I can't seem to get things right. The learning curve is too steep for me. I know (for the most part) how the game WORKS (FIDS, approval, etc), but not how to play turn-by-turn with maximum efficiency. For the first 5-10 turns or so, it seems to be going well, I'm making sure each turn is as productive as possible, but then it seems to start falling off fast. I'm unsure as to what planets should be colonized and where, and what star system improvements I should be using and where. I know most, if not all factions usually focus on growth at the very beginning (to increase overall FIDS), but when and where do I start focusing on industry, or science? It seems like when my production and growth is fine, my research is happening too slow, and I feel sluggish. I've tried the Sophons and the Horatio, and I can't seem to get myself past early game. It all turns into a blur. General gameplay advice would be highly appreciated.



EDIT: I've read this thread, but do all factions play the way Horatio does? Is early game pretty much the same for all factions?

No, not all factions play the same. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses and traits. Alternatively, you can make your own race a select your own traits based on a point value system were negative traits give you more points to off set themselves.



As far as what planets... you should watch some of the youtube videos on the subject. One of the things I personally learned is the game starts you with a very high tax. Lowering your taxes right off on turn one will help your early game development as you get empire wide bonuses for having high approval ratings.



Other then that I can not really give any advice other then keep playing and examine everything and read, read, read!

Most of the races do play the same, especially in the first 20 to 30 turns. The only real difference in the early turns is how seriously you gear to build warships. The cravers, sowers, and hissho might all be building specialized military systems already.

There you go.

/#/endless-space/forum/27-general/thread/8879-tutorial-for-beginners

/#/endless-space/forum/33-strategy-guides/thread/14031-a-how-why-on-factions-custom-or-vanilla



General advice for the first turns: Stick to to Class I planets for colonization (Terran, Jungle, Ocean), get your Administrator Heros as soon as you hit 20 Dust and the second at 80, research , and improvements first, after a few turns you want to include the Class II planet(Arid, Tundra) options around you and get the necessary colonization and techs, approval and colonization should always be in balance, even if you have to lower the taxes for a few turns. Always try to get at least 4 units of one kind of ressource or luxury, the bonuses are big.



Nonbaryonic Particles in the left; Applied Casimir Effect in the southern; Botanical Scanning in the right tree are common first research choices

Here I was typing up a whole long post for him, and you had to go link to the newbie threads.

Mercnet: I've read that you should aim to keep your tax rate low enough for approval to be "fervent", but also that during the first turn it should be high enough to afford a Hero early? As for reading, reading, reading, I'm working on it! Thanks.



ArrowLance: I figured as much. Thanks. Military scares me, so I've been playing Horatio and Sophons which don't seem to be TOO dependant on military early game, lol.



Raban: This is closer to what I was looking for. I wanted to know if colonizing most systems near your home system was optimal, even if they didn't contain tier I planets, or skipping a few to take the chance of those having the tier I planets. I've also been going for Admin heroes as ArrowLance suggested in his guide. As for approval techs, I haven't even touched them, so I'll give them a try. Lastly, when it comes to the resources, they always seem to spawn on lower tier planets (bad luck). Are the planets worth colonizing for them early game, or should I wait until later?



Taliesyn: Thanks for your almost input.

There are some very good luxuries like Bluecap Mold, Proto-Orchid or Redsang etc and sometimes one Planet has 3 units. So it is worth to grab them early, even if they sit on a Lava Planet but most of the time you want to only colonize the planets you can support with your approval ratings

For Sophons in particular, the key is to keep tax rates as low as you can afford. Sophons get a boost of 50% science for a 0% tax rate. That's probably a little too low, but I often go much of the game on 10%, which offers a 40% Science boost - on top of the built in 30% Science for playing a race with the Scientists 3 trait.

The right place to ask for a "general gameplay advice" is the Endless Space section. Regardless of that, advice has been given so I'm closing this thread.