Fáel wrote:
Races that pretty much are pseudo UE factions could always just be a UE reskin available for custom factions if people want to recreate the Sheredyn for example.

The problem with this though is that the Sheredyn and Pilgrims each have unique traits, playstyles, techs, and personalities apart from the UE. Simply adding a reskin option to the UE wouldn't bring that uniqueness back.

If Horatio don't appear in ES2, my heart is going to be shattered and my soul taken away by the wind of cruel fate.

Horatio would definitely find it utterly disgraceful, but then again, that's Horatio for you.

PANCZASU wrote:

5) Hissho

While they're far less likely candidates to make a comeback than the above 4 factions, I feel that the Hissho still have a strong chance to make a re-appearance. They were relatively popular in ES1 with a very recognizable ship design and interesting lore. Not to mention, they make a reappearance in EL and a trailer for ES2... or at least one of their old ships does. I might be barking the wrong tree and it's possible that the devs will want to explore the Endless universe beyond what the Hissho could've known about... but if any other ES1 faction is to make a comeback, it's most likely Hissho... I hope!



[HR][/HR]

The ship in the ES2 intro is more likely to be the one from EL quest victory ending:

http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/644370215572018559/C4A3C19872BC8DFF2F7BA309792D6185F18370AA/

And because nation who escaped Auriga are the Vaulters (this is the canon I think), I'm sure they will return in ES2.

Varadhon wrote:
I think my biggest concern with the UE is simply that by virtue of its name it sounds like it should be vastly more expansive to merit such an appellation. Yet, despite that, the starting position for all factions is exactly the same--a scripted home planet plus a colony ship and some scouts. By extension, the Sheredyn are even more objectionable.



It would make much more sense to me to see the Broken Lords evolve into the UE (perhaps with a better name or some good lore explaining the name--maybe that can be accomplished through the faction quest system). They actually fit together very nicely given the BL's dust production capacity in EL and the UE's dust production advantages.



It'd even be great to the see the BL show up again as merely a minor race.

Actually, the different origins of the different civilisation would make interesting scenarios outside of the standard open game. Start with one planet within the UE as Sheredyn and try to become a real power in a galaxy of already established forces, etc

Though btw the UE seems to be of vulture origin.

I always liked the Vaulters, especially in ES1. They were also not bad on EL, but I usually preferred the Drakkens since I really liked their units and I love dragons in games. (fyi: did not read every post in this topic)

I didn't like a lot the factions of EL. The "classic with a twist" trick was too obvious, and I think I would prefer to see either completely new factions, or ES factions. But I would love to see enhanced ES factions.

I know it's not a popular opinion here, but I would like if the "lore(s)" were less invasive. I didn't like how you don't build your nation as you want in EL. I mean, when I start a game in almost any 4X or Grand Strategy game, I can build my own story. Paradox's Stellaris is going in that direction and I would love to be able to do so in ES2. Otherwise it will be like Endless Legend to me : a splendid narrative experience, but not a great game with the replayability I expected from it.



So instead of deeply-narrated quests that build your faction for you I would love to see more dynamic events (more like in ES), so that you begin each game with a basic faction, then it will be a very different civilization depending on your choices as a players and random things (like the planets and the other factions around you). For example, why should I always play as peaceful politician as the Amoeba ? That's racist.

Apocalypse wrote:
Actually, the different origins of the different civilisation would make interesting scenarios outside of the standard open game. Start with one planet within the UE as Sheredyn and try to become a real power in a galaxy of already established forces, etc

Though btw the UE seems to be of vulture origin.

A system like this would make for an amazing twist on, and expansion of, the internal politics system. I don't think it would be necessary in the initial release, but it would be fantastic for an expansion or even as a type of campaign or other story-driven modification of the base game.

I quite like the idea of Broken Lords in ES2. I like the possible story to be that a few of their members survive and start a new following, turning alien members into Broken Lords to recreate what was lost on Auriga and bring their beliefs to the greater galaxy.

ES2 Needs some of the old races but it really needs new ones also. I dont know how many will be but 10 sounds the best number to me. In ES there was too many human races, they had good lore, maybe not very deep, but there was too many human. 2 is more than enough. EL had deeper lore but besides Vaulters none sticks to the ES universe. Vaulters were more tech lovers and they had hints that they came from the stars (or their ancestors). None of the others suit a sci fi setting. For me the races should be (the already known) Sophons, Cravers, United Empire, Vaulters, Sowers (but they need some serious backstory besides leftovers building worlds for the endless), Hissho. For the rest a spy race and a political would fill the gap and maybe someone focused on trade if that trait is not filled but UE.

Although i loved Pilgrims and i liked the style of Horatio they should play as major factions and Harmony wasnt my thing.

Sophons and UE are definetly gonna be there, Cravers too. I'd say Hissho are probably gonna be there as a minor faction given what we now know about them, same for the other human factions probably; Horatio, Sheredyn and Pilgrims(Not really sure about them, I can see them being a real faction too but probably not). Vaulters are almost certainly gonna be in; they always are. I think Amoebas also gonna make it, same for Sowers(Wouldn't really make sense as a minor faction, and they probably won't cut them) and Automatons. That leaves some space for new factions if they're going for 8; though I'm hoping 10 or even 12(really unlikely though) maybe.

I agree with the sentiment that some factions from the original should be swapped for new ones. In special the human ones, as most of them lack flavour/theme or sufficiently mechanical distinction. The only exception perhaps being Horatio, which manages to have a strong transhumanist flavour that's fitting to the game premise, beside distinctive mechanics (aggressive growth through cloning). Sheredyn and Pilgrims should be cutted out into minors or absorbed into the Empire (pehaps as political factions?) while Vaulters and Empire should get a revision in its mechanics or themes, as right now the former is kinda nonsensic and the later too generic.



And please, don't insert more animal/flurry/silly races lime Dragon-people or Bear-people, etc. One of the things I appreciate most about Endless Space is how its races feel genuinely scientific, instead of fantasy-based with sci-fi makeshift like most other space 4X games out there. Its the first sci-fi game since Alpha Centauri that made me hooked in its setting and wanting to digest every bit of it. So, please, more amoebas and cloning and virtual viruses and rogue AIs, etc. I love it.



(by the way, someone above gave the idea of a "living planet" faction to mimic the Cultists from Endless Legend and its one-city based mechanics. Its a wonderful idea.)

vini_lessa wrote:
I agree with the sentiment that some factions from the original should be swapped for new ones. In special the human ones, as most of them lack flavour/theme or sufficiently mechanical distinction. The only exception perhaps being Horatio, which manages to have a strong transhumanist flavour that's fitting to the game premise, beside distinctive mechanics (aggressive growth through cloning). Sheredyn and Pilgrims should be cutted out into minors or absorbed into the Empire (pehaps as political factions?) while Vaulters and Empire should get a revision in its mechanics or themes, as right now the former is kinda nonsensic and the later too generic.

Why are the Vaulters nonsensic? They're a strong alternative scientific faction with a bonus to defense that can actually be helpful. And I kinda agree that the United Empire is generic, but I also feel like it should be kinda generic. I also disagree that Horatio should be the only other Human Faction, I feel like they're the least relevant humans, though I supposed really all the ones except UE should just be minor factions.

Sinnaj63 wrote:
Why are the Vaulters nonsensic? They're a strong alternative scientific faction with a bonus to defense that can actually be helpful. And I kinda agree that the United Empire is generic, but I also feel like it should be kinda generic. I also disagree that Horatio should be the only other Human Faction, I feel like they're the least relevant humans, though I supposed really all the ones except UE should just be minor factions.

I agree with you about the united empire, they always seems to me that they was designed to be the generic human faction. However, I disagree with your vision of the Horatio. As vini_lessa says, their transumanist backstory match great with a sci-fi universe. Moreover, they mecanic are one of the most original, and I would like to see how how it could be deppen in ES2. according to me, if some human faction must disappear, it had to be the Sheredyn (who can easily merge with UE) and the pilgrim(who can merge with the sophons, even if they are not the same race, they backstory allow that kind of stuff). Both had a lack of originality.

Agree 100% with Scarab.



About the Vaulters, perhaps I'm ignorant of the faction fluff but how being defensive, survivalist and kitchen chemists relates to teleportation ? Perhaps in Legend this power could be explained by knowledge of Auriga underground passages, but here in Space I don't get it. (I actually like the faction though, specially after having played Dungeon. They are so tied to the series mythology that I can't see the game without them now).

vini_lessa wrote:
Agree 100% with Scarab.



About the Vaulters, perhaps I'm ignorant of the faction fluff but how being defensive, survivalist and kitchen chemists relates to teleportation ? Perhaps in Legend this power could be explained by knowledge of Auriga underground passages, but here in Space I don't get it. (I actually like the faction though, specially after having played Dungeon. They are so tied to the series mythology that I can't see the game without them now).

I think they just get some kind of fancy stuff they figured out while being around so long.

scarab wrote:
I agree with you about the united empire, they always seems to me that they was designed to be the generic human faction. However, I disagree with your vision of the Horatio. As vini_lessa says, their transumanist backstory match great with a sci-fi universe. Moreover, they mecanic are one of the most original, and I would like to see how how it could be deppen in ES2. according to me, if some human faction must disappear, it had to be the Sheredyn (who can easily merge with UE) and the pilgrim(who can merge with the sophons, even if they are not the same race, they backstory allow that kind of stuff). Both had a lack of originality.

I guess I too agree. Sheredyn do make sense as UE at the end, though that would make the backstory part where the current UE emperor became emperor through Sheredyn support, which he get for giving them independence, not work anymore. And I'd kinda really like some humans as the Sophons too, would just be nice. I just somehow felt, and to some degree still feel, like Horatio are the least relevant faction(Probably because it's just one guy, and they never seem to be involved in stuff) in a geopolitical sort of way.

I understood what you mean about the Horatio. It’s true they are based on one mad man, who gone crazy and want to take over the galaxy to “make it beautiful”, and that can sound kinda silly. But to me Horatio look like an old action movie’s villain. They wants to take over the world for a totally stupid reason, with a totally stupid plan, but somehow, they manage to almost win, and then get killed by the heroes. I thinks the Horatio must have a similar story, except that he was never taking serious by the UE until he’d become as much powerful as all the rest of the empire by himself.

Sinnaj63 wrote:
I just somehow felt, and to some degree still feel, like Horatio are the least relevant faction(Probably because it's just one guy, and they never seem to be involved in stuff) in a geopolitical sort of way.

That's not really true though, Horatio is not just one guy. Horatio is a society of Horatios, that Horatio Prime actually kind of looks down on (because not a single clone is 100% perfect match, and as such are automatically inferior). He just finds them better than non-Horatios.



Horatio society is kind of interesting, where one's rank is determined by how close of a match they are to Horatio Prime, but at the same time be too close and you risk exile or worse. The art book even stated that in Horatio hierarchy, several Emperors exist, because Horatio Prime considers himself above such a title and that emperors kneel to him. The ridiculous (and hilarious and awesome) factor aside, I am actually intrigued by Horatio society.



And it would present interesting asymmetric gameplay, if their political system / methods of managing conquered peoples are substantially different, in addition to their cloning, and having huge population and influence.

KnightofPhoenix wrote:
That's not really true though, Horatio is not just one guy. Horatio is a society of Horatios, that Horatio Prime actually kind of looks down on (because not a single clone is 100% perfect match, and as such are automatically inferior). He just finds them better than non-Horatios.



Horatio society is kind of interesting, where one's rank is determined by how close of a match they are to Horatio Prime, but at the same time be too close and you risk exile or worse. The art book even stated that in Horatio hierarchy, several Emperors exist, because Horatio Prime considers himself above such a title and that emperors kneel to him. The ridiculous (and hilarious and awesome) factor aside, I am actually intrigued by Horatio society.



And it would present interesting asymmetric gameplay, if their political system / methods of managing conquered peoples are substantially different, in addition to their cloning, and having huge population and influence.

There is an artbook? were did you found it?

scarab wrote:
There is an artbook? were did you found it?

You can find it in your steam folder, usually something along the lines of:

[code]C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Endless Space\Artbook[/code]