Hello everyone and welcome to another Stellaris development diary. Today we'll be talking about a feature that was hinted at in last dev diary, Ascension Perks. Ascension Perks are related to the Traditions and Unity system, but is a paid feature in the (unannounced) expansion accompanying the 1.5 'Banks' update, rather than a part of the update itself. Those without the expansion will get full access to the Traditions and Unity features, but not to the Ascension Perks themselves.
Ascension Perks
The idea behind the Ascension Perks is to provide more unique unlockable features for Empires, and to provide the player with the ability to determine an 'endgame' for their species: What their empire is striving towards. Perhaps your goal is to go all-in on AI, replacing the frail biological bodies of your pops with immortal machines, or to harness the psionic potential of your species and reach a higher form of existence, allowing your empire to tap into other planes of being? All these and more are covered by the Ascension Perk system.
Each time you complete a Tradition tree, you will unlock one Ascension Perk slot, of which there are 8 in total. There may also be other ways to unlock slots, such as from certain rare technologies or as a reward for a particular event chain. This slot can then be filled with any of the Ascension Perks available to you. The final number of perks is not yet set down, but there are currently more than 20 and there will likely be more added. Ascension Perks have pre-requisites, which can for example be a particular technology or tradition, a certain number of Ascension Perk slots to be unlocked, or a specific ethos or government type. Some Ascension Perks are one-offs that simply provide a bonus to a particular area of your empire: For example, a bonus to border range, or cheaper terraforming. Others unlock new features, such as the ability to construct new types of space structures (more on in later dev diaries).
Finally there are the three 'Species Endgame' paths: The biological path, the spiritual path and the synthetic path. These three paths each consist of two perks, the first of which unlocks access to the second once a number of other pre-requisites have been met. The paths are mutually exclusive, and once you start heading down one of them, the other two are locked off.
The Biological Path focuses on mastery over biological evolution. The first level of it gives access to more gene points and significantly cuts the cost of genemodding projects, while the second level expands the options available during genemodding in addition to further providing more points and less cost.
The Psionic Path focuses on developing the psionic potential of your population. The first level unlocks new psionic technologies and benefits, while the second level allows your empire to reach a higher level of existance and communicate with the beings present there.
The Synthetic Path focuses on the replacement of biology with machinery. The first level allows you to turn your population partly synthetic through the use of cybernetics, while the second level replaces your biological pops with robots, turning your empire entirely synthetic.
That's all for today! Next week we'll be talking about the concept of species rights and obligations.
Can you imagine the economy crash when suddenly your entire population becomes robots, food becomes worthless overnight and is replaced by a massive demand for power that is glacially met as sector governors slowly repurpose tiles one at a time?
There's a perk in there that gives you a 33% damage bonus against fallen/awakened empires. Considering that two of my last three campaigns have been ended by Fallen Empires waking up and roflstomping everyone, that's a game-changer right there.
They are so many *lonely* *juicy* *bubbles*. It is so sad. But we can play *spicy games*.
They will be *campers* soon. Soon is now. They will enjoy *the change* but perhaps not.
I am worried that other *campers* and *silly cows* together might go *outside* and have to *dance*. The fallen empires probably won't be able to *jump in front*.
So I started playing this game last night and I'm loving it so far.
I haven't played too many games like this so if there are any good beginner tips or any resources I should look up, hit me up. I'm gonna start going through this thread, but I thought it was worth asking first.
Defeated my first Fallen Empire--and relatively quickly at that--courtesy of a defensive pact (and a absurd number of vassals and protectorates who couldn't fight their way out of a phone booth). Liberated all their systems so they formed a new, less dickish government.
To my surprise, it was also the first time I ever saw another fallen empire entirely encircled by that first fallen empire (though they're actually Xenophile humans). Probably going to end up at war with them too somewhere down the line, need to be at the top, etc.
Hello everyone and welcome to another Stellaris development diary. Today's dev diary is going to be a meaty one, covering several new features in the 1.5 'Banks' update, as well as some paid features coming in the (unannounced) expansion accompanying Banks. Please note that because of some sickness, we're a little behind in the interface department, so the interface graphics shown today are placeholders and not what will be in the final product.
Species Rights (Free Feature)
The big new feature we'll be talking about today is Species Rights. Previously, what rights your species had were controlled through a set of policies that could only discriminate between 'your founder species' and 'everyone else'. We felt that this was an area in need of more granularity, both to make playing a multispecies empire more interesting and also to create more of a sense of distinction between your pops. Thus, in Banks, it will now be possible to individually determine the rights and obligations of each species in your empire. In addition to setting rights for a species currently in your empire, you can also set rights for species outside your empire (for example granting species you would like to attract to your empire via migration Full Citizenship and a good living standard) and have a default set of rights that is applied to any species you have not specifically configured the rights for.
The most fundamental status of a species in your empire is Citizenship. Citizenship is the overall set of rights and privileges given to a species: Whether they are free or unfree, whether they can participate in the political processes of the country, what restrictions can be placed on them and even whether they have the right to live in your empire at all. In addition to rights and obligations, citizenship also affects Pops' migration attraction: A Pop that is currently enjoying Full Citizenship is unlikely to move to another empire where their rights would be curtailed, and Pops living under second-class citizen conditions are more likely to move somewhere that promises them a better life.
Full Citizenship: Species with full citizenship are fully integrated populations in your empire. They have the right to vote in democracies and can become leaders of all types. You are also forbidden from enacting population controls on them.
Caste System: Species with a caste system have a mix of full citizenship and slavery, with pops working in the farms and mines being enslaved and the rest being free to enjoy the fruits of the serfs' labor.
Limited Citizenshp: Species with limited citizenship are tolerated but not integrated populations in your empire. While not enslaved, their right to vote and stand for political office is curtailed, and you can place population restrictions on them and restrict them from being able to settle on your core worlds (more on that below).
Slaves: Species with this setting are all enslaved without exception. They have no rights whatsoever and live under the most squalid of conditions.
Undesirables: Undesirables are species that you do not wish to exist in your empire. Depending on your purge policy this can either mean that you mean that you target them for extermination, or just dry to drive them off from your worlds (more on that below).
Military Service is the martial obligations placed on this species by your empire. It can range from allowing Full Military Service as both soldiers and officers, allowing you to recruit generals and admirals from the species even if they would normally not be allowed to be leaders (for example due to Limited Citizenship) all the way down to a full exemption from all military service.
Living Standards represents how economically favored a population is, for example whether they benefit from social welfare or have restrictions placed on what kinds of occupations they can be employed in. The higher the living standards of a Pop is, the more Consumer Goods it will use, and the happier it will be (more on Consumer Goods below).
Migration Controls determines whether a species is allowed to freely migrate between worlds or not. This is always enabled for slaves and pops that are being purged.
Population Controls determines whether a species is allowed to grow its population or not. Species with population control will not grow new pops, but neither will their existing pops die off.
In addition to determining what a species is able to do, species rights will also affect a variety of other factors such as happiness and consumer goods (for example, Pops are generally not very pleased about being enslaved or having population controls placed on them). Different factions in your empire will also have different preferences for what species rights you employ, such as Authoritarian pops liking Caste Systems and Supremacist factions being less than happy with granting Full Citizenship to aliens.
Purge and Slavery Types (Paid Feature)
In addition to the free species rights given to everyone in the Banks update, there is also a paid element, namely the special Purge and Slavery policies that allows you define in which manner your empire utilizes slavery and purging vis-a-vis specific species. The default options (Chattel Slavery and Extermination) are always available even without the expansion, and those without the expansion can also make use of Displacement via a policy, but the rest are only for expansion owners.
The slavery types are as follows:
Chattel Slavery: This represents forced labor on a massive scale. Chattel Slaves have a bonus to food and mineral production and a large penalty to energy/science production and under a Caste System all Pops producing Minerals and Food will be enslaved.
Domestic Servitude: This represents a combination of plantation slavery and indentured servitude. Domestic Servants have no boost to any resource production and a small penalty to mineral/energy/science production, but increase the happiness of all non-enslaved citizen pops on the planet.
Battle Thralls: This represents a system of enforced martial serfdom. Battle Thralls have no boost to any resource production and a moderate penalty to energy/science production, but armies recruited from them are stronger.
Livestock: This represents a species that is regularly culled to be used as food. Livestock produce a fixed number of extra food, but are completely unable to produce any other kind of resource.
The purge types are as follows:
Extermination: The species is systemically killed off by any means available. This is the fastest form of purging, but pops subject to it are unable to produce any resources while they are busy dying off.
Displacement: The species is driven away through the use of forced resettlement and destruction of their homes. Displaced pops will not be killed, but rather will attempt to flee the empire to other, more welcoming empires, and might even try to settle uncolonized planets. This process is slow, but generates less outrage among other empires than the other forms of purging.
Forced Labor: The species is placed in camps and forced to do hard labor under brutal conditions with inadequate food and shelter, effectively working them to death. Pops doing Forced Labor will be killed off more slowly than through extermination, but will continue to produce minerals, food and (at a significant penalty) energy.
Processing: The species is processed into food for the consumption of other Pops. Pops being Processed generate a fixed amount of food and die off at a fairly fast pace, but cannot be put to use producing any other resources.
Neutering: The species is prevented from reproducing through chemical castration or biological modification, eventually dying off naturally. Neutered Pops continue to function normally and may even be given a high standard of life, but have a large penalty to their happiness. The speed at which they die off varies based on the species' natural lifespan, but is typically very slow.
Consumer Goods (Free Feature)
Another issue we're trying to tackle in Banks is mineral inflation. Mineral production has a tendency to snowball in the mid- and lategame, particularly in large, sprawling empires. In order to address this we've introduced a new mineral cost called Consumer Goods. Consumer Goods represents the portion of your industrial base that is occupied with seeing to the needs of your population, ie producing butter instead of guns. Each Pop in your empire will use a certain amount of Consumer Goods each month, with the amount primarily dependent on their living standards. Each unit of consumer goods costs a certain number of minerals dependening on factors such as ethics, traditions, whether your empire is engaged in a defensive war and so on.
Refugees and Core Worlds (Free Feature)
The last thing we'll be covering today is some new policies that tie into the mechanics of species rights. The Core Worlds Population policy determines which Pops are allowed to live on your core (non-sector) planets, and can be set to either allow only citizen Pops (Full Citizenship/Caste System), citizen and slave Pops (Full Citizenship/Caste System/Slaves) or open them up to all species. If you restrict your core worlds and there are prohibited Pops living there, they will move away, either migrating to your sectors or fleeing your empire altogether if there is another empire willing to take them. Whether or not another empire is willing to accept those fleeing purges, slavery and resettlement depends on your Refugees policy. You can choose to accept other species will open arms, allowing refugee Pops to freely move into your empire, be more restrictive and accept only those Pops you have deigned to grant citizenship, or simply shut down acceptance of refugees altogether.
Right, that's all for today! Next week we'll be talking about something I know a lot of people have been wanting for *quite* some time: Orbital Habitats. Don't miss it.
Right now, I'm pretty sure my next post-Banks update is going to be a race of decadent beings seeking to achieve genetic perfection while enslaving other species and genetically alter them to be the best possible pop for whatever task they are meant for.
All those who cannot be used will be purged based on what best serves the empire, including for soylent should it be necessary.
Right now, I'm pretty sure my next post-Banks update is going to be a race of decadent beings seeking to achieve genetic perfection while enslaving other species and genetically alter them to be the best possible pop for whatever task they are meant for.
All those who cannot be used will be purged based on what best serves the empire, including for soylent should it be necessary.
So...the villains from XCOM?
Steam Profile | My Art | NID: DarkMecha (SW-4787-9571-8977) | PSN: DarkMecha
+2
Options
Gennenalyse RuebenThe Prettiest Boy is Ridiculously PrettyRegistered Userregular
Oh, nice. I could make the Aschen from Stargate SG-1. Integrate primitive aliens peacefully, then neuter them!
Another excellent dev diary. All the mechanics mentioned sound really great. The migration/refugee taking will make playing pacifists a whole lot easier, especially after the moment you realise you've spawned next to a bunch of psychotic aliens.
Along with the consumer good biz curtailing the power of huge wide empires, hopefully you'll be able to play an actual pacifist society with no more need for an offensive navy.
Right now, I'm pretty sure my next post-Banks update is going to be a race of decadent beings seeking to achieve genetic perfection while enslaving other species and genetically alter them to be the best possible pop for whatever task they are meant for.
All those who cannot be used will be purged based on what best serves the empire, including for soylent should it be necessary.
So...the villains from XCOM?
Pretty much, except there is a 99% chance that I'll actually start as the Commonwealth of Man and eventually conquer and enslave/eradicate Earth-born humans, mainly because I'm equally sure that there is a famous short story where the same thing happens whose name eludes me.
Right now, I'm pretty sure my next post-Banks update is going to be a race of decadent beings seeking to achieve genetic perfection while enslaving other species and genetically alter them to be the best possible pop for whatever task they are meant for.
All those who cannot be used will be purged based on what best serves the empire, including for soylent should it be necessary.
Dammit, I was doing so well, then I 'accidentally' colonized a Holy World. I need to check planet modifiers more often.
Also, I have some rampaging space squid that just randomly enters my systems, and wrecks the place, before leaving and going on it's merry way. I'm going to assume I can't dent it since it's marked by a skull icon.
My only worry about individual species management is that buy the end game my empire species list gets quite long, as each species and their genetically modified offshoots occupies their own slot. I'm hoping they do something to mitigate this.
Dammit, I was doing so well, then I 'accidentally' colonized a Holy World. I need to check planet modifiers more often.
Also, I have some rampaging space squid that just randomly enters my systems, and wrecks the place, before leaving and going on it's merry way. I'm going to assume I can't dent it since it's marked by a skull icon.
Not sure how randomized they are, but I dented one easily with a 30k fleet iirc.
The skull icon doesn't go away as you get stronger, it's just to say that this is a special kind of dangerous enemy. Look at its HP and other stats perhaps!
Dammit, I was doing so well, then I 'accidentally' colonized a Holy World. I need to check planet modifiers more often.
Also, I have some rampaging space squid that just randomly enters my systems, and wrecks the place, before leaving and going on it's merry way. I'm going to assume I can't dent it since it's marked by a skull icon.
For leviathans with the skull icon you generally want to have at least 30k in fleet strength to minimize casualties but wraith's specifically are weakened when in a system with a star that complements it's color.
This my first moderately successful civilization, in that I've managed to not get demolished by my neighbors in the first few years. I'm researching stuff, and building ships to send to their deaths against the rampaging crystal fleets in nearby star systems, of which I've managed to clear two of the smaller fleets which were boxing me in. Other than my home world, I've also colonized Second Choice, Crappy Planet, and Bumblefuck, which by the names you can guess how hospitable those planets actually are. I've got good energy and material incomes, by my influence remains crappy, and my scientific progress is slower than I'd like.
On the plus side though, since another empire took a bunch of my citizens for their intergalactic zoo at least my race of creepy spider things won't get extinct, right?
Before following any advice, opinions, or thoughts I may have expressed in the above post, be warned: I found Keven Costners "Waterworld" to be a very entertaining film.
Posts
Armchair: 4098-3704-2012
You keep your *fingers* away from us! We are *many bubbles* and wish to stay that way!
I am worried that other *campers* and *silly cows* together might go *outside* and have to *dance*. The fallen empires probably won't be able to *jump in front*.
Hopefully it comes with the option to veto whatever it is they think they're going to build if you don't like it.
*screams internally *
Armchair: 4098-3704-2012
I haven't played too many games like this so if there are any good beginner tips or any resources I should look up, hit me up. I'm gonna start going through this thread, but I thought it was worth asking first.
Excellent. Being able to tailor how I cleanse the galaxy from impurities is good stuff.
pure [ ]
a bit dingy [ ]
sullied [ ]
impure [ ]
utter filth [ ]
utter filth x2 no takebacks times infinity [ ]"
Based off of some previous teases, another will be eugenics, i.e. removing their ability to procreate and letting them die out.
Slavery Type -> Livestock
Yeap. Xenos are on the menu tonight it seems. I mean, what else are you going to do with those dirty good-for-nothing fungoid aliens?
Make the Elg'ahaz Dominion Splorfle Again!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Defeated my first Fallen Empire--and relatively quickly at that--courtesy of a defensive pact (and a absurd number of vassals and protectorates who couldn't fight their way out of a phone booth). Liberated all their systems so they formed a new, less dickish government.
To my surprise, it was also the first time I ever saw another fallen empire entirely encircled by that first fallen empire (though they're actually Xenophile humans). Probably going to end up at war with them too somewhere down the line, need to be at the top, etc.
Oh yeah well your species is now on the menu so neh
What the hell is happening with people
All those who cannot be used will be purged based on what best serves the empire, including for soylent should it be necessary.
So...the villains from XCOM?
Along with the consumer good biz curtailing the power of huge wide empires, hopefully you'll be able to play an actual pacifist society with no more need for an offensive navy.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/pablocampy
Pretty much, except there is a 99% chance that I'll actually start as the Commonwealth of Man and eventually conquer and enslave/eradicate Earth-born humans, mainly because I'm equally sure that there is a famous short story where the same thing happens whose name eludes me.
I would like to know more.
Villain is such a loaded term.
Also, I have some rampaging space squid that just randomly enters my systems, and wrecks the place, before leaving and going on it's merry way. I'm going to assume I can't dent it since it's marked by a skull icon.
WoW
Dear Satan.....
Steam: CavilatRest
Not sure how randomized they are, but I dented one easily with a 30k fleet iirc.
The skull icon doesn't go away as you get stronger, it's just to say that this is a special kind of dangerous enemy. Look at its HP and other stats perhaps!
Unreal Engine 4 Developers Community.
I'm working on a cute little video game! Here's a link for you.
This my first moderately successful civilization, in that I've managed to not get demolished by my neighbors in the first few years. I'm researching stuff, and building ships to send to their deaths against the rampaging crystal fleets in nearby star systems, of which I've managed to clear two of the smaller fleets which were boxing me in. Other than my home world, I've also colonized Second Choice, Crappy Planet, and Bumblefuck, which by the names you can guess how hospitable those planets actually are. I've got good energy and material incomes, by my influence remains crappy, and my scientific progress is slower than I'd like.
On the plus side though, since another empire took a bunch of my citizens for their intergalactic zoo at least my race of creepy spider things won't get extinct, right?
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]