stages of galactic civilization

II) Integration : a real question

III) Uplifting the galaxy : good or bad thing to do ?

IV) And if … a major faction wasn’t played ?



I) The different stages of galactic civilization :



When you meet what can be called as a “civilization” on a newly-explored planet, there is no reason that this civilization is able to go to space, or even to sustain its population in certain cases.

However, its level of technology isn’t what makes it a civilization, so, we should be able to communicate, meet and exchange with every civilization we meet. These minor factions, depending on their science advance, could be divided in several categories, or stages :

- Stage I : The earliest stage of development, which allow a specie to be considered as a minor faction : it has sapience, has formed communities, but is not advanced technologically speaking. At this stage, you can communicate with them, exchange with them some natural resources and use them for their physical capacities in your empire if you like “forced cooperation”.

- Stage II : The civilization is has now the capacity to build large political groups and to sustain its growing population. The empire capable of maintaining relations with this people can largely benefit from its newly acquired knowledge, and can inspire itself from some of their policies.

- Spacefaring : The final stage of development (this civilization only lacks a mod to become a real empire). Spaceships of this faction can be found in their surrounding systems. You can make this civilization a real part of your senate, use its knowledge to unlock secret technologies or buildings and ally to them in your galactic wars.



II) Integration, a real equation :



Sometimes, it can be a really good thing to integrate a new people in your empire : its population, its wealth, its technologies, its policies, its influence among other people, can benefit to your empire. However, if you want to lead them in their good moments, you should be prepared to lead them in their worst : xenophobia, catastrophe, armed resistance and other diplomatic failures can cause your empire to crumble. In a word : you must be careful.

Indeed, their behavior toward you can change drastically following your way to integrate them (by a simple invasion, by threatening them, by treaties and alliances, by manipulating their leaders ?) and your global reputation (Have you failed in protecting one of your allies in a past war ? Are you a warmonger beyond reason ? How is your economy ? Is your neighbor wanting hugs a little too much ? How many other minor factions have you integrated ? etc), but it could also depend on their own characteristics : their unity (Do you want a rebel group in a part of your empire ? I don’t think so…), their level of advancement, their sense of honor, their foreign policy, the threats they must fight against (who said Cravers and global warming ?) and other things.

In some cases, it can be much more constructive to leave them be, and gain their support without inviting yourselves in their affairs : simple commerce can be way more effective in bringing goods to your empire (“leave Singapore alone” policy in fact). Even pirates can be useful if you behavior well with them, but remain firm on other things (like big guns).



III) Uplifting the galaxy : good or bad thing to do ?



When a minor faction discover a major empire, its first felling is “usually” understandable : a mix of fear and curiosity (who said Sophons ?) ! Both can be great motives to scientific development, and the hope to become as powerful as its gigantic neighbors can have tremendous effects on its policies.

Your relations with this minor faction (commerce, war, alliance) can influence their rhythm of evolution and their unity, but it should also be possible to uplift it by using your influence in order to increase the benefits you could have in exchanging with them or more if affinity : it could however be at the price of their unity (traditions aren’t made uniquely to be broken…), radical changes in their behavior, and could make them less innovative in the near future (cough … hidden things … cough).

Finally, uplifting can be a way to save a minor faction from destruction (ecocide, I’m speaking about you !) if your technologies are sufficient (another solution could be to colonize the planet where it live and resolve the symptoms, but the causes won’t change before a long time… and colonization can provoke some displeasure among the locals…).





IV) And if … a major faction wasn’t played ?



For lore reasons (for example the help of the Sophons in the birth of the Pilgrims), I think it could be a nice thing to see some unplayed major factions appear in your game as spacefaring minor factions, but not all of them of course (there should be a separation between species, with only one minor faction by specie … except Horatio, because Horatio !). Among the factions of ES1, I think that :

- The Cravers couldn’t be a minor factions, simply because they would have eaten themselves even before we discovered them.

- The human factions all depends on the United Empire, so, if the United Empire isn’t a major faction nor a minor one, no other Human minor factions should appear in the game. On the other hand, if one human major faction is played, UE should appear as a minor faction (because Horatio is great, but he unfortunately can’t create himself).

- I’m not sure about Harmonia…



That’s it. I hope that what I wrote wasn’t too boring. Bon courage Amplitude ! Je sais que ce que vous ferez sera excellent !



P.S. : It is the first time I participate to this forum, but I won’t stop here, simply because I’m far too enthusiastic about this game !

P.S. 2 : No problem for me if you put your ideas in this thread.

This is all really cool and I hope the devs take a good look at your ideas. In regards to ideas, I think it would be cool to include any minor factions you find in the politics tab, and have it so maybe you can pay money to target other players, backroom political deals, and/or influencing their political opinions (example United States vs. Russia during the cold war). It would add a whole new level of play as you could potentially just use minor factions to fight for you like you would with the cultists in EL.

use minor factions to fight for you like you would with the cultists in EL.

Strive to do it better than EL or any Civ' game did it. I want to see a game where these factions remain relevant throughout the game, and not to just a small handful of factions and play styles. Perhaps by giving them unique weapon tech's that make them formidable adversaries, and a willingness to aggressively attack and conquer any faction their ally is at war with?

Ya my that's what I was suggesting. I just didn't really have any comparison.

As a regular player of Civ and Paradox games, I know it could be very enjoyable to use minor factions against your opponents : if we refer to the concepts I presented earlier, I think the most useful one would be the unity concept. By creating dissensions among your opponents allies, you could diminish the advantages of their alliances, or even provoke civil war. Unfortunately, it could be very overpowered if no counter power were created... I'll think about it !