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Stellaris Dev Diary #351 - Storm Chaser Origin, Civics, and Precursors

Hi everyone,

Today, we’ll review the Origin and Civics of the Cosmic Storms Mechanical Expansion and provide some information about the new Precursors (without spoiling everything!)

Cosmic Storms is going to be released on September 10th.

Passing it over to @PDX_Ferry and @Gruntsatwork to take over from here.

Storm Chasers​

Don’t make unnecessary journeys, don’t take risks on treacherous roads, and don’t swim in the sea! This is PDX_Ferry, braving the winds to deliver you a report on the new "Storm Chasers" Origin. For those who thrive on danger and yearn for the thrill of the unknown, this Origin was designed with you in mind.

Start your game as a civilization that has always sought out the extremes. Born on a world ravaged by relentless storms, the Storm Chasers are daredevils and thrill seekers who push themselves to the limits and beyond. They’ve grown strong and daring, turning their chaotic environment into a crucible of innovation and tenacity. But when every storm has been weathered, and every mountain has been climbed, where does an enterprising thrill-seeker turn next? The answer, of course, is the stars.

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The screenshot above was taken from the new pre-scripted empire Yatunan Radicals, which starts with the Origin and a couple of storm-related Civics. While not driven to outmatch others in acts of bravery, hive minds, and machine intelligences may also want to test themselves with this Origin.

From the very beginning, your empire will be propelled into the thick of the DLC’s content, facing down cosmic phenomena that would make even the most seasoned explorers hesitate. Yet, with great risk comes the potential for great reward.

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This Origin is designed to quickly get you into the think of the DLC's action. At game start, your Empire is thrown into the Stormfall situation:

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With early access to storm manipulation technology and by starting in a system with unique conditions to kickstart a storm, the Storm Chasers have the first opportunity to unleash a storm. From there, the Origin's storyline includes a gauntlet of Challenges, and the chance to summon "the Big One." What's left of your civilization in the aftermath rests entirely in your hands (or tentacles!)

So be warned – this is not a path for the faint-hearted. The thrills your people have chased for centuries pale in comparison to the cosmic tempests that await you in the void. Will you harness these forces and lead your empire to greatness, or will you burn out in a blaze of glory? The choice, as always, is yours.

Do You Know What Happens to a Blorg When It’s Hit by Lightning?​

Hello there xeno-freshmen, could we interest you in Astrometeorology 101?

As the first of the three new civics coming in Cosmic Storms, Astrometeorology focuses on the science behind the storms. It grants you a new building, the Astrometeorology Observatory, which in turn gives you Astrometeorologist jobs.

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You can build one of those fine institutes per planet and their jobs are similar enough to normal researchers with a slight focus on physics. However, their true potential shows itself only when the Observatory can behold a storm from up close.

In addition, the council position further boosts the job output by up to 20%.

What, you prefer something more societal? Maybe have a look at our second new civic then.

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The spiritualistic mirror to Astrometeorology, Storm Devotion gives you access to the Storm Summoning Theater, with its Storm Dancer jobs.

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In addition, those devoted to Storms also bear this mark as a new species trait called “Storm Touched”, which further boost all pops while inside of a storm. As if that weren’t enough, the Council Position for Storm Devotion reduces the upkeep of all Storm Buildings.

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Storms this, Storms that, is there anything for people who’d rather not see the word Storm plastered over all of their buildings?

Absolutely, let’s talk about Planetscapers.

Planetscapers are the complete opposite of Environmentalists. They want every planetary blocker gone, natural accidents have no place in their carefully planned garden utopias.

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You yearn to make all these rugged, overgrown planets into something beautiful and pristine. For some, Mastery of Nature is enough, but your need requires something more drastic, something more impressive.

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As you expand, every world with natural blockers that you colonize will allow you to quickly unlock more ways to remove those eyesores.

IT IS A CELEBRATION | PAIN | RAGE | GRIEF | FEAR​

You get a Precursor and you get a precursor, everyone gets a precursor!

We have two new Precursors for you all to experience.

The adAkkaria Convention of Benevolence and The Inetian Traders, both steeped in Storm Lore, with several archaeology sites and special projects to progress through as you uncover their secrets, diggin’ deeper into what sorts of empires would meddle with storms so devastating they are notable on the cosmic scale.

So without giving out too many spoilers, from their names at least you know they were benevolent people and peaceful traders with little chance for tragedy.

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Next Week​

Next week we’ll have the preliminary release notes for the 3.13 ‘Vela’ update and Cosmic Storms! It’s almost here!

See you then!

 
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Dear Dev,

Really want to know if Planetscapers is a permanent civic. i.e Cannot be added or removed after game start until jump drives are researched.

Please let us know :)
 
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In addition, those devoted to Storms also bear this mark as a new species trait called “Storm Touched”, which further boost all pops while inside of a storm. As if that weren’t enough, the Council Position for Storm Devotion reduces the upkeep of all Storm Buildings.

Grammar nitpick:

We have “Shroud-Touched” and now “Storm Touched”.

Pls Paradox, for my sanity, pls add the hyphen to both or remove it from both. Having one hyphenated and the other not hyphenated will drive me insane.
 
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It seems to me that the Storm civic effects should just be part of the Storm origin. To me it seems they just decided to unnecessarily spread out their storm content too thinly over multiple civics, so their marketing department could claim "this DLC adds 2 civics!" Also the diary claims that Storm Devotion is supposed to be the spiritualist mirror to Astrometeorology. Yet:
1) The prescripted empire has both civics.
2) The civics don't have an ethics requirement, as far as I can see on the screenshots. I'd prefer if the civics were in fact ethics-restricted. It would at least give some choice or variety when building your own custom Storm origin empire.
 
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PDX owes me this DLC if the Origin's Story winds up being Point Break. Love Point Break.

(And not gonna play the origin cause its not Void Dweller)
 
Will there be any megacorp branch office buildings for these civics?
 
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It still thematically feels off. Why not have the decision add a decent amount of devastation like the Yuht Decision. And/Or make the habitability malus be temporary say 10 or 15 years. It just hurts my brain to think about how a civilization to turn a planet into a paradise would intentionally make it less habitable for themselves.
The solution seems to be taking the World Shapers Ascension Perk, which your empire should be doing anyways since it matches thematically with the Civic. Gaia worlds are always 100% habitability.

This also applies to Ecumonopolises, which also are always at the 'Ideal' habitability. Which makes sense, considering both Gaia Worlds and Ecumonopolises are very sculpted worlds.
 
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Blooms of Gaea type empire with fruitful partnership (and a portrait with a pet) and the planetscapers civic seem heavenly to me. I do like Mastery of Nature a lot as it is :)
 
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Yeah, it really feels like tying all content to a DLC gimmick makes them feel a bit one-note, something to play once then forget about.

It's the same with Toxoids, it really sucks not being able to play as a medieval-themed knightly order without being saddled with the "toxic god" storyline.
But what does that look like exactly? Do you mean an origin of the same dialogue type? The only difference with the toxic god start is the actual dialogue (in theme I mean)

You can't from a vanilla perspective change the *themes* and even then it's only for specific events that medieval theme your speaking on.

For anything outside the event the theme does not persist.
 
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With the new precursors can we get a option to choose what precursor to start with?

I don't like restarting the game until I get the one I want to try. Unless there is a way to do that I don't know.
 
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I will say, after some thought: I get what the Planetscaper is going for. But I think Cultivated Worldscaping flavor text should be more like:

> We will bring pristine order to every untamed corner of this world... at any cost.

Or something like that to better clarify that this is a brutal "optimization" process,
 
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With the new precursors can we get a option to choose what precursor to start with?

I don't like restarting the game until I get the one I want to try. Unless there is a way to do that I don't know.
I mean, mods.

But I don't want to use mods, I want to use a galaxy creation setting... the more precursors are added the more annoying it becomes because there are yet more really bad combinations, plus who knows how long it'll even take to find one of these two new ones out of now 10.
 
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I mean, mods. But I don't want to use mods, I want to use a galaxy creation setting.

As I am someone who is looking through the Mod Highlight threads to find good candidates to start my first ever modded game of Stellaris once the free Vela update is released, I understand where you're coming from. A built-in solution to precursor roulette would be helpful, but I'm glad that mods can make that happen in the meantime.
 
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I mean, mods.

But I don't want to use mods, I want to use a galaxy creation setting... the more precursors are added the more annoying it becomes because there are yet more really bad combinations, plus who knows how long it'll even take to find one of these two new ones out of now 10.

The grind of rolling for new content to appear really isn't nearly that charming or compelling to get us to play the game multiple times, like I am already committed to playing multiple times. I want to get a feel for new content first then integrate it back into my standard engagement with the game of 'how does this variant work if these things line up?' Give us a toggle, IDC about cheevos for this.
 
The grind of rolling for new content to appear really isn't nearly that charming or compelling to get us to play the game multiple times, like I am already committed to playing multiple times. I want to get a feel for new content first then integrate it back into my standard engagement with the game of 'how does this variant work if these things line up?' Give us a toggle, IDC about cheevos for this.
Simply put, I play this game repeatedly with different empires. If I could choose precursors, the time spent rerolling precursors I don't want to play with would be 0 minutes instead of a random number between 0 minutes and "so many I decided to not play Stellaris."

Precursor randomization adds nothing, precursor randomization in multiplayer when the person I'm playing with rolls the same one adds less.

As I am someone who is looking through the Mod Highlight threads to find good candidates to start my first ever modded game of Stellaris once the free Vela update is released, I understand where you're coming from. A built-in solution to precursor roulette would be helpful, but I'm glad that mods can make that happen in the meantime.
I'm currently playing my first modded game. It's a precursor selection mod. It works fine, I just want it base-game, it's a janky implementation.
 
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Chaotic influences like bees are not acceptable in our perfect garden.

The intent is the feeling that Planetscapers are not coexisting in a natural sustainable ecosystem, they are bending the planet to their will.
So basically:

Environmentalists are like Wood Elves, living in symbiosis with nature.

Planetscapers are like High Elves or Dwarves, using their skills and knowledge to shape their surroundings to their will.
 
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