Stellaris Dev Diary #143 - Changes to megastructures

[Ikael]

Glad to see that you will be able to unlock Megastructures earlier, and yes, the galactic wonders perk needed some kind of de-buff, but count me in the "it would be better to distribute megastructures among different ascension perks" camp. Tie-ing them into different techs will do little in order to differenciate empires, me thinks.

Same thing goes for the plans of turning habitats into a regular tech. The way to make empires feel unique is to give them equally powerful, strategy-defining unique choices to pick from, rather than turning anything powerful or remotely useful into a common, regular tool for every empire to use. Unless... we might have different types of habitats, depending on the empire? That would be intriguing, to say the least.

 

[Vahouth]

I would like to have multiple levels of habitats, but that also requires more planning since you want the visuals to also reflect that. I can't promise anything more than saying I like the idea.

Then how about late stage habitats that can move? A centerpiece for migration/nomad fleets.
Maybe rogue planets?

 

[Kuronan]

I appreciate finally making most Megastructures a part of the base game but I think Voidborne and Megastructures as Perks should be entirely removed, and instead make Master Builders allow multiple projects but become the first Tier 4 Ascension to balance it.

The current Limitation of only One Dyson and One Matter Decompressor make the systems they are built in exceeedingly valuable, perhaps even the highest value in the game if you have Ecumonopoli (which are their own level of broken considering how Alloy Foundries require Gas but Alloy Districts only require basic resources) but because you can only have one matter and Dyson, you inherently operate on the limitation that if an enemy captures either they will positively cripple your economy.

 

[Tavior]

...sorry but I didnt understand what you mean.

There is eight mega-structure currently available in-game. One perk to one mega-structure going by your suggestion would means that those new mega-structure ascension perks now competition with ascension paths and other more important ascension perks.

All your suggestion would do is make mega-structure much more rare than they currently are. It would be worse to have choose between 5 available ascension perk if we are sticking to mega-structure after your third ascension perk pick rule of Galactic wonder. Not to mention that your proposition would makes one mega-structure limit per empire such as dyson sphere ascension perk worse than the propose change by Grekulf.

I even called out in an earlier post that ascension list is already "bloated" of itself and encourage more spread out mega-structure would only contribute more to an already heavily bloated list.

 

[Broken Calculator]

Could you add some special effect to the Galactic Wonders perk? Like you have more chance to get other megastructrue research options.

 

[Coconut_Cookie]

Please no ecumenopolis nerf.

They are the one habitat megaproject that actually feels powerful and rewarding. Instead tune habitats to make them a bit more useful than they currently are and more importantly greatly buff ring worlds, perhaps by giving them also unique districts, to make them better reflect the enormity of the accomplishment that is its creation.

Ringworlds could be buffed by intergrating the starbase of the system in the ringworld and give it one massive starbase or 4 seperate ones. Docking spaceships on the outside of a ringworld should in theory be an advantage of such structures, so maybe a buff in that regard could reflect on that and make them there own seperate thing instead of a bigger habitat. It would also make ring world systems look more aesthetic like they used to in older builds (except for the possible mining or research station that will continue to ruin aesthetically pleasing looking systems).

 

[Methone]

Ringworlds could be buffed by intergrating the starbase of the system in the ringworld and give it one massive starbase or 4 seperate ones. Docking spaceships on the outside of a ringworld should in theory be an advantage of such structures, so maybe a buff in that regard could reflect on that and make them there own seperate thing instead of a bigger habitat. It would also make ring world systems look more aesthetic like they used to in older builds (except for the possible mining or research station that will continue to ruin aesthetically pleasing looking systems).

Since Ringworlds are basically meant to be 'habitats, but bigger' I think the solution is what someone else suggested earlier - they have very powerful districts, kind of like Super Habitats. And maybe they can still have 50 of them. Because right now, building Food on them is laughable, Energy is outdone by the Dyson Sphere since it doesn't hurt Empire Sprawl, even using it for Cities and finished goods/research is inferior to the City-Worlds.

Maybe they can have Matter Replicator districts, like the old Matter Replicator building?

 

[Spaceception]

Maybe they can have Matter Replicator districts, like the old Matter Replicator building?

I would like that, and you still need the energy to upkeep it, so it'd be hard to go 100% on those. Plus

Spoiler: Ringworld novel

I'd like to think of it as a nod to Ringworld if they did that. I haven't finished the book yet, but I heard once that they died out becasue they relied on a similar tech for all of those resources. So having those districts (or at least a ringworld specific building with a decent amount of jobs) would be nice to have

 

[Broken Calculator]

Since Ringworlds are basically meant to be 'habitats, but bigger' I think the solution is what someone else suggested earlier - they have very powerful districts, kind of like Super Habitats. And maybe they can still have 50 of them. Because right now, building Food on them is laughable, Energy is outdone by the Dyson Sphere since it doesn't hurt Empire Sprawl, even using it for Cities and finished goods/research is inferior to the City-Worlds.

Maybe they can have Matter Replicator districts, like the old Matter Replicator building?

The fact that ringworlds can not directly produce minerals and research points with districts is really disappointing. Ringworld should have special featrues (districts or buildings) to fit its position.

 

[Olterin]

I would posit a radical idea: give everyone megastructures much sooner, but getting the most out of them would require a similar investment to an ascension path. Per structure. That would allow them to be individually more believably powerful while also differentiating empires from each other. Everyone could have a weak version of a Dyson Sphere ... but only the truly dedicated madmen would actually build one - but when they did every upkeep cost they had would be multiplied by 0.5 or something. Just an example. This is a chance to make megastructures *worth* being able to build only one, and only one at a time.

 

[Ridixo]

I am having some flashbacks from the FTL and planetary changes.

Having read the DD i will just let this here for your consideration, do with it what you want:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...ork-ascension-perks-and-useful-perks.1159129/

 

[InvisibleBison]

I don't like the idea that some are proposing of tying megastructures to various ascension perks. I feel like this would inevitably result in a situation where a desirable megastructure would be locked behind an ascension perk that I don't want or can't take. I don't think people should ever be in a situation where they regret the necessity of taking an ascension perk to get something else.

 

[FleetingRain]

There is eight mega-structure currently available in-game. One perk to one mega-structure going by your suggestion would means that those new mega-structure ascension perks now competition with ascension paths and other more important ascension perks.

All your suggestion would do is make mega-structure much more rare than they currently are. It would be worse to have choose between 5 available ascension perk if we are sticking to mega-structure after your third ascension perk pick rule of Galactic wonder. Not to mention that your proposition would makes one mega-structure limit per empire such as dyson sphere ascension perk worse than the propose change by Grekulf.

I even called out in an earlier post that ascension list is already "bloated" of itself and encourage more spread out mega-structure would only contribute more to an already heavily bloated list.

I see. In that case I completely disagree with you regarding perks being bloated. Except for Interstellar Domínion, Galactic Wonders and two Ascensions, I find every one to be filler or situational.

I absolutely agree about rarity, however. I want more differentiation but I also want them to be more than lategame/vanity projects.

 

[runrun]

i hope you will pull out the megastructure jump portals.

 

[Soranya]

There was a better Idea (IMO) in the forum: link the megastructure to others asciension perks (and in fact, delete the Galactic Wonders perk). So the Science Nexus would be linked to the Technology Ascendency perk, the ring world with Void Born, the Strategic Coordination to Eternal Vigilance (for instance) and so on.

This would have been my favorite solution too!

 

[metalosse]

I would like to see the galactic wonders and the master builders perk being merged.

Unlocking three megastructures when five of them are already available is really unappealing.

 

[hhooven4]

Not sure if this has been said anywhere or not, but please make the Matter Decompressor buildable somewhere other than only black holes. If you don't wind up with a black hole near you at the start of the game you are at a severe disadvantage.

 

[Methone]

This would have been my favorite solution too!

Maybe not the Ascension Perks, but rather, as someone else suggested, the Tradition Trees. So Discovery completion gives Science Nexus, Supremacy gives the Military thing etc.

 

[Muramas]

I feel this will delay megastructures even more. I rarely get into a game where it is viable to build any and delaying that seems like it will be a bad choice.

 

[Methone]

I rarely get into a game where it is viable to build any

Megastructures have never been 'viable' in the minmax sense. A better use for the Alloy and Influence has always been to claim and build battleships. They're just there for fun.