UnderDarkLord wrote:

Only work with terrestrial planets? Is there another that allows colonization of gas giants, because a Lumeris AI had a gas giant colonized in one game and I was slightly annoyed at its hax.

As far as I know, the only way to get a colonized Gas Giant right now is to assimilate the minor faction that has a Gas Giant homeworld.

Clarste wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

ImperatorTempus42 wrote:

The one Ecologist law directly mentions United Empire entertainment, so they're definitely in alongside the Vaulters (It's Opbot and one of their women, and they're in the other 2 strategies).

That doesn't really mean anything. The Amoeba, Harmony and Vaulters have been name dropped in the game as well, but none of them are confirmed yet.

Like I've said before, the only thing we know for sure is that there are two more factions returning from ES1, one of which is Humans, and two new ones, one of which is the Unfallen.

Beyond that, it's just pure speculation. 

According to this thread, there's a reference in the data files to the Sowers as a major faction. Specfically, they seem to have a quest related technology.

I know. They are the most logical choice from any ES1 Faction that could fit in the last two ideological slots (Industrialist and Ecologist), besides the Automatons. And they are a robotic race, which was missing from the Major Factions.

On top of that, one of the devs dropped some interesting  lore trivia about Sowers in a recent post, which means that they have been working on them in some way.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

ImperatorTempus42 wrote:

The one Ecologist law directly mentions United Empire entertainment, so they're definitely in alongside the Vaulters (It's Opbot and one of their women, and they're in the other 2 strategies).

That doesn't really mean anything. The Amoeba, Harmony and Vaulters have been name dropped in the game as well, but none of them are confirmed yet.

Like I've said before, the only thing we know for sure is that there are two more factions returning from ES1, one of which is Humans, and two new ones, one of which is the Unfallen.

Beyond that, it's just pure speculation. 

According to this thread, there's a reference in the data files to the Sowers as a major faction. Specfically, they seem to have a quest related technology.

The one Ecologist law directly mentions United Empire entertainment, so they're definitely in alongside the Vaulters (It's Opbot and one of their women, and they're in the other 2 strategies).

I think the devs have shied away from spoiling any more factions in Artwork. The only thing we know for sure  is that there are two more factions returning from ES1, one of which is  Humans (probably UE or the Vaulters).

It doesn't tell us much, as it's visibly geared toward featuring mostly the 4 known factions, some minors, and placeholder humans. It's likely those event artworks were made quite a while ago ?

What can this screen tell us about future major factions to come?

Yeah but pacifists = Dust and the Unfallen seem geared toward food production.  It's possible their population has mixed feeling indeed. 

And they seem diplomacy oriented too, and so far it seems these are religious oriented (which I find a bit off)

uriak wrote:

Wouldn't the Unfallen start as an ecologist faction too ? Anyway since there are only 6 political parties and 8 major factions there will be at least 2 pairs of similar oriented population types.

I'm amazed at the automaton love here, I didn't think much of them in ES1.

The Unfallen are described as Pacifists though (and the entire vote was framed as "design a Pacifist faction"). I suppose they could be a hybrid though, and start with a mixed Senate.

Wouldn't the Unfallen start as an ecologist faction too ? Anyway since there are only 6 political parties and 8 major factions there will be at least 2 pairs of similar oriented population types.

I'm amazed at the automaton love here, I didn't think much of them in ES1.

UnderDarkLord: They had probably assimilated a minor faction as those seem to be able to start on any kind of planet. I'm pretty sure I've had at least one colony on a gas giant through assimilation.

If the Ecologist party is the reigning party in the senate they have a mandatory law that enables you to colonize any telluric (terrestrial) planet but with a FIDS penalty. It's an amazing ~ability~ to have esp when you've got a pretty established empire since the FIDS penalty might not hamper your systems as much. I am however, having problems keeping them in power with my current form of government. I hope they balance out the options later on.

Only work with terrestrial planets? Is there another that allows colonization of gas giants, because a Lumeris AI had a gas giant colonized in one game and I was slightly annoyed at its hax.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

Unless it's a Minor Race...

But honestly, you expect me to believe that this

 

was redesigned into this?

Be reasonable now...

That gave me a hearty chuckle

UndeadPuppy wrote:

vahouth wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

Ugh, not the Epistis = Automatons fiasco again...

The only thing they have in common, is the fact that they were created by extinct races to be caretakers of their homeworlds.

The Automatons aren't even cybernetic robots, they're actually clockwork beings. The Automatons didn't malfunction and killed their creators.

By that logic we shouldn't have Sophons because the Deuyivans are also alien scientists. Heck, we had 4 human factions in the first game, two of them incredibly similar to each other and nobody batted an eye.

I'm not suggesting the Epistis are the Automatons now. 

But maybe the "new" automatons are these:

 

I highly doubt it. They don't have the steampunk/clockwork theme the Automatons had. Besides, the Sophons and Cravers transitioned from the first game without any major visual design changes. I don't see any reasons for the Automatons to get a makeover.

Maybe you're right, maybe not. Maybe the clockwork theme is more profound in some designs than others, or maybe they kept it mostly for their ships. 

Regardless this dude is probably the next big player, Automaton or not. 

MezzoMax wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.

And I hope it's the Sowers.  Sound like the Sowers ability to colonize every planet from the start. But if this is bound to an ideology I don't know if this should give some clues to the major faction tied to ecologists.

But what happens to the colonized planets if you loose this party as leading party?

And also why can you suddenly colonize a planet because someone in the senate says so? Funny.  It's an interesting law though. Please keep it.

I only got the Ecologists as the leading party for one electoral cycle before they were overtaken by industrialists and scientists from my Sophon and Mavros population. No apparent penalties other than you can't colonise planets without the proper tech like before. The ones that you did colonise while the law was in effect are retained.

vahouth wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

Ugh, not the Epistis = Automatons fiasco again...

The only thing they have in common, is the fact that they were created by extinct races to be caretakers of their homeworlds.

The Automatons aren't even cybernetic robots, they're actually clockwork beings. The Automatons didn't malfunction and killed their creators.

By that logic we shouldn't have Sophons because the Deuyivans are also alien scientists. Heck, we had 4 human factions in the first game, two of them incredibly similar to each other and nobody batted an eye.

I'm not suggesting the Epistis are the Automatons now. 

But maybe the "new" automatons are these:

 

I highly doubt it. They don't have the steampunk/clockwork theme the Automatons had. Besides, the Sophons and Cravers transitioned from the first game without any major visual design changes. I don't see any reasons for the Automatons to get a makeover.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

Ugh, not the Epistis = Automatons fiasco again...

The only thing they have in common, is the fact that they were created by extinct races to be caretakers of their homeworlds.

The Automatons aren't even cybernetic robots, they're actually clockwork beings. The Automatons didn't malfunction and killed their creators.

By that logic we shouldn't have Sophons because the Deuyivans are also alien scientists. Heck, we had 4 human factions in the first game, two of them incredibly similar to each other and nobody batted an eye.

I'm not suggesting the Epistis are the Automatons now. 

But maybe the "new" automatons are these:

Eji1700 wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.

Sounds more like a sowers thing really.  Either way it's a very powerful ability for the lumeris if you can somehow get them in power.

Build food improvements and it will raise the ecologists influence.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.

As strange as it is the Automatons might have actually been redesigned and put in game.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.

Sounds more like a sowers thing really.  Either way it's a very powerful ability for the lumeris if you can somehow get them in power.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.

And I hope it's the Sowers.  Sound like the Sowers ability to colonize every planet from the start. But if this is bound to an ideology I don't know if this should give some clues to the major faction tied to ecologists.

But what happens to the colonized planets if you loose this party as leading party?

And also why can you suddenly colonize a planet because someone in the senate says so? Funny.  It's an interesting law though. Please keep it.

Yeah this is the only way to colonize some planets in the game as the higher tier unlocks are not available yet.

I can't wait for the Major Faction that starts out as Ecologists! I hope it's the Automatons.