As players got their teeth in Sins of a Solar Empire 2 at launch last year, they began to report odd behaviour from the galaxy’s computer-controlled factions. It wasn’t that the NPC commanders resisted human expansion, but it was as though they hated humans. Not only would these groups reject any peaceful overtures, turning up their noses at ceasefire agreements and gifts of resources – the idea of an alliance was practically out of the question – but the computer-led nations seemed to be allying with one another to focus all their hatred on the fleshy humans.
Unlike Civilization and other strategy games, Sins of a Solar Empire 2 doesn’t offer a peaceful path to victory. You can either destroy your enemies’ home worlds, colonise over 51% of the galaxy, or annihilate every enemy faction’s planets and ships. It is space imperialism writ large. This isn’t something Sins’ lore shies away from – the TEC (Trader Emergency Coalition) Primacy faction are out and out space racists who want to exterminate all alien threats. Yet, despite this, Sins is not meant to be a game where everyone you meet is immediately your enemy, and you should be able to remain cordial with one faction while you shaft another.
When developers Stardock looked into these reports, they found that the players’ suspicions about NPCs conspiring against them were well-founded. “They were actually allying with each other, against humans,” development lead Brian Clair says. It was all down to hatred.
Well, hatred and a rigged dice roll.
