Quote from game features list : "A realistic, immersive universe – three races and 12 playable factions exist in a living-breathing universe populated by a huge variety of non-player civilizations"

Above all features listed, this is what draws my attention. I like playing in game setting where universe is dynamic and feels "living".

I would like to know more bout this pliz if possible?

There are 3 races and among them alltogether there are 12 factions, like 4 factions per playable race?

"Huge variety of non - player civilizations" These are not just "guilds" you are refering to? But "lesser" factions in their own right, that we can interact with? With their own more or less unik look (biology, estetics-space vessels)?

Also will we encounter planets where sentient life has developed but are still in "tribal", pre industry stage? If so, would we have some moral options on how to interact with these species if we choose to interact at all? These could effect Diplomacy storywise, as to eliminate them, enslave, "lead" or "uplift" them especially if rock they live on is full of rare resources. Or just have some sort of carantine for the world.

So one question leads to another and these other civilisations, could they have some sort of pacts with eachother, alliances, like some Galactic UN or some sort of League of undeveloped worlds (lol..suddenly Babylon 5 pops in my mind) , anyway that could offer player some special trading rights, joint research in chosen field,(basically speeds up research for some time) access through their space, etc. So even if we are quite strong "empire" or going in that empire direction and we are tempted to strike just out of greed or nescessity on "lesser" civ, it brings others on you or something like that.

Hmm i could go oooon asking questions and I think that I am entering heavily into subject of advance Diplomacy and some sort of strategy faction RP. Starting to loose my chain of tought!

In fact that feature list is somewhat outdated. To get the facts straight:

We have three main races but you can define your own sub-race with the ancestry system which works kind of like the character creation in an RPG. You have a pool of 21 skill points that you distribute on skills such as research and diplomacy. You can also get special skills that give you unique skills but take up a lot of points. We deliver around 4 pre-defined ancestries with the game that you can use without generating your own (that is basically where the 12 faction number initially came from).In addition to that, you also choose bonus tech trees that alter the unique tech trees of each race and give you unique technologies to play with. So you see that although three races may not seem much at the beginning, there is a whole world of possibilities to be discovered.

Now to your questions:
The non-player civilizations are basically the four guilds. They each have a unique style, own motivations, own ships, etc. You can trade with them and you might get special bonuses if your standing with them is very good. In the campaign, you also get special side-tasks from them.

On a lot of planets, smaller tribal races have developed. If you colonize a planet, you should consider this. A lot of tribes have been contacted by the guilds and are aligned to one of the guilds. If you are ruthless to the native population of a planet, that guild will not be pleased and your reputation with them will drop. There will be buildings you can use to please the native population and boost morale on that planet though.

So no there is no galactic UN but your actions towards native population will have ramifications.

I assume there is also the possibility to play against IA in sand-box mode, for example Player + 4 guilds + 7 other factions ?

Yes

Thank you for your answers Chris, that claryfies a lot. I like ancenstry idea a lot. I still hope if there are expansions or extensive DLC's that you will expand on universe and add variety of "diplomatic" features. Such as more spacefaring species and some galatic UN lets say )

One last question...you have said that the game is very moddable. Does that include modding by adding new minor spacefaring species, ships etc?