I've played Endless Space for a while, and I think it's a fine game, about the only worthy successor to MOO1&2. I noticed something odd a few games ago, thought I'd ask.

I tried out the Sowers, rather slow with them because I am unfamiliar with them. It was at least turn 30 before I got out of my initial territory, but won without too much difficulty on normal.

So I figured I'd go for a blitz, normal difficulty. My favorite guys, the United Empire. I've created a custom faction called Scientific Empire that has some of the financial capabilities traded out for research improvements. Great team, I've used them multiple times.

So I come out of the gate full bore, start with n-way reactor, and a corporate hero for research and food. By turn 15 I have a few planets, and am coming out of my initial area. I quickly explore all the special event systems in the middle, and have loads of bonuses. I seem to be on top of the world.

But by turn 30 or so, I'm being pounded by 1000+ point fleets, and multiple ones. After about 50 turns of frustration, I lose interest and go on to something else. If my Sowers had been hit anywhere near that hard or that fast, they would have eaten alive.

I just started another Scientific Empire game, about turn 30 now. Not quite as dramatic, but same type of situation appears to be developing.

Does this game learn? Does it adjust difficulty between plays (each victory by a given race increases it's difficulty for the future)?
These Scientific Empire folks used to kick butt with no problems, but now they face opponents who seem to outperform them no matter how hard they push.

I was also wondering if the game has some kind of self-balance mechanism. Say every bonus system you get also gives your AI opponents a bonus. All I know is I'm getting a radically different scale of opposition. Any ideas, particularly from the devs?

The AI does not learn game on game (that would pose specific problems if you could "program" the enemy AI to react the wrong way to something), and isn't given reactionary bonuses.



Above normal difficulty, AI factions get bonuses to FIDS to help them keep up.



The AI does have a much heavier focus on building up fleets, which might be why your first encounter was unfortunate. Upon meeting another faction, I would recommend trying to strike a peace deal. :)