lo_fabre wrote:
- Will be ans specific GDD?

A GDD on 'Economy' is planned for some point in the future. Due to this I will answer very vaguely - but to give a taste.

lo_fabre wrote:
- Are they acting on their own or tied to factions? In other words, each faction has its companies or there are companies which works with all factions at same time?

They are a part of factions, but they aren't specifically tied to one empire at all times. The goal is to make them a point of contention.

lo_fabre wrote:
- Are they acting like a different thing than factions, and has specific traits?

They are somewhat of a different thing from faction - we currently do not have 'specific traits' planned for them.

lo_fabre wrote:
- May you influence them and favor one over others?

They are not diplomatic entities as such. They are a part of economy, which means that economy drives them. You can 'influence' them through economy though. (I'm being so vague it sounds ridicules)

lo_fabre wrote:
- Will be able to create their own outposts or specific improvements on systems/planets in their own way, depending on what players do and what's their best interest?

They are not planned to have their own AI and in extention are not planned to have the ability to expand or build outposts.



I don't want to go any more in depth yet to be honest. But I'm interested to hear what you guys come up with from these vague comments

Metalynx wrote:
I don't want to go any more in depth yet to be honest. But I'm interested to hear what you guys come up with from these vague comments

So you can secretly mock us???

lo_fabre wrote:


Well, that's an idea just come. If needs to move to another threat, please do so. IF you like the idea, just tell me and I'll develop this further

Y'know, we're missing a good mechanic --> GALACTIC POLITICAL ASSASSINATION! D:!!!!

FornaxMayoris wrote:
Y'know, we're missing a good mechanic --> GALACTIC POLITICAL ASSASSINATION! D:!!!!

It would be great to see puppet governments, especially if we could install them in other factions! ;>

Metalynx wrote:




THE POPULATION



Rationale

We want the population to be at the heart of empire management. The population of each faction will have its own unique character in terms of economic outlook, political preferences, and perception of the world. The player will need to pay attention to the composition of the population of their empire in order to make decisions that won’t anger their citizens.



Key points



The population

• provides FIDSI bonuses specific to their faction
• interacts with minor factions
• supports and oppose various government policies
• perceives the world their own way
• can be composed of a plurality of races and opinions
• is affected by a player’s decisions
  
  

I know we don't know the exact population mechanics, but from the top of my head, if you can manage populations (move them or try to influence them) you could add plus and minuses to population output and happiness from different actions like:



1. Changing the planetary focus --> Imagine people's livelihoods being put in danger because the central economic planners changed everything. Unhappiness and lower output, riots, etc.



2. Moving them towards other planets --> This is interesting from a policy point of view, there could be many mechanics to be used. Things like forced colonizing might lower happiness and order output on both planets (The one that loses people (families torn apart, communities divided, etc. [orgainhappinessbecausethere'snotoverpopulationetc] and the one that gains people). An alternative to this might be 'incentivized colonizing' which would take a longer time for people to move, and probably the incentives require lower taxes or better labs or dust creation or something. (think about how tax cuts move corporations around).

This is sounding very impressive, One question what about modding?



First is it going to be present?



Second is it going to be better?



One of the reasons I quit playing the first endless space is the lack of conditionals within the modding system provided. I really hope we see some improvements

Metalynx wrote:




I don't want to go any more in depth yet to be honest. But I'm interested to hear what you guys come up with from these vague comments

Well, thanks for your answers. I don't pretend you to auto-spoli next GDDs. I'm anxious for that one!

FornaxMayoris wrote:
Y'know, we're missing a good mechanic --> GALACTIC POLITICAL ASSASSINATION! D:!!!!

Ha ha! Maybe that's a better idea than mine!

Hi there,



first I am totally glad to hear that you will do ES2 with all the experience you've got over the past years. I really enjoyed your games.



I got a question regarding quests and faction quests: In EL you where sometimes forced to attack another empire / to conquor one specific region. Or in one beta build you had to assimilate a specific minor faction as the Vaulters, which was random every time, but predetermined. This was later changed to any minor faction. What I am trying to say is that quests can be fine and interessting, but shouldn't dictate the overall course of a 4X game. In EL I had sometimes the problem that I was forced to take another region from an ally or at least friendly neighbour. Especially if I was at war with somebody else.

It can be really anoying if you have to change your overall strategy just for one quest or if the quest will determine your future progress. In a space setting I quess you can come up with many interesting quests for every faction without forcing us to do actions we don't want.



So my question is if faction quests are planned to be as mandatory and SOMETIMES forcing as in EL.

After seeing an old thread about Endless Legend's combat mechanics crop up again, I realized that there is one feature that I consider an absolute must-have for Endless Space 2.





A proper encyclopedia integrated into the game rather than opening in a new browser and containing all the relevant information on game mechanics and individual items (hulls, weapons, heroes, planet types, etc.) in the game.





Furthermore, a clear tutorial and possibly Civ-style advisors would be good additions. Especially the tutorial.

thumps up for the decision to include the whole senate thing. Such things are stimulating the fantasy and you can realy loose yourself in the universe of the game. And opens doors for new mechanics.

I admit this all sounds really cool... Keep it coming!

Is it possible if you could expand of diplomacy? I think that's the largest thing missing from the endless games, in Endless Space/Legend you guys develop amazing lore on each faction and a really unique feel, but I feel that its wasted as in game you dont really deal with other factions much. I usually only go to the diplomacy screen to declare war or offer peace, rarely for anything else. As a result, opposing factions loose a lot of who they are as they turn into a factionless blob thats either 1. a threat that needs to be watched, or 2. a group of planets that take 8 turns to colonize with siege ships.

In regards to that, I hope there is some repercussions for being overtly aggressive, like aggressive expansion in Europa Universalis 4, where if you expand too quickly neighbors will form a coalition to stop your expansion.

Back to my point, I hope diplomacy can expand to a point were there are better options for cooperation and actually make it useful to go to the diplomacy screen to chat with other nations.

thatsgerman wrote:
Is it possible if you could expand of diplomacy? I think that's the largest thing missing from the endless games, in Endless Space/Legend you guys develop amazing lore on each faction and a really unique feel, but I feel that its wasted as in game you dont really deal with other factions much. I usually only go to the diplomacy screen to declare war or offer peace, rarely for anything else. As a result, opposing factions loose a lot of who they are as they turn into a factionless blob thats either 1. a threat that needs to be watched, or 2. a group of planets that take 8 turns to colonize with siege ships.

In regards to that, I hope there is some repercussions for being overtly aggressive, like aggressive expansion in Europa Universalis 4, where if you expand too quickly neighbors will form a coalition to stop your expansion.

Back to my point, I hope diplomacy can expand to a point were there are better options for cooperation and actually make it useful to go to the diplomacy screen to chat with other nations.

thatsgerman made here a rly good point.



In addition to that I would wish that alliances and partners in war times rly would matter. But also not only in war times ...



I want to feel....a true "friendship" with my ally even though its just an AI.



I couldnt make it more unspecific but maybe some guys know what I mean with this "friendship" feeling.

Sovereign wrote:
thatsgerman made here a rly good point.



In addition to that I would wish that alliances and partners in war times rly would matter. But also not only in war times ...



I want to feel....a true "friendship" with my ally even though its just an AI.



I couldnt make it more unspecific but maybe some guys know what I mean with this "friendship" feeling.

Sort of an "I have your back, you have mine feeling no? Maybe there could be something like mutual defensive packs or a system where the better your relation with the AI, the more favorable trades you can have, and possibly even a trade route bonus? Does that seem right to you?

Adventurer_Blitz wrote:
Sort of an "I have your back, you have mine feeling no? Maybe there could be something like mutual defensive packs or a system where the better your relation with the AI, the more favorable trades you can have, and possibly even a trade route bonus? Does that seem right to you?

Yeah u got it right.

The plant of friendship grows best when poured with the blood of the bad guys. And some sort of trade haven a place for cultural exchange where its economic power is the founded on your very specific friendship. Things like that could realy add up to create this feeling.



I dont want to make an ally just to park an invsion fleet above every system off them and instagib him in one turn.



I want a friend^^ so i can play a little RPG too and also get rewarded for my honorable and peacfully behavior being a trustworthy diplomatic partner.

thatsgerman wrote:
Is it possible if you could expand of diplomacy? I think that's the largest thing missing from the endless games, in Endless Space/Legend you guys develop amazing lore on each faction and a really unique feel, but I feel that its wasted as in game you dont really deal with other factions much. I usually only go to the diplomacy screen to declare war or offer peace, rarely for anything else. As a result, opposing factions loose a lot of who they are as they turn into a factionless blob thats either 1. a threat that needs to be watched, or 2. a group of planets that take 8 turns to colonize with siege ships.

In regards to that, I hope there is some repercussions for being overtly aggressive, like aggressive expansion in Europa Universalis 4, where if you expand too quickly neighbors will form a coalition to stop your expansion.

Back to my point, I hope diplomacy can expand to a point were there are better options for cooperation and actually make it useful to go to the diplomacy screen to chat with other nations.

It seems to me that we'll get an expanded diplomacy.



We have the "inner political system", which would be the senate, elections, policies. Hopefully we will have a fleshed out "external diplomatic system" that really sets the tone and emphasis towards empire management beyond fleets.



Even from a Lore standpoint diplomatic embassies could be good plot points for the game.

In real life embassies are seen as signs of goodwill, but also as spying operations. Fleet movement, production, secret pacts and agreements (piracy, smuggling), coalitions, embargoes, theft, and other things could be incorporated in a way that makes sense from a gameplay standpoint, from a lore standpoint, and from a AI standpoint.



Trade economics can be seen as a form of warfare that generates it's own diplomatic reactions.

I'd be really excited if all of a sudden I end up against a league of planets of different factions blocking certain wormholes or controlling chokepoints just because that group of AIs fear my trade agreements with another faction.

Besides the new inner political system (which is imo the best idea they ever had) new trade mechanics are one of things I look forward the most. Cant wait to hear what changed there. I dont dare to dream about controlled piracy, smuggling etc ^^

Mechanics propositions:



THE SELFLESS



The Selfless are a method to introduce the necessary 'game cheating' mechanics with an in-lore explanation.

It is obviously a wordplay with Endless.

Every grand strategy game needs to cheat in some level to grant the AI a fighting chance, as these games are too complex to develop a perfect AI - which would be boring anyway.

So, instead of having a bunch of disparate concepts, we will collecct a few game mechanics and put them under the aegis of The Selfless.



What mechanics are brought inside their control:

Odds of random phenomena/events being good or bad and spawning without user intervention, benefiting some faction.

Intelligence being provided about some faction to another, giving it some knowledge advantage.

Events of a factions finding FIDS caches or ships or even technologies, thus bolstering that faction.



Why not just call them Endless?

To keep the mistery. They may even be a faction of survivor Endless, but *from the player's point of view*, WE JUST DON'T KNOW their true nature. They can be anything.

at the beginning of the game, the selfless are a conjecture, concluded because teh number of 'random phenomena' causing changes to the relations between the empires does not fit the physical/chaos theory, which leads to a single conclusion: Someone is generating those events. It is also concluding that these entities are not operating at the same intellectual level as us, and are not interested in galactic domination. They seemingly spawn events out of passion, or wrath, or for lulz, or because of some blue-orange logic which is inscrutable to us. They do not seem to be doing it for themselves though, but they are doing it as a guiding hand to a destination still not understood by us. Because of that, some scholar called them 'The Selfless', and it stuck; also because their actions seemingly are not for their own good, and the technology necessary to pull them off also means we wouldn't have a chance if they chose to fight.



THis aims to bring cheat and random phenomena logic under a single governor, which would bias itself towards or against the player(s) or AI depending on difficulty level. It should have at least one difficulty knob, but will probably have more to have a more fine-grained control on which types of events it will trigger more often for each faction, and on a global scale. It would be attached to 'The Selfless' lore and mistery to give it more credibility in the game - and would be fun.

Mechanic propositions:



CULTURE METAGAME



Culture should be important to make pacific gameplay possible.





It should be possible for several cultures (factions) to hold ground in a single planet. If a planet is ruled by another race, but is close to another player's territory, the 'cultural pressure' would slowly turn citizens towards the alien culture.



Letting an alien culture dominate an owned planet should NOT be all-bad, to give the player a strategic choice of just letting it happen - or even stimulating it - in exchange for a tradeoff.



A cultural takeover would give more advantages for the culture holder though. Cheaper trade and science deals should come with cultural sharing, and higher costs and dissatisfaction on the faction declaring war. Perhaps even a 'troop morale malus' for fighting against their perceived brothers.



Dominating by culture would still have the planet owned by the other factions but should give some financial benefits - maybe a passive FIDSI income without the associated infrestructure/management cost of owning the planet, based on the planet's production.



OUTPOSTS



In the outpost stage, it should be possible for multiple races to set themselves afoot in the same planet. Instead of a fixed "20 turns to colony" there should be a way for players to tweak, advance themselves or setback the other faction - without necessarily declaring war - so that one of them can create a colony. The bar to upgrade the outpost into a colony should be much higher. This initial setting could be very important to create mixed-culture planets and create a pacifist race. Or create bitter grudges between empires which would last through that game.