STELLARIS: New Paradox Game in SPAAAACE

[garbon]

No.

[Tamas]

It sounds its becoming EU4 in Space. That may be a good thing. Or not. Will see.

[FunkMonk]

No.

Make Stellaris Great Again

[Zanza]

I will buy it once I am home tonight. Lots of good changes, especially the free stuff.

[garbon]

I've still not been tempted to buy a single DLC for this one. I will likely give the new patch a try tonight.

[ulmont]

I've still not been tempted to buy a single DLC for this one. I will likely give the new patch a try tonight.

I have all the non-cosmetic DLC.  I will be binging tonight.

[garbon]

The Star Trek mod as a big draw must be given some inside access by P'dox. Already have their latest patch out.

Arsenal of Freedom - NHV 1802 patch notes

A couple minutes ago, Paradox delivered 2.0 – Apocalypse DLC / Patch. Since the Paradox Announcements and Dev Diaries we got many messages with questions about the changing mechanics. It is now a great pleasure for us to introduce our update
"ST: New Horizons – Arsenal of Freedom."

We just started the upload. NHV 1802 is the first in a series of updates that will be delivered under the "Arsenal of Freedom" headline, which will ultimately entirely overhaul space combat in New Horizons. You can expect to see massive improvements to weapon balance, ship classes and components. This patch includes many prototypes and proof-of-concept that will be used to flesh out the game in the upcoming months, as we move forward with our long-term plans. We're quite excited!

So here are the patch notes for NHV 1802


Major New Mechanics

- Space combat has been re-worked. Every ship has a small chance to survive catastrophic damage and disengage from the fight. New backup consoles can increase your chance. Certain empires that have specialty in backup technologies will also boost that chance.

- Stellaris 2.0 FTL system has been reworked extensively as to offer a viable warp simulation.

- Deep Space Stations have been entirely removed from the game. Many of their unique advantages and buildings have been moved to the new Starbase facilities system.

- Federation starbases will now have registry naming - just like our ship's NCC-registry mechanic.

- Starbases can now build dozens of unique facilities and modules. All have their own original icons.

- Military stations can no longer be built independently and are now 'slaved' to starbases. Starbases may now build a very limited amount of military stations, but those tend to be very powerful. Stations include – minefield (Damage aura), dry dock (healing aura), listening post (sensor range) and two sizes of defense platforms.

- New living standards allow players to choose the type of paradise you want to build to your people. Prosperity resource have been made more abundant, and a new 'resort' building, built on planets of exceptional beauty, can generate a lot more prosperity.

- Dozens of new types of assault armies have been added, that offer deep and meaningful choice to how you want to engage with ground combat – as well as seven new bombardment policies and options! Unique armies have also been refactored, and work better than before.

- Dozens of new edicts, including some that require energy or even unity.

- Several new war goals, including supporting civil war between factions, as well as assimilation raids by the Borg.


Visuals

- Extensive work has been done on camera definition and engine setting, to improve visual fidelity and proper sense of scale.

- A new UI for loading screens, that will now display rotating text messages. Over 110 'tips' have been added so far.

- Numerous new space atmosphere effects and unique solar systems, thanks to Annatar of the Real Space 3.0 mod

- New type of stars and deep space anomalies, alongside visuals and icons for them - such as M-type anomalies and 'Interstellar Space'


Ships

- The Federation runabout is a new and unique ship class.

- The Borg has been enhanced with two new ship classes - the fast Scout and the Pyramid, capable of providing space-superiority.

- The Voth City Ship now a proper separate ship class

- The Vulcan T'Pau added.

- Imperial construction modifiers have been re-worked, to include advantages to armor as well as backup systems.


Map

- The Wormhole from Bajor to the Idran system in the Gamma Quadrant will now appear. Who knows what sort of chaos it will unleash on the galaxy...

- Borg may now build transwarp conduits that allow for near instantons travel between any point on the map

- Numerous planets now have more resources and unique structures, as to fit trek lore and canon more.

- New range of planetary modifiers and deposits throughout the Galaxy.

- You may now explore the origins of the Vorta and the Jem'Hadar – proto-Vorta can be found on Kurill prime, while the proto-Jem'Hadar hail from their mysterious homeworld: Gar'Sitra.

- Several iconic systems, such as Bajor, Idran, Ross 973, the Founders planet and Murasaki 312 systems have been reworked

- Numerous new systems have been added


Species

- The Haakonian Order has been added to the Delta Quadrant.

- Skagarran species portraits.

- Kelpiens are now delicious.

- Nathan Samuels has a new hairdo.

- General improvements to Jem'Hadar portraits.

- The Sheliak, Tamarian and Tellarite now have new flags - the later based on the new official design shown in Discovery

- Ferengi now have a few new clothing options

- What came before the Borg? What comes after? New governments, species, portraits and clothes will explore the original Borg species as well as ex-drones.

- Pops may now be partially assimilated, with their own looks and clothes.


Components and weapons


- All required components re-arranged into a system of 15 sizes, from type-1 components that fit Runabouts all the way to Type-20 carried by city-ships.

- Numerous new icons for components, weapons, consoles and more.

- New sensor settings, with upgradeable options

- Weapons have been entirely re-balanced from scratch, with weapons that focus on armor and hull damage

- Component progression is now more even and equal across all species, including having more stages for shields, thrusters and warp engines.

- Players may now specialize in specific categories of weapons, weapon sizes and types of damage

- All weapon specialization paths have been reworked – none of them are 'useless' anymore

- Point Defense weapons can now be slotted into a new type of slot, and they can target fighters.

- Weapons may now be restricted to certain ship sizes and types. Starbases and military stations will now use a new and exceptionally powerful variant of heavy beam weapons.

- Science ships no longer have a 'lab' module. The relevant technologies have been reworked to include modifiers to the ships.

- Cloaking generators no longer give a bonus to evasion – instead, they give a significant boost to damage at the start of every engagement.

- AUX (science) utilities will no longer be responsible to off-combat bonuses but will now focus mostly on several types of damage repair. Shield generators have been moved to the AUX slot.


Tech, tradition, perks and buildings

- The entire tech tree has been rebuilt yet again to offer better progression

- Dozens of new species-specific technologies, including unique techs for the Cardassian, Terran Empire, Zakdorn, Bynars, Kelpien and many others. A lot more unique and species-specific buildings, leading to some very diverse and powerful starting positions

- The Federation Council tech exchange is now cheaper to use. In addition, more species will offer their unique technologies via the exchange.

- The Federation Council framework has been improved extensively, including a rework of the ascension process. Players may also now 'mediate disputes' between warring allies.

- Ascension perks are now available to all players without the need of a DLC, as well as a technology to grant players one additional perk.

- Genetic and psionic tech branches have been significantly improved both in use, and in gating.

- Factions have been updated to 2.0, including many improvements and bug fixes.

- Dozens of new buildings, including the Tower of Commerce and a Kelpien Breeding Ground.


Events

- The mirror universe Terran Empire event chain has been re-worked and improved.

- The Terran Empire invasion crisis event has been re-worked.

- The Mars terraforming event chain has been re-worked and improved.

- The Xindi event chain has been expanded. Expect cowboys.

- The Altamid Swarm mini-criss has been expanded and improved upon.

- A new event chain will let you explore the Denorios belt. Who knows what you may find there.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I'm enjoying the introduction of "galactic geography" so far, looks like a big improvement in making expansion decisions more interesting.

[crazy canuck]

I'm enjoying the introduction of "galactic geography" so far, looks like a big improvement in making expansion decisions more interesting.

Is that part of the free update or do we need the DLC?

[garbon]

I'm enjoying the introduction of "galactic geography" so far, looks like a big improvement in making expansion decisions more interesting.

Is that part of the free update or do we need the DLC?

The radical changes are free. DLC is mostly around things like planet killers and huge ships.

[crazy canuck]

Thanks

[garbon]

Here's the free.

[Richard Hakluyt]

I'm enjoying the introduction of "galactic geography" so far, looks like a big improvement in making expansion decisions more interesting.

Is that part of the free update or do we need the DLC?

The radical changes are free. DLC is mostly around things like planet killers and huge ships.

Yes, the interesting things are free and the "meh" stuff costs 

I've handed over some loot anyway.

[Josquius]

I had a quick look and seems interesting. But...you have to build a starbase in a system before you can colonise?
And is it just me or is influence now useless and just covers a single system-> it starts tiny and grows?

Next week will have to look more, as much as I've been trying to avoid endless games

[Richard Hakluyt]

I'm finding that influence is my principal limiting resource right now.

There are now two types of starbase; cheap basic outposts and large bases. You can have any number of outposts but there are restrictions on the large bases.