Stellaris: New Paradox Sci Fi Grand Strategy

[Kraken]

Turns out Stellaris saved my game to OneDrive, so I was able to keep playing on my laptop after my PC died.

I went through at least a couple decades of peace, just maxing out my fleets and building my empire and playing politics. The galaxy was a complex web of alliances and dependencies. I wasn’t the biggest dog in the pack but my enemies were keeping their distance, and I control a federation fleet with strength 99.9 (my own fleets are in the 45-55 range).

Then, around 2405, a vassal who had pledged secret fealty to me rebelled against his overlord and plunged the whole galaxy into war. So far, that’s going very well for me. I’ve taken a lot of systems, including a couple of worlds, without dinging my navy too much, and without losing any systems of my own (yet). Then, in 2406, I got the notice that the endgame crisis is beginning. Naturally! The invaders are coming from the opposite side of the galaxy so I probably won’t meet them for another year or two.

Having never made it this far before, IDK how that’s going to go. Poorly, I suspect. But I finally made it to the endgame after five games and 300 hours.

As I contemplate my next game, I wonder if there are any mods or DLC that y’all consider must-have, or at least worth having.

[Anonymous Bosch]

As I contemplate my next game, I wonder if there are any mods or DLC that y’all consider must-have, or at least worth having.

Have a butcher's at the following Montu Plays ranking of Stellaris DLC, and use this to help guide your DLC purchases. His suggested DLC Combinations provide a great place to start, and I would certainly echo his advice to snag the DLC listed in his S-tier ASAP (ideally, while they are on sale for the fullest experience of the game at a bargain price):



Chapters:

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:41 F Tier
• 2:58 C Tier
• 9:00 B Tier
• 15:56 A Tier
• 20:22 S Tier
• 27:04 DLC Combinations

Also, don't forget that IsThereAnyDeal.com tends to be the most reliable means of securing the lowest prices and Steam price alert reminders.

[Unagi]

Ave a butchers...

[Anonymous Bosch]

Ave a butchers...

[Kraken]

That’s a lot. So far, I’ve only ever played one species (humans) and civ (the peaceful ones), so I could still extract a lot of new experience out of the vanilla game. But given how long each game takes to play, I thought I’d sprinkle in some new features while I'm still learning basics. It sounds like Utopia is the only real must-have.

Have you played any of these yourself?

[Blackhawk]

Ave a butchers...

Gratia plena

[Anonymous Bosch]

That’s a lot. So far, I’ve only ever played one species (humans) and civ (the peaceful ones), so I could still extract a lot of new experience out of the vanilla game. But given how long each game takes to play, I thought I’d sprinkle in some new features while I'm still learning basics. It sounds like Utopia is the only real must-have.

Indeed, as Montu observes in the video above, Utopia has the most overall gameplay impact of any Stellaris DLC. Another useful option I would suggest for grabbing some additional worthwhile DLC along with Utopia is the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle when it goes on sale (during the last Steam sale this was available for $25.95 for owners of the base game).

Alongside Utopia, the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle includes another of Montu's S-Tier recommendations: the Distant Stars Story Pack, which adds a huge number of interesting anomalies, events, and content. On top of that, you get two of Montu's A-tier DLC recommendations: Federations, which greatly expands federation mechanics, with more types, better bonuses, more expanded diplomacy, and perhaps the greatest number of origins of any Stellaris DLC. And the Synthetic Dawn Story Pack, which is vital if you'd ever like to play as a machine intelligence, e.g. the Borg, Daleks, Cybermen, Shodan, or one of my more amusing RP experiences, an Autonomous Service Grid that originated from the bezOS mainframe (essentially, the uploaded consciousness of Amazon's founder), located on… Amazon Prime.

Have you played any of these yourself?

In terms of Stellaris DLC, I own the whole kit and caboodle. I used the 'Ultimate Bundle' to complete my collection of Stellaris DLC several Steam sales ago. Nowadays, I purchase new Stellaris DLC upon release, primarily to support the devs.

[Kraken]

“When it goes on sale” being the operative term; Steam wants $54 but $26 sounds about right. Oddly, I can’t wishlist it.

That’s fine. I don’t want it until I get my desktop PC back anyway.

[Anonymous Bosch]

“When it goes on sale” being the operative term; Steam wants $54 but $26 sounds about right.

Yep. Fortunately, Stellaris and its DLC tend to go on sale fairly often. According to PC Gamer, there's a 'Strategy Fest' sale coming up on Aug 28 - Sep 4, 2023, so you may see the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle discounted again during that sale.

Oddly, I can’t wishlist it.

Yeah, you're better off using IsThereAnyDeal.com to set a price alert for the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle. Don't be thrown off by the price history there, though. I'd suggest setting a price alert on IsThereAnyDeal.com at <$36, because the listed prices you will see there are for the entire package, including the base game. However, since you already own the base game, Steam will automatically discount the cost of the base game -- or other DLC, if you already owned some -- if/when you purchase this bundle.

[Kraken]

The endgame isn't going like I thought it would. I figured the invaders would just sweep across the galaxy. They started taking systems, got beaten back, and are now holed up in one system with the Ultimate Stack of Doom. I have no access to them, which is fine since they outnumber me about 10:1. I'm at peace with the local AIs, and in fact my federation won't let me declare war and go romping. So I build and optimize and wait. It's 2435 and if I make it to 2500 I'll have the high score win.

[Kraken]

So. I've got 30 years left until someone (me) can win on points in 2500. That someone (me) has to defeat the invaders to make a score win possible. The invaders are a mega-stack of doom sitting in one system on the periphery, just going neener-neener-neener. My navy is close to maxxed, and most of the galaxy is following my flag. By myself I wouldn't stand a chance, but with all my buddies I think I can cleanse the galaxy.

Wish me luck. I'm 1-2 more sessions from reaching the actual end of the game, and I might win.

[Jaymann]

No pressure man, just THE FUTURE OF THE FREAKIN GALAXY!

[Zarathud]

Where you have that final battle will make all the difference. Does the enemy have a fleet based on shields? Fight in a nebula where the shields are negated. It’s worth sending in a scout to find out what you’re facing, even if it’s certain doom.

[Lassr]

I've whittled them down before when their fleet is larger than mine. I'll jump into the system, take out as many as possible, and then retreat. Sure, it takes a while for your fleet to reappear, but you can be building additional ships while you wait, and then do it again. You can rebuild your fleet but they do not (at least the ones I've faced did not). Eventually you are fighting on even terms.

[Kraken]

I crushed the invaders with barely a scratch because I had nearly the whole galaxy with me. When I went back to put band-aids on my fleets, the remaining independent race, whom I outnumber comfortably, went to war with me. How adorable. After I moved to crush them the ancient empire who already conquered everything outside of my federation decided it was time to let loose their superior numbers. So most of my strength is hoovering up a bunch of unimportant turf from the dweebs while the conquerors are giving me a very bad day. Suddenly I need my expeditionary fleets to defend. Recalibrate!

I have about 23 game years left (2-3 more nights) before I win on score. I don't think that's enough time for the ancient consolidators to eat my lunch, but the endgame certainly isn't boring. Since this is the first time I've played it out, I don't know how it's going to end.

[Kraken]

I played all of three game years tonight because all the warring needs a lot of managing. I made peace with the Dweeb Empire and took 13 systems and 3 planets, but the ancient assimilator race is still romping with some big stacks. I can probably do it because the whole galaxy is still in my pocket, but the last 20 years are going to be slow going.

[Kraken]

Well friends, I am 7 turns from the end and I just made peace with my last rival after knocking their dick in the dirt. Tomorrow night I can finally stop micromanaging, bump the game speed to max, and collect my score victory. That's good because tomorrow's my last night before going away for a week. I need to finish this eternal game.

There had better be a gorram parade.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Well friends, I am 7 turns from the end and I just made peace with my last rival after knocking their dick in the dirt. Tomorrow night I can finally stop micromanaging, bump the game speed to max, and collect my score victory. That's good because tomorrow's my last night before going away for a week. I need to finish this eternal game.

There had better be a gorram parade.

Nicely done.

Also, here's the unofficial gorram parade ending for Stellaris…

[Kraken]

I hope to see that movie in context tonight, so not going to play it now. Thanks for posting it, though.

[GreenGoo]

I hope to see that movie in context tonight, so not going to play it now. Thanks for posting it, though.

Note he said unofficial. The official ending is an advertisement for the official ending DLC.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I hope to see that movie in context tonight, so not going to play it now. Thanks for posting it, though.

Heh, no need to worry that; the above video was posted tongue-in-cheek.

Spoiler:

It's actually the ending from Will Wright's Spore game of old, which struck me as a perhaps more thematically apropos ending for your 'eternal game.'

[Kraken]

I hope to see that movie in context tonight, so not going to play it now. Thanks for posting it, though.

Note he said unofficial. The official ending is an advertisement for the official ending DLC.

I got a popup saying I won and showing everybody's points score. The popup had two options: Continue, and Exit. Continue just resumed the game. Exit went to the main menu. No victory parade for me. Very disappointing after the ridiculous number of hours I spent getting there.

[GreenGoo]

Yes, that would be disappointing.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I got a popup saying I won and showing everybody's points score. The popup had two options: Continue, and Exit. Continue just resumed the game. Exit went to the main menu. No victory parade for me. Very disappointing after the ridiculous number of hours I spent getting there.

Alas, as a grand strategy game, this is the nature of beast. Hence the 'unofficial parade ending' video I provided above, as I figured you were otherwise in for a rather anticlimactic conclusion.

Stellaris is just too variable for Mass Effect-style cinematic cutscene conclusions and the like. YMMV, but this is why I find roleplaying crucial for maximising enjoyment of this game. Because the journey is more important than the destination. The fun comes from crafting your empire and reflecting upon its backstory; how and why do the people within it think and act? This helps you set your own goals, play to your empire's ideals, and make decisions based upon their evolving ethics and civics (even if/when that's not necessarily optimal in terms of gameplay). A lot of the story then unfolds in your head, with the in-game events as a scaffold. This way, you learn to be rewarded by your appreciation of the emergent narrative for the particular empire you crafted, and play for the sake of that. Because as you discovered, you cannot play for the expectation of eye candy rewards if you do make it through to the endgame, as it just isn't that style of game.

[Unagi]

I find roleplaying crucial for maximising enjoyment of this game. Because the journey is more important than the destination. The fun comes from crafting your empire and reflecting upon its backstory...

Innit.
+1

[Kraken]

I got a popup saying I won and showing everybody's points score. The popup had two options: Continue, and Exit. Continue just resumed the game. Exit went to the main menu. No victory parade for me. Very disappointing after the ridiculous number of hours I spent getting there.

Alas, as a grand strategy game, this is the nature of beast. Hence the 'unofficial parade ending' video I provided above, as I figured you were otherwise in for a rather anticlimactic conclusion.

Stellaris is just too variable for Mass Effect-style cinematic cutscene conclusions and the like. YMMV, but this is why I find roleplaying crucial for maximising enjoyment of this game. Because the journey is more important than the destination. The fun comes from crafting your empire and reflecting upon its backstory; how and why do the people within it think and act? This helps you set your own goals, play to your empire's ideals, and make decisions based upon their evolving ethics and civics (even if/when that's not necessarily optimal in terms of gameplay). A lot of the story then unfolds in your head, with the in-game events as a scaffold. This way, you learn to be rewarded by your appreciation of the emergent narrative for the particular empire you crafted, and play for the sake of that. Because as you discovered, you cannot play for the expectation of eye candy rewards if you do make it through to the endgame, as it just isn't that style of game.

That is how I play. Had I known that winning is just a “you won” popup, though, I would’ve congratulated myself about 10 game-years earlier. At the very least, I’d like to have a scoreboard, because I think my score was pretty good — almost double the #2 player. But I know those are touchy to implement in an unfinished, ever-growing game.

I won big by diplomacy. When the end-game crises came I had 3/4 of the galaxy on my side, and defeated them both without a whole lot of misery. For my next game, I’m going to play the humans who are bad at diplomacy and see how far I can get being belligerent. I’m on vacation this week, though, so I won’t be starting another game until the middle of next week. (And I haven’t played Civ6 since its last major update, so that’s tempting me too.)

Maybe that Starter Pack DLC will go on sale in the interim.

I don’t think I’ll ever play GalCiv3 again, though. Stellaris scratches the space 4X itch much better.

[Isgrimnur]

[Tampa_Gamer]

I got a popup saying I won and showing everybody's points score. The popup had two options: Continue, and Exit. Continue just resumed the game. Exit went to the main menu. No victory parade for me. Very disappointing after the ridiculous number of hours I spent getting there.

underwhelming, I miss the days of Master of Orion where they at least showed your particular race as the "master" and ran some videos showing your colonies/ground/space forces to give you a sense of accomplishment, then show the hall of fame screen.

[Anonymous Bosch]

“When it goes on sale” being the operative term; Steam wants $54 but $26 sounds about right.

Hey Kraken, I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads-up on the aforementioned 'Strategy Fest' Steam sale.

Because as I suspected, as part of this sale (until Sep 4, 2023), the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle is currently available at a -62% discount. It includes some top-notch Stellaris DLC, and lives up to its name as a terrific DLC Starter Pack Bundle. So, I'd highly recommend snagging it while on sale if you can afford to do so.

[Kraken]

“When it goes on sale” being the operative term; Steam wants $54 but $26 sounds about right.

Hey Kraken, I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads-up on the aforementioned 'Strategy Fest' Steam sale.

Because as I suspected, as part of this sale (until Sep 4, 2023), the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle is currently available at a -62% discount. It includes some top-notch Stellaris DLC, and lives up to its name as a terrific DLC Starter Pack Bundle. So, I'd highly recommend snagging it while on sale if you can afford to do so.

Thanks, I will do. I don't follow Steam so I would've missed this. Although I want to finish my current game before installing it.

I'm 100 years into playing as the "evil" humans and the dynamic is different than being good. It took me forever to build a healthy economy and fleet and establish myself diplomatically, and I still have a huge hinterland to explore and settle. Since the first X is always my favorite of the 4X's, I'm inclined to keep playing and see if I can come from behind. Me and my vassal do control about 20% of the galaxy.

[Anonymous Bosch]

“When it goes on sale” being the operative term; Steam wants $54 but $26 sounds about right.

Hey Kraken, I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads-up on the aforementioned 'Strategy Fest' Steam sale.

Because as I suspected, as part of this sale (until Sep 4, 2023), the Stellaris: Starter Pack Bundle is currently available at a -62% discount. It includes some top-notch Stellaris DLC, and lives up to its name as a terrific DLC Starter Pack Bundle. So, I'd highly recommend snagging it while on sale if you can afford to do so.

Thanks, I will do. I don't follow Steam so I would've missed this. Although I want to finish my current game before installing it.

No need to worry, the Paradox Launcher allows you to select which DLC you want enabled prior to launching your game.

[Kraken]

I buyed it, and was pleased when my saved game loaded to new music. I was displeased when the narrator voice changed from Calm English Guy to Natasha Badenov. An evil voice is more appropriate for my empire than a peaceful one, but IDK who thought it was a good idea to hire this voice overactor. A cursory dive into menus did not turn up a way to make her go away. I cringe every time she speaks.

Maybe she'll grow on me.

[Anonymous Bosch]

I buyed it, and was pleased when my saved game loaded to new music. I was displeased when the narrator voice changed from Calm English Guy to Natasha Badenov. An evil voice is more appropriate for my empire than a peaceful one, but IDK who thought it was a good idea to hire this voice overactor. A cursory dive into menus did not turn up a way to make her go away. I cringe every time she speaks.

Maybe she'll grow on me.

Fret ye not. You should be able to change back your Advisor voice by opening your government screen, and then clicking the Advisor tab towards the bottom, as shown here in the Stellaris Wiki:





In future, you can also select your preferred Advisor voice during creation/editing of your Empire in the main menu.

[Kraken]

Hah, I figured the option was buried in there somewhere. Thanks! I'll retire Natasha tonight.

[Kraken]

Natasha lives. Wiki says I have to enable DLC to get that tab.

[Kraken]

Well friends, game 00000006 ends with the Commonwealth of Man growing terminally bored in 2440. After an early-game kerfuffle that landed me one vassal, this game was entirely about micromanaging and my economy struggled for 100 years. Despite solving that and controlling nearly 50% of the galaxy, I got fatally behind in technology and influence. Nobody ever attacked me so I hung in there to see if the expected 2400 galactic crisis might take down the big boys and reward the turtle, but that still hasn't happened so it this game will probably come down to the high score in 2500, and that ain't me by a long shot.

Steam says I've played Stellaris for 418 hours, and I've seen exactly one game to completion. 418 hours would be worth $31,350 if they were billable. I'm going to send the Stellaris people an invoice and play something else. I haven't played Civ6 since its last big update so that's where I'm going.

However, I also haven't played the DLC that I bought for Stellaris so I will certainly be back.