Hello~! I've been enjoying this game a ton so far, but the same things that are making it uniquely great are also making it uniquely overwhelming for me, compared to LLTQ -- The sheer variation is amazing but also a lot harder to keep track of, particularly when starting a new run. It's tougher to approach 'this is the type of princess I will build this run' when there are so many other factors up to me as well- in LLTQ, if Elodie was athletic, I'd see what happens with an athletic Elodie. Here, having an athletic Zorana won't do much unless I manage to also seek out the specific situations in which she needs to be athletic. I definitely want to keep trying different things and discovering stuff on my own, but I'd like a few pointers on what might be good to start out with / what I might be overthinking.
1. Who's the best science advisor? I thought Ozara was pretty good, but then I still needed to study past her knowledge level to unlock multi-node travel, which was a major skill-sink. I got 16 votes that run, definitely partly thanks to having the multi-node travel, but if a better advisor could get me that unlock even just one study session faster I might have been able to secure Chapadoc's vote on my last turn. (Also, not a part of my question, but a possible blindspot that might catch other newer players- On my first playthrough, I hit a perfect storm of dialogues + skillchecks to be convinced that only electors that approve of Zorana could become cabinet members, leaving me with low votes and low knowledge skills. Could just be a me problem, but if it's not, maybe a spare dialogue line about how a cabinet position might be a good way to get somebody on your side who would otherwise never choose to vote for Zorana? Unless that's actually already in the game and I just spaced it, also possible.)
2. Are any of the star systems more forgiving about first impressions than others? Or do I just need to burn turns in dead space until Zorana gets her polite conversation in gear?
3. This is just a clarification on the backend functions of the game- Does leaving a star system offend the unpledged electors who live there? I'm trying to actually get the High Pontifex on my side this time around and I'm terrified to go do anything else socially until I boost stats enough to complete her quest, but staying put for so long having essentially pointless social phases between studying sports also does not seem right.
4. Another clarification because I can't actually tell from my runs so far- does the main rival candidacy always get announced on the same turn?
5. Finally, just a silly question- I'd like to dive into puzzling out the solution myself if this is possible, but want to avoid chasing dead ends if it isn't. Is there a world where Zorana can actually have a positive relationship with the Herkkan 'assassin' concubine?