People in the forums expressed some admiration for 1.9.1 (aka Stellaris I), the last Stellaris version before Wiz really took over the game development. I've decided to check its gameplay. I've also played with latest versions of More Events Mod and Dynamic Political Events compatible with 1.9.1 (you can get them from Skymods, version compatibility can be roughly seen through dates and definitely through the *.mod file that outright lists it). A modified version of Sylfae's Silicoids was also enabled, but no siilicoid species was generated. Standard galaxy, 2 extra AI's, Warp FTL for my empire, minimal number of inhabited words.
This is the usual benevolent empire which will act as a guide through 1.9.1. Note also that in 1.9.1, the starting system was still unexplored at the beginning.
The tile system with its visual representation of the planet, one of the Things We Lost (tm). While certainly more simplistic overall, it involved less micro than the current planet system, even though I don't find the post-2.2 micro that much unbearable (opinions vary in this regard). Power plants and mineral mines are represented as their own icons, rather than just squares of different color. Note the different graphics of the science lab - in pre-2.2 Stellaris, there were three branches of science lab upgrades, one for each tech line. The one you started with initially was the basic version.
The usual initial exploration. Note, however, that the icons for science and construction ships are not differentiated, leading to some annoying confusions and misclicks.
Our lovely closest neighbor.
Pirates simply played a role barbarians play in Civ. 1.9.1 didn't have Marauders and the Khan yet.
It did, however, already have these various types of "civilized" stations. Also note a primitive planet which, sadly, was soon eaten by the Swarm.
Robots in the "old Stellaris" were built tile-by-tile. Also note the tale of the dissident drone, one of the modded events. (Edit: I was unaware of the reference - the Star Trek character Seven of Nine - when playing through this AAR).
1.9.1 special projects and anomalies had minimum scientists levels to be researched. Anomalies also had a failure rare, resulting in events like you see here. Note that we've waited for so long for a scientist to reach level 5, that the system with the anomaly was taken over by the hostile Swarm. You can also see our neighbors to the galactic NW.
In the old Stellaris, you could control only a limited number of planets, forced by penalties to place more of them into autonomous Sectors. Here we take a tradition to increase the number of planets we can control directly. Also, Alien Pets as the local resource were cute, although they got directly replaced by the Secluded Valley feature.
Factions. Changing laws to indirect xenology and letting all refugees in pleased the Reform Party enough for us to start receiving influence.
The Themlar theocratic slavedriver cockroaches (sometimes known simply as Them) were getting quite aggressive. In fact, the 1.9.1 AI is quite aggressive at normal settings, and it can be a struggle to survive against it early (I've lost a couple of Normal 1.9.1 difficulty games before starting this AAR). Remaining complacent can be deadly.
1.9.1 had a strategic decision to make regarding food stockpiling - food stockpile growth meant additional growth for the pops, and the policies varied as to how much food you had to stockpile before the bonus kicked in. Also note the Fanatic Egalitarian "grassroots administration" edict that significantly improved your Energy Crefit prodution.
The Raxicodium were on the other side of the Swarm, and, as such, a potential ally.
Trading space stations, the pre-2.2 Stellaris equivalent of the market, allowed to trade energy credits and minerals at the rather greedy rate of 1:2.
In a small diplo annoyance, research agreements had to be periodically renewed.
The Integrators, an Assimilator machine nation to the galactic east of the Swarm, were no match for it. Still, they bought us some needed time.
Going over capacity in 1.9 is perfectly fine, and, in fact, AI does it regularly, making it a fearsome opponent. Still, you do want to avoid the upkeep penalty with the edict.
It's important to always keep your fleets equivalent in power, even if you fall back on research (since minerals needed to built labs and research stations (more significant in 1.9) are also needed for the fleet).
Seeing that the Raxycodium and the Klaggian communion, a nation of ram-like creatures, invaded the swarm, we decided to seize our chances.
Although the Swarm was still a fearsome opponent, its fleet was clearly weakened.
The Raxycodium seemed like a fine target for an eventual Federation with us.
The Swarm suffered severe losses in their war with Klaggans and Raxycodiums, even if one of these planets would later rebel back to it.
They suffered even greater losses in their peace treaty with us. We couldn't, however, press further to eliminate them due to the intervention of Them cockroaches, who wanted to turn everyavian in our nation to their slaves.
This is the usual benevolent empire which will act as a guide through 1.9.1. Note also that in 1.9.1, the starting system was still unexplored at the beginning.
The tile system with its visual representation of the planet, one of the Things We Lost (tm). While certainly more simplistic overall, it involved less micro than the current planet system, even though I don't find the post-2.2 micro that much unbearable (opinions vary in this regard). Power plants and mineral mines are represented as their own icons, rather than just squares of different color. Note the different graphics of the science lab - in pre-2.2 Stellaris, there were three branches of science lab upgrades, one for each tech line. The one you started with initially was the basic version.
The usual initial exploration. Note, however, that the icons for science and construction ships are not differentiated, leading to some annoying confusions and misclicks.
Our lovely closest neighbor.
Pirates simply played a role barbarians play in Civ. 1.9.1 didn't have Marauders and the Khan yet.
It did, however, already have these various types of "civilized" stations. Also note a primitive planet which, sadly, was soon eaten by the Swarm.
Robots in the "old Stellaris" were built tile-by-tile. Also note the tale of the dissident drone, one of the modded events. (Edit: I was unaware of the reference - the Star Trek character Seven of Nine - when playing through this AAR).
1.9.1 special projects and anomalies had minimum scientists levels to be researched. Anomalies also had a failure rare, resulting in events like you see here. Note that we've waited for so long for a scientist to reach level 5, that the system with the anomaly was taken over by the hostile Swarm. You can also see our neighbors to the galactic NW.
In the old Stellaris, you could control only a limited number of planets, forced by penalties to place more of them into autonomous Sectors. Here we take a tradition to increase the number of planets we can control directly. Also, Alien Pets as the local resource were cute, although they got directly replaced by the Secluded Valley feature.
Factions. Changing laws to indirect xenology and letting all refugees in pleased the Reform Party enough for us to start receiving influence.
The Themlar theocratic slavedriver cockroaches (sometimes known simply as Them) were getting quite aggressive. In fact, the 1.9.1 AI is quite aggressive at normal settings, and it can be a struggle to survive against it early (I've lost a couple of Normal 1.9.1 difficulty games before starting this AAR). Remaining complacent can be deadly.
1.9.1 had a strategic decision to make regarding food stockpiling - food stockpile growth meant additional growth for the pops, and the policies varied as to how much food you had to stockpile before the bonus kicked in. Also note the Fanatic Egalitarian "grassroots administration" edict that significantly improved your Energy Crefit prodution.
The Raxicodium were on the other side of the Swarm, and, as such, a potential ally.
Trading space stations, the pre-2.2 Stellaris equivalent of the market, allowed to trade energy credits and minerals at the rather greedy rate of 1:2.
In a small diplo annoyance, research agreements had to be periodically renewed.
The Integrators, an Assimilator machine nation to the galactic east of the Swarm, were no match for it. Still, they bought us some needed time.
Going over capacity in 1.9 is perfectly fine, and, in fact, AI does it regularly, making it a fearsome opponent. Still, you do want to avoid the upkeep penalty with the edict.
It's important to always keep your fleets equivalent in power, even if you fall back on research (since minerals needed to built labs and research stations (more significant in 1.9) are also needed for the fleet).
Seeing that the Raxycodium and the Klaggian communion, a nation of ram-like creatures, invaded the swarm, we decided to seize our chances.
Although the Swarm was still a fearsome opponent, its fleet was clearly weakened.
The Raxycodium seemed like a fine target for an eventual Federation with us.
The Swarm suffered severe losses in their war with Klaggans and Raxycodiums, even if one of these planets would later rebel back to it.
They suffered even greater losses in their peace treaty with us. We couldn't, however, press further to eliminate them due to the intervention of Them cockroaches, who wanted to turn everyavian in our nation to their slaves.
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