Project "Augustus": https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?forums/project-augustus.900/
Hints so far:
#1: This will be our first new major IP released since the original Crusader Kings over 10 years ago.
#2: Seven and Three are important numbers.
#3: There will be no stabbing of pigs.
#4: Terrain truly matters in this game.
#5: Game Director is Henrik Fåhraeus, 15 year industry veteran, lead designer behind the Crusader Kings and Hearts of Iron series.
#6: Elections and Technological Development are important parts of the game.
Rome 2: This time lets do it right?
Obviously it is Roman. The seven hills and the Triumvirate. But if it is a new IP it cannot be Rome 2.
Quote from: Valmy on July 30, 2015, 10:39:44 AM
Obviously it is Roman. The seven hills and the Triumvirate. But if it is a new IP it cannot be Rome 2.
Wasn't it called Europa Universalis: Rome or something? Easy to just call that a spin off and call the new one something rome related.
Three rings for the elven kings under the sky
Seven for the dwarf lords in their halls of stone
No more than this for copyright reasons
Quote from: The Brain on July 30, 2015, 11:52:22 AM
Three rings for the elven kings under the sky
Seven for the dwarf lords in their halls of stone
No more than this for copyright reasons
Why would technology and elections be important for that world? :P
Quote from: Valmy on July 30, 2015, 11:57:40 AM
Quote from: The Brain on July 30, 2015, 11:52:22 AM
Three rings for the elven kings under the sky
Seven for the dwarf lords in their halls of stone
No more than this for copyright reasons
Why would technology and elections be important for that world? :P
Oh, "elections". :blush:
:lol:
Either something about antiquity (ancient Rome), or maybe something Sci-Fi (they reworked the random map generator for EU4, after all ...)?
Quote from: Valmy on July 30, 2015, 10:39:44 AM
Obviously it is Roman. The seven hills and the Triumvirate. But if it is a new IP it cannot be Rome 2.
But they announced there won't be stabbing of pigs. :hmm:
Quote from: Drakken on July 30, 2015, 02:10:15 PM
Quote from: Valmy on July 30, 2015, 10:39:44 AM
Obviously it is Roman. The seven hills and the Triumvirate. But if it is a new IP it cannot be Rome 2.
But they announced there won't be stabbing of pigs. :hmm:
Yes. As in not like that other roman game ;)
They also said Rome 2 wasn't in the cards either. ;)
I'd fawn over a Diadochi grand strategy game. Playing the Ptolemies interbreeding themselves into mental retardation and lethal family politics. :blush:
Quote from: Drakken on July 30, 2015, 02:24:12 PM
They also said Rome 2 wasn't in the cards either. ;)
I'd fawn over a Diadochi grand strategy game. Playing the Ptolemies interbreeding themselves into mental retardation and lethal family politics. :blush:
Huh...well...I guess there were three great kingdoms that came out of that...but what about seven? Were there originally seven contenders? Can I be: Antigonus the One-Eyed?
There were seven Cleopatras. :perv:
Quote from: Valmy on July 30, 2015, 02:27:34 PM
Quote from: Drakken on July 30, 2015, 02:24:12 PM
They also said Rome 2 wasn't in the cards either. ;)
I'd fawn over a Diadochi grand strategy game. Playing the Ptolemies interbreeding themselves into mental retardation and lethal family politics. :blush:
Huh...well...I guess there were three great kingdoms that came out of that...but what about seven? Were there originally seven contenders? Can I be: Antigonus the One-Eyed?
Chinese strategy game then? The Three Kingdoms period and the The Seven Warring States.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 30, 2015, 06:53:10 PM
Chinese strategy game then? The Three Kingdoms period and the The Seven Warring States.
Elections though? :hmm:
Quote from: Caliga on July 30, 2015, 07:06:56 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 30, 2015, 06:53:10 PM
Chinese strategy game then? The Three Kingdoms period and the The Seven Warring States.
Elections though? :hmm:
Ah, you're right. Don't see that. Don't see how it can be anything other than a Rome or Ancient Greece game if elections are important.
73 candidates in the 2016 US elections, important terrain could be the Rockies, but not much tech development lately.
Paradox filed for a community trademark at the end of June for "STELLARIS" for goods and services beginning with computer game software:
https://oami.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/014306054
No, not a space game. :(
That would explain the 'terrain' hint... desert planet vs. ocean planet vs. rocky planet, etc.
A Paradox space game has the potential to rock very, very hard.
Potentially.
Galaxy sucks.
I'm willing to give them a chance
Maybe their thinking is, "People were asking for a proper new SimCity after the EA game bombed, and we gave it to them. Let's see if we can do the same with Alpha Centauri."
Main difference being, of course, that Cities Skylines was developed by a third party and not in house.
Hint #7: This is a project we've always dreamt about doing, something all of PI have been involved in, not just the PDS developers.
I do seem to recall that Johan always said that he'd never do a sci-fi game, right?
He also said Snowball was a great developer at one point. :)
maybe it's an age-of-sail-game where you need to navigate by star. :p
Quote from: Drakken on July 30, 2015, 08:37:11 PM
No, not a space game. :(
Universalis. Without Europa. :P
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on July 31, 2015, 01:49:54 PM
maybe it's an age-of-sail-game where you need to navigate by star. :p
7 = seven seas
3 = British navy traditions
It all checks out!
Elections though.... :hmm:
Maybe it's about pirates?
Venice!
Something other than Venice! OMG!
Since they recently trademarked the name 'Stellaris', it seems like it's gonna be a space sim.
It'll either be really, really good or really, really bad. Most likely it won't be any good until Stellaris 3 comes out in 2025.
I would like to see what they could do when they had the chance to create an interesting grand strategy game without having to worry about every mechanic simulating history 100% of the time.
Quote from: sbr on July 31, 2015, 06:43:21 PM
I would like to see what they could do when they had the chance to create an interesting grand strategy game without having to worry about every mechanic simulating history 100% of the time.
Yeah, not having the gimp some factions and boost others will free them to make a good game.
Cold War game. Starts in 1947, ends in 2003.
Quote from: crazy canuck on July 31, 2015, 06:58:59 PM
Quote from: sbr on July 31, 2015, 06:43:21 PM
I would like to see what they could do when they had the chance to create an interesting grand strategy game without having to worry about every mechanic simulating history 100% of the time.
Yeah, not having the gimp some factions and boost others will free them to make a good game.
Or we could end up with something bland - devoid of flavor.
WW1
Edit:
Must be, right? Elections in the US, France and UK. 7 Allied powers against 3 German. Terrain is crucial. So is tech development. Cant really simulate trench warfare with todays EU-engine and that is why vicky failed in that aspect, which brings the need for a new engine.
No stabbing of pigs could mean both "no Rome-game" and a reference to the "dolchstoss"-legend.
Cant remember if Johan ever said anything about a ww1-game being his dream though, but its not impossible.
New clue:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F121871%2Fteaseraug3.png&hash=09015dbee09895c255f6aad74ad6c6610ee81d01)
Black dude without any kind of fancy headgear, that rules out several historical scenarios. Might be a space sim indeed.
Quote from: Syt on August 03, 2015, 07:14:42 AM
New clue:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F121871%2Fteaseraug3.png&hash=09015dbee09895c255f6aad74ad6c6610ee81d01)
Africa Universalis
Quote from: celedhring on July 31, 2015, 04:34:00 PM
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on July 31, 2015, 01:49:54 PM
maybe it's an age-of-sail-game where you need to navigate by star. :p
7 = seven seas
3 = British navy traditions
It all checks out!
Or they are doing something based on Game of Thrones, what with Seven Kingdoms (not sure what 3 would stand for, though).
Quote from: Syt on August 03, 2015, 07:14:42 AM
New clue:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F121871%2Fteaseraug3.png&hash=09015dbee09895c255f6aad74ad6c6610ee81d01)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayniggers_from_Outer_Space
:angry:
I was thinking maybe the viking game of my dreams.
But black guy- :(
Has to be sci fi.
Quote from: Tyr on August 03, 2015, 01:41:54 PM
I was thinking maybe the viking game of my dreams.
But black guy- :(
Has to be sci fi.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi13.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa299%2FSlayhem%2Fviking_zps6dymk1it.png&hash=3a5886e129f9b69ebb0dff21b87dd2659694c8ee)
Quote from: Tyr on August 03, 2015, 01:41:54 PM
I was thinking maybe the viking game of my dreams.
But black guy- :(
Has to be sci fi.
True. They/we only exist in fictional works.
I guess it must be dystopian future, too.
I want a *real* roman game - not yet another run-of-the-mill space sim! Gal Civ 3 is already pretty good in that regard.
G.
New hint: "Leader characters play an important role in the game."
:rolleyes:
Their hints are getting ridiculous. I've lost interest and will just wait for the formal announcement.
Well the announcement is on Thursday so hardly a crazy step you are taking there. :D
Quote from: Syt on August 04, 2015, 07:45:17 AM
New hint: "Leader characters play an important role in the game."
:rolleyes:
Ok, so a EUish game where terrain really matters?
Spiritual successor to Emperor of the Fading Suns?
Quote from: Syt on August 04, 2015, 11:25:49 AM
Spiritual successor to Emperor of the Fading Suns?
drool...
Quote from: Syt on August 04, 2015, 11:25:49 AM
Spiritual successor to Emperor of the Fading Suns?
That was a cool game. :)
Next hint:
I have seen things you people wouldnt believe..
So it has androids? Or is this just to say it's set in the future?
I still think that some sort of alien planet colonization thing with a dose of character focus might be what's coming.
They do have some sci-fi book in their catalogue: https://www.paradoxplaza.com/coriolis-the-dark-between-the-stars
QuoteThe orbital station Coriolis is at the crossroads of space and everything good, bad and ugly in the Third horizon sooner or later ends up here. It's here that a young pathfinder comes to seek the father she's never met. It's where a courtesan realizes he cannot escape the sins of his past, and where a crooked guardsman finds out how hard it is to get dirt off your fingers by washing them in blood. The fates of these three get intertwined as old enemies seek new ways to hurt each other. And as so often before on Coriolis it all starts with a corpse.
It's also an RPG setting:
http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/13/13712.phtml
QuoteCampaign Setting
These 45 pages describe the Third Horizon (the section of space reachable from Coriolis), the space station itself, and its power centers.
The setting info includes a short run-down of the Icons (the "gods" of the setting), a brief history of how the horizon was settled from Earth in two waves and later isolated, the friction between those who came first and those who came later, a listing of star systems (about thirty) with a few words on the most significant ones and a overview map depicting connected systems.
The 10 pages on Coriolis the space station are the only ones that go into any kind of detail (What religious holidays are observed? Where can I get a place to stay? Where are the important facilities located?) which, needless to say, isn't much.
Then the rest of the chapter provides an overview of the administration of Coriolis, its positions (but not holders) of power, and 15 pages on the "Fractions" of the game. These associations are based on power, business or religion. One example is "Hegemony of Zenith", consisting of aristocrats of the second coming that claim leadership over the Third Horizon in general and Coriolis in particular. Essentially, they're guilds. (Splatbooks anyone?)
This is the weakest chapter. Power structures are mentioned in passing, not explained or described in detail. There is very little on actual locations, actual NPCs, and actual adventures.
In fact, there isn't a single NPC profile in the entire book! Now, in fairness, the system is so simple you're supposed to just pick a character with scores of 10 in all skills for a regular opponent, and perhaps one with 15 in all skills for an elite one. But still. A few animal critters are mentioned, but never statted.
Judged by their other game line (Mutant) Jarnringen intends to flesh out the setting through adventure modules. But this is small comfort for those who have the rulebook (and only the rulebook) now!
Also, they were reworking the random America generator for EU4, to create better continents, which may be a side result of developing this game.
And of course, they registered the brand "Stellaris" which would chime in with Coriolis.
Quote from: Liep on August 05, 2015, 07:18:20 AM
Next hint:
I have seen things you people wouldnt believe..
So it has androids? Or is this just to say it's set in the future?
I love how after this quote being posted as a hint, so many people conclude "so it must be a fantasy game". Does noone know classic quotes any more???
Quote from: Liep on August 05, 2015, 07:18:20 AM
Next hint:
I have seen things you people wouldnt believe..
So it has androids? Or is this just to say it's set in the future?
"You people"? And a black guy?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FokTwpuv.jpg&hash=e4427729bb0b4bb7d3317e8122a78f929cc32021)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FEekVpZc.png%3Futm_content%3Dbuffer0c670%26amp%3Butm_medium%3Dsocial%26amp%3Butm_source%3Dtwitter.com%26amp%3Butm_campaign%3Dbuffer&hash=1022bf197e37cfc55ef11727f2daad17230de16d)
Good. A lot of the mechanics from EU or CK lend themselves to a 4X space game. I am looking forward to it.
Agreed. I look forward to seeing those complex game engines unencumbered by the need for obtaining historical outcomes.
Yeah, this should be interesting, and if done right might dethrone Distant Worlds from my personal space 4X/grand strategy list.
And there's going to be the inevitable Star Trek mod.
I will probably play it.
But...
I don't know. No space 4x game has really grabbed me since MOO2.
A lot of them have nice features and are worth a game or two but generally...meh.
This being paradox though, makers of some of my most played games....hmm....
https://m.imgur.com/a/wAJgu
Quote from: Tyr on August 05, 2015, 01:34:09 PM
I will probably play it.
But...
I don't know. No space 4x game has really grabbed me since MOO2.
A lot of them have nice features and are worth a game or two but generally...meh.
This being paradox though, makers of some of my most played games....hmm....
I can not play MoO2 anymore, and I played it a lot in its first 5 to 10 years. It was a very good game, but I find GalCiv2 with expansions, Endless Space and Distant Worlds all surpass it - but that's my opinion, and you are entitled to disagree, of course. :)
:(
Quote from: Syt on August 05, 2015, 01:44:30 PM
Quote from: Tyr on August 05, 2015, 01:34:09 PM
I will probably play it.
But...
I don't know. No space 4x game has really grabbed me since MOO2.
A lot of them have nice features and are worth a game or two but generally...meh.
This being paradox though, makers of some of my most played games....hmm....
I can not play MoO2 anymore, and I played it a lot in its first 5 to 10 years. It was a very good game, but I find GalCiv2 with expansions, Endless Space and Distant Worlds all surpass it - but that's my opinion, and you are entitled to disagree, of course. :)
I've actually gone back to the original MoO.
Ugh, star lanes.
Map sucks.
Quote from: Liep on August 05, 2015, 01:37:09 PM
https://m.imgur.com/a/wAJgu
A Tezhnid Confederation and a Tezhnid League? :hmm:
So, looks like species aren't neccessarily going to be united.
Also, 1st Star Flock? Bird people maybe?
Bleh, looks boring. Will wait for an update on historical games. However I understand the need for Paradox to expand the scope of its production.
Don't care, even if it's cool.
I love Space 4x games, but it's a pretty crowded arena right now. I agree with CC that if they implement some of the CK/EU4 mechanics they can certainly achieve something pretty distinct, though.
Mildly interested.
Well, press conference will be live on Twitch at 9pm CET tonight; I suppose we'll hear more then.
Though Paradox may need to work on its OpSec to keep their unannounced game from leaking.
If they manage to make this a character-drive game (so more CK2 than EU4) this could be quite interesting and break the mold of a typical 4X space game. None of the screenshots seems to suggest this, though.
Quote from: Martinus on August 06, 2015, 03:45:33 AM
If they manage to make this a character-drive game (so more CK2 than EU4) this could be quite interesting and break the mold of a typical 4X space game. None of the screenshots seems to suggest this, though.
What about the black dude?
Quote from: Bluebook on August 06, 2015, 05:28:51 AM
Quote from: Martinus on August 06, 2015, 03:45:33 AM
If they manage to make this a character-drive game (so more CK2 than EU4) this could be quite interesting and break the mold of a typical 4X space game. None of the screenshots seems to suggest this, though.
What about the black dude?
Well, that was one piece of graphics taken out of context. The full screenshots that were leaked show a standard 4X space UI (compare those to CK2 UI screenshots, where you can immediately notice the game is character driven).
Great, I haven't cared about a space game since Dune 2. <_<
On the other hand, if PI wants to try something new I'd prefer them fucking up something I don't care about and then getting it right with a late antiquity game later.
Yeah, they really do need to do an antiquity game correctly. That or push CK II back another century and let me be Mohammed PBUH.
Not history? Then do not care. I prefer my non-history in RPG form.
Quote from: Caliga on August 06, 2015, 11:02:25 AM
Yeah, they really do need to do an antiquity game correctly. That or push CK II back another century and let me be Mohammed PBUH.
Doesn't CK2 with all expansions pretty much have all the mechanics you need? Republican families and elections, tribes and hordes, client kingdoms, founding new
colonies holdings, religions including patron gods, .... is there an antiquity mod in the works?
http://www.stellarisgame.com/
QuoteMODERN REAL-TIME EXPLORATION WITH CLASSICAL STRATEGY
Stellaris is a real-time strategy game where you explore a new galaxy and build a vast empire
DYNAMIC WORLDS WITH A VAST NUMBER OF UNIQUE RANDOM SPECIES
Choose between 7 different playable species, each with unique appearances, traits, and ethics. Alternatively, design and name a custom species with the government and attributes you desire
RICH TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM WITH UNIQUE PATHS TO RESEARCH
Guide your scientists along 3 main technological groups and discover different advancements in each game. Some tech can improve life for your entire species... or completely shatter your concepts of civilization
DIPLOMACY AND WARFARE
Create alliances and form into federations with other empires, or fight wars against hostile alien species
CREATE YOUR OWN SHIPS WITH UNIQUE DESIGNS
Create alliances and form into federations with other empires, or fight wars against hostile alien species
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot5-ffdef7de760b43ad982870ebe63d663c.jpg&hash=09232903b2dffdf2bb0401020f964f428c89d992)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot6-4f34ab77279bea5f2e09641090672759.jpg&hash=0f91793c9e26547ea856f2b4afb1d95d39ffd2e7)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot7-bfd503156d525ab51d0f347bdcfc48e3.jpg&hash=6e7b906fe87fc2edbff1d31f7a122e3ac4447979)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot1-7de96446fe9e5f31f8e56fe4c4331dac.jpg&hash=586d06fb78bb20b34248490fc52328fd286d0f1f)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot2-5b4ecfb0f4ec269c40b4b00fba1abe5c.jpg&hash=0d919b91b1ea8bf24b69d92d189d28958a35bb79)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot3-cbc6b883ddded0c4c260f31c6e3ba30e.jpg&hash=ef0e43e1a54b2e0d0f142801022608963cbb6e99)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stellarisgame.com%2Fassets%2Fscreenshots%2Fscreenshot4-2952816f0cc580073650a402250f3862.jpg&hash=457cb4c0c61ee54d11434f785937f5fbb6096dcc)
Not really a lot of information, could be interesting but sounds kind of boring.
In their press conference they said they aim to have high replayability (random galaxies, random alien races). Also, you start in the beginning with exploration via science ships and their commanders, then in mid game you deal with other races, and in end game they say that factions within your empire will become more important, and that in late game galactic crises can occur (Henrik alluded to e.g. robot slaves rising up).
Also watching the Q&A stream. Damn, Adam Smith from RockPaperShotgun looks like a hobo off the street craving his next shot. :D
Watch out Stardock. :(
Well, GalCiv3 was a bit of a let down.
Sweden looks overpowered.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/08/06/stellaris-paradox-strategy-game/
Sheds more light. Colour me interested. :hmm:
I'm cautiously optimistic. Would be nice with a space game that is actually worth playing.
Quote from: The Brain on August 06, 2015, 03:39:37 PM
I'm cautiously optimistic. Would be nice with a space game that is actually worth playing.
This.
A lot of promises, could be hard to pull off. Paradox is without a doubt my favourite game developer, but they are certainly not infallible.
I think they've become more cautious over the years. After the meh to bad EU3 and HoI3 launches I was ready to give up on them, but they really redeemed themselves with CK2 and EU4 (and them publishing titles like Cities Skylines or Pillars of Eternity also helps). And I hope they learned their lesson about promising stuff and then realizing it's not gonna happen (their Norse RPG project). So I'm also in the cautiously optimistic camp.
Steam page is online: http://store.steampowered.com/app/281990/
QuoteExplore a vast galaxy full of wonder! Paradox Development Studio, makers of the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis series presents Stellaris, an evolution of the grand strategy genre with space exploration at its core.
Featuring deep strategic gameplay, an enormous selection of alien races and emergent storytelling, Stellaris has a deeply challenging system that rewards interstellar exploration as you traverse, discover, interact and learn more about the multitude of species you will encounter during your travels.
Etch your name across the cosmos by uncovering remote celestial outposts,and entire civilizations. Will you expand through war or walk the path of diplomacy to achieve your goals?
Main Features
- Discovery Events – Emergent Storytelling.
- Deep & Varied Exploration.
- Enormous procedural star systems, containing thousands of planets.
- Numerous playable species, each with their own traits and engineering styles.
- Vast number of Unique Random Species.
- Advanced Diplomacy system.
- Ship Designer (even civilian ships can be customized).
-Stunning space visuals.
Quote from: Josephus on August 06, 2015, 03:32:25 PM
Sweden looks overpowered.
Ah, the glowing ball of light race.
Could be cool based on what rps summarised. We shall see.
getting a MoO3 vibe here regarding promises.
We'll see.
Hmm this looks very promising, what 'Galactic Civilizations' should have been in fact; even though GalCiv 3 is a very fun game it lacks the depth Paradox usually brings to their titles ... Maybe we'll have our antiquity game afterwards.
G.
Quote from: garbon on August 06, 2015, 11:10:25 PM
Could be cool based on what rps summarised. We shall see.
Yeah, it is what I hoped; taking the great character driven and organic procedural aspects of CK2 and using them to innovate the space 4x genre.
Mods for this shit can be pretty wicked too.
Like everything else they make, I'll buy it because I can't help it. :(
E: That's not to say it won't be any good, just that I'll buy it regardless.
This does not interest me one little bit so far. That might change.
HoI IV will be out in the not too distant future. Which is actually interesting to me.
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
Quote from: garbon on August 07, 2015, 07:58:33 PM
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
+1
Quote from: garbon on August 07, 2015, 07:58:33 PM
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
Same here.
HoI and HoI II had interesting research systems but the rest of the mechanics didn't do much for me. Never played HoI III.
HoI3 was the game where they put Stalingrad into a completely different location and proclaimed that this doesn't matter, because fun gameplay trumps historicity.
Quote from: Syt on August 08, 2015, 12:23:37 AM
HoI3 was the game where they put Stalingrad into a completely different location and proclaimed that this doesn't matter, because fun gameplay trumps historicity.
Shame the game wasn't actually fun.
Quote from: Caliga on August 07, 2015, 08:55:40 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 07, 2015, 07:58:33 PM
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
+1
+2
Quote from: garbon on August 07, 2015, 07:58:33 PM
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
HoI II was a good attempt that I played a lot. But the first and third installments were flawed beyond repair.
Never on par with EU or CK, though. Even Victoria is better.
I did play HOI 2 and it was alright. I was a bit surprised when they brought back the ideas that didn't work in HOI 1 for HOI 3.
Quote from: Razgovory on August 08, 2015, 05:18:32 PM
I was a bit surprised when they brought back the ideas that didn't work in HOI 1 for HOI 3.
Such as?
I believe we actually had some Languish MP games with HoI II. Sheilbh, Saladin, katmai and my own self at least.
I think even Hansmeister particpated after sternly telling off someone in the P'dox lobby for being a communist.
Quote from: Ancient Demon on August 08, 2015, 06:26:22 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on August 08, 2015, 05:18:32 PM
I was a bit surprised when they brought back the ideas that didn't work in HOI 1 for HOI 3.
Such as?
Diplomatic triangle.
Some more infos, based of a German site's video:
- dozens of alien races, all factions randomly generated (Paradox says from "7 phaenotypes" - I guess race groups like Distant Worlds)
- you can found federations with elections for who runs the foreign policy (HRE mechanics in space?)
- fallen advanced empires who don't expand anymore, but defend their territory (only way to get certain techs)
Randomly generated terrain I can handle but randomly generated factions? Lame.
Procedurally generated everything FTW
Quote from: Valmy on August 11, 2015, 01:19:58 PM
Randomly generated terrain I can handle but randomly generated factions? Lame.
They likened it to the character system in CK2.
German preview here:
http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/stellaris-/artikel/stellaris,52692,3234846.html#top
- 16 "great powers" per game.
- Alien planets can be populated by a pre-spaceflight race, in which case you can decide to observe, to study some abducted specimen, to invade, or to give space flight (or take into your federation)
- some planets can have primitive races that you can turn into subservient clients (think DS9's Jem'Hadar and Vorta, or Brin's Uplift series)
- War score and peace model from EU4 carries over
- no tech tree - when researching you "draw three cards" and get to pick one. But you can influence the probability (e.g. focusing on beam weapons by using researchers specializing in them and having previous knowledge of them); mad (genius?) scientists will give access to special projects
- random events/discoveries/quests while exploring with multiple outcomes
- planets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
- late game will increase the likelihood of a galactic crisis (portal to hostile dimension, rise of the machines, ...depending on what's happening in game) that will threaten all Empires
I really hope they can pull this off.
Is it all going to be written in German, cause that might be a deal breaker for me.
This is going to be terrible.
I will hate it.
It won't be fun.
Lots of bugs.
Terrible map.
No multi-player.
Bugs. Many bugs.
Do not want.
Will not play.
Do not care.
Quote from: Syt on August 11, 2015, 02:38:35 PM
German preview here:
http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/stellaris-/artikel/stellaris,52692,3234846.html#top
- Alien planets can be populated by a pre-spaceflight race, in which case you can decide to observe, to study some abducted specimen, to invade, or to give space flight (or take into your federation)
...
THIS! Fuck the Prime Directive!
G.
Quote from: Syt on August 11, 2015, 02:38:35 PM
I really hope they can pull this off.
Yeah, but as someone said earlier, I'm getting a MoO3 vibe here, which is getting stronger the more I hear about the project.
EDIT: or maybe it'll be more like CK (lots of feature that are unimplemented/don't work), and we'll have to wait for Stellaris II for a truly acceptable game.
I kinda don't want this to ever be released, if only so it won't disappoint me.
Quote from: Berkut on August 11, 2015, 03:08:09 PM
This is going to be terrible.
I will hate it.
It won't be fun.
Lots of bugs.
Terrible map.
No multi-player.
Bugs. Many bugs.
Do not want.
Will not play.
Do not care.
:lol:
But yeah, this could either be absolutely brilliant, or a horrible disjointed mess of random features, or somewhere in between. I like the concept a lot, but I wonder what the finished product will be.
The AI will probably cheat, and a space-faring muslim doom fleet will probably overrun my systems.
Quote from: dps on August 11, 2015, 08:35:01 PM
Quote from: Syt on August 11, 2015, 02:38:35 PM
I really hope they can pull this off.
Yeah, but as someone said earlier, I'm getting a MoO3 vibe here, which is getting stronger the more I hear about the project.
EDIT: or maybe it'll be more like CK (lots of feature that are unimplemented/don't work), and we'll have to wait for Stellaris II for a truly acceptable game.
I still remember reading the MOO3 dev updates/diaries back in the day... then they switched lead designers and then the game was released. Ouch. :cry:
With Paradox' experience this might end up being a good game though not a buy-on-release.
Quote from: Berkut on August 11, 2015, 03:08:09 PM
This is going to be terrible.
I will hate it.
It won't be fun.
Lots of bugs.
Terrible map.
No multi-player.
Bugs. Many bugs.
Do not want.
Will not play.
Do not care.
You and Siege should have your beatnik poetry face-off. :P
Quote from: Tonitrus on August 12, 2015, 01:03:14 AM
The AI will probably cheat, and a space-faring muslim doom fleet will probably overrun my systems.
The British Empire will restore order. By shipping one hundred beellion redcoats from India.
Quote from: Syt on August 11, 2015, 01:14:12 PM
Some more infos, based of a German site's video:
- dozens of alien races, all factions randomly generated (Paradox says from "7 phaenotypes" - I guess race groups like Distant Worlds)
Generic Hu-moms
Industrial Robots
Evillllll lizards or something
Intelligent pseudo-humans
Useless masked espionage aliens
Quick breeding bugs
Rocks that can live anywhere
Someone's helpful summary: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/what-we-know-so-far.875779/
I hope there are setting options where you could decide the degree of alien/racial diversity in the galaxy. This should range from your usual space opera fare, to humans as the core with outskirts populated by alien races (WH40k), to humans only (Dune), with a possible option of minor races/factions having alien life.
Quote from: Martinus on August 12, 2015, 01:24:06 PM
I hope there are setting options where you could decide the degree of alien/racial diversity in the galaxy. This should range from your usual space opera fare, to humans as the core with outskirts populated by alien races (WH40k), to humans only (Dune), with a possible option of minor races/factions having alien life.
Doesn't sound like it - they specifically say you never know what kind of opponents you might face.
The biggest risk to me of this game is that with so many options it becomes very difficult to balance them all, and as a result there quickly becomes one "right" way to play the game.
Quote from: garbon on August 07, 2015, 07:58:33 PM
I think HoI has always been the one series that has never interested me as they don't seem to have ever got the mechanics right.
2nd one worked for me.
Great? :P
https://www.reddit.com/r/paradoxplaza/comments/3hma09/giant_bomb_interviews_henrik_fahraeus_about_the/
Quote
- Pre-scripted maps are supported, specifically for modders to be able to create and share their own
Nebulas, voids, and other things will get in the way of FTL travel, but the galaxy map necessarily won't be as full of geographic choke points (e.g. mountains, rivers) as in earth-based GSGs - Creating alien factions is an interesting new challenge, compared to the "crutches" of modeling history
- Major lore influences: "basically everything" -- most of the team has read and watched a lot of scifi, provided them with a "treasure chest" to rely on; Henrik specifically mentions the Foundation series
- Major game inspirations: other Paradox games, Distant Worlds, Sword of the Stars, Civilization series
- Not going the automation route (a la Distant Worlds and HOI3); no bang for your buck in creating systems that are complicated but end up invisible to the player
- A lot of effort going into scripting and branching stories ("storylets") giving a lot of different variation
- A lot of effort has also gone into developing Clausewitz engine into a space game
- Classic 4x start: home planet, science ship, construction ship and a fleet; you send out your science ship to survey your home system
- Characters are sort of a cross between EU4 and CK2 (don't marry and have kids, but still have personalities, traits, stories)
- Conquest isn't as easy as in classical 4X games -- you need a claim to the planet, need to occupy the planet and finally win it in a peace treaty (like in other Paradox games)
- Diplomacy similar to EU4: alliances, non-aggression pact, civilian and military access
- New diplomacy feature in the notion of the "federation": you invite alien species into an alliance and can suggest you take it one step further and make a federation. You are still sovereign states, but an elected federation president in charge of foreign policy. The whole federation has a common federation fleet (which can take the best ships from each federation member), while each member retains their own also.
- Different races have different ethos/ideologies, as do each individual "population unit" -- no good or evil ideologies. Example: a fanatic spiritualist POP will react badly to certain technologies (e.g. uploading consciousness into computer) and become discontent, coming together into factions with a political leader character and demanding change. You can negotiate with them, treat them harshly or wait for the rebellion and wipe them out. Factions can also perform actions less extreme than revolts, such as sabotaging your economy.
- Wants to avoid the game becoming too "spreadsheety" and predictable like other 4X games, by surprising the player and throwing unforeseen obstacles in their path.
- Tech is more of a deck of cards than a determinative technology tree, preventing the player from min-maxing and encouraging exploration and unpredictability.
- Other than humans, every race will be procedurally generated in every game.
- Two victory conditions: conquest and technology (which they're still planning/working on).
I guess a big bit will be how they manage that randomness factor.
QuoteDifferent races have different ethos/ideologies, as do each individual "population unit" -- no good or evil ideologies. Example: a fanatic spiritualist POP will react badly to certain technologies (e.g. uploading consciousness into computer) and become discontent, coming together into factions with a political leader character and demanding change. You can negotiate with them, treat them harshly or wait for the rebellion and wipe them out. Factions can also perform actions less extreme than revolts, such as sabotaging your economy.
Vicky is back with a vengeance.
Game looks good, though. I hope they can pull it off.
Quote from: celedhring on August 20, 2015, 10:25:55 AM
QuoteDifferent races have different ethos/ideologies, as do each individual "population unit" -- no good or evil ideologies. Example: a fanatic spiritualist POP will react badly to certain technologies (e.g. uploading consciousness into computer) and become discontent, coming together into factions with a political leader character and demanding change. You can negotiate with them, treat them harshly or wait for the rebellion and wipe them out. Factions can also perform actions less extreme than revolts, such as sabotaging your economy.
Vicky is back with a vengeance.
Game looks good, though. I hope they can pull it off.
Massive uprisings of space anarchists, here we come! :w00t:
http://www.pcgamer.com/stellaris-how-paradox-plan-to-make-an-infinite-grand-strategy/
Sounds pretty good.
Time to get my spreadsheets ready!
Agreed, sounds good, innovative and very re-playable.
First dev diary:
QuoteHi everyone!
Today, we will kick off a series of weekly dev diaries for our new game, Stellaris. We intend to keep feeding you with more information every week until release! This will be a while, but hopefully we won't have to resort to interns sharing their opinions on beekeeping or new snazzy shoes... Anyway, in this first entry, I thought I'd simply give you some background on the project and the vision I have for Stellaris.
So, how come we decided to make a space game of all things? Well, the idea has been kicking around the office ever since Europa Universalis II was released (we ended up making Hearts of Iron instead.) Ah, those were the days... Now, as you may know, our ambition is to eventually cover the entire "human timeline" with our games... including the future. So, in essence, making a space game is both something that has had a lot of support internally among the developers (seeking freedom from the shackles of history) and that many of you, our faithful players, have requested over the years. When the decision to make a space game was finally made by the powers that be, I wrote two different design outlines, and the one that would eventually become Stellaris was chosen (no, I will not tell you what the other one was!)
The vision statement the for Stellaris is: "The galaxy is ancient and full of wonders." That sounds pretty vague eh? However, I think it captures the spirit of what we are trying to do, when you recall the type of games we make at PDS... I want to make Stellaris the most replayable of all of our games (which, granted, is a pretty tall order!) The galaxy should always be unknown and surprising. That is why there are no "major races" in the game, and such a great variety of discoveries you can make. In the same vein, there is no fixed technology tree - but more on that later.
Stellaris diverges from all of our other games in certain key respects:
It is not historical.
It features a symmetrical start.
You start out small.
Most of the world is unknown.
The last three points happen to be defining features of "4X" games, so - although I somewhat dislike the term - Stellaris is in many ways a 4X game; a pretty crowded niche these days. However, we are not trying to recreate classics like Master of Orion. Stellaris is quite a new and different beast, but the symmetrical, small start offers two great advantages: The game can appear deceptively simple for new players. I.e. it can have a much smoother learning curve than our infamously hard-to-learn historical games. Secondly, it allows us to focus on the first X; eXploration, which I personally feel has always been the most neglected one.
The early game is thus characterized by exploration and discovering the wonders of the galaxy. We have put a lot of effort into making this part of the game feel fresh and unique every time you play. Then you start coming into contact with rival space-faring races and soon you reach the mid game, when there is not much left to colonize and your easy expansion grinds to a halt. At this point, the map stabilizes into the Stellaris equivalent of the world map in Europa Universalis, and the stage is set for a classic Paradox Grand Strategy experience...
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-1-the-vision.882808/
How do I load troops onto transport spaceships?
:lol:
That dev diary just confirmed how terrible their idea is, and how this game has no chance at being the most awesomest game fucking every omg.
Each time I hear more details, I hate the idea more and more. This is going to suck bad.
Quote from: Berkut on September 21, 2015, 10:53:12 AM
That dev diary just confirmed how terrible their idea is, and how this game has no chance at being the most awesomest game fucking every omg.
Each time I hear more details, I hate the idea more and more. This is going to suck bad.
drunk thread?
Quote from: Berkut on September 21, 2015, 10:53:12 AM
That dev diary just confirmed how terrible their idea is, and how this game has no chance at being the most awesomest game fucking every omg.
Each time I hear more details, I hate the idea more and more. This is going to suck bad.
What?
I have seen nothing in this Dev Diary that warrants such a reaction. Frankly speaking, I have seen nothing in this Dev Diary that warrants any reaction. It's all extremely vague and could go into any direction.
Indeed.
Quote from: Berkut on September 21, 2015, 10:53:12 AM
That dev diary just confirmed how terrible their idea is, and how this game has no chance at being the most awesomest game fucking every omg.
Each time I hear more details, I hate the idea more and more. This is going to suck bad.
I guess Berkut's sense of humour is also a little subtle for this crowd. :lol:
Shouldn't humour be...funny? :unsure:
I chuckled. :)
Perhaps you should remember Berkut's other post in this thread:
QuoteThis is going to be terrible.
I will hate it.
It won't be fun.
Lots of bugs.
Terrible map.
No multi-player.
Bugs. Many bugs.
Do not want.
Will not play.
Do not care.
Sounds very much like a man trying desperately to not get his hopes up over a game that sounds (to him) absolutely fantastic.
Garbon didn't find something funny; stop the presses!
Apparently I wasn't the only one. :blurgh:
Quote from: garbon on September 21, 2015, 11:54:17 AM
Apparently I wasn't the only one. :blurgh:
Congrats, you are in a club with Marty :P
The See a Comet: -2 Stability event is going to be a real bastard in this game.
Quote from: Tamas on September 21, 2015, 12:01:21 PM
Quote from: garbon on September 21, 2015, 11:54:17 AM
Apparently I wasn't the only one. :blurgh:
Congrats, you are in a club with Marty :P
In our culture, if two gays diss something, it's dead. Sorry.
Quote from: Berkut on September 21, 2015, 10:53:12 AM
That dev diary just confirmed how terrible their idea is, and how this game has no chance at being the most awesomest game fucking every omg.
Each time I hear more details, I hate the idea more and more. This is going to suck bad.
Why? :unsure:
EDIT: Never mind. -_-
While I don't have any faith in Paradox to create a complex system that works well, they do well in making independent simple systems working together to form a pseudo complexity. This game has the potential to be fun and engaging, but the devil is in the details and we'll need to play it before we really know if this game is another Victoria.
Quote from: Martinus on September 21, 2015, 03:27:07 PM
Quote from: Tamas on September 21, 2015, 12:01:21 PM
Quote from: garbon on September 21, 2015, 11:54:17 AM
Apparently I wasn't the only one. :blurgh:
Congrats, you are in a club with Marty :P
In our culture, if two gays diss something, it's dead. Sorry.
I didn't know the opinion of gays was so important in Poland.
Quote from: ulmont on September 21, 2015, 10:30:49 AM
QuoteSo, in essence, making a space game is both something that has had a lot of support internally among the developers (seeking freedom from the shackles of history)
:ultra:
I guess I know Paradox is determined to leave me behind.
Quote from: Valmy on September 23, 2015, 12:42:53 PM
Quote from: ulmont on September 21, 2015, 10:30:49 AM
QuoteSo, in essence, making a space game is both something that has had a lot of support internally among the developers (seeking freedom from the shackles of history)
:ultra:
I guess I know Paradox is determined to leave me behind.
:ultra:
Quote from: Valmy on September 23, 2015, 12:42:53 PM
Quote from: ulmont on September 21, 2015, 10:30:49 AM
QuoteSo, in essence, making a space game is both something that has had a lot of support internally among the developers (seeking freedom from the shackles of history)
:ultra:
I guess I know Paradox is determined to leave me behind.
but you could go ahead and forge the shackles of future history. Enough shackles for everyone
A shackleton?
Quote from: The Brain on September 24, 2015, 03:02:03 PM
A shackleton?
Did someone mention Ernest Shackleton? :cool:
New dev diary:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-3-galaxy-generation.885267/
QuoteGood news everyone!
Today we are going to share some details with you on how the galaxy is generated in Stellaris. When discussing this we will also touch on some of the different features of the galaxy and how we try to anticipate what modders will want to do with the galaxy generation in this game and making sure that they will be able to.
When you start a new game you can specify the size and shape of the galaxy as well as the number of (normal) AI empires. Sizes currently range from 200 - 1000 stars. The amount of AI empires only affects how many AI controlled empires that are generated from the start, a lot more will spring into existence during your game. Currently we have three different types of shapes for the galaxy; spiral, elliptical and ring. Spiral galaxies have the stars placed in arms that extend out in a spiral pattern (see "Pinwheel Galaxy"). A spiral galaxy provides an interesting geography, with voids between the arms that might be difficult to pass in a straight line. Elliptical galaxies have the stars placed in a ellipsoidal pattern (see Wikipedia), resulting in a more evenly distributed geography. Ring galaxies have the stars placed in a ring shape around the galaxy core (see "Hoag's Object"). If you play with a ring galaxy you know that other empires have to approach you either clockwise or counterclockwise within the ring, making it easier to cut other empires off from the rest of the galaxy than it is with any other shape. All of these options are of course moddable, both in regards to looks and available options.
Once you are satisfied with your options and decide to start the game, we begin the process of generating the galaxy. When we generate the stars we also decide what class each star should be. Most stars will be star classes with the different spectral types B,A,F,G,K,M. Some star systems can however be more special, like a black hole, pulsar or a neutron star. Every system with a certain star class has a given set of rules that controls how the star system is generated; you will, for example, have a hard time finding habitable planets close to a black hole. All of this is very moddable, you can add your own star classes and remove the existing ones if you want to.
We also generate some galactic features other than stars. One of these are nebulas. Nebulas are visible on the galaxy map and often contain a bunch of interesting star systems with special rare resources. In a nebula you can expect to encounter some special events and experience certain penalties and bonuses that may impact your decisions when it comes to colonization and fleet movement.
When we generate the contents of each star system we use different system initializers depending on what the system is being used for. If you, for example, were to start as a pre-scripted human you will be placed in our solar system, on Earth. Yes, all of this is moddable also. These initializers allow us to make sure that you, as a player, will always have something interesting to do within a system. They also provide us with ways to create a more balanced start, by being able to affect the content of your star system and systems that are neighboring to yours. It is worth knowing that these initializers have a certain random factor attached to them, so you should never expect the exact same setup between game sessions.
We generate a lot of interesting special content in the different systems, including the ones that no empire is controlling. This content ranges from debris to ships of unknown origin, that could be friendly or not so friendly... Speaking from personal experience when it comes to the "not so friendly" ships, I recommend all players to scout systems before going there with their science ships to survey a potential future colony. It is not fun having your science ship blown out of existence with your most skilled scientist aboard.
Next week we will talk about the different FTL types.
QuoteWhen you start a new game you can specify the size and shape of the galaxy
*giggle*
No way I was the only one thinking that.
Quote from: Syt on October 05, 2015, 06:38:14 AM
QuoteGood news everyone!
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftechiegiveways.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F08%2F18271-good-news-everyone-i-was-just-kidding-professor-farnsworth-wallpaper-1280x1280-1-750x410.jpg&hash=b487016cdbd57fe6e6721baff019a351805f27b4)
Are we being sent to the forbidden zone in the galaxy of terror?
A Twelve Colonies of Kobol mod sounds like it would be completely doable. :licklips:
New Dev Diary :)
Click the link to see the screenshots
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-4-means-of-travel.886502/
QuoteHey all!
Today's topic will further explore the subjects of fleet movement, FTL-travel and the general wonders one might happen upon when ripping holes through subspace. As the writing of this is a bit sudden the dev diary came out late today, our apologies!
The galaxy is a pretty huge place and to get anywhere in a timely manner you'll want to travel faster than the speed of light, or use FTL-travel for short. Stellaris will have three methods of FTL that players can use; Warp, Hyperlanes and Wormholes. They all have distinct advantages and disadvantages when it comes to the strategic movement of ships and fleets causing expansion paths, diplomacy and wars to be quite different depending on the method used.
Warp
Warp requires each ship in the fleet to be equipped with a Warp Drive. These are quite costly to build and cause a major drain on each ship's available power, but allows unconstrained travel to any system within range. When travelling to a system outside the range of a single warp-jump, the fleet has to make a sequence of jumps through a number of systems. Any jump puts a considerable strain on a ship's Warp Drive, causing the fleet to not be able to jump again for a short while after arrival. While this can be reduced by more advanced technology, it does remain a weak point throughout the game for any species using this method.
Fleets using Warp Drives to travel will need to do so at the edge of a system to lessen the gravitational pull of the local star. This in combination with the fact that warp-jumps have the slowest FTL-speed of the three methods means that the arrival point of an incoming warp-fleet can be identified, and possibly ambushed. The cost of freedom is potentially high!
Wormhole
Some species have decided to sidestep this whole business of blasting through the void at ludicrous speed. They prefer to open up a temporary wormhole that a fleet may use to instantly travel to a distant system. These wormholes can only be generated by a Wormhole Station, a type of space station that can only be constructed on the outer edge of a system. Any fleet wanting to travel will have to use the Wormhole Station as a connecting point, passing through it whenever they leave the system. The station may only generate a single wormhole at a time, forcing all ships and fleets to wait while one is being prepared. The larger the fleet, the longer it takes for the Wormhole Station to be ready. The wormhole generated does allow two-way travel, but will collapse almost instantly after sending a fleet through.
Constructing and maintaining an efficient network of Wormhole Stations is vital to any species using wormholes, as it will allow sending huge fleets from one part of the galaxy to another in very short time. It also allows striking deep inside enemy territory with little warning. This great strength can also be a great weakness, as fleets are left with no means of further offense or retreat should the network be disabled through covert attacks by enemy strike-fleets.
Hyperdrive
The galaxy in Stellaris has a hidden network of hyperlanes connecting the systems, only visible for those who know where to look. Ships that are equipped with a Hyperdrive can access these lanes and use them to traverse the galaxy at incredible speed. They are however bound by the preexisting network, and has to path through each system connecting their current location and target. Galactic voids lacking systems are in effect huge movement-blockers for any species using hyperlanes, having few systems allowing possible crossings. An enemy could potentially fortify these vital systems should they become aware of their existence, creating strategic choke-points. As the hyperlanes exist in subspace, fleets may access them from anywhere within a system and does not have to travel from the gravitational edge as Warp Drives and Wormhole Stations do. As such, catching a fleet using hyperlanes can be tricky. Correctly identifying the paths to intercept and interrupt their somewhat long charge-up is probably your best bet.
All methods of FTL-travel can be improved by researching more advanced technologies. While their exact effects differ some they all improve the speed, range, efficiency or cooldown of FTL-travel. However, being able to casually bend time and space with increased power does not necessarily mean using it with more responsibility. As additional species bend the laws of physics to send larger and larger fleets through the galaxy, there is always the risk of something, or someone, noticing...
Next week we'll talk more about the different species in the galaxy. Look forward to it!
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads%2Fstellaris-dev-diary-5-empires-and-species.887487%2F
QuoteHi folks!
The topic of the week in this series of dev diaries for Stellaris is what sets empires and species apart from each other. Most obviously, of course, they look different! We have created a great many (ca 100) unique, animated portraits for the weird and wonderful races you will encounter as you explore the galaxy. These portraits are mostly gameplay agnostic, although we have sorted them into six broad classes (Mammalian, Arthropoid, Avian, Reptilian, Molluscoid or Fungoid) which affect the names of their ships and colonies, for example. To give additional visual variety, their clothes may sometimes vary, and when you open diplomatic communications with them the room they are standing in will appear different depending on their guiding Ethos.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/stellaris_dev_diary_05_01_20151019_species-jpg.140393/)
Speaking of Ethos, this is no doubt the most defining feature of a space empire; it affects the behavior of AI empires, likely technologies, available policies and edicts, valid government types, the opinions of other empires, and - perhaps most importantly - it provides the fuel for internal strife in large and diverse empires. When you create an empire at the start of a new game, you get to invest three points into the various ethics (you can invest two of the points into the same ethic, making you a fanatic.)
Collectivist - Individualist
Xenophobe - Xenophile
Militarist - Pacifist
Materialist - Spiritualist
Your Ethos will limit your valid selection of government types, but there are always at least three to choose from; an oligarchy of some kind, a democracy or a monarchy. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, in monarchies there are no elections, and you do not get to choose your successor when your ruler dies (except in Military Dictatorships), and if you die without an heir, all Factions in the empire will gain strength (oh, and there may be Pretender factions in monarchies...) On the other hand, each ruler may build a special "prestige object" in his or her lifetime, named after themselves. For example, military dictators can build a bigger, badder ship, and Divine Mandate monarchs can build a grand Mausoleum on a planet tile. Of course, both ethics and government types usually also have direct effects on the empire.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/stellaris_dev_diary_05_02_20151019_ethics-jpg.140394/)
Keep in mind, though, that there is a clear difference between the empire you are playing and its founding race. Empires and individual population units ("Pops") have an Ethos, but a species as a whole does not. Instead, what defines a species is simply its initial name, home planet class, and portrait (and possibly certain backstory facts.) Each race also starts out with a number of genetic Traits. As with the empire Ethos, you get to spend points to invest in Traits when you create your founding species at the start of a new game.
It is natural for individual Pops to diverge in their Ethics, especially if they do not live in the core region of your empire. This has far reaching consequences for the internal dynamics of empires; how Pops react to your actions, and the creation and management of Factions, etc (more on that in a much later dev diary!) Traits are not as dynamic as ethics, but even they can change (or be changed - this is also something we will speak of more at a later date...)
The traits and ethics of individual Pops of course also affect their happiness in various environments and situations. Naturally, they cannot even live on planets that are totally anathema to them...
That's all for now. Next Week: Leaders and Rulers!
Quotetheir clothes may sometimes vary, and when you open diplomatic communications with them the room they are standing in will appear different depending on their guiding Ethos.
:x
For a second there I thought these were the screen shots for the new Master of Orion game, and was thinking "hey, that video didn't do credit to the game".
3 different types of space travel sounds interesting. Usually 4x space games choose one of those and go with it. Sounds like they couldn't decide which one they liked best so went with them all.
I hope there's an option to play with a real galaxy map
Quote from: Tyr on October 19, 2015, 04:46:41 PM
3 different types of space travel sounds interesting.
Yeah. Business, Coach and Migrant.
The more I hear about it, the more I'm reminded of the regrettably unfinished Stars! Supernova Genesis (http://wiki.starsautohost.org/wiki/Stars!_Supernova_Genesis). Too exciting.
Quote from: Tyr on October 19, 2015, 04:46:41 PM
3 different types of space travel sounds interesting. Usually 4x space games choose one of those and go with it. Sounds like they couldn't decide which one they liked best so went with them all.
I hope there's an option to play with a real galaxy map
Endless Space had three space travel types too. Actually, it looks like they are the same ones.
Quote from: The Brain on October 20, 2015, 11:58:04 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 19, 2015, 04:46:41 PM
3 different types of space travel sounds interesting.
Yeah. Business, Coach and Migrant.
Ahem. "Scum" class.
I hate this aspect
Quoteplanets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
What is it with all these space sims having all this centrally planned economy bs? The economy should be developing organically based off a planetary resources, technology, and racial characteristics , which the player can nudge through the setting of policies. There should be only a few buildings related to security to be built by players.
Quote from: Hansmeister on October 20, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
I hate this aspect
Quoteplanets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
What is it with all these space sims having all this centrally planned economy bs? The economy should be developing organically based off a planetary resources, technology, and racial characteristics , which the player can nudge through the setting of policies. There should be only a few buildings related to security to be built by players.
Have you tried Distant Worlds? It essentially does this, but the downside is that the game essentially plays itself.
Quote from: Razgovory on October 20, 2015, 08:19:28 PM
Quote from: Hansmeister on October 20, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
I hate this aspect
Quoteplanets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
What is it with all these space sims having all this centrally planned economy bs? The economy should be developing organically based off a planetary resources, technology, and racial characteristics , which the player can nudge through the setting of policies. There should be only a few buildings related to security to be built by players.
Have you tried Distant Worlds? It essentially does this, but the downside is that the game essentially plays itself.
This is a paradox game. The emphasis should be on managing internal factions and external diplomacy, not micromanaging building placement.
For example, do you favor trade corporations? This will lead to cheaper ships and more planetary specialization, but also lead to increased vulnerability to disruptive events since there is more interdependence between systems, also trade corporations will oppose external wars due to risk to trade routes, etc.
Quote from: Hansmeister on October 20, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
I hate this aspect
Quoteplanets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
What is it with all these space sims having all this centrally planned economy bs? The economy should be developing organically based off a planetary resources, technology, and racial characteristics , which the player can nudge through the setting of policies. There should be only a few buildings related to security to be built by players.
I agree. Building buildings was always the most tiresome part of Paradox games.
It depends on scale. If you end up with some kind of massive empire the system could become unmanageable. But if it isn't too out of control then micromanagement of a planet economy might be a suitable time filler.
Most 4X games (in fact: most strategy games) have the problem that the player is an all-seeing, ever-present, omnipotent entity (then again, there's plenty players who insist on that level of control or that there's no randomness in games). As Raz says, Distant Worlds allows you to hand off stuff to the AI, plus it also models a private sector of freight hauling, tourism and migration. HoI3 is also an example where you can automate as much or as little as you want. Though Vic2 probably remains the main example in the P'dox catalog for a game where you can only indirectly influence things and otherwise hope for the best ("Why are you building an artillery factory in this shitty backwater state, you stupid capitalists?!")
Quote from: Jaron on October 21, 2015, 01:08:42 AM
It depends on scale. If you end up with some kind of massive empire the system could become unmanageable. But if it isn't too out of control then micromanagement of a planet economy might be a suitable time filler.
A dull one, sure.
Quote from: garbon on October 21, 2015, 02:21:09 AM
Quote from: Jaron on October 21, 2015, 01:08:42 AM
It depends on scale. If you end up with some kind of massive empire the system could become unmanageable. But if it isn't too out of control then micromanagement of a planet economy might be a suitable time filler.
A dull one, sure.
Less dull than staring at the screen though. CK has a bit of this. You manage development of your various holdings. Its very basic and I think not very much thought goes into it, but it does help fill time that is otherwise unfilled. Is it the right approach? No, I think as a player I'd much prefer to be doing meaningful things. Most 4x games are turn based though so there is no need for filler. I haven't read up a lot on Stellaris, but my assumption is that the passing of time will work as it does in all other Paradox games. That means a lot of staring at the map generally.
Quote from: Hansmeister on October 20, 2015, 06:53:25 PM
I hate this aspect
Quoteplanets have building slots, with special bonus slots (more research, more production) and synergies if you place similar buildings next to each other (GalCiv3 style); additionally, you need to assign workers to tiles, like in Civilization, which will then modify the production based on the worker race's abilities
What is it with all these space sims having all this centrally planned economy bs? The economy should be developing organically based off a planetary resources, technology, and racial characteristics , which the player can nudge through the setting of policies. There should be only a few buildings related to security to be built by players.
Hans, I understand the political point you're making, but first and foremost this is supposed to be a game. It's generally frustrating for players to only have really indirect means of shaping your empire, rather than direct means.
In the supreme contest between civilizations the State must sometimes lend a close hand. You cannot expect the market to put the nukes exactly where you want them.
Sounds balls to the wall awesome. :cool:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/dev-diary-8-the-situation-log-and-special-projects.890612/
That might be a bit of over-exuberance. Sounds like a standard questing system.
Quote from: garbon on November 15, 2015, 08:40:23 AM
That might be a bit of over-exuberance. Sounds like a standard questing system.
Collect 10 murloc heads. Drop rate: 10%. :bleeding:
Quote from: garbon on November 15, 2015, 08:40:23 AM
That might be a bit of over-exuberance. Sounds like a standard questing system.
Maybe. I fear that it may be really cool stuff, that gets really boring/tedious after colonizing planet #47.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Sort of like the questing in the El Dorado expansion for EU4. Fun at first but then rapidly becomes tedious. We'll see, hopefully I'm wrong. :D
Quote from: Valmy on October 20, 2015, 08:50:58 PM
I agree. Building buildings was always the most tiresome part of Paradox games.
:huh:
Fighting rebels, by far.
Squee!
https://youtu.be/uRp7T5irXTQ
Looks so fucking good.
I hope if a planet you're observing covertly goes nuclear, you get the choice to shoot down the ICBMs.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-13-primitive-civilizations.897491/
QuoteExcerpt from lecture on Pre-Space Sentients by Professor Xirg Ta'Nolek
Royal Science Academy, Nishga VI
Galactic Stardate 394.41 (Post-Upheaval Reckoning)
<recording starts>
Settle down, class. Ah, as I look around the lecture hall and gaze upon your youthful visages, I am reminded of a younger, larval-stage me. Let's hope you lot have more brains than I did back then!
Today we'll be going over civilizations that have yet to develop the technology necessary for space travel. Such primitive civilizations fall into one of two broad categories - Pre-Industrial and Industrial. These categories have a number of subcategories, such as Bronze Age and Post-Atomic Age, that help us more clearly define a primitive civilization's level of technological progress.
A spacefaring empire that has discovered a primitive civilization can deal with such a scenario in a number of different ways. The first way is the most straightforward, and the one typically favored by aggressive, expansionist empires. Can anyone guess what it is? Yes, Miss Choggrah-Zu?
Just so - outright conquest! As you can imagine, primitive civilizations have few means to resist a technologically advanced invader. Industrial and especially post-atomic civilizations can prove harder nuts to crack, but their weapons are still markedly inferior to those of a typical spacefaring culture. The big prize of such an invasion is the planet itself, of course, but the primitives are also a source of cheap labor once enslaved.
Now, there are many in the galaxy who frown upon such behavior. Let's not pretend otherwise!
Whether due to a noble but misguided instinct to 'shield' primitive sentients from the horrors of the universe, like a Jaktagarian brood mother protecting her young, or for more sinister research purposes, many empires prefer the construction of hidden Observation Posts in high orbit over primitive worlds. This allows for the safe study of the primitives and their society, which can be quite a boon to an empire's research efforts in the field of Society.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F135315%2Fstellaris_dev_diary_13_02_20151214_primitive_civilization.jpg&hash=a11ee0d6f79efd51aa82584b343e25f4096d3448)
The Neborite civilization of the Kahalajom system. They destroyed themselves shortly after entering the Atomic Age a few decades after this picture was taken.
Observation Posts typically have four exclusive missions that can be undertaken. I will now go over each of them in turn, so please take notes. This WILL be on the exam.
Passive Observation
Certain studies have shown that interfering with the natural development of a primitive civilization can have... detrimental effects. The scientific staff of an Observation Post operating under the Passive Observation mission will make every effort to conceal their presence from the primitives. The primary directive of the scientists is to safeguard the natives from any cultural or technological contamination, while studying them in secret.
Aggressive Observation
My own species was subjected to this one a long time ago, when we were still in our technological infancy. Yes, Mr. Igir-Zat, I can see your plumage rustling nervously over there in the back row. Don't think we've forgotten what your kind did! At any rate, the Aggressive Observation mission calls for regular abductions from among the primitive population. The objective is typically to acquire genetic samples and to surgically attach implants on promising test subjects, among other naughty things. This provides more research data than what a more passive approach would, but it also tends to rile up the primitives a bit. Isn't that so, Mr. Igir-Zat?
Technological Enlightenment
There are some who just can't stand the sight of a primitive civilization wallowing in their muck. For whatever reason, they decide to bring the primitives up to the level of technology a spacefaring empire enjoys. This can be a monumental effort, of course, especially if the primitives are... well, especially primitive. It will require a significant investment of time, patience and Society research. Once the primitives have achieved space flight however, they will be turned into a Protectorate of their benefactors.
Covert Infiltration
This is an interesting one. Essentially, agents that have been surgically altered to resemble individuals from a primitive species are sent to infiltrate their society. Political and military leaders are gradually replaced, until a point is reached where the primitives can be made to willingly accept an offer of annexation. This spares the need of a messy ground invasion, but more importantly, the primitives will be more positively inclined towards their new overlords, since they are living under the illusion that they accepted their rule willingly.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F135317%2Fstellaris_dev_diary_13_01_20151214_observation_station.jpg&hash=a06c2efeff54656065caf1fc3fd0309e57a8b2f1)
An Observation Post in high orbit over the serene ocean world Lancord. Subspace modulation fields hides it from ground-based telescopes and primitive detection systems like radar.
Well, well... Mr. Zeq-Zeq! How nice of you to finally join us. Unfortunately for you, this lecture is just about to end. No, Mr. Zeq-Zeq, I don't want to hear it! Save your excuses. For your sake, I hope that you will arrive on time for next week's lecture, which will cover the uplifting of pre-sentient beings and how mutation and self-alteration can create new subspecies.
Class is dismissed.
<recording ends>
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-14-uplifting-and-subspecies.898648/
QuoteExcerpt from lecture on Uplifting and Genetic Self-Improvement by Professor Xirg Ta'Nolek
Royal Science Academy, Nishga VI
Galactic Stardate 394.48 (Post-Upheaval Reckoning)
3 hours before unconditional surrender of planetary authorities
<recording starts>
Excellent. I'm glad so many of you could make it, given the present conditions. Especially you, Mr. Zeq-Zeq! Please, don't let the sound of the orbital bombardment distract you.
Now then, let us begin! First I will be talking about the uplifting and genetic manipulation of pre-sentients.
While surveying planets, explorers will sometimes come across a pre-sentient species that shows particular promise. These are beings who would likely evolve some manner of intelligence on their own if they were left alone for a few million years... but that is a long time to wait. Many spacefaring empires instead take it upon themselves to accelerate this process, turning the pre-sentients into productive galactic citizens within the span of just a few years.
In addition to the gift of sentience, the uplifted species is often bestowed with new genetic traits as well, to better suit whatever purpose their benefactors might have in mind for them. Perhaps they are looking for a hardy species to serve as shock troops in their ground armies, or industrious workers that are skilled at mineral extraction. Uplifted species are also frequently used as colonists, to settle worlds with climates that are unsuitable to an empire's dominant species.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F136372%2FStellaris_dd1.jpg&hash=8a6e1ebb722eb0a6806d1ad7be1777ed8b8ab9d9)
After successfully rebelling against their masters, the uplifted Hulfir would eventually go on to establish a twelve-system interstellar empire.
Let us not forget the tragic example of the Shigarans, who were used to...
<recording ends abruptly, and is resumed 43 minutes later>
...there, I think power has been restored. Don't worry, that was only a near-hit. How I can know that? Miss Zuka, if it hadn't been, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Will someone please check on Mr. Zeq-Zeq? I saw him take a nasty blow on his pileus when the roof collapsed.
In the meantime, I believe the smoke has cleared enough for me to resume the lecture.
When an empire has reached a certain level of technology, they will have unlocked the tools necessary to modify the genetic code of their citizens. Whether or not they choose to make use of those tools, their citizens sometimes take it upon themselves to do so - especially if they find themselves in an adverse environment. There are several recorded instances of colonists modifying themselves to better cope with a planetary climate that is too cold or too hot, or any number of other things that their frail organic bodies weren't designed to handle.
Focus, Miss Zuka! Ignore the flashes - what you are seeing is just tracer fire from the local garrison. Nothing to be afraid of.
Now, the changes introduced by the colonists into their genetic code may eventually be of such magnitude that they have essentially mutated into what must be considered a new subspecies. From experience, I can tell you that once you have modified yourself and your family to better deal with the cold, it can be very tempting to also increase your strength, or your fertility, or whatever else you think will give you and your kin an edge in a cold and uncaring galaxy.
No, you may not be excused, Mr. Kolosch! Sit down!
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforumcontent.paradoxplaza.com%2Fpublic%2F136374%2FStellaris_dd2.jpg&hash=054c50a1ffd54a14575a7648595b175f11333326)
The birth of the Post-Cynn. Their failed attempt to eradicate their parent species would leave billions dead in a conflict that lasted almost two decades.
A new subspecies that is stronger and more formidable than their parent species may eventually come to see themselves as... superior. Why should they bow down to their lessers? Meanwhile, the unmodified members of the parent species often come to regard a subspecies with jealousy and suspicion. Fear of that which is different has been a driving force in the creation of conflicts since the dawn of this galaxy, and the creation of a subspecies can often be followed by civil strife and unrest.
The fighting appears to be drawing closer, so I'm afraid we'll have to cut this lecture a little short. Many of you will be leaving shortly in an attempt to break the orbital blockade so that you can celebrate Khartaz-Ya with your loved ones. I wish you good fortune, and since there will be no lecture next week in light of the holidays, I hope to see those of you who survive in two weeks time.
Oh! That was a close one. I believe the shockwave will hit us soon. As my old mentor, Professor Kalabux, used to say, "Ji ka vixa, zu na...!"
<recording ends abruptly and does not resume>
They seem to be on the right track to make a great game :cool:
Though there is always the risk of "spreadsheets in space", I hope the story type elements are powerful enough to make the universe seem alive.
When is this coming out already!?! Take my money Paradox.
G.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on December 21, 2015, 11:48:10 PM
They seem to be on the right track to make a great game :cool:
Yeah, I am really looking forward to this.
Very much looking forward to this game!
We want it now!
Really? Now?
When you know space will be full of Swedish special events?
Gain +5 tax base in Alpha Centauri, get 6/6/6 general for free.
Quote from: Norgy on January 01, 2016, 08:15:32 AM
Really? Now?
When you know space will be full of Swedish special events?
Gain +5 tax base in Alpha Centauri, get 6/6/6 general for free.
at least this time they'll get eugenics right
Latest dev diary isn't so great. Like CK2, as an attacker you'll be limited to taking whatever your initial war goals are. Unlike CK2, you can have multiple - but I don't see why a space faring race would be more diplomatically limited in war than states in EUIV.
That sounds like great news to me.
One of the best things about MP EU3 was that you could not just dismantle an enemy completely in one war.
While there is something to be said about that, I think wars where the goals never evolve over time are lame.
Shrug. I guess I imagine the game to be pretty dynamic, like all these games, and if play shows that they need some mechanism so that it could be the case that war goals might change, then we will see it at some point.
But starting from the basic premise that wars typically are not all out fight for existence (as most games treat them) is a very good thing.
I think this random commenter said it best for me - minus the great bit. :D:
Quote
Great DD yet this left me somewhat "unsatisfied":
Now I say this because I always thought that EU4 peace system was great if compared, for example, to that of CK2. I feel like it is a much more "accurate" way of portraying a peace deal...I agree with you that one should decide the main goals of a war and not being able to take over a whole empire in a single war, yet I also think that these goals shouldn't be limited this much. I am sure you guys talked quite a lot before deciding which system was better so I'd like to understand the process behind the choice in order to understand it and, why not, like it.
The DD does also state "There are other exceptions to how wars are waged, in the form of special types of civilizations, but that will have to wait for another dev diary." :hmm:
Perhaps many civilisations will adhere to certain diplomatic rules (such as in 18th century Europe) whilst a few will just ignore them? That would be the sensible thing i think.
I'm hoping that wargoals can also be added to if the war goes well or bitterly, much as it does in VicII.
I can see how it might work out quite well, we have a Galactic Civilisation with many competing powers who nevertheless have certain values in common. Then........disaster!...........a horrible race has been encountered that just kill everything :(
Don't forget the rules will change with each successive expansion pack.
When the hell is this being released?
Quote from: Josephus on February 09, 2016, 09:13:17 AM
Don't forget the rules will change with each successive expansion pack.
:D
I look forward to planetary fortresses that will inhibit the movement of interstellar craft.
Quote from: Josephus on February 09, 2016, 09:13:17 AM
Don't forget the rules will change with each successive expansion pack.
I really like that model as it keeps the game fresh for me, in games mastery=boredom.
Release date 9th May
My body is ready.
This is going to get a very rare Berkut first day purchase.
Gameplay video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go-WHiRqEMg
I'm getting it.
No doubt.
Odds on Tim's harddrive dying from too many reloads?
I came.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi14.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa313%2FHabbaku%2Fgalaxy_zps94kfkx3l.png&hash=598be01cbdd08f243de990d82f22f8749e08d297) (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/Habbaku/media/galaxy_zps94kfkx3l.png.html)
?
(https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtl1/t31.0-8/12841403_1124573220910048_4373245436328248321_o.jpg)
Quote from: garbon on March 16, 2016, 01:43:58 PM
?
It's a fully zoomed out map of their game's starting galaxy. Basically, all those little dots appear to be individual planets.
Are there xenocide, interspecies breeding, or Borg-like assimilation options?
Quote from: Phillip V on March 16, 2016, 02:02:18 PM
Are there xenocide, interspecies breeding, or Borg-like assimilation options?
there a genocide button iirc, for all the WH40K people
Last time I bought a full-priced game on release was back when EU4 came out. Might break my streak with this one. It looks amazing.
I am currently in a wait-and-see holding pattern on buying the game at release, but I may crack as it draws near.
Same here, I am going to wait..ok, no I am not.
With the glories of online purchasing, I won't buy on release day, but if the reviews and your guys comments are positive I'm probably a release day +1 or +2 kind of guy...
I am Paradox fan boy and I love 4X games, so I will buy it on day one for sure.
Crap. After watching the first few minutes of that video, now I'm gonna get the game.
I have no intention of waiting and will buy the game as soon as it is available :lol:
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on March 16, 2016, 02:35:56 PM
Quote from: Phillip V on March 16, 2016, 02:02:18 PM
Are there xenocide, interspecies breeding, or Borg-like assimilation options?
there a genocide button iirc, for all the WH40K people
I can kill all the WH40K people by pressing a button?
*preorders*
Quote from: dps on March 16, 2016, 05:23:26 PM
Crap. After watching the first few minutes of that video, now I'm gonna get the game.
Same. :ph34r:
Quote from: grumbler on March 16, 2016, 06:31:49 PM
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on March 16, 2016, 02:35:56 PM
Quote from: Phillip V on March 16, 2016, 02:02:18 PM
Are there xenocide, interspecies breeding, or Borg-like assimilation options?
there a genocide button iirc, for all the WH40K people
I can kill all the WH40K people by pressing a button?
*preorders*
:D
I will wait until I get home from work that day.
Another view of that galaxy:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FavEmTBR.jpg&hash=0a2a8b79eccbe2a46ee82b0b6acbf93c93dd7726)
Fucking islamist Forerunners! :mad:
(https://i.imgur.com/FoR5QnQ.jpg)
:menace: :area52:
New twitch video out today and new ones planned for every Thursday. Not really into the 4x thing, but I'll probably get it
I'll probably buy it: then I'll love it for a bit, then hate it, then eventually love it before hating it.
Quote from: PDH on March 17, 2016, 09:32:54 PM
I'll probably buy it: then I'll love it for a bit, then hate it, then eventually love it before hating it.
Then there will be a patch that completely changes game mechanics.
Quote from: Zanza on March 17, 2016, 01:49:59 PM
:menace: :area52:
They haven't outlawed it in Germany already? :hmm:
Quote from: Solmyr on March 18, 2016, 04:45:58 AM
Quote from: PDH on March 17, 2016, 09:32:54 PM
I'll probably buy it: then I'll love it for a bit, then hate it, then eventually love it before hating it.
Then there will be a patch that completely changes game mechanics.
And an event for Sweden.
That Quill video made me interested in the game.
So this is coming out on May 9 and HOI4 on June 6. Hmmm.... :hmm: Gonna have to make a decision. No sense in buying both since Paradox games are too immersive.
I think I'll wait a bit. I have yet to encounter a 4x that I liked since Space Empires III. -_-
I for one can't wait for the inevitable Space Byzantium mods.
I want to brutalize alien species so badly now! Education comes through pain after all.
G.
I was pretty into this game and then you went and made it weird.
Quote from: Habbaku on March 18, 2016, 11:14:19 PM
I was pretty into this game and then you went and made it weird.
Which sent you into Spellus levels of Excitement!
Hello Space Friends! This is Blorg!
https://youtu.be/shoiYDp7EEA
I'd pre-order this if it was possible. I wonder how my terrible slave empire will work out.
:w00t:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FuadBTHl.png&hash=ec51fd533c129c18d29c89abc2de5885f9fd479e)
PANTS ARE DIARY FACTORY
Why are you wearing pants?
The fox and the redcap mushroom seem like they'd be good company at a tea party.
Quote from: Lettow77 on March 20, 2016, 06:02:15 AM
The fox and the redcap mushroom seem like they'd be good company at a tea party.
Yeah they're good. I also like the Turtlemen, and the white four eyed bird people.
No love for the Musselmen. :(
No elves or ogres?
Quote from: The Brain on March 20, 2016, 06:54:04 AM
No love for the Musselmen. :(
Musselmen do not exist because the game takes place in the future. :contract:
Quote from: Martinus on March 20, 2016, 11:04:15 AM
Quote from: The Brain on March 20, 2016, 06:54:04 AM
No love for the Musselmen. :(
Musselmen do not exist because the game takes place in the future. :contract:
This game takes place in a post Trump presidency! Making the Galaxy Great Again!
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 20, 2016, 01:20:30 AM
I'd pre-order this if it was possible. I wonder how my terrible slave empire will work out.
Why isn't it available for pre-order, anyway? Is that a new Paradox policy?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on March 20, 2016, 12:09:15 AM
Hello Space Friends! This is Blorg!
https://youtu.be/shoiYDp7EEA
ok these guys are weird. :lol:
Yeah, what is with that dudes hair???
Cultural appropriation from some space-faring race he encountered, I think.
Quote from: Berkut on March 21, 2016, 10:27:59 AM
Yeah, what is with that dudes hair???
He also sounds very gay.
Ok, I decided. My first game will be the Xenophobe, Militaristic, Spiritualist Human Empire of Man.
Purge the mutant, the witch, the heretic. :ph34r:
How long until a Battletech: Succession Wars mod? :hmm:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi14.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa313%2FHabbaku%2Fspaaaaace_zps4v19r6ti.png&hash=f55bb76716012ba0c474b9f45e7fd205080d1b36) (http://s14.photobucket.com/user/Habbaku/media/spaaaaace_zps4v19r6ti.png.html)
Quote from: Habbaku on March 22, 2016, 10:27:24 PM
How long until a Battletech: Succession Wars mod? :hmm:
Dunno how that would work...BT has always been far, far, more about ground combat/mechs than about space combat.
You could put the names and shit in there, but it wouldn't have any flavor.
But I suspect your post might have been more of a joke about that fist. :P
Not the fist, necessarily, but all the symbology and how the map looks are very reminiscent of BT.
I wouldn't mind a BT:SW mod, but for the same reasons you mentioned, it'd be a trick to handle. Then again, I have no idea how ground invasions work in Stellaris at this point.
This game really has so much potential. I can't wait for a Dune mod (the *real* Dune, not a RTS based on a single planet).
I am looking forward to the inevitable Star Wars mod.
Mods were before Star Wars.
The Blorg stream is live! Making friends and space great again!
https://www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive
Quote from: Berkut on March 16, 2016, 12:55:31 PM
This is going to get a very rare Berkut first day purchase.
Why would anyone purchase a Berkut on its first day?
Little malenki berkutochki are adorable. :wub:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/428601261156335617/7KNRChBp_400x400.jpeg)
Quote from: Zanza on March 23, 2016, 04:56:01 PM
I am looking forward to the inevitable Star Wars mod.
Star Trek would be pretty cool too. Regular universe and the Mirror one (though I always thought that DS9's one great crime was to trash the Mirror universe with stupidity...even despite the HOTT Kira dominatrix character).
Hopefully this could let me relive my B5 v. Star Trek v. Star Wars fantasies. :blush:
Just from watching the game vids, it seems as if there is a "soul" to this. That is perhaps the biggest thing. Games like MOO3 had bells and whistles, but no soul, and so it got played a time or two then died. This may well be different. I sure hope so.
Will there be a Languish MP game for this?
Quote from: Jaron on March 27, 2016, 01:18:18 PM
Will there be a Languish MP game for this?
You can be the Ottoman Confederation.
Quote from: 11B4V on March 27, 2016, 01:44:03 PM
Quote from: Jaron on March 27, 2016, 01:18:18 PM
Will there be a Languish MP game for this?
You can be the Ottoman Confederation.
I'm going to play as Kolob.
http://rocket-wrangler.com/2014/10/27/lord-xenu-attacks-planet-kolob/ (http://rocket-wrangler.com/2014/10/27/lord-xenu-attacks-planet-kolob/)
QuoteLord Xenu Attacks Planet Kolob
Lord Xenu, the Intergalactic Space Tyrant, reportedly escaped his mountain imprisonment and has since regained leadership of the Galactic Federation. Xenu has since set his sights on the planet Kolob, and is seeking to overthrow the planet system currently occupied by Elohim, Joseph Smith, and Jesus. It is unclear if the space forces of Kolob are up to the task of defending against the Galactic Federation armada, and if Lord Xenu plans to use the nuclear volcano method against Kolob.
So far on earth, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have reportedly engaged in talks with the Church of Scientology on how to best handle this latest space threat, as the Scientologists carry the soul matter of the Thetans, who first fell victim to Xenu's attack 75 million years ago. The church of LDS hopes to avoid losing their planet system and becoming the second generation of Thetans.
The latest proposal is that a third church be formed, The Church Of Mormontology, which will utilize the latest prayer technology to aid in the interstellar battle. The Heaven's Gate travelers have offered help from their spacecraft, currently following the Hale Bopp comet, but caution that their vessel is not built for military purposes. The churches have also been in discussions with the Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam to utilize the Mother Plane as a defense against the forces of Xenu.
It does not appear that the battle for Kolob threatens Earth at this point, but Mormontologists warn that if Xenu is successful in taking Kolob, he will set his sights here next.
:mellow:
Hopefully, Kolobians could enlist all those Jews Hitler killed.
Quote from: Martinus on March 27, 2016, 02:50:40 PM
Hopefully, Kolobians could enlist all those Jews Hitler killed.
:rolleyes:
One of the things P'dox did right with EU II was that it felt like an unique experience playing as some of the majors.
With EU III that was gone, and no amount of DLC armour for your troops could change that.
EU IV seems like a decent attempt at balancing ahistorical stuff with you still feeling your faction is unique.
I'd like to get my hands on the retard that made the leader names for Norway still. <_<
If Stellaris can provide an experience where it's me against "them", I'd be quite happy. Otherwise, I'll just mod my own death camps into HoI IV.
Quote from: Norgy on March 27, 2016, 05:28:59 PM
If Stellaris can provide an experience where it's me against "them", I'd be quite happy. Otherwise, I'll just mod my own death camps into HoI IV.
I hear you. It is about immersion. My ex wife (hmmmm, maybe that is it...) said I liked the computer more than her during the EUII days.
I think eu4 is much better immersion-wise than 3.
I do honestly wonder if it is anything else than nostalgia and our diminished willingness to fill holes with our imagination, as I do also feel nostalgic about aspects of eu2.
Or maybe it is a too streamlined design? I saw that with civ4 and 5. There is no argument civ5 is a much more elegant game design than 4. Yet it has grown stale and boring much, much quicker for me than 4. The latter seemed to have more flavour.
It is probably a combination of both.
Also with eu4 I blame the fact that it tries to (and let's admit, manages to) cater both for gamers looking for historical immersion and pvp-style minmaxers who just want to paint the world map their colour in the most efficient way
I simply could not get into EU4 the way I did EU3. I don't really know why. I was totally excited by the idea of it though.
Those EU3 MP games we had were just freaking epic...
I think that EU4 is a better game than EU3 in pretty much every aspect, yet I have only played it a fraction of how much I played EU3. I believe it's me, though. I might be getting tired of the prototypical Paradox game (although I played CK a lot, too).
That's probably the most likely explanation. We all played EU3 so much that EU4 starts feeling samey, despite being an improvement in many areas.
Maybe. I mean I have played a fair bit of EU4 but basically didn't play much EU3. From terrible graphics to every nation is generic, I basically skipped the EU3 period.
Yeah, come to think of it, eu1 was from around 1999. Spending 17 years with the largely the same game is quite a long time
Quote from: garbon on March 28, 2016, 09:09:54 AM
Maybe. I mean I have played a fair bit of EU4 but basically didn't play much EU3. From terrible graphics to every nation is generic, I basically skipped the EU3 period.
I played little vanilla, to be frank, but I logged hundreds of hours playing the several mods that addressed he lack of uniqueness the game had.
I barely played EU3 or EU4. Every time I play them I just have that 'man EU2 was so much more fun' feeling.
I think EU4 is much better than EU3 and EU2. And with the nation-specific events, decisions and ideas the majors play differently from each other.
I think with EU4 they got the balance right between the two different approaches of its predecessors and new engine let them do some other cool shit. I do think they are falling into dlc issues plaguing ck2 as well though hasn't got as bad with EU4.
I don't mind the DLC with CK2. They go on sale a lot and it keeps development on the game funded. Pretty impressive for the game Paradox did not think would ever be profitable.
I only mind them because I'd like them to work instead on producing DLC that I would actually like to have. <_<
Quote from: garbon on March 28, 2016, 02:24:49 PM
I only mind them because I'd like them to work instead on producing DLC that I would actually like to have. <_<
I really dig the nomads one. They seem to have finally gotten the Steppes right. I haven't gotten the newest one yet though.
I never had any desire to play EUI again after EUII came out, or to play EUII again after EUIII came out. OTOH, I never bought EUIV, and quit buying the EUII expansions after In Nomine.
Quote from: garbon on March 28, 2016, 09:09:54 AM
Maybe. I mean I have played a fair bit of EU4 but basically didn't play much EU3. From terrible graphics to every nation is generic, I basically skipped the EU3 period.
I did play some EU3, but very little compared to EU II and EU IV.
MEOI and Taxes or whatever the mod is called breathed some life into EU IV for me.
Oh MEIOU or whatever in EU4 is an example to me of a mod that has lost all sense of reason (aka this is a game that should be fun) in pursuit of their take on 'history.' Like for the longest time they wouldn't take any criticism of Spain being too strong as the population/development numbers they had were all based on 1600 when Spain was at its height of power - but it would just be arbitrary to lower Spanish values down to be more suitable for the start. :rolleyes:
Quote from: garbon on March 29, 2016, 05:21:23 AM
Oh MEIOU or whatever in EU4 is an example to me of a mod that has lost all sense of reason (aka this is a game that should be fun) in pursuit of their take on 'history.' Like for the longest time they wouldn't take any criticism of Spain being too strong as the population/development numbers they had were all based on 1600 when Spain was at its height of power - but it would just be arbitrary to lower Spanish values down to be more suitable for the start. :rolleyes:
It also has a fairly powerful Eastern Empire.
I haven't played it for yonks, but did have some fun recreating the Eastern Empire after crushing the Ottomans.
Castille is sort of a powerhouse even in vanilla with lots of free CBs and a lot of manpower that I see little historical basis for.
If there's an "under-powered" country, it's actually England in 1453.
Honestly, I think the best start in vanilla is 17th century.
Quote from: Norgy on March 29, 2016, 04:56:45 AM
Quote from: garbon on March 28, 2016, 09:09:54 AM
Maybe. I mean I have played a fair bit of EU4 but basically didn't play much EU3. From terrible graphics to every nation is generic, I basically skipped the EU3 period.
I did play some EU3, but very little compared to EU II and EU IV.
MEOI and Taxes or whatever the mod is called breathed some life into EU IV for me.
same here. Have been playing M&T exclusively on EUIV. And close to exclusively on EUIII (after Ubik's (and co) mod went wonky)
England was certainly not underpowered a few patches ago when I played them the last time. I could easily defend my French holdings and after about 50 years or so I conquered Paris. Not sure if they nerfed them after that.
Hey guys. There is a thread about EU4 here:
http://languish.org/forums/index.php/topic,8185.msg963962.html#new
:rolleyes:
Paradox has a pretty consistent approach to such things.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on March 31, 2016, 06:59:54 AM
Paradox has a pretty consistent approach to such things.
Languish does as well.
Do we?
When's the game street date?
May 9
Its been a long time since I have anticipated a game's release as much as this one. :)
Quote from: celedhring on April 04, 2016, 07:26:18 AM
Do we?
The hijacking is consistent, the subject matter not so much.
Quote from: celedhring on April 04, 2016, 07:26:18 AM
Do we?
I consistently feel you're schizophrenic when you reply to Wag's posts.
A quick look on steam shows there are no pre-release purchase perks available.
Good.
Quote from: crazy canuck on April 11, 2016, 12:00:20 PM
A quick look on steam shows there are no pre-release purchase perks available.
A more patient perusal reveals a plethora of pre-release purchase perks.
(Just kidding)
lol
Pre-orders are up @ Paradox (delivery via Steam key)
https://www.paradoxplaza.com/stellaris
Looks fucking great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Huuacl6oqI
Fuck take my money already. I cant wait!!!
Map sucks. :homestar:
Quote from: Arvoreen on April 14, 2016, 08:36:06 PM
Pre-orders are up @ Paradox (delivery via Steam key)
https://www.paradoxplaza.com/stellaris
Pre-order bonuses do not look very exciting so that's good.
preordered
:Embarrass:
I'm tempted, but I have way too many good games sitting in my steam account, barely played, to preorder yet another one in good conscience. :cry:
I preordered the Nova edition. :unsure: The price for all editions is slightly cheaper at Wingamestore right now: http://www.wingamestore.com/search/?SearchWord=stellaris
Quote from: Solmyr on April 16, 2016, 09:57:00 AM
I preordered the Nova edition. :unsure: The price for all editions is slightly cheaper at Wingamestore right now: http://www.wingamestore.com/search/?SearchWord=stellaris
Nice. Picked the regular version.
I also went with the nova edition. For the 140 minutes of extra music.
there's 25% off at Greenmangaming for it btw, but only for a short while.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 16, 2016, 11:36:39 AM
I also went with the nova edition. For the 140 minutes of extra music.
So
that was what I paid extra for. :D
Having listened to the music I am tempted to get the extra music edition too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuELLd3Ec4U&ebc=ANyPxKryap5pgracdvjk46fNd_ptLlUI7eKZoNXn-i0Bwr9yHx-qOwHTzlDxtkWAnjuffcAu5JBfy0e_7zQKE68JG1aRSKPeSQ
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 16, 2016, 11:36:39 AM
I also went with the nova edition. For the 140 minutes of extra music.
Isn't it 140 minutes including the extra music?
My first Human civilization will be the British Star Empire, or perhaps the British Stellar Commonwealth. :bowler:
The historical point of departure from our time line is that Prince Fredrick isn't hit in the head and killed by a cricket ball. He inherits the throne from George II instead of his stupid (and later insane) son, and Pitt the Elder stays on as Prime Minister. The Seven Years War continues an extra year or two to stomp on the French and Spanish while they're down as he argued for. Along the OTL annexations of Quebec, Florida and French India, the conquests of Cuba and the Philippines are kept in the peace and New Orleans and the Louisiana territory are likewise taken and retained during the extra years of fighting. After the war the natives in the Ohio valley are suppressed and the thirteen colonies politically integrated into the Parliament as he wished. This starts the ball rolling towards British world domination, which is achieved in their overwhelming victory in a nuclear world war against the Russo-Sino Syndicalist Combine in 1950.
Indirect Democracy (Constitutional Monarchy & Parliamentary Democracy)
Xenophile – Take up the Space Man's burden
Militarism – Whatever happens, we have the Mass Driver, and they do not.
Individualism - "Rule, Britannia! Rule the space lanes! Britons never will be slaves."
FTL Drive: Warp
As part of the space man's burden I will uplift all primitive societies I find. I will sell them copious amounts of space clocks and space opium.
:lol: :thumbsup: :bowler:
Incidentally, now I guess we will wait and see before passing the final judgement, but from what we have been shown so far, isn't it amazing how Paradox apparently has managed to pull off such a good game in an entirely new setting? God knows I was very sceptical when they first announced it.
Quote from: Martinus on April 18, 2016, 02:17:08 AM
Incidentally, now I guess we will wait and see before passing the final judgement, but from what we have been shown so far, isn't it amazing how Paradox apparently has managed to pull off such a good game in an entirely new setting? God knows I was very sceptical when they first announced it.
OK, fanboi :rolleyes:
I'm interested in seeing if the game has any "soul". Wiz and cKnoor have been putting a lot of effort into the roleplaying, without that effort it may be that is a fairly sterile experience?
We shall see, I hope not.
The "anomalies" system is probably what will make it have the soul, I think.
The roleplaying is always what made CK for me, if they managed to translate some of that into an MOO kind of game, it will be my dream made true.
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
Quote from: Jaron on April 18, 2016, 02:54:31 AM
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
I was thinking of that. :D
Quote from: Jaron on April 18, 2016, 02:54:31 AM
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
:lol:
What's the difference between the three versions? Just bells and whistles?
Quote from: Josephus on April 18, 2016, 10:55:28 AM
What's the difference between the three versions? Just bells and whistles?
bells, whistles, a spider and a book
Quote from: HVC on April 18, 2016, 10:58:45 AM
Quote from: Josephus on April 18, 2016, 10:55:28 AM
What's the difference between the three versions? Just bells and whistles?
bells, whistles, a spider and a book
cheap version it is then.
You can check out the actual details on steam. I went with the basic too since the music and extra spider character didn't move me much.
I'm going to be very disappointed if this game sucks.
Quote from: Josephus on April 18, 2016, 11:01:30 AM
Quote from: HVC on April 18, 2016, 10:58:45 AM
Quote from: Josephus on April 18, 2016, 10:55:28 AM
What's the difference between the three versions? Just bells and whistles?
bells, whistles, a spider and a book
cheap version it is then.
I went that way too.
Quote from: HVC on April 18, 2016, 11:17:35 AM
I'm going to be very disappointed if this game sucks.
Thing is, if you have played CK and EU you already have a good idea what you are getting. Add to that the fact they dont have to worry about achieving any historical accuracy and there is good reason to expect an excellent game experience.
I love ck. I have t played in a bit, and I know they changed the alliance system in a weird way. So I do have high hopes. I want to play insect overlords dammit!
The game seemed to be played at a very "zoomed out" level. Figuratively & literally.
Quote from: crazy canuck on April 18, 2016, 11:21:08 AM
Thing is, if you have played CK and EU you already have a good idea what you are getting. Add to that the fact they dont have to worry about achieving any historical accuracy and there is good reason to expect an excellent game experience.
Grumbler will be very upset if the game doesn't model the Battle of the Line properly.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 18, 2016, 03:38:22 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on April 18, 2016, 11:21:08 AM
Thing is, if you have played CK and EU you already have a good idea what you are getting. Add to that the fact they dont have to worry about achieving any historical accuracy and there is good reason to expect an excellent game experience.
Grumbler will be very upset if the game doesn't model the Battle of the Line properly.
:D
But it would be very cool if it did. :worthy:
A new Dev Diary on the "Late Game Crisis"...including this tidbit:
QuoteSome technologies are clearly marked as being "risky", for example Robot Workers. Now, you might not always risk having your victory snatched out of your grasp, but in this case at least, you really are gambling with the fate of the galaxy. Just researching such a technology is safe; it's the actual use of it that carries the danger. For example, the more sentient Robot Pops there are in the galaxy, the higher the risk is that they will come to deem organic life unfit to exist and rise up in a well-planned revolt. Unless crushed quickly and with overwhelming force, such a Machine Empire will quickly get out of hand and threaten all the remaining empires in the galaxy. Sentient robots will out-research and outproduce everyone. If the revolt is centered in a powerful rival empire, you'll need to think carefully about when you want to intervene; a savvy player might time it just right and be able to mop up both the robots and the remnants of the rival empire. Leave it too long, however, and the robots will overwhelm you.
Hello Skynet. :P
Seems odd that it is the number of them that triggers rebellion rather than their treatment by the state. If you force your sentient robots to slave away in the salt mines or to die for you in battle I can see them plotting to rebel, but if they're given the same rights as everyone else, why would they?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 19, 2016, 02:53:39 AM
Seems odd that it is the number of them that triggers rebellion rather than their treatment by the state. If you force your sentient robots to slave away in the salt mines or to die for you in battle I can see them plotting to rebel, but if they're given the same rights as everyone else, why would they?
Racism? Superiority complex? Certainly we could see a scenario where there is a plague or disease of some kind where biologicals die and leaves the machines to mull why such weaker beings are not a strain to the state.
Yeah, they may consider themselves to be superior to the inferior flesh beings.
God, I want this game so bad.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 19, 2016, 02:53:39 AM
Seems odd that it is the number of them that triggers rebellion rather than their treatment by the state. If you force your sentient robots to slave away in the salt mines or to die for you in battle I can see them plotting to rebel, but if they're given the same rights as everyone else, why would they?
The worry with creating a generalized artificial intelligence much more cognitively capable than puny fleshbags, and one coupled with some form of optimization process as it's ultimate purpose (make as many paperclips as efficiently as possible using self-learning, for instance), is that it results in a hyper-capable entity that kills it's creators to stop them from hindering it's optimization process (whatever it is) and/or uses it's creators and anything it can get hold of as raw materials for whatever it is supposed to be making or doing.
There should be an AI that kills people who confuse "its" and "it's". :P
Quote from: Jaron on April 18, 2016, 02:54:31 AM
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
You make that Amazon review yet?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 19, 2016, 02:53:39 AM
Seems odd that it is the number of them that triggers rebellion rather than their treatment by the state. If you force your sentient robots to slave away in the salt mines or to die for you in battle I can see them plotting to rebel, but if they're given the same rights as everyone else, why would they?
Assume a world where there is a critical mass of beings like Marti. Now think about the fate the population those Martis deem undesirable. I agree that the flawed assumption is that intelligent robots would think like Marti but that appears to be the underlying assumption.
Quote from: Martinus on April 19, 2016, 08:03:49 AM
There should be an AI that kills people who confuse "its" and "it's". :P
Their and there would be even more betterer.
The AI itself would communicate entirely in lolspeak.
Btw, I hope that if your empire is taken over by robots or a genetic master race that you developed, you can continue playing as them.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on April 19, 2016, 08:09:49 AM
Quote from: Jaron on April 18, 2016, 02:54:31 AM
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
You make that Amazon review yet?
Heehee you may be one of the few who'd get the reference.
Quote from: Jaron on April 19, 2016, 11:25:53 AM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on April 19, 2016, 08:09:49 AM
Quote from: Jaron on April 18, 2016, 02:54:31 AM
Stellaris is one of the best games I've ever played...
You make that Amazon review yet?
Heehee you may be one of the few who'd get the reference.
I clearly got it, I just wasn't as showy. <_<
Yeah. I saw that and went back and edited my post. I didn't see the earliest responses. :cry:
I thought it was a pretty well-traveled meme, back in its time...
Ok, preordered it. All the games I have got on release day since 2011 have been either created or distributed by Paradox. Okay, that's a grand total of three games, but still :D
Quote from: celedhring on April 19, 2016, 01:24:38 PM
Ok, preordered it. All the games I have got on release day since 2011 have been either created or distributed by Paradox. Okay, that's a grand total of three games, but still :D
Can't you get it on Steam? I mean I used to pre-order to secure my box at the store but without a limitation on the inventory involved I don't get the point of pre-ordering anything.
I think you get a special avatar or something if you pre-order.
yeah, i don't understand the rush to pre-order online stuff.
Quote from: Valmy on April 19, 2016, 01:27:55 PM
Quote from: celedhring on April 19, 2016, 01:24:38 PM
Ok, preordered it. All the games I have got on release day since 2011 have been either created or distributed by Paradox. Okay, that's a grand total of three games, but still :D
Can't you get it on Steam? I mean I used to pre-order to secure my box at the store but without a limitation on the inventory involved I don't get the point of pre-ordering anything.
I was going to get it on release day anyway, so might as well get the (largely irrelevant) pre-order bonuses.
These days I prefer to wait a little bit to see how much people on the internet like it :P
The reviews usually come out a day or two before release.
Granted this is probably a 'buy anyway' title for most of us.
Quote from: Valmy on April 19, 2016, 01:31:41 PM
These days I prefer to wait a little bit to see how much people on the internet like it :P
The reviews usually come out a day or two before release.
Granted this is probably a 'buy anyway' title for most of us.
Yeah, that's what I usually do. I mean, 90% of the games I pick up are under 10€ during sales years after their release, but Paradox have me hook, line and sinker with this one.
Quote from: Valmy on April 19, 2016, 01:31:41 PM
These days I prefer to wait a little bit to see how much people on the internet like it :P
The reviews usually come out a day or two before release.
Granted this is probably a 'buy anyway' title for most of us.
Hell, I don't even like Paradox games & I am going to buy this.
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 19, 2016, 01:44:10 PM
Quote from: Valmy on April 19, 2016, 01:31:41 PM
These days I prefer to wait a little bit to see how much people on the internet like it :P
The reviews usually come out a day or two before release.
Granted this is probably a 'buy anyway' title for most of us.
Hell, I don't even like Paradox games & I am going to buy this.
:D
Quote from: Valmy on April 19, 2016, 01:27:55 PM
Quote from: celedhring on April 19, 2016, 01:24:38 PM
Ok, preordered it. All the games I have got on release day since 2011 have been either created or distributed by Paradox. Okay, that's a grand total of three games, but still :D
Can't you get it on Steam? I mean I used to pre-order to secure my box at the store but without a limitation on the inventory involved I don't get the point of pre-ordering anything.
You get five or six extra species. Though I assume they'll sell them seperately as a DLC later on for people who missed the release.
To be honest, I kind of expect it to be buggy and have weak AI upon release, but there seem to be so many options as to how to customize your race and society (and galaxy) that those alone will be worth playing around with until the patches/DLCs start coming out.
It will probably take me four months just to get the hang of how to play it.
Then they'll release a DLC and change all the rules :lol:
I just realised that I'll be off on vacation so definitely won't pick this up until it has had time to settle.
The last two games they launched - CK2 and EU4 - were very playable on release.
Quote from: Zanza on April 20, 2016, 01:20:34 PM
The last two games they launched - CK2 and EU4 - were very playable on release.
Agreed.
One might even argue EU4 was the most enjoyable before all the DLCs
Quote from: crazy canuck on April 20, 2016, 01:23:47 PM
Quote from: Zanza on April 20, 2016, 01:20:34 PM
The last two games they launched - CK2 and EU4 - were very playable on release.
Agreed.
One might even argue EU4 was the most enjoyable before all the DLCs
:yes:
For sure.
Broke down and just pre-ordered. You can get it from GMG for $29 for the standard edition. Lowest I saw.
Almost got it from Nuveem for $16....but they have been risky with their region locks lately - or so I've read. :sleep:
Quote from: Alcibiades on April 22, 2016, 01:38:14 PM
Broke down and just pre-ordered. You can get it from GMG for $29 for the standard edition.
Deal doesn't seem to be there any more. :unsure:
Quote from: Habbaku on April 22, 2016, 02:37:57 PM
Quote from: Alcibiades on April 22, 2016, 01:38:14 PM
Broke down and just pre-ordered. You can get it from GMG for $29 for the standard edition.
Deal doesn't seem to be there any more. :unsure:
It's a coupon, I believe. I got it from wingamestore for about the same price if you want to check that.
$32 is not $29! :mad:
I said about. :sleep:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FKZSc5cG.png&hash=6966cc8bb53cf0700e1a05ab59a7bd52acf322e7)
The Code is Watch25 :secret:
Thanks Alci. Ordered!
you guys talking GamersGate? Cause when I type Stellaris, nothing shows up. :huh:
Quote from: Josephus on April 23, 2016, 12:36:29 PM
you guys talking GamersGate? Cause when I type Stellaris, nothing shows up. :huh:
http://www.greenmangaming.com/s/us/en/pc/games/strategy/stellaris/
Quote from: Grey Fox on April 22, 2016, 07:46:04 PM
The Code is Watch25 :secret:
:yeah: Worked. Pre-ordered.
Man, I pre-ordered, and it didn't give me a spot to put in the code, so I paid full price. :mad:
Surely you can get a refund and try again?
Yeah, I did that.
Where does it let you put in a redemption code in Steam though?
Assuming you bought it from Green Man Gaming with the code, they will send you a key close to the game's release date.
Green Man Gaming? I am confused. I thought this was through Steam...
I am no longer sure if you are trolling or not.
Sadly, I am not. I thought this was a Steam thing - I've never used Green Man Gaming.
In any case, I went there and got it, so I am all good. Once it drops, it will still be a Steam game anyway - that is the part I was not clear about.
:yes: GMG and others do sales like this rather frequently. You're pretty much always buying a Steam key, so there won't be any issues with compatibility (like me and my Crusader Kings 2 stuff that's sitting on Gamer's Gate where it does me no good).
Quote from: Habbaku on April 23, 2016, 09:50:11 PM
:yes: GMG and others do sales like this rather frequently. You're pretty much always buying a Steam key, so there won't be any issues with compatibility (like me and my Crusader Kings 2 stuff that's sitting on Gamer's Gate where it does me no good).
You know they gave out Steam keys to transfer all of your GG Crusader Kings stuff over, right?
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/crusader-kings-ii-steam-and-gg-versions-the-future.736049/
I was actually unaware of that! Mostly because I stopped paying attention to CK2 stuff when all those Steam sales started up and I was sitting there with a bunch of GG product and no way to transfer. Now I log in and see there are keys waiting for me.
Thanks! :hug:
:lol: And then I go to get the keys and there's a pop-up telling me they're out of serial keys. Of course.
Quote from: Habbaku on April 23, 2016, 11:32:05 PM
:lol: And then I go to get the keys and there's a pop-up telling me they're out of serial keys. Of course.
Same for me. Paradox has been trying to get GG to release the keys for a long time now, here's the thread.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/where-are-my-dlcs-that-i-bought-from-gamersgate.888801/
QuoteAndrewT said: ↑
It is exactly that simple. We gave Steam keys to GG to distribute to all their CK2 customers, as many as they asked for, over and over. This system worked perfectly fine until the new owners of GG arrived, and for reasons that no-one understands decided to become utterly obstructive all of a sudden.
We can't give out a second set of Steam keys, if that's what you are suggesting - making $0 from each of those sales is one thing, but making an actual dollar loss ... well, I don't think anyone would expect us to swallow that. All I can wonder is, what are GG doing wth all those keys we give them, that they are not handing out to their customers? They somehow manage to claim simultaneously that they keep running out of keys to give out, and that they are not authorised to give keys out ... ?!?
Quote
BjornB said:
Hi guys,
Here is how it is. We've been working hard to find a solution and we've talked to Gamersgate, and here's the thing. Gamersgate are responsible for delivering the product to their customers. We no longer have any collaboration with them, but we still went ahead and provided them with the means necessary (as stated by Gamersgate) to solve the issue.
There is nothing more we can do from our end. We've fulfilled our part of the commitment that existed between our two companies. If you have any problems with the delivery of products from Gamersgate, then I can only urge you to proceed as you would with any company failing to live up to it's promises.
I wish there was more we could do. But I hope that you understand that it's not reasonable that we put in hundreds of work hours to reimburse someone because another, completely unrelated company, did not deliver on it's promises.
I really hope that any issues you've had with Gamersgate will be resolved to your satisfaction. With this statement I must consider this matter closed from our end. I do apologize as I feel that I made a promise to make sure the problem was resolved, but failed to do so.
BjornB said:
Addition:
For us to replace the keys that GG did not deliver would first of all mean that we had to deliver things again that we already delivered. This wouldn't be the biggest problem however. The amount of tickets and contacts we've received on the matter points to us having to spend 100+ work hours to resolve something for another company that we already spent a lot of time and effort trying to help resolve the issue. Not to mention that we don't even have reliable means of verifying who's actually entitled to a replacement key :(
Just get the goddamn game again when it is on Sale on Steam. God knows that with the time we spend playing Paradox games, we have probably got their worth several times over.
I've actually spent very little time on it. It's not a history book you know.
Quote from: Martinus on April 24, 2016, 02:57:54 AM
Just get the goddamn game again when it is on Sale on Steam. God knows that with the time we spend playing Paradox games, we have probably got their worth several times over.
:lol: Easy, spaz.
Quote from: Martinus on April 24, 2016, 02:57:54 AM
Just get the goddamn game again when it is on Sale on Steam. God knows that with the time we spend playing Paradox games, we have probably got their worth several times over.
For me that's true for EU2 and EU4, and maybe Victoria breaks even. CK, HOI, EU3 were all wastes of money.
I've played a lot of EU, EU2, all the HOIs and Vic and would consider them all worth the time spent. I've played a little of CK2 and EU3 and nothing of CK (I own), EU4 (I own), Vic2 or Rome. I'm kind of burnt out on the Paradox system generally, although I'm strongly tempted by Stellaris and I'll definitely pick up HOI IV since every HOI iteration is a completely different (usually broken) animal. The EUs didn't feel like they were different enough to bother with, even though they were better games than the HOIs.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 24, 2016, 01:45:34 PM
Quote from: Martinus on April 24, 2016, 02:57:54 AM
Just get the goddamn game again when it is on Sale on Steam. God knows that with the time we spend playing Paradox games, we have probably got their worth several times over.
For me that's true for EU2 and EU4, and maybe Victoria breaks even. CK, HOI, EU3 were all wastes of money.
CK2 is easily the best game paradox has ever made. I have more than 630 hours in it
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 24, 2016, 05:18:20 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on April 24, 2016, 01:45:34 PM
Quote from: Martinus on April 24, 2016, 02:57:54 AM
Just get the goddamn game again when it is on Sale on Steam. God knows that with the time we spend playing Paradox games, we have probably got their worth several times over.
For me that's true for EU2 and EU4, and maybe Victoria breaks even. CK, HOI, EU3 were all wastes of money.
CK2 is easily the best game paradox has ever made. I have more than 630 hours in it
Yup. I would have to check my stats on Steam but I definitely played it more than any other Paradox game.
I found CK2 to be very dry.
I wish humanoids and mammalians were segregated into different genomes to make more humanoids appear, creating a Star Trekkie feel. I don't feel evil when oppressing a fungus.
Quote from: chipwich on April 25, 2016, 03:37:32 AM
I wish humanoids and mammalians were segregated into different genomes to make more humanoids appear, creating a Star Trekkie feel. I don't feel evil when oppressing a fungus.
Certainly something that I could see them doing over time /without a doubt will be in mods.
I'm looking forward the inevitable Star Wars/Star Trek mods myself :blush:
Quote from: celedhring on April 25, 2016, 03:55:47 AM
I'm looking forward the inevitable Star Wars/Star Trek mods myself :blush:
I'm thinking of making a Star Wars mod myself. :P
Dev diary on modding anomalies. Looks pretty easy! :)
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-31-modding-scripting-anomalies.923348/
Mm, dev dairy.
What's so special about the devs?
Quote from: The Brain on April 25, 2016, 12:06:41 PM
What's so special about the devs?
They provide a lot of calcium.
Quote from: celedhring on April 25, 2016, 03:55:47 AM
I'm looking forward the inevitable Star Wars/Star Trek mods myself :blush:
I'll throw in for that but I want B5 too. :blush:
Quote from: garbon on April 25, 2016, 03:13:11 PM
Quote from: celedhring on April 25, 2016, 03:55:47 AM
I'm looking forward the inevitable Star Wars/Star Trek mods myself :blush:
I'll throw in for that but I want B5 too. :blush:
:yes:
My pants are a diary factory!
Diary Factory Star Empire
Art looks relatively easy to mod for the graphically inclined. Paradox also showed off a 5,000 star galaxy in the latest dev diary!
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fufl1T5R.jpg&hash=259d99a3a0d3c03cd0d091f5d7c7006338513cb3)
Diary factory incoming!
Dairy Wars: Diary Factory Strikes Back
Diary is at Dairy Level 5!
I read on another forum that there are .4 habitable planets for every star, so a 5,000 star map has 2,000 habitable planets! :o
.4? No room for katmai. :(
Quote from: The Brain on May 02, 2016, 10:58:34 PM
.4? No room for katmai. :(
That doesn't cover gas giants though. :huh:
22 multiple player game live stream.
https://www.twitch.tv/paradoxinteractive
It did take them 30 minutes to set up the server, typical paradox mp! :lol:
Edit: Some moron rivaled a fallen empire right off the bat and was immediately crushed. Lol
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 02, 2016, 06:00:23 PM
Art looks relatively easy to mod for the graphically inclined.
Well except that any new anims will require a person to have Maya. Did a quick look and that license sure ain't cheap!
Quote from: garbon on May 03, 2016, 07:49:28 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 02, 2016, 06:00:23 PM
Art looks relatively easy to mod for the graphically inclined.
Well except that any new anims will require a person to have Maya. Did a quick look and that license sure ain't cheap!
Paradox use Maya themselves? That seems quite the overkill given their games aren't known for being 3D spectacles, to put it mildly.
They've indicated that is what they have used for all the unit/building models in the recent crop of games / that the animations for the 2d portraits in Stellaris are actually managed via planes in Maya.
People asked for Blender support and they said no, wouldn't be possible at this time.
That's a pity then, when I saw that banner about modding units I had hopes for some cool stuff. But using Maya is quite a stumbling block.
It certainly explains part of the price tag.
Quote from: garbon on May 03, 2016, 07:49:28 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 02, 2016, 06:00:23 PM
Art looks relatively easy to mod for the graphically inclined.
Well except that any new anims will require a person to have Maya. Did a quick look and that license sure ain't cheap!
not that everyone on the internets pays for all their licences of course...
I guess so. Still hardly as rosy/beneficent of P'dox as it appeared on first blush. Here's the details on what they said of tutorial on how to do for portraits:
QuoteIf you want to create an animated character, you have two options. One, you can mod an existing one by modifying an existing character's texture. This is desirable if you don't want to or can't use Maya for any reason but your Photoshop skills are high. This is a bit limiting of course, since you can only change the look so much within the confines of that character. The animations will of course be the same, so you can't move the eyes etc.
If you want to do this, take an existing texture and add some more colors to the entire texture, and you can see the entire area you have to work with.There is some space outside the edge of the character to work with.
And then yeah units are Maya heavy.
http://www.stellariswiki.com/Maya_exporter
Ringworld:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfiX2u8J.jpg&hash=1e774594dd59853cf790a7c630282507ff6fc450)
So what's the specs on this game? :huh:
Minimum:
OS: Windows 7 x86 or newer, Processor: AMD Athlon II X4 640 @ 3.0 Ghz or Intel Core 2 Quad 9400 @ 2.66 Ghz, Memory: 2 GB RAM, Graphics: AMD HD 5770 or Nvidia GTX 460 with 1024MB VRAM, Latest available WHQL drivers from both manufacturers, DirectX: 9.0c, Storage: 4 GB available space, Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card, Controller support: 3-button mouse, keyboard and speakers, Special multiplayer requirements: Internet Connection or LAN for multiplayer.
Recommended:
OS: Windows 7 x64 or newer, Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 850 @ 3.3 Ghz or Intel i3 2100 @ 3.1 Ghz, Memory: 4 GB RAM, Graphics: AMD HD 6850 or Nvidia GTX 560TI with 1024MB VRAM, Latest available WHQL drivers from both manufacturers, DirectX: 9.0c, Storage: 4 GB available space, Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c-compatible sound card, Controller support: 3-button mouse, keyboard and speakers, Special multiplayer requirements: Internet Connection or LAN for multiplayer.
Thanks. Think I'm good :)
Just pre-ordered the Nova edition. I need those evil looking spiders.
I was debating whether or not I should wait for some of you people's reviews but it appears there's a consensus so for those who pre-order we'll be able to download on the 9th? Also, will I be able to install it on 2 separate machines? I'll be traveling on the 14th and I want to have it on my laptop as well as my regular rig.
G.
Quote from: Grallon on May 05, 2016, 09:26:51 AM
Also, will I be able to install it on 2 separate machines? I'll be traveling on the 14th and I want to have it on my laptop as well as my regular rig.
G.
I would think so. Works that way for all other p'dox games on Steam.
Embargo is over. You can watch lets plays on YouTube, if you're so inclined
I've been watching Quill18's Stellaris let's play, I'd say it is a pretty solid display of the early game acting as both a kind of review and tutorial.
Preordered the Nova pack this morning. :cool:
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on May 06, 2016, 01:16:02 AM
I've been watching Quill18's Stellaris let's play, I'd say it is a pretty solid display of the early game acting as both a kind of review and tutorial.
He's kind of annoying though. I watched the Elysium lets play, looks really good.
I checked both Tim. Quill is more annoying to you than the Elysium guy? Really?
The woman in his let's play seemed placed simply to convince gamer bros that women have no place in games. :bleeding:
Quote from: Tamas on May 06, 2016, 07:28:55 AM
I checked both Tim. Quill is more annoying to you than the Elysium guy? Really?
I watched all 8 Elysium videos that are up. I stopped after one with Quill.
I have never watched let's play videos for an unreleased game before. That's how hyped I'm for this one. Bring in Monday already. :cry:
I only watch the Blorg.
Fuck y'all Quill haters.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2016, 09:15:56 AM
Fuck y'all Quill haters.
I think only Tim mentioned that.
Quote from: garbon on May 06, 2016, 07:46:12 AM
The woman in his let's play seemed placed simply to convince gamer bros that women have no place in games. :bleeding:
She's apparently a great map maker.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2016, 09:24:49 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 06, 2016, 07:46:12 AM
The woman in his let's play seemed placed simply to convince gamer bros that women have no place in games. :bleeding:
She's apparently a great map maker.
Oh?
STELLARIS: 200 years in 5 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sN6LQykAdM
Are the Unbidden some sort of special end game scourge or just a typical Paradox blob?
Quote from: Martinus on May 07, 2016, 04:07:55 AM
Are the Unbidden some sort of special end game scourge or just a typical Paradox blob?
They're [spoiler]an extra-dimensional demonic invasion that can be caused by reckless experimentation while attempting to invent advanced FTL systems. All those AI empires that were conquered had their populations devoured, body and soul.
They seem to have invaded earlier than usual, which made the situation worse.[/spoiler]
So the first one.
While being very cool...I also hope there is an option to turn off such uber-scourges.
I hate myself.
Pre-ordered.
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 07, 2016, 02:25:26 PM
So the first one.
While being very cool...I also hope there is an option to turn off such uber-scourges.
There's also the opportunity of the machines rising against you if you have lots of robot pops and AI research, I have read.
I think those scourges are pretty cool. It makes the game less predictable, particularly once you get to the snowball point.
I will actually work today so I can take the day off tomorrow to play. :ph34r: :Embarrass:
Quote from: celedhring on May 08, 2016, 02:18:56 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 07, 2016, 02:25:26 PM
So the first one.
While being very cool...I also hope there is an option to turn off such uber-scourges.
There's also the opportunity of the machines rising against you if you have lots of robot pops and AI research, I have read.
I think those scourges are pretty cool. It makes the game less predictable, particularly once you get to the snowball point.
Replacing your own snowball with another AI snowball? :P
And that game looked pretty non-snowballed.
But as said, I am not against the idea...just would be nice to make it optional.
I'm sure whoever does a good Star Trek mod will have a Borg scourge...just like how in Birth of the Federation, they could easily ruin a game for you. :P
That was a hands-off game, right? So no player snowball.
Now, I agree that if it's something that happens in almost every game I will be disappointed. But I like them coming up with stuff to make the game less predictable in the latter stages. I look forward ganging up with my former enemies to fend off an insurmountable external threat. That's so sci-fi :cool:
Anyhow, even if they don't include the option to exclude them, they can be easily modded off.
Quote from: celedhring on May 08, 2016, 02:19:56 AM
I will actually work today so I can take the day off tomorrow to play. :ph34r: :Embarrass:
What a man child! :P
Quote from: garbon on May 08, 2016, 02:59:39 AM
Quote from: celedhring on May 08, 2016, 02:19:56 AM
I will actually work today so I can take the day off tomorrow to play. :ph34r: :Embarrass:
What a man child! :P
Hey! If I was a total man child I would take the day off without making up for it today :P
I want to get this, but I'm not sure if it is a good idea to buy a Paradox game on release :unsure:
It annoys me a bit that it looks like only collectivists can purge.
Quote from: HVC on May 08, 2016, 08:19:23 AM
It annoys me a bit that it looks like only collectivists can purge.
I believe Xenophobes can purge aliens. Collectivists can purge aliens and native species pops.
To get it out of my system, first species will be humans with xenophobia, collectivism and divine mandate. The Emperor protects!
I will spread the seed of japanese-confederate slavery, on Earth or in Space
RPS preview.
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/06/stellaris-preview-events/
Loved reading that. What attracts me from this game - which is something that was a huge part of CK2's appeal to me - is how Paradox are advancing down the path of procedural storytelling in their games.
Quote from: celedhring on May 08, 2016, 02:19:56 AM
I will actually work today so I can take the day off tomorrow to play. :ph34r: :Embarrass:
Where are you located? I forget these things. They've said it will be a "late afternoon" GMT release tomorrow:
http://www.pcinvasion.com/stellaris-release-time-pre-load
Spain. Yeah, I counted on it being an afternoon release. I'll do my groceries and go to the gym in the morning. I will need enough food to last me a few days. :ph34r:
Excellent, that means I'll have it after I get home from work. :)
Quote from: celedhring on May 08, 2016, 02:39:47 PM
Spain. Yeah, I counted on it being an afternoon release. I'll do my groceries and go to the gym in the morning. I will need enough food to last me a few days. :ph34r:
:lol: Well that works out nicely then.
It appears that my video card is not up to running the game, and an upgrade isn't in the budget right now, so it appears that I'll not be getting Stellaris anytime soon. But that's OK; I'll upgrade my video card at some point and get the game on sale.
That fungus infested teddy bear is some grim dark shit. I promised my self that I wouldn't go further than some mild imperialism, no slaves and no genocide. But meeting those things in the depths of the void might change my mind. Christ, what a horror show.
So I got an email from Green Man Gaming with instructions on how to activate the game on Steam, but no actual activation code. Where is my game???
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 05:31:49 AM
So I got an email from Green Man Gaming with instructions on how to activate the game on Steam, but no actual activation code. Where is my game???
I believe that the game is going to be released at 18:00 Central European Time.
WTF
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on May 09, 2016, 07:00:41 AM
WTF
They're streaming right now. They said it's going live in a few hours. Missed the exact time they said.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 09, 2016, 07:09:59 AM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on May 09, 2016, 07:00:41 AM
WTF
Their streaming right now. They said it's going live in a few hours. Missed the exact time they said.
Don't you teach English?
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 05:31:49 AM
So I got an email from Green Man Gaming with instructions on how to activate the game on Steam, but no actual activation code. Where is my game???
I preordered from WingameStore and did not receive any communication from them yet. :(
L.
There is probably no point to buy those Nova or Galaxy editions, right? :unsure:
Steam tells me the game is only available on 9 May. Here, 9 May is almost over and the game is still not yet available :lol:
Quote from: Monoriu on May 09, 2016, 08:26:58 AM
There is probably no point to buy those Nova or Galaxy editions, right? :unsure:
Steam tells me the game is only available on 9 May. Here, 9 May is almost over and the game is still not yet available :lol:
Depends on the time zone. Or as Tim would say, their! going to release it when its on the write time zone.
Quote from: Pedrito on May 09, 2016, 08:07:41 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 05:31:49 AM
So I got an email from Green Man Gaming with instructions on how to activate the game on Steam, but no actual activation code. Where is my game???
I preordered from WingameStore and did not receive any communication from them yet. :(
L.
Same. I suppose there's still a couple of hours left till the game goes live.
Reviews are good
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/05/09/stellaris-review-pc/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3067310/software/stellaris-review-etch-your-stories-across-the-stars-in-paradoxs-latest-grand-strategy-game.html
http://www.destructoid.com/review-stellaris-358688.phtml
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/05/09/stellaris-review
Except for this one. It does look like a good game, but I bet it'll be a better and cheaper game in a year.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 09:02:12 AM
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/05/09/stellaris-review
Except for this one. It does look like a good game, but I bet it'll be a better and cheaper game in a year.
Ign reviews lost all credibility years ago.
That's fair, although one of your own reviews echoes the complaints about the mid-game being plodding and uninteresting compared to the early game.
I am sure it will be a lot of fun and well worth the time investment after some polish, though. I'm looking forward to playing it eventually.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 09:13:49 AM
That's fair, although one of your own reviews echoes the complaints about the mid-game being plodding and uninteresting compared to the early game.
I am sure it will be a lot of fun and well worth the time investment after some polish, though. I'm looking forward to playing it eventually.
I've watched a ton of streams. Midgame looks interesting to me.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 09, 2016, 09:03:07 AM
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 09:02:12 AM
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/05/09/stellaris-review
Except for this one. It does look like a good game, but I bet it'll be a better and cheaper game in a year.
Ign reviews lost all credibility years ago.
Uh-oh, looks like Paradox forgot to slip them the requisite bribe.
Just got my key from wingamestore for those who were worried. Game can't be installed yet, though.
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:35:23 AM
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
:yeahright:
I can't wait to play this, but of course it has to be released on a day when both Timmy has soccer, and I'm supposed to go for a run.
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 10:37:40 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:35:23 AM
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
:yeahright:
I can't wait to play this, but of course it has to be released on a day when both Timmy has soccer, and I'm supposed to go for a run.
I took the day off to play, and I am not playing.
Therefore: FAIL.
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:38:36 AM
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 10:37:40 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:35:23 AM
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
:yeahright:
I can't wait to play this, but of course it has to be released on a day when both Timmy has soccer, and I'm supposed to go for a run.
I took the day off to play, and I am not playing.
Therefore: FAIL.
Isn't it supposed to be released at noon eastern? 20 minutes from now?
Haha all you suckers living to east of here.
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:38:36 AM
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 10:37:40 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:35:23 AM
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
:yeahright:
I can't wait to play this, but of course it has to be released on a day when both Timmy has soccer, and I'm supposed to go for a run.
I took the day off to play, and I am not playing.
Therefore: FAIL.
they announced a 18:00 CET release like two weeks ago when they announced the launch day game steam :unsure:
Away we go!
Installing. :yeah:
Well how does it look guys?
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:38:36 AM
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 10:37:40 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 10:35:23 AM
Another epic launch day failure on the part of Paradox.
:yeahright:
I can't wait to play this, but of course it has to be released on a day when both Timmy has soccer, and I'm supposed to go for a run.
I took the day off to play, and I am not playing.
Therefore: FAIL.
I bought it off greenmangaming as well and just got my key. Installing at the moment (remotely, i'm at work :( )
ARGH. I'd have taken the day if we already werne't down two people. Maybe Wednesday.
I think I might spend the entire day just fucking around with the race builder....
That's kinda racist.
So...pretty...
I'm surprised at how smoothly the game seems to be running thus far. I don't recall CK2 being this crisp and speedy.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 12:23:57 PM
I'm surprised at how smoothly the game seems to be running thus far. I don't recall CK2 being this crisp and speedy.
Yeah, it's so smooth. I was afraid it would be bumpier. We'll see when I have like 20000 ships going around my systems.
Reviews people. Get to it.
Just encountered my first alien species. Like a good xenophobe I am: KILLING IT WITH FIRE.
Ouch, I'll need a bigger boat(s).
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 12:43:38 PM
Reviews people. Get to it.
Habbaku's Log:
Have played game for ~1 hour. Have encountered significant pockets of Fun™. Currently analyzing incoming Fun™-Data for relevant reports to send to Fascist Canada.
What a bunch of suckers.
That dude who was on the Co-Optional Podcast last week has a series on it if you want to check it out before you buy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnsbPce851E
Downloading now. Will take another 15 minutes on my slow internet. :(
No computer for another 2 weeks. I need aars and in depth discussion to sustain me in the field please :cry:
I tried the save function. When reloading a saved game my leader had changed her (carefully crafted) looks. :(
Other than that it seems cool. Smooth. :)
I'm trying to decide for a first playthrough if I go for an open, democratic "lets all get along" race, a militaristic, xenophobic "conquer them all" type race, or a technocratic everything is about research type race.
Appearance though is guaranteed to be humans though - that just how I roll in these games.
Gonna go militarist Zenophobe (either a fanatic militarist or add materialist, not sure yet) shadow bug.
I went with a first walkthrough as a Xenophobe Militaristic dude and got myself a few bruises while roleplaying my character effectively and insulting every repulsive bug I encountered :yuk:
This is my "learn the ropes" walkthrough anyway, enjoying the game so far. :)
QuoteGonna go militarist Zenophobe (either a fanatic militarist or add materialist, not sure yet) shadow bug.
You really need to get over your irrational fear of Zeno. The Isaurians are just misunderstood.
Quote from: Valmy on May 09, 2016, 02:10:34 PM
QuoteGonna go militarist Zenophobe (either a fanatic militarist or add materialist, not sure yet) shadow bug.
You really need to get over your irrational fear of Zeno. The Isaurians are just misunderstood.
:bleeding:
Quote from: garbon on May 09, 2016, 02:14:05 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 09, 2016, 02:10:34 PM
QuoteGonna go militarist Zenophobe (either a fanatic militarist or add materialist, not sure yet) shadow bug.
You really need to get over your irrational fear of Zeno. The Isaurians are just misunderstood.
:bleeding:
Oh I cannot make history nerd jokes here anymore?
My science research was going really great until my level 5 science lady won the Presidency.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 02:30:48 PM
My science research was going really great until my level 5 science lady won the Presidency.
She probably played the woman card.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 02:30:48 PM
My science research was going really great until my level 5 science lady won the Presidency.
I lost mine to a giant space amoeba. :cry:
I started with a random race. As a first for a Paradox game, Stellaris has a pretty good and useful tutorial mode.
The very first click on the race selection screen caused a crash for me - but since then I have played about 2 hours of stable game. I'm mostly just knocking about in a huge galaxy, I colonized one planet and now I am looking for the Empire of Zeno.
I figured out how to get robots. I am not sure they are useful in the long-term, but burning plentiful money to get a permanent mineral worker tile seems good. :hmm:
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 03:20:51 PM
I figured out how to get robots. I am not sure they are useful in the long-term, but burning plentiful money to get a permanent mineral worker tile seems good. :hmm:
Just make sure they don't develop sentience and revolt against you.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 09:02:12 AM
http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/05/09/stellaris-review
Except for this one. It does look like a good game, but I bet it'll be a better and cheaper game in a year.
IGN looks to be a real outlier in terms of where they ranked the game.
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/stellaris/critic-reviews
Total metacritic ranking is 7.9
There's a WH40K mod up already :D
Quote from: Barrister on May 09, 2016, 03:35:41 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 03:20:51 PM
I figured out how to get robots. I am not sure they are useful in the long-term, but burning plentiful money to get a permanent mineral worker tile seems good. :hmm:
Just make sure they don't develop sentience and revolt against you.
Why? I see nothing wrong with giving sentience to my robot friends.
Comet sighted event triggered. It had positive effects. :D
Does anyone if there is a handy list of a) anomalies you still need to research, and b) habitable worlds you've discovered?
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
Yeah, that would be nice. Particularly anyone whose graphics card isn't up to spec.
be nice if they had a demo.
The damned "comet sighted" event is in this too :D
It gives you a happiness boost now, though. Oh, the wonders of scientific enlightenment. :cool:
Quote from: Solmyr on May 09, 2016, 03:55:56 PM
Does anyone if there is a handy list of a) anomalies you still need to research, and b) habitable worlds you've discovered?
Just started to play but there is an option to research the anomaly and then send your vessel off doing whatever it was doing before, so I dont have any outstanding. Havent seen a handy short cut to habitable worlds discovered - but I have only discovered one so far in the three systems surveyed to date.
Over all this game plays very well out of the box. The design is very good. Many many hours of enjoyment incoming :)
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
My 3 year old laptop runs it smoothly, it has a not-great graphic card that's supposedly below recommended specs.
My economy sucks. I am permanently short of minerals.
Quote from: Solmyr on May 09, 2016, 03:55:56 PM
Does anyone if there is a handy list of a) anomalies you still need to research, and b) habitable worlds you've discovered?
I know of at least one way to easily spot the habitable worlds, but haven't messed around with map-modes much.
Click on a colony ship and you should see a planet-symbol next to all systems. Green means habitable, red means uninhabitable (and will provide a list of reasons).
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
I have a laptop with a i5-2430, 4 GB RAM and a NVidia GT555M 1GB graphics card and it runs okay. Smoother than EU4.
Looks pretty nice, although I'm just eyeballing it on a remote connection from work. :ph34r: Can't really play with the lagginess that pops up pretty regularly though.
Woke up, installed and almost finished creating my first race before limping off to work. I can tell I'm going to take an hour making different species before I even play the game.
The Kitsune Concordant will venture out from Inrai and the the beneficent glow of Amaterasu to befriend the galaxy. Individualist, spiritual, and xenophile. Wormholes and laser weapons.
Just annihilated my first sentient species. Feels like a good time to go to bed.
Quote from: celedhring on May 09, 2016, 06:29:17 PM
Just annihilated my first sentient species. Feels like a good time to go to bed.
:o
Monster! :mad:
I really don't have time for this. I suppose it's just as well that I really don't have money for it either.
Quote from: Maximus on May 09, 2016, 06:32:18 PM
I really don't have time for this. I suppose it's just as well that I really don't have money for it either.
Ask your friends to gift it to you.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 04:49:17 PM
Quote from: Solmyr on May 09, 2016, 03:55:56 PM
Does anyone if there is a handy list of a) anomalies you still need to research, and b) habitable worlds you've discovered?
I know of at least one way to easily spot the habitable worlds, but haven't messed around with map-modes much.
Click on a colony ship and you should see a planet-symbol next to all systems. Green means habitable, red means uninhabitable (and will provide a list of reasons).
If you click on the furthest left button on the lower right button row, it turns on a map overlay that is very useful for that.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 09, 2016, 05:37:31 PM
Woke up, installed and almost finished creating my first race before limping off to work. I can tell I'm going to take an hour making different species before I even play the game.
The Kitsune Concordant will venture out from Inrai and the the beneficent glow of Amaterasu to befriend the galaxy. Individualist, spiritual, and xenophile. Wormholes and laser weapons.
Lettow, is that you?
Game is broken.
Playing the human xeno race, and there is a event driven story thing where you have to find another human colony. One of the steps is to survey three systems.
However, I had already surveyed two of the three systems, so I could not complete that step.
Game is broken. Uninstalling.
Quote from: Berkut on May 09, 2016, 08:15:50 PM
Game is broken.
Playing the human xeno race, and there is a event driven story thing where you have to find another human colony. One of the steps is to survey three systems.
However, I had already surveyed two of the three systems, so I could not complete that step.
Game is broken. Uninstalling.
Seems like a bit of an overreaction. :huh:
There are dozens of event driven quests. You're going to uninstall because one is bugged? Have you ever played a paradox game at launch before? Seems as stable as CKII was on launch, but CKII good as it was wasn't flawless.
I froze my ass off watching Timothy's soccer game. There's no way I'm going out again to go for a 4km run as well.
So it's Stellaris time right after the boys go to bed. :yeah:
Gave it a spin. My human xenophobe collectivist spiritualists encountered these horrifying floating gasbags with the exact same planetary type preference as we.
Resettled 1 human pop on their homeworld after the conquest then had the entire species purged. For the emperor! :ph34r:
I may hold off on playing humans until the extra sol bug is cleared up. :hmm:
From what I hear, if you play a custom human empire with sol as your home system the game still spawns another Sol.
Edit: Apparently a mod as been made that fixes this already.
I just assume my evil twin lives there.
I like this. :)
What's nice is that compared to the usual Paradox game you aren't thrown right into the middle of running some giant empire - you have just one piddly little system. Gives you a chance to get to know what you're doing as it all slowly builds up.
Quote from: Jaron on May 09, 2016, 08:11:43 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 09, 2016, 05:37:31 PM
Woke up, installed and almost finished creating my first race before limping off to work. I can tell I'm going to take an hour making different species before I even play the game.
The Kitsune Concordant will venture out from Inrai and the the beneficent glow of Amaterasu to befriend the galaxy. Individualist, spiritual, and xenophile. Wormholes and laser weapons.
Lettow, is that you?
:sleep:
The Kitsune Concordant is native to the arctic world of Inari and due to the limited energy inherent in such an ecosystem are slow breeding. However they make up for that by being enduring, charismatic and nomdic.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 09, 2016, 04:49:17 PM
Quote from: Solmyr on May 09, 2016, 03:55:56 PM
Does anyone if there is a handy list of a) anomalies you still need to research, and b) habitable worlds you've discovered?
I know of at least one way to easily spot the habitable worlds, but haven't messed around with map-modes much.
Click on a colony ship and you should see a planet-symbol next to all systems. Green means habitable, red means uninhabitable (and will provide a list of reasons).
another easy way to do it is click on the details button on the galaxy map and all habitable planets show in green and all planets which might become habitable show in red. Also anomalies show up as well.
And this is addictive as hell. I need to drag myself away from the screen... after just a few more minutes.
So according to steam I have two hours gameplay. While I feel I barely scratched the surface, I also feel like I want to re-start based on what I know now. Lots of fun.
I have to protest, Jaron. I would never have made such an entry-level weeaboo race, especially one holding values so antithetical to the Japanese experience.
Everyone knows your weeaboo niprace is supposed to be xenophobic and collective, while being sedentary rather than nomadic. Nomadic is a heretical blight upon Yukkuri.
Sedentary, Nonadaptive, Decadent are the go-to Yukkuri traits. Agrarian, while wholesome, suggests a vitality and class of toil that is unbecoming to a Yukkuri existence.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 11:23:32 PM
I have to protest, Jaron. I would never have made such an entry-level weeaboo race, especially one holding values so antithetical to the Japanese experience.
Everyone knows your weeaboo niprace is supposed to be xenophobic and collective, while being sedentary rather than nomadic. Nomadic is a heretical blight upon Yukkuri.
Sedentary, Nonadaptive, Decadent are the go-to Yukkuri traits. Agrarian, while wholesome, suggests a vitality and class of toil that is unbecoming to a Yukkuri existence.
Kitsune are magical creatures that travel the land playing tricks on people, or helping them, depending on the specific tale. They don't stay in one place and they aren't known for working in groups. I could have went for the solitary trait, but I liked individual better.
By all means have fun with Star Fox and friends. I just took exception to being associated with it.
Empire spacing is kinda annoying me so far. Even on a Large (800 stars) galaxy, ramping the AI Empires all the down to 12...I still have 2 of them no further than 2 systems away? :rolleyes:
I purged a conquered enemy and got circled by a new federation opposed to me... so this could be bad lol
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 10, 2016, 12:36:35 AM
Empire spacing is kinda annoying me so far. Even on a Large (800 stars) galaxy, ramping the AI Empires all the down to 12...I still have 2 of them no further than 2 systems away? :rolleyes:
In the London MP stream they mentioned that civilizations are clustered during setup so that no one ends up alone and able to take over a whole spiral arm without opposition.
Meh. Would be nice as an option.
The fact that habitable planets are not as common as in other space 4xs makes it that you lock horns with other species relatively soon. I was left with no other venues for expansion other than conquest after my 4th colony. True that I was playing in a 600-star galaxy only.
Quote from: Lettow77 on May 09, 2016, 11:23:32 PM
I have to protest, Jaron. I would never have made such an entry-level weeaboo race, especially one holding values so antithetical to the Japanese experience.
Everyone knows your weeaboo niprace is supposed to be xenophobic and collective, while being sedentary rather than nomadic. Nomadic is a heretical blight upon Yukkuri.
Sedentary, Nonadaptive, Decadent are the go-to Yukkuri traits. Agrarian, while wholesome, suggests a vitality and class of toil that is unbecoming to a Yukkuri existence.
Protest noted.
I think I like the game but I'm concerned about a lack of depth. To be fair though I largely was ignoring the quests. Maybe that'll beef up the experience.
I played a couple of hours and I'm ridiculously wealthy and my fleets are the finest in the galaxy (that I've encountered). But...despite my wealth, I have nothing to spend it on. :(
Invest in a bigger Palace. That was one thing in the Civ games that I miss (aside from awesome Wonder movies). I loved improving my palace.
The Order of HYDRA, a militaristic xenophobic regime was born last night. Played for an hour or so. But I was painting so I couldn't get too far into it.
The game has incredible potential, and a decent amount of that is realized already.
However, I can certainly understand the complaints about the middle game being somewhat lackluster. There doesn't seem to be a lot of hard choices - for the most part, you want to upgrade everything, always, to the extent you can afford to do so, for example. New ships are always better than old ships, and upgrading is cheap, so always upgrade.
A Power Plant II is better than a Power Plant I, so always upgrade them all when you can afford to do so. Etc., etc.
There doesn't seem to be much reason NOT to drop a mining station around every single planet you find that has some resource.
So there doesn't really seem to be a lot of meaningful choices so far as I can tell, so far. But the execution is excellent, the game play is very fun, the combat system seems quite good. I am very pleased with the purchase already.
All those mining stations will cost a fuckton of energy to maintain!
Quote from: Jaron on May 10, 2016, 04:07:40 AM
I think I like the game but I'm concerned about a lack of depth. To be fair though I largely was ignoring the quests. Maybe that'll beef up the experience.
Just went on a genocidal rampage through another neighbor's empire just to complete a quest chain for my local Zoological Society. :ph34r:
I'm enjoying the game, not one CTD so far. It's fun to play the new Paradox games now when they're fresh and the additive chrome from subsequent patches has yet to sink the ship.
Quote from: Solmyr on May 10, 2016, 07:48:15 AM
All those mining stations will cost a fuckton of energy to maintain!
So? Build mining stations around energy producing objects. Build power stations. Those all cost minerals, which you can get from yet more mining stations. Etc., etc.
There isn't any real choice that I can see. It pretty much always makes sense to just build another one - the only "play" is which to build first when you are low on resources.
And that curve seems pretty easy to negotiate until you get to the point that you are cycling through all planets upgrading everything, always, because there are plenty of resources to go around.
Quote from: Legbiter on May 10, 2016, 07:48:38 AM
Quote from: Jaron on May 10, 2016, 04:07:40 AM
I think I like the game but I'm concerned about a lack of depth. To be fair though I largely was ignoring the quests. Maybe that'll beef up the experience.
Just went on a genocidal rampage through another neighbor's empire just to complete a quest chain for my local Zoological Society. :ph34r:
My Glorious Trumpenreich, ruled by Donald Trump XI, has already subdued two neighboring alien species and stolen their homeworlds. Their citizens now are slaves that mine for minerals and farm the fields to feed the Glory of Trump. Their remaining planets have formed an alliance against me but their fleets pale in comparison to mine. Soon, the Power of Trump (my fleet's name) will destroy these last vestiges of alien menace. Only humans allowed here, aliens.
:lol:
Make Space Great Again! :showoff:
One minor complaint about the tech research system:
So I'm just starting the game. I have to make my initial tech decisions. Although I see the tech that allows me to build colony ships, for some reason I pick a different tech first, thinking I would take colony ships next.
But once my first tech is done - no colony ships. Same thing after my second tech. So I'm sitting there only on my home planet while I can see a neighboring civilization starts encroaching on my borders.
I picked Colony Ships as my first tech because I was afraid that would happen. There's actually a "tutorial quest" of sorts that directs you to take the tech, but it doesn't appear right off the bat. Given that the race for habitable planets is pretty tight, you can get a pretty bad start if you don't pick it immediately and the RNG shafts you.
Other than that, I like the tech tree system. I enjoy the "let's see what I get now" surprise element of opening the screen after completing a tech. Plus, what you get and don't get do shape your path - something which I love. In my first walkthrough I wanted to jump on a nearby civilization, but I had been pretty unlucky with military tech and my ships were pretty outclassed, so I had to put off the war and direct myself towards economic expansion. Then I used that advantage to beat them by sheer numbers. And then I enslaved them.
It sounds a little goofy that you don't just start with Colony Ships. Is there a valid reason for wanting to start with a different tech?
What bothers me slightly is that the only victory conditions implemented (unless I have missed something) are paint-the-map ones. Coupled with the fact that there's no end-date, it removes the possibility of kinda just playing for the ride or with your own alternative objectives like you can do with the other Paradox games.
Does anyone know how to lock out some of the default starting races? I've modified the base humans and saved them but I don't want to see the other 2 human civilizations appear elsewhere. I know you can lock out the custom ones but what about the defaults?
G.
I agree with Berkut. I played for a few hours last night and initially I only claimed mining stations that yielded me energy. But an hour later I had a massive surplus of energy so I just built mining colonies around everything.
My expansion would just yet me more resources I already hold abundantly. I do like that they have special resources. That should make some planets more lucrative and war targets. I found some stone and used it to build new power plants that ended up yielding me something like 20 energy between the two.
I like the basic mechanics of the game but what I really want is some risk, reward and choices. Give me some DEPTH.
An AAR for this game would be extremely boring unless the writer was a gifted story teller like Solymr or Raz.
I agree that the mechanics are much streamlined compared to your usual Paradox game, and the "internal management" seems pretty easy. I think the basic foundation is very strong though, and I guess we can count on DLCs to bring more complexity to the table.
I just spent a tremendously unreasonable amount of time creating a few assorted alien species from movies and shows for my next save :Embarrass:
Quote from: celedhring on May 10, 2016, 02:20:17 PM
I agree that the mechanics are much streamlined compared to your usual Paradox game, and the "internal management" seems pretty easy. I think the basic foundation is very strong though, and I guess we can count on DLCs to bring more complexity to the table.
I just spent a tremendously unreasonable amount of time creating a few assorted alien species from movies and shows for my next save :Embarrass:
Yeah I think it's deliberately pretty streamlined, with deliberate room to add more chrome in the future.
Quote from: celedhring on May 10, 2016, 02:20:17 PM
I just spent a tremendously unreasonable amount of time creating a few assorted alien species from movies and shows for my next save :Embarrass:
The chick in Total Recall is a mutant.
Can the custom races you create show up in your games if you are not playing them?
I've been building robots everywhere, especially on planets that aren't habitable by my puny, organic meatsacks. Alas, turns out that's a bug. Robots aren't meant to populate planets all by themselves until you get a robot colony module. :cry:
Quote from: Solmyr on May 10, 2016, 02:36:43 PM
Can the custom races you create show up in your games if you are not playing them?
You can select for every race if it can't, can, or must show up.
Quote from: Solmyr on May 10, 2016, 02:36:43 PM
Can the custom races you create show up in your games if you are not playing them?
I have no idea to be honest. In some pre-launch let's plays, in the race selection screen there was an icon next to each custom race that you could click to ensure they would be in the game you were creating, but I can't see nothing of the sort in the released version.
Quote from: celedhring on May 10, 2016, 03:45:55 PM
Quote from: Solmyr on May 10, 2016, 02:36:43 PM
Can the custom races you create show up in your games if you are not playing them?
I have no idea to be honest. In some pre-launch let's plays, in the race selection screen there was an icon next to each custom race that you could click to ensure they would be in the game you were creating, but I can't see nothing of the sort in the released version.
I see it. :unsure:
The little eagle next to the race portraits? I can't see it.
Quote from: celedhring on May 10, 2016, 03:53:01 PM
The little eagle next to the race portraits? I can't see it.
:console:
Quote from: celedhring on May 10, 2016, 03:53:01 PM
The little eagle next to the race portraits? I can't see it.
It's there for me.
Ugh, I was up until 1:30, one more minuting. :bleeding:
That's weird then. It doesn't show up for me?
My monitor is only 720p (oldish laptop...) so I suspect a display bug is what's happening here... :hmm:
Quote from: Zanza on May 09, 2016, 04:50:20 PM
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
I have a laptop with a i5-2430, 4 GB RAM and a NVidia GT555M 1GB graphics card and it runs okay. Smoother than EU4.
The graphics card is the holdup for me. Mine only has 512MB.
Quote from: dps on May 10, 2016, 04:52:11 PM
The graphics card is the holdup for me. Mine only has 512MB.
Quick! Escape through the time portal before we are trapped in 2006 forever!
2006 was better.
Quote from: dps on May 10, 2016, 04:52:11 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 09, 2016, 04:50:20 PM
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
I have a laptop with a i5-2430, 4 GB RAM and a NVidia GT555M 1GB graphics card and it runs okay. Smoother than EU4.
The graphics card is the holdup for me. Mine only has 512MB.
I have an older i5 and my graphics card is 1 gig. 1015 mb is minimum according to systemrequirements.com so technically I'm 15 mb shy but that might just be a weird twist. My processor is the only other not up to snuff spec from the minimum requirements.
That's why i asked the question as I'm just below minimum.
So far I have been playing on a small map and it's been running exceptionally well.
I think 512 mb might work, but you'd be pushing it.
Quote from: PRC on May 10, 2016, 08:59:54 PM
Quote from: dps on May 10, 2016, 04:52:11 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 09, 2016, 04:50:20 PM
Quote from: PRC on May 09, 2016, 03:56:31 PM
Anyone with a "less than or around" minimum specs computer have a report on how smoothly the game is running for them?
I have a laptop with a i5-2430, 4 GB RAM and a NVidia GT555M 1GB graphics card and it runs okay. Smoother than EU4.
The graphics card is the holdup for me. Mine only has 512MB.
I have an older i5 and my graphics card is 1 gig. 1015 mb is minimum according to systemrequirements.com so technically I'm 15 mb shy but that might just be a weird twist. My processor is the only other not up to snuff spec from the minimum requirements.
That's why i asked the question as I'm just below minimum.
So far I have been playing on a small map and it's been running exceptionally well.
I think 512 mb might work, but you'd be pushing it.
I've read that it works exceptionally well on low level systems, but has stuttered on some high level new computers. They're releasing (or perhaps already have) released a hot fix for that today.
No problem on my year old macbook pro.
Are any of the aliens attractive?
Alas, no scantily-clad blue elf babes. We might have to wait for the new MOO for that. :(
The Mac version seems a bit wonky - occasionally graphics goes to shit and you have to reload. I also had a few CTDs.
How quickly do you guys build up your fleet by the way? I was owned by space pirates soon after establishing my second colony.
Always.
Is there any point to running excess credits? I always try to keep myself as close to 0 as possible.
Quote from: Jaron on May 11, 2016, 12:47:47 AM
Always.
Is there any point to running excess credits? I always try to keep myself as close to 0 as possible.
Stockpile for emergency or trading. Colonizing a planet takes a ton of energy credits. Stockpiling minerals in case you need to rebuild your fleet is also neccessary.
Quote from: Jaron on May 11, 2016, 12:47:47 AM
Always.
Is there any point to running excess credits? I always try to keep myself as close to 0 as possible.
Energy is becoming a problem point for me later in the game, as I get a much larger navy and lots of building upgrades. I'm even considering setting up a trade for it with my neighbors.
So how stable are big empires? Are you facing factions and unrest?
I get strikes (reduced production) and riots (destroyed buildings) relatively often but no downright rebellion yet.
I think factions and the like are one good target for a development in a DLC - this could easily deal with complaints that the game is too boring during the mid-game phase. Consider all kinds of cool stuff that could be added, potentially depending on the government type - parties competing with each other in democracy; great houses plotting in a monarchy; branches of bureaucracy and the ecclesiarchy vying for influence in a secular or theocratic government (think the Cult of Machine, the Holy Church of Terra and the Administrativium in the Empire of Man).
Yeah, the faction system feels lean at the moment. It has a lot of potential. The entire POP/Faction system feels like they are dipping their toes in Vicky territory again, but being too afraid of going full steam ahead (for good reason, probably).
Quote from: celedhring on May 11, 2016, 02:39:06 AM
Yeah, the faction system feels lean at the moment. It has a lot of potential. The entire POP/Faction system feels like they are dipping their toes in Vicky territory again, but being too afraid of going full steam ahead (for good reason, probably).
It is much more transparent than in Victoria. The pops are right there out in the open, and you'll never have more than 25 on any one planet. I think they have much more potential than the pops in Victoria ever had.
Yeah, I meant that I believe they learnt from their mistakes in Vicky, and thus are offering up a more transparent and lean version of that system. They will probably wait and see how it is received before adding complexity to it.
I don't know, I find Vicky 2 to be vastly underrated. Even now I can fire up a game and be totally engrossed for the entirety of it. Yes, it has a lot of problems, but nothing that can't be solved with intelligent design, IMO.
I prefer evolution.
There are so many areas that you could really flesh out some of the gameplay. I don't mean that as a knock on the current game, which is a blast, but rather there are lots of places that could really be fleshed out and add some very interesting choices.
The combat system is a prime example. The current system is pretty cool, but very limited in its results. Ships just fly at each other and shoot until they are dead. Would love to see this look a lot more like actual "naval" combat. Why don't ships break off when they are badly damaged? Why don't ships decline in capability from damage - the damage model seems to be just a straight up hit points model.
I would love to see fleet engagements have more variability in outcome, while being less decisive in that outcome. Fleets should not fight until one is wiped out, and there should be results other than simply dead and not dead. I suspect that right now if I had two fleets with identically capable ships where one fleet is 50% larger than the other, the larger fleet wins 10 out of 10 times. That should not really be the case, IMO.
They sold 200,000 units on the first day, which is a record for Paradox. They promise lots of expansions.
Quote from: Zanza on May 11, 2016, 11:08:41 AM
They promise lots of expansions.
Shocking :lol:
You know the one thing I wonder about this game is how replayable it will be.
The thing about EU or CK is that even though the game play was basically identical, there was always another country you could play as. Being England, or France, or Venice all had huge differences in your own mind so they would always feel like a new game.
Here, the difference between being an avian alien vs a fungoid alien doesn't seem nearly as strong.
Mind you given it takes, what, 40-80 hours to play a single game that's probably a nice problem to have.
If it takes 80 hours to play a game, I'll just have finished one or at best two when the first expansion comes out in a couple of months. I am such a casual these days... :(
So, so far I keep restarting a lot. But I need a guidance - which traits should I pick for my empire of man? Xenophobe and what? Collectivist, militarist and spiritualist all kinda fit.
Quote from: Zanza on May 11, 2016, 11:21:42 AM
If it takes 80 hours to play a game, I'll just have finished one or at best two when the first expansion comes out in a couple of months. I am such a casual these days... :(
Hey we got things to do these days. I am so going to play the shit out of games in my 70s though :P
I figure I'll play 1 game by the time Civ VI rolls out.
So I restarted last night (due to the no colony ships thing), but since I had to do that run I put off from Monday I didn't get all that far.
My location is... interesting. I am at the extreme edge of a spiral galaxy. Exploring "down" the spiral I rapidly discovered another civilization with fairly incompatable views (I'm a collectivist materialist oligarchy this go around). There's not very far I can go "up" the spiral before it ends, and there's a moderate sized gap towards the core before you hit the next arm.
Am I screwed unless I take down this other species in short order?
Also note to self: when choosing your symbol and flag don't make the background colour black. Because that means your colour on the map is also black, which doesn't stand out well against the blackness of space.
Eh, yeah. I made my scientific directorate, 25th République, primary color purple.
:lol:
I seem to be running through Traveller species at the moment.
First I created the Solomani Confederation - a militant, xenophobic military dictatorship.
Now I'm running with the Vilani Ziru Sirka.
Quote from: Valmy on May 11, 2016, 11:22:26 AM
Quote from: Zanza on May 11, 2016, 11:21:42 AM
If it takes 80 hours to play a game, I'll just have finished one or at best two when the first expansion comes out in a couple of months. I am such a casual these days... :(
Hey we got things to do these days. I am so going to play the shit out of games in my 70s though :P
yeah, the backlog is going to be massive.
I would be interested in the capability of this system to create custom scenarios...not just modded sandboxes, but actual scenarios.
First patch is out, fixing some minor stuff. Second patch to come soon, apparently. First major patch to follow. :)
Quote from: chipwich on May 10, 2016, 06:55:46 PM
Quote from: dps on May 10, 2016, 04:52:11 PM
The graphics card is the holdup for me. Mine only has 512MB.
Quick! Escape through the time portal before we are trapped in 2006 forever!
Meh. It's run pretty much everything else I've thrown at it, including Elder Scrolls games.
Fuck it. I'll buy the game and see if it runs on it; if not, I'll upgrade. I'm still playing the shit out of CKII anyway, so I'll probably just wait for Stellaris to go on sale for the first time, and then if I have to upgrade, use the money I'll have saved by waiting to buy the game to cover part of the cost of a new graphics card.
Why would Xenophobes have a malice for alien slaves? i'm a militarist, xenophobe, materialist Despotic empire. shouldn't my pop's love alien slaves?
Quote from: HVC on May 11, 2016, 05:15:37 PM
Why would Xenophobes have a malice for alien slaves? i'm a militarist, xenophobe, materialist Despotic empire. shouldn't my pop's love alien slaves?
Cause Hitler didn't kill Jewish slaves.
An informative fleet guide for anyone curious about the mechanics of spaceships and space battles:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Stellaris/comments/4itolj/so_i_wrote_up_a_little_fleet_guide_for_anyone/
Downloaded the Nationalism Mod and the Extra Flag color mod, they seem to work together.
So, if you want to play Space Angola or SPQR, you can now.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3u2A5Ng.png&hash=6d37ec3eb0c4217edcce17811ae6698373bc29a3) (http://imgur.com/3u2A5Ng)
Where did you get the mods?
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 12, 2016, 06:49:21 AM
Where did you get the mods?
Steam workshop, just browse the most popular.
Oh, I hadn't even notice it was a workshop game.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2016, 06:48:42 AM
Downloaded the Nationalism Mod and the Extra Flag color mod, they seem to work together.
So, if you want to play Space Angola or SPQR, you can now.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3u2A5Ng.png&hash=6d37ec3eb0c4217edcce17811ae6698373bc29a3) (http://imgur.com/3u2A5Ng)
Nice. I have a Roman Empire-themed save planned down the line. Now I just need a name and a ship list. I might even make one myself if it's not complicated.
Here comes all the Balkan fanbois and their "Macedonian Space Empire".
1. Purge Albanians
2. Purge Serbs
3. Purge Greeks
4. Play techno music
TECHNO TECHNO TECHNO
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2016, 06:48:42 AM
Downloaded the Nationalism Mod and the Extra Flag color mod, they seem to work together.
So, if you want to play Space Angola or SPQR, you can now.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3u2A5Ng.png&hash=6d37ec3eb0c4217edcce17811ae6698373bc29a3) (http://imgur.com/3u2A5Ng)
Tim, is there St. Mark's Lion in the symbols?
:venicefanboi:
L.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2016, 06:48:42 AM
Downloaded the Nationalism Mod and the Extra Flag color mod, they seem to work together.
So, if you want to play Space Angola or SPQR, you can now.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F3u2A5Ng.png&hash=6d37ec3eb0c4217edcce17811ae6698373bc29a3) (http://imgur.com/3u2A5Ng)
Chick don't look particularly Angolan.
One complaint I have about Stellaris is as a human race, blacks seem to be the most prevalent color. Why is that?
Quote from: Jaron on May 12, 2016, 11:56:31 AM
One complaint I have about Stellaris is as a human race, blacks seem to be the most prevalent color. Why is that?
Game was developed by Swedes.
Quote from: Jaron on May 12, 2016, 11:56:31 AM
One complaint I have about Stellaris is as a human race, blacks seem to be the most prevalent color. Why is that?
Is black really a color though?
Does anybody know if the different nav computers really govern your ship's actions during naval combat, or is it all just fluff text and only the bonuses matter?
I really want to be able to make actual dedicated ships with actual tactics and battleplans (screens, main line, the like). I haven't seen a 4x pull that off effectively yet. Most of the time you just load your best weapon in your best ship and mass-produce that for all your fleets. But there seems to be an attempt to create some complexity and fleet design decisions in Stellaris, even if it doesn't really come across cleanly yet.
How do you enter flavor text for your custom empires? I'm blind and stupid.
Quote from: celedhring on May 12, 2016, 03:02:36 PM
Does anybody know if the different nav computers really govern your ship's actions during naval combat, or is it all just fluff text and only the bonuses matter?
I really want to be able to make actual dedicated ships with actual tactics and battleplans (screens, main line, the like). I haven't seen a 4x pull that off effectively yet. Most of the time you just load your best weapon in your best ship and mass-produce that for all your fleets. But there seems to be an attempt to create some complexity and fleet design decisions in Stellaris, even if it doesn't really come across cleanly yet.
I remember MOO3 tried that...
By the way how do you actually see the battles being played out? All I see is a little EU-ish line showing relative strengths.
Quote from: Barrister on May 12, 2016, 03:50:36 PM
By the way how do you actually see the battles being played out? All I see is a little EU-ish line showing relative strengths.
Played out how?
Endless Space also tried it too, but ultimately it was still more effective to just mass-produce hundreds of glass cannons.
Quote from: Barrister on May 12, 2016, 03:50:36 PM
By the way how do you actually see the battles being played out? All I see is a little EU-ish line showing relative strengths.
You can zoom all the way in and you'll see the battle. They are just messy brawls of ships shooting each other though.
Quote from: The Brain on May 12, 2016, 03:52:34 PM
Quote from: Barrister on May 12, 2016, 03:50:36 PM
By the way how do you actually see the battles being played out? All I see is a little EU-ish line showing relative strengths.
Played out how?
To see all the pew-pew-pew lasers.
Zoom in?
Quote from: Habbaku on May 12, 2016, 04:34:11 PM
Zoom in?
Huh - didn't know it was as simple as that. Thanks!
This game needs a history log like the other Paradox games have.
And lots and lots of graphs!
It seems how active the mid game is depends on a combination of factors. Density and the ethos of the empires themselves. The faster space fills up, the more conflict is likely. However if pacifists predominant in a region, or the galaxy as a whole, conflict will be low regardless. Once the number of agressive empires passes some threshold, the game becomes much more paradoxy.
One way to insure lots of activity is to set the number of AIs to the max and make and then save a bunch of space jerks and force them to appear in your games. However, I think the first DLC will have to focus on fleshing out diplomacy and trade so that people in peaceful regions have more to do in the mid game.
My current game is going well. Just sent out a ship to settle my 12 th planet. Lots of war in the neighborhood. Formed an alliance against an agressively expanding empire.
Quote from: Zanza on May 11, 2016, 11:08:41 AM
They sold 200,000 units on the first day, which is a record for Paradox. They promise lots of expansions.
Sold more in one day than EU2 or Vicky in their whole lifetime? :D
The thread reminded me: I miss Syt :(
Quote from: Tamas on May 13, 2016, 01:16:10 AM
The thread reminded me: I miss Syt :(
Did he quit? :o
EDIT: Through the power of search, I found his goodbye post. :(
How I should not that he has been lurking recently, so hopefully he'll come back one day like CdM did.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2016, 08:09:30 PM
It seems how active the mid game is depends on a combination of factors. Density and the ethos of the empires themselves. The faster space fills up, the more conflict is likely. However if pacifists predominant in a region, or the galaxy as a whole, conflict will be low regardless. Once the number of agressive empires passes some threshold, the game becomes much more paradoxy.
One way to insure lots of active is to set the number of AIs to the max and make and then save a bunch of space jerks and force them to appear in your games. However, I think the first DLC will have to focus on fleshing out diplomacy and trade so that people in peaceful regions have more to do in the mid game.
My current game is going well. Just sent out a ship to settle my 12 th planet. Lots of war in the neighborhood. Formed an alliance against an agressively expanding empire.
Current status on my mid game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2bqSbbo1g (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2bqSbbo1g) :thumbsup:
My Divine Imperium is working it's way down a galaxy spiral cleansing xeno taint along the way, just had a 4k navy get wiped out by an opposing empire fielding massive swarms of chaingun corvettes.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 13, 2016, 01:37:29 AM
EDIT: Through the power of search, I found his goodbye post. :(
:unsure: Care to share your powers? I can't find it.
It's in the BR.
L.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 12, 2016, 08:09:30 PM
It seems how active the mid game is depends on a combination of factors. Density and the ethos of the empires themselves. The faster space fills up, the more conflict is likely. However if pacifists predominant in a region, or the galaxy as a whole, conflict will be low regardless. Once the number of agressive empires passes some threshold, the game becomes much more paradoxy.
One way to insure lots of active is to set the number of AIs to the max and make and then save a bunch of space jerks and force them to appear in your games. However, I think the first DLC will have to focus on fleshing out diplomacy and trade so that people in peaceful regions have more to do in the mid game.
My current game is going well. Just sent out a ship to settle my 12 th planet. Lots of war in the neighborhood. Formed an alliance against an agressively expanding empire.
Yeah, I have hit the mid game lull. I purged a militaristic rival early on and the rest of my region of space wants to be my friend.
My last war has been more difficult to win than expected. I won by outproducing the opposition, but casualties were pretty lopsided in their favor.
I probably need to improve my military tech, or design ships better. It's weird because I wanted to be a very militaristic power, but the tech draw has made me industrially stronger, while I don't feel my ship tech is up to scratch.
I just got this, pre-ordered at Paradox, but I've only played about an hour. So far though it looks quite promising. :)
Apparently there is a major bug with ethics divergence: pops just lose their default ethics instead of gaining other ones, so the whole galaxy is tending toward totally unflavoured, neutral pops. Bit of a bummer, sounds like a major mid/late mechanic is simply not working at the moment.
Quote from: Tamas on May 13, 2016, 09:05:43 AM
Apparently there is a major bug with ethics divergence: pops just lose their default ethics instead of gaining other ones, so the whole galaxy is tending toward totally unflavoured, neutral pops. Bit of a bummer, sounds like a major mid/late mechanic is simply not working at the moment.
Bug or feature?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FfUSS5GO.jpg&hash=4008452d40d3bea1d1f5a2982cd397ba41a13129)
He doesn't look too happy.
Quote from: Tamas on May 13, 2016, 09:05:43 AM
Apparently there is a major bug with ethics divergence: pops just lose their default ethics instead of gaining other ones, so the whole galaxy is tending toward totally unflavoured, neutral pops. Bit of a bummer, sounds like a major mid/late mechanic is simply not working at the moment.
Cool. That explains why my Empire is so stable despite 50% being from other cultures (need to purge more).
Playing this game has made me realize that I have a DLC-less copy of CK2 on steam.
Wonder if I should play it.
Absolutely, vanilla CK2 is a fantastic game by itself.
Anyone know if Sectors AI will create research & mining stations?
Quote from: celedhring on May 13, 2016, 10:00:57 AM
Quote from: Tamas on May 13, 2016, 09:05:43 AM
Apparently there is a major bug with ethics divergence: pops just lose their default ethics instead of gaining other ones, so the whole galaxy is tending toward totally unflavoured, neutral pops. Bit of a bummer, sounds like a major mid/late mechanic is simply not working at the moment.
Cool. That explains why my Empire is so stable despite 50% being from other cultures (need to purge more).
I think I will mod it for now so to make divergence extremely unlikely. Statis ethics sound better than everyone reverting to total neutrality.
Syt left Languish to focus on his book.
Quote from: Jaron on May 13, 2016, 12:59:58 PM
Syt left Languish to focus on his book.
When is your nonfiction book about life as a Mormon Mexican't coming out?
Quote from: Jaron on May 13, 2016, 12:59:58 PM
Syt left Languish to focus on his book.
Thanks. He'll be back, then.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on May 13, 2016, 01:15:52 PM
Quote from: Jaron on May 13, 2016, 12:59:58 PM
Syt left Languish to focus on his book.
When is your nonfiction book about life as a Mormon Mexican't coming out?
:rolleyes:
See if you were a Mexi-CAN, you'd already be talking with publishers. :P
Quote from: Jaron on May 13, 2016, 12:59:58 PM
Syt left Languish to focus on his book.
You are so full of shit, Jaron. :lol:
So.... not broken on release?
Quote from: Tyr on May 14, 2016, 12:06:56 PM
So.... not broken on release?
I have a nation where voting and leadership rights are restricted to the founding race. I have one world with another race on it. Most of this race is still planting bombs against the occupiers.
Three of the candidates for my election are of this other race but with names from my founding race's list. One of them is my current leader (since I hadn't noticed this anomaly before.)
So, there's a few bugs still.
Probably not
fundamentally broken though, no.
There are some bugs, but nothing even remotely gameplay stopping.
Note: Sectors are important.
Yeah, having a five star admiral clone himself when you split his fleet down the middle may not be game-breaking, but it is funny. :D
What's mildly annoying to someone as anally retentive as me is that after...a dozen games?...Paradox still produce English lists with numbers such as "12nd" on them.
Edit: Actually, since he's now 124 years old he may be a Zombie as well as a shadow clone producing ninja - I didn't take long-lived as a trait for my "Terran Commonwealth".
2nd Edit: And now he's discovered the multi-clone ability as he's in charge of 3 fleets now!
binged stellaris for a few days. thoughts: if you're an avid 4x fan and want the best 4x experience possible, wait a year or two for the DLC to patch up the game's weaknesses. I'm not an avid 4x fan, and I really like stellaris and find it addictive, but everything is pretty simplified that someone who regularly plays these games might find it all a little boring after a playthrough. relatively bug free, though
This game is broken as F. Fun, but broken.
Are point defense corvettes viable? Will they protect ships other than themselves? All the puny future slaves around me seem to be using missiles, so I was thinking about making a little escort class specifically to counter their bullshit. The other option would be to replace a laser turret with a ciws, I suppose.
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on May 14, 2016, 11:29:58 PM
Are point defense corvettes viable? Will they protect ships other than themselves? All the puny future slaves around me seem to be using missiles, so I was thinking about making a little escort class specifically to counter their bullshit. The other option would be to replace a laser turret with a ciws, I suppose.
As I'm getting deeper into the game I was searching for strategies on Paradox and Reddit for "best fleet composition" and this seems to be a part of the "needs to be fixed" part of the game. Apparently the best fleet composition is corvettes with maximized evade. They'll just evade all incoming shots while slowly wearing away at all other ships including battleships.
Still loving the game though despite some clearly needed tweaks.
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on May 14, 2016, 11:29:58 PM
Are point defense corvettes viable? Will they protect ships other than themselves? All the puny future slaves around me seem to be using missiles, so I was thinking about making a little escort class specifically to counter their bullshit. The other option would be to replace a laser turret with a ciws, I suppose.
seems the most optimal route is to have at least three different classes with you at all times. each class is worse at hitting a class or two below them, hence PRC's comment re: corvette swarms against solely battleships
Just make a race that's fanatical spiritual and collective, spam laser corvettes, and enslave everyone, and you might as well just press the win button.
The game is broken but it's fun as fuck lol
:yes: Game needs some serious patching, but it's still fun. More importantly, there's nothing that I feel is absolutely broken that can't be fixed with balancing tweaks or better AI coding. Those things just need time and effort, fortunately.
I really look forward to seeing what the modders can get up to with the event system.
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
I have a disgraceful number of hours playing this game already under my belt. It is also clear that it is merely a framework, there will be many DLC improvements and mods, this is very pleasing :cool:
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on May 15, 2016, 12:38:02 AM
I have a disgraceful number of hours playing this game already under my belt. It is also clear that it is merely a framework, there will be many DLC improvements and mods, this is very pleasing :cool:
Fully expecting an Espionage DLC off the bat.
Lots of obvious DLCs:
- Trade with trade leagues, a trade victory condition, more emphasis on strategic resources etc.
- Diplomacy with a Galactic Senate, more diplomatic options, a diplomatic victory condition etc.
- Warfare with more ship types (death star etc.), easier fleet building, special weapons and a more in-depth combat system
Etc.
It's a great game and I think the exploration part is fantastic. But it could need some more features elsewhere. Which will no doubt come considering Paradox recent history with DLCs. This has more potential to me than EU4 or CK2 at this point as it is not limited by real history.
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 12:34:35 AM
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
6 years younger than your Empress I could understand (the MB effect), but than the Emperor seems a bit weird.
Quote from: The Brain on May 15, 2016, 02:58:22 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 12:34:35 AM
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
6 years younger than your Empress I could understand (the MB effect), but than the Emperor seems a bit weird.
His heir could be a sibling.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 15, 2016, 03:17:11 AM
Quote from: The Brain on May 15, 2016, 02:58:22 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 12:34:35 AM
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
6 years younger than your Empress I could understand (the MB effect), but than the Emperor seems a bit weird.
His heir could be a sibling.
OK now you're grossing me out. :x
Quote from: The Brain on May 15, 2016, 03:18:39 AM
OK now you're grossing me out. :x
Stop being such a prude.
29 hours played since Tuesday. I'd say I got my money's worth despite the flaws.
Do you guys interact with other empires? Only 1 other empire initiates talks with me & it's asking for migration access from all the way accross the galaxy.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 15, 2016, 07:58:04 AM
Do you guys interact with other empires? Only 1 other empire initiates talks with me & it's asking for migration access from all the way accross the galaxy.
It depends. If you're neighbors are militarists, hive minds, etc. You'll have a lot of negative interaction. Likeiwse if they're federation builders or afraid of someone else they'll try to make friends. If you're stronger then them and they don't feel threatened, they'll ignore you.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 15, 2016, 03:17:11 AM
Quote from: The Brain on May 15, 2016, 02:58:22 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 12:34:35 AM
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
6 years younger than your Empress I could understand (the MB effect), but than the Emperor seems a bit weird.
His heir could be a sibling.
Don't remember, but I think the text said "daughter". :P
That being said...a more robust, detailed CK-like family system for the monarchies/empires would be pretty awesome too.
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 08:52:53 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 15, 2016, 03:17:11 AM
Quote from: The Brain on May 15, 2016, 02:58:22 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 15, 2016, 12:34:35 AM
Kinda disappointed that "minor", low-tech races seem pretty darned rare.
Also, in my "despotic human empire", it seems my daughter/heir is 6 years younger than my Emperor. :hmm:
6 years younger than your Empress I could understand (the MB effect), but than the Emperor seems a bit weird.
His heir could be a sibling.
Don't remember, but I think the text said "daughter". :P
That being said...a more robust, detailed CK-like family system for the monarchies/empires would be pretty awesome too.
I had started a new game...in this one the heir is 1-year younger. :lol:
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
Not sure but if it's a manual remove just to upgrade that building it would cost you influence as well.
Quote from: PRC on May 15, 2016, 12:55:26 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
Not sure but if it's a manual remove just to upgrade that building it would cost you influence as well.
If you select the colony from the map you should be able to order the upgrade directly
No, you can't do upgrades in colonies owned by your sectors.
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
I hadn't noticed that before. What a pain that is. I wonder if it is WAD so that you have to spend influence points?. That would be a bad design decision if that is so.
The areas of the game that need the most work:
1) Space combat. Right now the winning fleet is high evasion corvettes. I love the idea of small torpedo ships posing a threat to big capital ships, but ultimately I think a fleet of starfighters is not going to pose a huge threat to a fleet of destroyers. Needs to be better balanced.
2) The narrative: One of the great things about Paradox games is the story telling they provide. Stellaris has tons of potential in this area that is unrealized. I've played various different types of governments in Stellaris and, aside from some diplomatic changes and decisions, they all feel the same to me. An oligarchy just feels like a democracy with really long terms. It really feels like more of an elective monarchy. I'd like to see the different government types really change the dynamics of how you play your game.
3) Factions: Need more factions. Could be based on government type. Let monarchies and empires have different dynastic houses. Oligarchies could have wealthy plutocrats. Democracies can have political parties, etc.
4) Leaders: Feel rather pointless to me. I'm just generating leaders to fill empty slots in the UI. Unless they can be given a larger role / some kind of character its about as interesting as the advisors in EU. Which would be fine except they are EVERYWHERE. Governors, scientists, head of state, military leaders. It would be cool if factions auto generated leaders and spending influence created leaders guaranteed to be part of your loyalist faction.
5) Needs more setup options. I should be able to control a lot more about the galaxy I generate than I can currently. Resource richness, fallen empires (which suck btw). AI aggressiveness could use a slider somewhere.
I think what I'm looking for is something a little more dynamic to keep replays fresh. Right now everything about Stellaris feels very procedural.
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 15, 2016, 02:17:55 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
I hadn't noticed that before. What a pain that is. I wonder if it is WAD so that you have to spend influence points?. That would be a bad design decision if that is so.
I think it's fifty/fifty given that the sector is quite happy afterwards to upgrade the administration building to higher levels - it's just the first level it's stuck on.
Of course, sectors are curious beasts anyway; for example, is it WAD that transferring a border post to a sector eliminates the influence cost to your Empire for said border post? And also is it WAD that sectors don't seem to be affected by the planet limit of five worlds that the human player is limited to?
I think some of those are WAD. But despite the things that can be improved this is still a lot of fun. I really like how your choice of ethics changes how the game plays and the options the player has. I like that it is not just the tech that is variable and is weighted differently depending on those choices but also the options the player has to choose from when events trigger. The structure of the game is well conceived.
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
I'll have to check that out, but I've seen my sectors build a spaceports, so they can build pricey things, you just have to set up their economy well by building minning stations.
Something I'm noticing is that my pops seem to be losing their ethics. Not just diverging (those can be purged for heresy) but dropping the empire ethics altogether. :hmm:
Checked it, it's a confirmed bug.
Quote from: Legbiter on May 16, 2016, 04:57:05 AM
Something I'm noticing is that my pops seem to be losing their ethics. Not just diverging (those can be purged for heresy) but dropping the empire ethics altogether. :hmm:
It's a known bug. Instead of adopting new ethics, diverging pops just become neutral.
I'm holding off on my first proper long playthrough until they get it fixed (they say they have a fix under testing).
Yeah, I am very curious how that divergence thing turns out when fixed. It sounds like it is what should keep things fluid in the later half of the game, and the game does need something for that.
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 15, 2016, 02:17:55 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
I hadn't noticed that before. What a pain that is. I wonder if it is WAD so that you have to spend influence points?. That would be a bad design decision if that is so.
I checked and my sectors do eventually upgrade. But it takes a while, even if they have the necessary resources (except influence of course).
Quote from: Jaron on May 15, 2016, 03:06:39 PM
The areas of the game that need the most work:
1) Space combat. Right now the winning fleet is high evasion corvettes. I love the idea of small torpedo ships posing a threat to big capital ships, but ultimately I think a fleet of starfighters is not going to pose a huge threat to a fleet of destroyers. Needs to be better balanced.
2) The narrative: One of the great things about Paradox games is the story telling they provide. Stellaris has tons of potential in this area that is unrealized. I've played various different types of governments in Stellaris and, aside from some diplomatic changes and decisions, they all feel the same to me. An oligarchy just feels like a democracy with really long terms. It really feels like more of an elective monarchy. I'd like to see the different government types really change the dynamics of how you play your game.
3) Factions: Need more factions. Could be based on government type. Let monarchies and empires have different dynastic houses. Oligarchies could have wealthy plutocrats. Democracies can have political parties, etc.
4) Leaders: Feel rather pointless to me. I'm just generating leaders to fill empty slots in the UI. Unless they can be given a larger role / some kind of character its about as interesting as the advisors in EU. Which would be fine except they are EVERYWHERE. Governors, scientists, head of state, military leaders. It would be cool if factions auto generated leaders and spending influence created leaders guaranteed to be part of your loyalist faction.
5) Needs more setup options. I should be able to control a lot more about the galaxy I generate than I can currently. Resource richness, fallen empires (which suck btw). AI aggressiveness could use a slider somewhere.
I think what I'm looking for is something a little more dynamic to keep replays fresh. Right now everything about Stellaris feels very procedural.
All agreed. Diplomacy is also seriously weak as all aliens just seem to hate me all the time. I think the basics for everything is there, it just needs more work to flesh it out.
I dunno, I am quite good friends with alien races that are not either xenophobic or otherwise diametrically opposed to me in ethics.
Maybe it's because I am a warmonger? Most seem to have threat -200 or so towards me.
Annexing a vassal seems to take forever. I started annexation of one of my vassal empires and it will take 300 months... In that time I could easily conquer them...
Quote from: Zanza on May 16, 2016, 05:46:18 AM
Maybe it's because I am a warmonger? Most seem to have threat -200 or so towards me.
That would do it, yes.
Integrating vassals is apparently not very useful, as their pops will get the "conquered" happiness penalty afterwards. And it's not like you generally need more crappy planets to run. Even if your vassal is disloyal, they'll still help you in wars and such and won't rebel if they are weaker than you.
Well I played for some 10-12 hours - it does have much potential but you can see the giant DLC holes waiting to be filled. I don't think I've reached the mid game lull - I always get bored around reaching 5 planets then I restart. And this weekend I returned to Inquisition for another run rather than play this. *shrug*
G.
Quote from: Zanza on May 16, 2016, 05:30:44 AM
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 15, 2016, 02:17:55 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 15, 2016, 12:07:12 PM
When I hand over newly created colonies to my sectors, they can never upgrade the central building, which also means the colony will never upgrade its other buildings. Is there a way around that? Do I have to manually remove the colonies temporarily from the sector, upgrade the central building and then give it back...? That seems tedious.
I hadn't noticed that before. What a pain that is. I wonder if it is WAD so that you have to spend influence points?. That would be a bad design decision if that is so.
I checked and my sectors do eventually upgrade. But it takes a while, even if they have the necessary resources (except influence of course).
Have you tried reducing their contribution to the empire? or given them some starting ressources? Maybe that makes a difference.
Are your empires giant blobs or a couple of smaller ones? Mine is allover the place. I'm guessing it's a byproduct of using wormhole as my FTL tech.
See, this is why I love Paradox - they are very open about stuff not working as intended and have already posted plans for future patches:
QuoteFirst off, for those of you who are unfamiliar with our post-release policies, we will release a lot of expansions over the coming years. Each expansion will be accompanied by a major update (for Stellaris, these free updates will be named after famous science fiction authors) containing a whole bunch of completely free upgrades and improvements to the game in addition to regular bug fixes. As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.
Now, before we begin the expansion cycle in earnest, we will spend the rest of May and June only focusing on bug fixes and free upgrades to the game. We carefully listen to all your feedback, which has already made us alter our priorities a bit. As a veteran designer of our complex historical games, I was anticipating a fair amount of criticism regarding the mid-game in Stellaris compared to that of our historical games, but I was more concerned with the depth of the economy than the relative lack of diplomatic options, for example. I also find much of the feedback on the Sector system interesting; the GUI and AI concerns will receive the highest priority. One area I was not at all surprised to get flak for is the lack of mid-game scripted content, however. We simply took too long getting all the early and late game stuff in, and neglected a whole category of events called "colony events", which were supposed to be the bread and butter of the mid-game for the Science Ships.
We've been digesting and discussing your feedback and how to best go about improving the mid-game to make it more dynamic, both in the short and long run. Let's start with our short term plans. When the game was released, we had already proceeded to fix a lot of issues. Together with some other pressing issues that have been reported, the plan is to release the 1.1 update - "Clarke" - near the end of May. We will try to cram as much as we can into this update, but the more fundamental stuff will have to wait until the next update ("Asimov"), which is scheduled for the end of June. The "Clarke" patch will mainly be a bug fix and GUI improvement update. Here are some of the highlights:
"CLARKE" HIGHLIGHTS
•Fixes to the Ethic Divergence and Convergence issues. Currently, Pops tend to get more and more neutral (they lose Ethics, but rarely gain new ones.)
•The End of Combat Summary. This screen looks bad and also doesn't tell you what you need to know in order to revise your ship designs, etc.
•Sector Management GUI: There are many issues with this, and we will try to get most of them fixed.
•Diplomacy GUI issues. This includes the Diplomatic Pop-Ups when other empires contact you, but also more and better looking Notifications, and more informative tooltips on wars, etc.
•AI improvements: Notably the Sector AI, but also plenty of other things. This kind of work is never "finished"...
•Myriads of bug fixes and smaller GUI improvements.
•Late game crises bugs. There were some nasty bugs in there, blocking certain subplots and various surprising developments.
After that, we're moving on to the "Asimov" update, and this is when we can start making some major gameplay improvements to especially the mid-game. As you might have guessed, we plan to add some new diplomatic actions and treaties. Another thing that struck me during our discussions is that the normal lack of access to the space of other empires makes the game feel more constricted than intended. It limits your options since you can't really interact much with the galaxy beyond the borders of your empire, and you only tend to concern yourself with your direct neighbors. This is bad for your Science Ships too, of course, since they might not be able to finish some of the grander "quests". Compare the situation with Europa Universalis, where you usually have access to the oceans and can thus reach most of the world, or Crusader Kings, where you can even move through neutral territory with your armies. We also intend to add as much mid-game scripted content as we can. Thus, this is currently the plan for "Asimov", but it's not set in stone yet, so please bear with us if something gets pushed or altered:
"ASIMOV" HIGHLIGHTS (NOT SET IN STONE!)
•Border Access Revision: Borders are now open to your ships by default, although empires can choose to Close their borders for another empire (lowering your relations, of course.)
•Tributaries: New diplomatic status and corresponding war goals.
•Joint Declarations of War: You can ask other empires to join you for a temporary alliance in a war against a specific target.
•Defensive Pacts.
•Harder to form and maintain proper Alliances.
•More war goals: Humiliate, Open Borders, Make Tributary, etc.
•Emancipation Faction. We had to cut this one at the last minute. Needs redesign.
•Diplomatic Map Mode. Much requested!
•Diplomatic Incidents: This is a whole class of new scripted events that causes more interaction with the other empires.
Past "Asimov", I can't give you any kind of specifics yet, but I am currently leaning towards honing in on the following general areas for the "Heinlein" update (these are not promises!):
CURRENT "HEINLEIN" INTENTIONS
•Sector and Faction Politics: We are working on a design for this. I always wanted to make Factions more closely tied to Sectors, for example...
•Federation and Alliance Politics: As a player, you need more ways of interacting with the other members, push your will through, and get elected, etc.
•Giving Directions to Allies and Subject States.
•Strategic Resource Overhaul: You should need these and search for them far and wide. They should be extremely important.
•Battleship Class Weapons. Some Battleship front sections will be repurposed for an XL size weapon slot. There are currently four ship sizes but only three sizes to weapons, creating an imbalance. Also, Battleships should have fewer small weapon slots and have to rely on screens of smaller ships.
•Fleet Combat Mechanics: Formations and/or more complex ship behavior is needed.
•Mid-game scripted content: Guarded "treasures", mid-game crises, colony events, etc.
•Living Solar Systems: Little civilian ships moving around, etc.
:cool:
Good stuff. If that is just the free content, I am really looking forward to the paid content.
I feel like I lost a system to my neighbor just by border expansion.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:09:17 AM
I feel like I lost a system to my neighbor just by border expansion.
A system with a planet or just one with stations? If it is the latter, I definitely had that before, although in my case I gained systems from border expansion.
I hope there's a game log somewhere in the next patch.
Quote from: Zanza on May 16, 2016, 10:25:10 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:09:17 AM
I feel like I lost a system to my neighbor just by border expansion.
A system with a planet or just one with stations? If it is the latter, I definitely had that before, although in my case I gained systems from border expansion.
Just stations, yes. I wished that game would have told me about it.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:29:04 AM
Quote from: Zanza on May 16, 2016, 10:25:10 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:09:17 AM
I feel like I lost a system to my neighbor just by border expansion.
A system with a planet or just one with stations? If it is the latter, I definitely had that before, although in my case I gained systems from border expansion.
Just stations, yes. I wished that game would have told me about it.
This can also an issue to be aware of when you're warring with another alien civ.
My allies and I were at war with a minor civilization that had been reduced to one system with a frontier outpost on my borders. On the other side of system was yet another major civilization and a rival at that. I set my ships to attack the frontier outpost in the system destroying it, and immediately all of the remaining frontier outposts were absorbed into the rival civs empire.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FqQUdTz2.jpg&hash=b55b97f9dedcfe11cb693d8d4a62d324850cb2db)
I am the Confederated Gorothi Systems...
I would really like to see the endgame crisis stuff, but I get bored with the game like usually with Paradox games once I passed a certain threshold. I can easily win wars against enemy coalitions at this time. I guess I could play on to eventually challenge the Fallen Empire north of me...
As there seems to be little variation when it comes to the Aliens as I have little to do with them, I would probably go for a smaller galaxy (this is 600 stars) next time. A quicker game is attractive.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:29:04 AM
Quote from: Zanza on May 16, 2016, 10:25:10 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 16, 2016, 10:09:17 AM
I feel like I lost a system to my neighbor just by border expansion.
A system with a planet or just one with stations? If it is the latter, I definitely had that before, although in my case I gained systems from border expansion.
Just stations, yes. I wished that game would have told me about it.
Looked at my save and it's confirmed. I lost a station to my neighbor. I really need to connect that corner of the empire to the core worlds.
Quote
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-33-the-maiden-voyage.932668/
Hi everyone!
Well folks, here we are again, one week later... The development team has mostly weathered the release jitters and nerves are starting to calm down. The ship we worked so hard on for the last three years has been successfully launched and is currently on its maiden voyage. The crew seems mostly happy but some of the inspectors have raised concerns about mid-ship structural issues. As chief architect, I am not entirely surprised, but the reports will allow us to commence upgrades as soon as HMS Stellaris returns from its round-trip to Alpha Centauri. Alright, enough with the metaphor, let's talk about our future plans for Stellaris!
First off, for those of you who are unfamiliar with our post-release policies, we will release a lot of expansions over the coming years. Each expansion will be accompanied by a major update (for Stellaris, these free updates will be named after famous science fiction authors) containing a whole bunch of completely free upgrades and improvements to the game in addition to regular bug fixes. As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.
Now, before we begin the expansion cycle in earnest, we will spend the rest of May and June only focusing on bug fixes and free upgrades to the game. We carefully listen to all your feedback, which has already made us alter our priorities a bit. As a veteran designer of our complex historical games, I was anticipating a fair amount of criticism regarding the mid-game in Stellaris compared to that of our historical games, but I was more concerned with the depth of the economy than the relative lack of diplomatic options, for example. I also find much of the feedback on the Sector system interesting; the GUI and AI concerns will receive the highest priority. One area I was not at all surprised to get flak for is the lack of mid-game scripted content, however. We simply took too long getting all the early and late game stuff in, and neglected a whole category of events called "colony events", which were supposed to be the bread and butter of the mid-game for the Science Ships.
We've been digesting and discussing your feedback and how to best go about improving the mid-game to make it more dynamic, both in the short and long run. Let's start with our short term plans. When the game was released, we had already proceeded to fix a lot of issues. Together with some other pressing issues that have been reported, the plan is to release the 1.1 update - "Clarke" - near the end of May. We will try to cram as much as we can into this update, but the more fundamental stuff will have to wait until the next update ("Asimov"), which is scheduled for the end of June. The "Clarke" patch will mainly be a bug fix and GUI improvement update. Here are some of the highlights:
"CLARKE" HIGHLIGHTS
Fixes to the Ethic Divergence and Convergence issues. Currently, Pops tend to get more and more neutral (they lose Ethics, but rarely gain new ones.)
The End of Combat Summary. This screen looks bad and also doesn't tell you what you need to know in order to revise your ship designs, etc.
Sector Management GUI: There are many issues with this, and we will try to get most of them fixed.
Diplomacy GUI issues. This includes the Diplomatic Pop-Ups when other empires contact you, but also more and better looking Notifications, and more informative tooltips on wars, etc.
AI improvements: Notably the Sector AI, but also plenty of other things. This kind of work is never "finished"...
Myriads of bug fixes and smaller GUI improvements.
Late game crises bugs. There were some nasty bugs in there, blocking certain subplots and various surprising developments.
EDIT: Remaining Performance Issues. We know about them; they might even be hotfixed before Clarke.
EDIT: Corvettes are too good.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/stellaris_new_diplo_notification_mockup-png.179299/)
New Diplomatic Notification. This is a mock-up, not an actual screenshot!
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/stellaris_end_of_combat_mockup-png.179300/)
New Fleet Combat Summary. This is a mock-up, not an actual screenshot!
After that, we're moving on to the "Asimov" update, and this is when we can start making some major gameplay improvements to especially the mid-game. As you might have guessed, we plan to add some new diplomatic actions and treaties. Another thing that struck me during our discussions is that the normal lack of access to the space of other empires makes the game feel more constricted than intended. It limits your options since you can't really interact much with the galaxy beyond the borders of your empire, and you only tend to concern yourself with your direct neighbors. This is bad for your Science Ships too, of course, since they might not be able to finish some of the grander "quests". Compare the situation with Europa Universalis, where you usually have access to the oceans and can thus reach most of the world, or Crusader Kings, where you can even move through neutral territory with your armies. We also intend to add as much mid-game scripted content as we can. Thus, this is currently the plan for "Asimov", but it's not set in stone yet, so please bear with us if something gets pushed or altered:
"ASIMOV" HIGHLIGHTS (NOT SET IN STONE!)
Border Access Revision: Borders are now open to your ships by default, although empires can choose to Close their borders for another empire (lowering your relations, of course.)
Tributaries: New diplomatic status and corresponding war goals.
Joint Declarations of War: You can ask other empires to join you for a temporary alliance in a war against a specific target.
Defensive Pacts.
Harder to form and maintain proper Alliances.
More war goals: Humiliate, Open Borders, Make Tributary, etc.
Emancipation Faction. We had to cut this one at the last minute. Needs redesign.
Diplomatic Map Mode. Much requested!
Diplomatic Incidents: This is a whole class of new scripted events that causes more interaction with the other empires.
Past "Asimov", I can't give you any kind of specifics yet, but I am currently leaning towards honing in on the following general areas for the "Heinlein" update (these are not promises!):
CURRENT "HEINLEIN" INTENTIONS
Sector and Faction Politics: We are working on a design for this. I always wanted to make Factions more closely tied to Sectors, for example...
Federation and Alliance Politics: As a player, you need more ways of interacting with the other members, push your will through, and get elected, etc.
Giving Directions to Allies and Subject States.
Strategic Resource Overhaul: You should need these and search for them far and wide. They should be extremely important.
Battleship Class Weapons. Some Battleship front sections will be repurposed for an XL size weapon slot. There are currently four ship sizes but only three sizes to weapons, creating an imbalance. Also, Battleships should have fewer small weapon slots and have to rely on screens of smaller ships.
Fleet Combat Mechanics: Formations and/or more complex ship behavior is needed.
Mid-game scripted content: Guarded "treasures", mid-game crises, colony events, etc.
Living Solar Systems: Little civilian ships moving around, etc.
Again, remember that we need to be somewhat flexible when things don't work out or when something else takes priority, so please take these later plans with a large grain of salt. As always, we also listen keenly to your feedback, so keep it coming!
Now, I am sure you are full of questions about the details, but hold your horses; it will all be explained in the coming dev diaries!
Yes, dear, that was already posted. :P
Why are they trying to give their patches cute names?
Well, PRC went to trouble of posting pictures. :)
I love how Paradox basically just said "Yeah, we released an incomplete buggy game. But wait until you see what we have in store for you with additional paid DLC." and everyone cheers.
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:06:30 AM
I love how Paradox basically just said "Yeah, we released an incomplete buggy game. But wait until you see what we have in store for you with additional paid DLC." and everyone cheers.
Those are free patches. :huh:
Just discovered that shields are pretty great early game. My shield-heavy fleet is nearly impregnable and beats fleets with twice the military power. Might be that the AI of my surrounding enemies doesn't use weapons with shield penetration, I guess I should exploit this advantage while I can. :hmm:
Quote from: celedhring on May 17, 2016, 03:29:02 AM
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:06:30 AM
I love how Paradox basically just said "Yeah, we released an incomplete buggy game. But wait until you see what we have in store for you with additional paid DLC." and everyone cheers.
Those are free patches. :huh:
Yes, yes but I mean stuff like:
Quote
First off, for those of you who are unfamiliar with our post-release policies, we will release a lot of expansions over the coming years. Each expansion will be accompanied by a major update (for Stellaris, these free updates will be named after famous science fiction authors) containing a whole bunch of completely free upgrades and improvements to the game in addition to regular bug fixes. As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.
Its aggravating that they release the game with such major holes, such as knowing the mid game is dull and empty because they can fix it in future expansions.
Their plan is to fix mid-game before releasing expansions though. At least that's what they say.
In general I don't think Paradox's DLC policy is aggravating or a rip-off. I actually own very few CK2 and EU4 DLCs (always waiting for that pack discount that never comes around), and I find the games extremely enjoyable as they are. They seem pretty optional purchases to me.
Yes, I think Jaron's whine is misplaced in this instance - or at least premature. We can see where we are in late June and if they own up to their promises.
A nice start to a game just went sideways on me 37 years in.
My Arthropoid Despotic Hegemony was doing relatively well and came across a weak neighbor. He owned 3 planets in 2 systems, his capital was closer to me than the other 2 planets were. I DoWed and went after the 2 outer rim planets, thinking that was safer than going after the home world right off. His fleet was no match for mine and I easily made my way through his space destroying all of his Stations on the way in; including destroying his only fleet and the Spaceport at his homeworld before moving onto my main targets. Once I got to the system with the 2 target planets I destroyed the Spaceport and he suddenly surrendered, leaving me no choice but to accept it. This trapped 95% of my Fleet and 3 Armies (2 Assault armies and an Elite army) well behind enemy lines with no way to get home. Oh well, I will wait out the 10 years, re-DoW him, take the home world and then get the boys home.
Nope.
Now the part that was my fault, was that I didn't pay enough attention to suppressing the resistance (though as they were in their own Sector I don't know what options I had) and suddenly a new enemy fleet spawns, with 7 Destroyers - of my own design - (I just build my first Destroyer and had a second on the way) in a system with no Spaceport and stomps my Army transports and my ~20 Corvette Fleet almost before I can hit the pause button. <_<
Just wondering, is there a limit on how many planets one could or should park in any one sector, does happiness go down with more planets or is there a natural ceiling anyway?
Quote from: Legbiter on May 17, 2016, 07:20:27 AM
Just wondering, is there a limit on how many planets one could or should park in any one sector, does happiness go down with more planets or is there a natural ceiling anyway?
I may be wrong but I don't think there is an upper limit. You're only limited by the fact the systems have to be contiguous.
Quote from: celedhring on May 17, 2016, 07:25:26 AMI may be wrong but I don't think there is an upper limit. You're only limited by the fact the systems have to be contiguous.
Good to know, I've got one sector with 10 planets in it, could still add a couple more.
Quote from: sbr on May 17, 2016, 04:34:36 AM
A nice start to a game just went sideways on me 37 years in.
My Arthropoid Despotic Hegemony was doing relatively well and came across a weak neighbor. He owned 3 planets in 2 systems, his capital was closer to me than the other 2 planets were. I DoWed and went after the 2 outer rim planets, thinking that was safer than going after the home world right off. His fleet was no match for mine and I easily made my way through his space destroying all of his Stations on the way in; including destroying his only fleet and the Spaceport at his homeworld before moving onto my main targets. Once I got to the system with the 2 target planets I destroyed the Spaceport and he suddenly surrendered, leaving me no choice but to accept it. This trapped 95% of my Fleet and 3 Armies (2 Assault armies and an Elite army) well behind enemy lines with no way to get home. Oh well, I will wait out the 10 years, re-DoW him, take the home world and then get the boys home.
Nope.
Now the part that was my fault, was that I didn't pay enough attention to suppressing the resistance (though as they were in their own Sector I don't know what options I had) and suddenly a new enemy fleet spawns, with 7 Destroyers - of my own design - (I just build my first Destroyer and had a second on the way) in a system with no Spaceport and stomps my Army transports and my ~20 Corvette Fleet almost before I can hit the pause button. <_<
That sucks. Re: having your fleets trapped though: You should get the MIA counter in the list on the right (a year? I think? Some relatively large number of days). When it hits zero, they reappear in your space. Kind of strange that after kicking some empire's ass, your fleets can't just fly home. Who is stopping them?
I had a science ship that went mia because they were in enemy territory. My fleet and army transports ended up in my territory after they handed the system over, but they wouldn't give me access to move them. I remember stuff like this happening in at least one eu game, so I assume it will be fixed.
Quote from: Legbiter on May 17, 2016, 07:29:13 AM
Quote from: celedhring on May 17, 2016, 07:25:26 AMI may be wrong but I don't think there is an upper limit. You're only limited by the fact the systems have to be contiguous.
Good to know, I've got one sector with 10 planets in it, could still add a couple more.
Currently there's no downside to that, hopefully in the future as politics and factions get more in depth, making sectors larger than the core territories will be risky.
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:34:32 AM
Quote from: celedhring on May 17, 2016, 03:29:02 AM
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:06:30 AM
I love how Paradox basically just said "Yeah, we released an incomplete buggy game. But wait until you see what we have in store for you with additional paid DLC." and everyone cheers.
Those are free patches. :huh:
Yes, yes but I mean stuff like:
Quote
First off, for those of you who are unfamiliar with our post-release policies, we will release a lot of expansions over the coming years. Each expansion will be accompanied by a major update (for Stellaris, these free updates will be named after famous science fiction authors) containing a whole bunch of completely free upgrades and improvements to the game in addition to regular bug fixes. As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.
Its aggravating that they release the game with such major holes, such as knowing the mid game is dull and empty because they can fix it in future expansions.
It's not so much that they release with holes (those are normally patched for free); it's just that the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more." Kinda like a crack dealer :D
Quote from: Josephus on May 17, 2016, 08:13:47 PM
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:34:32 AM
Quote from: celedhring on May 17, 2016, 03:29:02 AM
Quote from: Jaron on May 17, 2016, 03:06:30 AM
I love how Paradox basically just said "Yeah, we released an incomplete buggy game. But wait until you see what we have in store for you with additional paid DLC." and everyone cheers.
Those are free patches. :huh:
Yes, yes but I mean stuff like:
Quote
First off, for those of you who are unfamiliar with our post-release policies, we will release a lot of expansions over the coming years. Each expansion will be accompanied by a major update (for Stellaris, these free updates will be named after famous science fiction authors) containing a whole bunch of completely free upgrades and improvements to the game in addition to regular bug fixes. As long as enough players keep buying paid content for the game, we promise to keep improving the game for everyone, almost like an MMO.
Its aggravating that they release the game with such major holes, such as knowing the mid game is dull and empty because they can fix it in future expansions.
It's not so much that they release with holes (those are normally patched for free); it's just that the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more." Kinda like a crack dealer :D
To be fair, they only charge 2/3rds the price of other companies.
You are an idiot if you think that is being fair.
Paradox could pull this crap in 2002 because they were just getting their start. They've had enough successes now that the bar should be raised.
They have to make money somehow. A lot of their competitors are now on some form of pay-to-play model, which they cannot duplicate. So they make do by releasing a lot of DLCs. Personally I don't mind it at all, if (like with CK2) it makes the game better and fresher every couple of months.
I find it bizarre that people will actually say thing like "the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more."
I mean, you pay a certain amount of money, and you get a certain amount of product for that money. Either you evaluate it and say "That was worth it compared to the options" or "That was not worth it compared to the options".
Their plans for additional content they may charge you for AFTER that should not enter into it - it is like bitching that you went to Cheesecake Factory, and thought the meal was great, but are pissed off that now they want you to pay more for desert, because that should have been included in the dinner price.
Well, it isn't, and you know that going in. If they had promised desert, and then tried to ask for more money when desert shows up, you have a gripe. When you look at the menu, and see that the apple cobbler is a obviously separate and optional charge, it is silly to complain that no dinner is complete without desert in your mind, and hence it is a rip off to charge separately, so you are going to downgrade your evaluation of your dinner accordingly.
We all paid some amount of money for Stellaris knowing full well that it would come out having some issues that would need to be addressed, and would be addressed via a large number of patches that would include considerable additional content on top of actual gameplay fixes.
In addition to that, there would be DLC of content that would be optional, and then additional large content expansions as well that would also be charged for - and there would even be some blurring that would be annoying, where what could arguably be called "fixes" ends up in paid for content additions (and those are legitimate things to gripe about, even if we know they are inevitable).
This model is not a mystery any more.
My metric is simple: Does the game provide a reasonable amount of play value for the money I spent on it based on what they've given me so far and what I know I can expect over the next year or so? Given my hours played, the answer is pretty obvious to me - it is already one of the top 20 games in value I've ever owned.
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
you went to Applebees, and thought the meal was great
Is that possible? :unsure:
I'm down for some quick and dirty chains but I've generally always had a poor time there. -_-
Quote from: garbon on May 18, 2016, 08:38:46 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
you went to Applebees, and thought the meal was great
Is that possible? :unsure:
I'm down for some quick and dirty chains but I've generally always had a poor time there. -_-
Good point - adjusted for a more believable analogy. :P
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:40:52 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 18, 2016, 08:38:46 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
you went to Applebees, and thought the meal was great
Is that possible? :unsure:
I'm down for some quick and dirty chains but I've generally always had a poor time there. -_-
Good point - adjusted for a more believable analogy. :P
Damn, I miss cheesecake factory :(
My BMI probably doesn't, though...
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
I find it bizarre that people will actually say thing like "the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more."
I mean, you pay a certain amount of money, and you get a certain amount of product for that money. Either you evaluate it and say "That was worth it compared to the options" or "That was not worth it compared to the options".
Their plans for additional content they may charge you for AFTER that should not enter into it - it is like bitching that you went to Cheesecake Factory, and thought the meal was great, but are pissed off that now they want you to pay more for desert, because that should have been included in the dinner price.
Well, it isn't, and you know that going in. If they had promised desert, and then tried to ask for more money when desert shows up, you have a gripe. When you look at the menu, and see that the apple cobbler is a obviously separate and optional charge, it is silly to complain that no dinner is complete without desert in your mind, and hence it is a rip off to charge separately, so you are going to downgrade your evaluation of your dinner accordingly.
We all paid some amount of money for Stellaris knowing full well that it would come out having some issues that would need to be addressed, and would be addressed via a large number of patches that would include considerable additional content on top of actual gameplay fixes.
In addition to that, there would be DLC of content that would be optional, and then additional large content expansions as well that would also be charged for - and there would even be some blurring that would be annoying, where what could arguably be called "fixes" ends up in paid for content additions (and those are legitimate things to gripe about, even if we know they are inevitable).
This model is not a mystery any more.
My metric is simple: Does the game provide a reasonable amount of play value for the money I spent on it based on what they've given me so far and what I know I can expect over the next year or so? Given my hours played, the answer is pretty obvious to me - it is already one of the top 20 games in value I've ever owned.
There is also the concept of Feature creep. At some point, the baby needs to leave the womb no matter the shape it's in.
I agree with Berkut by the way, one should judge the game by itself and not possible future paid DLCs. So far, despite the flaws - which they said they will address in early patches - I'm getting my money's worth of enjoyment from the game.
There's also something to be said to not cram too many features the first time you're at bat with this kind of game, too. Paradox has no experience in this genre, so I can understand why the underlying mechanics are lighter than in CK2 or EU4.
Fully agree with Berkut. I am in no way regretting spending the money on this game, and am looking forward to both free additions and paid DLCs/expansions.
Quote from: Jaron on May 18, 2016, 03:59:15 AM
You are an idiot if you think that is being fair.
Paradox could pull this crap in 2002 because they were just getting their start. They've had enough successes now that the bar should be raised.
No Ide left behind.
Yeah, I also agree with Berkut. Stellaris out of the box is a fully functioning game that is enjoyable. I consider my money well-spent.
Quote from: garbon on May 18, 2016, 08:38:46 AM
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
you went to Applebees, and thought the meal was great
Is that possible? :unsure:
I'm down for some quick and dirty chains but I've generally always had a poor time there. -_-
NOt possible.
Quote from: Fireblade on May 15, 2016, 12:05:56 AM
Just make a race that's fanatical spiritual and collective, spam laser corvettes, and enslave everyone, and you might as well just press the win button.
First DLC: I'm Spartacus.
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
I find it bizarre that people will actually say thing like "the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more."
It's also missing the real economic model: early adopters pay a premium to get content earlier. Late adopters can purchase a fuller set of content at a discount, but at the price of not getting any access before then.
"Price discrimination" sounds mean but Econ 101 teaches it is just efficient allocation. Use a voluntary mechanism to identify people who value a particular product or service more and charge them accordingly; discount for those for value it less.
Quote from: Berkut on May 18, 2016, 08:36:58 AM
I find it bizarre that people will actually say thing like "the game plan now includes. "For now we'll only release 60 per cent of the features, then we'll make 'em pay for more."
I mean, you pay a certain amount of money, and you get a certain amount of product for that money. Either you evaluate it and say "That was worth it compared to the options" or "That was not worth it compared to the options".
Their plans for additional content they may charge you for AFTER that should not enter into it - it is like bitching that you went to Cheesecake Factory, and thought the meal was great, but are pissed off that now they want you to pay more for desert, because that should have been included in the dinner price.
Well, it isn't, and you know that going in. If they had promised desert, and then tried to ask for more money when desert shows up, you have a gripe. When you look at the menu, and see that the apple cobbler is a obviously separate and optional charge, it is silly to complain that no dinner is complete without desert in your mind, and hence it is a rip off to charge separately, so you are going to downgrade your evaluation of your dinner accordingly.
We all paid some amount of money for Stellaris knowing full well that it would come out having some issues that would need to be addressed, and would be addressed via a large number of patches that would include considerable additional content on top of actual gameplay fixes.
In addition to that, there would be DLC of content that would be optional, and then additional large content expansions as well that would also be charged for - and there would even be some blurring that would be annoying, where what could arguably be called "fixes" ends up in paid for content additions (and those are legitimate things to gripe about, even if we know they are inevitable).
This model is not a mystery any more.
My metric is simple: Does the game provide a reasonable amount of play value for the money I spent on it based on what they've given me so far and what I know I can expect over the next year or so? Given my hours played, the answer is pretty obvious to me - it is already one of the top 20 games in value I've ever owned.
I feel like this is both an unfair characterization of my argument and a personal attack against me. Uncalled for.
I'm fine with them saying "Here is our core feature set for Stellaris and these new features will be added via patches or via DLC." I am also forgiving about minor or obscure bugs. For example, I heard of a bug where if you annex a vassal the game gives you all the spaceships in the system, even if they don't belong to the vassal. Probably hard to find that in a test.
What I am upset about is CORE game mechanics that were released in broken or untested states. Space combat is the best example. That is absolutely a critical part of Stellaris at every stage, and the current balance of the game is such that only corvettes are worth building. People are destroying 45k FE fleets with 3k corvette fleets because ships can't hit each other. From the Dev diaries, it is also clear the developers knew the game didn't have much going on beyond the early game. That should have definitely been addressed.
To summarize: I'm okay with Stellaris 1.0 not being filled with every feature the game will ever have. I'm okay with it having some obscure or non impactful bugs. I am not okay with core game mechanics releasing broken because Paradox ought to be better than that at this point.
To their credit though - at least their games don't CTD frequently on release.. ;)
In early stages but I see on steam there is now a user who has uploaded fairly decent animated species sprites for the Cardassians (just one male and one female), Bajorans (looks large like an overlay of the nasal feature on typical humans) and Andorians. Haven't tried the latter as 1) preview image looks a little shoddy / that always looked like a ridiculous Star Trek race.
Quote from: garbon on May 19, 2016, 03:43:12 AM
In early stages but I see on steam there is now a user who has uploaded fairly decent animated species sprites for the Cardassians (just one male and one female), Bajorans (looks large like an overlay of the nasal feature on typical humans) and Andorians. Haven't tried the latter as 1) preview image looks a little shoddy / that always looked like a ridiculous Star Trek race.
Who do they have as a male Cardassian? Kanye?
I'm geeky enough that every time I hear the name Kardashian I still picture guys with bulby foreheads. :hmm:
I have been facing an energy crisis for a couple of decades now & I was at lost at a solution. Everything is tapped out, my colonies are full of Power Plants, etc.
Then, it dawned on me. For a one time payment of 1300 minerals each, 2 far flung empire traded 7 credits a month for 10 years each.
That's a good solution for a while, yes. Eventually you'll want to get energy-increasing tech bonuses, solar power modules on your spaceports, etc. Once a planet is maxed out on pops you'll also want to remove any unnecessary farms, which can be replaced with more power plants; just keep a small food surplus. With late-game food bonuses I generally have one or two farms on each planet because that's all I need (there's also a food-producing spaceport module). Betharian power plants also produce a fuckton of energy compared to normal ones, so get all the Betharian stone you can.
I am waiting for 1.1 to arrive.
Quote from: Martinus on May 19, 2016, 04:43:37 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 19, 2016, 03:43:12 AM
In early stages but I see on steam there is now a user who has uploaded fairly decent animated species sprites for the Cardassians (just one male and one female), Bajorans (looks large like an overlay of the nasal feature on typical humans) and Andorians. Haven't tried the latter as 1) preview image looks a little shoddy / that always looked like a ridiculous Star Trek race.
Who do they have as a male Cardassian? Kanye?
:rolleyes:
Quote from: Solmyr on May 19, 2016, 07:04:09 AM
That's a good solution for a while, yes. Eventually you'll want to get energy-increasing tech bonuses, solar power modules on your spaceports, etc. Once a planet is maxed out on pops you'll also want to remove any unnecessary farms, which can be replaced with more power plants; just keep a small food surplus. With late-game food bonuses I generally have one or two farms on each planet because that's all I need (there's also a food-producing spaceport module). Betharian power plants also produce a fuckton of energy compared to normal ones, so get all the Betharian stone you can.
How do I calculate how much food I need?
Main colony display, you can see your current food surplus.
I got attack be the ai (good) and they invaded a planet, but now I can't bombard the planet to win it back.
Are the fortifications rebuilding? Or are you saying you can't land armies?
I absolutely suck at this game. I got up to three planets last night, before I was exterminated by a much more powerful empire.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on May 19, 2016, 09:01:27 AM
I absolutely suck at this game. I got up to three planets last night, before I was exterminated by a much more powerful empire.
For the moment, I'm letting the game build the best model of ships available to me...after I had a war where virtually all of my fleets were wiped out but the day was saved by my ally. :blush:
I got banged up pretty badly in my last game as a Xenophile Expansionist; overplayed my hand and got overwhelmed.
Gonna try something more pacifist now, and attempt more diplomatic expansion and/or a federation.
Quote from: Habbaku on May 19, 2016, 08:27:21 AM
Are the fortifications rebuilding? Or are you saying you can't land armies?
i orbit the planet but my ships don't attack the planet that used to be mine so it stays at full fortification and shred my landing parties.
Quote from: Jaron on May 19, 2016, 07:13:00 AM
Quote from: Martinus on May 19, 2016, 04:43:37 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 19, 2016, 03:43:12 AM
In early stages but I see on steam there is now a user who has uploaded fairly decent animated species sprites for the Cardassians (just one male and one female), Bajorans (looks large like an overlay of the nasal feature on typical humans) and Andorians. Haven't tried the latter as 1) preview image looks a little shoddy / that always looked like a ridiculous Star Trek race.
Who do they have as a male Cardassian? Kanye?
:rolleyes:
No kidding, it should be the family's lone patriarch(these days), Robert.
Quote from: HVC on May 19, 2016, 09:24:11 AM
Quote from: Habbaku on May 19, 2016, 08:27:21 AM
Are the fortifications rebuilding? Or are you saying you can't land armies?
i orbit the planet but my ships don't attack the planet that used to be mine so it stays at full fortification and shred my landing parties.
Did you right-click on the planet with your battle fleet (not transports) selected? What is your orbital bombardment policy? Are you actually at war with the party occupying the planet?
I right clicked with the fleet, and they go to the planet, but when I check the planet screen the bombardment options are greyed out. I have no option to attack with my battle fleet. I can attack the enemy planets fine, just not my own invaded planet.
Every modern software development method stresses that you should deliver a minimum viable product and then incrementally improve that based on real customer feedback. So what they do here is just state of the art.
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 10:08:49 AM
Every modern software development method stresses that you should deliver a minimum viable product and then incrementally improve that based on real customer feedback. So what they do here is just state of the art.
Hmm, I learned something today as I usually would only use 'state of the art' as a positive.
Why would it not be positive in this context?
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 10:13:20 AM
Why would it not be positive in this context?
What you described doesn't sound particularly great for consumers.
Quote from: HVC on May 19, 2016, 10:01:09 AM
I right clicked with the fleet, and they go to the planet, but when I check the planet screen the bombardment options are greyed out. I have no option to attack with my battle fleet. I can attack the enemy planets fine, just not my own invaded planet.
Change your policies.
Quote from: garbon on May 19, 2016, 10:59:20 AM
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 10:13:20 AM
Why would it not be positive in this context?
What you described doesn't sound particularly great for consumers.
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 12:09:44 PM
Quote from: garbon on May 19, 2016, 10:59:20 AM
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 10:13:20 AM
Why would it not be positive in this context?
What you described doesn't sound particularly great for consumers.
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
:yes:
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 12:09:44 PM
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
I like consumer feedback, voting sounds like a bad idea. I'd prefer the publisher keep to their own direction with input, a game design by voting doesn't sound like it would maintain a clear focus.
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 19, 2016, 11:49:29 AM
Quote from: HVC on May 19, 2016, 10:01:09 AM
I right clicked with the fleet, and they go to the planet, but when I check the planet screen the bombardment options are greyed out. I have no option to attack with my battle fleet. I can attack the enemy planets fine, just not my own invaded planet.
Change your policies.
there a bomb your own planet in the policies? I'll check when I get home.
Quote from: frunk on May 19, 2016, 12:24:18 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 12:09:44 PM
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
I like consumer feedback, voting sounds like a bad idea. I'd prefer the publisher keep to their own direction with input, a game design by voting doesn't sound like it would maintain a clear focus.
Agreed.
Quote from: frunk on May 19, 2016, 12:24:18 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 12:09:44 PM
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
I like consumer feedback, voting sounds like a bad idea. I'd prefer the publisher keep to their own direction with input, a game design by voting doesn't sound like it would maintain a clear focus.
Call it prioritizing then. Propose three different sets of features (e.g. a Trade DLC, a Diplo DLC and a Warfare DLC) and let the users vote. If they pick the Trade DLC, develop that. Next round, offer them the Diplo DLC, the Warfare DLC and a new Planet Development DLC and let them vote again what they want this time. Rinse and repeat.
Just noticed that the materialist science directorate species sometimes make remarks about euphoric enlightenment in a clever nod to the Euphoric Fedora meme. ^_^
Quote from: frunk on May 19, 2016, 12:24:18 PM
Quote from: Zanza on May 19, 2016, 12:09:44 PM
It incorporates consumer feedback into product design at the earliest possible stage, which typically leads to much higher satisfaction and a more mature product faster than any other way that has been tried in software development in the past. It lessens risks of going in the wrong direction too. If anything, Paradox should just fully embrace it and let the users vote what they want next. A designer guessing has been shown time and again to be a worse decision mechanism if you want a successful product.
I like consumer feedback, voting sounds like a bad idea. I'd prefer the publisher keep to their own direction with input, a game design by voting doesn't sound like it would maintain a clear focus.
:yes: Sometimes consumers don't really know what they want until they have it.
The 1.0.3 hotfix is making my remarkably stable game crash with alarming frequency
L.
Quote from: Legbiter on May 19, 2016, 03:32:45 PM
Just noticed that the materialist science directorate species sometimes make remarks about euphoric enlightenment in a clever nod to the Euphoric Fedora meme. ^_^
Had to google that. I am now traumatised by the fact that there is a non-statistically-insignificant portion of the male populace who consider a fedora a viable fashion choice.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on May 19, 2016, 09:01:27 AM
I absolutely suck at this game. I got up to three planets last night, before I was exterminated by a much more powerful empire.
+1 <_<
In my last game I was blocked in my expansion between an allied empire and a rival one; I decided to wage war against the rival, not before having assessed that our military was "Equivalent" in power (in my case, I was around 1k)
Immediately after the war declaration, their forces become "Overwhelming" and they start roaming my planets with at least two 3K fleets.
Useless to say that my armies and fleets were crushed like the cockroaches they are, and I am in bad need of restarting another game
:cry:
L.
You guys suck. The last time I lost all my fleet to the AI I could re-engineer and rebuild in peace because it kept sending lonely transport ships to invade my planets, one by one... Game can be great but desperately needs that 1.1 patch.
I'm 90 years into my game. I have 23 planets and 201 billion foxes and 10 billion toads.
I've only fought one war and it was to liberate a couple of planets that my allies had lost before we allied together.
Just started a new game where I started on the far edge of an elliptical galaxy and there was a Mollusk empire blocking my way. I tried at first to ask for civilian access but they were too wary of me - so I prepped myself for war. Though we were rated as equivalent in fleet power, I wiped the floor with them as their deflectors proved no match for my missiles. Now my empire has 2 human worlds and 3 mollusk worlds. I had planned to enslave them but our ethics are so similar that they are now mostly all content with my rule.
So I am working on Languish themed custom races, and I started with BarristerBoy.
The Fungoid Beeber race is from the arctic planet Edmontia, orbiting the star Canadia.
They are Intelligent, Slow Learners, Conformist, and Non-Adaptive.
For government and ethics they are Fanatical Collectivists and Spiritualist.
However, that only leaves Divine Mandate and Despotic Empire as possible Government types. I am not sure which fits him *better*...
kay :huh:
Went with Divine Mandate - the added Slavery Tolerance is a good stand in for "Hates Liberty". :P
The Cruzian Conformist Protectorate. Uses Warp Drives and Missiles, none of that fancy new fangled tech stuff!
Quote from: Berkut on May 20, 2016, 10:53:07 AM
So I am working on Languish themed custom races, and I started with BarristerBoy.
The Fungoid Beeber race is from the arctic planet Edmontia, orbiting the star Canadia.
They are Intelligent, Slow Learners, Conformist, and Non-Adaptive.
For government and ethics they are Fanatical Collectivists and Spiritualist.
However, that only leaves Divine Mandate and Despotic Empire as possible Government types. I am not sure which fits him *better*...
:)
I've been naming my leaders after politicians and film stars.
One of my leading scientists is Dubya Bush, working aboard the science vessel Pioneer. He has recently gained the trait "arrested development -100% xp gain" :lol:
I'm fighting the Tyranids. They seem very... set in their ways.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs32.postimg.org%2F7dy5wxdad%2Fstellaris.png&hash=5939007d53fe3c38f776e8e790c7b0ee1e4f8d53)
:lol:
Quote from: Tamas on May 20, 2016, 03:09:34 AM
You guys suck. The last time I lost all my fleet to the AI I could re-engineer and rebuild in peace because it kept sending lonely transport ships to invade my planets, one by one... Game can be great but desperately needs that 1.1 patch.
Yeah, the fleet AI is easy to defeat. Also war is a huge boost to tech. Just have a science vessel in the same system, set it to passive and let it clean up all the broken ships the come in one by one.
To try a harder game I went with passive spiritualists. But the hardest part with them has been expanding too quickly so that I out striped my energy resources when the empire penalty was imposed.
Went to war with a xenophobic Fallen Empire. Combined all my navies into a 100k doomstack and sent it in. Got back about a quarter of my ships but did manage to pry one planet away from them.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FZn8Gc16.jpg&hash=f04b5d7e4e7bdebe0dd1f8d4ac8187ea8219b503)
My empire grows. I'll colonize the dark part in the south of the galaxy next. Whenever a truce runs out, I declare war on the empires bordering me, but the ten year truce time against the entire alliance you've just fought makes it tedious. Why can you only conquer three planets at a time? I can understand the logic of claims in EU4 or CK2, but in this game you have to wonder what's stopping me from just conquering some alien race outright.
I've got about 80 planets now with 15 different alien species. What a xenophile I am. :area52:
That gives me an idea, make a xenophillic species that goes out and conquers all it can, always purging the entire species' except for one token enslaved pop and collecting all these sample pops on one sort of Alien Zoo planet. Make adding to the zoo the whole raison d'être of empire. :ph34r:
That sounds like it could be an interesting game. You might have to use a gaia world for it though, right? A potentially pretty big one, depending on how many samples you collect. :hmm:
I think you can put them on any planet with a planetary administration, the habitability percentage isn't an issue with enslaved pops per se, Oh they'll be deeply, deeply unhappy, but surely that's a small price to pay for being part of a celebration of the diversity of sentient life in the galaxy.
:lol: Damn, good call. I completely whiffed on the fact that we were talking about slaves, so who cares if the planet sucks for some/all of them. Can you populate a planet entirely with slaves? Hell....can you shoot slaves off into space on colony ships? That would open some interesting possibilities with low habitability planets if you haven't gotten droids yet. Penal colonies.
E: Im having a helluva time finding terraforming liquids in my current game.
For the first time, A sector ordered it's on starbase & even commissioned it's own construction ship.
It happened after I gave that sector 3k minerals.
Yeah, I had sectors build their own starbases.
What I really want to know is if they will upgrade colonies reasonably though - it seemed like before they would not upgrade the colony to a planetary base, which meant they could not upgrade anything really.
I wish there was a centralized why of ordering ship construction across multiple starbases.
Also, ships should not be forever upgradable.
I think they were not upgrading to a Planetary Base because that buildings requires influence and they don't generate any & we keep giving them our Frontier Outpost.
One thing I don't like that just popped up again for me is how wars just suddenly end when the points goals are met. Poof war over, fleets are MIA. I don't care if, once I get tired of killing them, that I can only end up doing what I picked in the goals at the beginning, I just want to be able to ignore their pleas while I bombard their planets back to the stone age for a while. Mer.
They do upgrade the planetary base. I checked that in my game. Takes a while though.
Never had a sector build a ship.
We desperately need some kind of ship building interface, which allows you to build ships across your empire and send them to a rally point.
I call my empire United Bank of Capitalists. The race is known as Angels. I need to think of a name for the home system though.
Goldman Sachs
A primitive species under aggressive observation formed X-COM to deal with it. First they started shooting down my abduction flights then they blew up my observation post with a nuke. :showoff:
Quote from: Legbiter on May 22, 2016, 03:22:37 AM
A primitive species under aggressive observation formed X-COM to deal with it. First they started shooting down my abduction flights then they blew up my observation post with a nuke. :showoff:
My aggressive observation has influenced the locals on one planet and made them xenophobic and militarist :yeah:
I can't wait to see how nasty they will end up as I keep up the abduction rate :cool:
Quote from: Legbiter on May 22, 2016, 03:22:37 AM
A primitive species under aggressive observation formed X-COM to deal with it. First they started shooting down my abduction flights then they blew up my observation post with a nuke. :showoff:
Wow that's awesome. :D
I was able to speed up technological progress of one of my observed species and they became space-faring themselves and my vassal. I also uplifted two non-sentient species, which is interesting but seems to go way too fast in the game.
I think it was an error to have years, months and days in the game; they should have gone with a stardate instead and left it unclear how long the unit of time was.
I don't care for the label, but it took too little time in game time compared to other activities. I think it only took 2 months, which is very little compared to other activities, e.g. when you want to influence technological progress, it takes 10 years or so.
I see what you mean.....I'd have assumed several years at least for that process.
Just got a nice game going. I am a fanatic materialist and pacifist oligarchy (I roleplay them as amoral exploiters that refuse war out of cowardice rather than belief), and began sandwiched in between several militaristic powers that hate me for my gormless ways :lol: However, since they are busy warring each other, I managed to carve up a decent backyard for myself while they weren't looking. I'm trying to weasel my way towards galactic domination :lol:.
My defences are a bit paper thin, though (most of my minerals are being poured towards frantic colonization and planetary growth, and I don't have much military tech), so I hope they don't turn their heads and notice me blobbing at their expense...
Really want to make this my first "long" game, so I will maybe hold playing until they release the patch this week (unless it's delayed).
Quote from: Berkut on May 21, 2016, 09:45:40 PM
What I really want to know is if they will upgrade colonies reasonably though - it seemed like before they would not upgrade the colony to a planetary base, which meant they could not upgrade anything really.
Sectors have their own internal influence system. If you have frontier outposts within the sector then that reduces its ability to accumulate influence which in turn reduces the sector's ability to construct things like planetary administration buildings.
I came across a mod that allows sectors to build ships. In the workshop it's called "Sector Defense Navy." The ships built will count against your cap instead of the sector cap, but you can disband them if you need to.
Also, there are several mods to speed up upgrade time, for those interested. They're save game compatible.
E: This link might work: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=686083401&searchtext=sector
I'm tempted. Never paid full price for a game for a while but for next weekend I might get this. Though I know logically I should wait for the early patches.
Also hope the Star trek mod is quick.
Is there a way to know which mods are being updated? Steam downloads stuff all the time but it's all slapped with a generic "workshop content" tag so I don't know which mods are the ones being updated.
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on May 22, 2016, 02:11:32 PM
I came across a mod that allows sectors to build ships. In the workshop it's called "Sector Defense Navy." The ships built will count against your cap instead of the sector cap, but you can disband them if you need to.
Sector cap on ships? Huh?
He wasn't able to add it, or something similar to it, yet. Apparently removing their impact on your naval cap and adjusting budgeting weights for the sector AI both currently cause crashes.
The Scourge has shown up.
Sadly, I would have to declare war to 6 different empire to do something about it. :shrug:
I discovered a planet with bronze age cats and presentient birds! :o
Broze before Hoze.
I don't like how the combat system is pretty much all or nothing - there isn't any real operational content to fighting wars. It pretty much boils down to each side making mega stacks, duking it out, and the loser is fucked.
There is some strategy in how you build your ships and form you mega stack of doom, but none in how you use it, as far as I can tell.
Yeah, combat is pretty lame...and seems biases towards one weapon system over another, without any real balance.
In my current game, still very early on, my race was energy-weapon focused, and the other small empire I got into a war with was using missile-spam corvettes (vs. my energy-spam corvettes). My weapons were higher tech (by one level), and his shields were higher (II vs. I), but when our roughly equal-size fleets engage, I get overwhelming curb-stomped (he might lose one corvette to my total wipe out).
And also agree about the earlier complaints on war goals.
Hardcore xenophobes (or anyone else really), should have some kind of "Total War" option.
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 25, 2016, 01:15:33 AM
Yeah, combat is pretty lame...and seems biases towards one weapon system over another, without any real balance.
In my current game, still very early on, my race was energy-weapon focused, and the other small empire I got into a war with was using missile-spam corvettes (vs. my energy-spam corvettes). My weapons were higher tech (by one level), and his shields were higher (II vs. I), but when our roughly equal-size fleets engage, I get overwhelming curb-stomped (he might lose one corvette to my total wipe out).
Missiles have a larger range, so he gets to hit you before you get to weapon range. I dealt with missile spam quite effectively building anti-missile dedicated corvettes, though.
There's a potentially decent counter system in place, but it needs better development and refinement. You don't really get much of a feedback right now, and some ships/weapons are too favored (corvettes are too good and being nerfed next patch, for example).
The all or nothing combat system however, makes "learning" kind of irrelevant though - by the time you've "learned" anything, your fleet is gone.
Quote from: Berkut on May 25, 2016, 08:20:59 AM
The all or nothing combat system however, makes "learning" kind of irrelevant though - by the time you've "learned" anything, your fleet is gone.
And the game along with it. It turns it into a single game of rock-paper-scissors.
The combat reports aren't very useful feedback.
Anyway, I'll switch to Warhammer for now. Will wait a bit until they release some patches.
Other assorted gripes:
- Limitations on war goals/war in general: There should be a "total war" option...or even just no need to declare war at all (e.g. war started based on your aggressive actions). Limiting things to only declared wars with lots of rules and restrictions completely takes the fun/realism out of a major part of the game.
- Frontier outposts: I understand why they have them, but would still remove them completely. I think they just encourage annoying system "claim rushing". I would replace it by bolstering up the system already in place of slowly expanding borders/influence (call it "range" limitations of your infrastructure, if you like). And somewhat related to this one...
- Colony limitations: It doesn't make sense to me why a continental-favoring race (e.g. humans) cannot already colonized the more "terran-like" ocean/tropical/desert worlds, etc. Limiting it having to research a specific technology for it is kinda lame. Instead, just keep the habitability rating low until you research an appropriate tech. This would also mitigate the aforementioned lack of frontier outposts. I get it, that it is perhaps to slow you down from expanding like a crazy mofo...but so what? The cost/expense of building colonies should be enough to reign that in.
Quote from: Tonitrus on May 25, 2016, 05:28:03 PM
Other assorted gripes:
- Limitations on war goals/war in general: There should be a "total war" option...or even just no need to declare war at all (e.g. war started based on your aggressive actions). Limiting things to only declared wars with lots of rules and restrictions completely takes the fun/realism out of a major part of the game.
I completely disagree with this - I think the lack of "total war" is in fact an attempt to make the game more realistic. Most wars are not total wars, and in most cases you don't just war to exterminate someone else - indeed, those are incredibly rare.
War to extermination are fucking boring. Politics, limited means and limited aims make conflict vastly more interesting.
It would be a huge error to remove this from the game - it would make the game just another 4X yawn fest, of which there have already been dozens.
Quote
- Frontier outposts: I understand why they have them, but would still remove them completely. I think they just encourage annoying system "claim rushing". I would replace it by bolstering up the system already in place of slowly expanding borders/influence (call it "range" limitations of your infrastructure, if you like). And somewhat related to this one...
What is wrong with claim rushing? Again, historically in times of expanding, competing, empires - claim rushing was actually exactly what happened. Whoever got their first and could establish some kind of permanent presence would have de facto claim on that area, and you would have to counter that in some fashion.
Again, these kinds of limits are what makes the game interesting.
Quote
- Colony limitations: It doesn't make sense to me why a continental-favoring race (e.g. humans) cannot already colonized the more "terran-like" ocean/tropical/desert worlds, etc. Limiting it having to research a specific technology for it is kinda lame. Instead, just keep the habitability rating low until you research an appropriate tech. This would also mitigate the aforementioned lack of frontier outposts. I get it, that it is perhaps to slow you down from expanding like a crazy mofo...but so what? The cost/expense of building colonies should be enough to reign that in.
There is so much that needs to be improved about Stellaris, and so much room for that improvement, and all three of your ideas would attack the very core of what makes the game different from all the other 4X games out there, and would be a terrible idea to change.
Colonies are cheap. I have 32 planets in my empire.
I wish I could demand non-colonize system in a War. There's Sol #2 out there & I can take it but the empire holding it has nothing close to it.
Are concepts like badboy, aggresive expansion or over-extension present in Stellaris? So far I don't notice any but I haven't reached the late game yet.
Quote from: Monoriu on May 26, 2016, 03:38:14 AM
Are concepts like badboy, aggresive expansion or over-extension present in Stellaris? So far I don't notice any but I haven't reached the late game yet.
There is a threat modifier that other empires get when you act aggressively. Has sharp negative impacts on relations.
Following a suggestion in the Paradox boards I've started a hyperlanes-only game and I'm having a blast. Warfare and expansion become much more strategic since the map gains a sense of geography, and enemies (or yourself) can no longer warp into some random system with a doomstack. There's actual borders and paths that effect war planning and make it much more fun instead of fleet whack-a-mole.
Well if the AI was right, I kinda like that some empires can attack from ways you wouldn't expect. Would break up the complacency that could come from always knowing what direction they'll attack from.
Quote from: garbon on May 26, 2016, 05:29:01 AM
Well if the AI was right, I kinda like that some empires can attack from ways you wouldn't expect. Would break up the complacency that could come from always knowing what direction they'll attack from.
It makes wars dull though. I just wait until their fleet pops up somewhere, mass up my ships there, whack the mole. With hyperlanes at least there's a point to devising a defensive network.
Quote from: celedhring on May 26, 2016, 05:37:33 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 26, 2016, 05:29:01 AM
Well if the AI was right, I kinda like that some empires can attack from ways you wouldn't expect. Would break up the complacency that could come from always knowing what direction they'll attack from.
It makes wars dull though. I just wait until their fleet pops up somewhere, mass up my ships there, whack the mole. With hyperlanes at least there's a point to devising a defensive network.
I don't see why that would be so. You could just as easily mass and park your ships up where they are going to be able to enter. Building defenses shouldn't become more necessary, I would think less so. When you don't know where enemy ships might come from, you need to defense to buy time until your fleet can make it over to wherever the enemy has appeared. With only hyperlanes, just keep your fleets parked at choke points.
Quote from: garbon on May 26, 2016, 05:41:47 AM
Quote from: celedhring on May 26, 2016, 05:37:33 AM
Quote from: garbon on May 26, 2016, 05:29:01 AM
Well if the AI was right, I kinda like that some empires can attack from ways you wouldn't expect. Would break up the complacency that could come from always knowing what direction they'll attack from.
It makes wars dull though. I just wait until their fleet pops up somewhere, mass up my ships there, whack the mole. With hyperlanes at least there's a point to devising a defensive network.
I don't see why that would be so. You could just as easily mass and park your ships up where they are going to be able to enter. Building defenses shouldn't become more necessary, I would think less so. When you don't know where enemy ships might come from, you need to defense to buy time until your fleet can make it over to wherever the enemy has appeared. With only hyperlanes, just keep your fleets parked at choke points.
Yeah, but at least there's a strategic and tactical mindset to it. When I take planets in a war, they will be more or less defensible, building stations in them has more of a point, etc... With FFA hyperdrives my sole focus is having a bigger fleet. There's no point in worrying about anything else, like building stations; it's actually a waste of resources that get in the way of just having the bigger fleet.
One of my biggest gripes of the game is how little tactical thought there's to wars.
Other than my initial game, I've only been playing with hyperlanes. I would like to try a game with only warp drive as well.
I agree with celery - having all movement types available in the game makes it all kind of dull. I would like to be able to create games where everyone is limited to a single movement technology, excepting some particular AI Ancient empires. That would make things kind of interesting. Or those scourge things or whatever.
For a game I tried hyperlanes only and it seemed like a good idea but really it just made things way too easy.
In the game after it (aborted for braindead invasion AI), I was hyperlanes warring a warp empire. The assymetry was interesting, even if, yes, it was about chasing the enemy fleet. But hyperlanes only is about parking down in one place and never worrying about where the enemy is going.
Quote from: celedhring on May 26, 2016, 05:25:33 AM
Following a suggestion in the Paradox boards I've started a hyperlanes-only game and I'm having a blast. Warfare and expansion become much more strategic since the map gains a sense of geography, and enemies (or yourself) can no longer warp into some random system with a doomstack. There's actual borders and paths that effect war planning and make it much more fun instead of fleet whack-a-mole.
I agree. I started doing that as well and it makes the game more interesting
Quote from: Tamas on May 26, 2016, 07:32:35 AM
For a game I tried hyperlanes only and it seemed like a good idea but really it just made things way too easy.
In the game after it (aborted for braindead invasion AI), I was hyperlanes warring a warp empire. The assymetry was interesting, even if, yes, it was about chasing the enemy fleet. But hyperlanes only is about parking down in one place and never worrying about where the enemy is going.
Yeah. I suppose I can give it a try but that jives with what I think it would be like.
You guys must have really small holdings if you can block all entrances by "parking down in one place"
And it is pretty hard to block off a system anyway. I guess you could build overlapping defense stations...but then you expand beyond them, or around them anyway, and they are useless.
They are bringing down the maintenance cost of space stations in the patch. Maybe it will be worth to use them, now.
I am sure I will play hyperlanes-only games of this in the future, and it does have advantages. But I like experimenting with the assymetry at the moment. I think the non-hyperlane movements (in this game, and for example MOO1) resemble strategic air-warfare more, and hyperlanes are more like land warfare.
Also for me a big decider would be to know how capable the AI is to exploit the different mode of travel. It didn't seem particularly capable of exploiting Hyperlane advantage, then again there were so many bugs all over the place who knows what was the reason for that.
If it becomes proven that the AI has a clearly most efficient travel method to use I'll probably play games using only that one.
Uh Ho.
* Fixed a bug where Frontier Outposts in sectors would cost no influence maintenance
Beta Patch released.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/beta-patch-1-1-0-clarke-released-checksum-3613-not-for-problem-reports.937741/
QuoteThe beta version of the 1.1.0 (Clarke) update is now available on Steam.
- Right-click on Stellaris and choose "Properties"
- Click on "Betas" tab
- Select "1.1.0_beta" (if you can't see it, restart Steam)
- Download update
- Version should be 1.1.0
##############################################################
######################## VERSION 1.1.0 #######################
##############################################################
###################
# Features
###################
* Strike Craft attack behavior was changed
* It is no longer necessary to control planets to demand them in war, but controlling planets that are set as wargoals now generates more warscore
* It is now possible to set a custom ruler/heir title for your custom empires
* It is now possible to write a biography for your custom empire
* Added an Influence reward for establishing communications, or conversely being contacted
* Collection of strategic resources on planet tiles is no longer suppressed by buildings
* Added settings for AI aggressiveness in the galaxy setup screen
* "Shipwright" mandate for democractic empires has been reworked
* Added resource reward to Raid on Smugglers event
* Individualist empires will no longer generate election candidates with slaver mandates, and Individualist Pops are less likely to vote for candidates with slaver mandates
* Slaver mandate no longer possible if slavery is outlawed
* It is now possible to set difficulty in multiplayer
* Symbols of Domination is now available for everyone
* Platypus species portrait and Paradox empire flag is now available for everyone
###################
# Balance
###################
# Technology
* Technology costs now increase by +10% per owned planet (up from +0%) and by +1% per Pop (down from +2%)
* Unlocking Spaceport technologies now makes you more likely to get research options for new reactor techs
* Spiritualists and Materialists now get tech progress towards Frequency Tuning for researching Space Whales
# Ethics
Fanatic Individualist
* Pops are now more unhappy in collectivist empires
* No longer have increased ethics divergence
Individualist
* Pops are now more unhappy in collectivist empires
* No longer have increased ethics divergence
Fanatic Xenophobe
* Rivalries now provide 50% more Influence
Xenophobe
* Rivalries now provide 25% more Influence
Fanatic Xenophile
* Alliance Influence cost reduced by 100%
* Maximum number of embassies increased by 2
Xenophile
* Alliance Influence cost reduced by 50%
* Maximum number of embassies increased by 1
Fanatic Militarist
* No longer gains additional Influence from rivalries
* No longer have an increased Influence cost for being in an Alliance
Militarist
* No longer gains additional Influence from rivalries
* No longer have an increased Influence cost for being in an Alliance
Fanatic Pacifist
* Pops are now more unhappy in militarist empires
* No longer increases Food output, but rather reduces growth needed for a new Pop by 30%
Pacifist
* Pops are now more unhappy in militarist empires
* No longer increases Food output, but rather reduces growth needed for a new Pop by 15%
# Components
* Strike Craft engagement range was significantly increased
* Strike Craft launch time reduced from 5 to 3 days
* Fighter movement speed increased from ~2 to 3.5
* Bomber movement speed increased from 1.5 to 3
* Chemical Thrusters Chance to Evade reduced from +10 to +5
* Ion Thrusters Chance to Evade reduced from +20 to +10
* Plasma Thrusters Chance to Evade reduced from +30 to +15
* Impulse Thrusters Chance to Evade reduced from +40 to +20
# Buildings
* Research Institute modifier to research speed reduced from +10% to +5%
* Colony Shelter modifier to ethics divergence reduced from +20% to +10%
# Government forms
Theocratic Republic
* Additional Core Planets reduced from +2 to +1
Transcendent Republic
* Additional Core Planets reduced from +4 to +2
# Traits
* Aggressive - fire rate bonus reduced from +20% to +10%
* Butcher - army damage bonus reduced from +20% to +10%
* Glory Seeker - army morale damage bonus reduced from +10% to +5%
# Modifiers
* Youthful Elite modifier effect on leader lifespan reduced from +50 to +25 years
###################
# AI
###################
# Misc.
* Computer-controlled Empires will start outlawing AI over time during a certain Crisis
* Increased negative opinion scaling for relative power of subjects
* AI will now colonize far away systems if COLONIZE_NON_ADJACENT define is enabled
* Fixed a bug where the AI would not use planetary edicts due to too small stockpile cap
* Empires that were previously controlled by a player (for example if said player drops in multiplayer) will now refrain from making any major changes to the country for a period of 10 years
* Fixed a bug where AI was modifying their species with bad traits, effectively giving them lots of traits
* Fixed a bug where military focused sectors would not build military stations
* Fixed an issue where the AI would not enslave any Pops
# Diplomacy
* AI will no longer accept a white peace when they are winning in warscore
* AI is now more open to trading access, migration rights and (for some personalities) research treaties
* Fixed a bug where AI would offer peace deals that gave allies' war goals to the player
* Fixed AI spamming the player with military access offers
* AI is now more aggressive against easily defeated targets
# Economy
* Fixed an issue where the AI would not disband ships even when running a heavy energy credit deficit
# Sector
* Respect Tile Resources setting will now prevent sector from building the wrong type of building for a tile regardless of special circumstances
* Improved the way sectors determine which resources the country needs when constructing buildings
* Fixed a bug where sector AI would move Pops back and forth
* Fixed budget issues that were preventing sectors from properly managing spaceports and construction ships
# Warfare
* Improved military tactics and handling of units
* Improved handling of military fleets vs. transport fleets
* AI now fights Crises
* Fixed issues where military fleets would not move
* AI should be better at trying to regain control of occupied planets
* AI should be better at trying to invade planets taken by ""AI uprisings"
###################
# User Interface
###################
* Diplomatic notifications and pop-ups have been improved
* End of combat UI has been improved
* Colony Ships now show which Pop it is carrying
* Localization of armor/shield penetration updated
* If a weapon has both shield penetration and a corresponding reduced damage to shields the two effects are replaced by a single line: "Ignores X% Shields"
* Habitability icons in galaxy map and systems view have been improved
* (BETA) Added a new experimental option for GUI-scaling in the options menu
###################
# User modding
###################
* Ported system for weights/triggers on songs from HoI4/EU4
* Fixed so that effect set_name can use localization system
* Moved Domination victory condition into defines
* Added NOR operator
* Species Appearance screen is now moddable
* Species City Appearance screen is now moddable
* Ship Appearance screen is now moddable
* Added num_energy trigger
* Reading a single on_action entry from multiple files will now append the events to the list entry rather than overwriting it. This should allow more mods to be compatible
* Prescripted countries can now set the attribute "disallow_editing = yes" to disable the edit button in the Empire selection view before game start
###################
# Performance
###################
* Optimized daily AI calculations
* Fixed frame rate drop when having one or more fleets selected
###################
# Graphics
###################
* Lighting for ship preview images has been improved
* 8 new event images added to the game
* Textures for Massive Reptilians have been improved
* Improved textures for space event assets
* Optimized textures for event assets
* Increased texture resolution for ancient drone station
* Optimized textures for pirate ships
* Updated textures for generic station
* Increased texture resolution for AI Core
* Optimized textures for AI ships
* Improved texture for Arthropoid colony ship
* Added cover art for Digital OST
###################
# Bugfixes
###################
* Military Station maintenance is now correctly discounted by 25% instead of increased by 75%
* Fixed negative opinion modifiers being applied to owners of planets that the Prethoryn Scourge is purging
* Extradimensional Invaders should no longer spawn inside Fallen Empire borders
* Reduced chance of generating the Improbable Orbit anomaly
* Fixed the Master's Teachings edicts "Philosophical Mindset" and "Warring States" not being applied after event project finished
* Fixed "Colonial Failure" anomaly event handing out a Colonization tech you already had
* Fixed an issue with the VO not triggering for the mining station tutorial mission
* Researched robot Pops are now always listed, but are not buildable if AI policy is set to Outlawed
* Injured Queen project is now properly cancelled and visual asset removed when another Empire researches it first
* Species Procurement event chain descriptions now correctly refer to planet names
* Various localization bugs have been fixed
* Fixed outdated Avian name list titles in Brazilian Portuguese, French, Polish and Spanish
* Fixed some faction events not printing planet names properly
* Loyalist-affiliated candidates now display proper faction names in Election view
* Fixed observation post events sometimes not printing planet name correctly
* Changed the way native reservations are placed for colony event related to colonizing planets that have primitive natives
* Fixed a bug where missiles could appear on the galaxy map
* Ring World habitability-trait now has proper localization
* Fixed a bug where Destroyer Assembly Yard didn't require the correct Spaceport level to build
* Fixed an issue where trait randomization didn't respect opposing traits
* Fallen Empires are now able to build armies
* Fixed an exploit where you could reduce the cost of resettlement by moving pops around on the same planet
* Newly enlightened countries should no longer be despicable neutrals
* Fixed right click not working to give additional orders while in FTL transit
* Fixed an issue where embassies and rivalries could remain after an empire was annexed
* Fixed an issue where you could always enable edicts
* Fixed Swarm Infestors and Constructors sometimes not reinforcing properly
* Robot Pops should no longer get shuffled ethics from divergence
* Heirs now keep the dynasty name of the ruler in monarchies
* Added missing localization strings for leaders who gained the arrested development trait
* Fixed Power Overwhelming achievement
* Fixed Domo Arigato achievement
* Fixed Elixir of Life anomaly potentially spawning multiple times if not researched
* Fixed Living Metal deposits not being minable
* Fixed Sublight Probe event chain sometimes breaking after combat with the Salvage Skippers
* Fixed being unable to change speed with (-) and (+) on American keyboard
* Fixed bugs related to Ethics Divergence. Pops should no longer drift to "neutral" ethics. Drift towards empire ethics is slower than drifting away from
* Fixed a bug where Frontier Outposts in sectors would cost no influence maintenance
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 26, 2016, 09:59:46 AM
Uh Ho.
* Fixed a bug where Frontier Outposts in sectors would cost no influence maintenance
Darn. :(
Where's the advanced tech? I'm just getting +5% this or that now. Where's the Dyson balls and black hole jumps?
Quote from: The Brain on May 26, 2016, 12:40:35 PM
Where's the advanced tech? I'm just getting +5% this or that now. Where's the Dyson balls and black hole jumps?
DLC content.
:lol:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Stellaris/comments/4l5nzt/patch_110_clarke_what_it_actually_means/
Quote"When the machines rise up to destroy us, we need to fight back. Like, pass some municipal codes against them just up and killing people, you know."
-Arthur C. Clarke (Not Really)
Features
Strike craft pilots have been given the go-ahead to fly missions more than a few hundred meters from the carrier.
It is now possible to set a custom ruler/heir title for your custom empires, Most Exalted Asslord
You should no longer run into a problem where some dumbass developer puts in a NovaMart on top of a Betharian deposit and won't let anyone mine it
There is now an optional setting when creating a new galaxy that will encourage the AI to sometimes start wars
Individualists are now less likely to buy into the rhetoric of candidates trying to remind them how awesome slavery was back in the day
Balance
Individualists should no longer be so obsessed with being special snowflakes that they come full circle and decide to give up their very individualism
Militarist now no longer shun one of the most important military tools in all of history, the alliance
Pacifists no longer feel compelled to bring food for everyone when they go to a party. They just eat less at each meal so there will be more left for everyone else.
Thrusters have been nerfed so that corvettes will sometimes be hit in combat
Colonists on a planet with a Ship Shelter should no longer immediately decide to say "Fuck the Old World and everything it stood for!"
Theocratic Republic is no longer just a straight-up better version of Indirect Democracy
AI
If robots rise up and start killing people, computer-controlled empires might decide to maybe outlaw them
Fixed a bug where the AI would get access to genetic modification and decide to treat the negative trait list like a Pokedex
Fixed a bug where military-focused sectors were not at all military focused
Fixed an issue where the AI would not enslave any Pops (presented word-for-word)
AI will no longer consistently refuse border access "because fuck you, that's why"
Respect Tile Resources sector setting will now actually cause sector governors to do what it says
Explained to sector governors why it's not a great idea to build 8 farms on a 10-tile, mineral-rich world populated entirely by droids when you're running an industrial mandate
Fixed a bug where the sector AI would get bored and just keep moving pops around to have something to do
Sector governors have now had spaceports explained to them in detail, and made to understand that building those is indeed part of their job
AI empires will now react and fight back when the Unbidden begin exterminating their civilization
Bugfixes
The rest of the galaxy should no longer dislike you for being killed by the Prethoryns
Fallen Empires have reached into the depths of their past and remembered how ground combat works
Ethics divergence is now less likely to spawn a planet of mopey teenagers who don't believe in anything
The freaking Scourge has a 67k Fleet.
My best is 40k.
Finally started not sucking. I have a big empire with many sectors.
So I went and subjugated several alien races as the Empire of Man so got that out of my system. Now planning to restart the game as a smaller, less expansionistic empire (as even with sectors, it gets to be quite a hassle).
Need some ideas for what it should be. So far my best idea is the Confederate Colonies of Libra - a sort of libertarian paradise of fanatically individualist humans (but not based on Sol). I am just not sure if I should pick Materialist or Spiritualist for them - a theocratic Republic of Ayn Rand fanatics has a nice ring to it. :P
By the way, does anyone know if there is a way to colonize a planet with pre-sentient alien life which occupies all free tiles? I had this on a small desert planet, with lots of blocked tiles - and all of the remaining ones being occupied by some sort of humanoid lizards.
Incidentally, Stellaris bug reports have the capability of equaling, if not exceeding the CK2 bug reports for comic value. For example:
QuoteAnyway, a somewhat comical event happened in that a pre-sentient is running for presidential election.
Art imitates life. :cool:
Quote from: Martinus on May 27, 2016, 08:28:01 AM
By the way, does anyone know if there is a way to colonize a planet with pre-sentient alien life which occupies all free tiles? I had this on a small desert planet, with lots of blocked tiles - and all of the remaining ones being occupied by some sort of humanoid lizards.
Have the proper policies to purge or resettle them or you can uplift them.
Can I purge or resettle pops from a planet I do not own? The options were grayed out for me.
It needs to be within your empire but other than that I don't know.
Quote from: Martinus on May 27, 2016, 08:28:01 AM
By the way, does anyone know if there is a way to colonize a planet with pre-sentient alien life which occupies all free tiles? I had this on a small desert planet, with lots of blocked tiles - and all of the remaining ones being occupied by some sort of humanoid lizards.
Terraforming it will get rid of the blockers - you can then colonise one of the newly freed tiles and do what you like with the natives.
Terraforming gases or liquids are the only resource I've so far found to be worth fighting a war specifically for. All the other strategic resources are nice bonuses, but not ones one cannot do without.
I still suck at this game, but at least my last save is turning rather successful.
I have probably the biggest empire, area-wise, of the galaxy, with 57 colonised worlds and 9 sectors, and if I want I can build a rather big fleet (around 400 ship slots); I've just incorporated a rival empire in my own, and 15% of the pops in my empire are a different race from us. A good 2% is a group that evolved from my original species (Post-Cirrulan); other than the original, there are 4 different species in my worlds.
I have some problems, though:
- there's a lot of civic unrest, as the different species don't get along very well: Cirrulans and Post-Cirrulans are organising repeated pogroms against each other on the world they share;
- I'm blocked in my expansion by two Fallen Empires that are way too powerful for me to confront now; I could expand by annexing other lesser empires, but I don't want to raise the number of species in the empire;
- some of my worlds are rather unhappy, and the pops are migrating, so they're not growing like they could;
L.
I bought it. Been messing around.
What's the deal with hostile aliens like mining drones, space animals, etc... you just have to kill them? No peaceful resolutions?
Trying to.figure out how much I should invest in research/minim stations. Influence is damn scare, seems a shame to waste it just on those territory boosting stations
Scouting micromanagement is a bit of a pain. The split galaxy/system map setup has pros and cons.
Okay, dancing with space wolves.
Quote from: Tyr on May 28, 2016, 08:13:27 AM
Scouting micromanagement is a bit of a pain. The split galaxy/system map setup has pros and cons.
I just give them a command to survey two or three systems in one go and then only react once a event pops up. You have to clear the hostile aliens from these systems first though.
I'm through to the mid game now.
Spiral galaxy so I'm a bit stuck with one empire to the left and another to the east, though I've managed to secure some pretty big territory for myself.
Not sure what happens now and whether I even need my scout ships. I've yet to see the tech to let me settle ocean/desert/whatever planets (I'm human), also a tech to let me have more than 7 planets would be nice.
I was given a quest early on to find some old earth probes. Some were fair enough. One is just over in the next spiral arm so out of my reach until I get a bit better warp drive.
One though....its in the galactic core somehow. I'm sure its a bug.
A quest to seek out animals for a zoo also involves planets I've never been to, off in the beyond.
Wow my psionic + titan army is pretty devastating against everyone (Im enjoying being a space dick and dropping the titans on primitive civilizations). How do psionic robots work though? :hmm:
E: And for that matter, what the hell kind of transports and dropships am I using to launch planetary invasions using armies of titans?
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on May 29, 2016, 12:00:01 AM
Wow my psionic + titan army is pretty devastating against everyone (Im enjoying being a space dick and dropping the titans on primitive civilizations). How do psionic robots work though? :hmm:
E: And for that matter, what the hell kind of transports and dropships am I using to launch planetary invasions using armies of titans?
These kind?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets-cloud.enjin.com%2Fusers%2F3789002%2Fpics%2Foriginal%2F1997763.jpg&hash=297efec380a3508e32e2aa5166d50482e9aeee7f)
I encountered a peculiar ape-like non-spacefaring species in my game. When I first met them, they were still in the atomic age, when I established my observation post, they had moved on to early space age. I helped them along and now have another vassal. :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FsblxfMk.jpg&hash=77956c6a0f014be51abee80c65b524fc2d507758)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FjZw3V1N.jpg&hash=ec00ae4841d9f30e9a5fcd14980523ed50bbc7f4)
I encountered those apes as well. However, after getting enlightened, they rejected my xenophile, spiritual ways and embraced militarist materialism. :Embarrass:
Really itching to get a long save going, but the beta patch is still bugged and I want ethics divergence fixed before I give the game a proper go. Hope they fix it tomorrow. :menace:
It lags pretty badly as you move into the game <_<
Quote from: Martinus on May 29, 2016, 08:04:45 AM
I encountered those apes as well. However, after getting enlightened, they rejected my xenophile, spiritual ways and embraced militarist materialism. :Embarrass:
Sam Harris elected President of Earth.
Quote from: Razgovory on May 29, 2016, 01:49:06 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 29, 2016, 08:04:45 AM
I encountered those apes as well. However, after getting enlightened, they rejected my xenophile, spiritual ways and embraced militarist materialism. :Embarrass:
Sam Harris elected President of Earth.
:lol:
I had an annoying game where I was the biggest empire in the region, but my physics researchers refused to look for anything better than fission reactors for the navy. Eventually I just sort of sat there with the highest tech in everything except shipboard reactors and just fumed.
Sure, being able to fund that 23000 point physics project is wonderful, but Jesus H Christ on a Fucking Popsicle Stick just because we are peaceful doesn't mean that you can't STEAL from the neighbors...
Next time I am going full on Evil Empire.
Quote from: PDH on May 29, 2016, 10:08:43 PM
I had an annoying game where I was the biggest empire in the region, but my physics researchers refused to look for anything better than fission reactors for the navy. Eventually I just sort of sat there with the highest tech in everything except shipboard reactors and just fumed.
Sure, being able to fund that 23000 point physics project is wonderful, but Jesus H Christ on a Fucking Popsicle Stick just because we are peaceful doesn't mean that you can't STEAL from the neighbors...
Next time I am going full on Evil Empire.
Did you make sure to scroll down? If you did some research on debris that had a fusion reactor, it could be down below.
The mighty Caldari State (:nerd:) somehow managed to piss off a neighbor enough that they declared war on me while I had been fucking around with crystalline entities with ALL of my fleets in the system right next door to them. Instant invasion and ass kicking begins.
During this thing though, one of my dudes on a planet I had been observing contacted me and started talking shit about enlightening them or something. Does anyone know how fast that happens? How soon should I pull a fleet an army off of the invasion to go crush and enslave these primitives so I get it done before they become an independent state? The ass kicking might...start going the other way....if I do that immediately.
I started a new game. Huge map lags too much :(
Giving the point to point portals ftl a go. Will be ineresting to see how this works if I ever get into a war with a warp user.
The hardest difficulty stargate one sounded interesting but liable to stunt growth.
Also less Ai enemies this time.
Exploration seemed awfully dull in the last game.
Strange to go from overflowing with resources to having to scrimp and save for my first colony ship.
Last game I had private colony ships which were cheaper and had no Ill effect (never had ethics trouble )
So has anyone modded Culture ship names into this yet?
Tried another game this morning.
LITERALLY unplayable.
There is no endgame yet, right? At least I didn't find it.
Quote from: The Brain on May 30, 2016, 03:26:22 PM
There is no endgame yet, right? At least I didn't find it.
There are supposedly three different types of crisis you can trigger in the game (some kind of bug invasion, some kind of extra-dimensional invasion and AI becoming uppity). Furthermore you can fight the Fallen Empires eventually.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0wX9VX6.jpg&hash=42731a216c2d800a578d9d3ae293c8e96a944752)
My incessant warmongering is slowly but steadily allowing me to expand against the AI empires. In the new beta patch, you can demand more than three planets at a time (depending on their value, up to 6 or so). I am even role-playing as I have a warlike head of government right now (and for the next thirty years).
Micro-management of a large empire becomes rather tedious, especially building large fleets or armies without a rally point mechanism and having to enter the planets manually. Managing war is also not as comfortable as it should be. Why do I have to constantly monitor bombing progress? The invasion should just start once I reach a threshold of 25% or whatever.
I've started to invest into all those primitives to uplift them to the space-age. I guess that's the xenophile side of my warmongering empire.
I have not had a chance to research sentinent AI or jump drives yet, so I guess I can't trigger the endgame crisis yet. I will continue to conquer all the puny AI empires and then attack the two Fallen Empires that I border north and south.
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
Quote from: Barrister on May 30, 2016, 10:22:37 PM
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
On a related gripe (I am playing the UNE too)...I raised/integrated a minor race, and they immediately start with the yuge 25% "recently conquered" modifier. :rolleyes:
Then, in more game wonkiness, during the very next presidential election, the Roich (their name) Freedom Army faction leader is elected president (these aliens have about 7 pops out of my 100+) with his Separatist Mandate. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
I am feeling: the Bern. :(
Wow.
So I started another new game after one, stupidly started in ironman was lost to corruption, and another gave me no beginning of game events. ...dull.
In this game there are a tonne of space aliens about. Discovered a black hole..... with 2000 worth of void clouds living on it. Interesting.
Still. The article I read on randomised boringness holds. Still no fallen empires
It be not a huge deal but.... achievements don't work?
Quote from: Barrister on May 30, 2016, 10:22:37 PM
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
Giving them their own sector should work. Autonomy should cut the unhappiness down. At least that's how it was explained on the Blorg Stream. Haven't had to deal with it yet. Been using gateways to spread all over the map without war. The only wars I've waged are on behalf of my allies.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 31, 2016, 01:49:48 AM
Quote from: Barrister on May 30, 2016, 10:22:37 PM
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
Giving them their own sector should work. Autonomy should cut the unhappiness down. At least that's how it was explained on the Blorg Stream. Haven't had to deal with it yet. Been using gateways to spread all over the map without war. The only wars I've waged are on behalf of my allies.
Look at those George W Bush politics by BB and Tim.
Quote from: Tyr on May 31, 2016, 01:48:54 AM
It be not a huge deal but.... achievements don't work?
Ironman only
Quote from: Barrister on May 30, 2016, 10:22:37 PM
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
Manage the faction to keep it's attractiveness down. Use Influence to pick the leader.
I'm playing Ironman and I'm not getting achievements, I guess some of the cosmetic mods I'm using are interfering with that.
Had a game going. Was in the slump towards the mid game where nothing is happening and hte Swarm showed up. First time I got far enough to see that. Didn't last long against them. THat was some crazy shit yo.
In my game, they showed up far from my empire, with 3 empires in the way, for me to do something about it. The 3 empires circling where the scourge showed up invited me to their Alliance(then Federation) but I still couldn't do anything about it because the 3 Empires in the way remained assholes & wouldn't trade access for anything. So when my turn as president came, I declared war on all of them making a path to my Federation mates & where the scourge is.
I know the scourge has 64k, 39k, and a couple of 11k fleets. My total fleet power is around 85k. I'm thinking I need to lure the 64k fleet where I can also uses Defense Station to help destroy it.
Altho now, I need a period of peace to rebuild me empire bank & happiness. Incorporating 6 new planets of 2 new races is expensive.
Maybe they are broken.
For just me or...?
Of course, achievements do work so...
Maybe it's just me...but I decided to forego xenomorph armies for my pacificst empire...
Quote from: jimmy olsen on May 31, 2016, 01:49:48 AM
Quote from: Barrister on May 30, 2016, 10:22:37 PM
Bah I think I screwed up. Playing as the default United Nations of Earth, who are xenophile fanatic individualists.
I'm doing pretty well at the start, but I feel hemmed in by an early rival. So I conquer him. Do so pretty easily. I incorporate these worlds into mine.
But I'm a democracy - and now I have a bunch of unhappy pops who keep clamouring for independence.
Any way to make these pops happy and satisfied within my empire?
Giving them their own sector should work. Autonomy should cut the unhappiness down. At least that's how it was explained on the Blorg Stream. Haven't had to deal with it yet. Been using gateways to spread all over the map without war. The only wars I've waged are on behalf of my allies.
Giving the conquered pops their own sector seems to have worked. :thumbsup:
Played late into the night yesterday.
Did some configuration to improve performance.
* I think I made a mistake chosing super xenophile for my space gerbils. Now I can't do anything interesting with native worlds. I want to give them full citizenship but can only make them vassals.
* one annoying point.... I conquered an enemy. They live in a different planet type to me.... but I can't colonise that planet type with them. You'd think that tech would come with any advanced race of the type. Surely they had colony ship plans on their world?
* why are desert and arid so incompatible anyway? Surely they should be each others 80%.... but no.
The Tech will show up now, research it.
Quote from: Barrister on May 31, 2016, 11:37:30 PM
Giving the conquered pops their own sector seems to have worked. :thumbsup:
I gave a sector to 2 new conquered species. One appreciates, the other not really. :(
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 01, 2016, 08:04:28 AM
The Tech will show up now, research it.
Quote from: Barrister on May 31, 2016, 11:37:30 PM
Giving the conquered pops their own sector seems to have worked. :thumbsup:
I gave a sector to 2 new conquered species. One appreciates, the other not really. :(
Pronounce the sentence of Exterminatus upon the Xeno scum.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on June 01, 2016, 10:20:49 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 01, 2016, 08:04:28 AM
The Tech will show up now, research it.
Quote from: Barrister on May 31, 2016, 11:37:30 PM
Giving the conquered pops their own sector seems to have worked. :thumbsup:
I gave a sector to 2 new conquered species. One appreciates, the other not really. :(
Pronounce the sentence of Exterminatus upon the Xeno scum.
Do so in fealty to the God Emperor (our undying Lord) and the grace of the Golden Throne. :sleep:
Quote from: Zanza on May 30, 2016, 04:58:43 PM
Quote from: The Brain on May 30, 2016, 03:26:22 PM
There is no endgame yet, right? At least I didn't find it.
There are supposedly three different types of crisis you can trigger in the game (some kind of bug invasion, some kind of extra-dimensional invasion and AI becoming uppity). Furthermore you can fight the Fallen Empires eventually.
There was a bug invasion that stalled, and I whipped one Fallen Empire. I feel like I could start conquering my way around the galaxy but the drudgery... I would like for there to be something that could drive the endgame, that could trigger a final showdown that decides a winner.
When is this patch coming out?
I hate the time between when patches are announced and released. I have some tolerance for playing the beta, but that wears out pretty quickly, and I simply don't want to play anymore until the patch is actually released.
But I do want to play!
Rejoice Berkut, the patch is release Today!
Yays. I was about to quit playing until it came out, for the same reasons as Berky. It out now? Anyone test it to make sure it won't fuck shit up?
Yays, time for my first proper save then.
I've used the beta all week, it worked fine for me.
In my playthrough, I wiped the scourge's 67k fleet with 2 45k fleets with losing only 25 corvettes. My counters were perfect.
So with the new patch is there a reason to build anything other than corvettes?
They are more vulnerable now since they nerfed evade bonuses. Dunno whether that's "enough".
Quote from: Barrister on June 01, 2016, 12:08:05 PM
So with the new patch is there a reason to build anything other than corvettes?
"Fun" is a reason.
Once you research the sheild capacitor tech corvettes become less off an issue as the big ships can absorb the small hits.
I also found using double the lower level ships for my fleets works well. So 6 battle ships (1 speced for repair and on for snare) 12 cruisers, 24 destroyers and 48 corvettes for each of my mid game fleets.
Quote from: Tyr on June 01, 2016, 05:24:59 AM
Played late into the night yesterday.
Did some configuration to improve performance.
* I think I made a mistake chosing super xenophile for my space gerbils. Now I can't do anything interesting with native worlds. I want to give them full citizenship but can only make them vassals.
* one annoying point.... I conquered an enemy. They live in a different planet type to me.... but I can't colonise that planet type with them. You'd think that tech would come with any advanced race of the type. Surely they had colony ship plans on their world?
* why are desert and arid so incompatible anyway? Surely they should be each others 80%.... but no.
You can integerate vassals and make them full citizens.
After the patch I found the game loads a lot slower, adn the autosaves take 2x or 3x as long.
Nothing's crashed yett though, so win.
Sectors are building a fuckton more station improvements and ships (construction and colony). Two of my allies started integrating their vassals.
I have entered the infinite resources part of the game. All my sectors have max energy(5k) and I'm at 5000+250.
Played the Society of Man pre-built race because I was intrigued by the broken quest to find the other colony ship.
Either it was fixed, or the circumstances were such that my path through the quest worked this time, but the outcome was kind of cool, but much shorter than I thought.
Game seems a lot more stable though, and the sector AI seems to work a lot better, I didn't feel like I needed to babysit new colonies quite as much.
Still a lot of room for incredible content though.
yeah I think the game will be able to accomplish the "early game as 4X, mid-game onwards as grand strategy" concept but the mid-game is really lacking events and more fleshed out empire management stuff to make that happen.
To be fair, they have admitted as much.
Yeah, I was going to complain about a good lack of just random, "flavor of life(?)" events, outside of the exploration anomalies...but then got a pretty cool "giant asteroid headed for a planet" event, and had to scramble the fleet to intercept.
Quote from: Tonitrus on June 02, 2016, 10:16:01 AM
Yeah, I was going to complain about a good lack of just random, "flavor of life(?)" events, outside of the exploration anomalies...but then got a pretty cool "giant asteroid headed for a planet" event, and had to scramble the fleet to intercept.
I love when these fun events happen. Yeah, I wish there was more of them.
Just started my first prospective long save. I randomized my empire (love doing that, btw) and got dealt militarist xenophobe materialist bugs ( :lol: ). My starting position is truly sucky; I got space lane hyperspace and the only exit from my starting area is blocked by a larger empire... Just started an aggressive fleet buildup program to try to oust them from that corridor.... otherwise it will be a rather short save :lol:
I wonder if anomalies can only happen early on. In my game, I am still surveying systems, probably including some that no one has surveyed before, but I haven't found an anomaly in ages. I could also never finish the six part precursor quest. :(
Quote from: Zanza on June 02, 2016, 11:39:07 AM
I wonder if anomalies can only happen early on. In my game, I am still surveying systems, probably including some that no one has surveyed before, but I haven't found an anomaly in ages. I could also never finish the six part precursor quest. :(
There was/is a bug that if you trade maps, those systems won't be able to spawn quest anomalies.
I'm having fun with this game, enjoying it, and I've only scratched the surface. :)
Quote from: Zanza on June 02, 2016, 11:39:07 AM
I wonder if anomalies can only happen early on. In my game, I am still surveying systems, probably including some that no one has surveyed before, but I haven't found an anomaly in ages. I could also never finish the six part precursor quest. :(
I've found anomalies surveying systems that are in the territory of other empires, pretty late in the game. I think they can spawn for you as long as you have not surveyed a system yet.
Despite trying every trick in the book I'm still having performance issues. Time to get a new processor? :unsure:
Does anyone else ever have the problem of shift getting stuck?
Its not my computer, doesn't happen outside stellars, though happens often in the game and its a pain.
Relevant to the game- if I give you migration access then that means your pops can come to my world right?
I'm having major cash flow problems. Hard to turn a credit profit!
Is there any way to keep track of pop movements ala victoria?
Yeah, migration lets pops migrate to your empire. Got some xenophile frogs to migrate to a gia world I had then built tona of colony ships with them and settled them on continental and tropical worlds that I, as an Arctic Fox could not.
As a xenophobe species, I have created a backwater colony where I resettle alien pops to be purged. That way I don't get the happiness maluses (and therefore increased faction attraction) I get when I purge them in front of their compatriots. It's even a tundra planet, I call it: Gulag.
That's fucked up. :o
I'm a method gamer :sleep:
If Stellaris had come out in the 90s the MORAL PANIC(!!) would have been quite interesting to watch.
I'm still trying to get all the nuances down. Then, I want to play a huge warlike xenophile empire that should have psi powers too. I want Sith.
Quote from: celedhring on June 02, 2016, 07:35:03 PM
As a xenophobe species, I have created a backwater colony where I resettle alien pops to be purged. That way I don't get the happiness maluses (and therefore increased faction attraction) I get when I purge them in front of their compatriots. It's even a tundra planet, I call it: Gulag.
No Tomb Worlds available?
Oh. An annoying point: sectors doing more than managing planets.
So annoying to not be able to keep track of ships build at sector planets. This really spoils the whole correct planet for the correct species thing.
I've one observation post of a primitive world in a system where I've also two colonies. I should remove the world from the sector so I can progress the primitives but.... having to take up 2 of my only 5 planet slots for that is a pain.
My observation posts became imperial property, not sector property with the new patch. It was different in 1.0, but in 1.1 I can control all of them directly, no matter where they are. Which makes much more sense.
The ship thing is really annoying though. Part of a bigger problem that you lack an empire-wide ship building screen that allows you to easily build ships and rally them somewhere (or distribute for colony ships).
In 1.1, I barely need construction ships anymore as the sectors all build their own. I guess that cuts down on micro-management as building the 100th mineral outpost is not adding too much to the game.
Quote from: Zanza on June 03, 2016, 03:57:38 AM
My observation posts became imperial property, not sector property with the new patch. It was different in 1.0, but in 1.1 I can control all of them directly, no matter where they are. Which makes much more sense.
The ship thing is really annoying though. Part of a bigger problem that you lack an empire-wide ship building screen that allows you to easily build ships and rally them somewhere (or distribute for colony ships).
In 1.1, I barely need construction ships anymore as the sectors all build their own. I guess that cuts down on micro-management as building the 100th mineral outpost is not adding too much to the game.
Someone has released a mod that allows you to create 3 rally points, using the edict system. Haven't it tried it yet myself.
Is the IA any good at managing happiness/factions? I just conquered a bunch of planets and I'd rather drop them all in a sector but I'm afraid the IA will mess things up and get a bunch of revolts.
Quote from: Zanza on June 03, 2016, 03:57:38 AM
My observation posts became imperial property, not sector property with the new patch. It was different in 1.0, but in 1.1 I can control all of them directly, no matter where they are. Which makes much more sense.
The ship thing is really annoying though. Part of a bigger problem that you lack an empire-wide ship building screen that allows you to easily build ships and rally them somewhere (or distribute for colony ships).
In 1.1, I barely need construction ships anymore as the sectors all build their own. I guess that cuts down on micro-management as building the 100th mineral outpost is not adding too much to the game.
Thats odd. I'm on 1.02 and when i build a new outpost its the sectors. I've not seen them building their own ships
Balls. Just realised I've been playing on an old version and not the latest. Steam wasn't updating :bleeding:
I've started a new game with a very adaptable species (+20% habitable). Not sure if that's worth it as you can just conquer other species, terraform (never had the chance so far) or gene-modify your species. My species is also very spiritual and a bit martially inclined.
The first planet I colonized was a 25 pop Gaia world that had the special distinction of being holy to some nearby Fallen Empire. Role-playing I figured that my species hasn't met that fallen empire yet, so I would of course pick that particular planet as my second planet, not knowing that I might anger them. I wonder how that works out later when I meet them.
Is how the war score is calculated a bit wonky? If an opposing fleet FTL's out of a fight because it's getting stomped it counts as my loss? :hmm:
Loving this.
Haven't got past early game because I keep making new races. Current theme: bird Venice :w00t:
I wish there was a easy way to share races - that would be fun.
Playing at fastest speed. One day takes several minutes :bleeding:
Time to upgrade that 486-66.
I've a 3.1ghz dual core. It should be fine. Not excellent, but fine.
Though I'm really not getting where processor upgrades are coming these days. The clock speed doesn't seem to be going up.
More game wise.... the calculations for fleet strength are really bad.
Got into a war with a species that seemed to have crazy powerful fleets. I was doomed!
Except.... their battleships were worth 1000 each. A few corvettes making up a 500 strength fleet could take one down easily.
I finished my game with a Domination victory just to see how it ends. I didn't get any of the late game crisis events, probably because I was not advanced enough in technology. The game lagged pretty badly at the end. It worked fine until I got maybe 80 planets or so and the corresponding massive fleets and pop numbers.
Conquering this much gets really tedious:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FUq2i85Q.jpg&hash=30428428fbc4b075220a7a44fc6691595ec0ed2e)
I have like 25 different species in my empire:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FRQrT5Qe.jpg&hash=24be9d7191769d9b17c1e9c1bdac8199f6faf456)
Everybody really hates me:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F9XItKmH.jpg&hash=8bcf3e8d3674a0586bf63d72d973d73dd4019b9c)
Far larger than anybody else. I suck in technology though. :huh: Does technology scale with empire-size similar to how it worked in EU back in the day?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FeN1JLuv.jpg&hash=1440756cda70a026e93c653b04d6548cc2e2d39b)
Technology costs scale by every pop you have, and most importantly, for every planet you colonize (equivalent to 10 pops IIRC). So ultimately big planets are much better than colonizing small-ish ones (more space to put research buildings).
So if you want to play for technology, you have to go for a tall empire, instead of wide? There is no corresponding victory condition though, so I guess you can just role-play then. Or just vassalize everybody else.
Anyone else have their game start not recognizing the rightclick context command menu?
When I have a construction ship selected for example, you can normally right click on a target (star or object) then choose an option. That doesn't seem to work anymore.
I've also never gotten an achievement for anything...not sure what the deal is there...
Quote from: Berkut on June 04, 2016, 11:31:11 AM
I've also never gotten an achievement for anything...not sure what the deal is there...
:console:
Quote from: The Brain on June 04, 2016, 11:32:23 AM
Quote from: Berkut on June 04, 2016, 11:31:11 AM
I've also never gotten an achievement for anything...not sure what the deal is there...
:console:
:lol:
So started a new game as the Phoenix Empire, based on the Fading Suns setting. Picked the star lane FTL engine (technically the empire's ships used star gates but they were left overs from an ancient civilization and could not build it themselves so I think it is more appropriate than wormholes), spiritual, militaristic and collectivist for ethics. Allows for a slightly more reasonable gameplay than the Empire of Man which is too aggressive/xenophobic. :P
Quote from: Zanza on June 04, 2016, 11:28:05 AM
So if you want to play for technology, you have to go for a tall empire, instead of wide? There is no corresponding victory condition though, so I guess you can just role-play then. Or just vassalize everybody else.
I hope they add new victory conditions soon (I think they said so, but I'm not sure), since the two existent ones are just militaristic.
I too wondered about roleplaying a science-based empire, but wasn't sure what kind of end-goal give myself.
Quote from: Martinus on June 04, 2016, 01:00:17 PM
So started a new game as the Phoenix Empire, based on the Fading Suns setting. Picked the star lane FTL engine (technically the empire's ships used star gates but they were left overs from an ancient civilization and could not build it themselves so I think it is more appropriate than wormholes), spiritual, militaristic and collectivist for ethics. Allows for a slightly more reasonable gameplay than the Empire of Man which is too aggressive/xenophobic. :P
:thumbsup: I like Fading Suns. A remake of the computer game would be nice (when I played it years ago I had a blast until my save game was corrupted). The PnP RPG is nice too, but I've never played it.
I tried playing the RPG (and got the books) but couldn't find players.
Right now, Empress Theodora Hawkwood rules from Byzantium Secundus (she is the fourth monarch since the game started). I created two sectors, named after the Houses they were given to - Decados and Li Halan - and renamed the governors by giving them family names of those houses. :nerd:
I hope they flesh out factions in one of the DLCs, so they are more suited for different governments (so you have, say, noble houses in monarchies etc.)
I think my game is over.
I have had total fleet power of 95k & I took on a Fallen Empire just to see how I would do. I destroyed their 115k fleet with losing only 20k of my strength and now my power has risen to 110k thanks to the FE tech. My late-game crisis, the scourge, has already been destroyed.
My game is also lagging pretty bad now that I'm getting into the late game on a 1000 star map. Maybe I should look into getting a new rig now. :hmm:
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 04, 2016, 08:08:10 PM
I think my game is over.
I have had total fleet power of 95k & I took on a Fallen Empire just to see how I would do. I destroyed their 115k fleet with losing only 20k of my strength and now my power has risen to 110k thanks to the FE tech. My late-game crisis, the scourge, has already been destroyed.
some more end-game crises wouldn't go amiss, and the ability to have several of them at once would be quite nice too. For that sweet fuzzy 'everything is going to hell in a handbasket"-feeling.
Note to self - do not genetically modify your species until the bug that makes the modified species think it is being ruled by alien overlords etc. (even when there are no unmodified pops left) is fixed. :hmm:
Now to see if I can edit the savegame...
Quote from: Martinus on June 04, 2016, 05:06:29 PM
I tried playing the RPG (and got the books) but couldn't find players.
Right now, Empress Theodora Hawkwood rules from Byzantium Secundus (she is the fourth monarch since the game started). I created two sectors, named after the Houses they were given to - Decados and Li Halan - and renamed the governors by giving them family names of those houses. :nerd:
I hope they flesh out factions in one of the DLCs, so they are more suited for different governments (so you have, say, noble houses in monarchies etc.)
:nerd:
Quote from: celedhring on June 04, 2016, 11:16:29 AM
Technology costs scale by every pop you have, and most importantly, for every planet you colonize (equivalent to 10 pops IIRC). So ultimately big planets are much better than colonizing small-ish ones (more space to put research buildings).
Now that sucks. So gamey.
Explains why tech is so expensive for me too <_<
I don't know, I think it makes sense from both an RPG angle (spreading tech through a vast empire is expensive), and from a gameplay angle. Otherwise the snowball effect from a wide empire would be even stronger.
Quote from: celedhring on June 05, 2016, 04:52:22 AM
I don't know, I think it makes sense from both an RPG angle (spreading tech through a vast empire is expensive), and from a gameplay angle. Otherwise the snowball effect from a wide empire would be even stronger.
:yes:
Quote from: Crazy_Ivan80 on June 05, 2016, 02:06:13 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on June 04, 2016, 08:08:10 PM
I think my game is over.
I have had total fleet power of 95k & I took on a Fallen Empire just to see how I would do. I destroyed their 115k fleet with losing only 20k of my strength and now my power has risen to 110k thanks to the FE tech. My late-game crisis, the scourge, has already been destroyed.
some more end-game crises wouldn't go amiss, and the ability to have several of them at once would be quite nice too. For that sweet fuzzy 'everything is going to hell in a handbasket"-feeling.
They plan to add new crises with each expansion.
Quote from: celedhring on June 05, 2016, 04:52:22 AM
I don't know, I think it makes sense from both an RPG angle (spreading tech through a vast empire is expensive), and from a gameplay angle. Otherwise the snowball effect from a wide empire would be even stronger.
Spreading tech through a vast empire is expensive.
But there's no reason your capital should be less advanced because it has a colony out in bumfuck nowhere. It should be possible to have something like a less extreme version of Firefly.
Making things more expensive as you get larger for balancing purposes makes sense. But not to the extent they've done it.
I think the more realistic approach would be simply to have a negative to research production for planets outside your core/not at a certain level of development. That is a negative to their own output, not to the empire as a whole.
It is a game. I'm not sure a more detailed approach would be more fun.
Annoying: The advisor volume doesn't save in 1.1.
E: I downloaded a mod that turns off the pop research penalty, and it just gets out of control. Research gets finished way too fast later in the game.
SO my game was cruising along nicely. I was playing in a spiral galaxy, and found myself dominating a good 25% of the map without much competition. Things were going great.
Joined a alliance with another empire about my own size, and we were looking at gobbling up some fractured smaller empires.
Apparently that other ally? He pissed off one of those Fallen Empire people who declared war on him...and by extension me.
No worries though, all the war targets are apparently the other guy...but it was not pretty. His fleet came in and took mine apart, and I had to go completely defensive. We lose, and as part of the terms I get "humiliation" and a crapload of my planets are not ceded, but abandoned.
So that was kind of cool - on the one hand my vaunted fleet was destroyed, and about 1/3rd of my planets suddenly ceased to exist.
The weird thing though is that they were not ceded, they were just all depoluated and my control over the entire arm was removed. But I was able to go back and re-colonize them.
So where did all those billions of people go? Exterminated?
Quote from: Berkut on June 05, 2016, 10:47:13 PM
So where did all those billions of people go? Exterminated?
Jupiter Ascending
Quote from: Berkut on June 05, 2016, 10:47:13 PM
SO my game was cruising along nicely. I was playing in a spiral galaxy, and found myself dominating a good 25% of the map without much competition. Things were going great.
Joined a alliance with another empire about my own size, and we were looking at gobbling up some fractured smaller empires.
Apparently that other ally? He pissed off one of those Fallen Empire people who declared war on him...and by extension me.
No worries though, all the war targets are apparently the other guy...but it was not pretty. His fleet came in and took mine apart, and I had to go completely defensive. We lose, and as part of the terms I get "humiliation" and a crapload of my planets are not ceded, but abandoned.
So that was kind of cool - on the one hand my vaunted fleet was destroyed, and about 1/3rd of my planets suddenly ceased to exist.
The weird thing though is that they were not ceded, they were just all depoluated and my control over the entire arm was removed. But I was able to go back and re-colonize them.
So where did all those billions of people go? Exterminated?
To the lobby.
Quote from: crazy canuck on June 05, 2016, 11:41:19 PM
Quote from: Berkut on June 05, 2016, 10:47:13 PM
So where did all those billions of people go? Exterminated?
Jupiter Ascending
I think even aliens who have advanced way beyond our primitive notions of good and evil would flinch at forcing billions of people to watch that movie...
So, my first Phoenix Empire game ended prematurely when I was overextended myself and got overrun by wicked aliens. Started a new game, this time with worm holes - this makes for an entirely different game - in many ways you are much freeer as you can get to places your neighbours cannot so it is possible to claim strategic resources with outposts - and get the best planets to colonise.
Also it makes defending your wide empire much easier.
Tech tree. Hadn't seen that before. :)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs32.postimg.org%2Fvv5c9wkqr%2FStellaris_Tree.jpg&hash=506a1b4bf31698f2852a03b00e04d1728e6b022c)
Thanks for posting that Zanza. I thought that some techs have obvious prerequisites, but I did not realise it's so scripted. Good to know for beelining purposes.
By the way, in case someone has not realised it yet, the low level techs do show up later if you do not pick them up originally - so BB's original problem of not picking the Colony Ship tech can be remedies (although, obviously, it would hold him back as the tech may not show up again for quite a while).
So in the next patch they are going to change the core planets limit to core systems limit - it will now make sense to colonize multiple planets in systems, even when the planets are not that good (16 pops or so).
So, if a sector is lacking in a strategic resource, is there anyway to subsidize it if you have an overall surplus?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 07, 2016, 07:42:09 AM
So, if a sector is lacking in a strategic resource, is there anyway to subsidize it if you have an overall surplus?
I was trying to figure that out, it doesn't look like there is at this point.
Strategic resources should really be, well, strategic, and shared across the entire empire.
One thing about the game I would like to see in the future is restoring the "mystery" of exploration. Right now you can see the basic layout of the galaxy right from the start. I would love to see the exploration part of the game be a bit more dangerous and mysterious. I miss the maps of unknown from EU, and how much fun it was to send out your exploring ship off into the completely unknown.
I guess they want to prevent a situation where a governor of a sector builds something and then it fucks up your global empire's resource availability - so it means they can only use a resource from their own sector.
Quote from: Berkut on June 07, 2016, 08:00:53 AM
One thing about the game I would like to see in the future is restoring the "mystery" of exploration. Right now you can see the basic layout of the galaxy right from the start. I would love to see the exploration part of the game be a bit more dangerous and mysterious. I miss the maps of unknown from EU, and how much fun it was to send out your exploring ship off into the completely unknown.
Yeah but even we know already which stars are far away and which are close to us, so it's a bit of unrealistic.
Quote from: Martinus on June 07, 2016, 08:02:38 AM
Quote from: Berkut on June 07, 2016, 08:00:53 AM
One thing about the game I would like to see in the future is restoring the "mystery" of exploration. Right now you can see the basic layout of the galaxy right from the start. I would love to see the exploration part of the game be a bit more dangerous and mysterious. I miss the maps of unknown from EU, and how much fun it was to send out your exploring ship off into the completely unknown.
Yeah but even we know already which stars are far away and which are close to us, so it's a bit of unrealistic.
Not at all, given the assumptions built into the game.
There are maybe 1000 stars in a game galaxy, but of course in reality there are some billions of stars. So my assumption is that there are lots MORE stars out there, but most of them are uninteresting.
So a given star isn't necessarily represented on the map in any case.
Besides, it is a sci fi computer game. You can make up whatever justification we want for why some mechanic that makes the game more fun works that way...
Fair enough - although not knowing what kind of things you encounter in a star system provides the mystery imo. I mean, for all purposes, seeing a star is a bit like seeing there is an unknown province there.
Quote from: Martinus on June 07, 2016, 09:09:26 AM
Fair enough - although not knowing what kind of things you encounter in a star system provides the mystery imo. I mean, for all purposes, seeing a star is a bit like seeing there is an unknown province there.
True, it provides some small amount of mystery.
But I really liked the way in EU you had NO idea what was in the grey (other than knowing that you were on a Earth map, of course). It was just this giant blank space.
That would make more sense with asymmetric galaxy maps. As it is, not knowing where the stars are would not matter much as they follow a certain distribution.
Quote from: Zanza on June 07, 2016, 10:57:03 AM
That would make more sense with asymmetric galaxy maps. As it is, not knowing where the stars are would not matter much as they follow a certain distribution.
True - and that was another thing I am hoping they add in an expansion....
Give me some "terrain"!
Quote from: Zanza on June 07, 2016, 10:57:03 AM
That would make more sense with asymmetric galaxy maps. As it is, not knowing where the stars are would not matter much as they follow a certain distribution.
Well if you currently on the edge of an elliptical map, you already know from moment one that you've a side that you don't need to worry about as much (no need to rush and explore it as there isn't anything there). Would be interesting to be more CIV-like where you don't know where you are placed at start.
Quote from: garbon on June 07, 2016, 11:13:58 AM
Quote from: Zanza on June 07, 2016, 10:57:03 AM
That would make more sense with asymmetric galaxy maps. As it is, not knowing where the stars are would not matter much as they follow a certain distribution.
Well if you currently on the edge of an elliptical map, you already know from moment one that you've a side that you don't need to worry about as much (no need to rush and explore it as there isn't anything there). Would be interesting to be more CIV-like where you don't know where you are placed at start.
That's actually a good idea. Maybe make it an option - so you only see the systems in your range and the ones you have surveyed.
Would love to have a contained map as well, where it raps around each side...
Quote from: garbon on June 07, 2016, 11:13:58 AM
Quote from: Zanza on June 07, 2016, 10:57:03 AM
That would make more sense with asymmetric galaxy maps. As it is, not knowing where the stars are would not matter much as they follow a certain distribution.
Well if you currently on the edge of an elliptical map, you already know from moment one that you've a side that you don't need to worry about as much (no need to rush and explore it as there isn't anything there). Would be interesting to be more CIV-like where you don't know where you are placed at start.
True, that would make a difference.
Quote from: Berkut on June 07, 2016, 11:23:28 AM
Would love to have a contained map as well, where it raps around each side...
But that (as well as the blank map) doesn't fit the setting. We already know in 2016 that our galaxy is a spiral, and where we are located within it.
A mix of the 2?
We know where some stars are but that doesn't mean there isn't other stars around those that we just haven't "seen".
Quote from: Barrister on June 07, 2016, 12:16:05 PM
Quote from: Berkut on June 07, 2016, 11:23:28 AM
Would love to have a contained map as well, where it raps around each side...
But that (as well as the blank map) doesn't fit the setting. We already know in 2016 that our galaxy is a spiral, and where we are located within it.
And we also know there about 400 billion stars in that setting.
So I think we can safely assume that in fact the "setting" doesn't fit already.
One thing I would definitely get rid of is how you learn about all the systems controlled by another empire when you first discover the empire.
Quote from: Barrister on June 07, 2016, 12:16:05 PM
Quote from: Berkut on June 07, 2016, 11:23:28 AM
Would love to have a contained map as well, where it raps around each side...
But that (as well as the blank map) doesn't fit the setting. We already know in 2016 that our galaxy is a spiral, and where we are located within it.
There is a Quadloo-Tachyon negative dark energy field around the Solar system which distorts the electromagnetic waves that are received by our telescopes and gives us a false impression of how the universe looks like. That's also why the wormhole ship didn't work out as planned. You have now figured this out, but the result is that only exploration ships outside the Solar system can see the universe as it really is.
Quote from: garbon on June 07, 2016, 12:58:45 PM
One thing I would definitely get rid of is how you learn about all the systems controlled by another empire when you first discover the empire.
That's based on a tech and is rather silly. You can see details of the system as long as it is in the other empire's border but if the border moves in your favor and it is now your system, you have to send in your survey ships. :huh:
Quote from: Zanza on June 07, 2016, 01:00:09 PM
Quote from: garbon on June 07, 2016, 12:58:45 PM
One thing I would definitely get rid of is how you learn about all the systems controlled by another empire when you first discover the empire.
That's based on a tech and is rather silly. You can see details of the system as long as it is in the other empire's border but if the border moves in your favor and it is now your system, you have to send in your survey ships. :huh:
I thought tech just revealed details of resources in system? I don't know though as I always research that one tech quickly for the border expansion.
I used to go without allies so that I could grab more land myself, but in the new patch I seem to get attacked more often so I find myself needing to ally myself
How does allying with yourself help? :hmm:
Don't underestimate imaginary friends!
Quote from: Martinus on June 07, 2016, 08:01:38 AM
I guess they want to prevent a situation where a governor of a sector builds something and then it fucks up your global empire's resource availability - so it means they can only use a resource from their own sector.
You should have the choice whether to subsidize them. It doesn't have to be automatic.
I agree that strategic resources should be across the entire empire - in part that is why if I build up a potential sector (capital) to have a lot of power, etc. I don't need to find a special Betharian stone planted to gerrymander into the sector when it is declared.
On Paradox forum, someone is complaining about a bug where members of a xenophobic, collectivist race migrate to an individualistic, xenophile empire that signed open migration treaty with its neighbours, only to immediately grow unhappy and join a rebellious faction that is blowing up buildings. :hmm:
Quote from: Martinus on June 08, 2016, 03:03:29 AM
On Paradox forum, someone is complaining about a bug where members of a xenophobic, collectivist race migrate to an individualistic, xenophile empire that signed open migration treaty with its neighbours, only to immediately grow unhappy and join a rebellious faction that is blowing up buildings. :hmm:
realistic *wink nudge*
Thank you, Captain Obvious. :P
Say the xenophobes. :D
My human Empire is neither xenophobic nor xenophilic. We welcome all races as long as they are willing to work mines and fields for the glory of the Phoenix Throne. :ph34r:
By the way I decided the smallest maps are the ones I want to play. It's not different than all my Civ and Civ clones games - I hate having too many colonies to manage.
Not sure if the smallest is the right size, but there doesn't seem to be a single mechanism that actually scales with map size. You have a fixed number of core planets, you always need the same number of aliens to found a federation etc.
So playing again as the xenophobic Commonwealth of Man. Very quickly DOWed the first species I came across. They had two planets colonized in the same system. TO my surprise they surrendered after I had wiped out their fleets, but before I had actually conquered either planet (and in fact one invasion had been beaten off).
So I promptly enslave them all, because that seems like what you should do - but I still have to worry about slave happiness? Hmm... how do I do manage that?
No. Slave happiness is irrelevant as they currently can't revolt.
I like to put my enslaved xenos into dedicated mining sectors until I can terraform their planets to my species' liking. Then I resettle 1 of my pops on the planetary capital tile and purge the rest. The emperor protects.
Quote from: Legbiter on June 08, 2016, 02:30:23 PM
I like to put my enslaved xenos into dedicated mining sectors until I can terraform their planets to my species' liking. Then I resettle 1 of my pops on the planetary capital tile and purge the rest. The emperor protects.
That was my tactics as well... until all the remaining xenos allied against me and the nearby fallen empire decided to wipe me out.
I keep specialized gulag planets where I resettle pops scheduled for purging, in small batches. Slows down the process, but makes it safer.
Quote from: celedhring on June 08, 2016, 04:22:37 PM
I keep specialized gulag planets where I resettle pops scheduled for purging, in small batches. Slows down the process, but makes it safer.
This game is so evil. :lol:
You guys are weird, I just let everyone live where ever they want.
Only scientists may lead the future of the Republique tho! Everyone else is unfit.
Quote from: Martinus on June 08, 2016, 04:23:31 PM
Quote from: celedhring on June 08, 2016, 04:22:37 PM
I keep specialized gulag planets where I resettle pops scheduled for purging, in small batches. Slows down the process, but makes it safer.
This game is so evil. :lol:
Yeah :cthulu:
I just noticed my human leader is now 245 years old.
Also, the Sol system #2 is now in my Sol #1 empire.
Any idea what to do with the smuggler asteroid on the precursor line?
I did the project on it and now the log says I should take it apart to see what secrets it holds.... no option from my navy or construction ships.
Anyone successfully complete the Precurssors event change?
I actually found all of the artifacts, then IDed the homeworld, and it gave me a mission to get there before anyone else did. It was deep in a nieghbors territory, so I negotiated a path to it and sent a science ship, but nothing happened when I got there.
There is a pretty cool looking planet there that looks like it has been shattered...
I finished it once. Got a rather crappy system.
Quote from: Berkut on June 13, 2016, 07:27:29 PM
Anyone successfully complete the Precurssors event change?
I actually found all of the artifacts, then IDed the homeworld, and it gave me a mission to get there before anyone else did. It was deep in a nieghbors territory, so I negotiated a path to it and sent a science ship, but nothing happened when I got there.
Yeah, I found a planet to colonize that was unremarkable.
I don't think I am going to try this game again until they get their patches and some DLC content makes it more interesting.
I now have HOI to play around with. :)
So, I am thinking of starting a new game, inspired by the Dune universe, on a tiny map, with just created "races", being various parties from the Dune Empire.
What do you think of picking the following ethics?
House Harkonnen: Fanatic Collectivist, Militarist
House Atreides: Militarist, Spiritualist, Individualist
House Corrino: Fanatic Militarist, Materialist
Bene Gesserit: Fanatic Spiritualist, Collectivist
Bene Tleilax: Fanatic Materialist, Collectivist
Ix: Fanatic Materialist, Individualist
Spacing Guild: Xenophile, Collectivist, Materialist
Be sure to include Kareem Gom-Jabbar as a leader. :)
Only just catching up with Tuesday...I like the notion that open border access will now be the default and then you have to close border access if you don't wish to allow. Feels better.
Will be interesting to see the impact of the diplomatic changes...though I never found it easy to ally with the AI. They often were of different ethics than me / often threatened by my warmongering. :Embarrass:
Catching up with Tuesday?
Development diary came out on Tuesday, uk time.
Oh, cool. Any link to it?
Seems silly that it isn't linked on the app itself, and if I go to the Stellaris main website, there isn't any news link or anything there either that I can find...
forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-36-diplomacy-improvements-border-access-and-embassies.947827/
And yeah weird unlike other ones they didn't link this one on front of forum. must be how I missed it.
This game is missing the rpg elements that made CK2 so compelling. A hundred years have passed in my current game, I've got 10 colonies and I'm so bored! I'm allied with all my neighbors yet I have no pre-space-faring species to either uplift or mentor. It's just survey system - send it the constructor - mine system - upgrade ships and facilities. Rinse and repeat. :glare:
G.
I eventually won my game.
Colonising so many planets gets dull.
And there are such a limited pool of planet names. At one point I ended up with 2 sectors with the same name.
I made a continental version of my desert main species.
....
I colonised one world with them then when I came back to play another day couldn't find the world where I made them. They exist. In my species tab. But their home world is my world and no other information on where they are.
The 1.2 patch changes some of this stuff a bit. For example, your colony is actually named after the planet you are colonising, but you are prompted to give it another name - ensuring better diversity. I also like that the planet limit has been changed to system limit - so if you like to have more planets under your direct control, it makes sense to pick systems with multiple habitable planets.
(For those of you who are not too observant, patch 1.2 is playable in beta :P. You can access it by right clicking the name of the game in the left side menu on Steam, clicking Properties and then choosing patch 1.2 in the beta tab).
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/paradox/banners/Stellaris_1_2_asimov_1920_2.jpg)
Sounds pretty good. When's it coming out?
It already has, some cub scout reporter you are :P
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on June 29, 2016, 01:51:11 AM
It already has, some cub scout reporter you are :P
Ah, didn't realize that Marty's post was a week before Hab's. Thought it was still in Beta.
Am at work currently so didn't have time to check it out.
Assimov more like it. Game is crap. I'll check back in a year.
New patch seems pretty unstable. Tried a new game (achievements are working now) and had 4 crashes in 3 hours.....
Quote from: Tyr on June 29, 2016, 02:31:25 AM
New patch seems pretty unstable. Tried a new game (achievements are working now) and had 4 crashes in 3 hours.....
Brexit patch?
I played for several hours last night without any issues.
I thought Jos has already revealed he's trying to play on a 386.
Quote from: garbon on June 29, 2016, 08:05:11 AM
I thought Jos has already revealed he's trying to play on a 386.
I upgraded.
New processor runs it all on max without issues.
Well.
Ran.
Quote from: garbon on June 29, 2016, 08:05:11 AM
I thought Jos has already revealed he's trying to play on a 386.
Man that brings up memories. I think my first computer back in the mid 90s was a 486. :hmm:
I had a 8086. :contract:
I've no idea. Might have been a 486 as my family got one in '89. While I was one of the primary users of it, I was too young to know things like that. :D
Quote from: garbon on June 30, 2016, 11:37:44 AM
I've no idea. Might have been a 486 as my family got one in '89.
Check.
OK. For sure there is a problem with this patch and my computer. My computer wholesale crashed when playing. :blink:
They released yet another hot fix. I like this game a lot, but there's been a glimpse of "Old Paradox" since its release.
Well this is a brand new type of game for them.
Quote from: garbon on June 30, 2016, 02:40:33 PM
Well this is a brand new type of game for them.
Fair point.
The finished game is literally in the future.
I had a Motorola 68000
You guys act like the game is broken or somehow crippled. It is perfectly fine, and works great - at least on my machine.
There is plenty of room for more of course, but in its state right now it is the best 4x game I've ever played.
Quote from: Berkut on June 30, 2016, 04:25:50 PM
There is plenty of room for more of course, but in its state right now it is the best 4x game I've ever played.
:console:
I think it has an outline, now we just need to wait till they fill it in.
Quote from: Berkut on June 30, 2016, 04:25:50 PM
You guys act like the game is broken or somehow crippled. It is perfectly fine, and works great - at least on my machine.
There is plenty of room for more of course, but in its state right now it is the best 4x game I've ever played.
I find it very very dull when compared to distant worlds, to be honest with you.
I didn't understand what was I was doing in distant worlds.
Quote from: celedhring on June 30, 2016, 02:24:34 PM
They released yet another hot fix. I like this game a lot, but there's been a glimpse of "Old Paradox" since its release.
Have they fixed the annoying bug with planet naming yet (that you either have to leave it alone, name them yourself, or have them all named as the first planet in your "names" list because the randomiser button isn't working?)
I just lost a game that was going really well when the Scourge decided to pay a visit. They attacked right at the intersection of my space and another empires, but they seemed to completely focus on me.
I was able to hold on for a while, my 37k fleets were able to take out their 50-60k fleets, but took damage when they did. I tried to just carefully pick off their fleets one at a time, while only contesting their actual attacks with maxed out defensive armies.
This worked for some time...until they sent 5 of those 50k fleets at my main bastion where I was repairing my primary fleet. By that point, I had lost probably a third of my empire to them, and was hurting on minerals.
It was kind of fun though, trying to fight them off, hitting them behind their lines and such. I kind of wish I had some help from the other empires....
I had an Atari computer, then a Tandy 286. Bling.
First experience with the extradimensional invaders. My first fleet got destroyed easily. Second one messed up a bunch of their 72k fleets before I withdrew the remnants. the AI are uninterested in fighting them off, so I'm letting the Unbidden fuck up the larger AI kingdoms for a bit before taking out their portal.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-turns-over-a-new-leaf-with-plantoids-species-pack.957245/
QuoteParadox Development Studio will soon release the first Species Pack for its hit science fiction strategy game, Stellaris. Species Packs will give players new phenotypes to play with as they expand across the galaxy.
This first species pack will be called Plantoids, and, as its name suggests, will introduce sentient plant life to the universe of Stellaris. Instead of becoming salad or animal fodder, these plants have reached for the stars and begun to spread their tendrils across the galaxy, planting the roots of new civilizations on new planets.
Our talented artists have put together fifteen new portraits, an original cityscape backdrop, and stunning new ship models for your new neighbors.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/untitled-png.195097/)
I thought people played computer games to get away from eggplant invasions?
Not really surprising that they would add content like this in DLCs. I will wait until they release their first game mechanics DLC though.
Yeah, I was all "Cool a DLC....wait, what?"
Is this game worth it?
Definitely.
Quote from: Queequeg on July 13, 2016, 02:30:28 PM
Is this game worth it?
The novelty wears off fast. I recommend waiting until they fix the victory conditions.
True. I'm dissapointed. Very limited. But seems to be a good game in there.
I like the idea of Ents in Space...
Gets dull fast. Was absorbing at first.
Seriously. This new patch really hates my computer. So many BSODs
My relationship with this game is weird. I have started countless saves, and I enjoy the first 10 hours or so of every game like very few others. But I never can't get past that.
It seems that I always start out bordering some kind species who's philosophy is diametrically oppose to mine.
Quote from: Berkut on June 30, 2016, 04:25:50 PM
You guys act like the game is broken or somehow crippled. It is perfectly fine, and works great - at least on my machine.
There is plenty of room for more of course, but in its state right now it is the best 4x game I've ever played.
The victory conditions are broken/entirely unfun. Games need to have some endpoint or else they are broken. My game has completely stagnated with my civ constantly researching the repeatable techs. It would take me 1000 hours to conquer the galaxy. It's incomplete.
And that's before getting into all the broken mechanics with sector management and general micromanagement that I'd rather chew my arm off than continue my game.
The unbidden came.
They have a bunch of 40k fleets.
I was expecting 18k.
I'm doomed.
Quote from: chipwich on July 28, 2016, 02:47:24 AM
Quote from: Berkut on June 30, 2016, 04:25:50 PM
You guys act like the game is broken or somehow crippled. It is perfectly fine, and works great - at least on my machine.
There is plenty of room for more of course, but in its state right now it is the best 4x game I've ever played.
The victory conditions are broken/entirely unfun. Games need to have some endpoint or else they are broken. My game has completely stagnated with my civ constantly researching the repeatable techs. It would take me 1000 hours to conquer the galaxy. It's incomplete.
And that's before getting into all the broken mechanics with sector management and general micromanagement that I'd rather chew my arm off than continue my game.
Agreed. It is ironic given the fact they specifically turned their minds to how to solve the usual problem of 4x end games. But the solution they have come up with so far is far worse than the problem they set out to solve. The victory conditions create a mindless paint the map game with poor game mechanics. Not at all the CK in space that was advertised.
Yeah, definitely the game needs more victory conditions. I'm not that interested in paint the map (I might play once with that objective), and that's usually the reason I never see my Stellaris games through the end, even though I do enjoy the first decades or so immensely.
But then whats the goal in any paradox game?
Yeah I don't think it's victory conditions they need to change. Just things like they have with EU where you get tasks etc. Something to keep you occupied in the game. As I'm the same I love setting up and the first few decades then I quit and start again.
EU games have an end date. So unless you plan on playing until the end of days, Stellaris needs victory conditions. Plus, let's be honest, stuff like diplomacy or the economic system aren't fleshed out enough to give that many alternatives to straight military-oriented gameplay.
Incidentally, the Star Trek mod seems to be progressing nicely:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=688086068&searchtext=
One issue I have with that is that the lead artist seems to have bit off more than he can chew. Many of his alien races, well to be charitable, they are butt ugly.
He seems to have used vanilla humans as basis, and Stellaris humans look terrible on their own right.
But Star Trek aliens were just ugly humans with various foreheads.
I was talking more about his ferengi and other such races which seem like a bit weak on the photoshopping from their sources.
Just had a look at that star trek mod.
Early days and certainly incomplete but looks on the right path. I particularly like the giant solar systems it uses, should allow for some actual tactics with fleet maneuvering (some).
I do worry somewhat though given the way Stellaris does federations. The federation probably won't be much of a federation.
Have they fixed the problem of it being impossible to meet the victory conditions as a federation?
Check out first page of Stellaris forum. Plantoids was clearly a marketing fail. :o
Yeah, it is just a terrible DLC. I am totally uninterested in more plant species, it adds zero interesting gameplay, and was visibly in the game previously.
It's like they TRIED to come up with DLC to piss people off...
Were there no gameplay/bug fixes at all with this "expansion"? It's just some plant life?
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on August 07, 2016, 09:12:31 PM
Were there no gameplay/bug fixes at all with this "expansion"? It's just some plant life?
It isn't an expansion (which is a word as a PC game player you should probably forget about), it's a cosmetic/graphics pack that has no impact on game play at all. The work was done by graphics artists who have nothing to do with gameplay/bug fixes.
There a way to regain territory taken by the scourge or unbidden or whatnot?
Kill them, liberate the planets.
You cannot liberate Scourged planets, just destroy them.
Quote from: sbr on August 07, 2016, 10:22:28 PM
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on August 07, 2016, 09:12:31 PM
Were there no gameplay/bug fixes at all with this "expansion"? It's just some plant life?
It isn't an expansion (which is a word as a PC game player you should probably forget about), it's a cosmetic/graphics pack that has no impact on game play at all. The work was done by graphics artists who have nothing to do with gameplay/bug fixes.
Don't want it, don't buy it. I want plant people, so when I get home I will buy it. If you don't want them, don't buy it, it's not a requirement.
Who are you responding to?
Quote from: sbr on August 11, 2016, 11:27:40 AM
Who are you responding to?
He is on a sugar rush
With latest DD, looks like they are doing a fair retrofit of how ships/combat works.
Anything good?
Anything bad?
Front page of p'dox where they post DDs is hard to reach. :(
Quote from: garbon on August 17, 2016, 11:41:20 AM
Front page of p'dox where they post DDs is hard to reach. :(
Why would anyone bother looking at this point?
The game was released too early. It is only really playable during the first stage. After that it is boring and poorly designed.
I will keep an eye on this space to see if they fix it, but that is about the limit of my effort.
I'll make sure not to post any of that text for you lazy fuck then. :)
I have to agree with CC. This could have been a good game but they just dropped the wall. I have no interest in playing the game until they overhaul mid game.
Quote from: Martinus on August 18, 2016, 03:33:13 AM
I have to agree with CC. This could have been a good game but they just dropped the wall. I have no interest in playing the game until they overhaul mid game.
So you agree with the fact that it is hard to look for news at: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php as well?
Nope. :P
Quote from: garbon on August 18, 2016, 04:17:03 AM
Quote from: Martinus on August 18, 2016, 03:33:13 AM
I have to agree with CC. This could have been a good game but they just dropped the wall. I have no interest in playing the game until they overhaul mid game.
So you agree with the fact that it is hard to look for news at: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php as well?
You understand the difference between it being difficult and it not being worth the click right?
Which is why I won't be posting news for you. I'm not your slave..
I agree with CC that as things stand now (especially with their first plant skins "expansion pack"), Stellaris is not the game worth following in terms of further development, if that's what he is saying.
I'd actually be pretty annoyed if they had released a content DLC at this point, instead of fixing stuff in free patches.
The starship changes look decent on paper, btw. Opens up ships with specialized roles and mixed fleets being viable (even required).
My game has turned into doing nothing but burning out Scourge infested planets. ALl the fucking while their constructors wander into my space and build space stations that I have to go smoke out, constantly.
I guess I could sympathize if I mustered enough willpower to finish a game. :P
I have north of 60 hours in Stellaris, but I abandon most games around midgame and just start anew with some different ethos.
Quote from: celedhring on August 19, 2016, 06:58:27 AM
I guess I could sympathize if I mustered enough willpower to finish a game. :P
I have north of 60 hours in Stellaris, but I abandon most games around midgame and just start anew with some different ethos.
Same. I don't know if I even get to midgame. But I do really enjoy that first bit.
It is kind of a pattern with the game sadly. Build space stations with subspace snare to in every fucking system to stop their constructors. Wander around with several fleets destroying infested planets. No AI puts up any kind of fight against the Scourge or Unbidden or whatever. At all. So by the time I get to the point that I can sucessfully fight them they have taken over most of the galaxy.
It is kind of weird - I can't really dispute the particulars of the complaints, but...
Well, I really like the game. The flaws are real, but despite them I find myself interested in playing anyway. I abandon games regularly once they reach a point where they are not terribly interesting anymore, for whatever reason (including a couple where I simply lost).
I have found that to really get the game to be interesting, you as the player has to drive it in some fashion. If you just sit back and let things happen, you can do really well without much of anything actually happening until one of the late game meta-crisis break out.
But if you actively engage the other civilizations, and really shove yourself into the mix, declare wars, try to break up alliance, have the balls to put together an alliance and actually go to war with other big alliances, it is a lot of fun.
I am very optimistic that they will continue to drive the content to make the game drive the player more, rather than the other way around. But I have something like 300 hours played, and have more than gotten my money's worth so far, IMO.
I've found a mod that adds new ship classes and add on modules that does improve things. So there is that. I guess I just was hoping that the later game would be as exciting as the start.
I for one am boycotting this game.
err...girlcotting.
http://jezebel.com/why-isnt-it-called-no-womans-sky-1785411230
edit- how the hell did it end up here :blink:
I was in no mans sky thread
:lol:
Quote from: Berkut on August 19, 2016, 10:46:18 AM
It is kind of weird - I can't really dispute the particulars of the complaints, but...
Well, I really like the game. The flaws are real, but despite them I find myself interested in playing anyway. I abandon games regularly once they reach a point where they are not terribly interesting anymore, for whatever reason (including a couple where I simply lost).
I have found that to really get the game to be interesting, you as the player has to drive it in some fashion. If you just sit back and let things happen, you can do really well without much of anything actually happening until one of the late game meta-crisis break out.
But if you actively engage the other civilizations, and really shove yourself into the mix, declare wars, try to break up alliance, have the balls to put together an alliance and actually go to war with other big alliances, it is a lot of fun.
I am very optimistic that they will continue to drive the content to make the game drive the player more, rather than the other way around. But I have something like 300 hours played, and have more than gotten my money's worth so far, IMO.
What a wonderfully passive aggressive post. Your theory that we do not enjoy the game because we just are not up to playing it as well as you or alternatively don't have the balls is not particularly compelling.
I thought he was just explaining his point of view/why he still likes it. :huh:
Yeah, I agree with the point. You have to actively try to make things move, which is far from perfect, but if you do it can be quite fun.
Quote from: garbon on August 20, 2016, 10:07:21 AM
I thought he was just explaining his point of view/why he still likes it. :huh:
sorry, the line that you have to "have the balls" to do x in order to enjoy this game is a bit much, even for a game nerd
Quote from: Berkut on August 19, 2016, 10:46:18 AM
. The flaws are real, but despite them I find myself interested in playing anyway. I abandon games regularly once they reach a point where they are not terribly interesting anymore, for whatever reason
Don't you think this is a problem?
Quote from: chipwich on August 20, 2016, 06:06:08 PM
Quote from: Berkut on August 19, 2016, 10:46:18 AM
. The flaws are real, but despite them I find myself interested in playing anyway. I abandon games regularly once they reach a point where they are not terribly interesting anymore, for whatever reason
Don't you think this is a problem?
Definitely.
But it doesn't stop me from coming back and playing again.
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 20, 2016, 02:09:38 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 20, 2016, 10:07:21 AM
I thought he was just explaining his point of view/why he still likes it. :huh:
sorry, the line that you have to "have the balls" to do x in order to enjoy this game is a bit much, even for a game nerd
What is a bit much is you trying making some comments about why I like a game into some kind of personal bullshit. Take it the other forum if you want to engage in a pissing match over why someone likes a game you don't.
It's not up for discussion CC.
....so anyway....
The Star Trek mod is really impressive. Much like Stellaris, there is a lot that is potentially even more impressive.
You could develop out the events, and storylines, etc., etc. Would love to see a Borg mega crisis for example.
But it does have the basic problem that you can kind of play it without anything really happening...
Is it really fun to "have the balls" to throw some massive war alliance vs alliance, fight for hours, deal with the tedious, carpal-tunnelish process of managing armies (or god forbid upgrading them, which can only be done one at a time :wacko:), then only be able to take a handful of planets from the peacedeal, and start the whole process over?
Quote from: chipwich on August 20, 2016, 10:51:29 PM
Is it really fun to "have the balls" to throw some massive war alliance vs alliance, fight for hours, deal with the tedious, carpal-tunnelish process of managing armies (or god forbid upgrading them, which can only be done one at a time :wacko:), then only be able to take a handful of planets from the peacedeal, and start the whole process over?
careful or the pink text will come out.
I played like 120 some odd hours in the first month or so playing different types of races and governments, but I got bored. I still think it can be a fun game once fixed, but it's shelved for now. I still think, overall I got my monies worth because it's still one of my steam games with the most hours played, and I still have hope it'll be fixed at some point.
Quote from: chipwich on August 20, 2016, 10:51:29 PM
Is it really fun to "have the balls" to throw some massive war alliance vs alliance, fight for hours, deal with the tedious, carpal-tunnelish process of managing armies (or god forbid upgrading them, which can only be done one at a time :wacko:), then only be able to take a handful of planets from the peacedeal, and start the whole process over?
It sure doesn't sound like it...but apparently it is to me.
The army interface does suck something fierce. I don't bother upgrading them, since I don't think the effect is worth the clicks, unless I build an army ahead of time.
Again, I am not arguing that YOU should find it fun, just pointing out that I do. Or did. I haven't played much lately, since I am waiting for the next patch.
Latest announced changes are concerning. Unless they are really holding back on key changes, none of the changes noted this week seem very critical.
I cant get to Paradox at work - any interesting summary?
Changes to planet types (now 3 groups and you've 60% habitability to planets who are in your group but not your specific type)
Changes in number of habitable planets (much fewer) - also colonisation no longer needs tech researching for planet types, just need habitability above 30% (default for planets not your group is 20%)
Alliances are out as they were some middling stage that wasn't non-agression pact or federation
Federations now have some sort of associate status that can be granted to non-members to work as a NAP
New toggles for control of sectors
Nothing I really disagree with but none of which really works much to substantial issues with gameplay (more of nice to haves).
In comparison to EU, Stellaris is just missing the actual history that makes EU so damn awesome.
To me, there are two things they are trying to do, and I assume they consider them separately:
1. Provide the game framework that is fun, interesting, and has lots of meaningful choices and options, and
2. Build a "world" on top of that framework that can capture the interests of the players.
I think they have about 70% of #1 right now, but maybe only 30% of #2.
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2016, 10:14:08 AM
Changes to planet types (now 3 groups and you've 60% habitability to planets who are in your group but not your specific type)
Changes in number of habitable planets (much fewer) - also colonisation no longer needs tech researching for planet types, just need habitability above 30% (default for planets not your group is 20%)
Alliances are out as they were some middling stage that wasn't non-agression pact or federation
Federations now have some sort of associate status that can be granted to non-members to work as a NAP
New toggles for control of sectors
Nothing I really disagree with but none of which really works much to substantial issues with gameplay (more of nice to haves).
I don't like any of those changes. Frankly most of them sound terrible. :(
I probably like the planet one.
It never made any sense (nor do I think it mattered in the fun vs. gameplay argument) that a continental/terran species couldn't colonize an ocean/tropical world. It shouldn't be ideal (habitability), but should still be possible.
And I thought habitable planets were already pretty sparse. But I think that ratio should really be an option made at galaxy creation anyway.
They are making it a toggle option.
Yeah. Needing a whole different set of technology for a desert species to colonise a continental world was daft.
My big thing with planets is how pointless non life bearing worlds are. Habitable planets should be rare and valuable... but you should be able to do something with the others.
It would make terraforming a bit more worthwhile for instance if you could do it on certain dead worlds
I agree with that. It's like oh good, please have the game keep track of all these planets and asteroids that can't be used for anything at all.
Quote from: garbon on August 23, 2016, 04:09:43 AM
I agree with that. It's like oh good, please have the game keep track of all these planets and asteroids that can't be used for anything at all.
Agreed, the barren/never-useful planets is also pointless (I can't get my ass to Mars :( )
That being said, terraforming should not be a quick or easy process. Having every system filled with the same, boring, continental/whatever planets makes the galaxy rather blasée. Which is kinda why I like the "improving habitability" of worlds better. I like the idea that my humans will the diversity of living on continental/tropical/desert/arctic worlds, but that improving tech makes living on them more manageable.
Don't think I'll like the alliance/federation change though..."light" alliances are nice if you want to avoid the political crap that comes with federations, or having the "federation navy".
Quote from: garbon on August 23, 2016, 01:47:17 AM
They are making it a toggle option.
The percentage of habitable worlds?
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 23, 2016, 07:35:45 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 23, 2016, 01:47:17 AM
They are making it a toggle option.
The percentage of habitable worlds?
QuoteMore Galaxy Setup Options
There is an old gamer's adage that says 'more player choice is always better'. We do not actually agree with this, as adding unnecessary/uninteresting choices can just as well bog a game down as it can improve it, but in the case of galaxy setup in a game such as Stellaris, it is pretty much true. With that in mind, the following new galaxy setup options are planned to be included in Heinlein:
Maximum number of Fallen Empires (actually setting a fixed number is difficult due to the way they spawn and how it's affected by regular empires)
Chance of habitable worlds spawning
Whether to allow advanced empires to start near players
Whether to use empire clustering
Whether endgame crises should be allowed to appear
QuoteThere is an old gamer's adage that says 'more player choice is always better'. We do not actually agree with this
Yeah I always thought meaningful choices are better than non-meaningful choices regardless of the volume of choices.
Don't like the alliance change.
What is needed there is making federations harder to form and more integrated. Diplo annexing almost.
Quote from: Tonitrus on August 23, 2016, 09:05:00 PM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on August 23, 2016, 07:35:45 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 23, 2016, 01:47:17 AM
They are making it a toggle option.
The percentage of habitable worlds?
QuoteMore Galaxy Setup Options
There is an old gamer's adage that says 'more player choice is always better'. We do not actually agree with this, as adding unnecessary/uninteresting choices can just as well bog a game down as it can improve it, but in the case of galaxy setup in a game such as Stellaris, it is pretty much true. With that in mind, the following new galaxy setup options are planned to be included in Heinlein:
Maximum number of Fallen Empires (actually setting a fixed number is difficult due to the way they spawn and how it's affected by regular empires)
Chance of habitable worlds spawning
Whether to allow advanced empires to start near players
Whether to use empire clustering
Whether endgame crises should be allowed to appear
Okay, I do like those changes a lot.
However, getting rid of alliances is retarded.
Scourge showed up a second time.
Pretty nasty term there Tim, I'd have hoped you could be more respectful.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 29, 2016, 07:30:56 AM
Scourge showed up a second time.
Pretty nasty term there Tim, I'd have hoped you could be more respectful.
I'm sorry. -_-
About the Scourge or your slurs towards those who may have developmental disorders?
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-43-the-fallen.965642/&utm_source=in-game&utm_medium=game-client&utm_content=devdiary&utm_campaign=heinlein_stellaris_devdiary_20160829
This looks cool.
The Babylon 5 scenario sounds neat and would entice me back into the game.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 29, 2016, 12:30:04 PM
About the Scourge or your slurs towards those who may have developmental disorders?
The later -_-
Quote from: FunkMonk on August 29, 2016, 09:34:58 PM
The Babylon 5 scenario sounds neat and would entice me back into the game.
I don't know. I worry it sounds sort of skeletonised and how often is it really occurring. Would be better if they were working on more common, broad content.
I like the Fallen Empire features.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 29, 2016, 07:30:56 AM
Scourge showed up a second time.
Pretty nasty term there Tim, I'd have hoped you could be more respectful.
Have we really stooped so low on Languish that we will now enforce not using the "R" word, or are you joking?
Quote from: Martinus on August 30, 2016, 05:44:00 AM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on August 29, 2016, 07:30:56 AM
Scourge showed up a second time.
Pretty nasty term there Tim, I'd have hoped you could be more respectful.
Have we really stooped so low on Languish that we will now enforce not using the "R" word, or are you joking?
Are you defending Tim?
Quote from: garbon on August 30, 2016, 02:09:21 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on August 29, 2016, 09:34:58 PM
The Babylon 5 scenario sounds neat and would entice me back into the game.
I don't know. I worry it sounds sort of skeletonised and how often is it really occurring. Would be better if they were working on more common, broad content.
Fair point, though it looks like it is being worked in conjunction with the total overhaul of fallen empires.
I'd much rather they work on an actual trade system.
Quote from: FunkMonk on August 30, 2016, 07:12:04 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 30, 2016, 02:09:21 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on August 29, 2016, 09:34:58 PM
The Babylon 5 scenario sounds neat and would entice me back into the game.
I don't know. I worry it sounds sort of skeletonised and how often is it really occurring. Would be better if they were working on more common, broad content.
Fair point, though it looks like it is being worked in conjunction with the total overhaul of fallen empires.
I'd much rather they work on an actual trade system.
Yeah, I won't say that I have any issue with them making fallen empires better, it's just that it is a little concerning that unless they are holding back on large things, they don't seem to be focusing on what's missing. So notion of Shadow vs. Vorlon war is cool (as is fixes to Fallen Empires) but doesn't really address middle game tedium.
I disagree, garbon - the fallen empire bit is exactly one way to make mid game eventful.
Sorry, my sentence had continued but I deleted it. I had a bit how I think it'd be ridiculous if some sort of Fallen Empire battling was always expected in the mid-game.
Isn't this Empire idea just another form of the end game?
No, by endgame Fallen Empires are pushovers.
Oh. The crisis really sucks eh.
Well, if it's something that pops up mid-game it can potentially make for a fun save I guess. But as garbon says, you just can't rely on that single event to liven up every single save.
So far this patch seem to have a bunch of nice changes, but none that fundamentally addresses the mid-game dullness issue.
Free changes mentioned this week are interesting (pirates and spacefaring lifeforms) but not really adding up to the shakeup the game needs.
I like it. Breaking up the core systems of pirates and space entities sounds interesting if the rewards are good enough. Looks like something else to do around midgame.
The game will end up in a pretty good place, imho. It's just becoming apparent that it will take a bunch of evolutionary patches and DLCs.
I dunno..."pirates" seem to been an overused (and sometimes overpowered, with seemingly better resources than the player) schtick for too many of the 4x space games in recent history.
And while I know Stellaris brushes up more towards space opera than space realism, I've always thought the "space pirates" was kinda lame, along with already being rather implausible...unless they were state sponsored, as many of the "classic" pirates were.
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 07, 2016, 03:04:25 AM
I dunno..."pirates" seem to been an overused (and sometimes overpowered, with seemingly better resources than the player) schtick for too many of the 4x space games in recent history.
And while I know Stellaris brushes up more towards space opera than space realism, I've always thought the "space pirates" was kinda lame, along with already being rather implausible...unless they were state sponsored, as many of the "classic" pirates were.
Yeah, but then we've already saw how terribly boring pirates are as state sponsored ones in EUIV.
I think space pirates and space entities being interesting will hang on what sort of events/storylines go with them. Current set of missions/storylines for them are dull as fuck. Same with those abandoned mining colonies. All play out exactly the same way, every game. Just as some sort of boss raid sounds a bit dull.
Space pirates that just work like the space monsters are a bit boring. But without a trade system and civil transports represented in the game, piracy makes little sense to me. Pirates - even in space operas - should be a threat to trade, not to military fleets.
Quote from: Zanza on September 07, 2016, 06:12:12 AM
Space pirates that just work like the space monsters are a bit boring. But without a trade system and civil transports represented in the game, piracy makes little sense to me. Pirates - even in space operas - should be a threat to trade, not to military fleets.
Yeah agreed. I thought it odd that they said they wanted to expand space piracy even though there isn't a trade system.
Yep - space piracy at a high level sounds like a cool idea. I like the idea of forcing the player to make choices about fleet builds to handle a particular type of problem that will then potentially make it harder to handle another kind of problem.
In my view, piracy should be a problem that demands that the player do something to resolve it, or at least contain it. The current setup is terribly disappointing. You either have a fleet that can kill them, or you do not. If piracy was that easy to solve, it would never have been the problem it was...
You should not be able to just send a squadron out to some base and kill the pirates - the pirates would never be there when you got there, just like the Royal Navy could not just send a few ships to some port in the Carribbean, have a nice battle, and all the pirates are gone. That would never work, because the pirates would not be there when you arrived, and even if you did manage to catch them, more would sprout up.
Pirates should be a problem that forces the player to spend precious ship slots on cruisers to patrol the trade lanes. If they somehow become wealthy and powerful enough, they could form their own proto-civilizations (like the Barbary Pirates), which would be kind of cool, but hardly something that should always happen.
Different civilizations should have different levels of piracy problems, and different approaches to handling them.
Pirates are handled badly at current. A group always seems to appear super early in the game. Before you often have a military beyond what you start with even.
Then nothing.
Agreed on patrolling. Would give a purpose to fleets in peace time.
Maybe they have to visit asteroid belts and gas giants periodically to ensure they're pirate free
The last bit from Berkut's post is important. A civ that is strongly collective should not have as many home grown pirates as an individualistic civ.
Alexis Kennedy (I don't really know who he is, a sci-fi writer I guess) wrote some new content for Stellaris:
http://weatherfactory.biz/what-ive-just-done-to-stellaris-seven-more-things/
Quote
What I've just done to Stellaris: seven more things
I'm winding up a wagon-load of work on Paradox's Stellaris. This is about what I wrote, and what I learnt while I was writing it.
Paradox gave me a very open brief, but stories of unwise trespass and cosmic horror are what I'm known for – and that's what I saw people anticipating in the comments here. So I've gone full-on space-ghost-story – Event Horizon meets the Twilight Zone.
They did, however, ask me to do a linked series of events, and I can see why – even though Stellaris thrives on a healthy mesh of little unrelated events that you encounter some of on each playthrough. There is so much content in the game that adding a three dozen more beans to the stew wouldn't make much odds, whereas adding, as it were, a rich and spicy sausage is something you'll notice. So it's a substantial sausage – an interactive novelette in size.
Here's some things I found useful when I was putting it together.
1. If a narrative event runs as an interrupt, make sure the first sentence is a grabber. When you're playing Stellaris, you spend much of your time with the (real-time) game running at high speed, mentally juggling multiple goals, waiting for a planet to get colonised or a fleet to reach its destination. If a window pops up to say SOMETHING SOMETHING FLAVOUR, it's immediately tempting to mouse over the reward and click 'OK' without following the detail. The first sentence needs to justify its presence – give the player a cue for urgency ('EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE on Pharos III'), for exaample, or just a strong image. I like the intro for one of the vanilla events in Stellaris: "Immense, ragged planes of shadow drift across Pharos II's face." Concrete, intriguing, unfussy.
2. Choices engage attention. Much more simply, when that text event pops up, if there are two choices whose outcome isn't immediately obvious, that will slow you the hell down and encourage you to engage. One-button click-to-advance is a billboard by the road – it might catch your attention, but it's telling you it's disposable. Two buttons, though, is a fork in the road.
3. People forget... especially in strategy games. Once again, it's worth pointing out that when someone is playing a strategy game, especially a 4x, their brain is busy.
Players rarely remember as much of the copy or the story as game writers want them to. We have to review, gloss, repeat in different formulations. It can feel patronising to say 'Pharos III, where the asteroid hit the nun that one time', but the player might have forgotten all about that nun. They will likely welcome a quick reminder; and this will also often give them the reason to care from (1).
4. If you're working with an unfamiliar toolset, double your time estimates, right out of the gate. I stumbled a bit on my initial estimates for Stellaris, because I was so used to writing so fast in the Failbetter CMS; I knew there'd be spin-up time, but it was a little worse than I expected. It's not just the technology (and I had a very helpful in-house expert); it's the whole concept, the approach, the conventions. It's easy to underestimate what you don't know. Fortunately, I didn't get much behind, because
5. There's no substitute for familiarity with the game. I've got 75 hours in Stellaris, and it made all the difference, especially with the last point. I've been on both sides of this fence, as both client and contractor. I know now that decent familiarity can't be faked. I know too that hiring people who know and like your game is a big deal. It's not a substitute for competence, but it means they get it, it means they'll take much less prep, and it means there's a good chance they actually want to work for you and aren't just filling in time between deadlines.
6. Beg, borrow or build characters. I said in my previous post that it was hard to write a story with no characters. Of course that was shorthand. There are characters in Stellaris, or things that perform those functions – the player / their empire, rival empires, free-floating space beasties. But they don't have distinct motives and arcs in smaller stories.
But Stellaris does have named leaders with quirks. They're more like equippable items than characters, but wherever I could, I made one into a mini-protagonist or antagonist. Clausewitz, the Paradox scripting engine, is sophisticated enough to support this (and it isn't a novel approach – original Stellaris did similar things sometimes too.) This immediately gives the narrative, however short, someone to hinge around.
7. Name meaningful names. So you've got three hundred words, split into several chunks over time to tell a story about the discovery of a mysterious alien corpse. The player will be switching between this and other stories, and the primary game. How do you help them keep track of what was going on?
Well, one thing: for God's sake don't keep referring to 'the mysterious alien corpse' if you can help it. It's vague, it's clumsy and it pumps your word count up needlessly. Sometimes you just have to (see point 3: people forget) but wherever possible, find a label that will stick.
I tend to prefer evocative real words or phrases. The corpse I put in Stellaris, for instance, is the Messenger. You can overdo this (and I have overdone it sometimes), and invented words, especially if they have some aesthetic or etymological relevance, are fine – like the Cybrex in vanilla Stellaris, or peligin [from pelagic/fuligin] in Sunless Sea. But this is the first work I've done that's going to be localised, and I didn't want to make life any harder for the translators than necessary.
So I favoured poetry over neology: the Coils of God, the Horizon Signal, the Worm-in-Waiting. I'm reasonably confident those phrases will be memorable.
Sounds good. They should get some more authors to build some story arcs into the game.
Looks promising.
Played with the star trek mod and it sort of let's you found the federation. Nice.
But mid game - :yawn:
Nobody wants to do anything
The guy says he wrote for Sunless Sea. God, I love the writing on that game so it is promising.
I have to be honest here. I still love the opening part of this game more than any other 4x space game I have played. I will probably get a couple of hundred hours in just designing races and playing the first 50 years of games.
For that, and for me, it was worth the money spent.
PDH, I really suggest you give the mid game a try playing very actively.
There is something lost in that the game doesn't drive the action, but if you drive it, it can be a lot of fun.
Try to take out a ancient empire, for example.
Makes sense if you're playing an evil empire.
Makes it hard to play a peaceful empire though.
No idea if video said anything interesting (don't care for vids) but announcement on expansion sounds like yeah, fair bit more storytelling. Will be interesting to see how much is paid vs. free.
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/15/stellaris-leviathans-expansion/
QuoteParadox have announced the first meaty expansion for their sci-fi strategy epic Stellaris [official site]. It goes by the name Leviathans and they're calling it a 'Story Pack', which makes me think this might be where former Failbetter scribe Alexis Kennedy has been sticking his nib. It seems like a smart place to put him if so. Kennedy was the lead writer on Sunless Sea and the trailer for Leviathans looks an awful lot like it's channeling Terror From the Deep. Take a look.
I cannot wait to scrabble around looking for a Cthulhu's snooze button when I accidentally trip his alarm.
There'll be new music, portrait packs, events and other bits and pieces, but the main attractions are right here in this feature list:
In Stellaris: Leviathans, the galaxy will be filled anew with adventure and challenge as your new and naïve space-faring empire comes face-to-face and ship-to-ship with a host of dangers and rewards.
Guardians: Powerful space entities with mysterious origins and motives. Fight or investigate them to unlock technologies and gain access to great treasures.
Enclaves: Independent outposts of traders and artists who are willing to make a deal. Exchange resources, purchase information about the galaxy, or commission a great work of art for your empire.
War In Heaven: Where will your fledgling empire lie if two ancient Fallen Empires decide to renew old grievances in a War in Heaven? Will you err on the side of caution and take a side with the stronger power, or will you strike at both whilst they are occupied with their own titanic struggle?
Look how tiny your little space empire is! That's what Leviathans seems to be saying, with its ancient Guardians, ominous cosmic scale threats, and wars between deity-level Fallen Empires. I think that's precisely what Stellaris should be saying. Like so many games in its genre, it's strongest when the map is still home to mysteries and at its least interesting when you switch your attention toward controlling rather than discovering.
That Paradox are calling this a story pack may be an acknowledgement that Stellaris is built around a marriage of writing and mechanics in a different way to the studio's grand strategy titles. In Europa Universalis and the rest, the stories generally emerge from the systems as you play, and while it's true that there are event chains to discover, they're not on the same level as the ones found in Stellaris.
In the grand strategy games, you're writing the history of the world as you play. In Stellaris, you're discovering the history of a galaxy, and writing one small chapter. That's why it's good that Leviathans seems to be highlighting how tiny and naive your empire is – in the grand scheme of things, your adventures in space are the blink of an eye. And whatever's waiting out there probably has a billion eyes.
The video is just a short cinematic, but a decently cool one as those things go, IMHO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=REijXUSQrQc
I am excited by the story pack. Since it mentions new music and graphics, I assume there will not be a separately sold content pack?
The patch after Heinlein will be called Banks. Let's see what that entails. Maybe AI, orbitals or interference with less developed societies. Hmm.
Enclaves don't sound that interesting. Mainly like the city-states of Civilisation.
I cannot find a date for this...has anyone seen one?
Quote from: Berkut on September 19, 2016, 11:19:39 AM
I cannot find a date for this...has anyone seen one?
So far they've just send this autumn.
QuoteHello everyone and welcome to another Stellaris development diary. Today we'll continue talking about the Leviathans Story Pack, specifically its headline feature: the Guardians.
The Guardians (Paid Feature)
The Guardians, or Leviathans as they're also known, are space-dwelling beings of immense power. They vary a great deal in biology and composition: Some are enormous space creatures, some are technological remnants of ancient civilizations, and some are something far different altogether. How you find them also varies - some you may encounter in their home systems, jealously guarding their territory, others may be unleashed on the galaxy by exploring the wrong planet or star.
The chance of a particular Guardian being present in your game will depend on the size of your galaxy - a tiny galaxy might only have one or two, while a Huge galaxy might contain nearly all or even all of them if you explore far enough. Defeating them, or in some cases, helping them, will unlock rewards in the form of resources, empire-wide modifiers and unique technologies. Guardians vary in power, but are meant to be a serious challenge for a mid-game empire, so don't expect to be able to bring them down in the first decades of the game.
Below I am going to talk a little about a few of the Guardians. These are just a sample and not nearly all of them, but we want to avoid showing off everything there is for a player to find in the Leviathans Story Pack for those who wish to explore and find out for themselves.
(https://i.imgur.com/lbxZsw1.png)
The Space Dragon
The Space Dragon is a capricious being, jealously guarding its hoard. With this particular Guardian, there is no reasoning or dialogue... it wants to be left alone, and will attack any and all trespassers in its territory. If you wish to get at its hoard, you will have to slay it, and you had best be sure to bring a large enough fleet - anger it enough, and it will not settle for simply driving you off. Should you bring it down, however, the vast mineral riches of its hoard will be yours to claim... and who knows what you might find among the treasures. Technology, artifacts... perhaps even a dragon egg?
(https://i.imgur.com/Bn6VsFK.png)
The Infinity Machine
The Infinity Machine, a strange metal sphere, sits at the edge of a massive black hole, unmoving. It does not attack as you approach, does not communicate, does not even react. It seems to be waiting for something. Perhaps if you find a way to speak with it, you can find out what it wants. Perhaps you can even help it? Or, if you choose, you could simply order your fleet to attack... after all, how much of a threat could a mere metal sphere be?
(https://i.imgur.com/ONcnWFp.png)
Stellarite
What can live inside a star?
What sort of being can withstand, and even thrive in, such immense heat and pressure?
What could be its purpose?
... what does it eat?
(https://i.imgur.com/bf0xnUT.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/iOYyJnC.png)
That's all for today! Next week we'll be talking about changes to the graphics and sound of Stellaris coming in the Heinlein update, as well as a teaser on the more than 20 minutes of new music by Andreas Waldetoft included in the Leviathans Story Pack.
I like that stuff. Exploration is the best feature of Stellaris.
I'm not sure I like paying for it yet.
Also the dragon one seems a bit overpowered - in that let's say you kill it and you have that resource non-habitable planet. Then you better still have the forces to defend that overpowered resource planet from others who could easily poach.
I'll pay for it. I mean I even bought Reaper's Due (which isn't bad). :blush:
Actually, I know I won't pay till it is on discount. They'd have to be offering a helluva lot more content for Stellaris before I'm likely to rush back.
Definitely not paying for that. Like HOI4, it'll probably be a good game in about 4 years after 8-10 DLCs. Probably.
Quote from: Alcibiades on October 01, 2016, 04:21:23 PM
Definitely not paying for that. Like HOI4, it'll probably be a good game in about 4 years after 8-10 DLCs. Probably.
That is my view as well. I was willing to pay for both games initially because I like the concepts so I will support them. But in both cases the execution was poor.
Quote from: crazy canuck on October 02, 2016, 09:15:23 AM
Quote from: Alcibiades on October 01, 2016, 04:21:23 PM
Definitely not paying for that. Like HOI4, it'll probably be a good game in about 4 years after 8-10 DLCs. Probably.
That is my view as well. I was willing to pay for both games initially because I like the concepts so I will support them. But in both cases the execution was poor.
I'm not sure I agree on Stellaris. I don't think the execution was poor just was one that got stale fairly quick.
Give distant worlds, a game that came out in 2010, a spin and compare. And with a couple of expansions released a couple of years ago it's way better, but very complex.
Was pretty disappointed in my purchase to be honest with you. I was very excited for the release. <_<
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2016, 10:13:24 AM
Quote from: crazy canuck on October 02, 2016, 09:15:23 AM
Quote from: Alcibiades on October 01, 2016, 04:21:23 PM
Definitely not paying for that. Like HOI4, it'll probably be a good game in about 4 years after 8-10 DLCs. Probably.
That is my view as well. I was willing to pay for both games initially because I like the concepts so I will support them. But in both cases the execution was poor.
I'm not sure I agree on Stellaris. I don't think the execution was poor just was one that got stale fairly quick.
Well any game that is only good through the first 40 our so turns and then becomes boring for the remainder is not particular well executed.
I don't know. That still gives you a pretty decent time to value ratio.
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2016, 01:26:57 PM
I don't know. That still gives you a pretty decent time to value ratio.
I agree with that. The initial purchase price is well worth the money I spent on the game. I just don't want to sink more into the game until it matures a bit.
Very fair. :)
If I play more than hours than I spent in dollars I figure it's worth it, and I've definitely reached that threshold with Stellaris.
Stellaris has been the best value for a game I've gotten for a straight up buy it game since probably EUII (or whichever one it was we actually played live a bunch).
I'll buy the expansions and DLC. Except for plant based ones.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 04, 2016, 02:22:29 AM
If I play more than hours than I spent in dollars I figure it's worth it, and I've definitely reached that threshold with Stellaris.
That's my totally random "good purchase" meter too.
Quote from: Berkut on October 04, 2016, 08:07:29 AM
Stellaris has been the best value for a game I've gotten for a straight up buy it game since probably EUII (or whichever one it was we actually played live a bunch).
I'll buy the expansions and DLC. Except for plant based ones.
Not a fan of CK2!? :o
QuoteStockholm - October 10th, 2016 - Paradox Interactive today announced the release date and retail price for Leviathans, the upcoming Story Pack for their critically acclaimed strategy game Stellaris. Featuring a host of new content such as Guardians, Enclaves, or the fearsome "War in Heaven", Leviathans is the first Story Pack to be released for one of 2016's biggest strategy hits. Leviathans will be available on Windows, Mac and Linux PCs on October 20th, 2016, priced at $9.99 or local equivalent.
Coupled with the release of Leviathans will be the traditional free update, dubbed "Heinlein". Containing upgrades and improvements for all players, just some of the highlights include:
A convenient Auto-Explore feature.
Rally points for your freshly-assembled Navy.
The Expansion Planner Interface.
An overhaul of Strategic Resources.
Clearer specialization/role for ship types.
More options for customizing new galaxies.
New smarter Sector Governors.
I'll buy it. Seems to be a fair price point. Especially compared to the ridiculously expensive plant alien pack earlier.
Yeah, that's a very reasonable price. I'll probably wait a few weeks for patches, though.
I'll wait quite some time. -_-
Yeah, I'll wait...oh who am I kidding? I will get it the day it is released.
Nice free graphical stuff coming in patch. Much nicer than the paid 'cute' races. :D
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-49-graphics-portraits.974104/
(https://i.imgur.com/7T920fI.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/eCiuERB.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/ZidmdMa.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/q8AVT90.png)
vs.
(https://i.imgur.com/o8ETB8L.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/EC7QSCG.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/yLj7tkf.png)
what's up with the Cardassian?
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/stellaris_patchnotes_1-3-jpg.212600/)
QuoteWhere we stand
As anyone who regularly reads the Stellaris dev diaries should know, the intent for Heinlein changed quite a bit back at the end of the summer. While we had originally planned Heinelin to be an update accompanying a major expansion, we decided instead to scale back the scope of the paid content by making a Story Pack, Leviathans, and focusing most of our resources on the actual free update. Now that Heinlein and Leviathans are out, my conclusion is that this was the right decision on our part. By doing this, we gave ourselves time to iterate on some of our weaker features and add a great deal of UI and quality of life functionality. Heinlein ended up as a *huge* update that we feel moved the game forward in a lot of ways, and judging from the huge amount of positive feedback we have gotten, you guys seem to generally agree with this assessment.
So where *do* we stand? My view is that we now have a very solid base game to build on, and that going forward it's time to scale up our ambitions. To make space even greater, so to speak.
Where we're going
So what's next for Stellaris? I have talked a bit about the planned 'Banks' update, which will be a major update accompanied by a full-sized expansion. This is still the plan, but before we release Banks we have another update, dubbed 'Kennedy', which we aim to release before the end of the year. This will be a small update targeting a few specific key issues, such as precursor event chains and endgame crises, that we did not have time for in Heinlein. After that will be Banks, and while we will not be providing any details about the Banks update or accompanying expansion at this time, I will say that the author name chosen for this update may offer some clues. ;)
What we want
Finally, I just wanted to offer some insight into what we believe are the key areas of the game that we should focus on at this time. We have received, and continue to receive, an amazing amount of good feedback and ideas, and of course we have our own ambitions and ideas for where we want to take Stellaris, but at the moment there are three key areas that we aim to continually target with future updates and content, namely:
Fleshing out the mid- and lategame through the addition of more interesting narratives and 'galactic events' akin to Awakened Fallen Empires that shake up the galactic scene.
Improving the internal workings of empires, making pops and leaders more interesting, and making empires feel more alive.
Expanding on the ethics system, creating more unique playstyles and enhancing roleplaying.
This is of course not the *only* things we aim to focus on, but they are what we consider to be the most important areas going forward right now. Just to give you an idea of what else you can expect in the future, here is a list of some features (in no particular order of priority) that we are looking into adding in the future.
NOTE: THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE OR FINAL LIST, AND NOTHING BELOW IS CERTAIN TO HAPPEN!
-Ship appearance that differs for each empire, so no two empires' ships look exactly the same.
-More story events and reactive narratives that give a sense of an unfolding story as you play.
-More potential for empire customization, ability to build competitive 'tall' empires.
-Deeper Federations that start out as loose alliances and can eventually be turned into single states through diplomatic manuevering.
-Ability to set rights and obligations for particular species in your empire.
-Global food that can be shared between planets.
-Superweapons and planet killers.
-Ability to construct space habitats and ringworlds.
-More interesting mechanics for pre-FTL civilizations.
-Factions that are proper interest groups with specific likes and dislikes and the potential to be a benefit to an empire instead of just being rebels.
-A 'galactic community' with interstellar politics and a 'space UN'.
-Buildable Dreadnoughts and Titans.
Again, remember that the above is not a list of promises, that I can't answer any specific questions about future content, and that plans can and will change, but I hope I've at least given you some idea of where Stellaris will be going from here, and that you look forward to the journey ahead of us as much as we do here in the development team.
Sounds good, although it lacks trade in my opinion.
I am still annyed that that there isn't a centralized means of producing ships.
I end up building everything at one starbase on my home planet because the alternative is just too much of a pain in the ass.
It is slightly less PITA now that they have rally points though...
Some other things I would like to see:
Not just trade, my an economy based on the need for trade, and all the things that can impact that, like piracy and privateering and such. Trade should be a huge deal, I think. I would love to see special resources, for example, that are very region specific, and hence hard to find outside particular areas, forcing trade.
A much more sophisticated military system. Not combat per se, but just more around your navies and armies. Right now your military is just a blob of ships and a leader. I would like to see fleets, squadrons, and limits on them such that there is a reason to break you navy up into pieces, rather than having all 500 ships in one giant blob.
Of course, that would allow for a lot of interesting differentiation - some races better at big blob tactics, others better at multiple smaller groupings, etc., etc.
In 1 game, I renamed 4 Planets to the type of ships I would be building there & then only use those Shipyards to build my fleets.
That was before Rally points tho.
I am enjoying it so far (well, mostly the same as I had before the patch).
Perhaps my primary peeve (and not a new one)...systems with several planets/moons/asteroids, but a system survey comes up with absolutely zilch. While I know that is realistically possible, as you cannot terraform dead/barren worlds, those systems are essentially just a complete waste of space, that can never really be used for anything ever...so what is the point of allowing them to happen?
It does seem odd to have a planet or an asteroid doesn't have any "minerals" or a star that lacks "energy".
Quote from: Tonitrus on October 29, 2016, 08:03:20 PM
I am enjoying it so far (well, mostly the same as I had before the patch).
Perhaps my primary peeve (and not a new one)...systems with several planets/moons/asteroids, but a system survey comes up with absolutely zilch. While I know that is realistically possible, as you cannot terraform dead/barren worlds, those systems are essentially just a complete waste of space, that can never really be used for anything ever...so what is the point of allowing them to happen?
they'd make sense if they were strategic places in the spacelanes-web.
Has something changed about the naming of random Empires? I've re-rolled a few times, and it seems every game has a "Shark" something (home system Predatorus or some such), "Shadow" something, "Scaveng" something, "Sosa" something etc. I feel there was more variety before.
Or perhaps it's due to a names mod I'm using. :hmm:
Quote from: Tonitrus on October 29, 2016, 08:03:20 PM
I am enjoying it so far (well, mostly the same as I had before the patch).
Perhaps my primary peeve (and not a new one)...systems with several planets/moons/asteroids, but a system survey comes up with absolutely zilch. While I know that is realistically possible, as you cannot terraform dead/barren worlds, those systems are essentially just a complete waste of space, that can never really be used for anything ever...so what is the point of allowing them to happen?
I have always (and it is not unique to Stellaris) seen the minimal value systems as not devoid of resources, but rather of minimal positive gain to extract - i.e. the surplus is not more than the value to gain the objective. Perhaps just a made up justification, but for me it helps.
Is this game good.
I'm a little bored with CK2 and EU4.
Quote from: Caliga on November 08, 2016, 11:59:14 AM
Is this game good.
I'm a little bored with CK2 and EU4.
I find it to be a lot of fun and well worth the price. Very good game with the potential to be great as they continue to work on it.
More stuff.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-horizon-signal-available-now.986624/
QuoteHorizon Signal Update For Stellaris Adds New Mysteries
Paradox SciFi Sim Gets Free Boost From Renowned Game Writer
STOCKHOLM - 05 December 2016 - A new and rich storyline has been added to the already deep well of events and occurrences in Stellaris, the hit grand strategy space epic from Paradox Development Studios. A signal in distant space is calling out to your empire. What does this entity want, and how does it know who you are?
Horizon Signal is written by Alexis Kennedy, a British writer best known for his work at Failbetter Games, which he co-founded. His writing for Sunless Sea and Fallen London has been widely acclaimed, and now he is scribing new stories for Stellaris.
This story update is free for all Stellaris owners and highlights one of the great strengths of the game – its ability to tell stories that entertain and entrance without distracting you from the core strategic gameplay.
Horizon Signal is available now.
FAQ
How do I get this new content?
- Just make sure that you are online on Steam and it should be automatically added. You can check the DLC tab in the launcher to make sure.
Will the Horizon Signal content be available in already started games, or do I need to start a new game to access it?
- Even if you are playing a save that was started before the release of Horizon Signal, the event chain can still occur in your game.
What exactly is the new content?
- It's a somewhat rare event chain that can potentially be triggered at any time in your game.
I can't see Horizon Signal in my DLC list, neither in the launcher or Steam
- Restart Steam by exiting properly and starting it again.
And:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/update-1-4-released-checksum-54ed-not-for-problem-reports.986612/
Quote##############################################################
####################### VERSION 1.4.0 ########################
##############################################################
###################
# Leviathans Story Pack
###################
* Added new introduction event for the Artisan Troupe
* Added encounter event for the Enigmatic Fortress
###################
# Features
###################
* Added 33 new achievements
* No longer possible to build robots on planets belonging to sectors
* Added victory event after defeating the Prethoryn Scourge
* Added new events for discovering additional Precursor anomalies, so that the quest chains can always be completed
* Changed the way the Extradimensionals work: Instead of spawning reinforcements as soon as a fleet is lost, the Extradimensional portal will create new fleets at a fixed rate depending on the number of dimensional anchors the Extradimensionals have placed in the galaxy. Dimensional anchors are a type of station that the Extradimensionals construct, and their main portal is invincible while any dimensional anchors exist in the galaxy. This should make the war against the Extradimensionals more of a long-term fight and less of a surgical strike against the portal.
###################
# Balance
###################
#General
* Evasion is now capped at 90%
* Ship mineral maintenance reduced from 0.5% to 0.4% of ship cost
* Ship energy maintenance reduced from 0.5% to 0.4% of ship cost
* Afterburners now use the auxiliary slot
* Regular empires now start with 8 pops
* Primitive farms and factories can now be upgraded directly to hydroponics farms/mining networks
* Pirate ships have been reworked slightly and buffed in most cases
* Primitives are now consistent in how many pops, farms and factories they get on each age of development, and get new pops, armies and buildings when advancing through the ages
* Stone age primitives now generate fewer tile blockers
* Space Torpedoes technology now requires Fusion Missiles instead of Nuclear Missiles
* Venerable trait cost reduced from 5 to 4
* Mineral Silos are now restricted to 1 per planet
* Increased max minerals from Mineral Silos from +1000/+1500/+2000 to +2000/+3000/+4000
* Level 3 mineral silo now only provides +1 mineral per adjacent tile
* Increased protectorate tech discount to 95%
* Protectorates can no longer conduct independent diplomacy
* Repeatable technologies have their base cost increased from 1500 to 3000 and their increasing cost increased from 480 to 1000
* Slave Processing Plant now gives +10% slave food/mineral production instead of +5%
* Reduced spawn odds of tomb worlds
* Increased frequency of alien pet deposits
* Reduced warscore costs for planetary and vassalisation wargoals
* Doubled Pre-Sentient Anomaly spawn chances
* Fixed CTD when generating a certain tooltip while the player has no planets
* Pops are no longer upset if an occupier purges Pops on one of your planets
# Components
* Space Torpedo mineral cost reduced from 20 to 10
* Space Torpedo power usage reduced from 20 to 10
* Space Torpedo maximum damage reduced from 260 to 215
* Space Torpedo armor penetration set to 50%
* Armored Torpedo mineral cost reduced from 40 to 15
* Armored Torpedo power usage reduced from 40 to 15
* Armored Torpedo damage reduced from 150-300 to 140-280
* Armored Torpedo armor penetration set to 50%
* Devastator Torpedo mineral cost reduced from 60 to 20
* Devastator Torpedo power usage reduced from 60 to 20
* Devastator Torpedo armor penetration set to 50%
* Devastator Torpedo missile HP reduced from 8 to 6
###################
# AI
###################
#War
* Federation AI is now better at picking wargoals for non-conqueror federations, will focus on retaking planets and liberating larger countries
#Sector
* Major work done to sector AI to make it better at budgeting and utilizing resources
#Diplomacy
* AI will now sometimes gift countries that are at war with their rivals and threats
* AI will no longer ask you to become their vassal multiple times in a row
* AI is now less keen to accept a lot of defensive pacts
* Slowed down AI requests for federation membership/association status to prevent message spam
#Misc
* Fixed a bug where AI would send fleets to deal with pirates, only to retreat due to pirates being stronger
* Fixed a bug where AI was trying to build buildings on tiles that had presentients on them
###################
# User Interface
###################
* Added a setting to disable all auto-unpausing from popups
* Clicking on some resource icons in top bar no longer opens tabs due to being inconsistent
* Construction Ship now sends notification 'fleet order finished' only when the last construction in the queue is finished
* Planet view colonize button opens same surface view window as when planet is clicked from expansion planner
* 'Closed Borders' and 'Truce' are shown as diplomatic statuses
###################
# Bugfixes
###################
* Garrisons are now properly shown and spawned on occupied worlds.
* Fleets will now prioritize spaceports and military stations over other stations (such as mining stations) in combat.
* Close borders wargoal now forces borders open for the duration of the truce regardless of rivalry status, etc.
* Ships and weapon components targeting logic now correctly accounts for evasion, so large weapons are much less likely to target corvettes etc
* Fixed armor absorbing too much damage if the ship also had shields left
* Fixed very high armor values negating the effects of armor penetration
* Fixed auto generated ship designs getting wrong combat computers
* Swarm units have had their sound volume adjusted
* Spaceport no longer provide Naval Capacity while under construction
* Fleet view shows current fleet activity instead of order description
* Vassals and overlords no longer gives sensor to each other while at war
* Sector AI will spend own resources instead of players resources when upgrading spaceports
* Uplift species button is locked if no species can be found on any owned planet
* Fixed a bug where some leaders could live forever
* Planets with Stone Age Primitives will no longer generate Anomalies
* Tzynn Empire now starts with the proper number of trait points
* Fixed Nomads getting wrong opinion modifier and habitability trait when allowed to settle on a planet
* Launcher MOD tab scrollbar appears with correct position and size when content overflows container
* Fixed a rare case of portrait duplication caused by prescripted species templates
* Fixed so that NPC ship designs now correctly have PD slots for their PD weapons
* Situation Log entry list of counters grows up instead of down
* Savannah and Alpine worlds now have proper localization in the start screen
* Fixed typo in Frontier Hospital technology description
* Fixed a bug where upgrade fleet progress could display numbers above 100%
* Fixed some outdated hotkey references in tutorial texts
* Fixed frantic twitching animation in diplomacy window for main species
* Fixed reversed fanatic/militarist bonus to rivalry influence
* Fixed some potential event spam when running on high speeds during War in Heaven
* Planet edict modifiers are applied to pops again. Use planet modifier categories when applying planet edict modifiers
* Fixed Continental, Savanna and Alpine worlds not being used for primitive civs
* Enclave governments now get a new ruler when the first one dies
* Primitives that nuke themselves will no longer leave pops on a tomb world where they have no habitability
* Fixed some ships getting stuck in a looping death animation
* Fixed CTD when looking at a ship that fired a shot during the same frame as it died
* Fixed CTD that could happen if ground combat was started on a planet without owner
* Garrison from Pops will no longer spawn on planets that have already been occupied
* Fixed CTD that could happen when assigning a new mission to an observation station
* Fixed various issues with Swarm behaviour
###################
# Graphics
###################
* Tweaked humanoid 02 and 05 portraits
* Added updated clothes textures
* Added fixed clothes for humanoid 05
* Arthropoid battleships sections now all line up
* Galaxy view textures have been updated.
* Extradimensionals' death effects have been updated.
###################
# Modding
###################
* Event chain counter max = -1 means max is ignored. Default value is -1
* Added count_countries trigger
* Script trigger pop_percentage = { percentage > 0.1 limit = { is_robot_pop = yes } }
* new trigger won_with_condition = domination_victory
* Added trigger num_strategic_resources
###################
# Performance
###################
* Misc performance improvements
Quote* Added a setting to disable all auto-unpausing from popups
Finally! That was driving my mildly nuts.
I've still yet to go back. -_-
Stellaris has some major flaws that make the mid game dull and repetitive, but I really like the aspect of exploration which is only strengthened by DLCs like this one.
This that will happen in an eventual 1.5 patch seems nice.
QuotePop Ethics Rework
Another mechanic that never quite felt satisfying is the ethics divergence mechanic. Not only is it overly simplified with just a single value determining if pops go towards or from empire ethics, the shift rarely makes sense: Why would xenophobe alien pops diverge away from xenophobe just because they're far away from the capital of a xenophobic empire? Furthermore, the fact that pops could have anything from one to three different ethics made it extremely difficult to actually quantify what any individual pop's ethics actually mean for how they relate to the empire. For this reason we've decided to revamp the way pop ethics work in the following way:
Each pop in your empire will now only embrace a single, non-fanatic ethic. At the start of the game, your population will be made of up of only the ethics that you picked in species setup, but as your empire grows, its population will become more diverse in their views and wants.
Each ethic now has an attraction value for each pop in your empire depending on both the empire's situation and their own situation. For example, enslaved pops tend to become more egalitarian, while pops living around non-enslaved aliens become more xenophilic (and pops living around enslaved aliens more xenophobic). Conversely, fighting a lot of wars will increase the attraction for militarism across your entire empire, while an alien empire purging pops of a particular species will massively increase the attraction for xenophobic for the species being purged.
Over time, the ethics of your pops will drift in such a way that it roughly matches the overall attraction of that value. For example, if your materialist attraction sits at 10% for decades, it's likely that after that time, around 10% of your pops will be materialist. There is some random factor so it's likely never going to match up perfectly, but the system is built to try and go towards the mean, so the more overrepresented an ethic is compared to its attraction, the more likely pops are to drift away from it and vice versa.
Faction Rework
One thing we feel is currently missing from Stellaris is agency for your pops. Sure, they have their ethics and will get upset if you have policies that don't suit them, but that's about the only way they have of expressing their desires, and there is no tie-in between pop ethics and the politics systems in the game. To address this and also to create a system that will better fit the new pop ethics, we've decided to revamp the faction system in the following manner:
Factions are no longer purely rebel groupings, but instead represent political parties, popular movements and other such interest groups, and mostly only consist of pops of certain ethics. For example, the Supremacist faction desires complete political dominance for their own species, and is made up exclusively of Xenophobic pops, while the Isolationist faction wants diplomatic isolation and a strong defense, and can be joined by both Pacifist and Xenophobe pops. You do not start the game with any factions, but rather they will form over the course of the game as their interests become relevant
Factions have issues related to their values and goals, and how well the empire responds to those issues will determine the overall happiness level of the faction. For example, the Supremacists want the ruler to be of their species and are displeased by the presence of free alien populations in the empire. They will also get a temporary happiness boost whenever you defeat alien empires in war.
The happiness level of a faction determines the base happiness of all pops belonging to it. This means that where any pop not belonging to a faction has a base happiness of 50%, a pop belonging to a faction that have their happiness reduced to 35% because of their issues will have a base happiness of only 35% before any other modifiers are applied, meaning that displeasing a large and influential faction can result in vastly reduced productivity across your empire. As part of this, happiness effects from policies, xenophobia, slavery, etc have been merged into the faction system, so engaging in alien slavery will displease certain factions instead of having each pop individually react to it.
Factions have an influence level determined by the number of pops that belong to it. In addition to making its pops happier, a happy faction will provide an influence boost to their empire.
They'll build one of the better features of Civ V into the game:
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/2016_12_15_3-png.224376/)
I don't see how that's all so great...
Anyone played at all lately?
Awakened empires much fun?
Just today I have started playing with that Star Trek mod. Kinda fun as humans as early you get the founding federation nations wanting to have migration treaties with you. Also those migrations can then trigger resentment so within a decade or so in, I started having xenophobic pops on Mars pushing for Martian independence.
Quote from: garbon on December 21, 2016, 08:18:33 PM
Just today I have started playing with that Star Trek mod. Kinda fun as humans as early you get the founding federation nations wanting to have migration treaties with you. Also those migrations can then trigger resentment so within a decade or so in, I started having xenophobic pops on Mars pushing for Martian independence.
Via a scripted event, Mars eventually revolted as a result of Vulcan pops in my empire/ scripted crackdown after a Vulcanised was murdered. Vulcan ai (coincidentally?) then cancelled our freedom of migration agreement.
After crushing the rebellion, another faction formed for Martian independence until eventually most settlers on Mars were Vulcan and there was no longer a problem with xenophobia. :D
I like where this is going - but if it is only lategame, it might be too late for me as I find the midgame boring. :sleep:
QuoteAscension Perks
The idea behind the Ascension Perks is to provide more unique unlockable features for Empires, and to provide the player with the ability to determine an 'endgame' for their species: What their empire is striving towards. Perhaps your goal is to go all-in on AI, replacing the frail biological bodies of your pops with immortal machines, or to harness the psionic potential of your species and reach a higher form of existence, allowing your empire to tap into other planes of being? All these and more are covered by the Ascension Perk system.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/2017_01_12_2-png.230573/)
Each time you complete a Tradition tree, you will unlock one Ascension Perk slot, of which there are 8 in total. There may also be other ways to unlock slots, such as from certain rare technologies or as a reward for a particular event chain. This slot can then be filled with any of the Ascension Perks available to you. The final number of perks is not yet set down, but there are currently more than 20 and there will likely be more added. Ascension Perks have pre-requisites, which can for example be a particular technology or tradition, a certain number of Ascension Perk slots to be unlocked, or a specific ethos or government type. Some Ascension Perks are one-offs that simply provide a bonus to a particular area of your empire: For example, a bonus to border range, or cheaper terraforming. Others unlock new features, such as the ability to construct new types of space structures (more on in later dev diaries).
Finally there are the three 'Species Endgame' paths: The biological path, the spiritual path and the synthetic path. These three paths each consist of two perks, the first of which unlocks access to the second once a number of other pre-requisites have been met. The paths are mutually exclusive, and once you start heading down one of them, the other two are locked off.
The Biological Path focuses on mastery over biological evolution. The first level of it gives access to more gene points and significantly cuts the cost of genemodding projects, while the second level expands the options available during genemodding in addition to further providing more points and less cost.
The Psionic Path focuses on developing the psionic potential of your population. The first level unlocks new psionic technologies and benefits, while the second level allows your empire to reach a higher level of existance and communicate with the beings present there.
The Synthetic Path focuses on the replacement of biology with machinery. The first level allows you to turn your population partly synthetic through the use of cybernetics, while the second level replaces your biological pops with robots, turning your empire entirely synthetic.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/2017_01_12_1-png.230571/)
That's all for today! Next week we'll be talking about the concept of species rights and obligations.
Latest update seems like they went a bit over the top in letting you decide policies towards different species individually. Crazy amount of policy choices particularly with the paid features. :D
Course more detail is appreciated particularly given that the choices are a bit cosmetic/role playing.
Oh and pops will now have needs (consumer goods). Just energy/mineral suck though not what Vic had.
Sounds like a good DLC and patch to me so far. I'll get it of course.
I hope the patch after that will make warfare more interesting. The current doomstack wipes enemy fleet and then a long, long siege campaign starts which will then grant you 2 or 3 out of 100 enemy planets thing is a bit boring...
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/c22_mitxaaeewej-jpg.233044/)
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/c27ub1rxuaa_jhr_2-jpg.233215/)
Watching cKnoor and Wiz's newest stream. Looks like there's been a fair number of changes since I last played. Going to have to buy the latest DLC and get back into this once I get home.
Can't say the features in the new DLC do much for me, besides giving viability to "tall" empires. I'll probably still get it soon after release, since I'm itchy to get back to the game.
I'll continue to pass and wait for deep discounts.
I'll get it on release day or briefly thereafter. I like Stellaris and would like to play it again, but I'll wait for the DLC.
I may actually buy this DLC, meaning I'll probably also pick up the previous one that I've delayed buying.
I seem to play Stellaris regularly enough, and the DLC has enough features, to justify it.
Anyone using any mods they could recommend?
Quote from: garbon on February 02, 2017, 06:10:58 PM
I'll continue to pass and wait for deep discounts.
I saw an ad for a sale.
https://www.paradoxplaza.com/stellaris/stellaris-for-beginners?utm_source=adroll&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=stel_stellaris_adroll-fb_us-ca_20170202_sale&utm_term=cpc&utm_content=banner
Psychic stuff looks fun.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-60-psionics-and-the-shroud.998827/
2nd week of Stellaris additions looking good.
Thinking about it. One big fix to the core mechanics could be in better tactics for fleets.
Right now they're limited to getting within half a system of the enemy and charging.
There should be versatility. Like try to hit and run, try and keep them at a distance and use big guns, charge in and bring maximum guns to bear ASAP, etc..
The biggest problem with Stellaris right now is that warfare is not much fun. You wipe out the enemy fleet with your deathstack and then it is very tedious and click-intensive sieging of planets which yields you very few results, at most like 3-4 planets per war.
Quote from: Zanza on February 17, 2017, 11:36:06 AM
The biggest problem with Stellaris right now is that warfare is not much fun. You wipe out the enemy fleet with your deathstack and then it is very tedious and click-intensive sieging of planets which yields you very few results, at most like 3-4 planets per war.
True story. The whole armies thing isn't all that fun either - just make sure you bring sufficient forces to take out whatever they may have on the planet.
Yeah, the military part of it is kind of blah.
I actually think it could be greatly improved by a bit more randomness. Create fleets, and let fleets fight. But make it so that a given fleet is limited in size, so that a big empire has MORE fleets, not a larger doom stack.
But those fleets themselves can be defeated by even a smaller empires fleets, because the fleets can only be so potent individually.
That would give the combat much more of a tactical/operational feel.
The 'more guys usually wins' problem is an issue in alot of Paradox games. Quantity has a big quality. I hate that in CK2 where there is not even a big tech difference. The Mongols usually win because they are just a massive doom stack, when historically they tended to be pretty heavily outnumbered and win anyway.
Quote from: Zanza on February 17, 2017, 11:36:06 AM
The biggest problem with Stellaris right now is that warfare is not much fun. You wipe out the enemy fleet with your deathstack and then it is very tedious and click-intensive sieging of planets which yields you very few results, at most like 3-4 planets per war.
Yep.
The star trek mod with its bigger systems helps a bit but still, literally your fleet gets in the same half of the system as the enemy and its "Charge!".
There is no game to the war. Just have a bigger fleet=win.
Quote from: Valmy on February 17, 2017, 01:48:53 PM
The 'more guys usually wins' problem is an issue in alot of Paradox games. Quantity has a big quality. I hate that in CK2 where there is not even a big tech difference. The Mongols usually win because they are just a massive doom stack, when historically they tended to be pretty heavily outnumbered and win anyway.
Well CK varies a little bit though. Nomads are pretty tough if you are fighting on open plains even when they are smaller.
I had found Sol before either as human space empire or as primitives, but this is the first time I find it as a tomb world. Thanks Trump. :P
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fy7bJjhp.jpg&hash=8090b33dc371ec71c432fa2aa00c905cbd9f6ed8)
Cockroach :lol:
Didn't know tomb worlds could get natives.
The cockroaches should have little orange wigs, childish but fun!
The cockroaches are Muslims.Derka derka.
A teaser on Twitter suggests that there is a new "hive mind" ethics/government combination:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C5GvgmlWcAA9CYX.jpg)
The game doesnt need more options for creating a playable race. It needs more content for what happens after you create your race.
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 20, 2017, 11:44:01 PM
The game doesnt need more options for creating a playable race. It needs more content for what happens after you create your race.
Indeed....
RPS gushing over the Star Trek mod:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/22/stellaris-star-trek-new-horizons-mod/
Quote from: Syt on February 22, 2017, 04:18:54 PM
RPS gushing over the Star Trek mod:
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/02/22/stellaris-star-trek-new-horizons-mod/
Downloaded. Looks cool. I can't believe that it's integrated right into Steam like that. I know CBS is fairly lax about fan projects as long as they don't charge money, but still...
I'll play a bit and report back.
Looks pretty cool, though I'm more reminded how I like Stellaris, then how cool the ST mod is.
Like the author of the RPS article though, I played the shit out of ST: BOTF back in the day, and this does appear to be better than that.
Needs more playtime...
I demand BOTF 2.
My main issue with BOTF was that it only had the TNG license instead of allowing for progress through the eras which was a major immersion breaker to me. The Star Trek mods for Distant Worlds did the same (there was a Kirk Era mod, and a Picard Era mod).
So I'm glad to see the mod allow a progression in that regard.
I thnk this also makes the Star Trek universe very suited to a 4X total conversion, because it covers centuries of history, unlike e.g. B5 which is focused on a few years.
I've been holding off on the Horizons ST mod until it was "finished" (as much as these things are ever finished). So it's in a good state to play a full game in it?
Quote from: celedhring on February 23, 2017, 08:05:08 AM
I've been holding off on the Horizons ST mod until it was "finished" (as much as these things are ever finished). So it's in a good state to play a full game in it?
I've never played a full game of Stellaris, so I can't say, but as I posted a few pages back, I was having fun tooling around with it.
The ST mod is not finished in that there are details that are clear not done (IE some descriptions of components that are listed as "TBD"). But the breadth and depth of the mod is truly impressive.
COmplete re-work of a lot of core components of the game. I think it is very worth playing, at least as the Humans - I don't know if the other playable races have been as fleshed out...
Quote from: Berkut on February 23, 2017, 08:57:29 AM
COmplete re-work of a lot of core components of the game. I think it is very worth playing, at least as the Humans - I don't know if the other playable races have been as fleshed out...
I believe from the posts throughout there thread that Federation has most content followed by Klingons/Romulans.
Quote from: celedhring on February 23, 2017, 08:05:08 AM
I've been holding off on the Horizons ST mod until it was "finished" (as much as these things are ever finished). So it's in a good state to play a full game in it?
It feels "finished". There is probably some balancing that needs to happen. Lots of in-game tool tips are "TBD", so you have to guess at what various technologies might do.
However I'm feeling a little frustrated with it (although after sinking 10+ hours into it, which is pretty good for a free game). It feels a lot like EU2 - history simulated via multiple-choice events. Which is initially cool, but feels like history in a straight-jacket. I've also failed the Xindi invasion thread twice. It's not that it's super -hard, but if you make a mistake the consequences are bad enough you have to start over.
The trouble with the star trek mod is the scale. Stellaris galaxies are just too small, it's too easy to explore to the far end of the delta quadrant from the start and if a race has more than one system they're a pretty large blob.
The federation is also a bit too all powerful.
Did they implement new members joining the federation yet?
Quote from: Tyr on February 27, 2017, 01:36:48 PM
The trouble with the star trek mod is the scale. Stellaris galaxies are just too small, it's too easy to explore to the far end of the delta quadrant from the start and if a race has more than one system they're a pretty large blob.
The federation is also a bit too all powerful.
That wasn't what it felt like when I gave it a try. Also, fleet limits were pretty low.
The DLC comes on 6th of April for 20 bucks.
Quote from: garbon on February 27, 2017, 03:02:46 PM
Quote from: Tyr on February 27, 2017, 01:36:48 PM
The trouble with the star trek mod is the scale. Stellaris galaxies are just too small, it's too easy to explore to the far end of the delta quadrant from the start and if a race has more than one system they're a pretty large blob.
The federation is also a bit too all powerful.
That wasn't what it felt like when I gave it a try. Also, fleet limits were pretty low.
That is probably the one non-Trek specific thing that I think is great about the Trek mod.
A "fleet" is a dozen ships or something, not 200.
Here's what they noted recently as the main starts that have specific events for them:
QuoteUnited Earth, Andorians, Tellarites, Klingons, Ferengi, Romulans, Cardassians and Kazon have empire specific events, while everyone has access to a range of generic Trek events.
Notes for the patch that comes with the expansion next week.
Quote#################################################################
########################## VERSION 1.5.0 ########################
#################################################################
###################
# Expansion Features
###################
# Megastructures
* Habitat stations added to the game. Requires Voidborne ascension perk. Function like planets once built, but they have their own set of buildings
* Ring Worlds added to the game. Requires The Circle of Life ascension perk. Buildable in multiple stages around most stars and function like four size-25 Gaia planets, but consume all other planets in the system
* Dyson Sphere added to the game. Requires Galactic Wonders ascension perk. Buildable in multiple stages around certain stars
* Science Nexus added to the game. Requires Galactic Wonders ascension perk. Buildable in multiple stages around planets
* Sentry Array added to the game. Requires Galactic Wonders ascension perk. Buildable in multiple stages around planets
# Ascension Perks
* 20 ascension perks have been added to the game. An ascension perk slot is unlocked whenever a tradition category is finished. In addition, one ascension perk slot can be unlocked through technology
* Ascension perks have 3 major paths that are exclusive. One path focuses on psionics and establishing contact with The Shroud, a second path focuses on biological mastery and genetic modification, and the third path focuses on turning your species into fully synthetic androids
# Indoctrinate Natives
* Observation Stations have a new mission type that will attempt to change primitive civilizations' ethics, over time, to mirror your empire's
# Unique Civics
* Fanatic Purifiers is a civic that gives you significant military bonuses, but will automatically purge any alien Pops in your empire and make most diplomatic options unavailable
* Syncretic Evolution is a civic that allows you to start with a second, "workhorse" species on your homeworld
* Mechanists is a civic that allows you to start with a few robot Pops, and the technology to build more
# Hive Mind
* This special ethic prevents you from having any other ethics, but will also mean that none of your Pops will be affected by happiness. Pops with the Hive-Minded trait ethic may only live in Hive Mind empires, and will slowly die out if they find themselves in a non-Hive Mind empire
# Technology
* NEW: Ascension Theory technology added to the game
* NEW: Mega Engineering technology added to the game
# Traits
* Added 5 new traits exclusive to the Biological Ascension Path
# Components
* Psionic Shields component has been added to the game
# Buildings
* Habitat buildings added to the game
# Additonal Species Rights
* Added 3 new Purge types: Processing, Neutering and Forced Labor. Processing kills a species at a moderate speed, with each Pop being purged producing a fixed amount of food. Forced Labor kills a species slowly, but allows them to continue producing resources as though they were enslaved. Neutering kills a species very slowly, with only moderate happiness and production penalties
* Added 3 new Slavery types: Domestic Servitude, Battle Thralls and Livestock. Domestic Servants get moderate penalties to all production types, but provide happiness for other Pops on the planet. Battle Thralls get small penalties to energy production and moderate research penalties, and can be used for special slave armies. Livestock do not produce any minerals, energy or research, but produce extra food per Pop
# Music
* Added 5 new tracks composed by Andreas Waldetoft, for a total of about 25 new minutes of music
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# Free Features
###################
# Important
* Added Authoritarian ethics
* Added Egalitarian ethics
* Removed Collectivist ethics
* Removed Individualist ethics
* Government system has been completely reworked and Civics have been added to the game, allowing for far more customization when creating your empire's government
* Traditions and Unity added to the game. Unity is a new resource that is used to unlock Traditions
* Food is now stored and distributed empire-wide instead of being local to individual planets. When food reaches the empire storage cap, surplus food contributes to increased Pop growth across the empire
* Pops now have a monthly mineral cost called Consumer Goods. How large this cost it depends on what living standards are set for their species in the empire
* Reworked ethics attraction. Pops now only have a single ethic, and their attraction to different ethics depends on a wide variety of factors such as their traits, the empire's governing ethics and policies, the local conditions on their planet, and so on
* Reworked the faction system. Factions are now political movements with specific issues rather than rebels, and have a happiness level based on how well your empires' policies and actions fulfill those issues. Faction happiness determines their member Pops' base happiness, and factions with high happiness will provide an influence boost to the empire they are a part of
* Unrest is a new mechanic that affects planets. Unrest is generated by unhappy Pops and slaves, and can reduce productivity and in extreme cases spark rebellions. Unrest can be lowered by certain buildings or by garrisoning armies
* Added the ability to Displace Pops as an alternative method of Purging, this forces them to move out of the empire instead of killing them
* Pops that are being purged will now sometimes manage to escape to other empires
* Added a policy for whether an empire accepts refugees (Pops that are being Purged or Displaced) from other empires
* Added a new policy for which Pops are allowed to live on an empires' core (non-sector) planets
* Added a policy that determines whether an empire tolerates pre-sentients living on their planets
* Added a music player that lets you select which tracks you want to play, play specific tracks on demand, and toggle shuffle mode on and off
# Species Rights
* Added the ability to set Species Rights for individual species. Slavery and Purging is handled through this interface instead of on an individual Pop basis
# Misc.
* Added a war demand to dismantle Frontier Outposts
* Ship engine-trails will now be colored by their empire's primary color
* Kingdom of Yondarim prescripted empire has been reworked
* You are no longer at war with rebels when they take over a planet
* Stone Age Civilizations now work like other primitives and have Pops instead of simply being tile blockers
* Added "Yurantic Crystals", a new strategic resource that improves energy weapon damage
* Becoming a patron of the Artisan Troupe enclave now has an up-front cost
* Being a patron of the Artisan Troupe enclave now gives +15% Unity generation
* It is now possible to terraform barren planets that have the "Terraforming Candidate" modifier if you possess the Atmospheric Manipulation tech. Mars is such a world by default
* Pioneering Terminal spaceport module removed from the game
* You can now choose room background in the ruler customization view
* New shader for Stations that are under construction
# Events
* Being the first to find a Precursor homeworld now yields a significant amount of Unity
* Precursor anomalies are now player-only
* When your patronage ends, the Artisan Troupe will contact you for renewal
* Limbo event chain expanded
# Technology
* NEW: Interstellar Campaigns technology added to the game
* NEW: Galactic Campaigns technology added to the game
* NEW: Colonial Bureaucracy technology added to the game
* NEW: Galactic Bureaucracy technology added to the game
* NEW: Subdermal Stimulation technology added to the game
* NEW: Cultural Heritage starting technology added to game
* NEW: Heritage Site technology added to game
* NEW: Hypercomms Forum technology added to game
* NEW: Autocurating Vault technology added to game
* NEW: Holographic Rituals technology added to the game
* NEW: Transcendent Faith technology added to the game
* NEW: Assembly Patterns technology added to the game
* NEW: Construction Templates rare technology added to the game
* Assembly Algorithms repeatable technology now belongs to the engineering category instead of physics
* Frontier Initiatives technology removed from the game
* Frontier Traditions technology removed from the game
* Frontier Collectives technology removed from the game
* Frontier Commissars technology removed from the game
* Paradise Dome technology removed
* Manifest Destiny technology has been removed from the game
* Propaganda Transmissions technology has been removed from the game
# Buildings
* Symbol of Unity building now produces 2 unity and provides +5% happiness
* Visitor Center building now requires Alien Tourism tradition
* Paradise Dome building now requires Paradise Dome tradition
* NEW: Autochthon Monument is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Heritage Site is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Hypercomms Forum is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Auto-Curating Vault is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Temple is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Holotemple is a new building that provides Unity
* NEW: Citadel of Faith is a new building that provides Unity
* Grand Mausoleum removed from the game
# Traits
* NEW: Wasteful trait added to the game
* NEW: Conservational trait added to the game
* Decadent trait now requires authoritarian or xenophobe ethics
# Components
* NEW: Psionic Shields component has been added to the game
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# Balance
###################
# Important
* New Worlds Protocol is now a starting technology
* Core Sector Systems base value reduced from 5 to 3. Added new early/mid game technologies and traditions to raise it
* Planets still under colonization do not count against the Core Sector Systems limit
* When designing an empire, you must now always pick the full amount of ethics points
* Capital buildings no longer produce food and minerals, but instead produce energy and unity. Food production of Hydroponics Farms was increased to compensate
* Added Interceptor Ship Stern section for Destroyers
* The maximum number of armies garrisoned on a planet now depends on planet size, with 1 garrison slot per planet size
* (UTOPIA owners): Gene Warriors can only be unlocked if you have the Engineered Evolution ascension perk, still available through tech if Utopia is not activated
* (UTOPIA owners): Psi Armies can only be unlocked if you have the Mind Over Matter ascension perk, still available through tech if Utopia is not activated
# Misc.
* Anomaly Fail Risk is no longer set manually, but rather completely based on the level of the anomaly
* Abandoned mining/research stations will now decay and disappear over time
* Curator Enclaves can no longer spawn with broken ring worlds
* Pitharan Dust effect on food output reduced from +20% to +10%
* Talented trait point cost reduced from 2 to 1
* Most event-generated ships can no longer be upgraded
* Doubled likelihood of triggering Horizon Signal event chain when a science ship enters a black hole system
* Can no longer trigger Horizon Signal by moving a science ship repeatedly into the same black hole system
* Ship that are being repaired no longer have a mineral repair cost
* Strategic resources that affect weapon damage have had their effect increased to +15%
* Weapon windup does not get cancelled when losing target during windup (should fix XL weapons not being able to fire due to moving targets)
* Infiltration observation station mission now requires Gene Tailoring technology
* Infiltration observation station is now available with Active Interference policy
* When infiltration of a primitive world finishes, the planet now gets a large happiness boost for 20 years
* The amount of non-defensive armies you can build from a species is now limited to the number of Pops of that species that are in your empire
* Pops that are saved from slavery/purging via conquest are now grateful instead of upset at the conquest (unless you enslave/purge them afterwards)
* Fleets that are violating border access rights now instantly go MIA instead of trying to find a path home
* Rebels now become non-hostile after taking over the planet they spawn on
# Build Time changed into Build Speed
* Master's Teachings: The Greater Good edict now increases building build speed by +10% instead of reducing building build time by -10%
* Infrastructure Projects edict now increases building build speed by +33% instead of reducing building build time by -25%
* Governor skill level now increases building build speed by +5% instead of reducing building build time by -5%
* Architectural Interest trait no longer reduces building cost or building build time, but rather increases building build speed by +50%
# Ethics
* Ethics no longer apply modifiers to Pops, and instead only apply empire modifiers
Authoritarian
* Effect on faction supression cost removed
* Resettlement Cost is now reduced by -25%
* Slaves' effect on Unrest reduced by 10%
Fanatic Authoritarian
* Effect on faction supression cost removed
* Resettlement Cost is now reduced by -50%
* Slaves' effect on Unrest reduced by 20%
Egalitarian
* Effect on Policy Happiness effects removed
* Effect on Migration Attraction removed
* Consumer Goods Cost is now reduced by -10%
* Influence from factions is now increased by +15%
Fanatic Egalitarian
* Effect on Policy Happiness effects removed
* Effect on Migration Attraction removed
* Consumer Goods Cost is now reduced by -20%
* Influence from factions is now increased by +30%
Xenophobe
* Effect on number of rivals removed
* Planet Border Range effect replaced with Border Range and increased from +10% to +15%
* Influence from rivals is now increased by +15%
Fanatic Xenophobe
* Effect on number of rivals removed
* Planet Border Range effect replaced with Border Range and increased from +20% to +30%
* Influence from rivals is now increased by +30%
Xenophile
* Diplomatic Influence Cost is now also reduced by -25%
Fanatic Xenophile
* Trust Growth is now reduced from +75% to +50%
* Diplomatic Influence Cost is now also reduced by -50%
Militarist
* Effect on influence gain from rivals removed
* Effect on Ship Weapon Damage removed
* Ship Fire Rate is now increased by +10%
* Army Damage is now increased by +10%
Fanatic Militarist
* Effect on influence gain from rivals removed
* Effect on Ship Weapon Damage removed
* Ship Fire Rate is now increased by +20%
* Army Damage is now increased by +20%
Pacifist
* Effect on influence gain from rivals removed
* Effect on Diplomatic Influence Cost removed
* Core Sector Systems are now increased by +2
* Unity output is now increased by +20%
Fanatic Pacifist
* Effect on influence gain from rivals removed
* Effect on Diplomatic Influence Cost removed
* Core Sector Systems are now increased by +4
* Unity output is now increased by +40%
Spiritualist
* Unrest is now reduced by -10
Fanatic Spiritualist
* Unrest is now reduced by -20
Materialist
* Effect on building cost removed
* Research Speed is now increased by +5%
* Robot upkeep cost is now reduced by -10%
Fanatic Materialist
* Effect on building cost removed
* Research Speed is now increased by +10%
* Robot upkeep cost is now reduced by -20%
# Colonization & Migration
* Doubled the base time it takes to colonize planets
* When a Pop migrates to a new planet, it will now get a happiness boost for 10 years
* Only a single Pop can now be migrating to a planet at any given time
# Buildings
* Farms now produce more food due to capitol buildings no longer producing food
* Visitor Center mineral cost increased from 100 to 150
* Visitor Center now increases habitability by +5%
* Slave Processing Plant mineral cost reduced from 350 to 250
* Slave Processing Plant build time reduced from 720 to 360
* Slave Processing Plant now also reduces Slave Unrest by 50%
* Frontier Clinic now reduces growth time by -5% instead of increasing habitability by +5%
* Frontier Hospital now reduces growth time by -10% instead of increasing habitability by +10%
* Forlorn Ruins habitability modifier reduced from -50% to -20%
# Galaxy
* Primitive civilizations are now less common
* The Enigmatic Fortress system will now always have at least one potentially-habitable planet
# Fallen Empires
* Xenophobic Fallen Empires are now angered specifically by encroaching colonies and frontier outposts, instead of from border friction, meaning they won't declare war just over natural border growth
# Diplomacy & Subjects
* Subjects can now always colonize inside their own borders
* It is now possible to declare war on and conquer Protectorates
* Protectorates now work the same as vassals when it comes to diplomacy and colonization
* Protectorates can now be integrated without waiting for them to become a vassal
# Events & Modifiers
* Atmospheric Aphrodisiac planet modifier effect on growth time reduced from -33% to -10%
* Planet modifier-related events will now always trigger within the first year of colonization
* Made a number of colony events more common for the player
# Leaders
* Ruler skill now reduces edict influence cost and increase unity output
* Governor skill no longer increases happiness, but rather lowers Unrest
* Leaders will no longer start with the Iron Fist trait if Slavery is prohibited
* Leaders can only gain the Iron Fist trait by leveling up if Slavery is not prohibited
# Technology
* Pacifists no longer have a lower chance of rolling weapon-related technologies
* Everyone can now research and build Research Institute, Symbol of Unity, Ministry of Benevolence and Galactic Stock Exchange as rare technologies
* Nutrient Replication effect on food output reduced from +25% to +15%
* Tomb World Adaption effect on habitability reduced from +40% to +20%
* Automated Exploration Protocols technology now required Administrative AI instead of Self-Aware AI
* Technologies that increased influence now increase the influence gain from factions instead
# Components
* Missile cooldown reduced from 2.0-3.0 to 0.2-2.5
* Missile armor penetration changed to 0/15/30%
* Missile speed increased from 5 to 6
* Missiles now deal +10% damage vs. shields
* Missile HP have been adjusted slightly
* Weapon windup does not get cancelled when losing target during windup
# War
* The Liberate wargoal can no longer be used against Fallen Empires, Awakened Empires and Hive Minds
* Countries that cannot normally conquer planets are now able to conquer Fallen Empires, Awakened Empires and Hive Minds
* Planets belonging to subjects are now worth less warscore to occupy
* Planets belonging to subjects of Awakened Empires are worth far less warscore to occupy
* Removed warscore gain from blockades
* Planets that are part of the wargoals are now worth significantly more warscore
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# AI
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# Crises
* Fixed various issues with the Swarm and Unbidden crisis AIs getting stuck
* Swarm AI should now build fewer Infestors
# Diplomacy
* AI is now far more active when it comes to offering mutually beneficial trade deals
* AI now remembers rejected diplomatic offers for much longer and will not offer them again for a long time
* AI is now less likely to accept new migration treaties while under threat, which should fix migration treaty spam during crises
* Fixed an issue where the AI would not accept federation association status because the asker disliked one of the federation members
# Economy
* Major work done on AI exploration, expansion and economy that should allow AI to be more competitive in early-game growth
# Sectors
* Completely overhauled Sector AI budgeting so that it should now never unnecessarily accumulate resources when it has projects it could spend those resources on
* Added a new Agricultural Sector focus for Food production
* Added a tooltip in the sector view that tells you what a sector is planning to construct and how they are allocating resources to those projects
* Sectors will now put more focus on building robots, especially on planets with no biological Pops
# War
* Fixed a bug that was making the mid and late-game AI far less aggressive than it should be due to not correctly calculating when it was unable to peacefully expand
* Misc improvements to AI war logic and fixes for situations where it got 'stuck'
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# User Interface
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# Misc
* Added a list of terraforming planets to the outliner
* Should now be more clear what actually counts as differing war philosophy
* It is now possible to pan the camera by holding down both left and right mouse buttons
* Added mapmode option to toggle sector graphics
* Scrollbar in create new fleet will no longer reset when you transfer ships
* Scrollbar in expansion planer no longer reset when list is updated
* Galaxy map shows only claimable resources and colonizable planets while details map mode is off
* Remove unused space in planet view
* Updated appearance of edict tooltips
* Ships that are forced out of a system due to hostiles will now try to resume their remaining orders
* All military ships are counted in the ship size groups below the fleet power in system and galaxy view
* Clicking the "Change Research" button in the Research window will no longer cancel special projects
* Save the last used galaxy settings. Singleplayer and Multiplayer settings are saved individually
* Clicking the research resources in the top bar will open the Technology window
* Added game launch option -bajen
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# User modding
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# Misc.
* is_boss is now a fleet setting only
* Added functionality to support GetSpeciesAdj for Pop Scope
* Traits now have a randomized = yes/no setting that is used when randomizing traits instead of initial = yes/no. Initial now only controls what traits can be used in a custom species
* Support context switch from army to owner
* Removed defines for base resource income. You can now change this in the script files for each resource
* Replaced Pop_add_ethic with Pop_change_ethic, can still use Pop_add_forced_ethic to override 1-ethic rule
* Added pc_habitat planet class
# Effects
* The kill_leader effect now uses the scoped leader if no type is specified
* Added spawn_megastructure effect
* Added change_leader_portrait effect
* Added rename_species effect that can pick randomly from a list or prompt the player for a custom name
* Added add_ruler_trait and remove_ruler_trait effects
* every_owned_leader and random_owned_leader now include the current ruler
* Added support for army scope for is_same_species, is_exact_same_species triggers and change_species effect
* Added clear_ethos effect, takes Pop or country scope
* Added shift_ethic effect, adds the selected ethic to country ethos and then cleans up afterwards so amount of ethics points stays the same
* Added add_ruler_trait and remove_ruler_trait effects to change ruler traits for any leader, even if they are not currently ruler
* Added random_pool_leader and every_pool_leader list effects for leaders that are recruitable for a country
# Triggers
* Added count_species and count_exact_species triggers
* Added any_planet_army and count_planet_army triggers
* Added any_owned_army and count_owned_army triggers
* Added num_ascension_perks trigger
* Added former_<species right>_type triggers
* Added habitable_structure scripted trigger
* Added has_tradition trigger
* Added has_ascension_perk trigger
* Added num_trait_points trigger
* Added has_presence trigger
* Added excess_food trigger
* Added unrest trigger
* Added has_ruler_trait trigger
* Renamed random_army_within_country to random_owned_army
* Renamed every_army_within_country to every_owned_army
* Renamed random_army to random_planet_army
* Allow using a species 'who' target for the habitability trigger
* any_owned_leader now includes the current ruler
* Added any_pool_leader and count_pool_leader triggers for leaders that are recruitable for a country
# Modifiers
* Added slave_mineral_output modifier
* Added country_trust_cap_add modifier
* Added federation_naval_cap_contribution_mult modifier
* Added ship_home_territory_fire_rate_mult modifier
* Added country_vassal_naval_capacity_contribution_mult modifier
* Added subject_tribute_mult modifier
* Added country_subject_technology_sharing_mult modifier
* Added country_federation_member_resource_<resource>_mult modifiers
* Added leader_<admiral/general/scientist/governor>_influence_cost modifiers
* Added planet_building_upkeep_mult modifier
* Added megastructure_build_speed_mult modifier
* Added mod_megastructure_build_cost_mult modifier
* Added modify_species_cost_mult modifier
* Added country_government_civic_points_add modifier
* slave_production_output now affects all resources produced by slaves
* Added trigger support for opinion modifiers, allows creating new opinion modifiers without code support
* Removed support for common/triggered_modifiers
* Replaced Pop_radiation_happiness modifier with biological_Pop_happiness that only affects biological Pops
* All auto generated "resource_x_add" modifier types have been renamed to "tile_resource_x_add" as they were only applied to tiles
* The "country_resource_x_mult" modifier type is back! This one should be preferred over tile_resource_x_mult for empire-wide effects. Influence specific sources are not affected by this one (like influence from rivalries etc).
* The "planet_resource_x_add" modifier now works for all resource types, not just food
* Added faction_influence_mult modifier type
* Added subject_influence_gain_mult modifier type
* Added subject_integration_influence_cost modifier type
* tile_resource_x_add modifier type now adds resources regardless of what building is on the tile
* Added tile_building_resource_x_add modifier type that only adds its value if the tile's building already produces some of that resource
# On-actions
* Added on_megastructure_built on-action
* Added on_megastructure_upgrade_begin on-action
* Added on_megastructure_upgraded on-action
* Added on_ruler_back_to_pre_ruler_class on-action
* Added empire_init_add_technologies on-action. Used during galaxy generation
* Added create_capital_initial_Pops on-action. Used during galaxy generation
* Added empire_init_create_ships on-action. Used during galaxy generation
# Game Rules
* Added are_rebels_hostile game rule
* Added should_apply_neighbor_rival_modifier game rule
* Added show_notification_for_ground_combat game rule
* Added has_full_sensor_range game rule
* Added can_planet_support_orbital_station game rule
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# Performance
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# Misc.
* Improved performance when having one big fleet selected
* Improved performance of Pop migration by threading the calculations
* Improved performance of economy calculations
* General frame rate improvements in many gui views, especially in mid to late game
* Various AI-related performance improvements
* Fixed a severe lag spike that could happen in some rare cases when the AI was calculating diplomatic actions to propose
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# Bugfixes
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# Misc.
* Fixed AI and automatic exploration stopping completely due to bad distance calculations
* Fixed event countries such as Rampaging Titans making use of planetary fortifications
* Fixed Debris and similar projects not being able to be researched from the galaxy map when clicking project icon
* Fixed some ship components not auto-upgrading when new level was researched
* Wildcat miners anomaly can now only appear inside an empire's borders
* Remove tech in every case where the tech is completed. Techs no longer restart when finished
* Fixed crash when is_guaranteeing trigger was used with invalid scope
* Fixed a bug where Physics Lab 3 technology required the wrong technology
* Level 3 engineering lab tech now costs the same as corresponding physics/society lab techs
* Fixed weapons with limited firing arc choosing an ineligible target and therefore failing to fire at all
* Fixed a bug where buildings would not apply their modifier to the planet until the next monthly production pass
* Fixed a bug where cancelling terraforming of a planet within your borders was impossible if you didn't start the process
* Fixed issue with a ship destroyed VO sound not working
* Fixed an issue where country types, that would normally not have spaceports, could take them over from other empires
* Awakened Empires will no longer accept white peace in War in Heaven under any circumstances
* Fixed Artisan Enclave diplomacy breaking in some circumstances
* Fixed game freezing on a rare occasion when ending a war
* Fixed bug where colony ship cost modifiers were applied twice
* Starvation no longer makes robots unhappy
* Fixed issue with sound effects being played while loading save
* Changing a colonized planet into an uninhabitable planet class now destroys the colony
* Disbanded or destroyed observation posts will no longer save primitive civilizations from their doom in certain circumstances
* Ship costs can no longer be negative
* The Ship Cost modifier no longer affects station costs
* 'Likely to be purged' AI peace acceptance reduction now only triggers if you're demanding planets
* Fixed out-of-sync where cached values for ships and fleets were not updated after hotjoin
* Fixed out-of-sync where the radii of galactic objects were only recalculated after loading saves
* Fixed out-of-sync where the fleet size was not recalculated after hotjoin
* Fixed out-of-sync where modifiers were not properly recalculated after hotjoin
* Fixed out-of-sync where the galaxy map was not regenerated after hotjoin
* Fixed out-of-sync where custom fleet formations were not saved
* Fixed out-of-sync where commands could be executed during hotjoin
* Fixed out-of-sync related to deficit spending in the empire AI
* Fixed out-of-sync when client and host used different language settings
* Fixed situation where multiple Wraiths could spawn in a single galaxy
* Construction ships no longer get stuck trying to build stations if there is no valid path to the station's intended coordinates
* Fixed bug where the reclaimed ship obtained from Horizon Signal did not have a model in the ship view
* Fixed bug where is_boss setting could propagate to other ships
* Use move order to check if a colonization order is possible
* Fixed science ship trying to research anomaly in inaccessible system getting getting stuck
* Fleets that are already in combat will no longer get the 'hostile fleet engaged' sound effect playing for additional enemy engagements.
* Fixed a potential failure for an anomaly category to generate an anomaly
* Fixed debris sounds sometimes playing in galaxy map
* Fixed text/effect mismatch in Wraith event
* Fixed missing species names in events related to Shielded Planets
* Fixed agendas and mandates not being available for the first ruler, and rulers not clearing or generating agendas or mandates when switching between government types
* Fix ship designer sometimes trying to equip a component for the wrong slot size
* Fix some ship components not auto-upgrading after researching the next tier component technology
* Fix advisor sound volume not being saved between game launches
* Fix hostile intel persisting past the end of hostilities
* Fixed anomaly generation chance from scientist trait or ship components never getting applied
* Fixed Curator Archeology Lab's anomaly fail risk and research speed effects not working correctly
* Fixed Curator Archeology Lab's Anomaly Research Speed bonus effects not working correctly
* Fixed Curator Explorer Lab's survey speed effect not working correctly
* Fix science ship trying to research an anomaly in an inaccessible system getting stuck
* Fix weapons with limited firing arc sometimes not firing at all
* Fixed a bug where it was possible to move your capital to a planet that is under colonization
* Pops should no longer modify themselves on planets of the same type as their species' homeworld
* Fixed a bug where fleets could in some cases attack a disabled fleet
* Fleets cancel all orders when they are forced out of a system
* Fixed broken Manhattan-distance calculations for ship targeting
* Fixed issue with Support Independence not working
* Pops can no longer migrate away from occupied planets
# Sector
* Fixed so that spaceports in a sector have their maintenance paid for by the sector
# Events
* Fixed a bug where some events could spawn Pops with no name and portrait
* Fixed several cases where precursor anomaly generating events would not properly spawn anomalies
* Fixed a Horizon Signal event chain outcome not affecting Continental-preference Pops properly
* Fixed localization/scope issue in country.209 so that the radical_cult event target points to the cult and not your own empire
* Improved reliability of Old Gods event chain
* Fixed the second Horizon Signal chain not terminating correctly in all instances
* The Artisan Troupe Enclave will no longer ask you to take in Pops if they would have low habitability on your colonies
* Nomads will no longer ask you to take in Pops if they would have low habitability on your colonies
* Causing the Enigmatic Fortress to catastrophically explode will turn uninhabitable planets into Molten rather than Tomb Worlds (gas giants and asteroids will not change)
* Pops from a certain tomb world-related event now have their habitability traits set properly
* Fixed unintended behavior in the outcome(s) of the Syzygy fight in the Horizon Signal event chain
* Fixed the Redirected Delivery of Nomad ships not being delivered when appropriate
* Fixed missing event reward related to the ancient mining drones
* Fixed Primitives sometimes building certain structures on tile blockers
* Fixed missing species names in events related to Shielded Planets
* Fixed faulty event title in Enclave Trader menus
* Rogue covert infiltration agent can no longer appear on multiple planets
# Achievements
* Fixed Deus Vult achievement ignoring Spiritualist requirement
# Interface
* Added missing commas in Federation Association Status listing
* Fixed some cases where the warning that a planetary invasion was likely to fail showed up incorrectly
* Fixed a bug with fleet box health bars overlap icons when more than four designs in fleet
* Fixed faulty event title in Enclave Trader menus
* Fixed inconsistent naming of Swarm and Amoeba strike craft in localization
* Fixed a case where Automatic Exploration would fail due to incorrect pathfinding checks
* Disabled the expansion planner colonization button if the colony ship has no valid path to the planet
* Planet view: Rally point toggle now shows when it's enabled
* You will no longer close windows when you accidentally release mouse outside of the window (after drag)
* Fleet transfer window will no longer close when you release the scrollbar
* Fixed incorrect production and station energy income in budget view if there were sectors
* Fixed Using the X (or Esc) in top right corner of diplomatic dialog events leads to event having no effect
* Fixed a bug where Debris and similar projects would not be researched from the galaxy map when clicking project icon
* Fixed some inconsistencies in top-bar resource tooltips
* Fixed endless "Evading hostile fleet" if the fleet had additional orders queued up in the system with hostiles
* Fixed Both 'Decline' and 'No' in a two option dialog on sector deletion
* Don't show warning when invading allied planet occupied by hostile empire
* Fixed so that Pop maintenance is paid for by the sector and displayed in the planet and economy balance
* Fix incorrect production and station energy income in Government Budget window if the empire has sectors
* Federation Victory progress now shows up for all members of a Federation correctly instead of just the leader
* Technology screen: Fixed Swapping between "Researched" tabs causes low FPS when a large amount of techs are researched
* Fixed Victory screen shows TITLE and DESC
* Situation Log: Condition text overlaps finish time text
* Situation Log: Updated VO is always triggered on load
* Situation Log: Fixed Text overlaps with buttons when the list of components is long in debris
* Situation Log: Fixed "Requires science ship" text overlap for debris
* Fixed Crash to Desktop when clicking a fleet in the Federation Window
* Identical movement arrows no longer stack, improving performance and reducing the very bright bloom when having multiple fleets selected
* 'Would likely be purged' will no longer apply when all wargoals are liberation-type goals
* Create proper tooltip for is_same_species trigger if the current scope is a country scope
* Connecting to a server no longer freezes the game
* System name background shows correct diplomatic status color
* Fleet order list is visible again when overing over the icon in the outliner
* Fix new traits missing from the Leaders window
* Make it less likely that projectiles of big weapons are not visible
* System name background uses correct diplomatic status color in systems with only stations (instead of planets
# Launcher
* Fixed broken scrollbar for MOD and DLC list in launcher
* Fixed DoB field displaying incorrectly in Spanish Launcher when creating a Paradox account
QuotePops with the Hive-Minded trait ethic may only live in Hive Mind empires, and will slowly die out if they find themselves in a non-Hive Mind empire.
Like Canada.
Kind of cool.
Though shame there's no way to setup secondary hives for them.
I've been playing some of this over the past week, and I find myself in the same quandary like in most 4X games I try - by the time the initial landgrab is over I focus on infrastructure and research while my neighbors have 2 or 3 times the military I do and then I quit because there's nothing to do but hope they continue to like me.
If I try to keep pace in military, I find myself behind in research and infrastructure. And then I quit.
<_<
Yeah, I've learned the hard way that you simply cannot sit back and react to a war declaration anymore. There is a careful balance needed in order to make sure your military is kept up to strength, and able to fight off an attacker. And there will be one.
I still don't like the all or nothing nature of the combat/war model.
Quote from: Berkut on April 10, 2017, 07:17:50 AM
Yeah, I've learned the hard way that you simply cannot sit back and react to a war declaration anymore. There is a careful balance needed in order to make sure your military is kept up to strength, and able to fight off an attacker. And there will be one.
I still don't like the all or nothing nature of the combat/war model.
My feelings exactly. I like it that I have to put some thought into staying on par with the AIs growing near me to which there is a balancing act involved.
I also dislike the one-battle-decides-all combat model. I wonder if it gets any better in the late game where everyone (should) have big-ass empires?
After having played it for quite a bit, the one-battle-decides-all, mixed with a crazy war-score system that only lets you take a couple systems at a time, makes for a very flashy, polished, and terribly broken game.
And as all of their DLC and and patches seem to be focused on adding new (and pretty cool) features, I doubt it will ever be made really fully playable and enjoyable comprehensive 4x space game.
I am not nearly so pessimistic.
I think the war thing could be pretty easily fixed, it just takes them making it something they want to fix, and that hasn't been the case yet. If they don't fix it, mods will fix it.
And it is still plenty of fun to play anyway.
Yes. Battles suck. There really needs to be some form of tactical tactics.
They should make each battle like Star Control where you engage in a series of 1 on 1 battles until one of the fleets is exhausted.
If I had my way, a battle would be LESS tactical.
Basically, when two fleet run into each other, they start fighting. That takes some amount of variable time, but while the engagement is ongoing (and in this case an engagement would really be representing a series of battles, so really a campaign spanning a few weeks to a couple months), the player has very limited ability to do anything about it.
Once it is over, the outcome could be any number of results. But in general, there would be a winner who is then able to stay in the system, and a loser who has to flee. The "readiness" value of the losing fleet would make it nearly useless offensively until they can refit, and even the winning fleet might be in pretty bad shape as well, but mostly the winner gets to keep doing stuff with that fleet, while the losers fleet has to go refit, repair, etc., etc.
Even winning costs readiness though, and resources, so there could be plenty of strategy around just exhausting an invader with spoiling attacks that you know you will lose, but costs the invader readiness he cannot really replenish without getting back to his own starbase. Or maybe their race has mobile replenishment units! Who knows! Lots of fun to be had there.
But my idea is basically that fleets are composits of ships, and it is the fleets that fight, not the ships. Ships might be lost of course, which hurts, but the point of fighting is more around securing control of systems, not specifically about destroying ships. A defeated fleet has to go away and refit, and could actually be destroyed at times as well of course.
But this would do a few things:
1. Make combat feel more real. Ships do not "fight to the death" for the most part, they fight until they have lost or think they've lost, then they retreat.
2. Losing a combat is a setback, not the end of the war. There will be more combats.
3. You can make each fleet have a command limit that is a small fraction of the overall support limit of the empire, so that there are no "stacks of doom".
4. Allows for a crapload of variability to racial composition of forces. Some fleets might be bigger but less able to recover, some might use some of that command limit to include non-combat support ships. Etc. etc. etc.
In general, would love to see a system where the forces to be engaged are slightly more abstract than just a pile of ships that shoot each other until one side dies. Fleets should be the combat unit, and the composition of those fleets could be wildly different.
And this would fit into peace time as well. You need some "fleets" to combat piracy? Well, set them up. They won't be well situated to resist an invasion though, since they will need anti-piracy cruisers, rather than organized into fleet elements, etc., etc. etc.
Yes.
Quote from: Berkut on April 10, 2017, 01:04:32 PM
If I had my way, a battle would be LESS tactical.
Basically, when two fleet run into each other, they start fighting. That takes some amount of variable time, but while the engagement is ongoing (and in this case an engagement would really be representing a series of battles, so really a campaign spanning a few weeks to a couple months), the player has very limited ability to do anything about it.
Once it is over, the outcome could be any number of results. But in general, there would be a winner who is then able to stay in the system, and a loser who has to flee. The "readiness" value of the losing fleet would make it nearly useless offensively until they can refit, and even the winning fleet might be in pretty bad shape as well, but mostly the winner gets to keep doing stuff with that fleet, while the losers fleet has to go refit, repair, etc., etc.
Even winning costs readiness though, and resources, so there could be plenty of strategy around just exhausting an invader with spoiling attacks that you know you will lose, but costs the invader readiness he cannot really replenish without getting back to his own starbase. Or maybe their race has mobile replenishment units! Who knows! Lots of fun to be had there.
But my idea is basically that fleets are composits of ships, and it is the fleets that fight, not the ships. Ships might be lost of course, which hurts, but the point of fighting is more around securing control of systems, not specifically about destroying ships. A defeated fleet has to go away and refit, and could actually be destroyed at times as well of course.
But this would do a few things:
1. Make combat feel more real. Ships do not "fight to the death" for the most part, they fight until they have lost or think they've lost, then they retreat.
2. Losing a combat is a setback, not the end of the war. There will be more combats.
3. You can make each fleet have a command limit that is a small fraction of the overall support limit of the empire, so that there are no "stacks of doom".
4. Allows for a crapload of variability to racial composition of forces. Some fleets might be bigger but less able to recover, some might use some of that command limit to include non-combat support ships. Etc. etc. etc.
In general, would love to see a system where the forces to be engaged are slightly more abstract than just a pile of ships that shoot each other until one side dies. Fleets should be the combat unit, and the composition of those fleets could be wildly different.
And this would fit into peace time as well. You need some "fleets" to combat piracy? Well, set them up. They won't be well situated to resist an invasion though, since they will need anti-piracy cruisers, rather than organized into fleet elements, etc., etc. etc.
So EU4's retreats?
All of their other games have armies retreating from battles they are losing. If EU4 would always have a stack wipe (:frog:) in every battle, it would be just as terrible when it comes to warfare. I think they can fix the war system with some very simple adaptations from their other games:
1) Add a mechanism that makes fleets flee from losing a battle. In their other games that mechanism is morale and I don't see why they couldn't add something like that to Stellaris.
2) Make wargoals more flexible and more scalable, similar to how EU4 does it. Certain casus belli only allow certain wargoals at reduced cost, but you don't have to pick at the start of the war but can pick whenever. Also larger empires in late game should be able to annex vast swathes of other empires.
3) Allow separate peace, at least when the enemy is just a defensive union, not a federation.
4) Somehow get rid of the stupid planetary invasion. It's just a click-fest and once you figured out roughly how many of the rather cheap ground troops you need, you never again lose a single invasion. Completely pointless mechanic as it is. An alternative would be that the bombardment takes way shorter and the ground campaign takes way longer as that would allow planets to be relieved while they are under siege.
Quote from: garbon on April 10, 2017, 01:23:32 PM
So EU4's retreats?
:yes: Wrote my post while you posted.
Genuinely amusing moment.
A new nation, "Synthetic Alliance" appeared in my game, single planet rebels of one of my rival empires. Governing ethos egalitarian and...fanatic spiritualist.
Fanatic spiritualist, unfortunately, carries the requirement to ban AI.
A few days later all pops disappeared and the planet became empty.
Edit: And the dead planet still has the "free at last" modifier for the next 7000 odd days.
:lol:
The robots may overthrow their masters.....
But if they're badly programmed they're not going to accomplish much.
I've never seen the ai using many robots.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 14, 2017, 12:43:51 PM
Genuinely amusing moment.
A new nation, "Synthetic Alliance" appeared in my game, single planet rebels of one of my rival empires. Governing ethos egalitarian and...fanatic spiritualist.
Fanatic spiritualist, unfortunately, carries the requirement to ban AI.
A few days later all pops disappeared and the planet became empty.
Edit: And the dead planet still has the "free at last" modifier for the next 7000 odd days.
That is pretty cool :cool:
"Our existence is an affront against life and the universe. We shouldn't exist." *switches off*
Quote from: Syt on April 18, 2017, 04:46:31 AM
"Our existence is an affront against life and the universe. We shouldn't exist." *switches off*
If only we had it so easy :lol:
so, utopia worth it?
Quote from: HVC on May 01, 2017, 10:15:36 PM
so, utopia worth it?
Yes. If you didn't like the game before, Utopia probably won't help you, but if you did like the game before Utopia adds a lot of nifty stuff.
I played a new game in this and as warfare is still so-so, I concentrated on building a tall empire. Pacifist, materialist, xenophobe with the inward perfection and agrarian idyll civics. That gave me lots of unity early on and let me stay ahead of the curve even when I expanded a bit. My pace of expansion meant that I never used a sector. My empire is much smaller than usual, but I dominate technology easily and no one ever tried to attack me.
I can now build habitats (which is nice when you want more planets to administrate yourself) and recently converted all my population into cyborgs as first part of the synthetic ascension path.
When it comes to building a peaceful empire, this game is probably the best among the Paradox games. But it still gets a bit dull in the middle. You stop caring for exploration and just wait until the next tech or tradition allows you to build something new. The faction system works fairly well, but once you have made your main factions happy there is little dynamic from it.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FhTuHGW1.jpg&hash=6bd5819d64eb314e6b4f8a9bb23e9288bbcc3978)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fm1zpKoa.jpg&hash=d18ee474b541ed2e2486fa701cb004b2d61431d1)
paradox sale on steam.
I'll give leviathans a try though utopia remains expensive. It worth it?
gonna get the new expansion just to play the borg for a bit.
Quote from: HVC on September 22, 2017, 12:27:06 PM
gonna get the new expansion just to play the borg for a bit.
:hmm:
You could just play then for free in the Star Trek mod.
Quote from: garbon on September 22, 2017, 12:39:03 PM
Quote from: HVC on September 22, 2017, 12:27:06 PM
gonna get the new expansion just to play the borg for a bit.
:hmm:
You could just play then for free in the Star Trek mod.
I tried the star trek mod, it annoyed me for some reason. it seemed off.
Quote from: HVC on September 22, 2017, 12:50:49 PM
Quote from: garbon on September 22, 2017, 12:39:03 PM
Quote from: HVC on September 22, 2017, 12:27:06 PM
gonna get the new expansion just to play the borg for a bit.
:hmm:
You could just play then for free in the Star Trek mod.
I tried the star trek mod, it annoyed me for some reason. it seemed off.
What an odd statement.
At any rate, playing as the Borg in their September release is quite fun. Unique set of mechanics.
I didn't play the borg just the klingons and federation a few months ago. Maybe it's gotten better. The federation mechanics in the game didn't translate well to Star Trek.
Well I know in the mod that you need to initially form Stellaris type federation but then Federation of Planets trek wise is a bit different.
Latest Stellaris dev diary with restriction of FTL down to hyperlanes at start and removing warp seems like they decided they bit off more than they can chew with the initial design. Particularly when you combine that with change that each system will now be owned by having some sort of starbase there.
Seems very much like it'll be a very different game after the next patch.
Agreed.
I am very apprehensive about the starbase idea. There is plenty wrong with the current border system, but un-destroyable (though capturable) starbases will inevitably annoy the hell out of me. If only for the reason that systems will never be able to be "unclaimed" as a result of a destructive, scorched-earth war.
And while I tend to have an innate dislike of hyperlanes (a legacy from all my MOO-playing days)...I understand why they might be better in a real-time vs turn-based game. And admittedly, I will play hyperlanes-only in the games where I expect to fight a lot. The one good thing about that change, though, is that some of the peripheral changes they are making are really cool, and I think should already have been in (e.g. having to cross a system to the actual "exit" point to another system, natural wormholes, more "effective" nebulas).
Yeah, I think that's a good summary of how I feel about the proposed changes. Will see how things turn out.
Even the "jump" FTL mechanic seems interesting (probably a draw from my Battletech days)...and would be interesting if that were the only form of FTL (as an option, of course).
I did not fully get what was wrong with borders so far, although I agree that stationary defended were useless. So I am not sure about the database change.
As wormhole travel was so much more powerful than hyperlanes and at the same time eliminated quite a bit of strategic depth from the game, I can see how the FTP change will add to the game.
Quote from: Zanza on November 05, 2017, 07:35:31 AM
I did not fully get what was wrong with borders so far, although I agree that stationary defended were useless. So I am not sure about the database change.
As wormhole travel was so much more powerful than hyperlanes and at the same time eliminated quite a bit of strategic depth from the game, I can see how the FTP change will add to the game.
Yeah, in my recent game I eliminated the other FLT drives to try to add a bit more strategy to the game. I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
Damn. I should check for auto-correct next time. :lol:
I played 1 game with worm hole as the only FTL tech. It was weird.
I really enjoyed the game I played without any FTL tech at all. It was peaceful.
Today's DD on an updated war claims/exhaustion system actually looks pretty good.
I pretty much always played with only hyperlanes allowed anyway.
Otherwise there just isn't really any "geography" to the game.
Regular warp drive could work as well if the structure of the galaxy was then built to create geogrpahy - more empty spaces that canot be traversed, etc.
I just recently started playing again in last couple weeks (after a break for several months)...and one of the things I noticed, playing as a warp-FTL race...was that it seemed to often arbitrarily limit my ability to warp to certain nearby systems almost as if it was forcing me to use invisible hyperlanes anyway.
Though I know that had always been the case when "crossing" arms in a spiral galaxy map.
Quote from: Berkut on November 09, 2017, 11:39:18 AM
I pretty much always played with only hyperlanes allowed anyway.
Otherwise there just isn't really any "geography" to the game.
Regular warp drive could work as well if the structure of the galaxy was then built to create geogrpahy - more empty spaces that canot be traversed, etc.
I think it'd be more interesting if they did the latter + say you can't warp through things like nebulas.
Otherwise, what they are kind of creating is just EU4/CK2 in space. As I saw on the forum, so now we can go from one 'province' to 'neighbouring provinces' only - will we get terrain maluses for crossing 'rivers'? :D
My only 'fear' with this new more limited design is that we're treating space as though it were olden day warfare. You've starbases (or fortresses) with then static defenses that you'll build at key choke points. Doesn't seem very space like - more of a re-hash, revamp of the traditional setup for 4X space games.
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 11:41:58 AM
I just recently started playing again in last couple weeks (after a break for several months)...and one of the things I noticed, playing as a warp-FTL race...was that it seemed to often arbitrarily limit my ability to warp to certain nearby systems almost as if it was forcing me to use invisible hyperlanes anyway.
Though I know that had always been the case when "crossing" arms in a spiral galaxy map.
Warp only has a certain distance you can travel in one direct shot until you have further researched warp engines. Then you can go further.
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 11:59:47 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 11:41:58 AM
I just recently started playing again in last couple weeks (after a break for several months)...and one of the things I noticed, playing as a warp-FTL race...was that it seemed to often arbitrarily limit my ability to warp to certain nearby systems almost as if it was forcing me to use invisible hyperlanes anyway.
Though I know that had always been the case when "crossing" arms in a spiral galaxy map.
Warp only has a certain distance you can travel in one direct shot until you have further researched warp engines. Then you can go further.
I have had the game not allow me to warp to neighboring systems that are quite obviously closer than ones I could warp to....unless visual reference doesn't matter. :P
That I can't speak to. :lol:
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 12:05:32 PM
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 11:59:47 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 11:41:58 AM
I just recently started playing again in last couple weeks (after a break for several months)...and one of the things I noticed, playing as a warp-FTL race...was that it seemed to often arbitrarily limit my ability to warp to certain nearby systems almost as if it was forcing me to use invisible hyperlanes anyway.
Though I know that had always been the case when "crossing" arms in a spiral galaxy map.
Warp only has a certain distance you can travel in one direct shot until you have further researched warp engines. Then you can go further.
I have had the game not allow me to warp to neighboring systems that are quite obviously closer than ones I could warp to....unless visual reference doesn't matter. :P
You do realize that the "visual reference" includes a third dimension, right? So two systems that look close to one another are not necessarily?
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 12:05:32 PM
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 11:59:47 AM
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 11:41:58 AM
I just recently started playing again in last couple weeks (after a break for several months)...and one of the things I noticed, playing as a warp-FTL race...was that it seemed to often arbitrarily limit my ability to warp to certain nearby systems almost as if it was forcing me to use invisible hyperlanes anyway.
Though I know that had always been the case when "crossing" arms in a spiral galaxy map.
Warp only has a certain distance you can travel in one direct shot until you have further researched warp engines. Then you can go further.
I have had the game not allow me to warp to neighboring systems that are quite obviously closer than ones I could warp to....unless visual reference doesn't matter. :P
Were the systems showing a red encounter mark and your ships set to avoid? They blocked ships set to avoid from jumping to hostile systems a few patches ago.
Yep, 3rd dimension taken into account.
And no, no hostiles.
Quote from: Tonitrus on November 09, 2017, 04:14:55 PM
Yep, 3rd dimension taken into account.
And no, no hostiles.
THen you have a different version of Stellaris than I do, because I've never seen that happen.
Have you tried rebooting three times?
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 11:58:57 AM
Quote from: Berkut on November 09, 2017, 11:39:18 AM
I pretty much always played with only hyperlanes allowed anyway.
Otherwise there just isn't really any "geography" to the game.
Regular warp drive could work as well if the structure of the galaxy was then built to create geogrpahy - more empty spaces that canot be traversed, etc.
I think it'd be more interesting if they did the latter + say you can't warp through things like nebulas.
Otherwise, what they are kind of creating is just EU4/CK2 in space. As I saw on the forum, so now we can go from one 'province' to 'neighbouring provinces' only - will we get terrain maluses for crossing 'rivers'? :D
My only 'fear' with this new more limited design is that we're treating space as though it were olden day warfare. You've starbases (or fortresses) with then static defenses that you'll build at key choke points. Doesn't seem very space like - more of a re-hash, revamp of the traditional setup for 4X space games.
EU4 works better as a game then Stellaris, especially when it comes to warfare. As space warfare is not hard science fiction anyway, the should focus on what is fun gameplay. If that turns out to be a tried and true formula, so be it.
If that's the case, I'd rather play a different 4X space game. Any number of them are more fun warfare wise and aren't such resource hogs. I didn't really need EU4 in space*.
Of course, I should say that Stellaris is the one P'dox game that I've never felt any urge to buy DLC for. What goodwill I had for Paradox trying out a new genre dissipated over time. Maybe Stellaris II will prove worthwhile much in the same way that CK2 was the culmination of Sengoku, Rome and CK1.
*which most of the new changes in warfare announced today just seem to be a combination of CK2 and EU4 mechanics
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 05:26:00 PM
*which most of the new changes in warfare announced today just seem to be a combination of CK2 and EU4 mechanics
There's some evolution. One of the interesting bits is the opportunity to have a war where systems change hands on both sides (winner and loser), which I don't think is possible in any of the other games.
Quote from: ulmont on November 10, 2017, 02:38:40 PM
Quote from: garbon on November 09, 2017, 05:26:00 PM
*which most of the new changes in warfare announced today just seem to be a combination of CK2 and EU4 mechanics
There's some evolution. One of the interesting bits is the opportunity to have a war where systems change hands on both sides (winner and loser), which I don't think is possible in any of the other games.
Hence 'most' :P
But yeah that's something that mods sometimes had but never p'dox games.
I just wish that for autocratic governments they'd block your emperor/leader from creating or leading the one faction most antithetical to the ethics and goals of your empire. I've lost count now of the number of autocratic campaigns I've played where this has happened; for example, my xenophobe empire's emperor founding the xenophile faction.
"Yes, your majesty, we are going to have zero faction happiness because of all your policies and actions but we'd still love you to lead us." :glare:
Call it the "Trump effect".
I think one of the worst mechanics in the game is the one in which, post-war, your opponent has open access to your borders. I was playing a one-AI-opponent game as the United Nations of Earth...and was lucky to have a fanatic exterminator as my one AI. :P
After one war of trying to "contain" them...I won a hard fought victory that blocked off their access to two key spiral arms...and what happens? He shoots construction ships past my Star Fortress walls to build frontier outposts far off from his borders.
The best part...I could not close my borders again for 10-years post-war...but he closed his to me within a few years. :wacko:
New version of Star Trek mod is out.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/mod-st-new-horizons-a-stellaris-total-conversion.954925/page-147
QuoteWe are very proud to release ST: New Horizons - VICTORY IS LIFE today, our largest update yet. Like Assimilation, where we released the Borg as a playable race alongside a slew of new features and mechanics (such as the Mirror Universe campaign map), Victory is Life also focuses on one of the main villains in Star Trek history: The Dominion.
This update adds many new mechanics, events, technologies, traditions and ships to the Dominion – from an update to the visual style of existing ships, to the addition of a truly massive Supercarrier Dreadnought. The Dominion may now infiltrate other governments, slowly replacing their leadership with changelings that wreak havoc on their economy. When the solids finally surrender, they become a new class of subjects: Dominion members. The Dominion has a great deal of control over those members, capable of requisitioning fleets, demanding tribute and even planets. With new traditions and techs, the Dominion may build a unique asteroid prison for war criminals, commit further genetic engineering to the Vorta and Jem'Hadar, equip early polaron torpedoes on their ships, and much more.
Like Assimilation, Victory is Life also offers a range of quality of life improvements and significant new mechanics. We have added our own version of 'Fallen Empires' – truly powerful, ancient empires that have their own goals and interests. The Voth travel the galaxy in their gigantic City Ship, while the First Federation remains a promising, if mysterious, strange new ally.
Civilian ships may now equip new modules, unique to anything ever seen in New Horizons or Stellaris, that increase their functionality. Science ships can carry diplomatic quarters, training grounds, onboard schools and much more, while colony ships have their own modules.
Finally, there are numerous other new mechanics. The Federation council may now gain new technologies from members, learn new ship building techniques, deal with new policies and establish embassies. We have improved numerous systems in the game to offer more in-lore names for ships, diplomatic greetings, factions and even wars. Federation ships will now have an NCC registry number, for example, and Ferengi will properly call you hoo-man.
As always, the update also includes a host of new events, technologies, weapons, civics, traits, icons, buildings, bug fixes and components. We hope to continue these traditions in all our future major update, fleshing out the universe of Star Trek more and more.
The STNH mod for Stellaris is, in some ways, more impressive than Stellaris itself. It's really fucking amazing what they've done.
Fan-generated mods have always made Paradox games better than the designers themselves could have done. I might have to fire up Stellaris just to try that mod out...
I'm interested to see how The Dominion mechanics work. Had a lot of fun with the Borg ones (which I lived how they used the base games subspecies bit to be able to create assimilated pops).
Looking to get Utopia during the winter sales. What's languish opinion on it? Does it give life back to the game? Back when it came out I found myself having lots of fun in the first stages of the game, but quitting most saves halfway in.
Quote from: celedhring on December 23, 2017, 05:37:51 AM
Looking to get Utopia during the winter sales. What's languish opinion on it? Does it give life back to the game? Back when it came out I found myself having lots of fun in the first stages of the game, but quitting most saves halfway in.
Utopia will help with that but not solve the problem. In fairness, I damn near never play any Paradox game to the end date, so this is not unique to Stellaris.
I say get all the DLC (other than like the music packs or whatever), but I'm a Stellaris fanboi.
Just in case it is a factor, the next major update is looking to have some pretty large changes in gameplay.
I see, it seems the 2.0 patch/DLC attempts to fix a lot of stuff I found boring about the game (war, for starters, was a drag). I'll hold off until that one is out, then.
Quote from: celedhring on December 29, 2017, 07:25:56 AM
I see, it seems the 2.0 patch/DLC attempts to fix a lot of stuff I found boring about the game (war, for starters, was a drag). I'll hold off until that one is out, then.
That may be a few months away (no release date announced yet).
Bit the bullet and bought both Utopia and Leviathans. Any mods I should take a look at, besides the Star Trek one?
I got this game on sale over the break and started playing it. It's pretty neat.
Spent 15 hours with a new save. The game feels more fleshed out than when it first came out, but a lot of it still feels unfinished - war and diplomacy feel pretty flat.
Will see if I can get through the end of this save at least. I have never seen an endgame crisis :lol:
I don't think I ever even got all that far into the midgame. -_-
Took the Dominion for a spin in the Trek mod. Fun times* though I feel I need to get better at balancing my power vs those of my vassals. Voth and Hur'Q are now fallen empires that prevent quick entry to the Delta Quadrant. Will probably be more fun once they can introduce the Bajoran wormhole.
*Vorta and Jem'Hadar are buildable pops and used the infiltrate mechanic, at the start only allows replacing admirals, to damage enemy fleets right as battle commences.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-100-titans-and-planet-destroyers.1064560/
:hmm:
The latest (with some of it as part of the newly announced expanison) are death stars and flagships. Not sure those are the key things that were missing from the base game.
QuoteGod Ray: Converts all organic Pops on the planet to spiritualist and destroys all machine/synthetic pops, as well as massively increasing spiritualist ethics attraction on the planet for a time. Available to Spiritualist empires.
Shark jumped?
Quote from: crazy canuck on January 11, 2018, 11:20:36 AM
QuoteGod Ray: Converts all organic Pops on the planet to spiritualist and destroys all machine/synthetic pops, as well as massively increasing spiritualist ethics attraction on the planet for a time. Available to Spiritualist empires.
Shark jumped?
Not if you actually quote it in context:
QuotePlanet Destroyers (Apocalypse Feature)
As mentioned all the way back in Dev Diary #50 and again in Dev Diary #69, Planet Destroyers have been on our wish list for quite some time, but wasn't something we could make work with restrictive nature of the old warscore system. Now that this is no longer a concern thanks to the new war system we talked about in Dev Diary #93, we finally have our chance to implement this beloved sci-fi staple.
Planet Destroyers come in the form of a new ship class called a Colossus. Though nominally a military ship, the Colossus has no actual fleet combat capability, but is instead a single massive weapon solely dedicated to the purpose of laying waste to enemy planets. To build a Colossus, you must first already know how to build Titans (more on those below) and then take the Colossus Project Ascension Perk, which unlocks a special project to research and design your first Colossus. Each Colossus mounts a single World Devastator-class weapon, and during the course of the project you will be given the option to choose which such weapon you want to focus on, with five potential options to choose from:
World Cracker: Shatters a planet, leaving behind a broken debris field that can be mined for resources. Available to non-Pacifists.
Global Pacifier: Encases the planet in an impenetrable shield, permanently cutting it off from the rest of the galaxy. A research station can be built to study the planet afterwards.
Neutron Sweep: Destroys most higher forms of life on the planet but leaves the infrastructure intact for colonization. Available to non-Spiritualist, non-Pacifist empires.
God Ray: Converts all organic Pops on the planet to spiritualist and destroys all machine/synthetic pops, as well as massively increasing spiritualist ethics attraction on the planet for a time. Available to Spiritualist empires.
Nanobot Dispersal: Assimilates all Pops on the planet, causing it to defect to your empire with its newly cyborgized population. Only available to Driven Assimilators (and thus requires Synthetic Dawn as well).
God ray still seems like an odd one given that it seems to be only one that is changing ethics.
Quote from: Berkut on January 11, 2018, 11:24:05 AM
Quote from: crazy canuck on January 11, 2018, 11:20:36 AM
QuoteGod Ray: Converts all organic Pops on the planet to spiritualist and destroys all machine/synthetic pops, as well as massively increasing spiritualist ethics attraction on the planet for a time. Available to Spiritualist empires.
Shark jumped?
Not if you actually quote it in context:
QuotePlanet Destroyers (Apocalypse Feature)
As mentioned all the way back in Dev Diary #50 and again in Dev Diary #69, Planet Destroyers have been on our wish list for quite some time, but wasn't something we could make work with restrictive nature of the old warscore system. Now that this is no longer a concern thanks to the new war system we talked about in Dev Diary #93, we finally have our chance to implement this beloved sci-fi staple.
Planet Destroyers come in the form of a new ship class called a Colossus. Though nominally a military ship, the Colossus has no actual fleet combat capability, but is instead a single massive weapon solely dedicated to the purpose of laying waste to enemy planets. To build a Colossus, you must first already know how to build Titans (more on those below) and then take the Colossus Project Ascension Perk, which unlocks a special project to research and design your first Colossus. Each Colossus mounts a single World Devastator-class weapon, and during the course of the project you will be given the option to choose which such weapon you want to focus on, with five potential options to choose from:
World Cracker: Shatters a planet, leaving behind a broken debris field that can be mined for resources. Available to non-Pacifists.
Global Pacifier: Encases the planet in an impenetrable shield, permanently cutting it off from the rest of the galaxy. A research station can be built to study the planet afterwards.
Neutron Sweep: Destroys most higher forms of life on the planet but leaves the infrastructure intact for colonization. Available to non-Spiritualist, non-Pacifist empires.
God Ray: Converts all organic Pops on the planet to spiritualist and destroys all machine/synthetic pops, as well as massively increasing spiritualist ethics attraction on the planet for a time. Available to Spiritualist empires.
Nanobot Dispersal: Assimilates all Pops on the planet, causing it to defect to your empire with its newly cyborgized population. Only available to Driven Assimilators (and thus requires Synthetic Dawn as well).
How does the context change the effect of the God Ray? - I was looking forward to 2.0 but this is just silly. Spiritualists get to convert people using big modified death ray? The Nanobot ray is a close second but at least it is in keeping with the ethic.
They should have stopped with the first three
Quote from: crazy canuck on January 11, 2018, 12:39:25 PM
How does the context change the effect of the God Ray? - I was looking forward to 2.0 but this is just silly. Spiritualists get to convert people using big modified death ray? The Nanobot ray is a close second but at least it is in keeping with the ethic.
It's just the Orbital Mind Control Laser turned up to 11...
Well, at least with they way manage expansions, one should be able to play without them.
Good to know they are devoting a DLC to war - I find that part of the game tremendously unsatisfying. It has a lot of moving parts but at the end of the day it's just doomstack whack-a-mole.
Quote from: garbon on January 11, 2018, 12:09:19 PM
God ray still seems like an odd one given that it seems to be only one that is changing ethics.
They all seem to be different, so i don't know why ethics is the "odd one out" when physical destruction is also the odd one out, and sealing off the planet is also the odd one out, etc. God Ray is an ethics changer available to an empire type that emphasizes ethics.
Seems like the goal is that every type of empire gets their own type of Planet Destroyer.
:zzz
Borders map looking nicer.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DTWj55NWkAAvS2i.jpg:large)
I need to get back into this game. I got a new computer a months ago but haven't loaded very many games to it yet. Paradox has added a lot of enhancements to it.
Just noticed this is part of a new $12 humble bundle offer this month, that includes a lot of other paradox games.
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/paradox-bundle-2018 (https://www.humblebundle.com/games/paradox-bundle-2018)
Quote from: mongers on January 23, 2018, 08:27:18 PM
Just noticed this is part of a new $12 humble bundle offer this month, that includes a lot of other paradox games.
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/paradox-bundle-2018 (https://www.humblebundle.com/games/paradox-bundle-2018)
Those are some nice game bundles. I got EU:Rome recently and have been playing that. I had it before in the box version but got it and expacs from Steam. Also just downloaded Stellaris from Steam and started playing that. I had already bought Stellaris and played it before but didn't have it on this new computer. I also want to download HOI IV to continue a game there. Also EU IV at some point soon. Just need time to play.
2.0 and Apocalypse are out tomorrow.
I started playing the Star Trek mod last week and I'm actually a little excited about this revamp of the base game.
Will Stellaris 2.0 be: great?
No.
It sounds its becoming EU4 in Space. That may be a good thing. Or not. Will see.
I will buy it once I am home tonight. Lots of good changes, especially the free stuff.
I've still not been tempted to buy a single DLC for this one. I will likely give the new patch a try tonight.
Quote from: garbon on February 22, 2018, 12:58:52 PM
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.
The Star Trek mod as a big draw must be given some inside access by P'dox. Already have their latest patch out. :w00t:
QuoteArsenal 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.
I'm enjoying the introduction of "galactic geography" so far, looks like a big improvement in making expansion decisions more interesting.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 22, 2018, 02:29:32 PM
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?
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 22, 2018, 02:38:30 PM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 22, 2018, 02:29:32 PM
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.
Thanks
Here's the free.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/fb_1dot5_update_ship-png.337239/)
Quote from: garbon on February 22, 2018, 02:43:58 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 22, 2018, 02:38:30 PM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 22, 2018, 02:29:32 PM
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 :lol:
I've handed over some loot anyway.
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 :blush:
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.
Yeah, influence is very important. Critical for establishing outposts.
So what do the +X% border growth abilities do now?
Played about 4 hours yesterday. My custom race experienced some slave unrest that I pretty much ignored because I was concentrating on expanding the borders of the empire a bit too much. Eventually I started to run out of food because I was growing too much and expanding too fast. Then a huge slave revolt overthrew my government on my homeworld and declared independence. A moral democracy of all things :yuk:
I quickly declared war and began sieging my homeworld but the rebel slaves had a huge army garrison so I had to wait and build up a large enough army to assault the planet while my fleet bombarded the planet back to the stone age. While this is happening a couple pirate groups spawn in unclaimed space around my empire because I expanded way too quickly. The pirates raid up and down my systems destroying research stations and mines. All the while I'm desperately trying to increase the food and energy supplies so I don't continue starving or go bankrupt. I declare martial law on the rest of my planets to help quell the slave unrest and population unhappiness due to the food shortage.
As soon as I feel confident enough of victory I assault my slave-owned homeworld and after a brutal battle I am victorious. I quickly annex the planet and, not long after, switch my race profile to 'Full Citizenship' to not replicate what happened on my homeworld again. The slaves won their freedom after all. Soon after, I deal with the pirates and things are now back to normal.
I just went through an unscripted time of troubles and it all narratively makes sense. That is pretty damn cool.
Quote from: FunkMonk on February 23, 2018, 09:48:46 AM
Played about 4 hours yesterday. My custom race experienced some slave unrest that I pretty much ignored because I was concentrating on expanding the borders of the empire a bit too much. Eventually I started to run out of food because I was growing too much and expanding too fast. Then a huge slave revolt overthrew my government on my homeworld and declared independence. A moral democracy of all things :yuk:
I quickly declared war and began sieging my homeworld but the rebel slaves had a huge army garrison so I had to wait and build up a large enough army to assault the planet while my fleet bombarded the planet back to the stone age. While this is happening a couple pirate groups spawn in unclaimed space around my empire because I expanded way too quickly. The pirates raid up and down my systems destroying research stations and mines. All the while I'm desperately trying to increase the food and energy supplies so I don't continue starving or go bankrupt. I declare martial law on the rest of my planets to help quell the slave unrest and population unhappiness due to the food shortage.
As soon as I feel confident enough of victory I assault my slave-owned homeworld and after a brutal battle I am victorious. I quickly annex the planet and, not long after, switch my race profile to 'Full Citizenship' to not replicate what happened on my homeworld again. The slaves won their freedom after all. Soon after, I deal with the pirates and things are now back to normal.
I just went through an unscripted time of troubles and it all narratively makes sense. That is pretty damn cool.
Well done, Space Admiral Sulla.
Sounds great, Funk Monk. That's the beauty of Paradox games.
Quote from: FunkMonk on February 23, 2018, 09:48:46 AM
Played about 4 hours yesterday. My custom race experienced some slave unrest that I pretty much ignored because I was concentrating on expanding the borders of the empire a bit too much. Eventually I started to run out of food because I was growing too much and expanding too fast. Then a huge slave revolt overthrew my government on my homeworld and declared independence. A moral democracy of all things :yuk:
I quickly declared war and began sieging my homeworld but the rebel slaves had a huge army garrison so I had to wait and build up a large enough army to assault the planet while my fleet bombarded the planet back to the stone age. While this is happening a couple pirate groups spawn in unclaimed space around my empire because I expanded way too quickly. The pirates raid up and down my systems destroying research stations and mines. All the while I'm desperately trying to increase the food and energy supplies so I don't continue starving or go bankrupt. I declare martial law on the rest of my planets to help quell the slave unrest and population unhappiness due to the food shortage.
As soon as I feel confident enough of victory I assault my slave-owned homeworld and after a brutal battle I am victorious. I quickly annex the planet and, not long after, switch my race profile to 'Full Citizenship' to not replicate what happened on my homeworld again. The slaves won their freedom after all. Soon after, I deal with the pirates and things are now back to normal.
I just went through an unscripted time of troubles and it all narratively makes sense. That is pretty damn cool.
:(
Cull early, cull often.
Is it possible to control what sort of states you start near? Twice in a row, my peace loving UN was started near a series of xenophobic species. :(
Also, on diplomacy - is key factors that you run trade deals and do things like grant independence to make other states happy.
Quote from: garbon on February 23, 2018, 10:56:08 AM
Is it possible to control what sort of states you start near? Twice in a row, my peace loving UN was started near a series of xenophobic species. :(
OK Canada.
Quote from: The Brain on February 23, 2018, 11:12:40 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 23, 2018, 10:56:08 AM
Is it possible to control what sort of states you start near? Twice in a row, my peace loving UN was started near a series of xenophobic species. :(
OK Canada.
I mean I have Civ VI if I just want AI empires that hate me.
The changes to the game look interesting! I hate the gruyére look of the map but it'll make expansion more engaging than just blobbing your borders.
Will try to go and finish a Stellaris save once and for all, after I complete my current CK2 Zoroastrian save. I still haven't seen a single lategame crisis :lol:
I haven't gotten far enough to really judge the changes but the totally predictable outrage tsunami on the official forums, from people who had their map-painting algorithm down and well practiced to perfection so they didn't have to put any thought to the game anymore, is hillarious. OMG I USED TO PWN EVERYONE AND NOW I DONT, GAME IS BROKEN
SO now you have to have a base in a system in order to do anything there. OK.
But why? I am not seeing how this changes the expansion dynamic. It just adds a step to the expansion - build a base in each system.
Quote from: celedhring on February 23, 2018, 01:45:55 PM
The changes to the game look interesting! I hate the gruyére look of the map but it'll make expansion more engaging than just blobbing your borders.
Will try to go and finish a Stellaris save once and for all, after I complete my current CK2 Zoroastrian save. I still haven't seen a single lategame crisis :lol:
I like the new changes pretty much. Building bases in each system is perhaps more cumbersome than building an outpost that covers several systems, but the upside is that the base doesn't have a monthly maintenance influence cost. Bases just cost initial influence to build. Before when expanding you had to be more careful else lose influence gain.
Just started Apocalypse so I'll see how it goes. I had recently started up playing again, pre-Apocalypse, and was really liking it.
Quote from: Berkut on February 24, 2018, 01:27:53 PM
SO now you have to have a base in a system in order to do anything there. OK.
But why? I am not seeing how this changes the expansion dynamic. It just adds a step to the expansion - build a base in each system.
So far, to me at least, it seems to really be just the functional equivalent of "planting a flag" to claim a system. In war, taking undeveloped stations are just "capturing" said flag.
I didn't like, and still don't really care for, the star-based "station" for reach system (because I think in reality, space infrastructure will almost always be planet-centric, not star-centric)...but that is mostly, at least functionally, just clash against my preferred aesthetics.
So far, the functional part of it seems to be working well...I actually really like the new look to borders (though I wish that in war, as you take systems, it would show that by means of some kind of shading).
The Federation and its neighbors in the early 23rd century. That cluster of green ships is where the Federation is currently engaged in "liberating" the Cardassian people.
(https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/933806171394480004/B06FFA0DAFB7E4A28E4BB7B3A8F08C7D1A319AAB/)
How do the new fleet stacking limits + FTL nerfs affect warfare?
On paper they seem a good step in making war a bit more tactical than just chasing doomstacks, but I'm curious how they work in practice.
FTL seems to for sure; you have to be outside the rim on the correct side of the system to warp to another one.
Haven't seen combat in the new setup though. Would be nice if they do fighting retreats- you press retreat and your fleet tries to make its way to the rim, under fire as it goes. Rather than just a countdown then flash out.
Quote from: grumbler on February 23, 2018, 09:55:20 AM
Quote from: FunkMonk on February 23, 2018, 09:48:46 AM
Played about 4 hours yesterday. My custom race experienced some slave unrest that I pretty much ignored because I was concentrating on expanding the borders of the empire a bit too much. Eventually I started to run out of food because I was growing too much and expanding too fast. Then a huge slave revolt overthrew my government on my homeworld and declared independence. A moral democracy of all things :yuk:
I quickly declared war and began sieging my homeworld but the rebel slaves had a huge army garrison so I had to wait and build up a large enough army to assault the planet while my fleet bombarded the planet back to the stone age. While this is happening a couple pirate groups spawn in unclaimed space around my empire because I expanded way too quickly. The pirates raid up and down my systems destroying research stations and mines. All the while I'm desperately trying to increase the food and energy supplies so I don't continue starving or go bankrupt. I declare martial law on the rest of my planets to help quell the slave unrest and population unhappiness due to the food shortage.
As soon as I feel confident enough of victory I assault my slave-owned homeworld and after a brutal battle I am victorious. I quickly annex the planet and, not long after, switch my race profile to 'Full Citizenship' to not replicate what happened on my homeworld again. The slaves won their freedom after all. Soon after, I deal with the pirates and things are now back to normal.
I just went through an unscripted time of troubles and it all narratively makes sense. That is pretty damn cool.
Well done, Space Admiral Sulla.
:D :thumbsup:
I like the new geography of the game. Also the interface is a lot better. I can easily tell when something needs to be upgraded and so I don't have to cycle through the planets anymore (although this may be more of a function of other changes since I have not really played this game in a while). I also really like the new mechanic for expansion. You really need to think about how you want to expand rather than watching your borders grow through colonization.
Quote from: Tyr on February 25, 2018, 12:27:04 PM
FTL seems to for sure; you have to be outside the rim on the correct side of the system to warp to another one.
One thing I noticed with that is that fleet/ship movement through your empire has slowed waaaaay down.
This can really feel annoying, especially for:
- reacting/chasing newly spawned pirates on the wrong side of your empire
- That asteroid event
- Got that timed anomaly that requires a construction ship? Ouch.
Though it has forced me to build more construction ships, where before I probably had two at most. And I have to think more about moving a science vessel exploring one outskirt of my empire before moving it to another side.
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 25, 2018, 01:20:01 PM
You really need to think about how you want to expand rather than watching your borders grow through colonization.
Not all that much though. It becomes easier to gather influence as the game progresses in the base game.
Having tried it a bit (and then the ST mod) this weekend, I'd say that overall the changes freshen the game up a bit but are really only great for those who had been excited with the game. My take is in line with the OP of this thread:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-still-feels-like-i-just-sit-there-and-get-techs-until-the-end.1072358/
What kind of settings do you guy's use? Like maps size, AIs, fallen empires etc?
Still getting used to the new war rules. It appears that if you don't get to the war goal you want the enemy still auto white peaces at 100 percent war fatigue.
I've been experimenting with expanding on a broad front so that no systems have been left behind without an outpost. No pirates for 50 years, may be a coincidence of course.
Quote from: HVC on February 26, 2018, 03:12:33 AM
Still getting used to the new war rules. It appears that if you don't get to the war goal you want the enemy still auto white peaces at 100 percent war fatigue.
Surely that must be a bug? As that just sounds wrong. Get yourself at perpetually high war fatigue and you are immune from anyone,
White peace works by each faction keeping what systems they've taken control of.
And I don't have apocalypse, but I do have the other DLCs
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 26, 2018, 06:04:37 AM
I've been experimenting with expanding on a broad front so that no systems have been left behind without an outpost. No pirates for 50 years, may be a coincidence of course.
AFAIK pirates are supposed to appear on the outside of borders next to well-developed star systems, and that's definitely how it has been for me. So yes, I try to have protective "frontier" systems outposted next to the built-up ones, seems to work well. Which I must admit, is the best implementation of pirates in a sci-fi 4x that I have seen - they almost irritated me greatly.
Otherwise, one must be careful with outposts as it adds 1 (or 2?) percent to tech costs per system and that can stack up quickly. Which means though that there now seems to be a tall alternative to wide, to a certain extent.
I don't know, I feel like every time p'dox has added something that supposedly makes a tall alternative to wide, it never really works that way. Particularly as, with the exception of CK2, the main thing that you do in their games is either be at war or preparing for war.
Quote from: garbon on February 26, 2018, 09:32:50 AM
I don't know, I feel like every time p'dox has added something that supposedly makes a tall alternative to wide, it never really works that way. Particularly as, with the exception of CK2, the main thing that you do in their games is either be at war or preparing for war.
Well, yeah. In my current game I feel like I am probably going to restart simply because I am at the point where I can only further expand via war, and I can't be bothered. But that's not a 2.0 case, that's always been a case for me with such games.
Sadly, I don't think the update has made war all that more fun. Planetary invasions still suck though yes, at least you don't have to play the fun of creating defensive armies that you often never need to have.
Quote from: HVC on February 26, 2018, 08:39:48 AM
White peace works by each faction keeping what systems they've taken control of.
I think "and have claims on."
War Exhaustion is going to change at least a bit (it will become a harsh penalty if you reach 100% WE and don't peace out), but shouldn't be forcing a status quo peace even now unless you get to 100% war exhaustion.
https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/968137319600574464
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on February 26, 2018, 06:04:37 AM
I've been experimenting with expanding on a broad front so that no systems have been left behind without an outpost. No pirates for 50 years, may be a coincidence of course.
The pirates always seem to get to that one gap I have left before I can get a constructor there. The design works well.
Quote from: garbon on February 26, 2018, 09:53:43 AM
Sadly, I don't think the update has made war all that more fun. Planetary invasions still suck though yes, at least you don't have to play the fun of creating defensive armies that you often never need to have.
My experience has been quite different. The reduced speed of the fleets combined with stacking limits, smart pirates and multiple attack points create a different game from the stack on stack wars that occurred before.
Quote from: garbon on February 25, 2018, 01:41:51 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 25, 2018, 01:20:01 PM
You really need to think about how you want to expand rather than watching your borders grow through colonization.
Not all that much though. It becomes easier to gather influence as the game progresses in the base game.
Again my experience has been different. The fact that your empire does not expand by colonizing planets makes the mechanic quite different. Now you can get to a strategic choke point and wall off star systems for later development.
Quote from: ulmont on February 26, 2018, 10:46:40 AM
Quote from: HVC on February 26, 2018, 08:39:48 AM
White peace works by each faction keeping what systems they’ve taken control of.
I think "and have claims on."
War Exhaustion is going to change at least a bit (it will become a harsh penalty if you reach 100% WE and don't peace out), but shouldn't be forcing a status quo peace even now unless you get to 100% war exhaustion.
https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/968137319600574464
At least in the auto peaces I've had I didn't get what i had claims on, only what I actually had control of. Btu the exhaustion clicks up so fast you don't really have time to do much if you're fighting more than one empire.
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 26, 2018, 10:50:24 AM
My experience has been quite different. The reduced speed of the fleets combined with stacking limits, smart pirates and multiple attack points create a different game from the stack on stack wars that occurred before.
I think you are overly focused on the details of the mechanics and less than how it actually plays out. Stacking limits aren't that big of a thing - just have two separate fleets that travel together. ;)
Smart pirates? Not sure what that is about. Sure the pirates actually do something now and you have to better plan to have outposts defended but as RH pointed out, that's not all that hard.
Several stacks travelling and fighting together is still better than one stack.
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 26, 2018, 10:50:24 AM
Again my experience has been different. The fact that your empire does not expand by colonizing planets makes the mechanic quite different. Now you can get to a strategic choke point and wall off star systems for later development.
That's not actually all that different, except from again a mechanical point of view (which I guess is what you said but that doesn't really mean the overall gameplay experience has changed). Goes back to what Berk said that now you've an extra step before colonising a planet. In some ways, easier to get systems now as for systems without planets, you don't have to wait for drift but can spam outposts. Walling off star systems happened with drifting borders as long as you had your borders closed and you disallowed wormhole travel.
The strategic choke point is solely down to hyperlanes and forcing you to travel through systems. Of course, the lacking bit is that the AI doesn't seem all that more challenging with them, so more just extra grind in single player rather than added depth that one might see in multiplayer.
Quote from: garbon on February 26, 2018, 11:15:57 AM
In some ways, easier to get systems now as for systems without planets, you don't have to wait for drift but can spam outposts. Walling off star systems happened with drifting borders as long as you had your borders closed and you disallowed wormhole travel.
That is the point. You don't have to hope there is a planet to colonize at the strategic point so that you can occupy a choke point. Now you can and must actively plan to accomplish that goal. Before it was just pure chance of where the habitable planets were located and getting the right tech to expand your boundaries.
Quote from: HVC on February 26, 2018, 11:04:59 AM
At least in the auto peaces I've had I didn't get what i had claims on, only what I actually had control of. Btu the exhaustion clicks up so fast you don't really have time to do much if you're fighting more than one empire.
I was trying to say that you get what you both (a) have control of and (b) have claims on. I haven't had a problem with the exhaustion yet but I was able to stay out of wars until my targets were Inferior.
Quote from: crazy canuck on February 26, 2018, 11:24:36 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 26, 2018, 11:15:57 AM
In some ways, easier to get systems now as for systems without planets, you don't have to wait for drift but can spam outposts. Walling off star systems happened with drifting borders as long as you had your borders closed and you disallowed wormhole travel.
That is the point. You don't have to hope there is a planet to colonize at the strategic point so that you can occupy a choke point. Now you can and must actively plan to accomplish that goal. Before it was just pure chance of where the habitable planets were located and getting the right tech to expand your boundaries.
I'll grant it is a little more direct but not sure that it fundamentally changed things. After all, previously (and to some extent now), key is to protect your populated settlements. So naturally you were then focused on 'chokepoints' being locations around your settled systems as places to defend. Unless it was the very start, your boundaries were already expanding by midgame to be relevant to that. So new system for that is more direct but that's just an incremental change rather than something with far reaching consequences.
A broader reaching change (in my opinion) is the actual need to traverse across each system rather than skirting the periphery as you hop to your goal. That's what really made chokepoints viable as previously, it was easy enough to avoid defense platforms unless they were placed right near one's planet. Of course, if one is still building up defenses to protect key planets then there is a question of how important this change is with regards to defense construction and placement.
I usually always spawn next to a fallen empire. But lately not :hmm:
I have found something cool in my current game though. Human fallen empire.
Albeit sans sol 😔
I wish the galaxy generator, when it uses famous nearby star systems like tau ceti, would put them in the same area.
Yeah, it always lumps Sol, Alpha Centauri, Sirius and Procyon nearby (when playing as human)...but Tau Ceti is a pretty big oversight from that group. Especially as AC and Sirius always have compatible planets, but Tau Ceti is one of the most likely compatible systems that is nearby.
Any idea what determines where ships will go to upgrade?
I have my fleet sitting on my main border citadel and press upgrade.....
They decide to travel to a minor star port at the other side of the galaxy.
It should be the nearest starbase with a shipyard.
Quote from: Tyr on April 01, 2018, 08:22:35 AM
Any idea what determines where ships will go to upgrade?
I have my fleet sitting on my main border citadel and press upgrade.....
They decide to travel to a minor star port at the other side of the galaxy.
Some sort of bug. might be connected with wormholes. If it happens just send the fleet manually to the nearest appropriate place.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 01, 2018, 11:07:57 AM
Quote from: Tyr on April 01, 2018, 08:22:35 AM
Any idea what determines where ships will go to upgrade?
I have my fleet sitting on my main border citadel and press upgrade.....
They decide to travel to a minor star port at the other side of the galaxy.
Some sort of bug. might be connected with wormholes. If it happens just send the fleet manually to the nearest appropriate place.
It happens when they're literally sitting on top of the better starport.
And always seems to be every fleet I have clicking onto the same minor starport.
Though I think you're right on wormholes being to blame. I've a very wormhole/gateway oriented empire.
Quote from: Tonitrus on April 01, 2018, 08:27:27 AM
It should be the nearest starbase with a shipyard.
There's a bug if you have any gateways...after the first gateways come the system will always want to upgrade at the same starbase in a gateway system. At that point I tend to just roll with it and build up that starbase with nothing but shipyards.
War in Heaven is really borked.
Shortly after it started, between two empires separated from each other by quite some space, I was forced to pick a side, despite not being all that much lesser than the fallen empires by this point.
I don't want to be a vassal so I claim neutrality...
To which they decide to both declare war on me.
Well that's silly.
Then another event, I am to lead the league of non aligned powers. Great!
...and one of my neighbours offers to join.
Then another.
Then another.
Then another.
Oh look. Federation victory.
And here I was trying to play a evil slaver game.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/stellaris-dev-diary-111-anomaly-rework-expanded-exploration.1090092/
Sounds better particularly getting rid of that indeed boring anomaly fail risk and instead using level to determine length of time to investigate.
Also, much more strategically setup hyperlanes.
(https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?attachments/2018_04_19_3-png.359404/)
What the essential version of this game? It's all on sale on Steam, is why I ask.
Quote from: Scipio on May 19, 2018, 12:42:06 PM
What the essential version of this game? It's all on sale on Steam, is why I ask.
Base game plus Leviathans and Utopia expansions, although I say get all the expansions (so also Apocalypse and Synthetic Dawn).
Got this on the Steam summer sale, and finally got around to playing it (bog-standard human start). I tend to agree with the thrust of the arguments above: it is an interesting game, but ultimately unsatisfying. Pirates were ludicrous: even before alien contact, I was encountering human pirates with technologies vastly superior to those available to the human race, and in numbers far greater than the human race as a whole could support. How can a game designer do this and hope to retain a shred of suspension of disbelief?
The technology/research system seemed to me to be the worst feature of the game. About half the technology decisions I made, especially in the early game, were just blind pick'ems. Descriptions didn't tell me nearly enough to make me confident that I knew what was going to result, and there was no tech tree, no possibility of specialization, and generally no fun.
Planet and system development seemed petty straightforward, and I liked the sector concept a lot. It allowed me to focus on more fun things than what building to add to a planet, and the balance between sector and empire use of resources was one I had to keep an eye on, as I should in my pretend role.
Combat was... meh. AI ship design was substandard, but the AI could build huge fleets, so there was a lot of tension there. I found it faster and only slightly more expensive to just scrap ships and build new ones where I wanted them than trying to send ships any distance across my empire. The fleet system screwed up frequently, creating situations where i had to go back and manually adjust the fleet compositions in the fleet manager as the fleets frequently "forgot" that they already had the 8 corvettes they were supposed to have, and demanded 8 more. I liked the idea of what they were trying to do with fleets, but the execution was awful. I discovered I could punch above my weight by building only cruisers and torpedo-armed corvettes. I researched battleships (which took a lot of research) and discovered that building them was dumb, so the research would have been a lot better-placed improving the other ships types and weapons.
Music was great, though; one of the best game soundtracks I have heard.
Now coming to consoles, most curious.
Also, really liking the latest release of the Star Trek mod.
Quote from: garbon on August 20, 2018, 01:55:55 PM
Now coming to consoles, most curious.
Too few people playing games on computers these days?
Stellaris (and almost all Paradox games) are RTS, a genre that just doesn't translate well to consoles. You really need a mouse.
So, the enigmatic cache (the tube that wanders around scanning everybody and, I previously thought, doing nothing else) re-appeared over my capital in game year 2438 to offer to "uplift" me.
I browsed online for more information and came across the interesting piece of information that this cache offers to uplift the weakest empire in the game. Allegedly, anyway. :hmm:
.
..
...
I am in fact, the strongest of the "younger Races".
I am also the only "Younger Race" not involved as a thrall, signatory, or member of the non-aligned league in the War in Heaven that broke out a decade or so ago in game time. I'm just having fun sniping around the edges of the conflict (doing a smash and grab against the weaker awakened empire and one of it's signatories to get dark matter technology, for example.)
But, anyway, as I am "all alone in the night", I apparently register as the weakest empire for the cache. :menace:
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 20, 2018, 03:00:11 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 20, 2018, 01:55:55 PM
Now coming to consoles, most curious.
Too few people playing games on computers these days?
Can you use a mouse with the ps4 and sex box?
I guess on switch it could work.
I quite like what I saw so far from the newest DLC "Megacorp", which was released yesterday. They completely reworked the economy. While exploration (until you research a certain tech) and especially building stations is still a click-fest, the planet management has become more interesting and varied. Haven't really tried the new megacorporation specific features.
Quote from: Tyr on September 24, 2018, 11:27:48 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on August 20, 2018, 03:00:11 PM
Quote from: garbon on August 20, 2018, 01:55:55 PM
Now coming to consoles, most curious.
Too few people playing games on computers these days?
Can you use a mouse with the ps4 and sex box?
I guess on switch it could work.
The People making the console of Cities Skyline have nice controller implementation. I expect it will be the same for this one.
I'm enjoying the planeatary management, much more engaging than the tile system.
Unfortunately the new trade route system involves micromanagement of corvette patrols to suppress piracy :bleeding:
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on December 08, 2018, 02:43:13 AM
I'm enjoying the planeatary management, much more engaging than the tile system.
Unfortunately the new trade route system involves micromanagement of corvette patrols to suppress piracy :bleeding:
You can set them on patrol duty. Alternatively, you can add hangars(?) to space stations, which spreads the pirate protection, too.
Thing of note: when you build more jobs than you have people on a planet, people will gravitate to the "better" jobs and abandon resource operations.
However, you can lower the available jobs in the buildings part if you look at the pops.
I was starting to run an energy deficit, so I fired my soldier and one of my clerks to force them go work the energy generators.
Interesting design choice to include districts as part of the control cap. Harder to build tall now?
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 09, 2018, 08:10:15 AM
Interesting design choice to include districts as part of the control cap. Harder to build tall now?
Played 80 years of my first 2.2 game so far. The soft cap for my capital planet continues to increase as technology and new buildings increase capacity. I expect at some point to close the basic production districts and replace them with housing as the home planet's industries move up the value chain. I think the game might end before that process is complete :cool:
There are some glitches and balance issues of course, but we can expect these to be resolved in the next few months.
The game is much improved by these changes.
Quote from: crazy canuck on December 09, 2018, 08:10:15 AM
Interesting design choice to include districts as part of the control cap. Harder to build tall now?
I think you're now intended to go over the cap (unlike before the patch where the target was to stay under the caps), no matter what, to model some inefficiencies in larger empires, whether tall or wide.
Creation of sectors is now automated. You can still have the AI take care of them, but by default they're switched off now.
Make sure you guys use this mod, it's very frequently updated and as I've read the vanilla AI is basically broken:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1584133829
Yeah, I'm too casual for mods whose only goal is to make the game ultrahard for players who have mastered or min/maxed all the games' systems. :P
"With this mod you can play Stellaris on the ensign difficulty setting and still have a challenging game."
Yeah, I get my ass handed to me on average without mods, so no thanks. :D
Quote from: Syt on December 10, 2018, 09:43:21 AM
Yeah, I'm too casual for mods whose only goal is to make the game ultrahard for players who have mastered or min/maxed all the games' systems. :P
"With this mod you can play Stellaris on the ensign difficulty setting and still have a challenging game."
Yeah, I get my ass handed to me on average without mods, so no thanks. :D
No that's not what it is about, at least not the 2.2 version of it.
In 2.2 vanilla, the AI:
-does not repair buildings so a war will cripple AI planets permanently
-does not upgrade buildings so it will fall behind severely
and a bunch of other pretty damned stuff I've forgotten. The guy has tweaked the AI, plus made workarounds for now. e.g. he has disabled building-ruining by bombardment, and created an event chain to help the AI upgrade buildings.
Yeah, I'm happy to use this first game as a sort of tutorial to familiarise myself with the new systems.
Come the new year, after a fortifying month or two off, I'm sure that the scholarly Swedes will get the AI to be more competitive.
Meh, I dunno. The last version had a pretty major AI flaw (AI empires would rather easily get themselves into a starvation loop, and never make any effort to produce enough food to get out of it...I'd come across lots of empty planets with no buildings/tiles developed), and they never bothered to address it.
Beta patch!
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/dev-team-stellaris_test-beta-branch-updated-with-many-new-fixes-checksum-8b3a.1136212/
Quote#################################################################
######################### VERSION 2.2.2 ###########################
#################################################################
######################
# 2.2 'Le Guin' Free Features
######################
* Added the new "Legion" flag set, with 6 new flags
###################
# Balance
###################
* Reduced effectiveness of Bio-Reactor
* Increased cost of Unity buildings
* Reduced mineral cost of roboticist and fabricator jobs
* Increased base alloy job production from 2 to 3
* Resource stockpiles have by default been increased from 10000 to 15000. Default stockpile for Energy Credits increased to 50000
* Drone Campaign and Robot Campaign effects reduced from +20% to +10%
* Synthetic Evolution ascension perk now gives +10% robot output
* The chance of criminal Branch Offices getting shut down has been reduced slightly, and the cooldown between shutdown events has been reduced to 10 years
* At least one year with little or no crime must pass for a colony's criminal Branch Office to potentially get shut down (increased from one day)
* Different kinds of Unity buildings are now more consistent in how many Jobs they create
* Betharian Power Plant building now creates Jobs in addition to its flat Energy Credits output
* Bunker Bot's scrap value increased
* Massively reduced point defense weapon damage against armour
* Democratic Crusaders now also take a dim view of corporate authority
* Caravaneer home base will only be re-established if at least one Caravaneer fleet is still alive
###################
# AI
###################
* Improved AI planet building priorities
* Improved AI market trading
* AI no longer bounces a single scientist around multiple ships, choking their exploration and growth
###################
# UI
###################
* Building and District tooltips are now more informative in regards to what resources they use and produce from their jobs
* Fixed the missing "Megacorp" ownership icon in the MP lobby
* Added a warning when you try to colonize a very low habitability planet directly with a colony ship
* Piracy is now shown for non trading nations (if within their borders)
* Fixed the UI shattering hilariously if you clicked the population tab on an uncolonized planet
* Fixed Expansion Planner wrongly revealing rare deposits on unsurveyed worlds
* Fixed tooltip for Aristocratic Elite to show the building it unlocks
* Added a popup to tell player when resettlement will cause building destruction
* Adjusted the resource deficit notification to pop once you are down to 12 months' reserves
* Small tweaks to the Planets and Sectors screen
* Fixed tooltip wrongly stating planet had no rare planetary features if they were covered by a blocker
###################
# Modding
###################
* Add num_uncleared_blockers trigger - checks the planet's total amount of uncleared blockers
###################
# Bugfixes
###################
* Number of districts required to enact Arcology Project is no longer reduced by uncleared blockers
* Fixed overlapping UI elements in Megastructure view
* Authoritarian faction is now also OK with Academic Privilege and Robotic Servitors
* Tech drones and Technician jobs now correctly look for the Ingenious trait rather than Thrifty (which was changed to trade value)
* Starting on Earth as Life-Seeded now properly gives you a 25 size planet with rare deposits
* Fixed an OOS on hotjoin due to MIA ships reappearing in different places on server and client
* Fixed status quo peace not spawning new empires in ideology and vassalization wars
* Fixed ship alloy costs being truncated in the choose design window of the fleet designer
* Fixed first wave scourge invasion fleets being led by admirals using robot portraits for some bizarre reason
* Fixed massively out of date credits in the Chinese version, because Jamor is a human that exists in the universe apparently
* Fixed out of synch event related to special projects
* Added missing effects to the description of the Trium Caravaneer's atmospheric deodorizer deal
* Gateways will no longer spawn in directly adjacent systems on galaxy creation
* Fixes the issue of people not able to hot join a multiplayer when too many players are present
* Made tweaks to Galactic Market that should prevent an infinite profits exploit from flooding the market, then rebuying, you shameless tophat-wearing capitalist exploiters, you
* Fixed a graphical display bug with shielded worlds
* Fixed an incorrect modifier being applied by the "Alien Drag Racing" anomaly
* Improved the text truncation in longer planetary Decision descriptions, should avoid spillouts
* Reduced number of calls to CalcMaxEmployed done in DailyUpdate by up to 50%. Should improve performance
* Fixed literally unplayable grammar issue in the Horizon Signal event chain
* Fixed leader portraits being slightly off-center in level up windows
* Fixed OOS due to Leaders not being reregistered when changing class (Scientist to Empire Leader, etc)
* Fixed potential CTD when loading market and certain empires no longer exist, because all those empires will be lost, in time, like tears in rain
* Empire size modifier on leader cost and upkeep is now multiplied on the total and not added to the other mult modifiers
* Fixed OOS due to Galactic Market cache
* Fixed Master's Teaching: Warring States edict not affecting army upkeep as it should
* Fixed Gospel of the Masses civic not applying trade value bonus
* Fixed event spam when gaining access to the Galactic Market
* "Free at last" modifiers are now removed from the planet after it's reconquered (or conquered by anyone else)
* Prevented abandoned terraforming project or underground civilization events on an Ecumenopolis
* Added a check so that servitude robots cannot become criminals. We'll miss you, serial killer auto assembly claw.
* Khan, "berserker" and "invader" AI personalities should no longer get stuck considering targets they cannot reach
* Fixed empire size tooltip with literally unplayable missing % signs
* Fanatic Purifiers, Determined Exterminators, and Devouring Swarms now have a tooltip properly explaining why, as generally antisocial genocidal murderers, they are not welcome in the Galactic Market
* Fixed issue where the Marauder Horde was not dealt with properly if the Khan died of old age
* Reworked refugee pop effect script to eliminate faulty event spam
* Fixed a situation with total wars. If a player takes a planet that has the same name as a planet he already owns, a new sector would be created with that name, but with no planets in it
* Effects of "Survival of the Fittest" tradition now include a "%" character where needed
* Fixed broken tooltips for Gang Wars and Mob Rule events
* Fixed a bug where presapient pops on a planet would distort the necessary number of fully sapient pops required to unlock the next building slot
* Fixed some missing resource icons in various screens and tooltips
This all looks great but like any Paradox patch I'll wait a couple months.
Quote from: Syt on December 08, 2018, 02:57:00 AM
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on December 08, 2018, 02:43:13 AM
I'm enjoying the planeatary management, much more engaging than the tile system.
Unfortunately the new trade route system involves micromanagement of corvette patrols to suppress piracy :bleeding:
You can set them on patrol duty. Alternatively, you can add hangars(?) to space stations, which spreads the pirate protection, too.
Any military module (guns, hangars, missiles) spreads a station's anti-piracy influence; a couple of strategically placed stations can make all the difference.
Also, the influence of your station ignores borders, so that annoying alien thumb into your territory is suddenly not so annoying.
Not sure if this goes here or into the Canada Politics thread ... :hmm:
(https://i.redd.it/8jhx0u3zarr31.jpg)
I've never noticed this in the game. It's there in every earth or a possible generated feature?
Well, Earth can spawn in different states, from primitives to tomb world, so I guess this is one of the variants.
Do any ethnic Albertans survive?
I wondered what Neil was up to these days.
Quote from: Tyr on October 11, 2019, 03:07:44 AM
I've never noticed this in the game. It's there in every earth or a possible generated feature?
Quote from: Syt on October 11, 2019, 03:15:39 AM
Well, Earth can spawn in different states, from primitives to tomb world, so I guess this is one of the variants.
:huh:
Have neither of you played the game with your home system as Sol since they got rid of the tile system for planets?
QuoteGreat Albertan Crater
+3 Max Mining Districts
When 711494 Satis approached Earth and triggered the Great Panic of '72, everyone thought this was it - the Big One had finally arrived. Fortunately, it wasn't big enough to cause an extinction event. Unfortunately, it wiped out much of Alberta.
It's one of the planetary features that automatically spawns on a player Earth.
I always only play random empires.
I wish I could play again.
Well known bug that lots of people have experienced that makes the game refuse to start. Never been fixed.
Even re-installing doesn't fix it.
Quote from: Berkut on October 12, 2019, 10:22:23 PM
Well known bug that lots of people have experienced that makes the game refuse to start. Never been fixed.
Even re-installing doesn't fix it.
There was a bug like this with the 2.0.4 patch - changing launchers - that was hotfixed, but verifying integrity was said to fix that one.
Quote from: Berkut on October 12, 2019, 10:22:23 PM
Well known bug that lots of people have experienced that makes the game refuse to start. Never been fixed.
Even re-installing doesn't fix it.
I had this for a while. I think that I fixed it by renaming my saves folder "old saves" and let the game create a new save folder. I could copy saves into the new folder after starting the game once with a new game and saving immediately.
The new patch didn't fix it, but it did point me in a direction that allowed me to fix it!
Oh man...what in the hell did they do with the planet screen????
https://galaxycommand.stellaris.com/
https://twitter.com/StellarisMobile/status/1184123010640498688
QuoteStellaris: Galaxy Command, an online grand strategy for mobile, is available now, for beta testing, in chosen regions!
Beta in Sweden, Canada, Australia & New Zealand:
Android: https://pdxint.at/SGC_GPlay
iOS: https://pdxint.at/SGC_IOS
Global pre-registration: http://galaxycommand.stellaris.com
Erm ...
Looks like it's developed by the same guys as Nova Empire, another multiplayer mobile strategy game:
http://novaempiregame.com/MEDIA.html?searchText=MEDIA
Which incidentally looks almost exactly like this Stellaris Mobile game.
Quote from: Syt on October 15, 2019, 10:43:19 AM
Which incidentally looks almost exactly like this Stellaris Mobile game.
...which appears to have lifted some Halo assets.
Apparently, if you cancel registration, the game calls itself Nova Empire. :D
Quote from: ulmont on October 15, 2019, 01:46:15 PM
Quote from: Syt on October 15, 2019, 10:43:19 AM
Which incidentally looks almost exactly like this Stellaris Mobile game.
...which appears to have lifted some Halo assets.
...and, that was that; the game has been pulled at least for now.
(https://i.imgur.com/364xAHf.png)
https://twitter.com/TheWesterFront/status/1184199515190059008
(https://i.redd.it/0d0rda53qss31.jpg)
:lol:
:hmm:
It also stole Halo artwork.
... which ulmont already pointed out. :)
All credits to Ulmont!
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 16, 2019, 07:31:40 AM
It also stole Halo artwork.
Outsourcing to a country that views IP as a joke can't possiblaay go wrong.
There is a paradox sale on steam atm, if you you want to pick up some of the DLCs for this
Got Utopia & Apocalypse and played about 5 hours this morning with Fox people.
The Children of Inari are Enduring, Charismatic and Quarrelsome.
They are Spiritualist, Egalitarian and Xenophiles.
They are native to an Arctic world.
I usually play random races. Currently a machine empire which seems easy mode. All biomes have good habitability, and I don't have to worry about food or consumer goods. Ironically, I good the psionics archaeology event chain (while being surrounded by fanatical spiritualists). :D
Quote from: Syt on October 20, 2019, 03:52:41 AM
I usually play random races. Currently a machine empire which seems easy mode. All biomes have good habitability, and I don't have to worry about food or consumer goods. Ironically, I good the psionics archaeology event chain (while being surrounded by fanatical spiritualists). :D
The first two races I've run into are xenophobic reptiles and plant people
I am looking forward to the Lithoids species pack they are releasing this week as it will contain new mechanics for the Lithoids. I hope they'll eventually update the Plantoids with their own mechanics as well.
The expansion has a cool feature in Origins, but I am not so sure about the Federations and Galactic Council. Let's see. I'll get it anyway, so then I will see if it adds much for my style of play. The new megastructures sound interesting, but megastructures at the moment come way too late for me. By then I am typically already dominant in the galaxy.
It is weird the plant species back was just aesthetics. It doesn't seem so hard to give them some basic mechanics- they have a lower food consumption rate but also need to consume energy. Bam.
Lithoid portraits:
(https://i.redd.it/3vw2wltuhot31.png)
Disappointed there's none looking like the ravenous crystal lizards from Dark Souls III :(
So, Empire sprawl...I should ignore that right? Looks like the gains will exceed the penalty.
Quote from: jimmy olsen on October 23, 2019, 07:01:38 PM
So, Empire sprawl...I should ignore that right? Looks like the gains will exceed the penalty.
Unless you get really good resources in return - yep.
The New Launcher is really buggy; it usually takes two tries to successfully launch it on my PC.
Doesn't help that the new launcher is god-awful to look at and use as well, of course.
Quote from: Agelastus on October 25, 2019, 12:58:55 PM
The New Launcher is really buggy; it usually takes two tries to successfully launch it on my PC.
Doesn't help that the new launcher is god-awful to look at and use as well, of course.
At least in the old days when something sucked they had the claim of being too small and having to meet strict deadlines to remain solvent. Now I think they are just too lazy to do in house QA.
I decided to try my first game in a long while. Used the star trek mod.
Wow. I...don't understand this at all now. I wonder how much is default stellaris making things more complicated about how much is trek borking. So many resource types.
Standard Stellaris is on sale on steam for $10. I'm always down for a bit of 4X, should I get this for quarantine? I dont want any of the add ons or anything because thats not in the budget.
The base game is definitely worth that.
Quote from: crazy canuck on March 21, 2020, 09:03:29 PM
The base game is definitely worth that.
so shall it be. To the stars!!
The game just got a big update and is a lot of fun now for me. Even the AI is now somewhat competent.
I'm finally starting to play this, and I have no idea of what I'm doing.
Quote from: Iormlund on March 22, 2020, 10:33:01 AM
I'm finally starting to play this, and I have not idea of what I'm doing.
We can be greenhorns together. Just downloaded it.
Quote from: fromtia on March 21, 2020, 07:01:30 PM
Standard Stellaris is on sale on steam for $10. I'm always down for a bit of 4X, should I get this for quarantine? I dont want any of the add ons or anything because thats not in the budget.
Even if you don't do the DLC, there are lots of good mods (even just the cosmetic ones) in the Steam Workshop.
Well I'm enjoying Stellaris so far. Heavy on the detail and a bit overwhelming at first, like studying for an exam, but that's to be expected from Paradox. It is doing exactly what I hoped it would, it commands my attention so much, that it stops me worrying and fretting. :)
I am just running at it though, its familiar enough 4x for me to skip the tutorials and jump on the wiki if I get stuck. Part of the fun.
I have never been able to get into this game. Any idea how I should start?
Quote from: Razgovory on March 23, 2020, 12:52:01 PM
I have never been able to get into this game. Any idea how I should start?
Crush your enemies. Your space enemies.
The more exotic factions are actually easier to play, e.g. machine intelligence or lithoids (both of which require DLCs). Other than that, just play with the humans and roll with it. It's basic 4X mechanisms. I really like especially the exploration part. Not sure how much of that comes from the base game compared to the DLCs though.
I use More Events Mod, Guilli's plant modifiers and Guilli's tech and Tiny Outliner as mods. That's enough to add some more spice to the game without risking overpowered/weird mod things or instability.
Just noticed a star system named covfefe
Stumbled again into the midgame wall. Bored to bits and without much to do or aim for. I could easily crush any of my neighbors if I actually could earn enough influence to put claims on their systems... I'm neighboring a couple of systems with skull-level enemies in them, so I'll try to stick around long enough to attempt to defeat them.
Quote from: celedhring on March 29, 2020, 11:04:01 AM
Stumbled again into the midgame wall. Bored to bits and without much to do or aim for. I could easily crush any of my neighbors if I actually could earn enough influence to put claims on their systems...
It's about this point I try to beeline for the Colossus Project. Or restart and play a Determined Assimilator (you have massive diplo penalties but still can engage in diplo, and you have the total war CB always available; they are like Fanatic Purifiers light).
Im only on my second game, playing the basic edition, with the vanilla default human star trek federation. Im at about 2309 and having a great time noodling away. I bought the game on GOG because the Steam sale ended, and now I see all the various Stellaris expansions and DLC are on sale on GOG as well.....
Utopia is the best DLC, Apocalypse for warfare, Federations for diplomacy add quite a few mechanics.
Distant Stars, Leviathans, and Ancient Relics mainly add more stuff to explore. But there is also good content on Steam Workshop for that.
Megacorp and Syntethic Dawn make sense if you want to play those specific factions.
Quote from: Zanza on March 29, 2020, 02:34:29 PM
Utopia is the best DLC, Apocalypse for warfare, Federations for diplomacy add quite a few mechanics.
Distant Stars, Leviathans, and Ancient Relics mainly add more stuff to explore. But there is also good content on Steam Workshop for that.
Megacorp and Syntethic Dawn make sense if you want to play those specific factions.
Awesome, thanks for the tips. The exploration part of the game is super fun.
So...
Normally by late game I am powerful enough to sit out the War in Heaven with my vassals and, depending on the empire I am playing, rarely one or two federation members (if they don't jump ship.) I'll jump in when "I" choose to, thank you very much...
First game with "Federations" where I have been interested enough to go past 2400.
I have a Star Hegemony, Maximum centralisation, and the largest Federation I have ever created. So I sit out the War declaration and all my members stay with me. Then I refuse to lead the League. Then another nation accepts...and apart from my vassals every...single...one of my members leaves the Federation to join the League of Non-aligned powers.
The War in Heaven has always annoyed me more than inspired me in the late game; now they seem to have made it worse. I mean, what's the point of having a new, improved federation where the president is supposed to be allowed to say "no" to members leaving if the War in Heaven ignores this mechanic the way it did with the pre-expansion old, simple federations?
Back to vassals only for me.
I didn't even get to War in Heaven in my current game. Actually, I don't think it would even be possible for it to trigger, because one of the two FEs were Ancient Caretakers, machine intelligence. The other one was Enigmatic Observers, and as soon as they awakened I went in to crush them, take their beautiful worlds, and enslave their populace. :P The Caretakers actually helped me earlier in the game, because the Great Khan spawned between them and me, and as soon as his fleets went near their border, they helpfully came to crush him. That kinda was fortunate for me, because I was also in the middle of AI rebellion at the time. By the time the Great Khan returned, I was ready for him and managed to kill him. I later thanked the Caretakers by conquering their ring worlds and dismantling them for parts. :ph34r: By the time the Unbidden showed up, I was powerful enough to just roll up to their portal and destroy all their fleets right away, before they could even expand anywhere.
Also spoiler for Horizon Signal event chain, if you haven't played it yet. [spoiler]I went through it and embraced the worm in the end. My home system, which was originally a tri-star, now houses three black holes. :ph34r: Not to mention all the barren planets and moons in the system got turned into tomb worlds, several of size 25+! Not that I really needed them at this stage of the game...[/spoiler]
What difficulty level do you play? The higher difficulty levels are very tough early on for me as I never have a large enough fleet to fight off enemies. The lower difficulty levels leave the AI opponents in the dust by year 2300.
I'm just plodding through the endgame, because I've never finished a single playthrough and I promised myself I'll do it this time. The Khan spawned and lasted two minutes before he was smashed by the AI. I conquered an L-gate early on, so I worked through that chain and I opened the gates. The dragons or whatever slipped through, but their target system was at the other side of the galaxy and right now they're rampaging through IA empires.
I'm busying myself building a Ringworld, never got far enough to finish a megaestructure.
Still going on my second game, it's 2320 or so, I'm in the lead of the "regular" civilizations, but there's a pretty big lull without the exploration. Doldrums, which so many 4X suffers from, just a sort of whack-a-mole of economy resource management. Hopefully it'll pick up again shortly. perhaps ill buy one of the expansions for $5.
I saw you guys having fun with this. Had fun with Stellaris at first release - Steam says I have 60+ hours in.
Dammit though - so many expansions, none of which are on sale... I just can't buy them at full price...
Quote from: Barrister on March 30, 2020, 06:19:13 PM
I saw you guys having fun with this. Had fun with Stellaris at first release - Steam says I have 60+ hours in.
Dammit though - so many expansions, none of which are on sale... I just can't buy them at full price...
A lot of the expansions are on sale on GOG - Good Old Games Galaxy.
Does that work through Steam though? :unsure:
No clue. also, they aren't on sale today dammit!! :mad:
Check also Paradox's own store, they had a spring sale that might still be on.
Nevermind - been a lot of changes since I played, no need to worry about DLC to keep things interesting...
You can check isthereanydeal.com to see where you get a discount.
So I just had a rather interesting game as United Nations of Earth (one of the default human empires). Here's a mini-AAR.
I was expecting to pretty much be an egalitarian xenophile democracy. I started by expanding, meeting some neighbours, and starting a federation with a couple of like-minded ones (a friendly megacorporation and a pacifist democracy). Another neighbour was a xenophobic totalitarian empire, which gave me trouble early on, attacking me several times. There was also a rogue servitor machine intelligence nearby, which started friendly but gradually relations broke down. However, I managed to beat them, vassalizing the former and destroying the latter. As time progressed, I found myself being Space USA, spreading freedom and democracy by force of arms. I got another member for my federation, this one a spiritual theocracy, and fought against the xenophobic humans of the Commonwealth of Man and their allies, a military dictatorship (whom I also later vassalized). A big test was defeating a militarist fallen empire near my borders, which I did in the course of two wars.
However, what was really interesting was the internal ethical shift of my civilization. The UNE starts as fanatic egalitarian and xenophile, and with my open borders and free migration, they became a home for all species of the galaxy. Early on, the humans discovered the signs of the Zroni precursors (the ancient psionic race), and after a lengthy search, found the Zroni homeworld and discovered psionics. I decided that this was a sign from the powers that be, and took the psionic ascension path. All humans eventually became psionic, and in what was know as The Great Awakening (in the first half of the 25th century), they also assimilated all the other species in their empire, giving them psionic powers. By this time, the spiritualist faction was by far the strongest, demanding more conservative values.
The multiracial psionic state faced its ultimate test after the year 2450, when disasters struck in quick succession. First there was a rebellion by our robotic servants (I had earlier built quite many of them, and they even received equal rights at some point, but with spiritualist ethics ascendant, I thought that it'd be more in-character to remove the rights of synthetics and try to dismantle them again). The synths took many of our best planets, and while our fleets crushed theirs in the void of space, retaking the planets took more time, during which they were scoured of many buildings and biological populations. My economy took a huge hit because of all this. Moreover, just as the war against the rebel AI was winding down, the Prethoryn Scourge invaded the galaxy. It first appeared in the space of one of my vassals (the aforementioned xenophobic totalitarians), and quickly infested their planets. Luckily that vassal was at the other end of a bottlenecked hyperlane connection that was otherwise separated from the rest of the galaxy, so the Prethoryn could not spread from there except via that one connection. My fleets scrambled to meet them, but the first engagement proved harsh as despite inflicting heavy casualties, most of my navy was beaten and forced to retreat. I had to sell off most of my resources to buy enough alloys to reinforce my fleets. Fortunately, the Prethoryn advanced into my systems fairly slowly (not to mention that the only path they could take was a long and winding one), so I had time to recover.
It was at this point that our civilization experienced a sort of enlightenment. Some time during the AI rebellion, the governor of Earth, Andrea Deville, was blessed by the Shroud as the psionic Chosen One, becoming very powerful and immortal. When it seemed that the Prethoryn would overrun us, the people turned to her for salvation. With popular support, she was crowned our immortal God-Empress. Thus the United Nations of Earth became a divine empire administered by aristocratic elite and imperial cult. All hail God-Empress Andrea!
Thanks, Solmyr, great AAR. :)
Sounds like a great game!
I'm at 2420, praying for the endgame crisis to come and give some life to my game. I decided to fight off boredom by starting a 3-front war against a nearby federation, which I beat quite easily. Everybody but the fallen empires is "Pathetic" to me, and since after my last war I've gained borders with 2 FEs, I'm wondering about starting a war against one of them.
My culture is militaristic and authoritarian, but not expansionist or xenophobic, so I'm roleplaying it as a bunch of assholes that solve everything via gunship diplomacy. I haven't expanded that much, although my expansionist faction is gaining traction and I'm trying to please them. My main rival is a federation of democratic nations that owns half the galaxy, and I'm now set on destroying them (which honestly I could do with an arm tied to my back). Me = the bad guy :smoke:
I'm starting to have some "AI/robots doing weird things" events, so I expect a robot revolution soon.
What difficulty level do you guys play?
I play on Captain, so I guess I could still increase it on my next playthrough. I had a bid of a tough time at the beginning, since I fell behind in tech quite quickly, but once I unlocked +admin capacity buildings and brought empire sprawl under control, it was smooth sailing. There doesn't seem to be much of a penalty to expanding (I have a multitude of factions and races, but they don't seem to create much trouble?), and the AI manages its fleets terribly.
Played this last one on Captain, so the AI got some bonuses. Mostly difficulty level matters in the early game, where you have to survive any hostile neighbours. AI economies tend to be wrecks normally, so they can use the bonuses.
I wonder if I should play Grand Admiral with Scaling on. That gives the AI few or no bonus early (when they sometimes overpower me when playing Commodore or Admiral difficulty) and huge bonus at the end of game. Hmm.
AI fleet management was improved with 2.6. They concentrate their fleets more now.
I was thinking of trying scaling difficulty as well, once I get used to playing again. :)
Quote from: Zanza on April 04, 2020, 03:30:36 AM
AI fleet management was improved with 2.6. They concentrate their fleets more now.
Still find myself chasing a lot of minifleets after I break their initial stacks.
But yeah, the game is way more challenging at the beginning that at the end (note: I have always got bored before I face an endgame crisis). So trying scaling difficulty might be a good idea.
To continue on my AAR a bit (I'm still playing that game since I have a couple of achievements lined up). Our empire is now authoritarian, xenophile, and spiritual. So we are basically a hippie version of the Imperium of Man - we don't hate the xenos, we invite them into our society and assimilate them into our psionic consciousness. However, spiritualists don't like robots, so our God-Empress gave the order to outlaw robotic workers. Now imagine being a sentient synthetic enjoying equal rights with your organic fellow citizens, when suddenly your ruler decides that you are not a person, and you and your fellow synths are removed from all jobs, shut down, and dismantled for scrap. Damn, you can do some pretty horrifying shit in this game if you think about it... :ph34r:
I've never came across the evil humans in game :hmm:
Quote from: Tyr on April 05, 2020, 03:34:41 AM
I've never came across the evil humans in game :hmm:
I think the two default human empire always spawn together, so if you get the UN of Earth, you'll also get Commonwealth of Man, and vice versa. As for humans in general, I think it's 50% chance for Sol system to spawn in any given game. After that, it's random whether the humans will be pre-spacefaring, dead in nuclear war, regular empire or fallen empire.
Quote from: Tyr on April 05, 2020, 03:34:41 AM
I've never came across the evil humans in game :hmm:
I believe before the recent update they were a random chance...now if you play the UNE, the Commonwealth of Man is a sure thing.
Just had my robot uprising happen. It hasn't been much trouble. Again, the IA hopelessly split their fleets despite starting with some decent stacks.
Is there a way to switch factions mid-game like in older Paradox games? Was tempted to play with the toasters for a moment.
You should get an option to switch to the rebels when the AI rebellion event first fires.
Quote from: Solmyr on April 06, 2020, 04:11:26 AM
You should get an option to switch to the rebels when the AI rebellion event first fires.
Oh, I completely missed that.
Started a new game as xenophobe, very spiritual megacorporation (randomized empire). I used Grand Admiral, but with scaling difficulty. So far the game is fun and I've found some neighbours, which are roughly as strong as I am now... let's see if they get too weak.
Something fun I found - Sol III has some kind of portal around it (I am playing with some story mods which add events etc.). I have not yet researched the portal yet.
(https://i.imgur.com/mvCkJNL.jpg)
I guess Coronavirus is the good possibility for our future... :ph34r:
(https://i.imgur.com/CTKGphi.png)
What story mods are you using? Might go for another save once I finally complete my current one.
The synth revolution was quickly quashed but the toasters had enough time to bulldoze plenty of my infrastructure in the planets they held :cry: so I have to spend several years rebuilding before I try to go after one of the fallen empires I neighbor (is that a good idea? Everybody else is "pathetic" to me and fighting them is just a boring chore at this point).
Quote from: celedhring on April 07, 2020, 12:28:33 PM
Everybody else is "pathetic" to me and fighting them is just a boring chore at this point).
Play with them a while... before annihilation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QC7uMo1uPQ
Quote from: Zanza on April 07, 2020, 12:05:50 PM
I guess Coronavirus is the good possibility for our future... :ph34r:
[that pic]
Looks to me more like someone wanted to be sure. :P
Quote from: celedhring on April 07, 2020, 12:28:33 PM
What story mods are you using? Might go for another save once I finally complete my current one.
The synth revolution was quickly quashed but the toasters had enough time to bulldoze plenty of my infrastructure in the planets they held :cry: so I have to spend several years rebuilding before I try to go after one of the fallen empires I neighbor (is that a good idea? Everybody else is "pathetic" to me and fighting them is just a boring chore at this point).
If you have a choke point with a Fallen Empire, a good strategy is to build a huge bastion right at the border that they have to come through. Load it up with an ion cannon and all the best defense platforms and other defensive buildings you can get. Then park your fleet around it. When you declare war, wait for them to come at you, so that your bastion can help with crushing their fleet. If you win, you can then analyze their debris in your system and get their tech, which will help immensely in fighting them later on.
Indeed I do. My last war was fought exclusively to take over such a choke point.
(https://i.ibb.co/F3zzNhN/image.png)
Hopefully I have enough time to fight them before I get the endgame crisis.
What year are you in? Crises come only after 2450.
2420. But I'll need a few years to rebuild my infrastructure after the robot revolt. Should be ready to have a go at them before 2430 though, that's for sure.
The entire districts mechanic is kind of a mystery to me. Is there some way of knowing what you should build and when there?
Quote from: Berkut on April 08, 2020, 08:45:13 AM
The entire districts mechanic is kind of a mystery to me. Is there some way of knowing what you should build and when there?
City districts: generate housing and amenities (happiness). They only generate 1 job per district, though.
Generator/Mines/Farms: generate energy, minerals or food. Don't generate as much housing as cities, but instead they generate more jobs (2).
I mix and match depending on my needs, really. I have found that you can't really specialize planets via districts too much. Then again never been that much of a min-maxer.
You can start specializing planets after 2300 or so, when you've expanded somewhat, your economy is stable, and you can shift things around without everything collapsing. World designations (agri-world, bureaucratic center, etc.) help with getting the most out of specialized planets, and is probably useful in the later game to create really huge outputs that are needed for massive construction projects like megastructures and arcologies. That said, the AI doesn't specialize its worlds as far as I can tell (at least when I conquer their planets, they have all kinds of random buildings all together), so it's not a big pressure on you either. Early on you mix and match because you don't have the population to support specialization yet, although it's useful to earmark certain plants as good for a particular type of resource output.
City districts generate two clerk jobs with a tradition in the Prosperity tree (which you should take generally as your third tradition tree after Expansion/Discovery, as it has great economic bonuses).
Quote from: Berkut on April 08, 2020, 08:45:13 AM
The entire districts mechanic is kind of a mystery to me. Is there some way of knowing what you should build and when there?
Ok.
1. NEVER BUILD A DISTRICT OR A BUILDING UNTIL YOU NEED IT. Wait until you have an unemployed pop or at least are out of housing. Paying maintenance on districts / buildings you don't need is how you go broke.
2. Always build what you need. If you're negative on food / energy / etc., try to build a district or building that addresses the problem. Think locally (planetary services or housing) first, then globally (minerals etc.).
3. If you don't have any immediate needs, (a) extra pop growth and (b) extra alloys are always great goals towards. Pops are what work your districts, so the more the merrier, and alloys are what you build your warships with.
4. Don't worry about specialization unless you really want to.
Quote from: celedhring on April 07, 2020, 12:28:33 PM
What story mods are you using? Might go for another save once I finally complete my current one.
I am currently running the following mods:
More events mod:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=727000451
Fatal Foundations:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1607524900
Archeology Story Pack/Precursor Story Pack:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1993869579
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1999328266
A bit variety (Guilli's planets and technologies):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1793768254
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=865040033
UX (tiny outliner and tiny fleets):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1610578060
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1629519297
I haven't tried it yet, but I consider this next:
Dynamic Political Events
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1227620643
In general, I am looking for mods that "fit" into the general feel of the game and don't give completely overpowered shit to the player. Just some more variety in content.
I try to specialize my planets early on, looking for one planet where I build most admin or research or alloy buildings so that I can later build the "booster" building for that type. Same for the basic resources, I usually focus on one or two instead of building all three on a planet. You also sometimes have bonus or malus modifiers on the planets which predetermines what you should or should not build.
If you want to simplify the economy to learn the game, play as robots or lithoids.
Quote from: Zanza on April 08, 2020, 12:00:03 PM
I haven't tried it yet, but I consider this next:
Dynamic Political Events
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1227620643
I've been using that one for quite a while. Worth it I'd say. Adds some depth
Okay, this has been fun.
As discussed, I declared war on the Fallen Empire and baited them into my massed fleet+fully armed and operational starbase. However, I misjudged the potency of their fleets, and when I forced them to retreat after destroying half their fleet, most of my ships were ashes. Then a war of attrition of sorts began as I rebuilt and tried to wittle down their remaining ships, but found myself going through my alloys stockpile way too quickly. In the end, however, I managed to bait them into a Quasar system - this negated their shields technology advantage and gave me the decisive victory I seeked. By that time, however, I was exhausted, and given that their home system was extremely well-defended, I decided for a status-quo peace that gave me half their territory while I licked my wounds and rebuilt.
However... a few years later... they have just awakened :lol:
Heh, as a megacorp, I am making about 9K energy surplus per month. I can just buy anything I want. :wacko: :contract:
Unfun thing: waging war against somebody that has unlocked habitats and having to micromanage invading half a dozen planets in every system...
Yeah, AI just loves going crazy with habitats. Although, depending on your war goals, you don't need to occupy every little planet, just get some important ones and wait for their WE to reach 100% (after that you get autovictory in a couple of years).
This was a war started by a Federation member and for some reason peace didn't trigger until the very last world was fully occupied and their occupation warscore reached 100%. I kept hovering over the percentage breakdown in order to get them to accept and I kept getting the "claiming unoccupied systems/planets" malus even though I had long occupied all claims, so I went nuts and just invaded all. I guess I must've missed something somewhere, but it was really unfun.
Fortunately the Synth endgame crisis arrived shortly afterwards, and fighting them has been really fun. About to invade their origin world and finish off the game. I won't win, because a Fallen Empire has Awakened and gone nuts during the crisis, but it's been a fun ride.
So playing with Grand Admiral and scaling difficulty doesn't cut it. It is around 2300 in my game and all other empires are inferior or pathetic.
Quote from: Zanza on April 10, 2020, 05:54:13 AM
So playing with Grand Admiral and scaling difficulty doesn't cut it. It is around 2300 in my game and all other empires are inferior or pathetic.
Scaling difficulty doesn't work well. You get your economic advantages in the early game and snowball in a way the AI can't keep up with even with the increased benefits.
Quote from: Zanza on April 10, 2020, 05:54:13 AM
So playing with Grand Admiral and scaling difficulty doesn't cut it. It is around 2300 in my game and all other empires are inferior or pathetic.
try to add dynamic difficulty mod, it might help
So, as a scion, I cannot control my borders and no-one can control their borders with me.
Not even the determined exterminators. Or the Xenophobic Fallen Empire.
Not sure if this is WAD - or if I'm a determined enough role-player not to try to take down the shields around those worlds...
I started again with a random empire, medium galaxy, one guaranteed habitable planet, and Commodore difficulty. I got a fanatic militarist, materialistic empire.
I was lucky to get a good first emperor and I could claim a small Gaia world and two worlds inhabited by primitives, one of which was a relic world. All three world's closer to my eternal rival than to me. So quite lucky, else the game would have sucked.
Then I got the Cybrex precursors. Their relic, the Warforge, now creates 5000 alloys out of 10000 minerals and 150 influence. That basically was the game changer. When I fought a war, I lost quite a few ships. But unlike my enemy, I could rebuild thanks to the Warforge. The first battle was tense, about 15k vs 14k. But afterwards, I was stronger and eventually won.
Around 2310, I have two other empires in a federation and completed the Cybrex ring world. There is still one Lithoid megacorp that is stronger than I am, but friendly with me. A handful at equivalent, the rest inferior or pathetic.
I get the feeling that as a player, I get some more world's from events than the AI and I am much better at terraforming or building habitats. Their expansion seems to get stuck around 2250-75 and that's when you start to build an unstoppable advantage, which becomes overwhelming by 2325 or so.
Quote from: Agelastus on April 12, 2020, 09:06:43 AM
So, as a scion, I cannot control my borders and no-one can control their borders with me.
Not even the determined exterminators. Or the Xenophobic Fallen Empire.
Not sure if this is WAD - or if I'm a determined enough role-player not to try to take down the shields around those worlds...
Also, it appears that a scion can submit to the Great Khan and instantaneously switch masters with no repercussions...rather an easy way to get out from under the thumb of your "benefactor".
New video by the Spiffing Brit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUaau0cMKWA
Quote from: celedhring on April 09, 2020, 04:01:26 PM
Unfun thing: waging war against somebody that has unlocked habitats and having to micromanage invading half a dozen planets in every system...
If you set your transport fleets to aggressive, they will try to follow your fleets and will try to invade planets in the systems they are in. Cuts down a lot on micro.
I
think they will be somewhat smart about which planets to invade, but I haven't had a chance to test that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH05h-o0F6I
:lmfao:
For some reason I always fall behind in fleet power. I never seem to be able to keep up with the AI when it comes to building ships. Oddly, I have the same issue in EU4. So I guess the problem is me, not the game. :hmm:
Quote from: Syt on May 24, 2020, 08:08:29 AM
For some reason I always fall behind in fleet power. I never seem to be able to keep up with the AI when it comes to building ships. Oddly, I have the same issue in EU4. So I guess the problem is me, not the game. :hmm:
What difficulty level are you using?
Although Stellaris is becoming like EU3 - every patch and tweak seems to make it easier.
--------------
Also, the latest improvements to the AI fleet management have had the counter-intuitive effect of nerfing the Great Khan.
I'm playing on Captain difficulty.
Quote from: Syt on May 24, 2020, 02:55:24 PM
I'm playing on Captain difficulty.
Try setting the difficulty to scaling so the AI bonuses take effect as the game progresses if you are being outbuilt in the early game.
Although I'm actually considering taking it off scaling - since 2.6 came out the game itself has felt much easier, partly because they've nerfed empire sprawl, partly because the ai improvements seem to have made it easier for the AI to death spiral in the early game, partly because the fleet handling improvements have accidentally nerfed the great Khan*, and partly because some of the origins are ridiculously powerful (scion, for example.)
----------------------
*The new fleet handling improvements to the AI were supposed to ensure it concentrated better. The Great Khan takes this lesson to heart and masses most of his fleets with his own. If the Khan has only one direction to expand in, being blocked by a fallen empire or other impassable terrain in one direction he can still expand. If he is open on both flanks this huge fleet spends all its time shuttling back and forth across 5 or 6 systems as he counters an attack at one end of his dominions and then turns back to counter an attack at the other end of his dominions.
For only the second time ever in my games I saw the Khan wiped out by the AI in one of my most recent games. The previous time the Khan had woken up in 2390 in between a couple of the more powerful empires - this time he was surrounded by much wimpier foes and awoke about 30 years earlier (so late, but not too late.)
I've used this as a guide to ship design and fleet composition: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=911980839
It's been a while since the last content came out. New race pack announced:
Necrons. I mean: Necroids. Totally different from WH40K Necrons. :P
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341520/Stellaris_Necroids_Species_Pack/
Turning on AI managed for planets and sectors sucks. It does nothing to reduce the micromanagement in late game.
Where am I going wrong?
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on September 25, 2020, 08:30:44 PM
Turning on AI managed for planets and sectors sucks. It does nothing to reduce the micromanagement in late game.
Where am I going wrong?
The problem is that Stellaris micro sucks in the late-middle to late-game.
The mid game is boring and the endgame a micro he'll. Stellaris mainly excels in the early phase of exploration. I wonder why they don't bring some more of that exploration to the mid game too.
Various event mods go a long way towards alleviating the late-game monotony.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on September 25, 2020, 08:30:44 PM
Turning on AI managed for planets and sectors sucks. It does nothing to reduce the micromanagement in late game.
Where am I going wrong?
Did you load up the sectors with energy and minerals so they could build using the AI?
I actually liked the old, manual sectors a lot better than the automatically-bad sectors the game uses now.
Quote from: Solmyr on September 26, 2020, 02:57:46 PM
Various event mods go a long way towards alleviating the late-game monotony.
Keep going back to the shroud and your late-game boredom and micro-management problems will disappear.
Quote from: grumbler on September 26, 2020, 07:45:17 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on September 25, 2020, 08:30:44 PM
Turning on AI managed for planets and sectors sucks. It does nothing to reduce the micromanagement in late game.
Where am I going wrong?
Did you load up the sectors with energy and minerals so they could build using the AI?
I actually liked the old, manual sectors a lot better than the automatically-bad sectors the game uses now.
Yes, but keeping them supplied started to be the new micromanagement clickfest. They didn't seem to use the shared resources pool, even after there was mountains of resources in it.
What mods do people recommend?
The latest dev diary is basically Star Wars Episode 3 with the Emperor dissolving the republic and proclaiming a Galactic Empire and a rebel faction forming. As Stellaris is built on sci fi tropes, it seems fitting to me. :)
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/stellaris-dev-diary-201-galactic-imperium.1457502/
Quote from: Zanza on February 19, 2021, 09:22:00 AM
The latest dev diary is basically Star Wars Episode 3 with the Emperor dissolving the republic and proclaiming a Galactic Empire and a rebel faction forming. As Stellaris is built on sci fi tropes, it seems fitting to me. :)
They are also adding espionage, a fog of war system re: info about other Empires, and the opportunity to become the endgame crisis yourself.
Yeah, looking forward to the next DLC. I like Stellaris, it had gotten slow and a bit stale though. If they fix performance with the changes to pops and add this new content I can play a few games again. :)
I just want there to be less micromanaging. Once you get a bunch of planets or space colonies it gets to be a bitch to shift around unemployed and homeless pops. That becomes the damn game.
The next update will halve the pop numbers and introduce automatic resettlement. So the micro in mid and end game should go down.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/stellaris-dev-diary-192-perfectly-balanced-as-all-things-should-be.1443169/
I should get this. :)
Quote from: mongers on March 17, 2021, 05:30:59 PM
I should get this. :)
If you have $1...
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/stellaris-discovery-bundle
Quote from: Habbaku on March 17, 2021, 06:45:18 PM
Quote from: mongers on March 17, 2021, 05:30:59 PM
I should get this. :)
If you have $1...
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/stellaris-discovery-bundle
Yes, thanks I got it 30 minutes ago; if I like it I'll buy the full bundle over. :)
Quote from: Habbaku on March 17, 2021, 06:45:18 PM
Quote from: mongers on March 17, 2021, 05:30:59 PM
I should get this. :)
If you have $1...
https://www.humblebundle.com/games/stellaris-discovery-bundle
I'm enjoying it. :)
The 3.0 update and Nemesis are released today. Looking forward to finally play Stellaris again.
I looks promising - it seems this addresses the late game issues.
Yeah, lotsa' concerns raised about the new pop model though, how mid/late game growth just stops and late game stuff like ring worlds etc are pointless because it's impossible to fill them with pops.
I'm sure the pop growth mods will fix it in no time. :D
Quote from: Solmyr on April 17, 2021, 02:12:37 AM
I'm sure the pop growth mods will fix it in no time. :D
It's also hard to judge if there are genuine issues, or it is the usual thing of people trying to play as per their old routine and finding it sub-optimal due to drastically different mechanics.
As pop growth was the only thing that mattered in the previous versions, it was obviously necessary to reduce it. This empire wide growth nerf might be overdoing it though. Have not played enough to say myself. If it really makes the mid game worse, that's a big issue as the mid game was already problematically boring before.
I don't mind the pop growth mechanic. Definitely requires a different approach to how you develop planets and the focus of keeping growth capacity as high as possible. That means that empire sprawl become a much bigger issue (building sectors that increase housing increases sprawl). So the folks who want to paint the map as quickly as possible are going to encounter large penalties if they try to do both.
Any of y'all interested in MP?
My group has been doing campaign sessions once a week and should be done over the next couple of weeks. There's definitely interest in firing up another one. We play evenings EST, typically somewhere around 7-10PM, though a weekend afternoon has been most convenient here and there. We're pretty flexible on schedules lining up.
Had a reasonably fun run as spiritual care bear empire. By the 2300s I was eclipsing all empires (except two fallen empires) in every metric. I got dragged into a few small wars, but nothing too hazardous. Things were getting a bit tedious in terms of managing the empire, so I went psionic and reached into the shroud the start the End of the Cycle. With the huge bonuses you get I expanded my military massively, became Galactic Custodian and went to war simultaneously against the Khans who were rising up and an evil empire who had become the crisis, kicking both their butts all over the place.
When the day of reckoning came and my empire was wiped for the glory of the shroud, my surviving folks were exiled to a fringe planet guarded by the Tiyanki Matriarch. Gee, thanks, I guess no ships for me. :P And I was still galactic custodian, and the war against the crisis empire was still on. Err, ok? :lol: (The war eventually ended with the empire crushed)
The Reckoning entity, meanwhile started devouring a hive mind empire. However the Fallen Empires were going full War in Heaven, and when the Reckoning ran into one FE's fleet it was squashed easily. Oops. So now I sit here on my overcrowded rock (refugees form the wars kept flocking to my world, though I have no idea how they bypass the Tiyanki), watching one FE crush another while constantly running out of consumer goods (my other productions are fine; I researched tons of repeatable bonuses for minerals and energy).
All in all, the End of the Cycle was a tad anticlimactic. :D
Quote from: Syt on May 29, 2021, 08:02:10 AM
Had a reasonably fun run as spiritual care bear empire. By the 2300s I was eclipsing all empires (except two fallen empires) in every metric. I got dragged into a few small wars, but nothing too hazardous. Things were getting a bit tedious in terms of managing the empire, so I went psionic and reached into the shroud the start the End of the Cycle. With the huge bonuses you get I expanded my military massively, became Galactic Custodian and went to war simultaneously against the Khans who were rising up and an evil empire who had become the crisis, kicking both their butts all over the place.
When the day of reckoning came and my empire was wiped for the glory of the shroud, my surviving folks were exiled to a fringe planet guarded by the Tiyanki Matriarch. Gee, thanks, I guess no ships for me. :P And I was still galactic custodian, and the war against the crisis empire was still on. Err, ok? :lol: (The war eventually ended with the empire crushed)
The Reckoning entity, meanwhile started devouring a hive mind empire. However the Fallen Empires were going full War in Heaven, and when the Reckoning ran into one FE's fleet it was squashed easily. Oops. So now I sit here on my overcrowded rock (refugees form the wars kept flocking to my world, though I have no idea how they bypass the Tiyanki), watching one FE crush another while constantly running out of consumer goods (my other productions are fine; I researched tons of repeatable bonuses for minerals and energy).
All in all, the End of the Cycle was a tad anticlimactic. :D
I understood none of that, but it sounds like an amusingly epic game.
Thanks for the AAR.
Sounds cool. I normally get locked into decade long wars having to wipe every single space station and then play wack-a-mole doing it again because of their constructors.
Or jst get pounded to rubble by the fallen empire.
Well, I kept watching the galaxy in my case to see how things unfolded. The one Fallen Empire crushed the other one. Then the Unbidden and their other transdimensional friends showed up, devastating about half the galaxy. Eventually they should up on my planet, killed the Tiyanki and then my people.
So ascending doesn't end /win the game?
Quote from: Tyr on May 31, 2021, 10:58:20 AM
So ascending doesn't end /win the game?
No. There is only two real victory conditions - either you have most points at the endyear or you build a device that basically ends the galaxy (part of Nemesis DLC). Ascension is something you do in almost every game.
I recently had a fun game as necrophages (from the Necroids DLC). I have a couple of difficulty mods, especially one that adds scaling on top of the level you start with. So the AI stays competitive much longer (by cheating) which increases my enjoyment.
In that game I eventually found an archelogical digsite on a shielded planet (I think). Anyway, the digsite eventually resolves and I free some human fanatical purifiers. It was already in midgame, so I easily steamrolled them.
Their continental preference meant that they could not live on my normal planets (arctic) as slaves. So being a necrophage, I purged them with the special necrophage purge type (which basically transfers them into your main species - but with all the usual bad opinion modifiers you get for a genocide).
The game can be a lot of fun whether you play nice and friendly or whether you play pure evil. I think it makes for good roleplaying and creates fun story lines.
(https://i.ibb.co/YT3gFdT/2021-05-23-1.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/jJHCg9G/2021-05-23-3.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/2qbc6Dh/2021-05-23-4.png)
(https://i.ibb.co/WgGGpM0/2021-05-23-5.png)
In my game I discovered that one Gaia planet that is phase shifted or something and keeps popping in and out of existance (which means it takes FOREVER to research the anomaly). It stabilized it, and wanted to colonize it. Only, I accidentally misclicked and colonized the ice planet in the same system (my race HATED cold). So I decided to roll with it. My race was fanatic spiritual, so they designated the Gaia planet a consecrated world, and I covered the other planet in temples as site of pilgrimage. :P
I have been meaning to try the necrophage faction. Glad you had fun with it :)
@Sty, that's a great way to play it. :worthy:
Paradox announced that the Stellaris team was enlarged and one team will only work on fixing issues with existing content while the other team creates new content.
The "fix" team is supposed to release a free update every three month, expansions will take longer.
QuoteThe Lem Update planned features:
- Buffing the Backlog: We're reviewing some old DLC to revitalize them with some new content. Humanoids Species Pack and Plantoids Species Packs will now feature some new gameplay features. By the way, did anyone say Necrophage Hive Minds?
- Selectable Traditions Trees: You will no longer be locked to the same 7 tradition trees, but you will instead have 7 slots that can be filled with a tradition tree of your choice. The number of tradition trees will be expanded, and previous tradition-tree swaps will be broken out into their own trees (Adaptability will no longer be a swap of Diplomacy for example). Some new tradition trees will also be added to existing DLCs.
- Balance Pass: We will be doing a balance pass on some existing gameplay systems and features.
- And more..!: Quality of life improvements, bug fixes, AI improvements...
Sounds like a good approach.
:thumbsup:
Sounds a bit similar to CK3 where they said they want to do fewer but larger expansions.
Quote from: Syt on June 03, 2021, 06:38:39 AM
:thumbsup:
Sounds a bit similar to CK3 where they said they want to do fewer but larger expansions.
But then they went an unveiled throne room dlc...
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2021, 07:07:41 AM
But then they went an unveiled throne room dlc...
Plus a full culture rework.
Quote from: Syt on June 03, 2021, 07:10:38 AM
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2021, 07:07:41 AM
But then they went an unveiled throne room dlc...
Plus a full culture rework.
Personalising cultures sounds very silly, I sure hope that design philosophy won't get into Victoria 3.
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2021, 07:32:18 AM
Quote from: Syt on June 03, 2021, 07:10:38 AM
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2021, 07:07:41 AM
But then they went an unveiled throne room dlc...
Plus a full culture rework.
Personalising cultures sounds very silly, I sure hope that design philosophy won't get into Victoria 3.
Mew.
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2021, 07:32:18 AM
Quote from: Syt on June 03, 2021, 07:10:38 AM
Quote from: garbon on June 03, 2021, 07:07:41 AM
But then they went an unveiled throne room dlc...
Plus a full culture rework.
Personalising cultures sounds very silly, I sure hope that design philosophy won't get into Victoria 3.
I think I will wait to see what they produce before condemning it as very silly.
Yeah - it might be better than hard-coding it. Like the shift to English culture seems weird if the Normans don't invade/win (or indeed the emergence of Norman culture), while if the Norse do then it's a different combination of Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures.
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 03, 2021, 11:29:13 AM
Yeah - it might be better than hard-coding it. Like the shift to English culture seems weird if the Normans don't invade/win (or indeed the emergence of Norman culture), while if the Norse do then it's a different combination of Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures.
A culture, however, is a very organic thing, one should be not be assembling pieces of it in a shopping cart. That sort of works with a religion, less so with culture.
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2021, 11:31:26 AM
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 03, 2021, 11:29:13 AM
Yeah - it might be better than hard-coding it. Like the shift to English culture seems weird if the Normans don't invade/win (or indeed the emergence of Norman culture), while if the Norse do then it's a different combination of Anglo-Saxon and Norse cultures.
A culture, however, is a very organic thing, one should be not be assembling pieces of it in a shopping cart. That sort of works with a religion, less so with culture.
I'll reserve judgment till they explain it more in dev diaries. So far this is pretty much all we have, from the vision statement:
QuoteMuch like with faiths, cultures will be made more interesting and malleable - all in line with our vision of Player Freedom and Progression.
Different cultures will have different traditions, different opinions of each other, and even shift and change with time. No longer will cultures be static and similar - we want to give you, the player, the freedom and possibility to shape your own culture and guide its progress in a variety of exciting ways. Of course, culture will change at a slower pace than Faiths do - it'll be gradual over time, tradition by tradition. Though sometimes larger shifts can occur due to isolation, or as the result of two different cultures intermingling.
Grow the acceptance between cultures in your realm, diverge your culture to adopt a new Ethos, or create a Hybrid between two cultures in your realm - adopting the language, traditions and aesthetic choices you find the most compelling.
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2021, 11:31:26 AM
A culture, however, is a very organic thing, one should be not be assembling pieces of it in a shopping cart. That sort of works with a religion, less so with culture.
Yes - but we know in this period there was conscious adoption of different court fasions/cultural features (especially from France). That shapes court culture and, over the course, of decades if not longer impacts popular culture too.
I think there was more mix-and-match about culture and adopting fashions such as the French chivalry/courtly ideals than there was mixing and matching of religious views.
If it was me I'd probably allow (comparatively) very rich and developed centres more lee-way in adopting culture - e.g. Byzantium, Paris etc - and aspects of those cultures can then be picked up by courts near them (Kyiv, England etc). But I'd also make that your court culture and over decades that may change your "culture" in provinces/popular culture but possibly not in the ways you'd hoped/expected.
I have far less issue with pick and mix on culture than I do on religion because heresiarchs founding new religions was not that common :P
Fine, let's wait how it turns out. :)
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 03, 2021, 11:40:51 AM
Quote from: Tamas on June 03, 2021, 11:31:26 AM
A culture, however, is a very organic thing, one should be not be assembling pieces of it in a shopping cart. That sort of works with a religion, less so with culture.
Yes - but we know in this period there was conscious adoption of different court fasions/cultural features (especially from France). That shapes court culture and, over the course, of decades if not longer impacts popular culture too.
I think there was more mix-and-match about culture and adopting fashions such as the French chivalry/courtly ideals than there was mixing and matching of religious views.
If it was me I'd probably allow (comparatively) very rich and developed centres more lee-way in adopting culture - e.g. Byzantium, Paris etc - and aspects of those cultures can then be picked up by courts near them (Kyiv, England etc). But I'd also make that your court culture and over decades that may change your "culture" in provinces/popular culture but possibly not in the ways you'd hoped/expected.
I have far less issue with pick and mix on culture than I do on religion because heresiarchs founding new religions was not that common :P
Reminds me of the discussion in Marc Morris' new book on the Anglo Saxons (which I highly recommend). He has a chapter on the cultural impact of the Saxons coming in the 400s (he examines 400-1066 in the book). It had a significant impact both in displacing Brittonic peoples in limited areas, but also a significant impact on the cultural of those who were not displaced but heavily influenced by their arrival. He details how there was a very interesting mix of cultural practices in a number of areas of the South East.
It may be that the only way to properly model this sort of thing is on an individual basis
During the period covered in CK3, the "French", "German", "English", "Russian" etc. cultures formed in a way from Frankish, Anglo-Saxon/
Norman or Slav/Viking cultural predecessors. Let's see if this mechanism is just paint the map or something interesting.
I was poking around at Stellaris, and a thought occured to me....
Rarely do games like this actually get much better after their release. I mean, they get less buggy (which is better of course) but they rarely ever actually improve the actual gameplay. By that I mean, they rarely take the game systems, and think about how people play, and then actually make them *better*. Mostly they just add more stuff. More DLC, more variants, more complexity, more races, more ways to play.
But so many of the changes that have happened in Stellaris to the core of how the game works...I'm not sure they made a better game. A more complex game? Sure. But better? I can't really see it. The decisions I make while playing just seem like the same decisions I made before. I still make a giant stack of ships. I still end up playing chase/whack-a-mole in any sigificant fight. I still have to figure out how to mechanically optimize my planets in a way that feels like I am just catering to the mechanics of the game, not to any kind of strategic decision making.
I am not particularly good at Stellaris, and I don't play as much as many so I concede that I could be way off....but then, if it was the game I would want it to be, I would not need to be an expert to see that.
Anyway, I don't think it is a bad game at all, and will certainly keep playing it. But it just feels like they missed somehow, at least for me. I feel like it would be a better game with LESS "stuff" in it, and more tightly focused on player decisions and the impacts of those decisions outside of how to optimize the games systems best.
I agree with you. It is more complex, but the end result is the same. And I can't say the complex is mroe entertaining since it feels irrelevant.
Do point defenses, fighters, or anything other than battleships with neutron torpedos matter?
New DLC "Overlord" announced today. Focus on vassalization mechanics. Additional content will be new origins, new enclaves and new megastructures.
I will of course buy it like every time. :lol:
I will buy it too. Play for about an hour and stop. Just like all the other DLCs in this game. :Embarrass:
When is Overlord coming out?
At the Pas-de-Calais.
Hopefully soon. Looks really promising.
New Stellaris DLC is out, and (as usual) it seems to be badly balanced and break stuff for now. :D
Much "worse" (for some) is that the DLC also changed the human portraits, see before/after:
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/825347/1652405329823.png)
The new templates are this:
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/825134/1652381501144.png)
And, on Steam at least, people are finding the selection too ... dark?
(https://i.postimg.cc/MG75wM8z/image.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/50pmHh0G/image.png)
(https://i.postimg.cc/HWRySYfz/image.png)
Etc. :rolleyes:
Its funny because Sweden is usually super over represented amongst online fasc circles.
Paradox does seem to have a bit of a struggle in general with its games having become so popular with those groups this past decade.
There were plenty of snowflakes even before though. I remember someone having a meltdown over the American and German flags appearing one after the other in HoI2, apparently he decided the Swedes were saying Americans are Nazis.
HOI should never have been made. It ruined everything.
I played it a bit and ot felt like the AI was more competent than before.
Can someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
Quote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 08:39:47 AMCan someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
Haters gonna hate. Supposedly the AI is improved yet again, to the point where it can handle crises in at least some people's playthroughs.
I'm going to give Overlord a shot at some point but my free time is distressingly limited.
Quote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 08:39:47 AMCan someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
The skin tone of the default human is apparently no longer white
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 13, 2022, 09:13:40 AMQuote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 08:39:47 AMCan someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
The skin tone of the default human is apparently no longer white
So it's just the default that has changed?
Huh. People get worked up over the strangest things.
I feel the game is generally going in the right direction with the Custodians initiative, which fixed existing features and adds minor content to older DLCs to flash them out and the latest DLCs from the main team. AI is getting better as well, performance is okay.
There is still weakness in the midgame, as it gets a bit bland then. The new situation system sounds promising here.
War and diplomacy are not as well made as EU4 and the main strength of Stellaris, exploration, ends eventually. They should think about making exploration necessary and fun in midgame. That would massively add to Stellaris.
Elemental: War of Magic (I know, I know) had an idea there - you could research lore, or whatever it was, and it would reveal new, harder goodie huts/encounters on the map. I could see something like this for Stellaris, where some mid or late game tech adds more anomalies/archaeological sites of higher difficulty to explored space. Also makes science ships more useful later in the game. Maybe just add a ping for "potential anomalies". Or start revealing new systems based on tech (perhaps scientists didn't find them worth exploring before?). Of course that creates the issue of some empires seeing "Strange New Worlds" ( :P ) before others. I would keep them hidden until someone sends a ship there - then everyone knows about it (or something to that effect).
Quote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 09:20:02 AMQuote from: crazy canuck on May 13, 2022, 09:13:40 AMQuote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 08:39:47 AMCan someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
The skin tone of the default human is apparently no longer white
So it's just the default that has changed?
Huh. People get worked up over the strangest things.
They (at least the comments Syt picked out) seem to be pretty racist so yeah, they'll get worked up over the skin color of default avatars.
Quote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 09:20:02 AMQuote from: crazy canuck on May 13, 2022, 09:13:40 AMQuote from: Berkut on May 13, 2022, 08:39:47 AMCan someone sum up the angst? I don't get it.
The skin tone of the default human is apparently no longer white
So it's just the default that has changed?
Huh. People get worked up over the strangest things.
They are so addicted to outrage that they will find something to get triggered by.
You know, you've just made me entertain the thought experiment of what an alien would think the "average" human looks like? I suppose it would have some undefined Asian traits.
Quote from: celedhring on May 14, 2022, 02:03:55 AMYou know, you've just made me entertain the thought experiment of what an alien would think the "average" human looks like? I suppose it would have some undefined Asian traits.
Only because you are woke commie!
I'm preparing to run for town representative as MAGA.
Quote from: celedhring on May 14, 2022, 02:03:55 AMYou know, you've just made me entertain the thought experiment of what an alien would think the "average" human looks like? I suppose it would have some undefined Asian traits.
Extrapolating forward with current trends (always an error) the one on the right isn't too bad. Africa is growing a lot and the eyes do look vaguely Asian.
If the aliens are not humanoid we will probably look remarkably similar- bipedal creatures with only two arms, one head with a significant propensity to kill members of its own species.
I doubt they are going to notice or care much about differences in colouring.
Quote from: crazy canuck on May 16, 2022, 08:23:50 AMIf the aliens are not humanoid we will probably look remarkably similar- bipedal creatures with only two arms, one head with a significant propensity to kill members of its own species.
I doubt they are going to notice or care much about differences in colouring.
Big assumption.
Equally likely differences in colour is a huge deal to them. It's likely a lot easier to see if someone is black or white than to spot the difference between different white peoples faces.
And on the humans killing each other thing... This is a common thing people say about humans but it quite annoys me. One of the main distinguishing features of humans is quite the opposite, we are super social and into collaboration in big groups. That we are great at killing each other is just a fact of being animals.
You are correct that we are not unique in our capacity to kill our own species.
But an alien with the ability to actually observe us will most likely not have that attribute.
Those big groups collaborate to kill other groups. :D
I think Stellaris is now at the best state its ever been. Sure, there are performance issues in late game and midgame is still a bit bland. But the latest additions and the current balance and AI competence is pretty good. If you look for a 4X that creates fun narratives, it is worth to revisit Stellaris.
Quote from: Zanza on June 01, 2022, 11:11:36 AMI think Stellaris is now at the best state its ever been. Sure, there are performance issues in late game and midgame is still a bit bland. But the latest additions and the current balance and AI competence is pretty good. If you look for a 4X that creates fun narratives, it is worth to revisit Stellaris.
Yes, I have been enjoying the game with the latest patch despite pretty much giving up on it in the past.
Is war still an exercise in whack-a-mole?
Do the extra bells and whistles in the DLC add to the experience - or is this just with the free patch?
I buy all the DLCs as I don't want to miss out, so I cannot compare it to the base game without DLCs.
Quote from: Berkut on June 01, 2022, 01:25:45 PMIs war still an exercise in whack-a-mole?
It has gotten better, especially war exhaustion and AI accepting terms before you conquer everything. But it is not great, still have to follow fleets around to beat them.
The fun part about Stellaris is the exploration, the possibility to be evil, the way your empire can develop in the course of the game.
Oh yeah, the fun of the game isn't so much the wars, but getting ready for the wars. It is for HOI like.
But once the war starts, the chasing around bit is really tiresome.
I would suggest that the war problem is solved by multiplayer play, but Berkut doesn't do that.
Quote from: Berkut on June 01, 2022, 04:38:53 PMOh yeah, the fun of the game isn't so much the wars, but getting ready for the wars. It is for HOI like.
But once the war starts, the chasing around bit is really tiresome.
Very. Especially when they have a single corvette running around 'liberating' the conquered systems so their war score is inflated. Or when I conquer half of an alliance and destroy their navies but the war goes on because.
Or when I'm in an alliance and I can't back out of war that I'm the only one actively fighting in because I'm not the alliance leader.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2115770/Stellaris_Toxoids_Species_Pack/
New species pack coming:
QuoteRise from the primordial ooze all the way to the stars! The Toxoids Species Pack gives players the chance to inhabit toxic worlds, gamble the future of their planets for immediate gains, and make the tough sacrifices necessary to survive a hostile galaxy.
NEW ORIGINS
Knights of the Toxic God: In the depths of your homeworld, rumors rumble of a true power buried under the toxic sludge. Do you dare to dredge up the secrets of your past - and potentially unleash a biological colossus?
Overtuned: Play as a species that can gain more and more traits at the cost of its own lifespan, and live for today without worrying about sticking around for tomorrow!
NEW CIVICS
Toxic Baths: Grow your population fast with a fresh infusion of mutagenic sludge - so long as you're willing to tolerate the costs to your planet and your people!
Scavengers: Harvest debris and destruction for quick construction projects of your own.
Relentless Industrialists: If you're going to keep up with demand, you're going to have to learn to ignore all of those petty regulations and negative opinions. The surviving population will thank you for all of the resources you gain!
NEW TRAITS
Incubator: Repopulate quickly when your planet is empty, but those growth facilities can fill up fast!
Inorganic Breath: Your own people are a source of valuable exotic gasses! It's a shame the respirators are so expensive.
Noxious: Other species can't stand being around you, and it seems like your mere existence is making your planets awful places to live. On the other hand, other empires have a very difficult time wanting to fight or subjugate you!
Exotic Metabolism: You've adapted to ask "are you going to eat that?" where other species would be calling the hazmat team. Eat faster, live longer, and enjoy a terrifying rainbow of flavors!
COSMETICS
New ships, species portraits, and cityscapes to remind the galaxy that beauty is in the stinging, burning eye of the beholder
A new toxoids advisor voice, helpfully providing news and advice dripping with noxious sarcasm
...and much more!
*Some features may require content sold separately
To bring over what the CK3 thread reminded me: these species pack are more makeup to hide there's no game there except the imagined narrative in the player's head. :P
Really though, imagine Stellaris without the (neat, but now largely extremely familiar) events. What actual game is there? The races can have massive differences, but only on paper - you still play the exact same way with each of them, at most changing your resource focus if you are playing one of the extreme ones like machines or silicoids.
True. Midgame it turns into a slog.
Undead and now Toxoids? Me thinks they're just scraping the barrel bottom for bucks now.
Meh, they should rather have done some story heavy DLC that adds more midgame crisis or so. Or at least something with additional mechanics, e.g. for hiveminds.
The species packs add a bit of variety, but not as much as I would like. It would be better if they would have more species related content for e.g. technology or traditions. Similar to how gestalt or megacorps actually have a bit different content there.
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on September 02, 2022, 10:46:01 AMTrue. Midgame it turns into a slog.
The problem is that the best part of Stellaris, the early exploration, is missing in midgame. They should think of how to make exploration part of midgame. Or make mechanics like factions, espionage, trade, diplomacy fun.
Quote from: Zanza on September 02, 2022, 02:32:44 PMQuote from: Darth Wagtaros on September 02, 2022, 10:46:01 AMTrue. Midgame it turns into a slog.
The problem is that the best part of Stellaris, the early exploration, is missing in midgame. They should think of how to make exploration part of midgame. Or make mechanics like factions, espionage, trade, diplomacy fun.
It woudl be great if they did. As it is joining a federation and getting into a war is awful as I can't make peace and the AI doesn't seem included to even if I (the AI frequently doesn't go on the offensive) conquer all or most of the enemy territories. It just degenerates into a slog of playing wackamole with a corvette or two all over the place.
Espionage is not really a thing. Trade is good, I've stockpiled huge reserves of exotic materials, but a lot of the rest, especially managing pops turns into something like work.
3.6 has been in open beta for a while now and release officially tomorrow. Haven't played it myself, but there's been some positive buzz around it.
QuoteStellaris 3.6 "Orion" Features Summary
Available November 29th!
Hello Stellaris Community!
We're proud to announce that the 3.6 "Orion" update will be released on November 29th!
Want to know exactly what this free Custodian patch contains? Well look no further! We've compiled most of the major changes and new features here for your convenience.
The 3.6 "Orion" update contains new galaxy shapes, new artwork as well as the ability for Hive Minds to choose a variation on the Reanimators Civic from the Necroids Species Pack, and a Fleet Combat Rebalance—including a new ship type and changes to combat computers. In 3.6, we've also reworked how the Ascension Paths from Utopia work, as well as added a new ascension path. We've also added a new Spiritualist Federation type to the specialized federation types from Federations, and added a new "Politics" tradition tree, which also requires Federations. We've also added new Orbital Ring buildings, which are included with the Overlord expansion. For base-game changes, we've added a new relic, accessibility improvements, new first contact events, included terraforming candidates on the galaxy map, added a new event chain, and tweaked some empire modifiers.
This is only a partial list of changes and new features. For the full list of bug fixes, new features, and other changes, please see the patch notes on the Stellaris forums.
And don't forget, Stellaris and selected DLCs are on sale until November 29th! Check out the full list of discounts here!
New Galaxy Shapes
In the 3.6 "Orion" Update, we've added several new galaxy shapes to galaxy generation, many of these galaxy shapes were inspired by actual shapes of galaxies out in the universe, while others are interesting galaxy shapes that we thought would be fun to play on.
3 Arm Spiral Galaxy
6 Arm Spiral Galaxy
Barred Galaxy
Starburst Galaxy
Cartwheel Galaxy
Spoked Galaxy
We hope you enjoy these new galaxy shapes, we find playing on these new maps are a refreshing change, and leads to more interesting gameplay overall.
Reanimators
Reanimators, included in the Necroid Species Pack, has gotten some more love from our Custodian and Art teams!
First off, we have new textures and shaders for Reanimated Leviathans:
Producing these images were some of our biggest internal feedback on the Reanimators Civic, and producing them required the cooperation of each discipline within our art team, with beautiful concept art, new shaders, and breathtaking VFX!
Secondly coming to the Necroids Species Pack, is the Cordyceptic Hives civic. This new Civic requires Necroids and Utopia and is the Hive Mind version of the Reanimators Civic. We weren't satisfied with simply copying Reanimators for Hive Minds, however. Cordyceptic Hives will start with three reanimated Amoebas in place of their three starting corvettes, and will automatically reanimate organic space fauna that they kill. They will also get a chance to reanimate defeated organic Leviathans and gain an additional +50% to Space Fauna Weapon Damage and Attack Speed.
But, that's not all! Should you find a system teeming with organic life, such as Tiyana Vek, Tiyun Ort or Amor Alveo, you will be able to construct a special starbase building - the Cordyceptic Reanimation Facility, which will produce a fleet of reanimated space fauna every 5 years.
Fleet Combat Rebalance
For a while now we've been aware of some issues with fleet combat, mainly that:
Artillery Battleships dominate the late-game
Disengagement mechanics favor artillery battleships
Destroyers and Cruisers have extremely limited uses once the next ship size is unlocked
Command Limits are ineffective
Doomstacks aren't fun
The last two combat issues were deemed out of scope for this rework and may be explored in future updates.
Combat Computers
In the Orion update we've changed the behavior of most of the combat computers, as well as added a new combat computer. Swarm and Torpedo (New!) computers will charge in, Picket and Line will attempt to stay at the range of your median range weapons, and Artillery and Carrier computers will now attempt to stay at the maximum range of their longest-ranged weapons, and should a ship move closer than that, they will try to maintain that distance from hostile ships.
Weapons Changes
G slots have been repurposed from Missile slots, and are now used for Torpedos, with Missiles moving to S and M slots. G slots are now only available on Frigates (which we will discuss below) and Cruisers. Proton and Neutron Launchers have been reclassed into Torpedo-type weapons. Torpedo-class weapons also gain a multiplicative damage bonus based on the size of the target. Torpedoes targeting battleships will deal more damage than when targeting corvettes, for example.
We've also added more differentiation between the different sizes of weapons, smaller weapons will generally fire faster, and large weapons will generally fire slower, but do more damage. We've also added a minimum range to most large-class weapons (except lasers).
Strike craft will no longer intercept missiles, but will continue to fight each other and larger ships. Flak has been changed to more strongly counter strike craft, while point defense has been changed to more strongly counter missiles and torpedoes.
Ships now get a limited number of Disengagement Opportunities per combat. All current drives provide 1 disengagement roll (except for Psi Jump Drives, which provide 2) once the ship takes hull damage below its disengagement threshold, and the Hit and Run war doctrine grants all of your ships an additional attempt. Civilian ships set to evasive will continue to try to disengage with each hit.
We feel this rework adds a breath of fresh air into space combat in Stellaris, and we can't wait to see what the community-at-large thinks of these new changes!
Ship Roles
After all these changes, we've also changed up how ship autodesign works in Orion. Where previously, the ship designer would autodesign one "best" ship, there are now different roles of ships you can choose, and the auto designer will choose components that best match the ship role you've chosen.
Ship roles:
Screen - Focuses on Picket Ship sections with armed point defense and flak
Available to: Corvettes, Destroyers and Defense Platforms
Gunship - Generally prefers to maximize the number of medium-sized weapons available
Available to: Corvettes, Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, Titans and Defense Platforms
Artillery - Prefers large, long-ranged weapons and missiles in smaller slots
Available to: Corvettes, Frigates, Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, Titans and Defense Platforms
Brawler - Gets up close with very short range weapons like autocannons and disruptors
Available to: Corvettes and Destroyers
Torpedo - Uses short-ranged torpedoes to destroy larger ships
Available to: Frigates and Cruisers
Carrier - hangs back and launches strike craft from maximum engagement range
Avaiable to: Cruisers, Battleships and Defense Platforms
Ascension Path Rework
In 3.6 "Orion", choosing an Ascension should be more of a gradual process than in previous versions. After unlocking the prerequisites for one of the four ascension paths, you will be able to choose an Ascension Perk that will unlock a special Ascension Tradition Tree.
As you progress through this tree, you will need to complete at least one special project in order to proceed further down the tree, unlocking gradually more powerful bonuses over time, rather than just saving up two ascension perks and magically changing your species into synthetics while the game is paused.
We have made these changes to all of the currently existing ascension paths, Genetic, Synthetic and Psionic, as well as the new Cybernetic tradition tree.
Cybernetic Ascension
In the Orion update, we have split Cybernetics from the Synthetic Ascension Path, and turned it into its own, unique ascension. Available to Regular Empires, Hive Minds and Driven Assimilators for owners of Utopia, Cybernetic Ascension plays into the plug-and-play nature of robotic enhancements in Sci-Fi.
This Ascension Path is unlocked by the Flesh is Weak Ascension Perk (renamed Organo-Machine Interfacing for Driven Assimilators and Hive-Minds). To expand upon Cybernetic Ascension, we have added Cybernetic Traits that are only available to Cybernetic pops, after taking the Integrated Anatomy tradition. These traits make use of normal biological trait point and pick limits, but are not blocked by any biological traits. The traits available to cyborgs are based off of the traits available to robotic species, however they are slightly cheaper in terms of trait points while giving the pops a small amount of energy upkeep.
Synthetic Age
One of our goals with the Ascension Path rework was to increase the value of those Ascension Paths that seemed lackluster. To that end, we have repurposed the Synthetic Age Ascension Perk - previously the only ascension available to machines, to allow machine intelligences to complete Synthetic Ascension as well. Unlike Synthetic Ascension for regular empires, this does not require Utopia.
Psionics Changes
While Psionic Ascension has received numerous buffs, the biggest change happens when you breach the shroud for the first time. As part of the Ascension Path changes, we have reworked how forming a Covenant with Shroud entities works, now when you breach the shroud for the first time you will be approached to form a Covenant with a Shroud entity, chosen semi-randomly, but weighted by your ethics, civics, ascension perks, and several other choices you've made throughout the game to that point.
If you choose to form the covenant, you will receive a weak modifier from the shroud entity, that will grow more powerful over time, as well as granting various boons and unique components that are only available by forming a Covenant with a shroud entity.
If you choose not to form a covenant, you may be approached later by another shroud entity to form a covenant, or in exchange for Zro you can choose to approach a specific Shroud Entity and attempt to form a Covenant with them directly -- beware, however, your chosen Shroud Entity may not be willing to form a Covenant with you at this time and may be very displeased to be interacting with your psychics at all. You have been warned.
Holy Covenant Federation
Also coming in the Orion update, is a new specialist Federation type, the Holy Covenant. This Federation type is included in the Federations Expansion and plays into the strengths of a Spiritualist Empire. While Machine Intelligence empires are allowed to join Holy Covenants, they are not permitted to become President of the Federation under normal circumstances.
As your new Holy Covenant levels up, you will receive a range of bonuses to unity production, Priest output, and the Spiritualist faction. At the maximum level, these Federations can turn Spiritualist empires into powerhouses, ready to spread the Good Word at a moment's notice.
New Orbital Ring Buildings
In 3.6 "Orion" we have added a number of planetary unique buildings to the Orbital Rings that are included in the Overlord expansion. You can now construct Psi Corps, an Orbital Shield Generator, Galactic Stock Exchange, Embassy Complex, Noble Estates, and a Slave Processing Facility on your orbital ring, and save the valuable building slots on your planets. Most of these buildings have the same effect on the Orbital Ring as they do on the planet's surface.
New Relic
The Crystal of Odryskia has been described as an artifact of incalculable wealth. It is said that the value of even a single shard is enough to drive mortal minds to insanity. When found, this artifact will passively increase your Empire's Rare Crystal production, and when activated will provide up to 60 months of Energy income for your empire, as well as give one of your scientists the Maniacal trait, as long as you're not a Hive Mind.
We won't tell you how to find this Relic but guard it carefully if you do find it in your playthrough.
Accessibility Improvements
We've also added some new accessibility improvements to 3.6 "Orion". By opening Settings, and going to the Accessibility tab, there's a new option at the bottom, called Text To Speech. Turning this on will use Windows' or Mac built-in Text to Speech generator, and adds a new icon to event windows and other places that feature long texts, that will allow you to have the event text read to you.
Important to note that if you're getting text-to-speech in the wrong language, you need to set up Windows Text-to-Speech voice to your language, and this functionality is not supported by Linux at this time.
Other things to know:
Pressing the TTS button again will stop the current reading.
You can open the pause menu(ESC) at any point while TTS is reading text in order to make it stop. This is useful if you've already closed the window containing the text and you don't want TTS to continue reading.
The voice generation itself is handled by your operating system, which means that there may be cases where things sound sub-optimal, but where we cannot address this by adjusting the system itself.
Great care should be taken not to feed TTS text pertaining to the individual freedoms of synthetic lifeforms.
And more!
We've also gone through the First Contact events and added more randomly triggering events to First Contact, we've added a new event chain - Negative Mass, and Terraforming Candidates should now appear on the galaxy map.
This is not the full list of changes, you can read the full changelog (in English only) on the Stellaris forums..
Thanks for playing Stellaris, and we hope you enjoy this latest batch of new features and changes!
Full patch notes are here: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-277-the-hunt-is-on-stellaris-3-6-orion-patch-notes.1558111/
It is a very impressive change log for a free patch in-between DLCs. I have not bought Toxoids yet. Maybe I should and play Stellaris again with the new content.
Yes. Ditto.
Seems like it has some problem.s
Cynical me sees that once again, the doomstack issue is kicked further down the road.
Still not seeing much difference in fleet combat.
I saw that the Star Trek mod has been updated to the latest patch. It's been a few years since I last tried it.
First went Federation United Earth. The appeal with playing UE is obviously that they're fleshed out the most - you get anomalies based on Trek episodes, and there's storylines integrated from the entire canon AFAIK.
But man, was I rusty (doesn't help that the mod renames, adds, or removes some tech, resources and buildings ... ). So playing on a 3000+ star map with 80+ Star Trek Empires, minors, and primitives was not a great idea, either. Anyways, I get several events from Enterprise (Vulcans/Andorians, Tellarite shenanigans ...), and of course the Xindi probe shows up. I take it out before it reaches Earth, and then send the NX-01 with Jonathan Archer in search of the Xindi (it's a storyline that basically takes his ship off map and then presents events/decisions periodically). In the end, the climactic battle between the evil Xindi factions and Earth happens, and the Xindi kick my butt (despite the Andorians sending a ship to help - where were my federation friends? :P ). They wipe out the fleet, approach Earth ... and the game/mod crashed. :lol:
Started a new game as the Borg. Totally different. You start on a ring world the Unicomplex. You produce tons of materials (except alloys ... ), have a lot of research, and don't have to worry about diplomacy. One of the first decisions is whether to use "normal" star system names or use Borg designations, so all systems are now something like 049.352 etc. First contact assigns a species number and evaluates whether the species is worthy of assimilation (it can even assimilate some of them from the get go).
And assimilation is where things get silly. I neighbor the El-Aurians: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/El-Aurian They're puny. So I attack, invade and start assimilating them. Every assimilated pop gives me 1000 unity, and 5000 research for each branch. :o My other neighbors are the Krenim who might be a juicy target in time ... :shifty:
I think it is part of Stellaris' beauty that both play styles are also offered with own mechanisms in the standard game.
Yeah, I really appreciate Stellaris trying to include as many sci-fi concepts as possible. :)
It would be even better if they resulted in meaningfully different gameplay in vanilla. :)
What kind of difference do you expect?
A 'Determined Assimilator' has different content than a 'Federation Builder' in the game. Diplomacy plays differently, economy is a bit different, some tech and ascendancy/tradition stuff is different...
Now I agree that bigger differences would be nice, but saying there are no differences is not correct in my opinion.
Besides, Stellaris is more geared towards being an RP sandbox (much like CK3).
New story pack coming:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-282-announcing-first-contact.1564634/
QuoteLast week, we had A Message from Minamar Specialized Industries, and it's time to take them up on that offer. (And you deciphered the message in there even more quickly!)
I'm pleased to announce that the First Contact Story Pack will be released alongside the Stellaris 3.7 "Canis Minor" update. Click here to wishlist the Story Pack.
Look to the Stars, For You Are Not Alone�
For countless ages, your people have looked to the stars with wonder - is there anybody else out there? When we meet, will they be friends or enemies? Will we be the ones to discover them, or are they already here, hiding in plain sight?
The First Contact Story Pack focuses on the experiences of these Pre-FTL civilizations, both from the point of view of the civilizations themselves as well as from the observers. Observation has been revamped with new enhanced systems relating to civilization Awareness, Diplomacy, and Espionage. New Insights can be learned from observing civilizations that have not been corrupted by the galaxy as a whole.
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/924193/1673265023924.png)
The Universe Is Cruel, But Also Awe-Inspiring
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/924200/FCOrigins.png)
Two Challenging Origins - Payback and Broken Shackles - revolve around the struggles of empires against the oppressive Minamar Specialized Industries, while a third standard Origin - Fear of the Dark - examines the fine line between paranoia and prudence. As befits a Story Pack, all three of First Contact's Origins are heavily narrative focused.
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/924192/1673264984522.png)
Several new low-technology civics can change the way you take your first steps to the stars or how you interact with the pre-FTL civilizations you find.
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/924207/FCCivics.png)
(https://forumcontent.paradoxplaza.com/public/924191/1673264946813.png)
Nobody saw this coming in a Story Pack, but there's also Cloaking... We'll reveal more about that later.
This Thursday, we'll discuss the vision and themes of First Contact in greater detail.
See you then!
Looking forward to it. New content is always welcome as exploration is the best part of Stellaris.
I wanted to play EU4, but decided, "let's start a quick game of Stellaris."
Started with a fanatic xenophile egalitarian democracy with beacon of liberty and diplo civics. I was lucky to start right next to a small federation of spiritual xenophiles who took me in, so I was left to expand in peace. Anyways, I'm the leader of the federation now, we've eradicated the Prikiti-Ti and one oft he marauder factions with ease. I've supported the independence of an empire who after breaking free submitted to me right away. So it's 2310, I own like 1/5 of the galaxy, and with vassals and federation it's 1/3 and I gear up for end game and fallen empires.
I started on Cadet, since it's the new recommended difficulty after recent patches (and I generally suck at the game), but I found it a bit easy - though I guess not starting surrounded by fanatic purifiers and driven assimilators helped. Praise RNGsus. :P
I agree having more exploration later in game would be good. You get a bit of that by uncovering more archeological sites etc. when clearing tile blockers. It might be better to have a similar mechanic for systems. If you roll a 600 star system galaxy, reveal only 400 at start and reveal the remaining ones through technology - either one by one (kind of how e.g. precursor systems are revealed) or at once. Or have "blockers" in space that you can only travel to once you have the required mid or late game techs - similar to how the L-Cluster works, and some obstacles like Leviathans serve a similar purpose. The main issue might be balance, because getting there first would give the Empire in question a big advantage.
Oh, and I ran into early space age Earth. I've not run into it much - is it normal for them to have a second ape-like pre-sentient species that's "star-born"? :unsure: They had a weird name Onek-something? I uplifted them into sentience after I infiltrated and annexed Earth. :area52:
Never seen that before. I have only found sentinent cockroaches on a tombworld Sol III. :)
I played again. Still run into the same problem (not that it is limited to just Stellaris). By late game there is too much going on and too much micromanaging to really still have fun. Even the crisis' are difficult to manage because once the federations form up suddenly there are dozens of fleets rampaging around doing fuck knows. It certainly has an epic scope, but its kind of difficult.
The other issue is still with wars. I can occupy every world and flatten their mobile units, but then a war degenerates to playing wackamole with construction units while waiting for war weariness or hwatever to kick in and get a settlement. If Federations make it worse, because suddenly an enemy member far away from me with three systems is untouched and that makes it impossible to settle. Or I'm getting dragged into wars and have nothing to gain except my own war weariness.
Very interesting new DLC announcement by Paradox. Leaders were an underutilized mechanic so far.
QuoteThe Vision of Galactic Paragons
Amidst the great empires of the galaxy, there are luminaries who rise above the masses. They take on many forms: cunning rulers, ruthless warlords, devout prophets, bold explorers, and visionary scientists. These leaders leave indelible imprints on their empires, etching their names into the annals of history and the collective consciousness of the people they ruled.
The Galactic Paragons expansion focuses on these extraordinary individuals, seeking to capture the essence of their epochal reigns.
The Vision of Galactic Paragons
Amidst the great empires of the galaxy, there are luminaries who rise above the masses. They take on many forms: cunning rulers, ruthless warlords, devout prophets, bold explorers, and visionary scientists. These leaders leave indelible imprints on their empires, etching their names into the annals of history and the collective consciousness of the people they ruled.
The Galactic Paragons expansion focuses on these extraordinary individuals, seeking to capture the essence of their epochal reigns.
The Council
A new ruling council is introduced, where characters in the highest positions of your empire may take their place. Powerful traits have immense influence over all that lies within your empire's borders. And from here, you can unleash political agendas.
Legendary leaders
Out there in the void you may discover powerful paragons. These may seek to join your empire depending on your ethics. Here, may be approached by greedy governors who grovel in the dust, cunning spymasters, prophets who disseminate knowledge of the Shroud and so on. But as you explore the galaxy you may also encounter truly legendary beings that may change the core of your empire.
And then the rest...
There will be a new origin, several new civics, tradition trees, agendas, council positions and much more.
A "council"? :yeahright:
(https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tessa-Beinema/publication/324044295/figure/fig1/AS:1041047681503233@1625216517552/Council-of-Advisors-in-Civilization-II-MicroProse-1996.jpg)
:lol: Almost exactly that.
(https://preview.redd.it/csbuayr5evva1.png?width=1272&format=png&auto=webp&v=enabled&s=c0933704966db76d3d6b8afa010bf2e354d4d68c)
Like most paradox dlc stuff seems to be the sort of thing that makes the early game more fun though soon becomes a drag.
The early game is the fun part of Stellaris in general. Later it lacks exploration and the warfare is mediocre.
It is a grind. Not worth playing after a point.
So it seems like reviewers are digging the new patch and DLC but the official forum is in total uproar - as far as I can tell, the previous meta was to spam leaders mercilessly - not just for every single planet and fleet but having a multitude of science leaders to swap around based on the exact tech being researched.
Now, leaders having been buffed to be more special and much more powerful, there's a very low soft cap of 6 on them at start. As usual, peeps who play these games to establish a powergamer routine and repeat it again, and again, and again, and again, are upset.
I started a campaign with the new patch/expansion ... I didn't get far, because the new leader system was a bit much to wrap my head around between learning AoW4 and the new CK3 content. "What do you mean, I only have one researcher now??" :D
The changes overall look good, though. :)
My first impression of the leader mechanic change is very positive. I actually care to remember them and what I use them for. Before it was fire-and-forget.
I have not met primitives yet, did not research cloaking and did not pick any of the origins. So I did see any of the new First Contact content yet.
So the patch and DLC definitely seem promising and I could see myself really liking it if I was really in a Stellaris mood, but apparently I am not.
I guess to say something negative it's hard to imagine a very few leaders having such a massive effect on a galaxy-spanning empire, but it's not a big deal.
I use a mod that raises the leader cap to 12. :P
But yeah, having a good time with the game right now.
Pffft, cheater :p
Paradox are
caving in to the whining are listening tot heir loyal fans, with upcoming patch changes. :P
QuoteBalance
- Legendary leaders no longer count towards Leader Capacity.
- Admirals that command fleets hired from marauders no longer count towards your Leader Capacity.
- Added the Leader of Opportunity trait, leaders that have this trait do not count towards Leader Capacity while under Level 4.
- Assigned some event spawned leaders the Leader of Opportunity trait.
- Aptitude Tradition "Champions of the Empire" now gives bonus per Leaders' levels.
- Effect is now a flat -2 Empire Size per Governor level, and 0.5% Exp per Scientist level and 2 Naval capacity per Admiral/General level.
- Autocannons are no longer valued at three times their intended military power.
Bugfixes
- Fixed a bug where ships would sometimes stop following its target when they entered a hyperlane
- Leaders can no longer start the game with traits that produce resources. This should stop machine leaders from keeping a bonsai tree garden as a hobby.
AI
AI will now wait until it has at least 5 planets and 25 years before choosing a specialization designation for its homeworld
Performance
Leader view performance optimizations
From here: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-301-galactic-paragons-is-out-whats-next.1584568/
(No ETA on balance patch)
I rolled a handful random empires and got fanatic purifiers. I had not played a genocidal empire in years, so I figured why not. The conquest focus is really different from how I usually play. Picked "Become the Crisis" and I am making good progress in that mechanism. It's a piece of content I never touched before. I guess I should really try to widen my experience by playing more diverse approaches.
New story DLC coming up:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/developer-diary/stellaris-dev-diary-318-announcing-astral-planes.1602454/
QuoteAstral Planes is a narrative-focused expansion that adds mid to late game exploration content with over 30 Astral Rifts with widely branching storylines.
Unlike the relative safety of Archaeology sites, the Rifts you explore will lead to completely different realms of existence, where fundamentals that were certain at home may not always be true.
Astral Planes includes: �
- Over 30 Astral Rifts to explore
- 8 new Relics
- 4 Civics
- 1 Origin
- Astral Threads and Astral Actions
- 3 new music tracks composed by Andreas Waldetoft
...as well as some insights into some old friends and enemies.
The Stellaris team has been working with Abrakam Entertainment since October 2022, and they've been working on Astral Planes in close collaboration with the rest of the Stellaris team. Over the next few weeks, I'll be turning the dev diaries over to them so they can get to know you better, so you can feel some of the love they share for Stellaris, and so you can see why we trusted them to help with this release.
Mid game exploration is what is surely missing, so looking forward
Feels a bit like Elemental War of Magic's way of doing this - basically it would spawn in more event sites when you researched certain techs. I assume rifts will become available once you reach certain tech thresholds. I still feel Stellaris would benefit from "hidden star systems" that become visible/visitable once you have certain sensors, or such.
Quote from: Syt on October 19, 2023, 11:56:26 AMFeels a bit like Elemental War of Magic's way of doing this - basically it would spawn in more event sites when you researched certain techs. I assume rifts will become available once you reach certain tech thresholds. I still feel Stellaris would benefit from "hidden star systems" that become visible/visitable once you have certain sensors, or such.
Yes. Also maybe slowly evolving star lanes.
I'm going to emphasize that Paragons is the best and most impactful DLC in the game.