Stellaris Dev Diary #94 - Ascension Perks & Surveying in Cherryh

[ISitOnGnomes]

does this mean scientists will level up slower?
or does exploring not get you xp?
I thought it did and so exploring your allies was a good safe way to get them to remnant hunter level?

No, both exploring and assisting research give xp. Assisting gives 1 or 2 xp each day, while surveying gives a larger amount per survey with travel time between celestial bodies and systems.

To me it seems like assisting research is a faster way of leveling your scientists, than having them survey. It also helps keep them close at hand on case you need to scan some debris.

 

[PAnZuRiEL]

There is no advantage to not trading comms in regards to surveying. You can't generate anomalies in other empires' space even if you haven't met them (because, again, this could result in deposits in your space wildly changing without you being able to control it).

Perhaps not while the systems are in another empire's space. But if you conquer those systems and then subsequently survey them? Can't you currently find anomalies in that case?

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

Perhaps not while the systems are in another empire's space. But if you conquer those systems and then subsequently survey them? Can't you currently find anomalies in that case?

Only if the entire empire that previously owned/surveyed them has been destroyed. Its a bug- when a planet is surveyed, it gets tagged as such with the ID of the empire that did so. If that empire gets entirely conquered/destroyed somehow, its ID vanishes and its planets can be surveyed again.

 

[majber]

There is no advantage to not trading comms in regards to surveying. You can't generate anomalies in other empires' space even if you haven't met them (because, again, this could result in deposits in your space wildly changing without you being able to control it).

But after you annex ai stars you can find anomalies in non surveyed systems, yes?

 

[Cronos988]

I tend to get a bit passionate about things I care about. I care about integrity. I guess I can overlook it, and at the end of the day, I will. But, there is a fallout from this, I will remember for future reference. Other customers, will as well. I don't think going over the head of your customers is good business. I mean, if they had too, they could have made new Ascension perks, specifically for those who have not purchased the content of existing ones. That would be more fair. I cant change the policy, naturally, but I can voice my displeasure of it. I suppose if I cared less, I wouldn't have. This way, Paradox does get feedback.

I still don't get how this is in any way different from the game, or DLC for it, going on sale. If Utopia is 50% off in the Christmas sale, doesn't that mean people get half of the DLC content, that you paid for, for free? What about things like GOTY-editions that come with much or all the DLC?

I get the immediate emotional reaction, but even a small amount of reflection should make clear that things you buy loosing value over time is entirely normal.

 

[Melfice_Cyrum]

Perhaps not while the systems are in another empire's space. But if you conquer those systems and then subsequently survey them? Can't you currently find anomalies in that case?

No. The systems are considered surveyed anyway. In fact, in order to declare war and try to grab those systems, you'd have to open up comms, which would give you the stellar survey data. The previous bug/loophole of systems being tagged by the controlling empire until you conquered isn't going to work anymore.

I also find myself confused by the people upset by the Ascension change. It's only the most basic of Ascension perks, things like Mastery of Nature or Defenders of the Galaxy, which apply to the base game. The Psionic/Synthetic/Genetic Ascension Paths are and will always be exclusive to Utopia. That's what you paid for.

 

[ISitOnGnomes]

But after you annex ai stars you can find anomalies in non surveyed systems, yes?

Yes, and that is not how the devs have intended it to work. So now it is being fixed.

 

[Risa]

How survey/anomaly works in current version:
When you survey a planet with a science ship, it runs following process.
1. Is this planet within border of another empire?
1.1. If no, go to step 2.
1.2. If yes, end process.
2. Is this planet has a flag "first surveyed by someone"?
2.1. If no, mark that planet "first surveyed by you". Go to step 3.
2.2. If yes, Does that someone still exist?
2.2.1 If no, replace that flag with "first surveyed by you". Go to step 3.
2.2.2 If yes, end process.
3. Is there already an anomaly?
3.1 If no, go to step 4.
3.2 If yes, reveal that anomaly to you if it's still unsolved. End process.
4. Roll the chance of anomaly generation. If an anomaly is generated, roll which category it is. Reveal that anomaly. End process.

 

[AresOfThrace]

Funny Idea: Why not make some anomalies randomly Pop up in the lategame, similar to precursor anomalies?

I mean, that is what anomalies do, appear randomly and mysteriously.

This would at least reduce the arkward Feeling of "being done" with the galaxy.

Also, has anyone of you guys ever found an anomaly in space that had already been surveyed by another empire? Because I never have, ever, in 20+ different games.
I really don't think ist even possible.

 

[ISitOnGnomes]

Also, has anyone of you guys ever found an anomaly in space that had already been surveyed by another empire? Because I never have, ever, in 20+ different games.
I really don't think ist even possible.

You can if the empire in question has been destroyed first.

 

[anomanderus]

You're not losing anything

I still don't get how this is in any way different from the game, or DLC for it, going on sale. If Utopia is 50% off in the Christmas sale, doesn't that mean people get half of the DLC content, that you paid for, for free? What about things like GOTY-editions that come with much or all the DLC?

I get the immediate emotional reaction, but even a small amount of reflection should make clear that things you buy loosing value over time is entirely normal.

I had a big response for you but deleted it. There isn't any point in arguing with people who don't seem to understand paradox is a business. Enjoy your overpriced dlcs.

 

[Cronos988]

I had a big response for you but deleted it. There isn't any point in arguing with people who don't seem to understand paradox is a business. Enjoy your overpriced dlcs.

And, as a business, it is completely expected that they would put content on sale or give it out for free. It's standard practice.

If the DLC is overpriced, you should wait for exactly that sale. If you buy DLC, which you would otherwise consider overpriced, based on the assumption that buying it for full price now is the only option and it will not be available cheaper or even free later, then you simply made a bad prediction.

Your decision to buy something should take into account the expected devaluation over time. In this specific case, it is very likely that the holiday sales would have devalued the DLC anyways.

 

[anomanderus]

And, as a business, it is completely expected that they would put content on sale or give it out for free. It's standard practice.

If the DLC is overpriced, you should wait for exactly that sale. If you buy DLC, which you would otherwise consider overpriced, based on the assumption that buying it for full price now is the only option and it will not be available cheaper or even free later, then you simply made a bad prediction.

Your decision to buy something should take into account the expected devaluation over time. In this specific case, it is very likely that the holiday sales would have devalued the DLC anyways.

You do you. I don't care. I encourage you to do you with all the passion of a man who has just discovered the internet and all the pleasures it has to offer.

 

[Frizzy]

It is a valid question, as of now. Why should I, or anyone, be a paying customer, and purchase DLCs content from Paradox ? Considering, what fundamental elements of base product, payed for, such as in the instance of Stellaris, FTL types, are being removed. Content, previously exclusive, is made freely available to those who did not pay for those features ? How is this not "EA games" kind of attitude towards their customer base ? There is a reason why so many gamers chose to boycott EA products. It was callous disregard for their customers. There is a long way for Paradox to go, to get to same place EA games at, to be sure. However, it is things like that, which do erode trust.

Following that logic, the only time to buy a game would be 1-2 f years from now (for something like Stellaris) where all the DLC's are released , and the game (Full Cosmic Overlord Edition) is on steam xmas sale 75% off with a note "It will never be cheaper". You paid to be able to use these perks before anyone else for several months, now they are simply cheaper - the cost dropped to 0.

 

[xxaxx]

Are people really complaining that they are making a tiny feature free? Jesus how petty can you get.

 

[JohnnyDepressio]

If I am looking for percursor artifacts and make contact to an empire that found some of them, do I automatically get these?

@Wiz BUMP

They already mentioned that it's impossible to get anomalies from planets owned by other civilizations. If you think about that statement for a few seconds, you'd realise that means you can't discover any precursor artifacts inside another empire's territories to begin with.

That is not what I was thinking about. It is clear that I can't survey other empires planets. That means I can't get the percursor artifacts the normal way.
So my question is if I found half of the percursor artifacts of one percursor civ and my neighbour found the other half will I get what my neigbour found (and they what I found) the moment we make contact or is the chain broken?

 

[wickermoon]

Are people really complaining that they are making a tiny feature free? Jesus how petty can you get.

That is called entitlement and jealousy, because people think that if they paid for something only they should be allowed to have it and if the producer of said thing gives it away for free much later, it is unfair and not right, because someone other than them profitted from this. Capitalism is a bitch, I guess. *shrugs*

I get why they made the basic perks available, I get that it was necessary and that they realize that they should've done this in the first place. It's not dealing in bad faith, it was just short-sightedness that they didn't realize that before releasing Utopia. I hope Paradox will think twice next time they add such a big feature. Honestly, everyone who's complaining about that feature going free should've complained about that feature being DLC-locked in the first place. I would wager none of them did, though. How could they? If they did and still bought the DLC, they paid for something they were not okay with. That would be quite stupid, imho.

I welcome that change and the new Communications changes as well. I just hope that Paradox might add some new Perks to the game :3

 

[xxaxx]

That is called entitlement and jealousy, because people think that if they paid for something only they should be allowed to have it and if the producer of said thing gives it away for free much later, it is unfair and not right, because someone other than them profitted from this. Capitalism is a bitch, I guess. *shrugs*

I get why they made the basic perks available, I get that it was necessary and that they realize that they should've done this in the first place. It's not dealing in bad faith, it was just short-sightedness that they didn't realize that before releasing Utopia. I hope Paradox will think twice next time they add such a big feature. Honestly, everyone who's complaining about that feature going free should've complained about that feature being DLC-locked in the first place. I would wager none of them did, though. How could they? If they did and still bought the DLC, they paid for something they were not okay with. That would be quite stupid, imho.

I welcome that change and the new Communications changes as well. I just hope that Paradox might add some new Perks to the game :3

I welcome it as well. Especially since the free perks are basically empire wide modifiers, that add very little actual content. That why i don't get the complaints. Its not like they are making every DLC free.

 

[Buladelu]

CK 2 is fine, you bought the game to play as a, well, crusader king, not jihad sultan or Buddhist warlord. The DLC's just expand your horizons and places you can play, you don't need equipment or retinues to enjoy the game.

I completely agree with you on EU IV though. The estates and some form of development should be made available to those who don't own the DLC (estates is really easy to fix, give three main estates to anyone with the base game, Cossacks gives you extra estates, you can add extra interaction like MEIOU and actually update the estates.

I didn't play CK2 as much even though I have most DLCs. I certainly liked the fact that DLCs like Republic or Rajas didn't mess with base gameplay. But still Old Gods revamped rebellions and Legacy of Rome added retinues - very important features changing the way diplomacy and economy work. They didn't have other features based on them and they supported retinues by adding new ones for new available cultures so it wasn't that bad.

Estates are even worse than what you've described. The problem is those features conflict with many others: Chinese, Republican and Revolutionary factions, Parliaments, Russian government actions are very similar features and they don't interact with estates - especially noticeable with Russian government because they're even called Boyars, same as estates. So instead of better integration of Estates which feels right - they're just adding unique estates to various countries *on top* of current boring not properly integrated Estates. This will forever remain boring and predictable feature you have to farm (and have to remember you can now interact with Estates again), it will forever feel unfinished, it will be duplicated further by other features that look exactly the same.

 

[chrisjwmartin]

For one, it's very unclear to players that for example, you cannot discover anomalies in other empires' space

WHAT?! Has that always been the case??