Clarifications

[Doomdark]

We are very excited about the enthusiastic response we’ve gotten to the Stellaris announcement. This game is quite a departure from our historical titles, so we weren't sure how our fans and supporters would react to us trying something new and somewhat radical.

We have seen a little bit of confusion in some places, though, so it’s probably best to clarify and correct some common misconceptions.

1. This is a Clausewitz game. The newest version of our homegrown engine – the one powering Crusader Kings II and Europa Universalis IV – is the backbone of Stellaris.
2. This is a pausable, real/continuous time game like our other titles. No turns! And you can, of course, accelerate or decelerate the time at your leisure.
3. There are not seven playable races. This misunderstanding probably came about because we’ve used the word “phenotype” for the main classes of species – and there are six of those (Mammalian, Avian, Reptilian, etc). There are also six art styles related to these classes, for ships, buildings, and so on. There are pre-scripted races available for a quick game start, though you will never run into any of these as AI controlled factions. (The universe is populated with random species.) When you start the game, you can choose one of these scripted races or customize your own star-trekking population through a very simple process.
4. Stellaris is being designed with large multiplayer capability in mind. Hotjoin will be possible, allowing people to join games already in progress, and we hope that the only real limit on the number of players will be the size of the galaxy map.
5. Stellaris will be released simultaneously for Windows PC, Mac and Linux machines.
6. We do not have various different religions and cultures in the game, as you might see in, for example, Europa Universalis. ("Religion" in an abstract sense is often mentioned however.) Population units ("Pops") can each have their own species, ethics and grievances however, which can encourage them to join Factions.

 

[SFSLovenought]

• We do not have various different religions and cultures in the game

 

[KungDenzel]

Your design vision for this game is like something out of a wet dream(in space). I dont think I have ever been this hyped for a game before!

 

[FelixG]

Will linux and windows gamers be able to play together in the same multiplayer match? (Sorry if this is a stupid question.)

 

[LordMune]

Will linux and windows gamers be able to play together in the same multiplayer match? (Sorry if this is a stupid question.)

Yes.

 

[Rinso]

Can you please answer when the first DD will come?

 

[DeveronMagi]

my hype for this game has put me of all other games right now 133 games in my steam library and none feel appealing right now because i wanna play stellaris

 

[hashinshin]

You guys have mentioned populations, but without religion and culture what will populations do to differentiate themselves? Will they just be "This is the Hercabeatle species, you get -40 relations with them."?

 

[Nuraihyon]

You guys have mentioned populations, but without religion and culture what will populations do to differentiate themselves? Will they just be "This is the Hercabeatle species, you get -40 relations with them."?

They have already mentioned ideologies. It makes far more sense for them to be like "We are a species of ultra-capitalist lizards, and you are a species of ultra-capitalist birds. I think we can get along." Instead of making the only deciding factor whether or not they both pray to the same bearded man in the sky.

 

[SBolshevik]

Will we be able to add actual religions into the game, though?
I'd love to be able to root out HERESY.

 

[Holomanga]

6. We do not have various different religions and cultures in the game. ("Religion" in an abstract sense is often mentioned however.)

Nooo This is gonna make me a little bit less likely to buy it

 

[Korashy]

Stellaris is being designed with large multiplayer capability in mind. Hotjoin will be possible, allowing people to join games already in progress, and we hope that the only real limit on the number of players will be the size of the galaxy map.

If you design it for about 50 people you will get the entire multiplayer population into 1 game! (30 of those being paradox staff).

Okay. I'm not being fair here, but still always this insistence on multiplayer when it has never been paradoxes strong suit nor does the majority of players actively play multiplayer. Instead of continuing to try and force MP, i'd rather prefer this MP notion is abandoned and the resources used for the SP experience (which is by far the majority).

Of course it's not gonna happen, but that's my 2 cents.

 

[Darkath]

1. There are not seven playable races. This misunderstanding probably came about because we’ve used the word “phenotype” for the main classes of species – and there are six of those (Mammalian, Avian, Reptilian, etc). There are also six art styles related to these classes, for ships, buildings, and so on. There are pre-scripted races available for a quick game start, though you will never run into any of these as AI controlled factions. (The universe is populated with random species.) When you start the game, you can choose one of these scripted races or customize your own star-trekking population through a very simple process.

All the random species that populate the universe are part of one of the six phenotype, correct ?

 

[Thure]

You guys have mentioned populations, but without religion and culture what will populations do to differentiate themselves? Will they just be "This is the Hercabeatle species, you get -40 relations with them."?

Ideology, job, social classes, species...

 

[Lt. West]

Could we get some clarification on how Pops are going to work? Lots of previews have implied that it's going to be something similar to Vicky, which a planets population divided into segments (based on species/phenotype/whatever and whatever ethics and political views). However, I've seen increasing numbers of people saying that it's only going to be a single number per planet, or some other equally simplistic system.

IInstead of continuing to try and force MP, i'd rather prefer this MP notion is abandoned and the resources used for the SP experience (which is by far the majority).

Normally, I'd completely agree with you. CK2 and EU4 definitely seem to be more of a SP or small group MP game to me. However, a Space 4X/GSG with the scope they are promising absolutely lends itself to MP. Symmetrical starts, massive scale, (hopefully) deep customization of your species, and what seems like large "end of the galaxy" events that need people to band together to resolve them. Everything is pointing towards this game NOT being your typical PDS GSG.

 

[Hans_Schnitzel]

But how will we praise the God-Emperor of Mankind without religion?! HERESY.

 

[Thure]

But how will we praise the God-Emperor of Mankind without religion?! HERESY.

You can play religious aliens. The religion is just never explained. It's just a trait 'religious'.

 

[Thure]

But how will we praise the God-Emperor of Mankind without religion?! HERESY.

You can play religious aliens. The religion is just never explained. It's just a trait 'religious'.

 

[Holy.Death]

So... There are no different religions, but there is faith? Or am I reading this wrong?

 

[Thure]

So... There are no different religions, but there is faith? Or am I reading this wrong?

Yes. There is no defined religion but you can have religious aliens. The religion is just never explained.

 

[Korashy]

Normally, I'd completely agree with you. CK2 and EU4 definitely seem to be more of a SP or small group MP game to me. However, a Space 4X/GSG with the scope they are promising absolutely lends itself to MP. Symmetrical starts, massive scale, (hopefully) deep customization of your species, and what seems like large "end of the galaxy" events that need people to band together to resolve them. Everything is pointing towards this game NOT being your typical PDS GSG.

I'm not convinced, not only is the multiplayer usually half broken (EUIV hotjoin) OOS, etc, but paradox MP games just take too damn long with too much organization. All those resources for a niche population of what is a niche playerbase to begin with.

 

[Korashy]

Normally, I'd completely agree with you. CK2 and EU4 definitely seem to be more of a SP or small group MP game to me. However, a Space 4X/GSG with the scope they are promising absolutely lends itself to MP. Symmetrical starts, massive scale, (hopefully) deep customization of your species, and what seems like large "end of the galaxy" events that need people to band together to resolve them. Everything is pointing towards this game NOT being your typical PDS GSG.

I'm not convinced, not only is the multiplayer usually half broken (EUIV hotjoin) OOS, etc, but paradox MP games just take too damn long with too much organization. All those resources for a niche population of what is a niche playerbase to begin with.

 

[echo2361]

Yeah, I'm a little confused on religion as well. So if my species is "religious" in general, does that mean it will get along well with other "religious" species it comes across? If so, I'm not the biggest fan since from real world experience we are quite aware that sometimes religious believers with different faiths don't get along very well.

I'm hoping the other traits will play a bigger role in determining relations between species. So, for example, to those hoping to launch an interstellar crusade to root out heresy, I would imagine building a race of religious xenophobic people would allow you the play the role of a species that is intolerant of other alien religions. Hopefully we'll be able to use other traits to better sculpt our species' specific religious beliefs and practices.