Is it hardcoded that you can't start with the mechanical trait?

[Omnishambles]

I've made a custom empire with the trait but still can't start the game as them. I've been searching through the files to find the rule that prevents you starting with the mechanical trait without success, starting to think it isn't in there.

I just want to start as non-gestalt robots for RP

 

[Mr. Morague]

I’d imagine it’d be fine to start with mechanical. I’d recommend looking at now Void Dwellers and Post-Apocalyptic add their unique traits as a reference point, and try to replicate that.

 

[Hansatron]

I think to be mechanical you need to have the MACHINE species archetype, whereas normal robots are of archetype ROBOT. You could either create a new species archetype (more work) or just make a copy of the mechanical trait (use the same icon, etc) for tagged for ROBOT pops. Or whatever your species is.

 

[Omnishambles]

I think to be mechanical you need to have the MACHINE species archetype, whereas normal robots are of archetype ROBOT. You could either create a new species archetype (more work) or just make a copy of the mechanical trait (use the same icon, etc) for tagged for ROBOT pops. Or whatever your species is.

Yeah making a copy of the archetype might be the best solution, I'll try it out. The mechanical trait is what makes you the robot archetype anyway, the gestalt robots have the machine trait instead. The problem is that you can't actually start playing with the mechanical trait. You get the message "The special trait Mechanical cannot be selected at game start"
Actually it isn't. You need to change 00_species_classes which allows you to select the robot portraits, which are identical to the machine ones

 

[Omnishambles]

I’d imagine it’d be fine to start with mechanical. I’d recommend looking at now Void Dwellers and Post-Apocalyptic add their unique traits as a reference point, and try to replicate that.

Making it an origin worked, thanks

 

[Omnishambles]

Now I have another problem, in that my pops won't take ruler jobs even with the right techs. No idea why but I can't set AI rights to full, the option doesn't show.

 

[G S Palmer]

Hey @Omnishambles: I noticed you briefly published your mod on the workshop (at least I assume that was you). You mentioned you were having trouble with the AI and robotic workers policy - I think if you want to get around that, all you need to do is, on game start, add the "synthetic_empire" flag to your country. Having that flag blocks you from any policy other than full AI rights, and having full AI rights blocks you from having the robot pops outlawed policy.

 

[Omnishambles]

Hey @Omnishambles: I noticed you briefly published your mod on the workshop (at least I assume that was you). You mentioned you were having trouble with the AI and robotic workers policy - I think if you want to get around that, all you need to do is, on game start, add the "synthetic_empire" flag to your country. Having that flag blocks you from any policy other than full AI rights, and having full AI rights blocks you from having the robot pops outlawed policy.

Yeah that was me. I'll try that out, thank you!

Edit: Unfortunately that didn't work, I added the flag to the origin and they're marked with it but still no rulers or option to change it.

 

[G S Palmer]

Have you tried using set_policy = { policy = artificial_intelligence_policy option = ai_full_rights } and set_policy = { policy = robot_pop_policy option = robot_pops_allowed } in an event triggered from the on_game_start_country action?

Alternatively, you could try editing the policies' valid = {} condition to include a check for your origin. So for the AI Outlawed and AI Servitude policies, you'd just add has_origin = origin_your_origin to the NOR = {} condition.

 

[Omnishambles]

Have you tried using set_policy = { policy = artificial_intelligence_policy option = ai_full_rights } and set_policy = { policy = robot_pop_policy option = robot_pops_allowed } in an event triggered from the on_game_start_country action?

Alternatively, you could try editing the policies' valid = {} condition to include a check for your origin. So for the AI Outlawed and AI Servitude policies, you'd just add has_origin = origin_your_origin to the NOR = {} condition.

Yeah I've tried both of those. There isn't a problem with the robot worker policy, just the AI rights one. Trying to set the policy with an event gives an error about attempting to set a non-potential policy.

I suspect that it's something to do with can_set_ai_policy, which is in 00_scripted_triggers.txt

can_set_ai_policy = {
    is_mechanical_empire = no
    OR = {
        has_technology = tech_synthetic_workers
        has_technology = tech_sapient_ai
        any_relation = {
            has_communications = prev
            OR = {
                has_technology = tech_synthetic_workers
                has_technology = tech_sapient_ai
                has_authority = auth_machine_intelligence
            }
            OR = {
                is_country_type = default
                has_ai_personality_behaviour = robot_exploiter
                has_ai_personality_behaviour = robot_liberator
            }
        }
    }
}

I tried removing is_mechanical_empire = no but that didn't work either. The only way I've been able to change it is by removing the check for can_set_ai_policy from 00_policies.txt, but then everyone can choose full AI rights from the start. I've read that if you take synthetic evolution without setting citizen AI rights first then you'll be stuck with servitude, it seems to be the same thing that's happening here.

 

[G S Palmer]

Yeah I've tried both of those. There isn't a problem with the robot worker policy, just the AI rights one. Trying to set the policy with an event gives an error about attempting to set a non-potential policy.

I suspect that it's something to do with can_set_ai_policy, which is in 00_scripted_triggers.txt

can_set_ai_policy = {
    is_mechanical_empire = no
    OR = {
        has_technology = tech_synthetic_workers
        has_technology = tech_sapient_ai
        any_relation = {
            has_communications = prev
            OR = {
                has_technology = tech_synthetic_workers
                has_technology = tech_sapient_ai
                has_authority = auth_machine_intelligence
            }
            OR = {
                is_country_type = default
                has_ai_personality_behaviour = robot_exploiter
                has_ai_personality_behaviour = robot_liberator
            }
        }
    }
}

I tried removing is_mechanical_empire = no but that didn't work either. The only way I've been able to change it is by removing the check for can_set_ai_policy from 00_policies.txt, but then everyone can choose full AI rights from the start. I've read that if you take synthetic evolution without setting citizen AI rights first then you'll be stuck with servitude, it seems to be the same thing that's happening here.

Have you tried to add has_origin = origin_your_origin as one of the checks for the trigger? Alternatively, have you tried editing the is_mechanical_empire trigger to include that?

 

[Omnishambles]

Have you tried to add has_origin = origin_your_origin as one of the checks for the trigger? Alternatively, have you tried editing the is_mechanical_empire trigger to include that?

I was using has_civic = origin_robotic_civilization, but I just tried has_origin and that didn't work either. I've also tried a unique flag for the origin in the trigger. I don't want to mess with mechanical_empire in case it messes something else up.

 

[G S Palmer]

I don't want to mess with mechanical_empire in case it messes something else up.

The only thing it would mess up would be other mods that change the same trigger (which there probably aren't many of). Otherwise, it should be fine.

 

[Omnishambles]

The only thing it would mess up would be other mods that change the same trigger (which there probably aren't many of). Otherwise, it should be fine.

I managed to sort it out by changing the potential section of 00_policies to

artificial_intelligence_policy = {

    potential = {
        NOT = { has_ethic = ethic_gestalt_consciousness }
        OR = { can_set_ai_policy = yes
               has_origin = origin_robotic_civilization
        }
    }

One of the first things I tried but I used has_civic instead of has_origin lol. Thank you for your help!

 

[G S Palmer]

Glad you got it worked out! I'd be interested to play a gmae with your mod some time.

 

[Omnishambles]

Glad you got it worked out! I'd be interested to play a gmae with your mod some time.

There's a few more things I'd like to do before releasing it. Next up is preventing assimilation because it doesn't make much sense in the context of the origin

Edit: well that easier done than said, assimilation is now disabled. Just need to fix up some localisation stuff and then I'll release it

 

[Omnishambles]

It's up! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2070518803
If you get a chance to try it out let me know how it went and if there's anything that isn't working properly. Thanks again for helping