I said at Gamescom "awesome". Only once, but not very quiet. And at the end of the presentation of Stellaris. And I usually do not like that word, because "awesome" expresses an Americanized About enthusiasm that is not me. Sure, joy and praise are not a thing, but I do not rejoice yet through history and find everything "cool".
But Stellaris - now, Stellaris is the nicest surprise of the show for me. Before Mafia 3, before Halo Wars 2, before The Surge and all others who also exciting games that existed in Cologne. Stellaris is developed by Paradox, more specifically from the team behind Crusader Kings 2 and Europa Universalis 4. Like its two predecessors, is a global hardcore strategy game (the paradox typical "Grand Strategy"), we are constructing and obsolete an entire empire. This time, however, no historical, Stellaris plays namely in space.
Now fans of space strategy games have currently anyway good reasons for anticipation: Wargaming tinkering at the Classic Revival Master of Orion, the amplitude studios Endless Space 2 announced. My favorite is now but Stellaris because it stuck just fucking many ideas that I wished for a long time by a space strategy game. Which? Just read on! And if you want the short version, easily jumps right at my conclusion - either as a video or as text.
Gameplay & Ship Editor
How Crusader Kings 2 or Europa Universalis 4 runs in Stellaris anytime pausier- and acceleratable real time.
To start a game, we tinker us via peoples Editor own Group, select advantages and disadvantages as production or research and Boni features à la "xenophobic", "religious" or "pacifist", which determine the further course of the game considerably. Then we are looking for from a still of approximately 100 portraits, and thus the appearance of our students - and there you go!
While there are also prefabricated peoples, but they are only intended for quick start - so for players who not feel like editing. In the game itself you will not meet these peoples.
After all, the properties of all adversaries are completely randomly generated every game! So you never know in advance if you come in the vastness of space on fanatically religious squid researchers, xenophobic mushroom creatures or isolationist cyborgs. That could indeed take the peoples autonomy, but also increase the replay value immensely. Thanks to the wide range of properties to be possible thousands combinations.
The galaxies of Stellaris be randomly generated at selectable sizes. At the presentation, the developers back continuously from the individual suns and planets up out of the view of the entire Milky Way. And looks great. Damn big.
Each of the up to 16 adjustable enemy nations starts with only one planet and must expand. In addition to these 16 "upstarts" other resident has the Galaxy but to offer in various stages of development. For more information see "Phase 1: Exploration".
Spaceships move freely through space and not on predetermined paths. In order to safeguard important flight corridors, one can build starbases or embarrassed minefields.
Battles between fleets take place directly in the game view, there are no separate tactic cards. Can affect you, the fighting itself is not, they run automatically - just like in Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings.
There will be an editor in which we equip our ships with weapons, reactors, engines & Co. and so can design their own models.
Obsolete Ships can be upgraded at home Visit to the current state of the art, but this takes some time and costs money.
Colonies & Heroes
Each colonized Planet offers several grounds slots, on which we can build each one building. Several similar buildings (about factories) side by side enjoying synergy bonuses and produce more.
The hexes have different properties, in turn, bring the advantages and disadvantages. Alien Ruins example, increase the research output, food farms should be on fertile fields rather than in ice deserts. And areas that are inhabited by dangerous animals, must be cleaned only once - which in turn requires the appropriate technology.
Thus, the planet is likely to greatly stand out from each other, a desert world as never is the granary of the empire.
In order for a tile earns something, we need to assign additional workers per population point, we have a "contingent workers" available.
But beware: As a roleplaying character also has each population unit individual qualities that Stellaris auswürfelt based on the initially selected national characteristics - for example, "busy" or "xenophobic" (bad if still other peoples live) (good!).
Stellaris: battles are automatic, we can not influence them - but well equip our ships with an editor yourself.
Battles take place automatically, we can not influence them - but well equip our ships with an editor yourself.
RPG-like characters playing anyway an important role, as in Master of Orion is available in Stellaris special heroes. Namely leader (derived colonies), admirals (lead fleets), generals (commanding ground forces) and scientists (flying research vessels, more on that later).
Each character has certain advantages and disadvantages, and rises by successes in the level of, in accordance with wise one should distribute the subordinates. This reminds pleasant to the often illustrious princes, bishops & Co. from Crusader Kings. 2
Phase 1: Exploration & nonlinear research
In the first phase of the game you explore the universe, with research vessels, which you assign a scientist as a commander. The then naturally brings with also individual properties, and maybe disadvantages.
The research vessels can scan among other planets to find out their properties.
In the vastness of space, the research vessels, special discoveries ("Discoveries") make, draw the job chains to be. For example, one finds an asteroid on which a temple stands, which is oddly dedicated an ancient, human deity. Now one should find out what it's all about.
Depending on the characteristics of their own people and the scientist involved, you can choose at Quest decisions other procedures. Religious researchers about to blow up the asteroid as Blasphemous work simply and then experience a completely different sequence than non-religious history, the search for more shrines and unravel.
Each quest action can succeed, but also in a disastrous bust ends. When an incompetent researchers examined the aforementioned asteroid, there is a risk that the boulders leaves its orbit and is on a collision course with an inhabited world. Then our fleet needs to intercept him.
A quest log ("log situation" called) listed our open orders.
The asteroid will be just one example of many, Paradox promises varied jobs. In addition, in space waiting of course the usual monsters, about interstellar giant jellyfish.
The regular research extends nonlinearly in Stellaris, there is no solid research tree!
How this works? First of all, we have each of the three areas of research a scientist-hero as the main responsible. The three areas are "Physics", "Mechanical" and "society". At certain intervals, these researchers make new discoveries then, where we then but only one may choose one discovered by three technologies - for example, improved laser cannons, shields or ground forces weapons.
The highlight: the discovered technologies are not predetermined, but are drawn randomly from a kind of pool. Here Stellaris also calculates the character level and the characteristics of the researcher employed, our national characteristics and the previously selected technologies with.
If we, for example, can investigate an experienced laser experts and have previously developed our energy weapons, the chance increases to high-tech blasters. A "mad scientist", however, produces more experimental technologies. So, the system should help to individualization of our people and at the same time ensure that the progress feels natural. So we discover not equal to the start of the game the Death Star technology.
Phase 2: Conflict & Contact
Sometime we do then in the game the first contact with our up to 16 rivals. The system then diplomacy is based on Euopa Universalis 4: We can build alliances and non-aggression pacts, act and make inferior States even to our vassals.
Who understands particularly well with one or more neighbors can even set up a federation à la Star Trek, so an alliance part of sovereign Member States, comparable to the European Union. With the difference that a leader of a member nation ruled this Federation as president and therefore determined on foreign policy. Every few years there are elections in which then a new president can be elected. Depending on the characteristics of each nation then is the Federation as a whole differently: If pacifists come to power, diplomacy is in the foreground; if an aggressive faction wins the race, expansion is announced.
If we start in Stellaris war, we should also have a reason for war. For example, by falsifying the claim ("Claim") of our people on a solar system. Without official reason for war our reputation suffers and we'll see you soon a powerful enemy alliance against. However, what happens if we expand too quickly, reasons for war or not.
Wars are not simply eventually won or lost, instead, there is a "War Score", ie a points value which indicates how much the enemy would leave us with a peace treaty. For example, we can nothing or just some money demand, annexing whole solar systems or make small states even completely vassals and thus our puppets.
In the galaxy of Stellaris we meet not only star guests peoples, but also those which are indeed progressive, but can not fly into space. How we deal with these neutral planet, depends on the properties of our people. Pacifists as they can watch from hiding to collect research points. More radical scientists abduct citizens and subject it studies, warlike peoples overrun the planet easy. And of course we can give the residents the spaceflight technology, to include them as a member of the galactic community. Or in our own federation, of course, completely disinterested.
Apart from such progressive peoples some planets are also inhabited by races that have not yet developed no awareness. As a ruthless ruler, we can intervene in the evolution of these aliens to tailor us a slave race to measure. If our own people has about problems with it in order to survive on the desert planet - no problem, then we simply tinker our own Fremen (Dune, as we understand). And if we are weak forces, we breed just a people willing soldiers zoom - the Jem'Hadar seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine can greet.
And there is a third type of neutral nations: the fallen empires. This great star empires had once powerful technologies, but lost all their knowledge - as the human Imperium of Warhammer 40K. Now they can use their high-tech ships and weapons still running but no longer repair or rebuild. The fallen empires therefore not expand and explain any wars, but doggedly defend its borders - and with very advanced fleets. Whoever attacks them must reckon with hard resistance, but also has the chance to get particularly valuable technologies that nowhere else in the game.
Destroyed Fleets left namely debris, which can be studied by research vessels to extract technologies. Anyone who has always envied the neighbors around its thicker laser cannons, they can therefore take easy. Assuming he defeats one of its fleets.
Phase 3: Endgame & major disasters
Typically, the endgame of a space strategy game developed always the same: At some point you're so big and powerful that you simply wipe away the remaining competitors. Stellaris want to do it differently. When your empire grows, namely increasing the risk of a galactic catastrophe that makes the Endgame particularly demanding.
There are several types of galactic disasters, however, are always based on the current state of the game itself. When about a nation in the field researching intensively wormhole technology, it may happen that there is a portal opens into another dimension, flow from the well through powerful as malicious aliens in our universe.
Another example: When we have discovered the appropriate technology, we can build robots-workers for our colonies, who toil very effective and never be unhappy. Anyone who has seen Battlestar Galactica, but guess: This can backfire! The robot can in fact develop an awareness and establish their own state machine. And eventually decides eventually to extinguish the meat bags that contaminate the rest of the galaxy.
If such a disaster occurs, we have two choices. Either we unite all the peoples of the galaxy and take the enemies opposed together. Or we lean back, strengthen our fleet and wait how the competitors so beat - only to all intervene at the end and mop up with all the enemies to the ground.
Michael Graf: I like the Paradox games (just I sit again on Hearts of Iron 3), and I like space strategy. In Stellaris both come together, that's for good news. Yet this paradox would pack many features into the game, which I have long wish from the genre of federations and fallen empires over züchtbare slaves, ahem, associates and more opportunities in dealing with neutral planets to sophisticated and transparent diplomacy and "Was Score "system à la Europa Universalis.
Clearly, the high random factor could annoy some players quickly - about when they start next aggressive and combative neighbors or just pull random technologies with which they can not do much. Even the great catastrophes can enrich the Endgame clear but just as quickly turn into frustration when the Empire laboriously constructed sets in random firestorm. People in Battlestar Galactica were not just motivated by the Cylon rebellion. Since paradox is very, very long time to insert into the balancing and the traceability of the game mechanics.
Now those are always been not just the strength of Sweden, on the other hand, they assure, after the great success of Crusader Kings 2 finally the money and thus have the time to publish their games in reasonable condition. Not for nothing they have been working for four years on Hearts of Iron 4. But well, are worried for tomorrow, at Gamescom me Stellaris all new announcements surprised most, precisely because it has options that I wish for a long time. And moreover completely came out of nowhere.
Clear, Stellaris is not a game for everyone; it could frusten, the balance could wobble. One likely Stellaris but will definitely: a game just for me. And moreover, one whose games always have been different, because I can experiment with features and options: Reasons I a federation or I go on conquering Tour? I breed slave races or I move the fallen empires of the Pelle? I can write my own future history. And if I do not have time for it, then I look up to the stories of other players in Let's Plays. That makes me in Paradox games namely also a lot of fun.
I should have paid attention in school because I can only get little bits of it at a time.
