I've played enough 4x games and such to know what I need to do, but there does not seem to be anything in game (unless its going to be part of a single player campaign or tutorial) and what I should be doing.  I think for new time players, letting them know in game some victory paths would be useful.

Also, I never feel at threat from the other players, nor would I know it if I were.  Has their sovereign just started his adventure quest to end the game?  Has he/she started construction of the "I win" building?  Is he going use his magic to summon the harbinger of my defeat?  Should I make a do or die attempt to lock down his capital city?

Perhaps these events are in the game, and I have not been able to get a game going long enough to find out.  Its easy enough to see an army rampaging across the game space, but beyond that you don't have much to go on beyond looking at the empire comparison graph at the bottom of the screen.

Maybe the mystery is purposefull? Working as intended?