[Dev Team] BioGenesis + 4.0 'Phoenix' released (checksum 1ae3)

[Red Death]

Sure, that's how it used to be way back when for Life-Seeded, but I was hoping it wouldn't be reverted to that point. If you can't get migration treaties for whatever reason, you're kind of stuck with a single planet until near midgame. No idea how that will play in 4.0, but I guess I'll have to test it when I have time.

In my opinion, being stuck with one planet for a long time is how life-seeded should work, thematically.

Pop Growth allocation for Nercophages and their Prepatents need to be revisited, as the Prepatents feels like they get to small a 'bite' of the cake growth-wise as a lot of the pop-growth is 'wasted' on the Nercophages (specially if they're also Lithoid), meaning that they're falling behind

Each species now grows separately. I am pretty sure there is no general growth to be "allocated" to different species. There is no cake being divided, each species is making their own cupcakes depending on their own capabilities on that planet.

I'm going to boot back up and try a megacorp, but I'm going to hazard a guess the Research Lab building is built in the Core District, so my Necroid empire didn't have room for it...though why I start with so many Necroids, so few slaves, yet start with a Precinct House I have no idea.

Edit: I started with a Research lab in the Archive...why couldn't my Necroids start with the Vault in the Archives!?

I get the feeling you are misunderstanding. You're not supposed to get your researcher jobs from buildings anymore. You primarily get them from your city districts with a research or archives specialisation. So just build more districts, the buildings that just give jobs are not worth much anyway.

 

[chancer117]

Paradox you guys knew the patch was unplayable yet released it anyways. My multiplayer game with my 2 friends didn't make it past 2230! I'm not going to mince words here, that is unacceptable.

 

[Ajacoba]

Paradox you guys knew the patch was unplayable yet released it anyways. My multiplayer game with my 2 friends didn't make it past 2230! I'm not going to mince words here, that is unacceptable.

They knew it was playable and a lot of people are having fun playing it, in single player

 

[Sian]

Each species now grows separately. I am pretty sure there is no general growth to be "allocated" to different species. There is no cake being divided, each species is making their own cupcakes depending on their own capabilities on that planet.

I Know, but point still stands ... given the change there's too little growth around for Prepatents getting chambered every 10 years, to be your primary source of growth for your primary species

 

[Ajacoba]

I Know, but point still stands ... given the change there's too little growth around for Prepatents getting chambered every 10 years, to be your primary source of growth for your primary species

Have you updated your pop growth setting from 1.5 to 5?

 

[Sian]

Have you updated your pop growth setting from 1.5 to 5?

deliberately reset my standard settings in 4.0

 

[Miuramir]

If they did, that's truly good but doesn't seem to be working for me, at least as of this morning. They were the 3.14 traits.

Do you have the DLC? Perhaps it was inadvertently put behind that instead of the free patch, as I don't and it sounds like others don't either.

I got in some play time last night (4.0.2); a number of the scientist traits were upgraded that I saw. Things that previously were I: +10, II: +20 seem to generally now be I: +20, II: +35. I do have the DLC via the Season 09 Pass if it makes a difference.

That said, I don't like having "dead levels" even if they fix them all to be mathematically equivalent, or even a shade better. Picking how the leaders upgrade is part of the fun of the game. It also hurts more if you get a "none of these choices affect what they are doing" set of picks (e.g. only planetary governor traits for someone who will never be a governor).

 

[Thiend]

I got in some play time last night (4.0.2); a number of the scientist traits were upgraded that I saw. Things that previously were I: +10, II: +20 seem to generally now be I: +20, II: +35. I do have the DLC via the Season 09 Pass if it makes a difference.

That said, I don't like having "dead levels" even if they fix them all to be mathematically equivalent, or even a shade better. Picking how the leaders upgrade is part of the fun of the game. It also hurts more if you get a "none of these choices affect what they are doing" set of picks (e.g. only planetary governor traits for someone who will never be a governor).

That last part, they theoretically fixed (more picks, more weight on their current job).

I got some trait changes after reinstalling the game, but a lot of the traits really aren't changed at all - they're exactly the same as before, except now with half the traits total. Many of them seem to be the II version to start with, which for some isn't twice the value of the I version so even then it's still a nerf, and with the ones that aren't changed at all it's a BIG nerf.

 

[MadCow94]

That last part, they theoretically fixed (more picks, more weight on their current job).

I got some trait changes after reinstalling the game, but a lot of the traits really aren't changed at all - they're exactly the same as before, except now with half the traits total. Many of them seem to be the II version to start with, which for some isn't twice the value of the I version so even then it's still a nerf, and with the ones that aren't changed at all it's a BIG nerf.

You know, the problem is I don't WANT them weighted based on their current job. Scientists might be explorers at the moment but I plan on having them be sector governors or council members in the near future. Give me the trait picks and let the RNG fly.

 

[Miuramir]

That last part, they theoretically fixed (more picks, more weight on their current job).

I got some trait changes after reinstalling the game, but a lot of the traits really aren't changed at all - they're exactly the same as before, except now with half the traits total. Many of them seem to be the II version to start with, which for some isn't twice the value of the I version so even then it's still a nerf, and with the ones that aren't changed at all it's a BIG nerf.

I do acknowledge that the +1 pick helps a bit, but it's not enough. I will probably increase it by another +1 in my personal mod once I redo that for 4.x. The job weight thing doesn't seem to be working well if at all. In the early game, scientists are out there surveying, exploring, etc. yet I got 2 of 3 or even 3 of 3 picks related to planets multiple times.

I think part of the problem is that there are numerically too many planet / governor related traits compared to exploration traits. Even if it's vaguely helpful that your long lost uncle willed you their private mines while you were out exploring, it takes the place of an improvement that would have made you better at your actual job: surveying those systems before someone else does.

 

[Thiend]

You know, the problem is I don't WANT them weighted based on their current job. Scientists might be explorers at the moment but I plan on having them be sector governors or council members in the near future. Give me the trait picks and let the RNG fly.

I do acknowledge that the +1 pick helps a bit, but it's not enough. I will probably increase it by another +1 in my personal mod once I redo that for 4.x. The job weight thing doesn't seem to be working well if at all. In the early game, scientists are out there surveying, exploring, etc. yet I got 2 of 3 or even 3 of 3 picks related to planets multiple times.

I think part of the problem is that there are numerically too many planet / governor related traits compared to exploration traits. Even if it's vaguely helpful that your long lost uncle willed you their private mines while you were out exploring, it takes the place of an improvement that would have made you better at your actual job: surveying those systems before someone else does.

I've been saying for over a year they should specialize at level 1, allowing us to do it the moment we recruit them and cut the completely terrible side of RNG out entirely.

I would also enjoy more ways to improve the RNG, for instance ways to reroll traits and remove negative traits for a cost.

There's a lot that could be done relatively easily to massively improve leader QoL, separate from the fact that 4.0 massively and seemingly unintentionally nerfed the hell out of them because they forgot half the traits.

 

[HP Delron]

Even under the old System a single dead pick basically meant a dead leader to me. Someone I'd trash and start training a replacement for just as soon as a leader with non-dead traits appeared in the hiring screen.

I can't get bent out of shape out about a double-bad dead pick, when a single one was already well beyond tolerating already.


What would be a cool is a Building Tech that let you re-train leaders. Spending unity and maybe a couple years of the leader being missing-in-action to re-roll or specify a trait you want.

 

[MadCow94]

I would also enjoy more ways to improve the RNG, for instance ways to reroll traits and remove negative traits for a cost.

This sounds like a job for the Aptitude tradition! Giving us the gestalt/hive ability to purge negative traits from leaders as a decision or agenda would be amazing.

 

[Miuramir]

I've been saying for over a year they should specialize at level 1, allowing us to do it the moment we recruit them and cut the completely terrible side of RNG out entirely.

I would also enjoy more ways to improve the RNG, for instance ways to reroll traits and remove negative traits for a cost.

I was literally thinking "maybe we need to pick their role much earlier in their career" as I was typing my post, but hadn't gotten through the implications yet. I do feel we need the ability to give people some field experience as field scientists or fleet admirals before they become council members.

Crazy thought: What if there were no more council-only traits? If every "field" trait simply had a corresponding bonus that applied when the leader was put on the council, that would both make real-world sense and make the picking problems less problematic. So if you go out and spend the first few years / decades of your career fighting space monsters, then when you end up as defense minister you give empire-wide bonuses to things related to space monsters.

Breaking news: 4.0.4:

Reverted many of the leader changes:

Leaders once again gain traits at every level.
The number of trait picks per level has been set back to 2 by default.
Low level traits that were merged and buffed remain so.

 

[BlastFilms_]

In my opinion, being stuck with one planet for a long time is how life-seeded should work, thematically.

to be fair, in my expierience in general with 4.0 gameplay so far, early colonies take a VERY long time to develop in general. I had 5 planets by 2250 and 6.4k of my total 8.0k pops were still on my capital despite me having some of the planets for multiple decades.

 

[Miuramir]

to be fair, in my expierience in general with 4.0 gameplay so far, early colonies take a VERY long time to develop in general. I had 5 planets by 2250 and 6.4k of my total 8.0k pops were still on my capital despite me having some of the planets for multiple decades.

There is a really severe debuff to growth for planets with less than 400 pops. As of 4.0.2 at least, you *need* to plan to resettle about three times from your homeworld to your new colonies or they will languish for way too long.

This is unfortunately a serious nerf to migration treaties. If you settle a radically different planet type due to a treaty, and don't have anyone who would do well to send there, they will sit at 100 for ages.

 

[Thiend]

I was literally thinking "maybe we need to pick their role much earlier in their career" as I was typing my post, but hadn't gotten through the implications yet. I do feel we need the ability to give people some field experience as field scientists or fleet admirals before they become council members.

Crazy thought: What if there were no more council-only traits? If every "field" trait simply had a corresponding bonus that applied when the leader was put on the council, that would both make real-world sense and make the picking problems less problematic. So if you go out and spend the first few years / decades of your career fighting space monsters, then when you end up as defense minister you give empire-wide bonuses to things related to space monsters.

Breaking news: 4.0.4:

Reverted many of the leader changes:

Leaders once again gain traits at every level.
The number of trait picks per level has been set back to 2 by default.
Low level traits that were merged and buffed remain so.

It would be vastly superior for gameplay and theme if all traits were at least both council effects and one other category, if not with some implications for any role.

Gameplay currently encourages you to, by any means available, never start on a new council member - because there's no way to level up replacement council members. What SHOULD happen if your admiral council member dies is your most senior non-council admiral takes their position. What ACTUALLY happens is you recruit a new leader to take that position because that most senior existing admiral can't be specialized for the council anymore.

It's a more involved change, but still undeniably a good one. It would allow actually having successor-councilors, or using councilors for other roles when needed.

 

[BlastFilms_]

There is a really severe debuff to growth for planets with less than 400 pops. As of 4.0.2 at least, you *need* to plan to resettle about three times from your homeworld to your new colonies or they will languish for way too long.

This is unfortunately a serious nerf to migration treaties. If you settle a radically different planet type due to a treaty, and don't have anyone who would do well to send there, they will sit at 100 for ages.

Yeah unfortunately the two strategies that get buffed by these changes are super tall stuff (KotTG is super good now) and Capital Claim Rush (who needs to develop colonies when you can just take your opponents 6k pops and profit?)

 

[Everstill]

One Vision getting nerfed may have been warranted but why the Ascension cost reduction for Wilderness exclusively? Why not add that as a generic buff for all Empires since ascending colonies can be quite costly and arguably would make One Vision stronger in the process since not everyone takes Ascensionist or is President of a Holy Covenant to get the extra cost reduction.

Executive Vigor still sucks, try again. May I suggest +15 Edict Fund per Ruler level, -20% Edict Cost/Upkeep and +1 Council slots(increasing cap from 6 to 7, permitting the use of all three Civic posts. Gestalts get another node to specialize as they see fit).

Shared Destiny is ok but may I suggest decreasing subject integration time as well. Integrating vassals shouldn’t take as long as it does.

Master Builders: Recommend adding Contingency Relic perk of +1 Megastructure limit(as in you can build two Megastructures of the same type).

World Shaper + Detox + Hydrocentric: Consider merging them together. I’d add Ocean Paradise planetary decision to Hydrocentric to give value to Ocean Worlds over Gaia. Right now Gaia > Ocean and it’s not close.

I got One Vision for the amenities reduction.... I think they nerfed it too much, I dont see a reason to pick it anymore.

Executive vigor I dont know why they dont add an extra +50% edict funds. It would become very interesting.

Shared Destiny is supposed to.... share your destiny, not absorve your friends lol Better to increase the extra vassals to 2.

Master builders if they add +1 megastruct limit it would be a must pick, not a good change.

And yeah, the Wold Shaper can be merged with the others and unlock Detox and Hydrocentric as techs depending on your species, civics, etc...

got in some play time last night (4.0.2); a number of the scientist traits were upgraded that I saw. Things that previously were I: +10, II: +20 seem to generally now be I: +20, II: +35. I do have the DLC via the Season 09 Pass if it makes a difference.

That said, I don't like having "dead levels" even if they fix them all to be mathematically equivalent, or even a shade better. Picking how the leaders upgrade is part of the fun of the game. It also hurts more if you get a "none of these choices affect what they are doing" set of picks (e.g. only planetary governor traits for someone who will never be a governor).

Why they dont simple make that on the 'dead levels' it simple upgrade a random Trait it already have automatically...? Then its less stops but it keeps the power.

 

[HerrComrade]

I got One Vision for the amenities reduction.... I think they nerfed it too much, I dont see a reason to pick it anymore.

There really isn't any reason for it. The amenities bonus was what made it useful, the 50% ethics attraction and 10% unity were only appealing as a package deal with the amenities reduction.