Hello everybody!

I bought Endless Space 2 long ago and I recently returned to it. After playing it for some time I began to feel a set of limitations to my immersion, which bothered me. So I started googling, and ironically I stumbled upon my own reddit post from 2 years ago, which still had very valid points. Therefore, this is basically my old Reddit post with updated points. I’m going to discuss what I think could be better in this game. The core of the game is very pretty and nice, but also shallow. Well, at least in my experience. I feel that there are many mechanics which are in the game but haven’t been used for anything. I will through this wall of text talk about Populations, Diplomacy, Politics and Ground Battles. I will accompany them with my thoughts on how to improve them.

Population: Populations are a great example of a feature which could be so much more, but which basically boils down to a pretty image with +1 science on barren or whatever.. Generally, you will quickly acquire several different species in your empire. Some of these races are beneficial to your empire while other, such as cravers deplete your planets which in the long run is detrimental. Thus, I don’t want cravers in my empire, but I cannot persecute, expel or ethnic(racial) cleanse them. That could go for any race I didn’t want in my empire really. Furthermore, they’ve included how well-established different races are in your empire. This is promoted through how many of that race exist in your empire, which is a boring and somewhat meaningless mechanic. It doesn’t make me want to engage in how populations are doing except from sometimes rearranging populations from one planet to another. Why not create a slider system where it goes from -5 - 0 – +5. Having a minus (-) in front of the number determines how persecuted the race is. -5 is expulsion/cleansing. Having plus (+) determines how many rights they have. +5 means citizenship on equal footing with your “main” race. Because the size of a population doesn’t really mean that you can’t persecute them, and it doesn’t mean that they are well established in your empire either. It could also create events where that population will start to flee, becoming refugees which other empires can take in or turn away. This would also allow the developers to play on the different races more: The hissho for instance are staunch military traditionalists, why would they ever respect a bunch of pacifists, which they probably would find dishonorable? Likewise, why would pacifists accept a bunch of warmongerers in their society? Generally, people with such different attitudes would not always have a great time together, and that should be simulated in the game.

Before somebody comes around saying "Well, there are population controls such as Press Ganging or just keep those pops in a space port forever or send them through pirate space". These are not designed as population controls. For a lack of better mechanics, they can be used as workarounds to manage your population, but they shouldn't be confused as population controls.

Diplomacy: The diplomacy in the game is very simplistic and it doesn’t always make sense. For instance, why can my alliance partner go to war, drag me into it while I don’t get a say? I’d like the alliance but alliance =/= join in war. Sure, they should be able to ask me if I’d like to join when they want to go to war, but I shouldn’t be automatically called. That also goes for suing for peace, I don’t necessarily want peace. It would be nice with a choice. I've even experienced a third power joining on my opponent's side, realizing their ally is losing badly and immediately trying to sue for peace. If I accept then their ally basically gets out scotch free.

Another idea which I picked up from Galactic Civilizations 3 and Stellaris is what they call “UP” (United Planets). It’s a quite cool feature I think, and it adds another dimension to diplomacy. That too could really help Endless Space 2 with a more “Galactic diplomacy” level where the different factions can vote for the agenda. Some factions would like more peace, some would like to deal with refugee problems while others would bolster trade or denounce an aggressive faction. It means that the player(s) will have a real stake of setting the agenda. Naturally, minor factions too should join in. You might even be able to create voting blocks within it.

Politics: The two above could benefit politics as well with parties joining in to influence how minor races are treated etc. I think politics are really boring at the moment. My experience is that I pick the party that seems mostly in line with my current politics, which mostly is war or industry. Then I can choose to pick a policy if I want to, but I don’t engage or consider them outside of the elections every.. 20 turns? I think politics could much more rewarding if it was given some depth and gave a challenge.

Ground battles: this is a just a very minor point, but it seems very weird that the attackers have guerrilla warfare. Wouldn’t it make sense that the defenders have that – with them knowing the localities etc. Furthermore, it could be also be cool if it was a series of progressive battles which culminated in the capture of the planet or a successful defence. This could also give defensive structures a bigger say than merely some few stats and more defenders which are sapped by siege anyway. The further towards a capture you get the harder the defences are, and this is just an example:

-2(Landing zone)

-1 (staging grounds)

0 (Battle zone)

+1 (First line of defense)

+2 (Second line of defense)  

+3 (Third line of defense)

It starts at (ground)0, the attackers will then assault the first point (+1). If the defenders win, they will push back the attackers. Otherwise the attackers will push the defenders back to (+2). If the attackers lose twice in a row, they will be pushed off the planet. Should they win three consecutive times they will then take the planet. Naturally these phases can be prolonged by technology. For instance, the first defensive tech is bunkers (iirc). Now a bunker would be the end phase (+4) which would provide a small force for defense (regardless of siege time). That would go on to the next etc. Each would provide a bit larger force which would remain regardless of how long the siege has been in place. Though, ofc, the siege would still sap most of the fighting force, but at least it’s not a roll over. This way defenders also gain a bit of a say in how the battle is waged, and a proper defense can mean that your planet will prevail and kick off the attackers.

These are my suggestions. I hope for some discussion, feedback or critique.

Best Regards

Secuter