Orbital Layer: Build and deploy advanced military, economic and scientific satellites that provide strategic offensive, defensive and support capabilities from orbit.Quest System: Quests are injected with fiction about the planet, and help to guide you through a series of side-missions that will aid in resource collection, unit upgrades, and advancement through the game.Technology Web: To reflect progress forward into an uncertain future, technology advancement occurs through a series of nonlinear choices, unique units, and wonders that affect the development of mankind.Use Diplomatic Capital to upgrade your traits, change diplomatic relationships, and leverage the benefits of your allies’ traits. Shape the Diplomatic Landscape: Leaders unlock Traits through gameplay and activate different combinations to respond to the changing world.Develop flourishing cities on land or build floating settlements at sea, and establish trade routes to create prosperity for your people. Colonize an Alien World: Explore the dangers and benefits of a new planet filled with dangerous terrain, valuable resources, and hostile life forms unlike those of Earth.Assemble your spacecraft, cargo & colonists through a series of choices that directly seed the starting conditions when arriving at the new planet. Seed the Adventure: Establish your cultural identity by choosing one of 12 different expedition sponsors, each with its own leader and unique gameplay benefits.