Revamp the Sophon affinity

I agree, the Sophons are the only race with a negatively-scaling affinity. Vodyani, Cravers and even Lumeris all do better with more people, Sophons are the only ones who do worse.

Wouldn't this problem be fixed simply by changing the bonus to scale with percentage of factions who have researched the tech instead of flat?

Example: with 4 players: 0 civ researched = +50%

                                         1 civ researched = +25%

               with 6 players: 0 civ researched = +50%

                                         1 civ researched = +37.5%

                                         2 civ researched = +25%

               with 8 players: 0 civ researched = +50%

                                         1 civ researched = +43.75%

                                         2 civ researched = +37.5%

These are just rough numbers to explain my point, obviously the numbers will need tweaking but the goal is to have the buff scale properly with game size.  The +science% buff should scale down all the way until you are the last civ to research it as it works currently, I didn't write it out here as it would make my post too long. (In characters, and time). 

Second option:

In terms of balance and lore perhaps it would make more sense if it did not scale linearly but instead reverse exponentially.  It would look something like this:

With [factions in game] on the y axis (left)  and [Factions researched tech] on the x axis (bottom).  The line in the above picture goes roughly where the buff should lie with 50% being the maximum as it is currently.  The minimum should also be the same (I cant remember the exact number)

What do you think?

I posted my suggestion in a separate thread here: https://www.games2gether.com/endless-space-2/ideas/145-revamped-sophon-affinity

I still maintain the position that reversing the affinity, so that it allows to research techs other factions know faster, is doable. Aside from that there are plenty of other smaller ideas, and with C0ldSn4p even one entirely different larger idea.

If this is still incomplete... what format does the idea need to take to be considered?

The main problem with reversing the affinity is it conflicts with Sophon lore. They are the first when it comes to science. Also their racial affinity as of right now is superior to a lot of others. I will break it down with the Sophons first.

Sophon
Affinity - +50% bonus science when researching new technology no civilization knows. Bonus is halved for each civilization that has learned it.

Population - +1 Science, +3 Science on Cold.

Cravers

Affinity - -10 initial relationship with Minor Factions.

Population - +50% FIDS on undepleted planets. +1 depletion point per pop on planet.

Empire

Affinity - +0.1 Influence per Industry spent.

Population - +1 Influence, +1 Influence on Temperate.

Horatio

Affinity - -10 initial relationship with Minor Factions. +5% food consumption per spliced pop on original empire pop.

Population - +2 Approval

Vodyani

Affinity - -10 initial relationship with Minor Factions.

Population - +50% population growth penalty. +4 FIDS per pop.

Lumeris

Affinity - Can colonize with Dust and can trade outposts.

Population - +1 Dust, +5 Dust on Teeming.

By far the Sophons have the strongest affinity because even if you are not the first to research you still get a 25%, 12%, & 6% bonus science on that tech. That is still a bonus. But if you are that far down the line where you are getting a bonus smaller than 12% you should already focused heavily on the science production techs so it doesn't matter that the older techs in other trees have a low bonus, or you are playing them poorly.

I have an alternative idea, but I personally like the way the Sophons are now. Instead the Sophons could gain an empire bonus to science for every tech they research first up to a cap: +3% bonus science per first research, 33% cap. I personally don't like the idea though.