Decaying Star Empire

[lwarmonger]

So, having read about the possibility (in a procedurally generated game, I would assume that this is just a possibility), of an old decaying empire with the ability to use its past technology but not create more, I immediately saw references to Warhammer 40K from amongst the previewer and forum goers.

Not my first reaction at all. I immediately thought of the Empire from Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, specifically at the stage it finds itself during the book "Foundation and Empire" with General Bel Rios and Emperor Cleon II (if you haven't read these classics, Amazon is a great place to go pick them up inexpensively). An Empire that has been decaying for some time, with serious internal difficulties, and superior old equipment mixed together and salvaged onto inferior new equipment. That being said, not just a passive speed bump, for the Empire's sheer size and the quantity of resources remaining to it even in its diminished state still make it a very serious opponent for the smaller, more dynamic younger races (specifically the 16ish main species, of which you are one) surrounding it. An opponent that if you advance too quickly, or act too aggressively towards, will strike out and attempt to arrest your development as a great power while it still has that capability.

What kind of pre-existing empires do you see, and what kinds of actions would you like to see from them to make the game universe a more interesting place? What kind of things should they be unable to do?

 

[echo2361]

My mind also jumped to the decaying Empire of Asimov's Foundation series when I heard about the high tech, but non-expanding factions in the game. Warhammer 40k also makes some sense, but the Imperium still builds things and expands to a certain extent there.

In general, I want to see factions that once spanned across many systems that were brought low by some great catastrophic event. Maybe their history could be prophetic of the major end game threats to come for the player? Things like a serious plague, an AI revolt, or a religious civil war could have all resulted in the destruction of these former empires, leaving them an isolationist focused species with a severe amount of xenophobia. If the player can somehow manage to form good relations with them, they could get nice rewards. But if they anger these decaying factions they'll risk awakening a sleeping giant so to speak.

 

[Dr.Livingstone]

I'd love this type of "Empire collapses scenario". Especially if you start out as a dynamic new faction, take over the old Empire's land, see yourself become newer, better, stronger in every way possible, and then watch as decadence sets in, eventually leading to you being in the same scenario as that empire.

 

[brasfild]

One of the things that I always appreciated about Asimov's Foundation series (Gibbon's Decline and Fall) is that the collapse was gradual. Few individuals would notice anything more than the bemoaning of the elderly that 'things worked better in my day.' This always struck me as a more... hopeful(?) method of decline than the absolute destruction of the Aztec empire in a matter of months.

I would LOVE a method of recreating a galactic empire (with or without aliens) that was on the decline because of structural inefficiencies.

 

[Guthuk Gaming]

I'd love this type of "Empire collapses scenario". Especially if you start out as a dynamic new faction, take over the old Empire's land, see yourself become newer, better, stronger in every way possible, and then watch as decadence sets in, eventually leading to you being in the same scenario as that empire.

I'd find that fun. You'd find that fun. Players at large HATE rebuilding. Just look at how many EU4 players will quit after a single lost war.

 

[keynes2.0]

Few individuals would notice anything more than the bemoaning of the elderly that 'things worked better in my day.'

Eh... even by Seldons time, people talk about the fact that the empire is getting worse as a self evident fact. When Harbor Mallow talks to a citizen of the empire the old man is very clear on the point that Imperial politics used to work well in the Siwenna sector under old dynasties but the new dynasties are bad. There does seems to be an elitist divide where the privledged like Bel Roise, the techmen and the inhabitants of Trantor think the empire is doing great but the average citizen (at least in the outer sectors) see the failure of the empire everywhere. I think people value the past very highly outside the Foundation as seen in Orginism, the religion of Askone or the importance abscribed to the circle and sun in former imperial territories. The "natives" who died trying to protect a library from soldiers on a "pig pen world" somewhere between the Empire and Foundation cared about old books enough to die for them. No one but the psychohistorians knows that the empire is about to shatter into Diadochi realms but it seems that knowledge that something has changed is everywhere. They attribute the change to various things (rebels, magicians, tyrants) but most people agree something changed.

I'd find that fun. You'd find that fun. Players at large HATE rebuilding. Just look at how many EU4 players will quit after a single lost war.

That's because the EUIV mechanics dont make that an interesting campaign.

 

[Holy.Death]

My mind also jumped to the decaying Empire of Asimov's Foundation series when I heard about the high tech, but non-expanding factions in the game. Warhammer 40k also makes some sense, but the Imperium still builds things and expands to a certain extent there.

That's because the Imperium can still raise fresh armies and fleets. The old empires from Stellaris sound to me like neutral planets from Sins of a Solar Empire - they are nothing more but a body block put into place so you can't expand too aggressively, until you have the means to dispose of them. Other than being able to salvage their superior technology I don't really find them that interesting, unless you can affect them diplomatically.