vahouth wrote:

If the Automatons are the Timelords, they must be a very well hidden secret because I don't see anything even remotely resembling an Automaton, in any of the in-game screens.

True. But then again, we haven't seen any robotic species in the artwork either. Whatever this "Timelords" faction is, we haven't been given any visual clues about it.

mixerria wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

The UE and Horatio were datamined recently, so we know they will be in the game. 

This is outrageously good news! 

It's kinda shocking given that they're both sorta low on the list of memorable ES1 factions, at least for me.  Granted horatio has the potential to be much more interesting if they're aggressive with it, and given that population is supposed to be much more essential to the gameplay, but the UE was pretty boring.

Sotnik wrote:

BTW, where is the original source of the information on Horatio and United Empire? Quite exciting!

You can see them yourself in the game's steam folder.

SteamApps/common/Endless Space 2/Public/GroundBattle.

SteamApps/common/Endless Space 2/Public/Simulation/Battles. There you'll see all 7 major factions listed as well as a minor factions XML.

Interesting.  The only thing that makes me question some of this is i'm 100% positive they will not have a race called "timeLords", so it's possible some of these are placeholder names (UE called terrans in some places for example).  The other names are almost more interesting.

Eji1700 wrote:

Interesting.  The only thing that makes me question some of this is i'm 100% positive they will not have a race called "timeLords", so it's possible some of these are placeholder names (UE called terrans in some places for example).  The other names are almost more interesting.

Yep, many names are placeholders. Lumeris are called Venetians, Vodyani are called Vampyrilis, Kalgeros are called Benthys etc. Same thing happened in the first ES game as well.

The UE were kinda boring as a 'default' human faction. I thought the Vaulters were Amplitude's favourite anyway.

All the factions we've seen so far seem to have their gameplay styles revolve around a particular political party or gameplay mechanic

Cravers are Militarists

Sophons are Scientists

Vodyani are Religious

Lumeris are Pacifists (with a focus on Dust)

Unfallen will also be Pacifists (presumably with an Influence focus instead)

That leaves Industrialist and Ecologist, and one faction that does something else.

UE would be an obvious candidate for the Industrialist focus.

If the Time Lords are Automatons, then it would make sense for them to be Ecologists.

Horatio will probably revolve around Population mechanics. Hope they differentiate them in a really neat way.

If the Automatons are the Timelords, they must be a very well hidden secret because I don't see anything even remotely resembling an Automaton, in any of the in-game screens.

Any of them could be represented by a minor faction or a single hero - or just be mistaken.

BTW, where is the original source of the information on Horatio and United Empire? Quite exciting!

UndeadPuppy wrote:

vahouth wrote:

If the Automatons are the Timelords, they must be a very well hidden secret because I don't see anything even remotely resembling an Automaton, in any of the in-game screens.

True. But then again, we haven't seen any robotic species in the artwork either. Whatever this "Timelords" faction is, we haven't been given any visual clues about it.

You mean in this particular artwork? Because we have already seen robotic species in a screen. It's the guy with the flying limbs in the population growth screen.

iDrunk wrote:

atejas wrote:

If the Time Lords are Automatons, then it would make sense for them to be Ecologists.

Unlikely. There was an information previously, that only half of eight factions returns from ES1. So, after counting we understand that "timelords" will become totally new faction.

P.S. And Horatio can be fit into Ecologists IMHO.

Really? 

I always thought that the Horatio would be perfect as a Religious faction (cult of personality + population growth).

The United Empire doesn't fit as ecologists either, so whatever this "Timelords" faction is, will have to fill that gap.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

iDrunk wrote:

atejas wrote:

If the Time Lords are Automatons, then it would make sense for them to be Ecologists.

Unlikely. There was an information previously, that only half of eight factions returns from ES1. So, after counting we understand that "timelords" will become totally new faction.

P.S. And Horatio can be fit into Ecologists IMHO.

Really? 

I always thought that the Horatio would be perfect as a Religious faction (cult of personality + population growth).

The United Empire doesn't fit as ecologists either, so whatever this "Timelords" faction is, will have to fill that gap.

Yeah, there are 8 factions and 6 ideologies, so there will have to be 2 that don't perfectly align with any 1 party.

Unfallen are already pacifists-but-not-really, and Horatio never really struck me as being big on saving trees or anything, so I wouldn't really peg them as ecologists.

UndeadPuppy wrote:

iDrunk wrote:

atejas wrote:

If the Time Lords are Automatons, then it would make sense for them to be Ecologists.

Unlikely. There was an information previously, that only half of eight factions returns from ES1. So, after counting we understand that "timelords" will become totally new faction.

P.S. And Horatio can be fit into Ecologists IMHO.

Really? 

I always thought that the Horatio would be perfect as a Religious faction (cult of personality + population growth).

The United Empire doesn't fit as ecologists either, so whatever this "Timelords" faction is, will have to fill that gap.

Well, I think that "population stuff" can have strong connections with ecology. Through food production for example. But I haven't seen ecological laws yet ((

Or their theme can be little changed/expanded.

Just my speculations  I agree that there are other plausible options.

Kweel_Nakashyn wrote:

Sotnik wrote:

Any of them could be represented by a minor faction or a single hero - or just be mistaken.

BTW, where is the original source of the information on Horatio and United Empire? Quite exciting!

If a Pilgrim mini faction migrated from system to system, that would be a nice news :)

That would be an interesting mechanism for a minor race. 

iDrunk wrote:

UndeadPuppy wrote:

iDrunk wrote:

atejas wrote:

If the Time Lords are Automatons, then it would make sense for them to be Ecologists.

Unlikely. There was an information previously, that only half of eight factions returns from ES1. So, after counting we understand that "timelords" will become totally new faction.

P.S. And Horatio can be fit into Ecologists IMHO.

Really? 

I always thought that the Horatio would be perfect as a Religious faction (cult of personality + population growth).

The United Empire doesn't fit as ecologists either, so whatever this "Timelords" faction is, will have to fill that gap.

Well, I think that "population stuff" can have strong connections with ecology. Through food production for example. But I haven't seen ecological laws yet ((

Or their theme can be little changed/expanded.

Just my speculations  I agree that there are other plausible options.

I don't know, maybe... I mean they made the Amoeba an Ecologist Minor Faction this time around, despite not having any links to the ideology in ES1.

atejas wrote:
If I remember right, the entry was for Terrans. That's the name that the UE went by in the ES1 game files, but several other pictures seemed to show Vaulter-ish clothing and gear on humans.

My personal guess is that it'll be the Mezari and that they'll be a fusion of the UE and the Vaulters stylistically.

And there's artwork depicting humans in UE style clothing and gear. 

The Vaulters may be a major faction in EL and ED, but in the first ES game, they were added as a bonus faction for the Emperor Edition... I think.