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Stellaris - Paradox Dev Studios new sci-fi grand strategy game

I had decided I was buying no more games until I put a dent in my backlog but dammit I'm on the verge of pre-ordering here.

I don't even like the genre. I can't get into these games ever. But it just looks excellent.
 
That's excellent. I'm going to do one run-through with the following:

Fanatic Materialist Xenophile ruled by a Science Directorate
(tentatively named the Kurzweilians)

Intelligent
Sedentary
Natural Engineers

Summary
Scientists are eligible for Leadership
+35% Engineering output
+50% Migration time
+20% Physics output
+1 Research alternative
+20% Society output
-10% Xenophobia

They have an almost religious devotion to the idea of creating a race of super-intelligent robots who will carry on their work, even if the robots kill them and everyone else in the galaxy in the process. They're xenophile in the sense that they don't feel it's their job to judge the worthiness of other species. They'll leave that to the robots. They also don't have any particular preference for war, peace, diplomacy or trade, and will do whatever they feel is necessary to further their research.

The problem is that I kind of feel like they'd use wormhole technology, but I think it would be more sensible to use warp or hyperdrive on my first run-through. Might just leave them until I have a bit of experience with the game.

To follow up on this
(also because it was stuck at the bottom of the page and this is an excuse for me to quote it)
I think I'll leave this for my second play through, and stick to good old-fashioned war-mongering for my first play through. It's my usual strategy in games like Civ, but I don't think Paradox titles will let me get away with it quite as easily, so it'll be a good lesson on what not to do in future run-throughs. Plus, oversized ship!

Fanatic Militarist Materialist ruled by a Military Dictatorship

Resilient
Strong
Nonadaptive
Natural Engineers

Summary
Can build an oversized ship
Admirals/generals are eligible for rulership
+75% Alliance cost
+40% Army damage
+200% Bombardment resistance
+20% Engineering output
+10 Fleet size limit
-10% Habitability
+100% Militia health
+5% Minerals
+5% Physics output
+50% Rivalry influence gain
-10% Ship upkeep
+5% Society output
+10% War happiness
+75% War tolerance

Might change the Natural Engineers for Natural Physicists, though, if physics research is more weapons-oriented.
 

Fucking awesome!

Ethoses
  • Materialist
  • Xenophile
  • Pacifist
Government
  • Moral Democracy
Traits
  • Intelligient
  • Resilient
  • Nonadaptive
Summary
-10% Army damage
+200% Bombardment resistance
+15% Engineering output
+10% Food
-10% Habitability
+10% Happiness
+100% Militia health
+15% Physics output
+15% Society output
-10% War happiness
-25% War tolerance
-10% Xenophobia
 
Fanatic Collectivist Spiritualists ruled by Divine Mandate
Nomadic, Communal

  • Can build a mausoleum, which grants -10% ethics divergence on the planet on which it is built
  • -10% Food requirement
  • +10% Happiness
  • -50% Migration time
  • +150% Slavery tolerance
  • +50% War tolerance
"Fear is freedom! Subjugation is liberation! Contradiction is truth!"

Everything will find happiness in chains. We will not rest until the universe is free from the burden of will.
 
Fanatic Materialist Xenophiles ruled by a Science Directorate
Intelligent, Natural Physicists

  • Scientists are eligible for Leadership
  • +20% Engineering output
  • +50% Migration time
  • +35% Physics output
  • +1 Research alternative
  • +20% Society output
  • -10% Xenophobia
 
What is this!?! Are we actually gonna have a good 4X game in the 2000's?

This isn't a 4x game. It starts off like that, but it's a paradox grand strategy game in the end. They are a whole different kettle of fish.

I presume you mean good sci-fi 4x game, because we've had plenty of good non-sciss games (Civ 5, Endless Legend). Heck even Endless Space was a damn decent game so not even sure about about that!
 
Fanatic Xenophile Materialists ruled by Science Directorate
Talented (++), Intelligent (++), Repugnant (-), Solitary (-)

Summary
Scientists are eligible for Leadership
  • +15% Engineering output
  • -5% Happiness
  • +1 Leader skill levels
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +15% Physics output
  • +1 Research alternative
  • +15% Society output
  • -20% Xenophobia
What is this!?! Are we actually gonna have a good 4X game in the 2000's?
Only the first part of the game follows the 4X model. After that it's more conventional Paradox strategy/diplomacy.
 
This is the closest you can get to the Culture I guess... Might actually do this for my first game:

Direct Democracy
Fanatic Materialist
Pacifist

Charismatic
Intelligent
Slow Breeders

Summary
-10% Army damage
+4 Core sector planets
+20% Engineering output
+10% Food
+15% Growth time
+1% Other species happiness per POP
+20% Physics output
+20% Society output
-10% War happiness
-25% War tolerance

Not sure about Slow Breeders , but I needed a negative trait.
 
Having great fun with this new calculator.

500


We are the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah.
The followers of the Path of Now and Forever.
We cleanse our destiny.
You will soon die.
Make whatever rituals are necessary for your species.


Ethoses
Militarist, Fanatic Xenophobe

Government
Military Junta

Positive Traits
Intelligent, Nomadic

Negative Traits
Decadent, Repugnant

Summary
  • Admirals/generals are eligible for rulership
  • +100% Alien slavery tolerance
  • +50% Alliance cost
  • +10% Army damage
  • +10% Engineering output
  • -50% Migration time
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +10% Physics output
  • -10% Resource output without slaves
  • +25% Rivalry influence gain
  • -10% Ship cost
  • -25% Ship upgrade cost
  • +10% Society output
  • +5% War happiness
  • +50% War tolerance
  • +20% Xenophobia
 
Having great fun with this new calculator.

500


We are the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah.
The followers of the Path of Now and Forever.
We cleanse our destiny.
You will soon die.
Make whatever rituals are necessary for your species.


Ethoses
Militarist, Fanatic Xenophobe

Government
Military Junta

Positive Traits
Intelligent, Nomadic

Negative Traits
Decadent, Repugnant

Summary
  • Admirals/generals are eligible for rulership
  • +100% Alien slavery tolerance
  • +50% Alliance cost
  • +10% Army damage
  • +10% Engineering output
  • -50% Migration time
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +10% Physics output
  • -10% Resource output without slaves
  • +25% Rivalry influence gain
  • -10% Ship cost
  • -25% Ship upgrade cost
  • +10% Society output
  • +5% War happiness
  • +50% War tolerance
  • +20% Xenophobia

Haha, amazing. Anyone going to tackle the Orz?
 
I can't make Spiritualist Collectivist Militarist Theocratic Republic? Not fun.

Also, the idea of Collectivism means slavery tolerance is offensive.
 
This isn't a 4x game. It starts off like that, but it's a paradox grand strategy game in the end. They are a whole different kettle of fish.

I presume you mean good sci-fi 4x game, because we've had plenty of good non-sciss games (Civ 5, Endless Legend). Heck even Endless Space was a damn decent game so not even sure about about that!

Fanatic Xenophile Materialists ruled by Science Directorate
Talented (++), Intelligent (++), Repugnant (-), Solitary (-)

Summary
Scientists are eligible for Leadership
  • +15% Engineering output
  • -5% Happiness
  • +1 Leader skill levels
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +15% Physics output
  • +1 Research alternative
  • +15% Society output
  • -20% Xenophobia

Only the first part of the game follows the 4X model. After that it's more conventional Paradox strategy/diplomacy.

Exquisite!

My question was ofc based on my very biased and partly provocative opinion of not enjoying any sci-fi 4X game since the original MOO, but this is very interesting.. A Hybrid "diplomatic/strategic - 4X"! Very nice! Thanks for replys, I have to look more closely on this one..
 
Haha, amazing. Anyone going to tackle the Orz?

The lore about The Orzes are interesting though. I knew too little about them, apart from they aren't native to the quadrant of space where SC2 began, and they ate the Androsynths.
 
Having great fun with this new calculator.

Uh ah, let me try:
latest


Begone, filthy alien, for we are the Klackons.
We serve the Hive and no one shall stand in the way of our Queen.


Ethoses
Fanatic Collectivist, Xenophobe

Government
Despotic Empire

Positive Traits
Agrarian, Industrious

Negative Traits
Repugnant, Slow Learners

Summary
  • Can build an oversized military station
  • +50% Alien slavery tolerance
  • -15% Building cost
  • +1 Food output
  • -10% Food requirement
  • -25% Leader experience gain
  • +15% Minerals
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +10% Slavery food output
  • +10% Slavery mineral output
  • +100% Slavery tolerance
  • +10% Xenophobia
 
GAF

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We are so liberal that my own mother is also my sister

Ethoses
Fanatic Materialist, Individualist

Government
Direct Democracy

Positive Traits
Intelligent, Talented

Negative Traits
Repugnant, Solitary

Summary
  • +4 Core sector planets
  • +10% Energy credits
  • +20% Engineering output
  • +5% Ethics divergence
  • -5% Happiness
  • +1 Leader skill levels
  • -1% Other species happiness per POP
  • +20% Physics output
  • -50% Slavery tolerance
  • +20% Society output
 
Finally decided to get the Nova so that's pre-ordered now.

As people seem to have given alot of thought about the races they will play have any of you thought about the FTL types you'll use?

For me the first game will be Hyperlanes or Warp with all options available for the other races. Second game I definitely want to do an only Wormholes play through.
 

Ethoses: Fanatic Materialist, Individualist
Government: Science Directorate
Traits: Adaptive, Intelligent
Negative traits: Decadent, Solitaire

Summary:
Scientists are eligible for Leadership
+10% Energy credits
+20% Engineering output
+5% Ethics divergence
+10% Habitability
-5% Happiness
+20% Physics output
+1 Research alternative
-10% Resource output without slaves
-50% Slavery tolerance
+20% Society output
 
Stellaris Dev Diary #30 - Late Game Crises
We’re getting close to release and there is not much left to talk about that we haven’t already covered. The only remaining major feature is, I believe, the “Late Game Crises” events, and I really don’t want to spoil them, so bear with me if I’m being slightly vague this time…




That’s it for now my friends! Next week, we’ll change tack completely, and do a two-part, in-depth guide for modders.
Finally!
 
I can't make Spiritualist Collectivist Militarist Theocratic Republic? Not fun.

Also, the idea of Collectivism means slavery tolerance is offensive.

Give it a day for mods to unlock the government types from the ethoi :P

And it essentially means how willing they are to sacrifice their personal freedoms for the greater good. They might not even call it slavery in the right cultural context. A caste system with a large dedicated labor caste, for instance, or a serfdom.

Finally decided to get the Nova so that's pre-ordered now.

As people seem to have given alot of thought about the races they will play have any of you thought about the FTL types you'll use?

For me the first game will be Hyperlanes or Warp with all options available for the other races. Second game I definitely want to do an only Wormholes play through.

Definitely going hyperlanes. Will tool around with Wormholes at some point, but Hyperlanes is going to be my default setting fo sho.

I had to think of the Tyranids.

Yarp.
 
The lore about The Orzes are interesting though. I knew too little about them, apart from they aren't native to the quadrant of space where SC2 began, and they ate the Androsynths.

It's implied they're a hive-mind, which I don't know how to represent here. I also gave the Mycon a shot but didn't know how best to represent their attributes (the super resilient attribute cost too many points.)

Man, I can already the see the hours this game is going to suck out of me :(
 
It's implied they're a hive-mind, which I don't know how to represent here. I also gave the Mycon a shot but didn't know how best to represent their attributes (the super resilient attribute cost too many points.)

Man, I can already the see the hours this game is going to suck out of me :(

Hive mind is I think something you can unlock later. It's a government type tied to technology.

Fanatic Collectivist + whatever for flavor is a good starting game approximation of something that'd turn into a hive mind pretty easily.

BTW:

Stellaris|OT| MUGANI? HAK HAK HAK!
 
Dev diary also tangentially confirms organic ships as a Thing That Can Happen, so that's cool :D

I wanna try and deliberately cause a late game disaster like the energy being invasion to try and stop the robopocalypse. How damn cool would that be?
 
I am really interested what kind of tech and stuff you unlock when you capture the ringworld Sanctuary. I hope it will allow you to build ringworlds of your own.
 
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