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Stellaris Dev Diary #151 - 2.3.3 beta patch [checksum 35d6]

Hello everyone!

We’ve been working on the 2.3.3 patch, but before we put anything live we will release it as a beta version as usual. To try the beta, right-click Stellaris in your Steam Library and select Properties. In the BETAS tab there should be a drop down list where you can find stellaris_test. Set your beta opt in to stellaris_test to try the 2.3.3 beta.

Save file compatibility between versions is never guaranteed. If you need to roll back to a previous version, do this: go to your Steam library, right click on Stellaris -> betas tab -> select the version you want.

The beta has a couple of known issues, but they are also things we will address before 2.3.3 goes live.

  • AI Robot empires are a bit slow to expand with outposts.
  • We have added a Relic stealing feature, but it only works while in a Galatron war instead of when not in a Galatron war
  • While Caravaneers no longer get stuck, they are prone to moving to the same destinations.

Here are some highlights of changes in the 2.3.3 beta:

Admiral XP
We’ve tweaked how admirals get XP from patrolling and combat. Admirals will now get XP according to the max piracy value as opposed to previously only checking current piracy. XP from combat should also be increased due to fixing a bug with how ship value, in terms of XP, was calculated. Disengaged ships now also provide some XP, not just destroyed ships. In general it should now be easier to level up your admirals.

Archaeology Site Rewards
We’ve improved a lot of rewards for the archaeological sites to make them more unique, more fun and in some cases stronger.

Grand Herald
Although we like how the Grand Herald can change the game quite a lot, we think it was a bit too common and too easy to get so early on. The Grand Herald site now spawns less frequently and the site difficulty is higher. When you complete the site, there is a chance that you find the Grand Herald in a weakened state. In that case it will be possible to restore it to its full glory.

Full patch notes here:
#################################################################
######################### VERSION 2.3.3 ##########################
#################################################################

###################
# Ancient Relics Story Pack Features
###################
* A number of archaeology sites have been overhauled to give more interesting rewards for completion, with new techs, empire modifiers, and ethics-based outcomes

###################
# General
###################
* Updated localisation for all languages

###################
# Balance
###################
* Further changed Precursor system spawning to always connect to an owned system, if possible, to reduce them appearing in inaccessible places
* More archaeological site events will grant minor artifacts
* Zroni chain grants Psionic Theory tech option for non-gestalts
* The Surveyor relic now has a chance to find multiple deposits during its activation time. It has also been reduced to a five year timer
* Adjusted the rate at which Admirals gain XP when patrolling and when in combat
* Daily patrolling XP is now based on the max piracy in a system rather than the current piracy
* Disengaged ship now also give xp, they have their own define: LEADER_ADMIRAL_FLEET_COMBAT_SHIPS_DISENGAGED_CONVERSION
* Zro is slightly more common
* Marketplace of Ideas trade policy unity per trade value increased from 0.15 to 0.25
* Grand Herald site is less common. When the Grand Herald is found it may be damaged to some degree, if so there is a special project to restore it to full power
* Finishing Arc Sites may yield Technology Research Options/Boosts
* Lowered the chance of archaeology sites being discovered when planets are surveyed
* Non-genocidal gestalt empires may now also seize the galatron from those who would withhold access to its glory

###################
# UI
###################
* Added MP DLC ownership icon for Ancient Relics
* Fixed line break in Zro Deposits causing unnecessary truncation of text
* Fixed displayed Army Recruitment time not including build speed modifiers
* You should no longer be able to see the orders of the fleets of other empires
* Fixed the resources going haywire in the trade view. Hopefully for the last time
* Added a country modifier to remind you that you can safely colonize Holy worlds as the chosen of Zarqlan

###################
# AI
###################
* Fixed so that the AI uses their idle science ships to assist research rather than just drawing salaries and doing nothing like typical freeloading intelligentsia
* AI empires will finish tradition trees before starting new ones
* Changed AI weight for consecration decision, so that it's actually used
* AI will now build city districts on planets if needed even if not many pops live there
* AI no longer juggles leaders back and forth, and also makes sure there is always at least one leader assigned to a ship
* Fixed the AI declaring war on empire they can't reach, or empires on the other side of the galaxy
* AI no longer needlessly upgrades starbases if they still have unused module or building slots
* Removed ostensibly arbitrary pop requirement for research buildings, also capped holo-theatres to one per planet

###################
# Modding
###################
* add_anomaly effect now adds the anomaly to the scoped country instead of the first country to survey the planet
* Added "min_jumps" and "max_jumps" parameters to the "spawn_system" command for better control of where and to what world spawned system appear
* min_jump and max_jump now use -1 to be ignored, so that you can make systems that attach directly to your base system
* Added `steal_relic = { target = TARGET_COUNTRY relic = <all/random/RELIC_NAME>` effect
* The `on_arrival_effect` is now properly called with a fleet scope
* Replaced hard texture limit with hybridarray for people that have excessive amounts of textures due to mods
* Added 'is_last_lost_relic' and 'is_last_received_relic'. Both trigger return true if the relice passed as a parameter is the last (lost/received) relic by the country from the scope country scope: is_last_lost_relic = <relic_key> / is_last_received_relic = <relic_key>

###################
# Stability
###################
* Fixed a freeze when editing trade routes from a system you stole
* Fixed a crash when using mature galaxy in observer mode

###################
# Bugfixes
###################
* Colony automation now has a 3 day cooldown after a building completes in order for recently completed constructions to take effect
* Increased weighting of favorited jobs so that they're properly prioritized
* Made the logic for buy/selling slaves better. AI is now more likely to both buy and sell slaves, wrote someone in the 21st century
* Fixed automation not working on planet capitals or new colonies if you don't change the designation
* Conquered habitats will now convert districts that are not permitted by their new empire type
* Fixed so that rogue servitor AI will no longer just build organic sanctuaries
* All non-Exterminator Machine Intelligences should now be able to make Farming Colonies
* In MP only the first player to discover the Baol or Zroni precursor will begin their chain. Others are free to discover different precursors
* Fixed overflow issues in AI diplomacy due to relative strength calculations
* The result of "Reverse-Engineer Minor Artifacts" is now properly randomized
* Disabled map-ping for finished arch sites
* Admiral XP is based on the total cost of ships instead of just minerals
* Fix for all buildings swapping issues
* Secrets of the Irassians will no longer sometimes give machine intelligences a tech they can't use
* Changed so that arch sites and certain events use the correct GFX files
* Fixed Growth species disappearing every other month in some cases
* Ship build speed modifiers are no longer applied twice
* Fixed Build Speed modifier being applied twice to buildings
* Fixed some new Tutorial Lines not playing VO (VO for a bald eagle flying out of an explosion with a pistol grasped in its beak didn't arrive in time for today, alas)
* The Caravaneers roam space once again instead of sitting in orbit ringing your doorbell for all eternity with an "offer you can't refuse"
* Deficit modifiers are properly applied again
* Master Builders no longer ever affects Habitat size
* Rare resource tech will also be researchable if any planet you own contains an Industrial sector deposit
* Primitives living on Ring Worlds will no longer build normal districts on them when invaded, enlightened, or if they naturally develop spaceflight, because inscrutably we have created a game where apparently such things are possible
* Maintenance Drones again have a positive weight for the Emotion emulators trait
* Fixed ships not going MIA when they can't return because they don't have access
* Presapients can now be found again to be uplifted/exploited/devoured as your whim decrees

stellaris_test is the version you need to be in to crossplay between Steam, GoG, and Paradoxplaza versions of the game.

Our goal is to fix whatever issues may arise and be able to set 2.3.3 live next week before we disappear on summer vacation.
 
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Did the "rubricator system doesn't spawn at ALL" thing not get fixed? I know sometimes it doesn't spawn with hyperlanes, but I've just finished the alien logs decision and nothing spawn and nothing is highlightable in Situation Log.
 
The rubricator system being inaccessible a lot of the time is a good thing! Always getting it was rubbish - made relic worlds feel unspecial and your other worlds feel less important.
 
It should be listed as "Running Gag", not "Known Issues".
No, it really is a bug that bothers the hell out of me. It speaks to a lack of quality control and polish that a text error that is visible within 10 minutes of playing the game hasn't been fixed within 3 _years_ of game launch.

When a new player picks up the game, brand new to Paradox games, and starts playing, do you think they notice that POP ethics shifts don't work? 99% of players don't notice that. The forum users that break down game stats to hyper-reflective decimal point accuracy are an EXTREME minority of the overall playerbase.

But the number of players that will make their first custom race, name their customer ruler the "God-Emperor" or "Butt Kicker Supreme" and then have the mouseover text say "The campaign to elect a new Prime Minister is now underway" is close to 100%, and it's visible inside of 10 minutes of playing a democracy, 20 minutes of an oligarchy or dictatorship.

And once you see a visually obvious bug like that, it causes a new player to wonder what else is broken in the game. Then when they get a little bit of lag, or they don't understand how consumer goods work, instead of thinking "I don't understand this game" they think "This game is a buggy piece of trash" because they have VISUAL PROOF that the game didn't receive even a cursory pass by quality assurance. And who will they trust, a team and forum of Paradox staff telling them that the game works, or their own eyes showing them that the game has obvious bugs?

I've been in sales and marketing a long, long time (longer than a good portion of this fan base has been alive) and I can tell you that deals are blown by minor details far more often than you'd think.
 
Has anyone else noticed that Ctrl + Shift giving an order no longer sets the order to the top of the queue? I just realized that I had science ships that weren't assisting with research because I gave them a Ctrl + Shift order to go handle some event but they never went back to assisting research like they did pre 2.3.
 
It's hardly a catastrophe. An annoyance definitely, but factions aren't impactful enough to constitute a catastrophe.

This is honestly a bit erroneous as well. Some set ups and faction leaning CAN cause issues. While it may not plummet stability down to the 30s and below, the happiness issues can be very problematic to achieving solid stability, which influences production.

This in addition to influence gain. While this seems “no big deal” to some, having a spiritualist empire already floundering impacts their ability to pop their specialties such as Declare Saint to really get the full benefit of that leaning.

You also stack this on top of the best to do Ethics at the moment are the least impacted, hence all min/max folks “agree” flagging these types of posts. This is actually what bothers me most. Xenophiles not only have the best mitigation to preserving influence, their faction is one where the game lies about the attraction numbers to their favor. While Egalitarians, already having issues like the weakest ruler, can’t keep their preferred factions populated to actually GET the proper influence bonuses and instead have a bunch of less happy members of other factions overcrowding.

So I do feel the game isn’t “unplayable” in its current state, but factions are malfunctioning in an adverse way BEYOND mere annoyance to anyone not power gaming. These things can cause a struggle in that most crucial late stages of the early game where you are trying to fill out the Empire and need influence while trying to kit out the Navy and need full production. When the Materialists projected at 4% just keep rising above 30%, its a bonafide broken system!
 
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Just noticed a bug with Gateways and Habitats in 2.3.2. It appears that you are currently unable to construct them whilst upgrading or repairing other megastructures.
20190709200048_1.jpg
 
Has anyone else noticed that Ctrl + Shift giving an order no longer sets the order to the top of the queue? I just realized that I had science ships that weren't assisting with research because I gave them a Ctrl + Shift order to go handle some event but they never went back to assisting research like they did pre 2.3.

I didn't even know that was possible! I always shift-clicked a bunch of orders, and if I messed up I had to click "cancel all" and start over.
 
The rubricator system being inaccessible a lot of the time is a good thing! Always getting it was rubbish - made relic worlds feel unspecial and your other worlds feel less important.
Yeah, and right now, I enjoy some unconnected system as late game exploration goals and as places for my galactic wonders, since it is possible to jump into the systems.
 
Working as intended, I believe.

Untrue. Habitats and Gateways are specifically supposed to be excluded from the megastructure build limit. This was how it was before 2.3, and in 2.3 is it partially working. You can start building/upgrading other megastructures while building/upgrading habitats/gateways, but not the other way around.
 
Anyone else seeing really weird colony auto-designations? I've got a world with two Civilian Industries and zero forges designated as a Forge World.

IDGAF since I can assign them manually, but this can't be good for the AI
 
Has anyone else noticed that Ctrl + Shift giving an order no longer sets the order to the top of the queue? I just realized that I had science ships that weren't assisting with research because I gave them a Ctrl + Shift order to go handle some event but they never went back to assisting research like they did pre 2.3.
I've noticed that also, BUT it seems to only happen with assisting research. As far as I've noticed, ctrl + shift clicking works with every other order just fine, just not with assisting research
Anyone else seeing really weird colony auto-designations? I've got a world with two Civilian Industries and zero forges designated as a Forge World.

IDGAF since I can assign them manually, but this can't be good for the AI
All I've noticed is my planets not building any buildings when automated they do spam districts tho(planet automation, sector automation does build them)
 
Anyone else seeing really weird colony auto-designations? I've got a world with two Civilian Industries and zero forges designated as a Forge World.
I observe the same effect.
It's weird, 'cos in 2.2 the auto-designations worked fine. Literally all Paradox had to do was keep the old system verbatim and add a "Would you like to manually force this to change?" option in front of it... but somehow they managed break it?
 
No, it really is a bug that bothers the hell out of me. It speaks to a lack of quality control and polish that a text error that is visible within 10 minutes of playing the game hasn't been fixed within 3 _years_ of game launch.

When a new player picks up the game, brand new to Paradox games, and starts playing, do you think they notice that POP ethics shifts don't work? 99% of players don't notice that. The forum users that break down game stats to hyper-reflective decimal point accuracy are an EXTREME minority of the overall playerbase.

But the number of players that will make their first custom race, name their customer ruler the "God-Emperor" or "Butt Kicker Supreme" and then have the mouseover text say "The campaign to elect a new Prime Minister is now underway" is close to 100%, and it's visible inside of 10 minutes of playing a democracy, 20 minutes of an oligarchy or dictatorship.

And once you see a visually obvious bug like that, it causes a new player to wonder what else is broken in the game. Then when they get a little bit of lag, or they don't understand how consumer goods work, instead of thinking "I don't understand this game" they think "This game is a buggy piece of trash" because they have VISUAL PROOF that the game didn't receive even a cursory pass by quality assurance. And who will they trust, a team and forum of Paradox staff telling them that the game works, or their own eyes showing them that the game has obvious bugs?

I've been in sales and marketing a long, long time (longer than a good portion of this fan base has been alive) and I can tell you that deals are blown by minor details far more often than you'd think.
I wholeheartedly agree with you.
I justed wanted to chime in on the fun.