-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
Yesterday, my second game since the patch.
As a life seeded fanatic authoritarian/spiritualist empire, about 70 years in. I start a war to vassalize a hive mind on the other side of one of my wormholes, and as soon as my fleets have engaged and are working their way through their systems, a coalition of two of my neighbors declare a war to humiliate me.
Luckily I have a good chokepoint to stop the Megacorp on my doorstep from entering my space, but without my next door defensive pact neighbor stopping then, the other more powerful imperialist empire would have destroyed all of my infrastructure.
As I'm nearing the conclusion of my vassalization war, someone calls in a marauder empire to raid me. They come to my capital unscathed, taking 4 of my founder species, destroying a precinct house throwing my planet into a mass crime wave (criminal megacorp branch office), and damaging my amenities and housing.
I finally finish the vassalization war, and on the way back to take some systems from those fink capitalists, another marauder fleet arrives at my borders. I'm able to white peace the other empires at this point, and for some reason the marauders siege my capital world unopposed but decide to call it quits without taking any more pops or resources from me.
If they had taken more pops I don't think I would've been able to recover from the death spiral the two wars had put me in.
As a life seeded fanatic authoritarian/spiritualist empire, about 70 years in. I start a war to vassalize a hive mind on the other side of one of my wormholes, and as soon as my fleets have engaged and are working their way through their systems, a coalition of two of my neighbors declare a war to humiliate me.
Luckily I have a good chokepoint to stop the Megacorp on my doorstep from entering my space, but without my next door defensive pact neighbor stopping then, the other more powerful imperialist empire would have destroyed all of my infrastructure.
As I'm nearing the conclusion of my vassalization war, someone calls in a marauder empire to raid me. They come to my capital unscathed, taking 4 of my founder species, destroying a precinct house throwing my planet into a mass crime wave (criminal megacorp branch office), and damaging my amenities and housing.
I finally finish the vassalization war, and on the way back to take some systems from those fink capitalists, another marauder fleet arrives at my borders. I'm able to white peace the other empires at this point, and for some reason the marauders siege my capital world unopposed but decide to call it quits without taking any more pops or resources from me.
If they had taken more pops I don't think I would've been able to recover from the death spiral the two wars had put me in.
In my current playthrough, I'm a fanatic materialist empire cut off on two sides by fanatic spiritualists. I got attacked at the same time from both of them. They didn't even have communications with each other at the time, it was just pure bad timing for me. And they successfully took one of my black hole systems with a Dark Matter deposit. I'm still pissed off at that because I'm still struggling with the new economy to build a proper fleet to defend myself.
Throughout an entire session, not just for a couple decades, it'd be in 1.9. The state of the game just before Apocalypse was in a way that I was legitimately the weakest one in the galaxy. All my neighbors always became overwhelming in strength compared to me, but that was because I was too stubborn to use sectors and settle non-habitable planets.
That being said I don't want the game to go back to 1.9. I love the Apocalypse and Megacorp changes. I didn't play Apocalypse much in its later months before Megacorp because I was too hyped for Megacorp, how was the AI in September and October?
That being said I don't want the game to go back to 1.9. I love the Apocalypse and Megacorp changes. I didn't play Apocalypse much in its later months before Megacorp because I was too hyped for Megacorp, how was the AI in September and October?
By regular AI empires, basically not since my very first game of Stellaris (I started playing almost a year ago I think it was on 2.0 or 2.1), when I was still grasping the game and got rolled around 2320.
The Khan and Awakened FEs were still providing decent challenges on occasion prior to 2.2, but not really regular empires, even when there was a large enemy federation.
The real problem prior to 2.2 was not the AI managing its economy (I trust PDX will fix this for 2.2.x) so much that they did not know how to wage war - it was too easy to manipulate their fleet movements and draw them into an unfavorable conflict, even when their total fleet power was higher than mine.
The Khan and Awakened FEs were still providing decent challenges on occasion prior to 2.2, but not really regular empires, even when there was a large enemy federation.
The real problem prior to 2.2 was not the AI managing its economy (I trust PDX will fix this for 2.2.x) so much that they did not know how to wage war - it was too easy to manipulate their fleet movements and draw them into an unfavorable conflict, even when their total fleet power was higher than mine.
Sure. When I first played as Determined Exterminators in 2.2. I had to fight 6 defensive wars before finally getting superior to my neighbors and returning the favor. It took me fucking forever to get the machine cogs running thank to that combination of retarded pop grow and insane mineral cost for everything.
There is also the issue of what "felt threatened" means. I think we've all been in wars that surprised us, but thought "Relax, we're doing fine." knowing we'll take back those systems (and then some) with due time. I play a lot of multiplayer with my friends, and some of them never show this mentality, but instead freak out, claiming to be on death's door throughout the war (which I as a bystander can see immediately that they will win in the end). So, there's a psychological aspect with this question that is highly personal.
As example: I have felt unsure about the outcome of some AI wars, but I can't even remember the last time that I was defeated so hard that I had to surrender a war with real planetary losses.
As example: I have felt unsure about the outcome of some AI wars, but I can't even remember the last time that I was defeated so hard that I had to surrender a war with real planetary losses.
Yeah i suppose the question is poorly worded, i think the core of what im trying to portray is that during my time playing i have not faced a genuine long term existential threat from an AI empire for a good number of patches. I think everyone has had a bad start or surprise wars, but i think its very easy to outstrip the AI in every measure by 2300. also i'd like to say that this isnt some brag, i'm not trying to say im so amazing at the game, and if you disagree with me it's because you're bad or whatever. i dont min/max and i tend to roleplay whatever i'm playing rather than "playing to win".
With this in mind i feel that if im playing on the hardest difficulty level i shouldn't have to wait until the end game/midgame crises for there to be a "big bad" in the galaxy that i have to gear up/form alliances to destroy. apart from the odd aggressive neighbour before the 2230 mark. it has been a very long time since i've been in a war that i thought i might actually lose, and this is one of the few PC games where i've never actually been beaten by the AI. and by beaten i dont mean one war, i mean wiped out.
The hyperlane change prevents a lot of empires from truly growing larger than their peers. Setting hyperlanes to 2x helps them grow while allowing you to keep a few chokepoints.
The AI feels really impotent in the current patch. They not only run out of influence easily and can't claim any systems, they also won't grow beyond a certain percantage above admin cap. Its also quite difficult now to build up a useful fleet, and fortresses on chokepoints really work this time. I imagine the crisis factions to be much harder to beat now, though.
The AI doesn't know how to play the game at all, so no, not feeling threatened. Unless you gifted it like 500k in fleets.
Well, in my latest game, a Fallen Empire awakened and they generated their standard 300k fleet power.
I, of course, couldn't possibly produce nearly enough alloys to make a fleet anywhere near that size, and all the other AI empires had fleets that would struggle to take out a starbase.
Luckily the Fallen Empire immediately fell asleep again and simply sat inside its borders with its massive fleets instead of stomping the entire galaxy.
I, of course, couldn't possibly produce nearly enough alloys to make a fleet anywhere near that size, and all the other AI empires had fleets that would struggle to take out a starbase.
Luckily the Fallen Empire immediately fell asleep again and simply sat inside its borders with its massive fleets instead of stomping the entire galaxy.
Totally agree with OPs experience. I play games where after expansion, basically no territory changes hands amongst the AI empires, just my gradual march across the map.
I've just started playing a difficulty notch up from ensign (Captain?). I used to get my caboose absolutely handed to me on that difficulty, now it honestly feels like an easy going game on Ensign.
It's like the other empires are just props for your fantasy role play as Star Lord, but no challenge and nothing really that interesting since becoming familiar with all the anomalies and events.
I've just started playing a difficulty notch up from ensign (Captain?). I used to get my caboose absolutely handed to me on that difficulty, now it honestly feels like an easy going game on Ensign.
It's like the other empires are just props for your fantasy role play as Star Lord, but no challenge and nothing really that interesting since becoming familiar with all the anomalies and events.
Yesterday, and more or less any time I have a bad start at the beginning of the game, as I've noticed I have a tendency to be surrounded by civilizations that hate my ideology 9 out of 10 games I start.
As I usually try to be pacifist in focus, if not always in ethics, I often find myself overrun, even if I have set up upgraded stations at chokepoints, as often what happens is I don't get the tech I need on the random rolls before my neighboring bully manages to get a fleet together with more FP than my starbase and fleet combined, as while I have been balancing my focus between building up my fleet and growing my economy, the AI has decided to screw over their economy, and for the last hour or so they've been doing nothing but building a massive fleet of corvettes and bankrupting themselves to roll over my everything with, and the moment they hit "superior" I'm in their sights. And then another nation next to me will declare on me because now I no longer am equivalent in fleet power. And it's this cruel cycle where I'm just losing territory on a three-war front that never ends, I just have one front or another ease up on me.
This especially seems to happen to me when I try to play tall and play nice with the AI, when I decide, I'm going to be a wonderful federation leader and turn my empire into a Utopia for everyone.
Cue then finding myself flanked on two sides by terminators and a devouring swarm.
As I usually try to be pacifist in focus, if not always in ethics, I often find myself overrun, even if I have set up upgraded stations at chokepoints, as often what happens is I don't get the tech I need on the random rolls before my neighboring bully manages to get a fleet together with more FP than my starbase and fleet combined, as while I have been balancing my focus between building up my fleet and growing my economy, the AI has decided to screw over their economy, and for the last hour or so they've been doing nothing but building a massive fleet of corvettes and bankrupting themselves to roll over my everything with, and the moment they hit "superior" I'm in their sights. And then another nation next to me will declare on me because now I no longer am equivalent in fleet power. And it's this cruel cycle where I'm just losing territory on a three-war front that never ends, I just have one front or another ease up on me.
This especially seems to happen to me when I try to play tall and play nice with the AI, when I decide, I'm going to be a wonderful federation leader and turn my empire into a Utopia for everyone.
Cue then finding myself flanked on two sides by terminators and a devouring swarm.
Try not to take my words to negatively. Just am frustrated with the current state of the game and the vision of what this gems could be.
The ai is atrocious. I love the new system but the game needs lots of work. It’s really sad and I won’t recommend purchasing the game to friends who also have played in the past and previously quit for multiple reasons including the terrible ai experience that according to him has never been very good. Additionally he quit because of how the political system as of sits seems to get in the way of a exestential threat to the galaxy. Eu4 has aggressive expansion. Stellaris has threat and it’s never once seemed to have worked. I should be mortified of expanding past 25 percent of the galaxy. Instead I quit when I get there because it’s just boring after that. All those cool toys.. won’t ever get to building them.
The new eco system is cool but the pops placement is requiring to much macro. The new ai for sectors management is uhh cool in theory practically it’s sorta not complete based on my experience.
I fully encourage you to downvote this post. I would because I want to believe this all is not true.
The ai is atrocious. I love the new system but the game needs lots of work. It’s really sad and I won’t recommend purchasing the game to friends who also have played in the past and previously quit for multiple reasons including the terrible ai experience that according to him has never been very good. Additionally he quit because of how the political system as of sits seems to get in the way of a exestential threat to the galaxy. Eu4 has aggressive expansion. Stellaris has threat and it’s never once seemed to have worked. I should be mortified of expanding past 25 percent of the galaxy. Instead I quit when I get there because it’s just boring after that. All those cool toys.. won’t ever get to building them.
The new eco system is cool but the pops placement is requiring to much macro. The new ai for sectors management is uhh cool in theory practically it’s sorta not complete based on my experience.
I fully encourage you to downvote this post. I would because I want to believe this all is not true.
Last night.
I began a new game with my friend. We both decided to play as some form of egalitarian. In the beginning there wasn't much to be worried about except the fact I discovered Democratic Crusaders sooner than I discovered my friend. Though what I didn't tell my friendo is that we're playing on harder difficulty than usual.
Something about Democratic Crusaders nerves me at all times. The moment our borders touched the border friction was real even if we are both democracies. Feeling like I didn't want the AI to suddenly get any ideas I give them a gift of 2000 energy and get them to sign all plausible pacts. Defensive, commerce, research. I follow up by opening branch offices on all their planets and consequently begin exploring the Diplomacy tree. Not to mention I've been spamming that diplo edict all along.
All is well that ends well, the Democratic Crusaders cast their eye away from their newfound ally. I explore in a different direction. I glance over some primitives I found. They were in the atomic age. Initially it did not occur to me to check their ethics but I later discovered their ethics were identical with mine.
In addition I finally discover my friend and then open up all plausible pacts. I unlock the form federation perk and consequently put the Democratic Crusaders and my friend in a federation with me. Now my MegaCorp could remain small without going ludacris over the admin cap and sapping myself of valuable research and unity. I have a glance at my trade value, everything seems to be in order. Branch Offices remain as they are, a bit to my annoyance the population on all these planets is growing slow. So my exploitation of these offices is minimal.
No matter.
I carry on exploring beneath me, the area that appeared abandoned and there it was. Fallen Empire Materialists (closest to me), Spiritualist(Furthest), Xenophobes(just a little ways from the Materialists). Right on my god damn doorstep. I've never seen them clustered together like that and I already dreaded what would happen come late game.
So I did what I thought was right and I technologically advanced the primitives and established them as my subsidiary. I essentially created a buffer zone as weak as it was between myself and the Fallen Empires. I didn't wanna touch that with a ten foot pole.
Not to mention my spawn was absolute crap, the highest slot planet in the entire neighborhood of mine is 15. Meanwhile my friend is grabbing 25 slot artic worlds and gaia worlds. But who cares right? I'm the center of this federation and I run the trades. (I like to roleplay with myself sometimes.) Business is good. I've more resources than I care to spend and unemployment is at an all time low.
Wrong. I check on my Democratic Crusader pal who is now in a federation with me. Not only is he overwhelming but he is "protective" and boy do I know what that means. Luckily our relationship is + 250. So I hope. I sincerely hope he doesn't break out of the federation and try and vasalize me. I know I can't count on my friend because, well, to be honest he's not very good at 2.2. So yeaaaah... While nothing is really happening, the threat of things escalating is there. Admittedly the Democratic Crusaders have set their eyes on some oligarchy to our far galactic west. Well far for me, not for them.
We're a pretty decently sized federation and occupy the north east quadrant on our own. A great place to run a MegaCorp if the peace lasts.
What bothers me though is that the Democratic Crusaders even if they rivaled the Oligarchy have not yet suggested we go to war to them. No idea what's happening here. Maybe they're waiting to border them properly? We'll see. But thinking about it now, if these crusaders get antsy I should put up a bastion between me and them. Sounds like a good idea right?
So yeah while the AI is a little underwhelming in comparison to older versions. There are still things happening, just less so. I predict this will change with upcoming patches. Read that as "I hope it will".
I began a new game with my friend. We both decided to play as some form of egalitarian. In the beginning there wasn't much to be worried about except the fact I discovered Democratic Crusaders sooner than I discovered my friend. Though what I didn't tell my friendo is that we're playing on harder difficulty than usual.
Something about Democratic Crusaders nerves me at all times. The moment our borders touched the border friction was real even if we are both democracies. Feeling like I didn't want the AI to suddenly get any ideas I give them a gift of 2000 energy and get them to sign all plausible pacts. Defensive, commerce, research. I follow up by opening branch offices on all their planets and consequently begin exploring the Diplomacy tree. Not to mention I've been spamming that diplo edict all along.
All is well that ends well, the Democratic Crusaders cast their eye away from their newfound ally. I explore in a different direction. I glance over some primitives I found. They were in the atomic age. Initially it did not occur to me to check their ethics but I later discovered their ethics were identical with mine.
In addition I finally discover my friend and then open up all plausible pacts. I unlock the form federation perk and consequently put the Democratic Crusaders and my friend in a federation with me. Now my MegaCorp could remain small without going ludacris over the admin cap and sapping myself of valuable research and unity. I have a glance at my trade value, everything seems to be in order. Branch Offices remain as they are, a bit to my annoyance the population on all these planets is growing slow. So my exploitation of these offices is minimal.
No matter.
I carry on exploring beneath me, the area that appeared abandoned and there it was. Fallen Empire Materialists (closest to me), Spiritualist(Furthest), Xenophobes(just a little ways from the Materialists). Right on my god damn doorstep. I've never seen them clustered together like that and I already dreaded what would happen come late game.
So I did what I thought was right and I technologically advanced the primitives and established them as my subsidiary. I essentially created a buffer zone as weak as it was between myself and the Fallen Empires. I didn't wanna touch that with a ten foot pole.
Not to mention my spawn was absolute crap, the highest slot planet in the entire neighborhood of mine is 15. Meanwhile my friend is grabbing 25 slot artic worlds and gaia worlds. But who cares right? I'm the center of this federation and I run the trades. (I like to roleplay with myself sometimes.) Business is good. I've more resources than I care to spend and unemployment is at an all time low.
Wrong. I check on my Democratic Crusader pal who is now in a federation with me. Not only is he overwhelming but he is "protective" and boy do I know what that means. Luckily our relationship is + 250. So I hope. I sincerely hope he doesn't break out of the federation and try and vasalize me. I know I can't count on my friend because, well, to be honest he's not very good at 2.2. So yeaaaah... While nothing is really happening, the threat of things escalating is there. Admittedly the Democratic Crusaders have set their eyes on some oligarchy to our far galactic west. Well far for me, not for them.
We're a pretty decently sized federation and occupy the north east quadrant on our own. A great place to run a MegaCorp if the peace lasts.
What bothers me though is that the Democratic Crusaders even if they rivaled the Oligarchy have not yet suggested we go to war to them. No idea what's happening here. Maybe they're waiting to border them properly? We'll see. But thinking about it now, if these crusaders get antsy I should put up a bastion between me and them. Sounds like a good idea right?
So yeah while the AI is a little underwhelming in comparison to older versions. There are still things happening, just less so. I predict this will change with upcoming patches. Read that as "I hope it will".
Last edited:
After installing Glavius' AI mod....Yeah I am AI seems to get some bonus in vanilla that really kick off with this mod.
AI seems to get some bonus in vanilla that really kick off with this mod.For me, AI is usually a threat in early game. That is partly because I tend to somewhat overcommit to early expansion at the cost of alloy production and fleet construction.
At some point, my economy really picks off and leaves behind their ability to produce ships. And yes, this happened even with the AI mod.
At some point, my economy really picks off and leaves behind their ability to produce ships. And yes, this happened even with the AI mod.
I'm still pre 2300 and all three neighbors constantly declare war. Only thing that keeps them at bay are the 3K+ defensive Stations I put up. But the strain on my economy because of this is....uhh...
I'd be interested in Information about the stuff AI might get as freebies in 2.2. Would help to plan ahead. For vanilla AI seems screwed. With the optimizations in the AI mod you're really screwed if you do overexend too much