Stellaris Dev Diary #273 - A Peek into the Future

[Nazarius40000]

Why not give the opportunity to elevate the chosen one to the level of God, so as not to make contacts with dubious entities? Debuffs are too strong, especially for the world eater, who can destroy the planet along with the entire population, which will simply kill the economy, which so remains compared to the rest, which receive both natural growth and population assembly. Psionics with all buffs do not reach the level of the other elevations, because they simply have less population.

It's just impossible to balance it. An alternative to entities is needed, because playing without a contract deprives the player of buffs, but playing with a contract does more harm than good.

 

[hart30]

30% additional ship upkeep would have been more then enough so players want to be constantly in war without killing an ai picking eater.
300% effectly tells u to instantly delete all ur fleet and become pacifist at the mercy of others once a war ends, or if u arent already in war when picking eater. And then good luck rebuilding it all in timeloop after ur enemies attack u and waltz through ur territory.
Eater is kind of a death sentence right now. Just go scholarium and have better benefits with less drawback.

Also the whole theme seems if to me. Eater of worlds wants u to be in constant war? Then why massively sabotaging ur war preparations? Why not simply ruining ur diplomatic relations/alliances so u get declared war upon more often?

 

[malakhglitch]

By the way, why do Rogue Servitors still get Coordinators on Habitats, and the Coordinator boosting Governors, modifiers, and minor artifact decision?

It feels like the Governor trait, and the Wenkwort Artem planet modifiers should affect bio-trophies instead (Why is there no unity benefit to putting my bio-trophies on the paradise planet! It makes no sense!), and the Artifact Relays decision removed for Rogue Servitors.

And the Coordinator on Habitats… I have no idea why it's even there in the first place, but if it must be there, it should be replaced with an Evaluator for all Machines, not even just Servitors.

What he said! I've gone back to using my personal mod to correct these things instead of playing Ironman.

 

[ScorpioneOrzion]

30% additional ship upkeep would have been more then enough so players want to be constantly in war without killing an ai picking eater.
300% effectly tells u to instantly delete all ur fleet and become pacifist at the mercy of others once a war ends, or if u arent already in war when picking eater. And then good luck rebuilding it all in timeloop after ur enemies attack u and waltz through ur territory.
Eater is kind of a death sentence right now. Just go scholarium and have better benefits.

Also the whole theme seems if to me. Eater of worlds wants u to be in constant war? Then why massively sabotaging ur war preparations? Why not simply ruining ur diplomatic relations/alliances so u get declared war upon more often?

Basically give us more reason to be at war, rather than being a pain for trying to go to war?
Or something like less upkeep/more naval cap during war, with small extra upkeep when not at war? Say like 10% at start, and 50% at the max.

 

[HorseBattery]

I'll be honest. I'm not sure I like the icons for shield hardener and reactive armor that much. I like that existing components and tech icons tend to be 3D objects, and these new icons don't fit the aesthetic that well. Maybe the shield could show a layered shield, or a projectile/explosion glancing off it or something, and a similar theme for the reactive armor to help identify it as the same class of resistance.

I do like the other new icons, they are pretty good.

 

[Mímisbrunnr]

May I make one suggestion, Devs (@Eladrin @Alfray Stryke , etc.), for future inclusion in the beta changes? I think this actually would have great relevant to Knights of the Toxic God players with respect to the Toxoids expansion, but also broadly to trade builds.

You know the line of techs that increases resources produced but also increase upkeep - the economies of scales society techs that give +10%/+20%/+30% based on capital level?

They currently don't boost trade, so if you are running a trade build (heavily incentivized by Knights of the Toxic God because of their energy debuff), if you take these techs you gain nothing for trade, which can be a huge part of your energy and consumer goods production (Consumer Benefits or Trade League), so it creates a massive "feels bad" situation to consider these techs, knowing that a big part of your economy (trade) will get nothing but the consumer goods upkeep will also increase.

Thus, I propose a very simple solution - one that would admittedly make trade more powerful, but I think would be balanced enough all things considered. Make these three techs be +10%/20%/30% resources from Jobs AND Trade Value.

Then it won't feel bad to research the tech anymore, as my Merchants will use more consumer goods but at least they'll make more Trade in exchange - while they currently don't when you research this tech even as you pay more for them.

 

[Eladrin]

They currently don't boost trade, so if you are running a trade build (heavily incentivized by Knights of the Toxic God because of their energy debuff), if you take these techs you gain nothing for trade, which can be a huge part of your energy and consumer goods production (Consumer Benefits or Trade League), so it creates a massive "feels bad" situation to consider these techs, knowing that a big part of your economy (trade) will get nothing but the consumer goods upkeep will also increase.

Those techs shouldn't increase the upkeep of jobs that exclusively produce non-resources. (Trade, Amenities, Stability, etc.)

 

[-Marauder-]

Either I misunderstand you or you are missing something here.

All Stellaris resources (including influence) use decimals. You can have an influence income of 1.15. It shows as "1" in the info bar, but you get the real value when you do a mouseover. And it adds up that way - 1.15, 2.30, etc. So you get that 1.15 bonus always, you do not need to reach a 7 influcne/month income for it to have an effect.

My point wasn't that it doesn't have an effect. But to effectively get the value of "1" influence a month. So anything genuinely noticeable. You'd need the base value of roughly 7 influence income. The way the bonus works, the more it benefits you, the less you need it. The bonus income when you are influence starved is absolutely negligible, while once you enter the times of plenty it likely won't matter to you anymore.

 

[-Marauder-]

Those techs shouldn't increase the upkeep of jobs that exclusively produce non-resources. (Trade, Amenities, Stability, etc.)

Dunno man. Really feels like they should increase Trade. It's a resource, and some Empires are heavily structured around it. Trade is basically just energy credits you can convert to two other resources via policies.

 

[Eladrin]

Dunno man. Really feels like they should increase Trade. It's a resource, and some Empires are heavily structured around it. Trade is basically just energy credits you can convert to two other resources via policies.

I meant "if it's currently increasing the upkeep of Clerks and the like, that's a bug, because we changed it from job upkeep to productive job upkeep a while ago, since we didn't want it to charge you for things it wasn't improving".

 

[edwardlego]

will the bug where the ascension boosting effects from all 3 sources inadvertetly increases empire size be fixed in the next beta update?

 

[grommile]

What about a "Nothing to Something" starting point in Stellaris that enables you to start BEFORE Space-Age tech is obtained, so you are basically one of those civilizations on a planet that has a more advanced alien species watching over you (or experimenting on you - randomized perhaps as to how brutal they are).

This has been repeatedly suggested, at great length, for many years.

Paradox have indicated they aren't particularly interested in doing it.

 

[Shimohi]

ui scaling someday?

 

[Interesting Meat 222182]

As I see, Psionic covenant is basically selling your people for these Shroud gods. It honestly doesn't seem like ascending for me.
What about an option "Making a Shroud God of our own"? I mean, Shroud covenant is "reaping benefit first, taking consequence later". Please give us psyker an option to pay a hefty price in order to reaping huge benefit. Can make it mirror the current pantheon.
Example: You choose between cowering to a god or "We will make a deity of our own".
Start a special project, paying sacrifice to get a "Psionic God" trait on your current ruler, which make him/her immortal. There will be variation of the trait, depending on the sacrifice:
- At 50% progress, you choose between:
+ "Property Sacrifice" which net you -50% resource from Job for 3600 days. This gives your Ruler "Greedy Deity" trait, +20% resource from Job. Also, random events once per 10 years will add a rare deposit on one colonized planet and increase that planet's size by 1.
+ "Intelligence Sacrifice" nerve-stapled all Pop on one planet. These Pops will be flagged as unmodifiable, and give "Curious Deity" + 25% researcher output. Once per 10 years, your empire will also gain a random rare/event only technology or 5 repeatable level on a random tech if there is no tech left.
+ "Fertility Sacrifice" - a planet with highest Pop count get "Sterilized" modifier with permanent -1000% pop grow speed. Your Ruler gains "Lust Deity" and gives +25% pop growth speed and disable pop growth ceiling penalty. Also, once per 10 years, a random planet will get "Breeding Frenzy" that gives +100% pop growth speed and -50 stability for 720 days.
+ "Blood Sacrifice" - sacrifice 100 undesirable pop. You will get an event chain count the number of Pop you purged, and only after you purged 100 Pop does you gain the benefit. Ruler gain trait "Bloodthirsty Deity" that give +25% armor/shield penetration, +25% hull damage (for every weapon) and +25 tracking. This will also unlock "Blood Sacrifice" Colossus weapon - it kills all Pop on a planet and permanently give +0.5% weapon damage and 0.5% ship fire rate for every Pop killed. Blood Sacrifice Colossus can be used on any planet including your own, but will give the same relation penalty as using World Cracker.
+ "Sacrifice Everything" - destroy all colony except the Capital, dismantle all outpost and destroy 50% of your fleet. Your Ruler immediately gets the trait "Ultimate Deity" that gives +100% ship hull point, +1% daily hull regeneration, +50% armor/shield hardening, +100% resource from Job, +100% research speed, +100% pop growth speed, +200% colony development speed and +100% monthly influence. Also, a Superior Shroud Entity will spawn under your control, which will get stronger as you kill Pop (basically, and End of the Cycle under your control). Doing this also unlocks Armageddon bombardment, Purge regardless of ethics, and Devouring total war CB toward everyone (and permanent -1000 opinion).
Also, every above trait will pass into the new ruler if the old one is dead/kicked from office in democratic vote. So player doesn't need to worry about their costly ruler dying/losing votes.

 

[zZander56]

Uhm, I don't know what to say on this one.

Megacorp?

 

[Lorenerd11]

By the way, why do Rogue Servitors still get Coordinators on Habitats, and the Coordinator boosting Governors, modifiers, and minor artifact decision?

It feels like the Governor trait, and the Wenkwort Artem planet modifiers should affect bio-trophies instead (Why is there no unity benefit to putting my bio-trophies on the paradise planet! It makes no sense!), and the Artifact Relays decision removed for Rogue Servitors.

And the Coordinator on Habitats… I have no idea why it's even there in the first place, but if it must be there, it should be replaced with an Evaluator for all Machines, not even just Servitors.

Speaking of Rogue Servitors, they're also still unable to pacify Amoebas… please fix this.

 

[TrotBot]

"Livng reactive armor" instead of "living"
....
literally unplayable!

I'm livd!

 

[TrotBot]

By the way, why do Rogue Servitors still get Coordinators on Habitats, and the Coordinator boosting Governors, modifiers, and minor artifact decision?

It feels like the Governor trait, and the Wenkwort Artem planet modifiers should affect bio-trophies instead (Why is there no unity benefit to putting my bio-trophies on the paradise planet! It makes no sense!), and the Artifact Relays decision removed for Rogue Servitors.

And the Coordinator on Habitats… I have no idea why it's even there in the first place, but if it must be there, it should be replaced with an Evaluator for all Machines, not even just Servitors.

artificat relays should be replaced with a biotrophy artifact buff, not just removed. but yes, please make all unity modifiers apply to biotrophies. and maybe a QOL pass on all special planetary bonuses so that they actually do something for biotrophies. gaia worlds, ecus, rings, all of them should do something for biotrophies

 

[Lorenerd11]

artificat relays should be replaced with a biotrophy artifact buff, not just removed.

That already exists. Rogue Servitors already have a bio-trophy artifact buff

 

[TrotBot]

That already exists. Rogue Servitors already have a bio-trophy artifact buff

i forgot, i never use those decisions unless i have the rubricator, and i think i usually forget even then