I think most of the lore will be there in the defaults, small adjustments to that are fine... large ones should eventually just be custom civs. Although with lore/backstory I would love it if each trait linked with a line of text that was added or removed to the backstory. So... with the default options they have the backstory, change a trait and it changes any backstory related to that trait.

E.g.
General lore - Faction specific
"after the war of the titans..."
Race specific text - Tarth
"The Tarth..."


Personal bit - Sov specific
"Lord Frogboy, unlike many frogs is able to cast magic..."
backstory - Job specific text
"...a troubled early life, stealing from the rich... and the poor"
Trait text
"ugly in human terms perhaps..."
More text

Final kingdom/fallen text
"Now he/she strives to..."

If you adjusted the old job it would adjust a linked description that appears in the background. All it would mean is having the descriptions moved to the background. Have it editable still, but it'd be a nice starting point for making custom factions that didn't feel empty. (Galciv 2, I had stupid squirrel empires angry and after your nuts, and the odd insect empire and things... but it wasn't really the same as having a race with a background that fitted the universe.)

It's mostly cosmetic... and the background text hasn't been implimented yet, but I would like for the changes you make not to seem random and be reflected in the background. Start with a warrior and turn them frail and people should see that if they read your background without knowing all your traits.

Now what would take more time but would be fun, if other players can read your background mid game and they get used to each race having certain traits... for any of the key traits you reverse they'd have a 'trait lost, opposite gained' text in their background:

Selanna, the most beautiful of the *insert race*, able to enchant mere mortals with her smile. Not for evil, for she is known and respected throughout the land for her kindness. Determined to revive the land and restore what was lost.
(beauty + kindness, kingdom)

Selannna, known once for her (beauty) and (kindness) now (kills for fun) and has (lost the smile that enticed) and gained in it's place (a sneering look of contempt that is hard to ignore). These changes seem to be the work of something evil, something happened to change the woman we once knew. Although she used to be (determined to revive the land), now we can't really be sure of her intentions.
(wicked + arrogant + ugly)

Also, a small point but at the moment the equipment choices have no effect but I'm sure it's possible that they could represent actual equipment later. (scouts cloak, platemail shirt vs tunics and breaches... maybe equal cost items or with an associated cost for the early game bonus)

Sounds like a very good suggestion. Still leaves some room for customization while doing justice to Lore. It gives the game the much needed soul. If you really want to make things crazy you can always decide to create a custom sovereign and faction.

I'm not the 'the more, the merrier' type of guy. Too much customizing is killing for 'gamesoul'. Of course the beef of the game is in sandbox mode which implies you can tinker away if you like. But great games keep the tinkering accessible. This also lowers the threshold for new gamers.

Are there rumors of ingame traits like Empire: Total Fail?

(If not: I heard there will be ingame traits from quests and moral decisions)

As long as there are default settings, a lot of variables shouldn't be a problem - you don't need to touch them. On the other hand, for the people who want to choose and change everything this is crucial for a game to live long and prosper ...

Personally I would prefer as much customization as possible, also down to clothes, hair style and tattoo/scars on your pink/blue/grey/black skin.

My 2 cents...

Seems to me that it'd make sense to have some sort of restrictions on player customization, limited by race, faction, etc. It does occur to me that you should be able to continue customizing your appearance in game-- you are crazy magic, after all .

But for convinence sake, it could be something you can turn off from options, for people who'd prefer to rule over their pathetic human subjects as their giant spider overlord.

Each to their own

I agree that there should be a choice for 'custom everything'. And when that's your first choice a player can do whatever he likes. But If I don't want to customize my race I'd rather make a selection for eg a Capitar sovereign. If I chose a Capitar sovereign I shouldn't be able to turn him into a leader of the Tarth faction. It's like having Bismarck ruling the Zulu's in Civ. Just doesn't feel right.

It is Lord Frogboy's divine wisdom to hint and riddle. We may however make conjecture at his teaching and twist his implications.

I think in sandbox mode there should, and will be according to the green one, options to have custom or foreign leaders using whatever minions/citizens they desire. My homeland was ruled by a dutch king for decades during a rulerless time in england. How is elemental any different?