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[Purkake4]

absolutely baffling game design right there.

Wouldn't want to make the game boring and give you nothing to do. After all queuing orders is the actual gameplay in the early game...

 

[mcz117chief]

So how is the new DLC Leviathan? Is it worth the money? Are the events fun?

 

[Shengar]

absolutely baffling game design right there.

More like technical oversight or perhaps even limitation rather than straight up game design. I guess it happened because your queue order overwritten by the command to flee the system right away. As far as I can remember, I haven't seen any mods that try to fix this so this might be the case.

Wouldn't want to make the game boring and give you nothing to do. After all queuing orders is the actual gameplay in the early game...

Do you have better argument than just passive-aggressive toward my opinion of the auto-explore? Did you just ignoring my whole last paragraph where auto-exploration might hinder your empire growth depending on your FTL? I try to be polite and constructive with my thought, and not even confrontative whatsoever. But all I got is this shitty kneejerk passive-aggresive post. No point of further discussion then.

So how is the new DLC Leviathan? Is it worth the money? Are the events fun?

At that, price. The Guardians make a nice mid game goal for your empire to strife for, while the reworked Fallen Empire spices up the game even further albeit their limitation still limited than I hoped it would be (I haven't experienced War in Heaven where two Awakened Fallen Empires butt their each other head, so my impression might changed).

 

[Purkake4]

Do you have better argument than just passive-aggressive toward my opinion of the auto-explore? Did you just ignoring my whole last paragraph where auto-exploration might hinder your empire growth depending on your FTL? But you're entitled to your own poorly thought opinion, so be my guest.

I'm still baffled that some people will go out of their way to defend additional busywork as gameplay instead of demanding more from Paradox. This is a small issue, but it does encapsulate the problem with Stellaris being half-baked quite well.

Every time I start a new game I get the same amazing events, gather X number of specimen, fight some cloud dudes, fight some amoeba dudes. Meet a new race? It's just going to be a nice animated mask on 2 ever-changing (through the patches) statistics that will determine if they hate your guts or kind of think you're ok-ish. Want to make them like you? Better give them some free stuff, because you diplomacy options are fewer than in Civ.

I always start out thinking I'll design some awesome ships, but it will inevitably end up with making the best ship my components allow, updating it when I research something that gives it +5% attack and all battles being a number vs number slugfest. Build new buildings to get more minerals and energy use those to get more buildings leaving you even more stuff to click on every now and then.

A space game already starts at a disadvantage with regard to the AI players (them being randomly created) and Paradox seems to have done nothing to make them more than a pretty mask on two statistics dropped somewhere in space.

I really hope that in 2 years we will reach something like EU4 is today, a complex game with many different kinds of interactions on both the strategic and tactical level where the gameplay is about making hard choices and suffering consequences for than and not having to re-queue your orders because the gameplay is a little thinly spread to automate that from the get go.

 

[TheVoidDragon]

I'm still baffled that some people will go out of their way to defend additional busywork as gameplay instead of demanding more from Paradox. This is a small issue, but it does encapsulate the problem with Stellaris being half-baked quite well.

Every time I start a new game I get the same amazing events, gather X number of specimen, fight some cloud dudes, fight some amoeba dudes. Meet a new race? It's just going to be a nice animated mask on 2 ever-changing (through the patches) statistics that will determine if they hate your guts or kind of think you're ok-ish. Want to make them like you? Better give them some free stuff, because you diplomacy options are fewer than in Civ.

I always start out thinking I'll design some awesome ships, but it will inevitably end up with making the best ship my components allow, updating it when I research something that gives it +5% attack and all battles being a number vs number slugfest. Build new buildings to get more minerals and energy use those to get more buildings leaving you even more stuff to click on every now and then.

A space game already starts at a disadvantage with regard to the AI players (them being randomly created) and Paradox seems to have done nothing to make them more than a pretty mask on two statistics dropped somewhere in space.

I really hope that in 2 years we will reach something like EU4 is today, a complex game with many different kinds of interactions on both the strategic and tactical level where the gameplay is about making hard choices and suffering consequences for than and not having to re-queue your orders because the gameplay is a little thinly spread to automate that from the get go.

So you seems you have problems with the exploring, diplomacy, combat, ship building, events, AI, construction...what in the game do you think is done well, then?

I do think that quite a lot of the game at the moment seems only half-done or barely even thought about in some ways but i still find it enjoyable overall, even though things could be vastly improved (and hopefully will be eventually).

 

[Purkake4]

So you seems you have problems with the exploring, diplomacy, combat, ship building, events, AI, construction...what in the game do you think is done well, then?

I do think that quite a lot of the game at the moment seems only half-done or barely even thought about in some ways but i still find it enjoyable overall, even though things could be vastly improved (and hopefully will be eventually).

You could say the common denominator with my problems is shallowness. Stellaris does everything, but none of it has any depth to it.

As to what I like and why I bought the game in the first place, mainly potential. I have seen Paradox turn EU4 from what it started out as to the best grand strategy game. I also find the research system quite interesting, but it too needs more depth, more exclusive paths to go down to instead of everyone getting a little bit of everything. For example have missile tech give bonuses to future missile tech, etc.

What I'm most disappointed about is the combat. Each Paradox game has figured out an interesting way to make it tactical, but Stellaris hasn't gotten beyond Red Alert here. I want each spaceship to mean something, not just be a pile of minerals spent every X days till the cap. I want modular damage, crew experience, boarding and prize taking, formations and roles (nice to see Paradox start here). While Aurora 4X might be a barely comprehensible mess of interface windows, when those missiles start flying you feel every hit you or the enemy takes (or evades), the rush to get damage control to fix that engine on one of your 4 ships that took a lucky hit before you have to leave it behind for the enemy with its tech and experienced crew.

 

[Quixzlizx]

You could say the common denominator with my problems is shallowness. Stellaris does everything, but none of it has any depth to it.

As to what I like and why I bought the game in the first place, mainly potential. I have seen Paradox turn EU4 from what it started out as to the best grand strategy game. I also find the research system quite interesting, but it too needs more depth, more exclusive paths to go down to instead of everyone getting a little bit of everything. For example have missile tech give bonuses to future missile tech, etc.

What I'm most disappointed about is the combat. Each Paradox game has figured out an interesting way to make it tactical, but Stellaris hasn't gotten beyond Red Alert here. I want each spaceship to mean something, not just be a pile of minerals spent every X days till the cap. I want modular damage, crew experience, boarding and prize taking, formations and roles (nice to see Paradox start here). While Aurora 4X might be a barely comprehensible mess of interface windows, when those missiles start flying you feel every hit you or the enemy takes (or evades), the rush to get damage control to fix that engine on one of your 4 ships that took a lucky hit before you have to leave it behind for the enemy with its tech and experienced crew.

You're not supposed to be micro-managing every ship in a grand strategy game.

 

[Purkake4]

You're not supposed to be micro-managing every ship in a grand strategy game.

Sure, look at EU4, your units are disposable, but you have a very specific unit cap, there's combat width, unit type differences and modifiers for your morale and fighting ability, not to mention terrain modifiers and attrition. Losing a few units will hurt you, getting stack-wiped will wreck your manpower, war exhaustion, prestige and cost a fortune to replace, all of these have secondary effects that will affect your gameplay.

In Stellaris, there's pretty much no penalty to have an assembly line spitting out ships to send to fight and die until you win or the enemy overwhelms you.

 

[Quixzlizx]

Sure, look at EU4, your units are disposable, but you have a very specific unit cap, there's combat width, unit type differences and modifiers for your morale and fighting ability, not to mention terrain modifiers and attrition. Losing a few units will hurt you, getting stack-wiped will wreck your manpower, war exhaustion, prestige and cost a fortune to replace, all of these have secondary effects that will affect your gameplay.

In Stellaris, there's pretty much no penalty to have an assembly line spitting out ships to send to fight and die until you win or the enemy overwhelms you.

That's all fine, I was just responding to stuff like boarding and capturing enemy ships, and the Aurora comparison.

 

[Purkake4]

That's all fine, I was just responding to stuff like boarding and capturing enemy ships, and the Aurora comparison.

All that would add depth to the combat system (maybe you focus your tech on capturing and are forced to use enemy ships for when you need raw firepower, maybe it gives you extra tech bonuses, etc.). Aurora is grand strategy as well, as is Distant Worlds. Paradox has just chosen to limit the simulation at a certain level to the games determent, in my opinion.

Plus, you can capture enemy ships in EU4, losing one is quite a big deal, as it should be.

 

[Quixzlizx]

All that would add depth to the combat system (maybe you focus your tech on capturing and are forced to use enemy ships for when you need raw firepower, maybe it gives you extra tech bonuses, etc.). Aurora is grand strategy as well, as is Distant Worlds. Paradox has just chosen to limit the simulation at a certain level to the games determent, in my opinion.

Plus, you can capture enemy ships in EU4, losing one is quite a big deal, as it should be.

EU4's combat isn't focused on naval battles though. You can't capture enemy troops and convert them into your own, can you?

 

[Purkake4]

EU4's combat isn't focused on naval battles though. You can't capture enemy troops and convert them into your own, can you?

Just as EU4 is focuses on land combat, Stellaris is focused on space combat. I don't fault Stellaris for its simplistic land combat, it makes sense in the context of the game.

 

[mcz117chief]

In Stellaris, there's pretty much no penalty to have an assembly line spitting out ships to send to fight and die until you win or the enemy overwhelms you.

I always though those ships are ai controlled and not manned by actual people. What kind of insane Empire (realistically speaking) would send millions upon billions of their people to die in a war of attrition if they can just control them using AI or remotely (basically big drones) like a video game (Ender's Game). In past and present wars we kind of didn't have a choice in the matter but in the future what would be the benefit of cramming thousands of people into a ship that will be vaporised within seconds upon encountering the enemy? Nobody would be insane enough to sign-up if that were the case. That is why I think there is no penalty for losing ships and why manpower is not present in the game simply because there is nobody on those ships.

 

[Lister]

I always though those ships are ai controlled and not manned by actual people. What kind of insane Empire (realistically speaking) would send millions upon billions of their people to die in a war of attrition if they can just control them using AI or remotely (basically big drones) like a video game (Ender's Game). In past and present wars we kind of didn't have a choice in the matter but in the future what would be the benefit of cramming thousands of people into a ship that will be vaporised within seconds upon encountering the enemy? Nobody would be insane enough to sign-up if that were the case. That is why I think there is no penalty for losing ships and why manpower is not present in the game simply because there is nobody on those ships.

Well there's always at least one poor bastard.

RIP Mercedes Romero.

 

[Steel]

Been awhile since I read Ender's Game, but weren't the ships that the children controlled piloted by real people?

 

[TheVoidDragon]

I always though those ships are ai controlled and not manned by actual people. What kind of insane Empire (realistically speaking) would send millions upon billions of their people to die in a war of attrition if they can just control them using AI or remotely (basically big drones) like a video game (Ender's Game). In past and present wars we kind of didn't have a choice in the matter but in the future what would be the benefit of cramming thousands of people into a ship that will be vaporised within seconds upon encountering the enemy? Nobody would be insane enough to sign-up if that were the case. That is why I think there is no penalty for losing ships and why manpower is not present in the game simply because there is nobody on those ships.

Based on what the game says that's not the case. When you equip a ship with strike craft the description for them says they are manned, the colony ships description says they have crew as well (not just the colonists), you can assign scientists/admirals to the ships and they're definitely onboard, the description for the "Doctrine - fleet support" technology says "it is important to provide planetside relief for returning fleets." and one of the engine technologies says there are crew as well.

 

[Not Spaceghost]

I often wonder why we still have to research colony ships at the beginning of the game? I can't really think of a balance reason why we wouldn't just start with them.

 

[LurkerPrime]

I never really doubted that actual soldiers were pilotting all of the ships; they certainly don't mind using them for ground troops. The only exception would be sneitent AI or mining drones--things explicitly called out as artificial.

I fully expect an expansion or story pack to expand on a ship's pilot. though. Don't think it will go full Aurora or anything, that's waaay too micro-intensive for a game on the scale of Stellaris, but I imagine there are some ideas yet to be implemented there.

Been awhile since I read Ender's Game, but weren't the ships that the children controlled piloted by real people?

Isn't that the whole point of it? I've only seen the movie though.

I figure it's a lot like Star Trek or any other sci-fi show, with large compliments of crew making things work. Just like there's no doubt lots of trade and space travel and stuff going on that is largely invisible to players on a galactic scale.

I often wonder why we still have to research colony ships at the beginning of the game? I can't really think of a balance reason why we wouldn't just start with them.

The pitch is that the empires have just achieved FTL travel and know nothing of the galaxy.

I want to say there are some space 4Xes that do give a home planet on top of a colony ship... can't remember any names, unfortunately.

 

[Forerunner]

I finally got around to playing the DLC (too much BF 1 and CIV VI). The game kicked my ass. The two civs above me made a pact and attacked me. I was somewhat holding them off then a few turns later the civ below me declares war... -_-

This was still early game so I really didn't have a great fleet. My fleet was like 800 and all of theirs are at least 1k. I also got fucked over by inhabitable worlds. I only found two anywhere near me, so it was just a rough game from the beginning.

 

[mcz117chief]

Well there's always at least one poor bastard.

RIP Mercedes Romero.

I thought that there might be some tiny crew like 1 or 2 on war ships and larger on exploration and science vessels. Something like Eve online with one dude in a capsule doing everything.

Been awhile since I read Ender's Game, but weren't the ships that the children controlled piloted by real people?

It isn't explicitly said in the movie (besides the fact that the transport ships have people on board) but considering they literally controller their every move I don't see a reason for a crew to be there. But even if they do I was talking more about the theme of controlling ai ships from a safe distance.

Based on what the game says that's not the case. When you equip a ship with strike craft the description for them says they are manned, the colony ships description says they have crew as well (not just the colonists), you can assign scientists/admirals to the ships and they're definitely onboard, the description for the "Doctrine - fleet support" technology says "it is important to provide planetside relief for returning fleets." and one of the engine technologies says there are crew as well.

It doesn't really make sense and I attribute that to bad writing. You would never get yourself a crew outside of slaves/prisoners if the people knew you were sending millions upon millions into a certain death for little or no gain (or maybe people are so bored in the future that they don't care lol), besides, we already have the technology to use unmanned drones controller from an HQ behind enemy lines so I don't see a reason for these ships to have a crew. Crew is, after all, the weakest part of the ship, you destroy life support, gravity controls, blow a hole in the ship and the first thing that goes is the crew and despite the fact that the ship is almost intact it can be knocked out of action just because your crew suffocated or got blown out into space. Anything the crew can do an ai or remote control can do too, I don't see a reason to put people in needless risk.

 

[spiritfox]

It's a space opera, and space operas have crews. Otherwise where's all the drama suppose to come from?

Also space is very big. You wouldn't want even a second of lag due to distance between the controller and the ship. If your controller is in another system the signal might not even reach the drone. We don't even get AI until we research them.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Are name mods a thing? Like, names for planets, admirals, ships, etc.

More naming variety is something I'd love to see in the base game, since there's so little structural variety in a single type.

It doesn't really make sense and I attribute that to bad writing. You would never get yourself a crew outside of slaves/prisoners if the people knew you were sending millions upon millions into a certain death for little or no gain, besides, we already have the technology to use unmanned drones controller from an HQ behind enemy lines so I don't see a reason for these ships to have a crew. Crew is, after all, the weakest part of the ship, you destroy life support, gravity controls, blow a hole in the ship and the first thing that goes is the crew and despite the fact that the ship is almost intact it can be knocked out of action just because your crew suffocated or got blown out into space. Anything the crew can do an ai or remote control can do too, I don't see a reason to put people in needless risk.

This might hold true for individualist, pacifist, or maybe spiritual empires, but I don't think their opposing ethoses have narely the same level of care; all of them are actually predicated a lower emphasis for the value of an individual life. Also I also think you're making an assumption over both the inferiority of the organic component and the superiority of AI-driven ships--they could potentially be just as vulnerable, either through software fault or malicious intervention.

Unmanned ships are definitely something Stellaris should explore at one point. I think this thread has gone over it before--I know I have mentioned stuff on it. There's good room to make a crew component to ship design at the very least, and I'd be surprised if they don't touch on it at some point.

 

[bjaelke]

Are name mods a thing? Like, names for planets, admirals, ships, etc.

More naming variety is something I'd love to see in the base game, since there's so little structural variety in a single type.

There are several stand alone name lists available and the majority of the big franchise mods (Star Wars, Mass Effect etc.) comes with a name list as well.

 

[mcz117chief]

Are name mods a thing? Like, names for planets, admirals, ships, etc.

I have seen a bunch, they are in steam workshop, I don't use them though, I always make up my own names but I have seen Star Trek, Freespace, Mass Effect, Star Wars and a few others I think.

This might hold true for individualist, pacifist, or maybe spiritual empires, but I don't think their opposing ethoses have narely the same level of care; all of them are actually predicated a lower emphasis for the value of an individual life. Also I also think you're making an assumption over both the inferiority of the organic component and the superiority of AI-driven ships--they could potentially be just as vulnerable, either through software fault or malicious intervention.

Unmanned ships are definitely something Stellaris should explore at one point. I think this thread has gone over it before--I know I have mentioned stuff on it. There's good room to make a crew component to ship design at the very least, and I'd be surprised if they don't touch on it at some point.

Well I do play spiritual Empire 100% of the time so I guess it makes sense to me but having a ship without crew means you might be affected by "software fault or malicious intervention" but at the same time you don't have to worry about life support, mutiny, training, supplies, drills, chain of command, morale, commands not being given clearly, panic, duty officers, r'n'r, psychological support, medical support, etc. the benefits FAR outweigh the negatives.

 

[J Jizzle]

I'm really enjoying the adjustments & the added content from the patch & Leviathan but if you weren't enjoying Stellaris before I feel it's not going to be a big game changer for you.

As a fanatic spiritualist I now worship an impregnable giant black death star just within my empires borders. I fear this won't end well when it finally reveals it's secrets....

 

[LurkerPrime]

Cool. I don't know why I haven't looked before. Once I finish up my current game I'll have to dive in on those name mods.

Thanks y'all!

Well I do play spiritual Empire 100% of the time so I guess it makes sense to me but having a ship without crew means you might be affected by "software fault or malicious intervention" but at the same time you don't have to worry about life support, mutiny, training, supplies, drills, chain of command, morale, commands not being given clearly, panic, duty officers, r'n'r, psychological support, medical support, etc. the benefits FAR outweigh the negatives.

And then the enemy empire subverts the command routines and turns your fleet against you.

But seriously, it would just be trading one set of concerns with another, all while supply lines, maintainance, communications, and repairs, plus maybe more, continue to be an issue. It would also leave no room for improvisation or innovation, which can be of critical importance in moments of pressure. Plus it's also also underselling the potential of a given species, or perhaps more if they're in a federation/conquerer--because not everything in Stellaris conforms to a human's capabilities or inventions.

And on this note, I actually like that Stellaris leaves some room for imagination for the nitty-gritty of how an empire is run. Really suits the breadth of species and empires you can have.

I'm really enjoying the adjustments & the added content from the patch & Leviathan but if you weren't enjoying Stellaris before I feel it's not going to be a big game changer for you.

As a fanatic spiritualist I now worship an impregnable giant black death star just within my empires borders. I fear this won't end well when it finally reveals it's secrets....

Going full Fifth Element, huh? Cool.

multipass

 

[mcz117chief]

And then the enemy empire subverts the command routines and turns your fleet against you.

My space magic will protect me, I'll just reverse polarity or something to fix everything.

But seriously, it would just be trading one set of concerns with another, all while supply lines, maintainance, communications, and repairs, plus maybe more, continue to be an issue. It would also leave no room for improvisation or innovation, which can be of critical importance in moments of pressure.

All that can be done by trash can robots like R2D2 and improvisation and innovation still applies because those ships are still controlled by people like rc cars or like if you were playing Fractured Space or something, people are still in control.

 

[J Jizzle]

Damn I loved Fifth Element.

 

[TheVoidDragon]

It doesn't really make sense and I attribute that to bad writing. You would never get yourself a crew outside of slaves/prisoners if the people knew you were sending millions upon millions into a certain death for little or no gain (or maybe people are so bored in the future that they don't care lol), besides, we already have the technology to use unmanned drones controller from an HQ behind enemy lines so I don't see a reason for these ships to have a crew. Crew is, after all, the weakest part of the ship, you destroy life support, gravity controls, blow a hole in the ship and the first thing that goes is the crew and despite the fact that the ship is almost intact it can be knocked out of action just because your crew suffocated or got blown out into space. Anything the crew can do an ai or remote control can do too, I don't see a reason to put people in needless risk.

The same could be said for Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate etc; It's not bad writing, it's a choice for increased drama and to add meaning to it. The vast majority of sci-fi movies, games, TV shows etc have crew on the ships simply because it makes things more interesting than just lifeless remote controlled machines.

You're looking at it from a players perspective only, really. Players send corvettes and smaller ships in mass numbers and don't care about them, but from an in-universe view that is not the reason those ships exist. In most sci-fi something like a Corvette fleet vs a Battleship would be something atypical, those ships are always made with other purposes but just end up forced into those situations. No one would be expecting to do that and if it did happen it would likely be due to desperate circumstances.

Even if it was the case that they were controlled otherwise, It can't be AI because you don't get technology for robots or AI until a while into the game. If it was controlling it remotely then the design of ships would also likely be entirely different; they'd focus more on being built around the weapons.

Something else to consider is that battles (and even just ships moving or firing) takes days or even months of in-game time. Regardless though the game makes it fairly clear that they definitely do have a crew of some sort.

 

[mcz117chief]

The same could be said for Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate etc; It's not bad writing, it's a choice for increased drama and to add meaning to it. The vast majority of sci-fi movies, games, TV shows etc have crew on the ships simply because it makes things more interesting than just lifeless remote controlled machines.

You're looking at it from a players perspective only, really. Players send corvettes and smaller ships in mass numbers and don't care about them, but from an in-universe view that is not the reason those ships exist. In most sci-fi something like a Corvette fleet vs a Battleship would be something atypical, those ships are always made with other purposes but just end up forced into those situations. No one would be expecting to do that and if it did happen it would likely be due to desperate circumstances.

Even if it was the case that they were controlled otherwise, It can't be AI because you don't get technology for robots or AI until a while into the game. If it was controlling it remotely then the design of ships would also likely be entirely different; they'd focus more on being built around the weapons.

Something else to consider is that battles (and even just ships moving or firing) takes days or even months of in-game time. Regardless though the game makes it fairly clear that they definitely do have a crew of some sort.

It is incredibly illogical to put people into warships when you don't have to. Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. are just TV show, it doesn't try to replicate reality, it's just a fairy tale for adults. Realistically speaking you don't want people to get hurt if it isn't 100% necessary, that is why we invented EOD robots, uavs, etc. basically make the robot take the bullet for you.

I don't believe for a second that a civilisation that has achieved FTL hasn't developed robotics and remote control. Like, are you telling me those space ships are hand made? Metal beaten with hammers and circuitry woven under a magnifying glass? That is absurd. Think of the 1st thing that happens when you start up a game, you are greeted by a tutorial AI so obviously you have AI technology.

I am not talking from a "player's perspective" I am talking from a human's perspective who values life and isn't keen on sending billion of people to their deaths in some random battles. Any human society that would do have a revolution on it's hands instantly. Do you think it would work if somebody were to say "During our last planetary engagement we lost 60 million troops and we claimed one continent. Would you like to sign-up and be part of the next 60 million?" yeah no, it doesn't make sense, people actually value their lives a bit more than ants.

I mean, it's just a game and in no way does it reflect reality in the slightest but at least some aspects of the game can be realistic with minimal effort or by using headcanon.

 

[TheVoidDragon]

I don't believe for a second that a civilisation that has achieved FTL hasn't developed robotics and remote control. Like, are you telling me those space ships are hand made? Metal beaten with hammers and circuitry woven under a magnifying glass? That is absurd. Think of the 1st thing that happens when you start up a game, you are greeted by a tutorial AI so obviously you have AI technology.

I'd forgot about the tutorial advisor so you're right about that, although it's not clear if that's 'canon' as you develop AI as part of the games research. As for Robots i meant the sort who are capable of replacing people, not robotics in general.

I am not talking from a "player's perspective" I am talking from a human's perspective who values life and isn't keen on sending billion of people to their deaths in some random battles. Any human society that would do have a revolution on it's hands instantly. Do you think it would work if somebody were to say "During our last planetary engagement we lost 60 million troops and we claimed one continent. Would you like to sign-up and be part of the next 60 million?" yeah no, it doesn't make sense, people actually value their lives a bit more than ants.

Our society might not behave that way but in-game you've got a space-faring empire that has to defend itself from hostile alien empires, it's an entirely different circumstance. The games battles take days or weeks, and wars last months or years; it isn't just throwing away massive amount of soldiers, ships and resources in one quick random battle. . If there'st a space-capable empire that is at war with some other hostile alien species who wants to wipe them out and they need fighting, chances are someone wouldn't just decide to do nothing because they don't want to risk themselves to defend the empire. Like i said something such as the Corvettese might be small, useless ships from the players point of view but there are plenty of uses for them from an in-universe perspective and that sort of situation wouldn't be the norm.

It really entirely depends on how you want to play your empire though as there are robotic or alien forces you can send instead of your own.

 

[mcz117chief]

It really entirely depends on how you want to play your empire though as there are robotic or alien forces you can send instead of your own.

Yup, that is how I see it


One other thing too, the research that gives you AI and robots actually isn't as general as it may sound (to me). When you research AI then what you are actually doing is delegating state power to that AI as it now helps you run the Empire in a more direct manner and the same goes for the robots. When you replace a whole pop with robots you are actually creating a whole country worth of robots that are somewhat independent, the way I see it, imagine, for example, if the entire population of Germany were to be relocated and then replaced by robots to work in the factories and everything. So what you are essentially doing is replacing your entire workforce sectors with artificial workers instead of just coming up with basic or advanced robotic tech via research.

 

[Steel]

It isn't explicitly said in the movie (besides the fact that the transport ships have people on board) but considering they literally controller their every move I don't see a reason for a crew to be there. But even if they do I was talking more about the theme of controlling ai ships from a safe distance.

It explicitly says in the book that the craft are piloted by people. IIRC Ender has a bit of a psychotic breakdown over it.

Not that Ender's Game was a particularly good book, it was pretty bad imo.

In either case, space combat the way we see it in 90% of sci-fi is completely unrealistic in the first place, so it's not like putting in a human crew is a bridge too far.

 

[LordAmused]

Started stuck in the Northern part of the map. No ways to go south or east without passing through a Corporation Society. They begin by closing their borders and eventually declare war on me. 3 in-game days later I'm destroyed.

Game over after 11 years. I'm pissed.

 

[Steel]

Started stuck in the Northern part of the map. No ways to go south or east without passing through a Corporation Society. They begin by closing their borders and eventually declare war on me. 3 in-game days later I'm destroyed.

Game over after 11 years. I'm pissed.

LordAmused
Member
(Today, 12:36 PM)

 

[mcz117chief]

In either case, space combat the way we see it in 90% of sci-fi is completely unrealistic in the first place, so it's not like putting in a human crew is a bridge too far.

Right.

In Ender's Game (the movie) though Ender has a psychological breakdown because of the fact that he wiped out an entire alien species without any solid proof that they were the aggressors in the first place, they only glossed over the fact that there were people aboard the transport ships but nothing else and it is literally just one sentence, the whole thing is about the aliens and him trying to find redemption for what he has done.


Another thing, the way I love to play Stellaris is by having every other civ in the game be advanced and me starting from zero. It never really made sense to me how everybody started at the same tech level so I always play it like I am joining the galactic politics which have already been established. How about you?

 

[Steel]

What's with the random empire name changes when empires change to an advanced government form?

Right.

In Ender's Game (the movie) though Ender has a psychological breakdown because of the fact that he wiped out an entire alien species without any solid proof that they were the aggressors in the first place, they only glossed over the fact that there were people aboard the transport ships but nothing else and it is literally just one sentence, the whole thing is about the aliens and him trying to find redemption for what he has done.


Another thing, the way I love to play Stellaris is by having every other civ in the game be advanced and me starting from zero. It never really made sense to me how everybody started at the same tech level so I always play it like I am joining the galactic politics which have already been established. How about you?

I generally up the advanced starts a bit, but I don't make all the AI advanced. Gotta have a mix of advancement levels in there. Empires might start at the same tech level, but that quickly changes based on where they're located, especially if you set the game on a high difficulty.

 

[Walshicus]

What's with the random empire name changes when empires change to an advanced government form?.

It's so frickin annoying. Can't believe it's not a bug.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Does it still happen? I'd swear my empire didn't change names during the switch.

It would make sense if changing to a different government type (and NOT just an advanced form of the same type) I guess, but I still don't like it.

 

[Steel]

Does it still happen? I'd swear my empire didn't change names during the switch.

It would make sense if changing to a different government type (and NOT just an advanced form of the same type) I guess, but I still don't like it.

Definitely. For your own empire, you can manually change the name back, for others though.....

 

[Kumquat]

My game since the patch is not going well. I am surrounded by hostile holy collectivist empires who see my materialist individualists as a threat. My one ally who got sandwiched between two of the bigger ones is getting decimated and I don't have the fleets to help. My fleet got stomped by his.

I also settled a planet right next to a giant hostile station that instead of having a threat rating just has skulls. I'm wondering how possible it will be to crack it open.

 

[FunnyJay]

So, how long is the "tutorial"? New objectives seem to be added constantly. The pace is quite OK but there is plenty to learn...

It seems like resource gathering is the toughest part to get going for me. Especially since a frontier outpost is a -3 energy drain to perhaps add a few more mining stations.

Is it better to colonize more planets instead of building frontier outposts? It seems you would get a lot more out of a planet with many tiles than several mining stations...

 

[Steel]

So, how long is the "tutorial"? New objectives seem to be added constantly. The pace is quite OK but there is plenty to learn...

It seems like resource gathering is the toughest part to get going for me. Especially since a frontier outpost is a -3 energy drain to perhaps add a few more mining stations.

Is it better to colonize more planets instead of building frontier outposts? It seems you would get a lot more out of a planet with many tiles than several mining stations...

In the short term frontier outposts give you more bang for your buck, in the long term colonies are better. The best way to keep your energy positive is colonies, too.

Also, from what I've heard the tutorial wasn't updated to account for the changes in the most recent patch, so keep that in mind.

 

[bjaelke]

Stellaris Dev Diary #50 - The Journey Ahead
Stuff they want to put in the next update scheduled to release before the end of the year. :

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.

Next DLC pack is inspired by Iain Banks (author of the Culture series) but they're not ready to talk about that one yet.

 

[mcz117chief]

Stellaris Dev Diary #50 - The Journey Ahead
Stuff they want to put in the next update scheduled to release before the end of the year. :

Oh nice, finally I can build ring worlds without mods

 

[SocksAndShoes]

Next DLC pack is inspired by Iain Banks (author of the Culture series) but they're not ready to talk about that one yet.

Oh HELL yes. I would love to see the ability to build giant "Mind" ships that could boost your fleets output. Or Gridfire. Or any of the other awesome stuff in the Culture series.

 

[LurkerPrime]

They said the magic word. Roleplaying.

Every dev diary sounds excellent. I can't wait.


Can anyone glean what the expansion might be about? (I don't know anything about Banks or his works.)

 

[Kabouter]

Deeper Federations that start out as loose alliances and can eventually be turned into single states through diplomatic manuevering.

Always felt this was a major missing feature tbh. Plans sound very good, looking forward to it .

 

[Walshicus]

I'd imagine the Banks update will mostly focus on... culture. So domestic stuff I guess. Game definitely lacks substance on the internal side of things.

 

[mcz117chief]

I hope they give us the option to violate borders. I hate the fact that closing borders = magical barrier. Luckily there are mods that allow that but I would prefer an official support on this subject.