Stellaris Dev Diary #376 - Announcing BioGenesis and Stellaris: Season 09

[Falrinn]

INFERNAL POLITICS CONFIRMED!!!

Wait.

I think this is a *reasonable* explanation, but I want *more* ... Stellaris should not be limited by 'reasonable', with the wonders of golden-age sci fi and comics to draw on. So far, the main nine habitable planet types and classes have arguably all been fairly close to Earth normal and thus each other; you could make a fairly good case that 20% habitability for off-class is less than it should be even with modern technology.

And the inability to settle or terraform Frozen Worlds in particular is frustrating; it's not significantly more difficult than the tech needed for living in space, but you have all these volatiles and raw materials just lying about to be used, and free gravity. Far less energy than it takes to crack a world would suffice to melt it.

Classic science fiction has beings that live much further off the Earth-surface-norm than Stellaris. I recall one story that incidentally had a race that had evolved on Triton, where you see a scene that is described as if it were an Earth steel mill, with the inhabitants clad in multi-layer reflective suits and long tongs as they worked with the enormous and deadly heat required to smelt and cast *molten ice* (ie, water). Similarly, "lava / magma men from the depths" is certainly a pulp trope (although they are much more likely to be from the mantle subduction zones than the core, logically speaking).

If we're getting an expansion titled Infernals, I want mantle races that can come up under the subterranean lithoids and complain about the squishy surface dwellers. I want families that can go for a pleasant outing on Mustafar to picnic by the lava falls and enjoy the refreshing spray. I want people that when a portal opens up downtown to literal flaming hell, go "ooh, free real estate" and start a land rush that ends up being a version of Gate played out at 1,200 degrees C. Kids that set up crude stands on the sidewalk to sell a cool, refreshing glass of lead to their neighbors on a summer's day.

And I want a Cryo expansion that does the same in the other direction. "Heliotic" races evolved to live in cryogenic superfluids at 2 degrees K. Cryo-lithoids who live around one of the other triple points of water at the Ice VII / Ice VIII / Ice X interface.

All planets are habitable... it's just a matter of by whom.

I think even in a world where molten worlds can be colonized under the right circumstances, it still makes sense to add a separate Volcanic World type as a bridge between them and more conventional worlds.

Beyond that, I absolutely agree that Molten Worlds should become terraformable.

 

[Archael90]

How biogenesis will interact with fauna fleets? Will fauna have some buffs regarding ascension paths?

 

[LogicMage]

Excited for new megastructure, bio ships

 

[FiddleSticks96]

May just keeps getting better. My birthday, 3 of my favorite light novels releasing a new volume, a higher performance pop/economy system, and now this? How exciting.

The thing I am most curious about is the Deep Space Citadel, as I have been suggesting a starbase type megastructure for some time now.

 

[SacoMato]

Ok, it's settled.
Laser only weapons to make sure those fine cut are precise, Nobody wants to find a piece of metal in their steak.
Also, My admirals formation curriculum should have gastronomy classes.
"The great BBQ of Parvus was the best."

 

[SarahGabriella]

When the nautiloid crashes and the mind flayers escape!

 

[ortren]

Hi y'all

While watching the trailer for Season 9 I thought of an idea, it might be for Stellaris 2 because I don't know how hard implementing it would be
Essentially what if besides battle sound effects we heard commands given out by commanders of the ships or death cries when looking at the place the battle is taking place. I think this tiny detail would add some depth to the battles.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Kataclyszm]

I am suspicious about a lot of this. While the new ascensions look good, the crises paths just seem forced. As bad as Nemesis's flavor was it made sense to call it a crisis. Cosmogenesis is no more evil than your next door Fanatic Xenophobe Slaving Despot, and these look like they won't be much different.

And also can you please, please, PLEASE look at the mess that is Zones and Districts? It's an unfun, overcomplicated and unintuiative mess.

But hey, hail Hive FE. Egal, Auth, Milit, and Pacifist FE when?

 

[Mauer]

diplomacy, war and espionage all work great
and there's a lot of events, origins and civics that simulate internal politics

Great is a stretch. I like the espionage system actually, I just wish it had far more content, more events and more impactful and numerous operations.

 

[tappi]

I am unbelievably happy that the bio path is getting some much needed love. Adding extra traits and more ways to create unspeakable horrors is my favourite.

I am slightly worried if psionic ascension isn't getting the same treatment as bio and mech paths, but the info on shadows of shroud is still very vague so too early to tell. Hoping for the best.

 

[Calvax]

I am suspicious about a lot of this. While the new ascensions look good, the crises paths just seem forced. As bad as Nemesis's flavor was it made sense to call it a crisis. Cosmogenesis is no more evil than your next door Fanatic Xenophobe Slaving Despot, and these look like they won't be much different.

Galactic nemesis is a tonal mess I’ll give you that. It can’t decide if it’s meant to represent intellects vast, cool, and unsympathetic with eldritch hypertech or WAAAGH! hordes with ships made out of scrap. You have to really squint to find a link between accumulating menace and the unlocking of tech, up to the final goal of blowing up the galaxy by invading the shroud.

Cosmogenesis is much better that respect but it’s certainly more of a threat than a typical empire. Not only can the reality warping tests cause great damage but completing cosmogenesis detonates a bunch of stars, wipes out a bunch of planets, and creates devastation on all the rest. It might not be galaxy ending but it’s definitely damaging.

If anything the issue with cosmogenesis is that a lot of people take it as a dip so they can get fancy technologies without actually having do do any of the crisis parts.

 

[tappi]

Great is a stretch. I like the espionage system actually, I just wish it had far more content, more events and more impactful and numerous operations.

The system is fine. It's just incredibly barebones.

 

[Tannhäuser Cake]

Expanded with BioGenesis to include a mutable tradition tree that reflects your path through Ascension

A tradition tree that changes depending on which picks we make?
I.e. with there being something like 10-20 potential traditions, with 3 available at the start and picks becoming available or unavailable depending on previous picks?

Also:

• Will the (base) game get replicants / biological androids (Blade Runner)?
• Will there be amorphous / blobby portraits?
• Will it be possible to create something like the Umgah?
  Would that correspond to the Mutation path?
• Will there be any actual meat planet, i.e. a planet made of meat (i.e. not the Wilderness origin)?
  Perhaps with potato-shaped moons, and the possibility of a leader with the Corrupt trait eating a recovered scientific sample?
  

 

[Mauer]

To be clear, are there now phenotype traits for each phenotype? Obviously it's new ones, and that's pretty cool, but the big draw about that part for me is if this means every phenotype has something unique.

For example

Reptilian - Cold Blooded > Bonuses in hot planets, penalty in cold ones.
Mammalian - Placental > Slower growth but cognitive bonuses.
Insectoid - Exoskeletons > Molting, Tomb World habitability.

Could be lots of things, specially if they made habitability have an even bigger impact.

 

[Adaman5280]

As always, i cant wait!

 

[Swarm lover]

Im super hyped for this but i have a big question for devs that im a bit worried about. The other 2 ascensions reworking dlcs have their own crisis path themed to it, but i saw no mention of one in the shroud dlc notes here or on steam. Now yes i agree that the galactic crisis is pretty much the (psionic crisis path) but i feel that compared to the cosmogenesis its lacking and a bit bland. (heck the infernal species pack is getting one) There is zero variation (even if its mostly lore or flavor), its kind of a hyper evil path compared to the cosmogenesis (although the behemoth one does seem also pretty aggressive) and its unique structures and ships to me look pretty bland and generic compared to what cosmogenesis got.

So i was wondering is there plans to rework the galactic crisis path to make it more up to speed with the other crisis paths at the same time as the shroud dlc? Also no shroud ships or ascending to energy beings? Like yes the end of cycle is also getting a revamp but i dont think they really count as a crisis path.

 

[Critical Ethics]

Living spaceships? Finally? Shut up and take my... oh wait, you can take my money. Here, have some money.

...

I don't see what Deep Space Citadel Megastructures or Fortress Origins have to do with the rest of it and they feel like something that should have been folded into a previous, more thematic expansion but that's because I'm a miserable old grinch.

e: Starlit Citadel: Solve the mystery of your empire’s biological attackers while boosting hyperlane choke-point strategies with early access to the Deep Space Citadel megastructure.

Oh it's Harry Harrison's Deathworld. Nevermind, sold!

 

[Calvax]

Im super hyped for this but i have a big question for devs that im a bit worried about. The other 2 ascensions reworking dlcs have their own crisis path themed to it, but i saw no mention of one in the shroud dlc notes here or on steam. Now yes i agree that the galactic crisis is pretty much the (psionic crisis path) but i feel that compared to the cosmogenesis its lacking and a bit bland. (heck the infernal species pack is getting one) There is zero variation (even if its mostly lore or flavor), its kind of a hyper evil path compared to the cosmogenesis (although the behemoth one does seem also pretty aggressive) and its unique structures and ships to me look pretty bland and generic compared to what cosmogenesis got.

So i was wondering is there plans to rework the galactic crisis path to make it more up to speed with the other crisis paths at the same time as the shroud dlc? Also no shroud ships or ascending to energy beings? Like yes the end of cycle is also getting a revamp but i dont think they really count as a crisis path.

They mention reworking the end of the cycle. My money would be on that becoming a crisis of sorts.

 

[Critical Ethics]

Im super hyped for this but i have a big question for devs that im a bit worried about. The other 2 ascensions reworking dlcs have their own crisis path themed to it, but i saw no mention of one in the shroud dlc notes here or on steam. Now yes i agree that the galactic crisis is pretty much the (psionic crisis path) but i feel that compared to the cosmogenesis its lacking and a bit bland. (heck the infernal species pack is getting one) There is zero variation (even if its mostly lore or flavor), its kind of a hyper evil path compared to the cosmogenesis (although the behemoth one does seem also pretty aggressive) and its unique structures and ships to me look pretty bland and generic compared to what cosmogenesis got.

So i was wondering is there plans to rework the galactic crisis path to make it more up to speed with the other crisis paths at the same time as the shroud dlc? Also no shroud ships or ascending to energy beings? Like yes the end of cycle is also getting a revamp but i dont think they really count as a crisis path.

From the steam page:

● Breach into the Shroud: Shape your empire’s spiritual destiny with a revamped Shroud system.

● Shroud Panel: Track your empire’s attunement and unlock new powers.

● Revamped End of the Cycle: The ultimate deal with the devil—can you delay the inevitable?

● Psionic Auras: Let your Shroud influence shape entire star systems.

● New Content: Origins, civics, ships, government types, and more!

 

[Ajacoba]

For example

Reptilian - Cold Blooded > Bonuses in hot planets, penalty in cold ones.
Mammalian - Placental > Slower growth but cognitive bonuses.
Insectoid - Exoskeletons > Molting, Tomb World habitability.

Could be lots of things, specially if they made habitability have an even bigger impact.

cold-blooded and placental feel like traits anyone can have
just like anyone can be noxious or aquatic

hell, to a lesser degree you could argue exoskeleton can be for anyone, depending on if you think that the portraits show what the species literally looks like what's shown or if more of a suggestion - also there's some stuff, like the snail, which has an exoskeleton despite not being arthropoid