Stellaris Dev Diary #243 - 3.3 'Libra' is out, now what?

[John MacWhat]

Is there any chance of an open Beta period for 3.4 and its expansion?

 

[Shimohi]

Now you could adress rotting features like UI scaling. Or just keep ignoring it.

 

[Obeliskkai]

Timing wise, that makes sense. Each major DLC has been about a year and change since the last one. We haven't gotten a story pack for a while, but that might be explained by the species packs getting more gameplay mechanics than they used to.

That is my thought too.

Logically it has to be the internal political rework expansion with expanded factions. Not only does that give 'situations' something to build off, but manipulating internal factions of a foreign power is something espionage could be expanded to deal with (and given it's anemic state, further justify it's expansion).

 

[Kommunist Fried Chicken]

Great to see Espionage getting a look. Here is a Hodge-podge of changes I think would improve it.

• List the base intel cost for completing the operation. Some cost none, others cost half, and others cost the full amount. Giving people a better idea would let people make more informed decision.
• Show both Operation and Intel Category icons so people don't have to hover over it to know if their asset can be used to boost it.
• Spark Diplomatic Incidence and Smear Campaign need to be improved and provide the player with more feedback on what they've done. Currently it often feels like it didn't do anything.
• Closed Borders should provide +1 encryption
• Arm Privateers simply needs to be stronger. Get rid of the first two levels (1-2 corvettes really?!). They should at least be able to take out an outpost.
• Arm Privateers should spawn larger Marauder Space Station at higher fleet power.
• Arm Privateers should be targetable to a specific system like Sabotage Starbase lets you target a specific station.
• Increase the max Encryption and max Codebreaking to 6-8. It's too easy to cap out at 4 and makes the various civics, traditions, and ascension perks too weak.
• Sleeper Cell should tell you that it also provides +1 operation speed
• Counter-Espionage should be a thing. You should be able to have an envoy boost Encryption and make it harder for others to perform operations.
• High Intel needs to reveal more information for technology, Government, and Diplomacy Categories.
• Technology: Let spying empires actually look at what you're researching and have researched.
• Government: Let spying empires see what traditions and ascension perks you're choosing
• Diplomacy: I think you should do a better job of hiding relations via the map UI buttons and only reveal those once you've gotten high enough intel.
• Max Intel is only at 99-100 which means it's annoying to keep up. I'd like it if Gather Information would let you go up to 105/100.
• If someone performs an operation on you, have a % chance to actually detect and inform the player that someone just pulled off an operation. Further % chance to reveal who it was. Higher encryption = higher chance of figuring it out. If AI detects it, it will sour relations.

Agree most of them.

I think the intel cost should only appeared when the operation is exposed, act not very good or something that cannot be ignored(like Sabotage Starbase).
And I think Sabotage Starbase isn't powerful enough compared to its cost.
Mentioned encryption and codebreaking, there can be more thing to do about that, not only static thing can effect this, like weaken enemy's ability through operations. This is an invisible war!

 

[Critical Ethics]

That idyllic bloom upgrade looks amazing, and taking it is especially thematic for Hive Minds. Have you considered adding something similar for non-plantoid/fungoid hive minds that converts to Hive Worlds? Or keeping it plantoid/fungoid only but swapping gaia for hive?

 

[Turing37]

I love the changes to Idyllic Bloom, though I wish all terraforming was done like this, rather than "push button, spend credits". It feels like a more significant project, an investment that I think terraforming should be...

 

[Turing37]

That idyllic bloom upgrade looks amazing, and especially thematic for Hive Minds. Have you considered adding something similar for non-plantoid/fungoid hive minds that converts to Hive Worlds? Or keeping it plantoid/fungoid only but swapping gaia for hive?

Totally agree with this! Of course I would like it be for all terraforming, but especially for the gaia/hive/machine worlds

 

[Tannhäuser Cake]

Influence and Espionage​

We’re switching the initial costs for Espionage Operations to Influence rather than a massive pile of Energy Credits. Operation Upkeep will remain in Energy Credits. Exact values are subject to change.

Will Espionage Influence costs be affected by Diplomatic Influence Cost modifiers, such as the one from the Diplomacy tradition tree?
Or by a separate modifier?

Also, once the espionage review comes up, will the UI be considered as well?
(I especially miss the ability to preorder or repeat operations, which would immensely increase my enjoyment of the espionage system.)

Finally, is there any chance that the Isolationist diplomatic stance could get +1 Encryption -1 Codebreaking?
Or that the Shadow Council civic could get +1 Encryption?

 

[guiskj]

Just looking back to where Stellaris was a year ago and how the forum for this game was awash with discontent (including mine), it is astounding what a shift the Custodian team has brought to both the game and the community. I just want to give a huge thanks to the whole Stellaris team for the awesome work you guys and gals have done these past 12 months.

 

[fourteenfour]

Please consider replacing envoys with leaders for espionage!!!!


With regards to unity change, please provide a slider from 0-9999 which defines when empire size affects technology and tradition costs; if not edicts. It would be nicer to the players to let them choose how to play the game. You already make tech rushes stupid simple by letting those costs go to 0.25x

 

[GnoSIS]

Please consider replacing envoys with leaders for espionage!!!!


With regards to unity change, please provide a slider from 0-9999 which defines when empire size affects technology and tradition costs; if not edicts. It would be nicer to the players to let them choose how to play the game. You already make tech rushes stupid simple by letting those costs go to 0.25x

Correct! Having to fix research costs to go back one patch is not the way to do it!

And this brings up once more, the notion of fixed galaxy/options presets for MP and SP, so that people have a common base to play from and perhaps even tie achievemnts to - by having easier and harder presets.

 

[Enfield_PDX]

Is there any chance of an open Beta period for 3.4 and its expansion?

Nah, Open Betas are a very specific tool that will always be an exception, not the norm.

 

[Ridixo]

Wanted to ask if you are planning, not now but down the road, giving some extra content for Aquatics. Like you have done with Megacorp, Necroids and such. Aquatics is good, but perhaps buffing the backlogs could improve it

 

[Flamgino]

"Game changing". Man, when we talk Stellaris and game changing, we're usually talking about it turning into literally a different game with different mechanics. I'd be more reassured if the promise was "useful". I've been really liking the updates that add useful content. I hope the new thing is useful.

Speaking of, like others have said, espionage isn't very useful. If you're going to change it, you ought to add some sabotage options that inflict some debuffs on enemy fleets, or increase their war exhaustion levels. The old influence system was good because it metered expansion on several levels, and you could acquire more influence by behaving according to the values of your chosen ethics. It wasn't just having stuff to spend influence on - the whole system was pretty good. I feel like maybe peace has to be made with having abandoned it. It's lost. Dead and behind us. We have unity now. We gave up an entire system just to benefit a single ethic, instead of altering the ethic itself. We live with it and move on to the next radical, whiplash change.

 

[imawizardurnot]

having to wait for unity to hire scientists as garbage. Made an account to post that. Make leaders take credits again.

 

[SectorsAreOkay]

having to wait for unity to hire scientists as garbage. Made an account to post that. Make leaders take credits again.

They don't cost that much...

 

[Elfwind]

Need hybrid warfare options for espionage and in general:

-Ways to increase war exhaustion rate (Not the flat number bc that'll get exploited...) temporarily.
-Reduced claim influence costs after an operation that provides invasion pretexts.
-Ways to provoke uprisings, especially in slaver empires with espionage.
-Need a way to ignore closed borders without declaring war. If someone is vastly more powerful than the other minor empire they don't have to respect their sovereignty (Even if they should under a rules based galactic order agreed to in the galactic senate, wink wink.)

This is somewhat inspired by recent events and doesn't represent my opinions necessarily.

Also that looks like the proto-plasmic resonator from wildstar? Are we making gods?

 

[Swarm lover]

Honestly curious about the last thing at first i thought it was a colossus of a new species pack but the description said it was a game changer (and there was the "crisis team" mention) and a collossus is far from a game changer. So im really curious to see what it is. THe subterfuge sounds good but unless the operations get a buff its still not worth it. (Especially for gestalt consciousness who have low influence income.)

Based on the definition of Emessive and Gribble i feel like this is some portal generator of some kind or a drill, but a drill of what exactly i dont know.

 

[imawizardurnot]

They don't cost that much...

I like the exploration phase so i like to build 2-3 science ships and get scientists with a clue. No edicts. Im just frustrated because I finally had somewhat of a handle on 3.2 and now im back relearning everything again. I guess ill just play spiritualists.

 

[klopkr]

This Influence cost for operations is a huge mistake. Basically making the system worthless because the benefits are so small when you can literally use your influence on a claim, new starbase, or in the galcom. The only time they'll be worth using will be super late game after a colossus and there's no emptied space.

Do counties really have to choose between basic spying and any form of expansion irl? No. Just because influence represent 'external political will' doesn't mean it makes sense to use for every external situation. It's becoming a bit like a type of mana.

What's worth more: 45 influence for a new starbase, or 45 to acquire an asset so you can use him to pay again for another underused and underpowered operation.