Stellaris: Paradox can into space

[Evie]

So thanks to Steam jumping the gun a little, Paradox Development Studio's mysterious Project Augustus has now been unveiled, and it is Paradoxian Grand Strategy in Space.



That's about all that's known about it so far, other than the facts that leaders will be important, there will be elections, and technological progress will matter.

 

[Maniacal]

There are some screenshots that got grabbed off the page:
https://www.reddit.com/r/paradoxplaza/comments/3fw04t/stellaris_steam_page_is_up_now/

 

[grandad1982]

Stupid steam.

I'm looking forward to the tears on the forums since Rome is definitely out.

 

[Akka]

Omagad, Paradox + space 4X ?

Another game into my wishlist !

 

[Quintillus]

Looks interesting. I'm curious what will differentiate it from GalCiv2/3, and other space competitors. The fact that I like EU3/4 and CKII more than GalCiv2 makes me slightly optimistic, but there's little to go on (even having looked at the additional screenshots).

I do hope they come up with a system for more diverse names for planets in a solar system than Ziamon I, Ziamon II, etc. GalCiv2 did the same thing, and it was always slightly boring having Wardell I, Wardell II, etc., particularly since the AI wouldn't rename them when colonized.

 

[Evie]

Well, for a start it's apparently going to be Paradox-style real-time (you can see the date and the time control buttons in the upper right) rather than turn-based, which IIRC GalCiv was.

 

[Arakhor]

So, how many game/DLC releases is it now that Steam has spoiled, due to incompetence on their part? This is not the first and it's hardly going to be the last.

 

[PhroX]

Hoprefully it will be more like PDox's other games, with established space-faring civilisation already in place covering hundreds of already settled stars(albeit fragmented into many factions), and leave colonisation efforts to those on the fringes, instead of MoO style "10 different races each start with one planet and just enough tech to leave it". As there are dozens of MoO style games, but I can't think of many that are more like EU in space.

 

[trader/warrior]

Will be interesting to see how they handle mixing the GSG formula with the storytelling required to fill out the setting and lore of a fictional universe. To me, sci-fi settings in many games tend to be either very generic and boring, or very deep and intriguing, coming down to the games ability to fill out the lore and story of the universe. I think this will be a very big challenge compared to the historical GSGs where you have the richness of real history already built into the game.

Really excited to hear more about it.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Keeping an eye on this. I've never really found a space strategy game that clicked with me, maybe this one will.

I hope they add in some of the roleplay elements from CKII.

Especially Xwedodah.

Add Xwedodah in, you got instant customer fan right here.

 

[grandad1982]

Hoprefully it will be more like PDox's other games, with established space-faring civilisation already in place covering hundreds of already settled stars(albeit fragmented into many factions), and leave colonisation efforts to those on the fringes, instead of MoO style "10 different races each start with one planet and just enough tech to leave it". As there are dozens of MoO style games, but I can't think of many that are more like EU in space.

This. Even if the universe is randomly generated I want space to be already divided up between the different civs with some unexplored/colonised systems as well. To many start from scratch games out there IMO.

 

[Evie]

Well the description above does say that the focus is on exploration, so not sure we'll start with THAT much of a large empire.

 

[grandad1982]

Yeah but maybe you need to explore other factions space?

 

[grandad1982]

From the livestream hendrik sounds like he's saying its got pops (or something similar)!

 

[Sonereal]

 

[trader/warrior]

I'm intrigued by this blurb on the stellaris website:

Deep and Dynamic Warfare System

Defend your star-spanning empire with customized, user-designed ships, and repel attacks (or conquer lesser species) in rich, challenging battles with gorgeous, top-of-the-line visuals

Didn't say anything about that on the announcement stream. Battle gameplay with top-of-the-line visuals in a PDS game?

Edit: Duh, forgot about the leaked screenshots from earlier for a minute there, those show some space-battle stuff. Wish they had shown more(any) gameplay with the announcement though.

 

[Sonereal]

There's an RPS article.

 

[cybrxkhan]

There's a RPS preview that gives a lot of info.

And here are the main points posted by someone on reddit:

• It's possible to form a federation with other factions. They elect a "president". If you become president, you get access to every technology that any member of the federation has access to.
• Very few hardcoded events. Each play through will be unique.
• 100 animated avatars for the random races.
• All races start in similar positions.
• Planetary management involving resources and buildings.
• Planet based hazards including invasion from subterranean species.
• Unhappy population will form factions and split from your empire.
• No boring end-game!
• Trade, Diplomacy, Military
• Customisable ships.
• Every unit is visible on the map.
• Science ships behave like hero units.
• Catastrophic events.
• Three branches of science: physics, social and engineering.
• No tech-tree. "card based" science system.
• Three forms of FTL travel. Choose one at the start - choice has influence on late game.
• Every species has a backstory - you have the ability to find out secrets about your past.
• Monitor planet bound species - research them, pet them, enslave them, genocide them.
• Game is in late alpha.

EDIT: Ninja'd by Scarlet King!

 

[Sonereal]

No boring end-game!

This was the biggest takeaway from me. From the article, it seems like the early game is "2x" [eXplore and eXpand], while the mid-game increasingly plays like a Paradox-styled GSG with a focus on governance and diplomacy. The end game, on the other hand, is a culmination of all your decisions and decisions by others which can lead to anything from an AI uprising to forming an eye of terror.

Which I think is swell. I do like getting to the point where none of my neighbors in a game can challenge me, actually. It is when I run out of things to build or worry about that things get boring.

 

[Evie]

So basically

1)There is a "everyone start at the beginning" feel. Sorry PhroX and Granddad
2)The way to avoid the "End game boredom" is catastrophe, which may range from the Cylon revolt to extra-dimensional invaders, depending on how the game has played out.
3)Combat can be observed in real time, but not controlled. Basically it's like combat in other Pdox game, except that you can directly observe how individual ship designs are contributing to the fleet, right on the map.