So, I am no noob to 4X games I have played Sins of a Solar Empire, the original Master of Orion games(and the new one) and several others.  I think this game is going to turn into a gem! 

Couple questions 

1) how do you get your 2nd hero? I can never seem to figure out how to get it.  Seems to just happen randomly but I am sure there is something I am missing.

2) I like the Sophons, but I am struggling to win even on Normal.  I always have Dust issues and not sure why.  Is expanding too rapidly a bad thing?  

3) should I use my influence early game to assimilate the minor factions or wait to just take them over with military? Currently i spend TONS of influence trying to assimilate them but I am not sure I should be doing that. 

4) for some reason the ecologist party always takes over and I am not sure what to do to stop it.  I try to focus on scientist related improvements but that doesn't seem to do the trick. 

Sorry for the noob questions .

3-If you want convert minor faction with influence wait produce enough influence because each turn their aproval against you will fall, and calculate when you should use it for exemple if they are at 61 and you just have influence for +20 you will lose more influence because the time to reuse influence their aproval will decrease to 74 then ->94 and maybe you need to wait again and they can go at 79 and again (i don't know if you can understand me on this ^^)

4-this is the senate i can't help you on this :/ personaly i let it do what he want except in mid game when i can really influence the result with action

phanemy wrote:
Hey,

1-The second come when an empire discover the academy and after few turn (you can see it on the academy screen) your hero is here

2-For you'r dust probleme, do you take dust tech? check you'r military cost (put your mouse on the dust icone)? how is you'r aproval(if you expand too fast it will decrease )?

 

3-If you want convert minor faction with influence wait produce enough influence because each turn their aproval against you will fall, and calculate when you should use it for exemple if they are at 61 and you just have influence for +20 you will lose more influence because the time to reuse influence their aproval will decrease to 74 then ->94 and maybe you need to wait again and they can go at 79 and again (i don't know if you can understand me on this ^^)

4-this is the senate i can't help you on this :/ personaly i let it do what he want except in mid game when i can really influence the result with action

1) Ok, I think I got it. Thanks.

2) Maybe that is my problem, I am expanding too fast.

3) Yes, that does make sense.  But what do you usually do? do you convert them through diplomacy or just invade them ?:)

4) no problem, thanks :)