Hey everybody,

As we’ve mentioned in yesterday’s blog post, we are going to release an opt-in work in progress version of the patch we are working on for you to try out if you want to.

To access this version, open the properties of Endless Space 2 in Steam, go to the Betas tab, and select the PatchPreview version in the dropdown menu.

Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress version, not a release candidate for the patch, and is still subject to change. For example, we have heard your feedback on the Relic spawn for Nakalim, but changes to this were not ready for this version.

If you want to report any bugs encountered on this version, please clearly mark any bug reports as being played on version 1.5.5.

Have fun,

Amplitude

Changes

• Sobra has received a new texture with significantly less ocean
• The Nakalim Protector class hull now has more hybrid slots to allow using additional support modules
• Added relic rewards to several quest chapters
• Adjusted effects of Temples of the Lost
  1. Reduce FIDS by 50% rather than setting it to 0
  2. Generate +10 Influence per Population (Warning: Does not show on planet FIDS)
• Increased the speed of the Academy Master Fleet by 10 to improve utility on large galaxies
• Nakalim Peace and Prayer Act now reduces conversion cost by 50% instead of setting it to 0

Fixes

• HOTFIX: Fixed an issue that could cause an infinite pending turn when the Academy tries to colonize a system that already contains an outpost. This is currenlty PC only, as the Mac version was not stable.
• Diplomatic terms should no longer vanish
• Fixed glitches in hero relic assignment interface
• Relics are now unassigned from Empire slots by click rather than ctrl-click
• Laws unlocked by the Vault Keeper role will now display even if no empty law slots remain
• Fixed heroes not displaying their skills when viewed from the marketplace menu
• Nakalim Explorers properly receive an additional Support Slot when researching Adaptive Colonies
• System output shown on the empire screen now refreshes immediately as relics are assigned/unassigned
• Riftborn Explorers will now properly save modules placed in the top support slot
• Clarified effect of the “Cannot declare war” diplomatic pressure demand
• Clarified conversion requirements in the Temple of the Lost tooltip
• Academy Diplomacy screen will no longer briefly show the diplomatic relations screen behind it on opening
• Converting a minor faction to the Academy will no longer state Isyander assimilated that faction
• Master of Dust text will no longer overlap with the Diplomacy button in non-English languages
• Vaulters receive only the Vaulters-specific New Colony Rule from the Vaulter Keeper role
• Unfallen can vine Academy systems when allied to the Academy
• Player names no longer overflow role cards
• Happy Augurs population trait can no longer be selected without the Nakalim affinity
• Improved Lost Templar AI economy management
• Fleet Accelerator Tooltip now uses the hero icon
•  “Tools and Fools” Hissho law now displays properly in the keii tooltip
• Clarified tooltips of the Revive and Rebuild tactic, “Stop Peaceful Conversion” Accept choice, and Negative Anomalies
• Clarified tooltip about metaplot finale blocking hero healing and recruitment
• Clarified hacking tooltips to indicate that losing the starting node will cancel the hack
• Clarified the cost reduction in the description of Democracy governments
• Removed erroneous line from the description of The Last Empire affinity
• Nakalim no longer start predominantly scientific in their home system
• Added a notification when the loss of a temple locks an Empire Relic slot

• Adjusted effects of Temples of the Lost
  1. Reduce FIDS by 50% rather than setting it to 0
  2. Generate +10 Influence per Population (Warning: Does not show on planet FIDS)

And for our next trick, the faction will be able to make ANY planet unique. That's right, massive influence output on demand, what could go wrong?

I dunno, nakalim felt balanced the way they were,
I mean as in really, I know most people could not contain their dissapointment with not being able to roflstop everyone by playing newest shiny faction, like it was for every DLC before.

But they already are strong.

Not to mention additional quest relics.

I always found it interesting that a complete planet was devoted to Temples.

And for their Fidsi they are depending on other planets.

The extra influence was always there, but not a number attached to it.

I took over many systems via these Temples, pre opt-patch.

I don't like that you raise Temples, and when their function is gone, you raze them and build them somewhere else.

That seems very illogical. Temples when built don't get destroyed when they lose their function.

But in this Universe you do, that seems odd. Why would Nakalim remove their Temple?

Maybe the word Temple should be changed to Pillar or Prayer (Prayer for the Lost)

I think the best idea to make the 'Pillars' work is not via influence.

But to make a faction-specific ring of Prayer around a system, which steadily grows.

And when another system is in the ring of Prayer, it can be given to Isyander.

koxsos wrote:

I dunno, nakalim felt balanced the way they were,
I mean as in really, I know most people could not contain their dissapointment with not being able to roflstop everyone by playing newest shiny faction, like it was for every DLC before.

But they already are strong.

Not to mention additional quest relics.

My thoughts are closer to this as well. But I do think the starting generation of relics (and the other trigger that causes them to repopulate) does/did need some tweaking. I like incorporating relics in the quests along the way also. I think there is room to adjust the starting dust (currently 100),  and I doubt it will change, but it would be nice to see the marketplace populated with resources on turn 1 instead of turn 2. There is something to consider about starting their explorers with hyperium speed and probe upgrades. Personally, I think its overbearing that they single handedly nerf Sophon's omniscience trait with their forgotten lore trait in the early game.

This faction is interesting to play for an economic victory. They have a lot of factors that push them that way. Maybe some unique technologies along these lines would be nice. It seems like like a developmental oversight that they have no unique techs (I exclude ship designs and upgrades and the tier 4 Cathedral)

Riffing on my earlier statement:

The nakalim faction quest where you have to acquire a large number (14 in my case, on a densely-spaced-systems 8-player map) of systems for the Academy is astonishingly difficult compared to the other quests.  In order to finish this quest, I had to bring everything humanly possible to bear on it, including winning the rejuvenators academy quest, and building several Obelisks of All Space-Time, and stacking almost every influence-generating bonus in the game.

You need to scale this down!  It's just too many systems.  The mission would be somewhat achievable by converting the very few systems which were naturally near enough to be susceptible, and/or doing special forward settling to pump out early influence bubbles, but beyond a certain low threshold (3-6 systems) this gets incredibly difficult.  Later on it could be done by driving deep into enemy territory, taking one of their core worlds, and building a new bubble growing from there, but if you're strong enough to take one of their core worlds, you're probably strong enough to conquer the empire, and/or are snowballing out of control and just generally winning the game.

Furthermore, the reward for this is unbelievably bad, especially given the nature of the necessary ingredients to win the quest.

It gives you 10 empire influence per relic.   That's perhaps 300 influence at that point in the game - which is nothing.   A single system of mine was easily giving 1000.

It's possible to boost this by amplifying the value (dramatically), but at this point you're already getting far more influence than you need, in order to finish the quest.  This reward needs to be completely reworked.

One idea for fixing this could include reducing the % malus "beliefs, not breakthroughs" gives (this being the reward).  Another one would be reducing the FIDS malus on the new Temple.

Just to illustrate it, this is what my influence was looking like over the course of the game.  I still had trouble pulling this one off.