• We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

Console Edition Development Diary #39 - Introduction to Intel

Hello Console Community!

Today we’re here to give you all a brief introduction to Intel. Rather than mince words here, I’d rather quote grekulf directly on the inspiration and background of the Intel rework:

“It always felt like there was so much missing potential when it came to learning more about alien civilizations in the game. We didn’t like that you had so much information as soon as you established communication with an alien empire – all of their borders would be revealed, and the diplomatic window would reveal most of the other information. We aim to change a lot of that.

We want alien civilizations to feel more mysterious and unknown. We want the experience of learning more about alien empires to be an equally important and fun aspect of exploration.”

-grekulf


limited intel.png

Fog of war

After establishing communications with another empire, your empire will now only have a limited amount of Intel about them: their government, military, borders, and non-capital planets.

hidden civics.png

Intel

Intel is raised through Diplomatic agreements, or by building a Spy Network in the target Empire.

discovered civics.png

Spy Networks

In order to gather Intel, a Spy Network needs an Envoy. It will then gradually collect Intel up to a certain level as Infiltration. Once Infiltration gets high enough, you’ll be able to run a Gather Information mission to gather even more Intel on the target empire.

espionage mission list.png

Espionage Missions will perform rolls similar to Archaeology Sites. Random events can be triggered throughout the stages.

espionage event.png

After a number of rolls, Espionage Missions will end in pass or fail.

Mission accomplished.png




Stale Intel

Removing the Envoy on a Spy Network will cause your Infiltration level to drop, and previously known information will become (Stale), and will not update if the information changes.

stale info.png


That’s it for this week, keep an eye on our social media next week, there’s some exciting news coming and it’s gonna start soon!

Bye everyone!


tease.png
 
Last edited:
  • 13Like
Reactions:
Of all the recent Dev diaries, this one leaves me feeling the most lukewarm...

While it makes sense that we might have to spy on a hostile empire with closed borders, having to spy on friendly, open empire, feels wrong and unnecessary - would we even have to spy on allies?!

Again, for hostile empires it sounds great, but not for every empire :) .
Having diplomatic agreements (embassies, research agreements, commercial pacts, as well as alliances) contribute to your base Intel on the empire in question as well.
 
  • 6Like
Reactions:
Gestalts can and have some buffs actually. I'm pretty sure hive minds have a bonus to the thing that prevents other empires from performing espionage (I think it's called encryption)
Well if encryption is a thing, I would expect Gestalts and other isolationist type empires to get a buff in protecting their own transmissions, as they would want an emphasis on secrecy. But in terms of things like planting spies, a Determined Exterminator is going to be pretty much useless because it can only send automated drones that cannot impersonate a sapient.
 
Hello Console Community!

Today we’re here to give you all a brief introduction to Intel. Rather than mince words here, I’d rather quote grekulf directly on the inspiration and background of the Intel rework:

“It always felt like there was so much missing potential when it came to learning more about alien civilizations in the game. We didn’t like that you had so much information as soon as you established communication with an alien empire – all of their borders would be revealed, and the diplomatic window would reveal most of the other information. We aim to change a lot of that.

We want alien civilizations to feel more mysterious and unknown. We want the experience of learning more about alien empires to be an equally important and fun aspect of exploration.”

-grekulf


Fog of war

After establishing communications with another empire, your empire will now only have a limited amount of Intel about them: their government, military, borders, and non-capital planets.

Intel

Intel is raised through Diplomatic agreements, or by building a Spy Network in the target Empire.

Spy Networks

In order to gather Intel, a Spy Network needs an Envoy. It will then gradually collect Intel up to a certain level as Infiltration. Once Infiltration gets high enough, you’ll be able to run a Gather Information mission to gather even more Intel on the target empire.

Espionage Missions will perform rolls similar to Archaeology Sites. Random events can be triggered throughout the stages.

After a number of rolls, Espionage Missions will end in pass or fail.





Stale Intel

Removing the Envoy on a Spy Network will cause your Infiltration level to drop, and previously known information will become (Stale), and will not update if the information changes.


That’s it for this week, keep an eye on our social media next week, there’s some exciting news coming and it’s gonna start soon!

Bye everyone!

I really love this game, that being said everything is becoming more diplomat/envoy oriented and yet it seems those diplomats/envoys are severely limited. What I mean is that I am now constantly finding the need for early diplomats only to have them tied up performing other functions and the only way to increase the number of diplomats available is limited by my technology and/or buildings produced which are also limited not only by technology but pop size and other structures as well.
While I understand that this somewhat increases realism and "Game immersion" there is the potential to take this too far. I play games for two reasons, entertainment and to take my mind off of everyday reality, in my case, this has to do with pain and playing games is part of my pain management therapy to take my mind off the pain.
I have been playing games since pong first hit the market. So I've played and continue to come back to certain games over the years. I have been described as being a bit of a megalomaniac over some of those games. That being said, Stellaris is a great game for this reason. Recently (in the past couple of years) another game series that I have played for years jumped the line on the "Immersive" reality bar and went too far. This game became so real that you are constantly worrying about food and drink, so much so that you spent more time worrying about them and dealing with the effects of both doing without them and dealing with the consequences of consuming them that you no longer had the time or luxury to explore the world AND enjoy the game.

I tell you all this just to say one thing... Please do not take realism too far with Stellaris.
I just realized that I may have commented in the wrong place and to the wrong thing.
 
Last edited: