• 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.

Stellaris Dev Diary #286 - Fear and Archaeotechs in First Contact

Hello everyone! I am PDS_Iggy, and I’m here to tell you all about Fear of the Dark!

This new narrative origin for First Contact focuses on a people divided. After a planet in your solar system blew up, fear and xenophobia spread to such a degree that a large portion of your population decided to flee your homeworld. Their goal? To hide from the rest of the galaxy.


Incoming Transmission:​

You mean, “The sane individuals of our species took the only prudent action possible when being attacked by an alien force capable of destroying planets!
1.png




This split in your population is reflected in the effects of the origin. With a sizable section of your empire living on a neighboring world, your research alternatives and choices for leaders are reduced. Yet, even more inquisitive than a regular empire, you will have no difficulty discovering more anomalies as you explore the void.

2.png

No doubt you’ll return from your galavantings the next time we reach a breakthrough! Our scientific research is one of the few way we can even hope to delay you from dooming us all. Once you lead the aliens back to our home, it will all be over.

3.png

Additionally,Fear of the Dark starts with quite a unique system, one that will have you starting with binary planets - your ‘cousins’ are living just a rocket jump away. (a Sol start will have them placed on Mars).

It will be up to you to make the best of this situation. Your partner planet can be a powerful ally, yet they are also very skittish. Ensure that they don’t torpedo your entrance on the galactic stage.

Perhaps you will stop treating the alien threat so lightly when our upcoming study of ‘the Divider’ is finished. Just you wait. We won’t be hunted.



4.png


Whatever happens, remember that you are one people and you are stronger together. Oh, and your partner planet has cloaked ships.


5.png


Now off to MrCosmogone and his wondrous archaeo-technologies for this patch's custodian update!



Did you ever think, as you pass by an old laser cannon in a glass case, that not everything belongs in a museum? That perhaps, the Irassian tractor beam could be used for your cause instead of gathering dust?

Well, so do I. And if you own Ancient Relics, I have good news!

Excavated dig sites will now sometimes generate minor artifact deposits that can be exploited by orbital stations, or by colonizing the planet.

6.png


There could always be more trinkets to find!

Your income in minor artifacts can then be put to good use with the new archaeo-technologies that will unlock buildings, starbase modules and ship components, all costing minor artifacts to build.
There are several ways to acquire these archaeo-technologies. Completing the Secrets of the [PRECURSOR] special projects will now give you a research option to unlock some unique archaeo-components:
7.png
8.png
9.png


The power of a precursor in the palm of your hand.

Several of our dig sites can now grant you access to one of the new technologies. This is a very reliable way of acquiring them.

10.png


11.png

Get to work, Oxygal, I want this research on my desk by the end of the week!

All these new technologies are found in the society field, in an all new “Archaeostudies” category which is all about fitting ancient tech into your machines and weapons. Discovering these archaeo-technologies by yourself is a long and hard process, but luckily, you can be assisted by dedicated researchers who share your interest in ancient things.

12.png

They largely just make old things go boom.

Should you decide to pick the Remnants origin that starts you on a relic world, you will now start the game with the Faculty of Archaeostudies unlocked and replacing your starting research lab.

And if this still does not quench your thirst for specialization in archaeo-technologies, if you still want to dig deeper, we even have a new ascension perk for you!

13.png

For all you history lovers!



With increased minor artifact generation, the scale of the existing economy needed to be increased, but we also took this opportunity to now display artifacts in the topbar alongside the other strategic resources.

14.png

Bigger numbers mean better game, right?

And while you still can’t buy them on the market, you can trade them to other empires!

15.png

It belongs in MY museum!

I don’t really have the space here to show you ALL the things, but here, have a tease.

16.png

Archaeotitan go brrrrrrrr

Oh and one last thing before we wrap things up. I might have made a Devolving Beam for colossi, to return those pesky humans from the UNE back to their origins:

17.png

Return to Monke!

8rA6Cq62fXkJkMccZdGfylOhAhq4l0nX32rI_9cwX0vKVEqAAOUdct0_K4LlI7f4PN_nh695KKAzuHd7n2ek6iGXswUu9Bl-dZWll9tSXAD-pFuiFRuf9u2AkYC-AJwJ6eoKyqjhO5ruMoSOQhRAuaI

They’ll make good pets.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • 116Love
  • 77Like
  • 4Haha
  • 4
  • 4
  • 1
Reactions:
The archaeotech details all look amazing and almost exactly what I've wished for for a while.
The only thing it's lacking is a tradition tree devoted to archaeology as a rival to the Discovery one, for all those empires who are more focused on relearning what once was rather than looking outwards.
 
  • 6
  • 2Like
  • 1Love
  • 1
Reactions:
But worm teaches us that what was and what will be are the same!
 
  • 6Haha
  • 1Like
Reactions:
The archaeotech details all look amazing and almost exactly what I've wished for for a while.
The only thing it's lacking is a tradition tree devoted to archaeology as a rival to the Discovery one, for all those empires who are more focused on relearning what once was rather than looking outwards.
I think with the remnants origin and the new ascension perk we have enough specialization options
Adding another tradition tree would just be overkill then
 
  • 3
  • 2
Reactions:
How hard would it be to turn this into a Romulus / Remus Romulan game?

Do curator scientists have the archeostudies trait?
 
Idk pal, i have heard the psionic empires also snort some dust and get all glowy, i am at least willing to try

Snorting the dessicated remains of an alien species is one thing, snorting ground up heavy metals and radioactive materials is another.
 
  • 7Haha
Reactions:
Thats a shame.

Every time I find a precursor when playing offline feels like a massive cheat against the AI.

Is there really no plan to have the AI find precursors?
I wouldn't want every precursor showing up in every game, but it might be interesting to enable precursors for two non-advanced start AIs in singleplayer if there's a good way space them out across the galaxy.
 
  • 5Like
Reactions:
Multiplayer precursors are cool advantages. although there are only a few... is there like any plan to make it so that precursors anomalies aren't so difficult to find. Also if you get 5 minor artifacts every month... IF my math is correct

plug in months
y=5x
but if it costs 250 minor relics it would be 5x = 250 divide both sides by 5
50 months to get 250 minor artifacts. which is
50/12.
4.16 years?

Currently precursor cool down for finding an insight is 5 years. So they should have enough time to discover another precursor before the cool down timer is done? Also the boal and organic plant technology will the consumer goods be changed for a hivemind empire/robot empires? Robots don't really need food/cgs unless they're rogue servitor.
 
  • 1
  • 1Like
Reactions:
If a ship has archeotech components, will we be able to scavenge minor artifacts from ship debris?
 
  • 3Like
  • 1
Reactions:
Love the new origin. I hope in the future there's an origin where you can start as a multiplanetary empire. Like there was a habitable planet with intelligent but primitive life that got incorporated before developing FTL.
 
  • 1
Reactions:
This split in your population is reflected in the effects of the origin. With a sizable section of your empire living on a neighboring world, your research alternatives and choices for leaders are reduced. Yet, even more inquisitive than a regular empire, you will have no difficulty discovering more anomalies as you explore the void.


No doubt you’ll return from your galavantings the next time we reach a breakthrough! Our scientific research is one of the few way we can even hope to delay you from dooming us all. Once you lead the aliens back to our home, it will all be over.
From this and reading around, I haven't seen anything saying you can't be xenophobic with this. Is it allowed, does it change the way the splinter group reaches out to you if it is allowed?
 
  • 1
Reactions: