Stellaris Dev Diary #361 - The Vision

[Getty]

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?

Transitioning to a pop system similar to Victoria 3 would actually be fine, although I would like to highlight that xenophilic empires, with the breakdown by species, ethos and job, may have a difficult time. Though I do trust that a good UI could be made.

• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?

If you mean massively reducing the amount of ships, that would be fine. If you mean making player control much more indirect like in Victoria 3.... I am not certain about that.

As many people have already stated. The war system should be revamped. The fact that people are unable to join wars mid way is in my humble opinion the most salient issue.

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

Its jobs, general structure and "institutions". Hence my answer to the next question.

• Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion?

Internal politics. Apart from AI rebellion, one planet/sector rebellion, or full on death spiral as a result of economic crisis with complete desintegration, there are essentially no civil wars. I thought that paragons, with the addition of ethics to leaders, would be going in that direction, trying to get a civil war system similar to Imperator Rome, and it definitely has been an improvement, but at least for me, I'd like further improvements in internal politics. One form of indirect fleet control I would be fine with is if low loyalty admirals actually went out on their own, like generals in Imperator Rome. I do understand however that applying such concepts to gestalts in a satisfying manner would be more difficult.

• Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

Science and Technology. It feels like there should be a greater osmosis of scientific knowledge through the galaxy. This can be done the "easy" way, by adding a catch up modifier to "backwards" empires based upon the average tech level of the galaxy, or the difficult way, by actually making technology expand on a geographical way, like EU IV institutions or technology in CK3. Either way would meaningfully contribute to making tech rushing slightly less overpowered by virtue of people receiving ways to catch up somewhat even if they are not tech focused.

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

I want the trade system to change, but is isn't my highest priority. As a specific complaint, however, I would like to request Criminal Heritage to have the option of either forming trade agreements to obtain more trade value, gain the "seize assets" casus belli (a Criminal Syndicate has no way of doing a hostile takeover of another corporations offices, that is comical imo) or both things. Right now the Criminal Heritage civic in my opinion is woefully underpowered when compare to regular megacorps, even if the cloaking bonus is nice.

 

[Sathynos]

What is Stellaris to you?
How does this match what you think Stellaris is, and where it should go? Would you change any of these vision statements?

What systems and content are “sacred” to you, which would make Stellaris not Stellaris anymore if we changed them?

Some examples to comment on could include:

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?

They are ok, but in late game you find yourself in a situation when planed is capped out with buildings and districts. At this point your pops need to be manually resettled to a developing planet. This aspect is a bit of slightly annoying micro I could do without. I'd like to have a planetary option that says: auto-resettle overflow pops to this specific planets in order of not being full: A > B > C.

Generally speaking, the current pop system is a bit too rigid. For example, I would like to be able to specify on planet level that species A will do energy jobs, and species B/genetic variant of species B will tackle the research., and so on. The system with worker strata migration is not really useful. I wish we could either micro the f out of the planetary pop, or just make it so that planetary production features have their efficiency equally scaled to number of pops and remove the jobs thing completely.

Personally I'd love if we got way more focus on planetary management and options. Take a look for example at how galciv 4 does it - building slots as hexes with all kind of placement adjacency effects to play with. Add drag and dropping pops over those hexes and we are at what I imagine to be a perfect planetary micro. While we are at the topic of planets, can I get RTS-like planetary battles, pretty pretty please?

• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?

Don't take it the wrong way but I never really liked how fleets are done. When it comes to space grand strategy space battles only one game in history made them well: Star Wars: Rebellion. Battle would load 3d battlefield, ships in formation, you could order individual ships or groups of them, plan maneuvers, focus fire, launch fighters, specify squadron tactics, do all kinds of kiting, luring, flanking - lovely stuff. Oh, and Rebellion had no limits on fleet sizes like Stellaris does, so I played grand battles of hundreds of star destroyers, tens of super star destroyers fighting rebel fleets over a death star periodically shooting ships. Really, play that game to see how good a space battle can be. Long story short, feel free to alter them, just please don't go towards Endless Space's system. I like watching cool battles, lasers, missiles and the like.

Btw, could you add an in-game ship design system that will let me build ships from smaller components to dictate the shape? Like, maybe, triangular being of the possibilities?

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

Believe it or not, it is the lore. It would be lovely if origins had even more impact on the story and gameplay. They could enable/disable certain mechanics or variants of game mechanics so they are more than stats bonuses.

• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?

Goals? Conquer everything, what other goals are there?

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

I don't even know what they do. When I see unclaimed resources, including those rings that represent unclaimed trade value I just grab it, but I don't really see any difference. What I imagine trade routes could be elevated to a meaningful game mechanics, combined with diplomacy(tariffs, taxation) and espionage (sabotage, stealing resources). Leveraging critical locations for galactic trade route nodes could be something important. Current system doesn't add anything to the gameplay, at least from my perspective.

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?

First step to tackling colonization is pop growth. As long as colonizing every single planet just to increase empire's overall pop growth (and then moving those pops to actually useful planets) is the best way to get pops, the difficulty of obtaining planets is a secondary issue.

Planetary colonization is a core aspect of space grand strategies, therefore it shouldn't be more gated. Instead could be made more interesting. Introduce more story, events, mechanics that make planets unique.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?

Right now it is not much of a difference, just a different window on species creation screen to stack bonuses. I rather like the current system.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

Remove:
Influence. Just press delete on it. Instead of arguing if it makes sense or not, let me point out what it does that is annoying: it overtaxes my memory (mine, not my computer's). I want to build a base here - oops, not enough influence, have to wait. Meanwhile 20 things happen that I'm dealing with and I forget I wanted to do stuff that required the influence. Either let me queue it or kill it with fire. Please <3

Also, faction influence. It's just some vague stuff in the background that's just annoying. I'm not going to pander to any faction by playing the game not the way I want to play the game. When I'm set on conquering L-Gate cluster there is no way I will even consider that pacifists or merchants on someone want a different focus from me. I'm playing the game, not the other way around.

Central focus:
Diplomacy/espionage. Mechanics to seriously mess with other empires without declaring war, or even while pretending to be their bestest friend. Espionage should extend to military intelligence and operations against other entities: incite revolts, fund criminals, undermine societies with hostile ideologies/religions, mess up their leader's lineages, conduct terrorism. I'd love to be able to set minefields in neutral systems to catch exploration and construction vessels and plant evidence that it was someone else behind this.

Within federations and galactic council politics I'd like some ability to lean on other empires to vote my way. Offer them reduction on trade routes taxation, give them ships to defend themselves against someone, scare them with military action, or even kidnap the king's heir. Let me play a galactic puppet master

Current implementation to fix:
Wars. I understand what are you trying to do with war exhaustion, but man it is bad. Why do I need to claim system via influence if I already conquered them? Like, who is telling me to give them away once the war ends? Why is that last pop on a planet immune to bombardment? Why I can't place my fleet over a planet and tell them - that world cracker that just blew up your neighbors is on the way here, surrender or you are next?

 

[brabadab]

• Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
  • Diplomacy / Empire personalities. Encountering empires is very homogonous. Right now all I need to assess is if they are hostile or not. I'd want to discover a spiritualist empire and consider the impact they will have on me, what they'd want from me, and what they might do if I refuse. How would a death cult spiritualist act different from a shared burdens spiritualist? Would a militarist with distinguished admiralty try to humiliate my fleets to keep their status as top dog?
  • Espionage.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
  • I'd enjoy these to be more modular. I like the newer origins that are story driven. I think those are good for origins, and mechanical ones could be better as civics. Necrophage / roboticists would be fun as civics for example.

• For pops and fleets, I am ok if they change dramatically. What I enjoy most about pops and fleets is species modification and fleet customization. I would like reasons to not always make the same choices for both, however.

• Lithoids, existential iteroparity, Imperial cult, and the rivalry traditions are examples of things that make me feel my empire is unique. They inspire a lot of role playing choices, make me play the game different, and have a distinct flavor.

• I don't ever think about trade.

 

[Tonplan]

Stellaris is still the best grand strategy space game out there.

1. How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
Not very important. Mid to late-game I automate my planets and leave them be. Only in early game, when I have 3-4 planets, I optimize pop placement to avoid deficits. Any more planets and it is exhausting to micromanage.

2. If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?
Removing the few tactical and strategic choices from fleets would be bad. I would love to have a more direct input into fleet battles. Fleet formations, tactical movement, flanking manoeuvre, ambush, concentration of fire, etc... Right now, fleet combat feels boring. We are just smashing fleets together and the biggest one wins.

3. What aspects are most important in defining your civilization? Civics, Origins, and species traits.
Civics are the most important because they are cultural elements with a potential history behind them. I love trying to recreate sci-fi civilizations and the closer I can get, the more fun it is. I would love to be able to use more than three civics per empire.

4. How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?
I set my goals before creating a new empire. My goals are usually to explore an aspect of the game. (Diplomacy vs military, tall vs wide, pacifist vs devouring swarm). These goals change when a galaxy changing event shakes up the stagnant mid-late game political landscape. These events are the most fun for me because the storytelling becomes more engaging and immersive. (Example: Pacifist suddenly needing to defend against the Khan.)

5. How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
Not very important. The logistic aspect of Stellaris (trade routes, supply lines, resource collection, infrastructure) is weak. I would love seeing it matter more.

6. Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
I think the current system works well. You can already customize habitability and planet availability.

7. Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
Feudal Society should be a government type. It's different from oligarchic or dictatorial. I think there is a lot of potential in the idea of a feudal society that could affect pop jobs, military build and recruitment, and how sectors are managed. Sectors could be fiefdoms given to specific families like in Crusader Kings for instance. This could give more incentive for sectors to break away from the empire.

8. If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
One system I would see changed is military reinforcements and supply.
Supply lines for armies and fleets should be a central consideration in warfare. Fleets cut off from their bases should get weaker and no longer receive reinforcements. Armies invading planets without fleet support should have a harder time winning. Being able to attack and disrupt supplies to fleets and armies, ambush reinforcements, and significantly disrupt trade, would be a realistic element of warfare that Stellaris currently does not have.

In previous versions of the game, players would have ships following fleets to try and merge with them as soon as they were built. I liked this because it worked like a supply line that I could attack and disrupt. Fleets would not get their reinforcements and would be forced to retreat to get closer to their shipyards and I could use smaller, faster fleets to defeat larger ones. Today, built ships disappear from shipyards and reappear in the fleet system without passing through any systems. You can no longer cut off fleets. I understand the change; fewer ships flying around = less micromanagement. But warfare lost a crucial strategic element when fleets could suddenly reinforce out of nowhere. In reality, cut off army groups get weaker when they run out of troops and supplies. They do not get stronger.

 

[Sopka]

Politics. Ideological crusades, coups, rebelions, introducing other star states into their sphere of influence not only by military force or "voluntary" vassalization. A truly complete sandbox control on puppets, from their ideology, name to, perhaps, banners icons.
At least some interaction and integration of conquered planets, their enslaved or liberated population.
Action usually implies counteraction, so some mechanisms should probably be formulated not only to impose one's will, but also to defend it from the influence of competitors or even resistance to the influence of the overlord if you are player.

Volunteers? Mbe some very limited fleet pool (quantity or firepower) that the player can send to some separatists to help them win the civil war.

Confrontations between star alliances, some unique events for escalation/de-escalation between them, to keep the player in some tension, even when it seems to him that he will gain "sufficient" strength.

This, in my opinion, should also include a rethinking of espionage, which is currently extremely limited to the only useful function - reconnaissance of enemy ship modules.

 

[Quakstron]

-How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
Not very, I would love to see a more "Victoria 3" type pop system. I do want to see culture and religion though. Now if you have two spiritual empires they get along. While on Earth religion can be dividing rather than unifing. I am aware that spirituality and religion isnt the same thing, but I still think religion and culture should be represented in the game. Culture can make planets harder to capture, and can make for interesting events. Right now ethics and species is the closest you get to culture, which I think is silly. Ethics should rather be a part of culture, and what species someone is shouldnt determine their culture, rather what planet theyre born on should determine that.
Maybe cultures can diverge (like colonies starting with the home planets culture, and having the possibility to grow into a new sub-culture.) (maybe yall could make a family tree of cultures, but thats just a wet dream).

Culture can maybe also play into a government in exile type mechanic, or like a way to semi-keep playing after youve lost your empire. Like Bajor from DS9. We need more wars of liberation and cultures wanting independance in this game!!

Also religion.... like culture but not reaally? It can also tie into culture... Can be interesting for galactic community decisions, maybe denouncing a religion affects pops of said religion, or you could declare a galactic religion creating a massive theocracy and stuff like that.

This was kind off a tangent... but basically: Make the jobs and pops system a bit more like Victoria 3, and add religion and culture please?


-What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?
Roleplay. Give me more roleplay abilites please, and more ways to create stories. I dont think dumbing alot of text on the player will add to the roleplay like in event chains and stuffs like that (although yall got crazy good writing), but I think the ability to do more helps with that.


How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
Not very. I would like more Trade between empires, and insentive to trade betweem empires (maybe adding more resources (maybe making the economic system more like Vic3... I really like Vic3's pop and economic systems..., but theyre really good, and I think a game such as stellaris could work really well with them.)


-Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
Yuh. it kinda is. We need "deeper" planets I think, more to do in them. Also, this is another tanget.... but I dont think ownership of a planet or system should be like a either you own it or not. But instead a degree of ownership, where you can claim systems before anyone has built a starbase in the system using a little influence. (Kinda how the Gorn claim systems that they dont actively hold in Star Trek.) Claiming a system can give you a little ownership of it, building a small starbase can you give you a little more, and then building a proper starbase can give you 100% control over the system, and maybe you could share systems with other empires, or even create neutral zones (more star trek <3) using this.

You could also incorporate a nomad empire system with this IMO, where your terretority can overlap and move around but you dont have any proper ownerships of any systems. I think you could do alot of things with these systems.


-If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
I would love an expansion on internal politics, and internal gameplay. Right now you kinda have factions, but its very boring. I think you should have a proper law system and proper faction system where you can try to work with your society from within. Thats my main problem with Stellars atm, that the most interesting gameplay is just to expand. Make the game more interesting from a non-expansionist perspective.

Heart emoji.

 

[Little Tee]

What is Stellaris to you?​

• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?

I'd like to see:

Some kind of resupply mechanic using a component slot linked to a 'resource' (that works kinda like health) that limits how long a given fleet can be in the field or how far it can travel and still operate at 100% efficiency (See any of the 'Space Empires' series of games for where this idea comes from). Doesn't have to be too punitive, but it might help with making the doomstack vs multiple fleets choice more relavent.

Fleets/Armies requiring Admirals/Generals for full functionality (like how Science ships can do some things, but need a scientist to all their things).

Less ships in general. Like... a LOT less ships. I feel like the game would play essentially the same if the shipcount was even as low as 10% what it is now. Half the global shipcount is certainly doable. The less ships there are in the game, the less lag any kind of resupply mechanic would cause.

Fleet formations - Simple stuff like Harrass, All out Assault, Defensive, etc, which would alter the behaviour of different ship sizes/classes.

More ship classes for each size like you did with frigates (one or two would do)

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

All the visual customization options - City/Ship/Portrait styles. For a lot of the individual portraits within each category, there is a very disappointing lack of variety. I'd love this to change.

Sorry to whoever made them, but I never use the new new humanoid style and likewise the Cybernetic/Synthetic styles. My boat, they do not float. The faces on the new new Humans are frankly terrible.

Did I already say that the visuals are incredibly important to me?

In terms of civics, origins, ethics, traits, and other gameplay stuff, they're all equally important. I like that every DLC adds more of them. It would be nice if each DLC would add an extra one or two that aren't necessarily thematically related to the DLC itself. The same can be said of all the visuals too, and if I'm honest, I'd have much preferred the time spent making said terrible Human portraits had been spent on making the existing Human (and other) portraits look better and more refined. You did it with the Unbidden...

• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?

RP is a big factor in setting general goals. Goals change in response to the current situation in-game. They change all the time.

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

No real opinion. It's there, I use it.

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?

I'd like to see something like the planet sublasses 'Real Space - New Frontiers' implemented. Not the whole mod. Just different types of 'Tropical' or 'Desert' worlds that make some things more diffcult/easier. Please don't make Colonization a 'process' like First Contact. It's great for FC but colonization, meh.

The act of colonizing itself is fine.

It would be nice to be able to use the planet window to make an individual planet more habitable with necessarily needing the civics that allow such things.

Except maybe refugees, pops shouldn't voluntarily migrate to planets that aren't at the same minimum level of habitability as their ideal class - within reason.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?

I have felt for a while that pretty much ALL civcs that cannot be added or removed after game start should be origins - Genocidal, Assimilators, Criminal, Pompous Purists, etc. But ONLY if the number of civics this would remove were replaced by other, equally interesing new civics.

I can't think of an Origin about which I feel the same way.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

Pirates. Just remove the ships. They're just an annoyance which is pretty easy to overcome, and whose effect on Energy income when they spawn is wholly disproportionate to the size of the fleet. Making them stronger isn't the answer either, as this might end up 'becoming the game' if you start getting 50-100k pirate fleets spawing. If Piracy stopped being part of the game entirely, I wouldn't miss it. The AI has no idea what to do about them.

Mercenaries. I liked the idea. But they are far too big a part of military strategy than they really ought to be. In fact, in almost all games I've played since their introduction, it's almost like if a given empire doesn't have Mercs, it can't win a war. The AI seems to be very confused about them too. It feels almost as if the AI counts its own mercs, but doesn't count the mercs of the defending empire when it decides whether or not to declare war.

There are far too many enclaves in the galaxy in every game. They're too easy to create, too easy to recruit, and it's far too easy for empires to 'steal' patronage of them from eachother. I have played more than one game where, exepting Fed Fleets, Mercenary fleets outnumber Empire fleets by 2:1. I don't know... Revisit this system. I modded it out and enjoy the game far more without it in its current sate.

Criminal Heritage.... For the love of all that you hold dear.... Give us some kind of defense, negation, mitigation, cute bunnies or frogs... I don't care. SOMETHING that isn't either war or hoping that some other Megacorp beats them to opening branch offices. Again... Have another look at this. And once again, I modded it out and don't miss it at all.

 

[caffrn]

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
  • I really don't care. I never liked the current system. The old tile system felt better and was more fun for me. This game also has too many stacked pop modifiers.

• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?
  • Don't make a second Victoria 3. Personally, I would really like for a Sins of a Solar Empire approach on when it comes to fleets. Give us smaller fleets or single strong ships with much more direct control in combat and special abilities. Stellaris had always a doom stacking problem

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?
  • The choice between the ascensions paths and ethics.

• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?
  • How much fleet power and tech I have in the year 30, 50 and 100. That's only changing for me depending on the current state of the game.

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
  • I only use trade when it's pop efficient. Currently, it is just not worth to bother in a lot of cases

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
  • Yes, it is way too easy. I play Stellaris since release. The introduction of habitability felt like cheating when I first played with it after the patch. I think this game should go back to its roots here.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
  • IMHO, origins should change how a civilization is played. That's only the case for a few, like Clone Army or Necrophage. Everything else should be a civic.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
  
  • If you could remove one game system, what would it be?
    • automated space battles
  • Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion?
    • Ships and warfare
  • Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
    • Let us control every single ship instead of fleets. Fleets should still be a thing but only by grouping ships like in every RTS game
      • scale down the amount of ships in the game
      • those single ships should have abilities which they can use like overcharging weapons, tractor beams etc.
      • the ship designer should be expanded to much more complexity with way more modules
      • differentiate between escort and capital ships
      • give us distinct crews or captains for capital ships
      • Admirals should still be a thing, but they should work like field marshals in HoI4
      • Stellaris should not become a copy of Sins 2, but this game shows how well warfare can work in a 4X

 

[d1060]

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?

Unimportant. I only pay attention to them when I absolutely must, and let it run automated most of the way.

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

Civics, the Origin and pop traits..

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

I think it's simplistic, and could be improved upon. It would be nice to be able to select starting and ending points for trade routes, and top have planets or stars with strategic resources that must be connected to the trade route before being utilized, much like "Civ" does.

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?

I don't think colonization is too easy, but habitability and climate could be improved upon. It seems to be an "Arid" pop should simply never function in an "oceanic" planet.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be?

Piracy. I simply only play the game with a mod that removes piracy. It's an interesting idea, but implemented in a way that's just annoying.

• Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion?

More endgame crisis.

 

[kenawyn]

My two cents.

How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
I don't like the current system - when you have many specialists and many jobs it is difficult to set everything up the way I would like it.
In fact I did prefer the old tile system - less pops and easier to move them around and also planetary features were more visible and mattered more.
A Master of Orion 2 approach would be good enough - just having food, industry and science jobs and all the other stuff could come from buildings as modifiers.

If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?
Change as much as you need to make it better!
I don't like the current fleet management and fleet combat - it is too basic and resupplying many moving fleets with single ships is messy.
I also don't like the current travel methods - which is why I still play 1.9.1 more then the new stuff, but this is besides the point.
I would like to see the following things matter more:
- logistics (if logistics is broken fleets cannot be resupplied and while they might not cost upkeep they should slowly deteriorate), this could be done by a resupply radius around resupply hubs (stations, planets.. etc)
- add supplies to ships (fuel, ammunitions, crew, officers) to support logistics; this could also be abstracted away and represented by debuffs like low crew (reduces ship effectiveness), low fuel (cuts ship speed), some of this could be remedied in a fleet - sharing crew, fuel and ammo; About ammo - should only matter for weapons that use ammo. These weapons should be stronger, but limited by ammo.
- attrition and losses should matter more (losing supplies, crew and officers should reduce ship effectiveness)
- add weapons, events, tech that specifically targets supplies (crew killing beam, crew killing aliens, radiation... etc)
- introduce a critical damage debuffs, that should limit how much a ship can be repaired outside a "dry-dock". I don't like always escaping regenerating enemy fleets (this should be only possible with end game tech).
- force strategic decisions (fleets go out, do their stuff and then they need to return to be resupplied at a base to ready for the next mission)
- about ship combat: please reduce ranges! in the older game ranges were less and combat felt better. Also some weapon ranges do not make any sense - kinetic weapons are slower than light, which should make them useless in long distances against anything that can move, - so unless you attack planets from outside the gravity well or stations they should be CQB only. Missiles, autonomous mobile mines, and drones are the only stuff that is viable at long range, since they can adjust their course. Beam weapons are ok within a couple of light seconds or even a light minute depending on the ship size and the sensor effectiveness.

What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?
Species type (are we rocks, robots, aquatic polyps, insectoids... etc)
Society structure (hivemind, clan of warriors, representative democracy... etc)
Belief systems (we believe in god, we also believe in sacrificing every other species to our god, we also believe in having a hierarchy where everyone follows gods chosen... etc)
Goals (we want to be the best traders dominating all the markets; we want to rule the galaxy; we want to exterminate... etc)

I would like to have some options like:
- origins - define the major events in your past history that influenced your race. These could be used later in the game in events or other gameplay mechanics.
- beliefs - what are the core beliefs of your race, have some settings or options to fine-tune it, if you have a religion define its tenants, if you are secular then define your morals
- goals - set victory conditions specific for your race that aligns with your race's views and beliefs

How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?
I mainly set my goals at the start of the game when I design my empire (ex.: will play purifiers, will build a trader empire, will become the senate... etc).
I try to follow the plan as much as I can, but if there is an unexpected crisis that endangers my goals I will adapt and deal with it before I return to my original goal.

How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
I dislike it because it is too abstracted away and offers little benefits, while introduces piracy.
If you have to abstract it away then please have an abstracted away patrol fleet as well, where we can add ships that increase trade protection.
Please bring back planetary supply storage, so planets could be blockaded again and starve of suffer some shortages because of the blockade.
Finally it would be nice to introduce a couple of trade items and their price should be determined by supply and demand, so you can plan and set up your trade routes accordingly.

Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
Absolutely. Currently colonization is too easy and there are too many habitable words. Unless you find a perfect world colonization should be a huge empire project that takes many decades to complete.
I say get rid of the current planet system and add the following:
- planet size: mainly affects gravity, biodiversity, max pop and max development/building slots
- gravity: either go with a simplified low, average, high or another scale where more distance to the preferred gravity applies more penalties
- biodiversity: how many different biomes exist on the world (our species might have a biome preference), it mainly restricts development and pop size
- temperature: min and max temperature tied to the biomes, if it is outside of the species preferences they either need biodomes or get penalties
- atmospheric composition: can our species breathe the air, or do we need biodomes
- additional modifiers: the planetary features we already have adjusted to fit this new system
There should be terraforming projects to alter most of these things, but it should be a multi step project.
Also in a system like these situations might arise that the other empire while somewhat hostile will not attack your world since they only need the 5th planet in your system that has methane atmosphere that they need, while you are nitrogen + oxygen based.
Oh, on this note bring back shared ownership of systems.
Disassociate from the space station at the star - stations should protect places with real value -> star lane entry points and planets!

Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
This is hard to say. I might come back and revisit this later.

If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

Well I could ask for the return of additional travel options or at least the expanding or supporting of additional travel options.
slower than light travel:
- using massive plasma torch engines or even kugelblitz drives (some option to add some real badass hard sci-fi races)
- these SLT races could maybe have empires that starts 50 years earlier to give them time to expand and they could only gain real FTL tech if they encounter someone else and using combat + reverse engineering or diplomacy
- alternatively they could have old stellaris gates, but they would only work as far casters between each other - so no gate network, but you would need to construct 2 gates that connect. If this is too OP then maybe just cut the travel time with far casters catapulting the fleet forward to 50-70% along the way through sub-space or something, so instead of taking 4 years to reach the next star system they would get there in one year.
sub-maps representing hyperspace or plane space:
- add a parallel map as plane space (seikai no monshou) with naturally occurring sords to access it
- or hyperspace map (babylon 5) accessible by either precursor gates left behind in some systems or later at least battleship sized gate caster modules
- these plane space or hyperspace maps would act like a very large system with many hazards and limited visibility where your ships could navigate normally and when you find an exit you could move back to normal space
new starlane options:
- build new starlane connecting another system
- collapse existing connection to isolate a system
- reinforce lane - to make it harder to manipulate be other empires
- hide the lane from other empires (high level sensor can still detect it)
early jumpdrive support:
- AI support is needed, so I can create AI empires with that trait that could actually move and not just chilling in their own system
- having an option to disable hyperlane research for them would be a welcome option - if you want to play with an empire that never developed hyperspace tech and relies on a different mode of travel
Finally you could re-add warp.

Having an expansion focused on reworking colonization and colony development could be also interesting.
Starting from planets and moving towards O'Neil cylinders.
But I would package this together with the additional travel stuff above.

Then , I would also like to see a rework on Contact, Spying and Borders
Contact
- remove the crappy random progress bar contact mechanics, this will now be handled via various missions
- observe broadcasts and communications (only useful if the other civilization has a broadcasting policy that gives you enough information)
- send exploration missions into their territory (the goal is to collect data by direct observation), some might see this as a hostile action
- when enough data was collected you will get the research basic language option, which must be completed to proceed
- the other species can initiate as well if they completed your basic language research (note: this is different for each species)
- when contact occurs the stance of the other party depends on their species morality and the events that happened so far (if you aggressively abducted people they might be hostile)
- some species with the incomprehensible trait cannot be understood and no real communication is possible (ex.: Tamarians - "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra")
- species with very different types like hive minds should also have difficulties communicating (Ender's game, Starship Troopers book)
- anyways there should be a contact mission that could end with a diplomatic contact, a failed contact, or hostile war
- it is important to note that you are still at basic language level, so if you managed to make diplomatic contact you need to develop the connection via various missions which will give you more and more info and understanding about the other species unlocking various options which could lead to trade and cooperation
- if you could not establish diplomatic contact you might be in a hot or cold war with the other civilization and must use spy-craft or conquest to gain the same information
Borders
- borders should only be applicable once the other faction acknowledged them - if they didn't then they don't matter
- of course if you know their territorial demands (they told you, you figured out from observations or spies) then that should be displayed on the map, but unless you agreed to respect it you can violate their borders and they can violate yours indiscriminately
- the AI can also choose to respect your borders or ignore them - which will happen if they want conflict or their species does not care about borders
- this means free movement for their fleets unless you can block it with inhibitors
- if you can force your borders on them, their fleet must leave using the shortest route out, there will be no expulsion! because if they declare war for some reason their fleet should be in advantageous position (it is your fault for not stopping them earlier)
- violating "borders" should reduce relations and should spark diplomatic incidents, spy missions and diplomatic missions
Spying
- this is only possible if you are a similar type (no spying on hives or machines), you can still observe and do other missions, just not infiltration missions
- infiltration missions require: you must know the language at least at intermediate level, have the tech to disguise the spy, have enough intel to make success possible, have assets (ex.: stolen freighter from previous missions... etc), then you can infiltrate and build a spy network inside their empire
- otherwise you need a hostile action, that needs military support to disable target infrastructure and then insert specialist team to gain as much data and information as possible. this is a raiding bombardment, with very little collateral damage with the goal of gaining information
- spy missions should have an RPG elements - not just the wait a progress bar and do something random, and might lead to mission chains.
Here is an example: you did some information gathering missions on the target empire earlier and found out that there is a religious extremist called Jebus inciting rebellion against the state, so you decide to support the movement. You have a mission to use your already established spy organization to contact the rebels and discuss terms. One outcome of the negotiations could be to send weapons, which means you need to set up a fleet that can get to the target location with the specified cargo (weapons) and deliver it. This might require stealth. Alternatively if you have a trade treaty with the other empire then you can use a spy mission that will utilize a trade ship to smuggle weapons inside to the rebels. Or you could decide to send in specialists to capture Jebus and sell his ass out to the target empire for diplomatic favors.

Finally a combat focused expansion could be great.
Space combat
- make it more realistic following established physics
- move from individual ship focus to fleets
- each fleets should have various mission segments (ex.: command, picket, artillery, bombardment, battleships, scouts... etc), where you can buy or requisition your ships.
- fleet battles should be fought closer (unless you have long range options like missiles or using long range kinetic weapons on stationary targets). you should have the option to select which weapon you are using at what distance.
- fleets should move slower (interpolating movements of fleets in solar systems based on distance traveled by days puts their speed too high in the current game)
- for fleet movement remove any debuffs on performance for jump drives, but add fuel and or charge up for travel to increase the window of catching fleets trying to leave the system
- add hard shields module (T3 tech) to allow shields to work in environments they would be inoperable otherwise
- relegate fighters for ground combat support and picket screen (realistically there is no fuel for moving them across whole systems)
- add drones that can be used as smart missiles with weapon platforms (they are infinitely better than fighters, since without pilots they don't need life support and can withstand high G's that a pilot cannot)
- most non-smart weapons should have their effective ranges reduced. they can still be used against stationary objects from afar, but most ships can dodge unguided projectiles and even particle lance shots if they are far enough.
- unless a world is shielded you should be able to demolish it by accelerating a fleet near C and fire kinetic batteries at it. The kinetic energy is enough to blast the atmosphere away from the planet - so always use planetary shields to prevent that. Even so a planet is big and cannot evade, so it can be bombarded from the other side of the system if the enemy wants to using kinetic weapons.
Ground combat
- Your main fleet could have a mission section for troop carriers and your army would be attached to your fleet
- Fully rework ground combat, with ground battles - fought on the various biomes and on planet cities - using armies you put together same as fleets.
- An army would have an HQ, scouts, core units, specialist, support units, supporting assets
- You could set strategies and limit or enable various weapons systems (nukes, virus bombs.. etc)
- War would last for months or years depending on the fortifications, enemy armies, your forces and support from orbit
- Conquering planets should take a long time based on the forces involved - which should give enough time for each player to react.
- Conquering and occupying a planet should be a big deal - especially if it is a well developed core world

 

[KevinGM]

Performances man. Improve performances, even if you have to gut the current pop/job system or w/e else.

 

[Gilbert95]

I skimmed this whole thread, stopping to read some responses in detail, so my answers are somewhat influenced by that. But first a few observations.

Wow, so many responses from folks with single digit post counts, including many 1s, meaning they created an account just to give their 2 cents.

Also, I hope you do something really nice for the intern who has to collate all this and turn it into something digestible

Pops/jobs
I like the idea of this because it allows you to imagine what life is like in your empire. But the reality is it's just too fiddly and becomes micro-hell as you get bigger, plus performance issues. I'd be good with any change that preserves the spirit of the current system but makes it more fun to interact with.

Fleets
I generally don't play conquest heavy, so my views are somewhat limited. The ship design mini-game was a lot of fun in the beginning, but now I just end up making same designs every time. I'm now considering just going with auto-design because I'm tired of it and I don't feel like I notice the difference in designs during combat. Side with bigger number always wins. I'm good with any changes that make warfare more varied.

Defining civ
Origins and civics are my main way. Love anything that changes the way you play. But these don't last; once you solve how do it well, empires all feel same by mid game.

Goals
Survive, explore, thrive, react to interesting things. But I loose steam before end game. I can't remember last time I face end game crisis. I have yet to see Cetana.

Trade
Easy to forget about. I only care if I am a megacorp. I'd be good with anything here other than ripping it out entirely.

Colonization/ Habitability
It's way too easy and not interesting. I usually play xenophile or otherwise sign migration treaties so it becomes a non-issue pretty quickly.

Origins and civics
Don't have any opinions on swapping any, but I love this part of empire creation, so more options is great. For origins I like the idea of several others to split into planetary and cultural. For civics I like the current 2+1 and don't need more.

Remove
Espionage, I have yet to find a 4x or strategy game that had a satisfying implementation.

Expansion focus
Planetary diversity, Colonization and terraforming I would enjoy

Want to enjoy
Game pacing. I don't change settings to make end game sooner because I like early game pacing with settings close to baseline (thanks to tech rebalance). But late game feels like a slog which is why I never see end crisis.

 

[Sahriah]

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
  
  • Not particularly. It's a little confusing for 1 pop to represent a larger population, but it's not high up enough on my list to care about. I don't mind the current set up of districts/jobs
• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?
  
  • I'm not a big fan of the fleets right now. I would like the following alternations (in order of how much I care)
  • Ability to save ship designs across games/import ship designs. I HATE manually editing fleets every game because I just make the exact same thing and it's tedious.
  • Streamline fleets in a way so that large + galaxy wars don't turn into a lag-fest slog. It's not bad in small-medium sized galaxy's, but makes larger games feel very slow and frustrating.
  • Rebalance/simplify weapon systems. There seem to be a few very powerful options right now like disruptors, but I also find there are so many types of weapons to pick from but most aren't useful. I would like to see the list slimmed down but more competitive.
    Ability to limit the auto-upgrade more specifically. I want ships to auto upgrade to modules that use mid-tier resources like motes/gas/crystals, but I DO NOT want auto-upgrade to upgrade to modules that use Dark matter. Maybe an ability to change the auto-upgrade between 3 tiers (basic, advanced and rare resources)
• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?
  
  • The origins, govt type, civics and ascension perks all matter to me and I really enjoy mixing and matching.
  • I wish we had origins that had longer stories. They all end early-mid game and I would LOVE to see longer story-based origins. I've been really enjoying the RP aspect of exploring these stories and just want more more more.
  • Origins that aren't focused on a story/challenge should be re-balanced to be more competitive with each other. Buff the ones that are the worst
  • Rebalancing of ascension perks to make sure they are all roughly equally powerful but in different areas. Some just feel overall worse atm.
  • Rebalance civics are also high on my list. There are a lot of civics especially that are just never picked because there are clear winners and you only get 3 per game really. I'd love to see this list reduced or each made more thematic/useful so there are reasons to pick them based on what type of empire you are building.
• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?
  
  • Either roleplay or achievement based goals right now. Story is where I find a lot of the fun, so exploring all the different origins is what I am currently doing. Again I'd love to see longer stories in origins, or for stories to involve more empires that interact / react with your story. Scion, payback, etc are good examples.
• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
  
  • Not important at all. I basically ignore trade unless I'm playing a megacorp. Would be fine with removing it completely especially if it helps reduce lag.
  • Trade policy is also non-existent unless you take mercantile for more options. If trade is kept I'd like to see more abilities to change policy for base empires.
  • I also find the pirate system to be pointless and annoying. They are nothing more than an annoyance. I'd prefer either they be removed or they be made into an actual story part of the game where it happens once or twice as an event you have to deal with if the planet has crime.
• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
  
  • I don't mind colonization right now, but I find it annoying to MANAGE all the planets when playing wide. I'd prefer ways to streamline management of large amounts of planets to reducing colonization specifically.
• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
  
  • Not sure. I think there are too many underused/underpowered civics. I'd rather see a re-evaluation of whether every civic is useful and competitive right now.
• Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion?
  
  • Revamp war systems to provide more interesting interactions/options
  • More crisis types, both total war but also more interesting non-total war galaxy-wide crisis events.
• Is there a feature you want to enjoy but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
  
  • Galactic community system
  • War options
  • Fleet building - mostly that I can't save and import ship designs, im tired of building the same ones every game.

 

[Huskermax5]

This is a copy pasta from Montu latest video regarding things I’d most like to see revisited roughly in order:

Rework/rebalance of precursors

Internal politics actually mattering outside of faction approval impacting happiness thus stability

Ground combat tweaks that discourage doom stacking (also if you have a 30 colonies empire you shouldn’t be able to recruit 100 armies from the 2 planet sector that has a combined 19 pop)

More ways to be friendly with xenos.

Completely Randomize galaxy set up
More control over randomized number of empires. On large map I want between 3-4 FEs not 2-4 etc

Have a bit more CYOA feel for ships. It’s not apples to apples but Borg are humanoid yet developed warship cubes. Humans developed saucepan. Have more types of subclasses that are distinct. Maybe a doctrine type that gives small bonus for a certain(s) type of weapons but locks out of different ones. Ie missle cruisers are designed seperate from carriers or at least make it more customizable then the 5 or so layouts to choose from. Have the doctrines further distinguish a reptilian cruiser from other reptilian cruisers (But also have one that enables any but gives small malus)

It’s out there but Depth to early game economy: have ways to deficit spend that would in practice give you free civilian ships (including colony ships) but have ways that get punished in mid early game or alternatively do a ME:Andromeda where you start with only 1 colony ships out of all civilian ship types and that ship can survey a system and build an outpost in a system with habitable world then colonizes it
( origin)

REWORK POLITICS SUBTERFUGE TRADITION TREES

Disincentize death wars aka 100% peace deals.

New civics that impact play style not just a new job type/buff ie synthetic lapse

Have a bit more life in galaxy with internal shipping. The only starships are not empire owned science ships and warships. Have some transports or appreance of them flying around

Have a vassal type like startrek or the like where it’s more confederation but it’s one state. You don’t get their leaders or their resources but they are part of your empire

I’m straight off ripping off another persons comment but I love this so much

A: have terraforming be a situation that has some downside outside of cost.

B: improve the sector system. Have the subsector capital actually matter outside of range.

The person said if a sector makes a ton of alloys but not any minerals it costs a bit more to build stuff, if an area is an ag sector it would decrease the naval cap of strongholds etc. should give something to the min maxers, the internal flavor (have events about it), and the role players


I know people clamor for preformed but it’s not a priority for me but I would like it.

 

[Extrym]

I never expected a game like stellaris to become such a fundamental part of what I expect from a game but for me it would:
Pops: simplify it so my team doesn't explode in more advanced parts.
Fleets: give me the opportunity to create them to my liking I would like a frigate filled only with defenses to buy time for the rest of my forces to arrive or a titan armed only with small components to launch it to the front and tank for everything else.
Aspect of civilization: I like it as it is but more ethical and that these are not limiting civics because I can not have ascencionist being mechanic or distinguished admiralty being pacifist.
Objetivos: me encanta la guerra, pero el hecho de que existan condiciones de victoria tan estrictas es molesto. Puedo conquistar todos los planetas de mis enemigos, pero un hábitat tomado por otro imperio me impide la victoria, es simplemente molesto.

Planets, climate and habitability: the planets and their implications really need a complete change, I would pay for a dlc at the level of machine age if it shows my commitment to it.
Origins and civics: there are very weak origins and very weak civics so yes.
Remove system: empire size just burn it down and enjoy the view.
System I enjoy: tech trees give stellaris its distinction just give me the option of what I would like to focus on to decrease the RNG.

 

[Peaceful Snail]

• How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?

Not very important to me. I think I would like to see more management on an emprie scale rather than a planetary scale.

• If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?

I think I would still like to control the fleets myself (as this is the most action heavy aspect of the game), but aside from that I think I would be fine with most changes.

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

I like to design my empires around some sort of gimmick. For example having a society that doesn't use any minerals (aside from districts/buildings) by using catalytic processing and consumer benefits trade policy or an empire that gets its unity from soldiers by combining citizen service with sovereign guardianship and the unyielding tradition that gives unity from armies.
If my empire isn't defined by some game mechanic, I usually just take whatever civics are most useful.

• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?

When starting a game I often have some sort of long term goal in mind, but I also set some mid term goals during the game depending on the galactic situation.

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

I'm kind of split on this. The trade system does offer management beyond the planetary level, but there's not a lot of interaction besides making sure you have enough trade protection and pirates aren't strong enough to be exiting. I heard the trade system is responsible for a noticable amount of endgame lag, so I would be fine with getting rid of it. However if it can be optimised, I could also see the system be expanded to other resources with trade routes between planets and sectors and an increased threat from piracy. This would have several effects:
- It allows for some action during peacetime, which makes playthroughs that aren't focused on warfare more exciting.
- It adds a tradeoff to specializing your planets, since self-reliant planets generate less trade routes and therefore less piracy, less vulnerability during war and less logistic strain.
- Fighting piracy occupies fleets, which prevents big empires from doomstacking and steamrolling smaller empires.
- It makes your empire feel more connected.

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?

I think it is too easy. I think I would also like less immediately habitable planets and more terraforming candidates with different tiers of inhabitability (almost habitable, inhabitable, barren), so there is a slower progression of planet availability.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?

I think they are fine as is. Maybe the Death Cult civic could be reworked into an origin (but only if it comes with some story added to it). If it isn't reworked I would like a version of it for necrophage empires, that converts pops upon being sacrificed.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

I would remove the Sol system. I know Stellaris is fiction, but the Sol system just takes things to far. Jokes aside I don't think there is a system that I would remove completely, but maybe army management/ground combat could be made more convenient.

I don't have recomendations for an expansion.

I would like an improvement to the espionage system. More and better operations. For example:
- An operation to siphon funds, that gives 10% of the targets income (ends after ten years; seperate operation for different resources; doesn't hurt targets income)
- An operation to steal a branch office (allows megacorps to compete without going to war) and an operation for regular empires to expel a criminal branch office.
- An operation that gives you a damage bonus against the target empire (ends after ten years)
- Operations that give the target a debuff to ships (ends after ten years, doesn't stack if you get hit with it again, but resets the timer; can use research to speed up timer; seperate operations for speed, shields, weapon damage)
- An operation to sabotage fleet, which damages the fleet by 25% of its current hull and armor (can be set to launch at the start of the next combat)
- An operation to steal ships (10% of targest used naval cap. At least 5 naval cap worth at max 50)
- A rework to the sabotage starbase operation to deactivate shields/weapons/modules/ship repairs (ends after ten years or if the starbase is destroyed/downgraded and rebuild; can be repaired with construction ship, but takes six month)

I would like branch offices to be reworked as well. While they are fun for megacorps, they don't really do much for the planet owner. They should provide an actual benefit to the planet instead of jobs and try to work with the planet designation. They should be less impacted by planetary trade value (maybe reduced to 10% from the current 50%) and the revenue should come as payment for the service they provide.
For example the mining building should only be available if there is a miner on the planet. It gets reworked to provide bonuses to miners on the planet and get minerals and energy in return. Something like: Miners get +0.25 base output and the megacorp gets 1 mineral and 0.5 energy credits per miner. A mineral purification plant/hub increases the megacorp income by 0.25/0.5 per miner.
You can still benefit from planetary trade, but you need to build the branch office around it. Trade focused buildings requires a trader or merchant on the planet. The building gives 5% trade value to the planet as well as +0.5 amenity from traders and +1 from merchants. In return the megacorp gains 10% more of the planetary trade value and 1 energy credit for every trader/merchant.
There should also be some generalized buildings (like a recycling facility that reduces pop upkeep and amenity usage and gives the megacorp 1 energy credit per pop in return) and buildings for small colonies (like the current amusement megaplex) that provide a static bonus regardless of population.

 

[Blazingdust]

things i want:
able to set custom empire AI behavior, so it works as design and feel it strenght as similar as player controlling

new expansion fousc on faction and foreign/domestic politic
farther differents on Authority play style and challenge

new one time Resolution for Imperial Council to enable forge 3~7 amounts of regalia that works like relics, and hold by Galactic Emperor
-able to decide each regalia apperance and unique function
(except signet ring, it always the first to be forge with signet ring apperance and grant war goal to claim the Galactic Imperium even as Galactic Imperium member)
-specific ascension perk availbe to forge unique regalia option
-all regalia(except signet ring) are able to grant to vassal or Galactic Imperium members. and able to claim as war goal like galatron.
New espionage operation to steal regalia, include signet ring.
Victory of Rebellion may cause regalia holding by Galactic Imperium to lost, destroy or stolen
(if hold 3 or less, will always be losted, except signet ring will always be destroy)
If Galactic Imperium not exist, holder empire of all remain regalia grant option to start restore Imperium event chain (somewhat similar to war in heaven)
Rebel or former rebel empire can decide to keep or destroy regalia when defeat a regalia holder empire under Restore Community war or via seize the regalia war goal
Reforge the ring Resolution will replace forge the regalia Resolution if it already fire once

 

[PIECAT56]

Something I see that occasionally gets in the way of rp is the war system. I do like picking civics/ethics around a particular style of warfare for a desired war win effect. (liberation wars vs vassaling or conquest and the like) Though I find other paradox games such as HOI4 and EU4 have a better peace deal system to facilitate the rp and map painting visions.

The current war/war exhaustion system is one thing (I dont mind it at all, except for everyone but the war leader not having a say), but a peace deal system would definitely improve the feel of control after a conquest. Adding demilitarized systems or demanding war reparations would add some flavor in singleplayer and strategy in multiplayer as well.

The claim system is adjacent to these mechanics and also need a bit of a look at. If we are talking about claiming systems might as well throw in system trading as well. I have been in the position where I've wanted to give someone a system of mine, they dont share a border with it. A system trading option for clicking on specific systems would be interesting. (Also an excuse to add scope to system labels for expanded moddability)

Along with that any switch-up to ship loadout building that removes a meta is a desired. Strike craft for the win!
Thanks for keeping stellaris alive and healthy. Looking forward to the hive buffs they sorely need .

 

[Local McWarlord]

>How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?
I'm not at all married to the current pop system.

>If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?
I'm a very big fan of the current "ship computer" based fleet system.
I'm a little underwhelmed by the Fleet Doctrine choices, since they don't correspond to any real change in fleet composition.
I would like it if different fleet doctrines compelled you to specialize more in carrier operations, stealth torpedo frigates, broadside cruisers, etc.
Such doctrines should be unlocked by relevant technologies, possibly the same technologies that give you ships. I wouldn't want anything like the HoI4 Army Experience system.

>What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?
I have made dozens of empires, and spend just as much time tweaking builds as I do actually playing the game. I strongly think that more civics and origins should replace buildings and jobs the way spiritualist replaces monuments with temples and technocracy replaces a politician with a science director and warrior culture replaces entertainers with duelists. I think that ltierally every single civic should do something like this. I think Unity should be, in some way, a "reward" for playing your civilization "according to its type." You already have it that factions produce unity and you get faction approval by setting policies to match your ethics. I think this angle should be pushed even further. Think about how Police state makes enforcers produce unity. That changes the calculus of planetary construction. Planets of radically different empires shouldn't all look the same. I have an empire of environmentalist fanatic purifiers. Purging pops and preserving natural blockers should be the primary way I generate Unity. I like how autocthon monuments give variable bonuses depending on ethics as well, this was a very good change.

>How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?
Make number more bigger better. I tend to play Xenophile-Pacifist-Materialist. I only play single-player so I'm not rushing. I'm economically optimizing. My first goal is to secure nearby chokepoints, then species ascension, then ring worlds or Ecumenopolis, and from that point it's preparing for the crisis (or being the crisis).

>How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?
I NEVER interface with the trade route system. I turn my capital system starbase into a trade collector, and then I basically never think about it for the rest of the game unless there is either a pirate problem or I unexpectedly capture a large amount of territory (e.g. war in heaven).

>Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?
No complaints. Colonizing outside of your habitability is difficult at first and inconsequential by midgame once you've learned terraforming or bio-modification. It can also be overcome with migration pacts. The ONLY reason this isn't a perfect joining of gameplay and story is the fact that pops are single most important resource, and each new planet is a new place for pops to grow, and so people complain about the balance implications of the early-game colony rush.

>Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?
This system is one I definitely think needs a total overhaul somehow.

>If you could remove one game system, what would it be?
Nothing comes to mind.

>Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion?
Ground Combat + Biological Ascension. You could call the expansion "Gene Seed" or "Super Soldiers" or something. I can already visualize the trailer in my mind-eye. The not-astartes dropping from orbit with crazy engineered mutations. Any rework of the pop system would have to be part of this.

>Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?
Federations, Espionage, and the Galactic Community! That stuff is right up my alley thematically, but it just doesn't jive well with the rest of the game loop. When I'm tracking construction and production, it's easy to forget to check up Galactic Community votes. Sure, I can queue up votes, but then that makes it even easier still to forget all about it for lengthy periods of time. I usually only check up on the market once every in game century once I join up.

 

[fearsomekyle]

This is the first time I've ever posted anything on these forums. but I really love Stellaris and have played since day 1, think I have about 3200 hours and its a game I can seemingly never grow tired of, save for one aspect that ill get too

How important to you are the current systems that use individual Pops and Jobs in the planetary simulation?

Not at all, they are abstract portraits of an unquantifiable number of people working a job. the current system is a massive improvement over the tile system of early stellaris, I loved it when it first got changed. but we all know its responsible for a lot of late game lag don't we? if it were to be replaced by another pop system the game would still be stellaris to me, so long as we aren't going back to those tiles. personally in the age of space I think we would have actual census data on our pops and know "7 billion people live here" etc but understand not everyone wants space vicky 3.

If we made significant changes to fleets, how much could we alter before it no longer felt like the game you love?

Honestly you could change everything, I like my little ships, they look nice, but they currently aren't too necessary to how I personally enjoy the game due to how the war system works. 2 changes I would make for a start is scraping transports and adding manpower somehow.

• What aspects are most important in defining your civilization?

origins, ethics and government. I enjoy origins and ethics, though I I feel ethics could be expanded somewhat to include things like does my nation believe in capitalism and the pursuit of profit for its citizens? (I currently don't get the sense that it does, even for Mega corps) do they care for the environment etc? that sort of thing, Some of the ethics are a little too all encompassing.

anyway, government. I confess I am a democracy enjoyer. that said at times it feels somewhat nonsensical. I don't believe scientists should be abandoning their research to run for office unless it is a technocracy, i don't believe Generals or admirals should either unless there is Citizen service or a militarized society, and finally I believe every planet should have a governor, but in a democracy at least not one that is chosen by the player, but rather by the electorate of the planet they are on, either retaining or losing their seat in elections. perhaps they can come from a representatives pool that doesn't cost leader capacity like envoys. whilst many of the government forms are autocratic I believe some sort of function like this could work. Senators/Members of Parliament/Congressmen for democracies, Nobles for monarchies, Shareholders/board members for Mega corps etc. Whilst paragons was excellent for making our Leaders feel like just that, instead of a pop portrait with a trait, My government as a whole still doesn't feel like one.

• How do you set goals for yourself during gameplay? When do you set them, and how often do they change as you play?

I base my goals around my ethics and vice versa and normally I stick with them for the campaign. some things pop up, like if i spot a lost colony origin of my species (or am playing one) I like to... reunify so to speak. sometimes I want to secure a utopian future for my species, sometimes I want to watch the seas boil and the galaxy burn.

• How important is the current Trade system, with routes collecting back to your Capital?

Not at all, trade feels almost absent besides annoying pirates popping up every now and then. If it changed I cant see how it could be for the worse. unless it resulted in the pirate event more often.

• Is colonization too easy? Should habitability and planet climate matter more?

Yes. Colonisation should be a bit more difficult, In theory colonising another planet, especially the first one should be the greatest logistical challenge a species has ever faced, perhaps the situations could come into play here. colonising alpha centuri, we can do it quick and damn the consequences or we can do it right.

• Are there any Origins that should be Civics, or Civics that should be Origins?

I think the Genesis Guides should be an origin, and have the option to create fully Sapient Pre FTL species, perhaps as an ascension perk. i think that might be a fun roleplay option.

• If you could remove one game system, what would it be? Which system would you make the central focus of an expansion? Is there a feature you want to enjoy, but feel the current implementation doesn’t quite work for you?

War. War is the single most frustrating thing of Stellaris, its the reason my friends wont play multiplayer with me despite enjoying every other aspect of the game, they wont even play single player anymore because of it. War is not fun. Diplomacy is also far to basic for a game where I am roleplaying a stellar nation. It is in need of a complete overhaul. we need more reasons for war and a better ability to end war. In my opinion, something EU4s peace deals would be a much better system. I go to war over claims for a few systems, but perhaps some of my people are enslaved by your empire. you should surrender them in the peace too, and pay me reparations. oh and that pre FTL planet you conquered? against galactic law, free it immediately. these are just examples of things i would like to be able to declare war over and negotiate for peace with. Its not satisfying to me that once i start a war im either on a timer to win or have to accept less. its not enjoyable in the slightest to the point that I hardly fight till the crisis shows up. please, if one thing about stellaris needs changing it is war. I want to enjoy declaring war but in its current system I cannot.

Thank you for inviting me to ramble.