Ascension paths and new players

[Archael90]

I’m not sure how to begin, so I’ll get straight to the point: many new players have no idea how ascension paths work, and as a result, they often don’t engage with them at all.
(At least that’s been the case with the people I’ve spoken to.)

A lot of players just pick perks that appeal to them in the moment, without realizing they might be unintentionally locking themselves out of future options. The game doesn’t clearly communicate that ascension paths represent a major, nearly mandatory transformation of the entire empire.

And this doesn’t only apply to brand-new players — casual players are affected too. For example, I recently played a game with a friend who started playing Stellaris back before Utopia, just like I did, but she only plays once a year. When I asked her — just a few days ago — which ascension path she prefers, she had no idea what I was talking about. That made me thinking.

Ascension paths should be much more clearly marked in the interface and presented as something important and exciting — not just another set of perks.

As a suggestion: the "Ascension Theory" technology could be moved down by two tiers and unlock a dedicated slot specifically for ascension path choices. This would make their significance more apparent and help guide newer or more casual players toward making meaningful long-term decisions for their empires.

 

[Dayknight]

Agree. Even meta wise there is no reason not to pick paths in tradition slot 4(ascension perk slot 3) after machine age dlc paths are absolute game changer compare to other perks. Seperating them from normal tradition trees can make users to know they are really game changers.

 

[Foxosaur]

I still do this more often than not so definitely think this is important for new players.

Great suggestion.

 

[Lykayla]

Honesty ascension should have its own tab separate from traditions IMO

There's so many ascension perks that get locked out because we have limited slots and when they changed it to take a tradition tree that's a mandatory tree you have to dedicate to ascension now too.

Optimum path ends up being that most tradition trees are garbage and are not worth taking so we end up taking the same 8 every game lol

 

[RoverStorm]

Optimum path ends up being that most tradition trees are garbage and are not worth taking so we end up taking the same 8 every game lol

Some tradition trees are more "situational" than others. I've seen a surprising about of variety in terms of tradition trees even in more serious lobbies.
But there are....certain "mandatory" tradition trees.

Then there's Subterfuge......

 

[Lykayla]

Some tradition trees are more "situational" than others. I've seen a surprising about of variety in terms of tradition trees even in more serious lobbies.
But there are....certain "mandatory" tradition trees.

Then there's Subterfuge......

Yep, some vary on build but I'd argue that they really don't swap much. XD

Oh boy, Subterfuge. Maybe it'll get a big update in the psionics dlc.

 

[Pavane]

I agree. When designing a new empire my first consideration is what ascention is appropriate for them and then work the traditions back from that.

 

[Archael90]

When min-maxing. Trees and perks are more less constant depending on their usefulness and power.
But for casual players, all of them are valid options, Stellaris is also roleplay.
But ascenstion paths should be an option even for such players, and clearly visible for new ones. I think they should have Thier own separated place.

 

[Revengeance_oov]

As a suggestion: the "Ascension Theory" technology could be moved down by two tiers and unlock a dedicated slot specifically for ascension path choices. This would make their significance more apparent and help guide newer or more casual players toward making meaningful long-term decisions for their empires.

Fully support this approach, except that it means you'd need to reconsider the gate to Ascension Edicts.

But there are....certain "mandatory" tradition trees.

Then there's Subterfuge......

The funny part is that I pick Subterfuge in nearly every game. Faster first contacts from codebreaking, 100 Intel on everyone, +1 Cloaking, and +10 tracking are all very nice.

 

[Archael90]

reconsider the gate to Ascension Edicts.

1. Unlocked once X perks are unlocked.
2. Unlocked with tech, so sooner.
3. New tech, granting those edicts.

 

[Archael90]

So, Devs, will You help new players?

 

[Drachasor]

Personally, I think they should use and expand the crisis mechanic. Have it start open-ended at the beginning of the game, many things give you points. As it develops, you make ascension choices or choose a nemesis path and progress along those.

Ascension is such a huge buff now that it should be more open to multiple playstyles, and not encourage unity rushing just for it.

 

[jedavis]

I really wish they could make the advanced authority stuff more obvious when making the choice of ascension path. Those and agendas associated with traditions should both have tooltips when you're choosing the tradition so you know what you're getting. Currently it's quite illegible without keeping the wiki open on another monitor or something.

 

[Ikael]

Super-agree on the whole "give Ascension paths their unique 'Ascension Perk slot', shiny golden borders and all. It would solve many problems at once: It would help new players to convey its importance, it would also help with the division of "must-have" APs VS regular ones, plus it would solve the apparent lack of AP slots (and if it were up to me, I would make this special slot to compete against things like Cosmogenesis or Behemot, too).

 

[Archael90]

Super-agree on the whole "give Ascension paths their unique 'Ascension Perk slot', shiny golden borders and all. It would solve many problems at once: It would help new players to convey its importance, it would also help with the division of "must-have" APs VS regular ones, plus it would solve the apparent lack of AP slots (and if it were up to me, I would make this special slot to compete against things like Cosmogenesis or Behemot, too).

Yes, that's exactly the point

 

[Exasperation]

and if it were up to me, I would make this special slot to compete against things like Cosmogenesis or Behemot, too

I don't like this part for thematic reasons; it would mean that only non-psionic empires can be tempted to enter the shroud, empires that master genetic manipulation become incapable of creating the perfect spaceborne predator, empires that abandon their flesh for synthetic bodies are incapable of pursuing technological advancement heedless of the costs, and as a consequence it just generally feels bad.

 

[Ikael]

I don't like this part for thematic reasons; it would mean that only non-psionic empires can be tempted to enter the shroud, empires that master genetic manipulation become incapable of creating the perfect spaceborne predator, empires that abandon their flesh for synthetic bodies are incapable of pursuing technological advancement heedless of the costs, and as a consequence it just generally feels bad.

I dunno, but I feel that crisis paths, pretty much like ascension paths, are on a whole power level of their own that sets them apart from regular APs, hence why I would put them on their own "advanced AP" category (plus it would make for some hard choices).

 

[MordridBlack]

There's so many ascension perks that get locked out because we have limited slots and when they changed it to take a tradition tree that's a mandatory tree you have to dedicate to ascension now too.

We desperately need a rework/update on Ascension Perks and even Traditions

I almost exclusively always see the same perks and traditions being used