2.2 & Megacorp Teasers

[The Founder]

In 2.1 'Niven', we're changing hyperlane generation to have distinct clusters of stars separated by 'highways'. There's also a (modder-accessible) calculation to determine which systems are bottlenecks, for use in AI and space monster placement.

Twitter

Intersting. I think I see a unconnected System there.
That Trinary one near the Purple Empire (Pelismus Bloodborn) seems to have no connection.
And now that I look at it, ther are other unconencted as well. They are just a bit harder to spot, due to being out of Sensor range.

I am curious how this will affect empire starting locations. Will each empire get their own cluster?

They already do. All nearby Systems are marked as "Empire Cluster" to avoid spawning another one too close.
But in the end what is "yours" is decided by who can grab it first.

 

[serpentskirt]

Pretty standard across all current PDS games that after a $20 expansion and its accompanying patch, the next thing to come out is a major patch without an expansion. After that, who knows?

Sounds logical. I stopped following other PDS titles, do they add new stuff as well in follow-up patch, or just QoL thingies?

 

[Deggial]

It is an interesting looking starlane layout for sure.
I am not sure however, whether or not I really prefer it to the current alorithm.

What I really would love is a setup option in the game menu where we could chose between several lane-creating-algorithms (just like with the galaxy shape). But maybe this is palnned anyway.

 

[ShadowPip]

Intersting. I think I see a unconnected System there.
That Trinary one near the Purple Empire (Pelismus Bloodborn) seems to have no connection.
And now that I look at it, ther are other unconencted as well. They are just a bit harder to spot, due to being out of Sensor range.

Well spotted, hadn't noticed that! Perhaps there are also more hidden hyperlanes connecting the clusters which become revealed later on? So early game could force the use of very specific choke-points with more travel options opening up later on (much like what now already happens with wormholes and warp?)

 

[Nyrael]

Sounds logical. I stopped following other PDS titles, do they add new stuff as well in follow-up patch, or just QoL thingies?

Depends. though I think the next patch will come with an update (most likely with a Story Pack) because Cherry immediately got very major and meaty hotfixes. That is, what we would have gotten in the patch we got in hotfixes (and there is another hotfix incoming).

 

[Desolator_X]

So, the increased star density.... Does that mean we'll see massive changes to the unity (and maybe tech) penalties? ATM unless you're focused on staying tiny and getting your unity fixed you'll never get more than 3-4 perks before the crisis hits. That might be nice from a balance point of view, but it's *really* boring from a gameplay point of view since you'll never see the interesting perks come online...

 

[Sarno]

I really like the change to situation log, in regards to anomalies. Always managed to forget a few high level anomalies here and there. Also like the fact that the hyperlane network is hidden on game start and you have to actually explore it.

Dislike the cluster thingy-though. It will make current warfare even more tench-oriented a boring in my opinion. Hoepfully hyperlane 5x is still the same, without clusters.

I do not consider that a problem.
By bee line the North and South of the Alps are really close together. But unless there is a tunnel, you have to really zig-zag your way around them.

Alps =/= space

 

[Cirenmas]

Intersting. I think I see a unconnected System there.
That Trinary one near the Purple Empire (Pelismus Bloodborn) seems to have no connection.
And now that I look at it, ther are other unconencted as well. They are just a bit harder to spot, due to being out of Sensor range.


They already do. All nearby Systems are marked as "Empire Cluster" to avoid spawning another one too close.
But in the end what is "yours" is decided by who can grab it first.

Interesting. Is the cluster based on absolute distance rather than number of star lanes? I am new to the game (started with 2.0 so no experience before that) but one of my games had me start in the outer most tip of the outer rim (4 spirals) 3 jumps away I hit another empire that completely cut me off from the galaxy to the 'south'. I did have a single starlane to the 'north' but after I cleared it of mining drones I immediately hit a marauder and advanced start empire that cut me off after 3 more systems. I believe I had clustered starts set in the beginning option menu.

 

[Rafss]

Look at that isolated trinary system.
Wiz used a console command to reveal the map, but how else could we detect that isolated system, if sensor range counts hyperlane connections, and there are none?

Any guesses?

My guess is hyperlane generation/revelation during the game. Maybe related to game stage transition dates or a technology for hidden hyperlane detection, or maybe anomalies.
Rare or uncommon hidden hyperlanes would be a cool feature, new chokepoints here and there, new shortcuts, new bordering empires... Just like opening wormholes and stargates. Yeah, why not?

 

[NHunter_rus]

Looks like we're getting new star classes...

 

[Milten]

I assume the art is not ready yet?

 

[MightyGlue]

Nice!

But please add threadmarks for new Twitter teasers. Not everyone is constantly following the thread and finding those posts is getting more and more difficult the bigger the thread gets.

 

[Zulark.]

https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/986577446408523776

 

[Ur-Quan Lord 13]

So, the increased star density.... Does that mean we'll see massive changes to the unity (and maybe tech) penalties? ATM unless you're focused on staying tiny and getting your unity fixed you'll never get more than 3-4 perks before the crisis hits. That might be nice from a balance point of view, but it's *really* boring from a gameplay point of view since you'll never see the interesting perks come online...

Sorry if it's annoying, but serious question: how?

I just played a very wide fanatical purifier (militaristic, so no temples or other spritualist unity bonuses, and of course no artist enclave or art monuments or ministry of culture), started activating architectural and science ambitions around like 2400, and still filled out all 7 traditions before the crisis hit in 2450...

Maybe a couple times, in 1.9, the crisis hit me before I filled out the last tree, but it was always like 2 traditions away max, and only when the crisis hit in 2400 (which doesn't happen at default settings anymore).

So, not being condescending or anything, seriously curious how people play that they don't fill them out easily? Basically, my building priority for a new colony is:

1. Gene clinic / parts depot (just a no brainier due to growth bonus)
2. Monument/temple
3. Hive synapse/control center
4. Symbol of purity if I'm purifier/perfection and there's a blank tile, loop institute if I have it, visitor centers only for fun pretty much
5. Mines, or power plants if there are +2 or more energy tiles and I need power, or even a lab if it's late game and I have more minerals and power than I'll need any time soon
6. Capitol
7. Paradise dome/neuro-electric amp
8. Mineral processing, energy nexus, beltharian stone, alien zoo depending on current needs (zoo comes first if I don't need anything, because there's never too much unity/research)
9. Fill out according to current empire strategy (mines get blank squares if I plan to have habitats, otherwise labs get blank squares and I get my minerals by spreading like wildfire, +1 energy tiles are ignored unless I have synths/machines)

I don't understand anyone not prioritizing 1, 3 and 7. They're just the best choices, always. I can understand leaving 2, and zoos, till later, but never just ignoring them. I can understand leaving out symbol of purity (and of course visitor center) since they're less efficient tile use. Do people just not build 2, or even 1/3/7, thinking they're not efficient tile use either? Because that's incorrect in the first place, and especially so once you consider that, while an extra mine might help you now, having 7 full tradition trees and 8 perks and keeping 3-4 unity ambitions running helps you waaaaay more than an extra few mines on each world...

As I said, serious question, what prevents it for you, and why do you do it?

 

[Ezumiyr]

I assume the art is not ready yet?

It's true that this brown dwarf does seem too dark, especially with two other stars so close to it. But I'm not a specialist, maybe brown dwarf are only shiny in infrared?

 

[Milten]

It's true that this brown dwarf does seem too dark, especially with two other stars so close to it. But I'm not a specialist, maybe brown dwarf are only shiny in infrared?

I'm not an expert, but they surely shouldn't be transparent.

 

[grandad1982]

I principle the clustered stars are cool but I hope there is a change to travel times as I can see it making it even slower to move around.

 

[serpentskirt]

As I said, serious question, what prevents it for you, and why do you do it?

You have spoken the Words wrongly.

 

[Desolator_X]

Sorry if it's annoying, but serious question: how?

I just played a very wide fanatical purifier (militaristic, so no temples or other spritualist unity bonuses, and of course no artist enclave or art monuments or ministry of culture), started activating architectural and science ambitions around like 2400, and still filled out all 7 traditions before the crisis hit in 2450...

Maybe a couple times, in 1.9, the crisis hit me before I filled out the last tree, but it was always like 2 traditions away max, and only when the crisis hit in 2400 (which doesn't happen at default settings anymore).

So, not being condescending or anything, seriously curious how people play that they don't fill them out easily? Basically, my building priority for a new colony is:

1. Gene clinic / parts depot (just a no brainier due to growth bonus)
2. Monument/temple
3. Hive synapse/control center
4. Symbol of purity if I'm purifier/perfection and there's a blank tile, loop institute if I have it, visitor centers only for fun pretty much
5. Mines, or power plants if there are +2 or more energy tiles and I need power, or even a lab if it's late game and I have more minerals and power than I'll need any time soon
6. Capitol
7. Paradise dome/neuro-electric amp
8. Mineral processing, energy nexus, beltharian stone, alien zoo depending on current needs (zoo comes first if I don't need anything, because there's never too much unity/research)
9. Fill out according to current empire strategy (mines get blank squares if I plan to have habitats, otherwise labs get blank squares and I get my minerals by spreading like wildfire, +1 energy tiles are ignored unless I have synths/machines)

I don't understand anyone not prioritizing 1, 3 and 7. They're just the best choices, always. I can understand leaving 2, and zoos, till later, but never just ignoring them. I can understand leaving out symbol of purity (and of course visitor center) since they're less efficient tile use. Do people just not build 2, or even 1/3/7, thinking they're not efficient tile use either? Because that's incorrect in the first place, and especially so once you consider that, while an extra mine might help you now, having 7 full tradition trees and 8 perks and keeping 3-4 unity ambitions running helps you waaaaay more than an extra few mines on each world...

As I said, serious question, what prevents it for you, and why do you do it?

1) yes (given the research pops up of course)
2) yes
3) only after ascension (takes a long time)
4) when do you pick up the purity tree?
7) when do you pick up the harmony tree?

For me the problem very quickly becomes that as a FP your expansion rapidly overtakes your unity gen causing your unity timers to exceed 120 months. This means you only get 1 pick / 10 years. 20 picks (2200 - 2400) = 4 trees. This mostly has to do with the immense amount of systems between your planets as you go to conquer everyone, leading to a massive unity penalty relative to your colonized worlds. Do you just dump everything into a sector and colonize everything you can, coming back to the sector(s) later to fix them or what?

 

[Mojoronomous]

Look at that isolated trinary system.
Wiz used a console command to reveal the map, but how else could we detect that isolated system, if sensor range counts hyperlane connections, and there are none?

Any guesses?

Maybe it's Event-spawned a la Cybrex Alpha, but at the beginning of the game so as not to benefit from savescumming?