Doomsday Origin: A reward for saving the populace

[Cat_Fuzz]

Given that Doomsday is a challenge origin, I feel it should have a decent reward for the inconvenience it causes to your empire in the early game.

I say this as I had spent a good chunk of the game getting my pops off of the main homeworld across three different planets (playing no guaranteed colonies). The flavour text when you achieve complete evacuation gives the impression that you would be a hardier and stronger species for surviving the apocalypse, but nothing fundamentally changes.

I was wondering if something like a permanent boost to happiness and unity could come from achieving this goal?

 

[Franton]

(playing no guaranteed colonies)

This origin specifically states that you won't get guaranteed habitable planets. Explicitely setting this to 0 only nerfs (and in fact hamstrings) the AI empires, but makes no difference to yours.

I just happened to try this origin and found that this very restriction can lead to a game that extremely depends on chance: in my case, I didn't find a mediocre or better planet to settle before 2012, and that one was 12 jumps away! And that was with 6 science ships exploring, not surveying! I did find one other planet a little closer later, and could settle it with the colony ship that was already on it's way, but I was lucky I could actually claim the intermediate systems before my neighbouring empire (a fanatic purifier) managed to block my path.

I would really appreciate if this origin would give you a reasonable chance for at least a 50% or better planet somewhere near - or alternately a faster colony ship type that doesn't need 7-8 months per jump, and then another 4 years to establish a colony!

 

[WhiteKyubey]

This origin specifically states that you won't get guaranteed habitable planets. Explicitely setting this to 0 only nerfs (and in fact hamstrings) the AI empires, but makes no difference to yours.

I just happened to try this origin and found that this very restriction can lead to a game that extremely depends on chance: in my case, I didn't find a mediocre or better planet to settle before 2012, and that one was 12 jumps away! And that was with 6 science ships exploring, not surveying! I did find one other planet a little closer later, and could settle it with the colony ship that was already on it's way, but I was lucky I could actually claim the intermediate systems before my neighbouring empire (a fanatic purifier) managed to block my path.

I would really appreciate if this origin would give you a reasonable chance for at least a 50% or better planet somewhere near - or alternately a faster colony ship type that doesn't need 7-8 months per jump, and then another 4 years to establish a colony!

I even had a game, where I had to fight my neighbour and take his capital system to survive. I like to keep hab. planets around 50%

 

[Unseelie]

I'm split on this one.

On the one hand, I can suggest multiplayer balance for a reason why the doomsday empire might deserve a bonus. Because, frankly, you start in a hole and have to dig yourself out.

On the other, I can understand an origin distinctly marked as challenging being intentionally challenging, and not giving the player any gift except the challenge that it states it gives.

 

[Ryika]

It would be interesting to know how many people actually use the origin regularly. Personally, I've used it a few times out of curiosity, but never again since then.

If that's the norm for most of the playerbase, then I would argue that's a good reason for adding a stronger positive component to it (other than the extra alloy production being great for an early rush). But if there's a significant amount of people who like using it for the challenge that it poses, then I would argue that it's currently fulfilling its purpose.

I would assume that the fact that it's the only intentionally challenging origin that was ever released is not a coincidence though.

 

[Lykus Cerebros]

I wouldn't mind some temporary effect after your homeword explodes. Don't think it is needed to be permanent.

The origin is supposed to be challenging so I feel like getting any higher chance than normal to find habitable planets defeats the whole point of it.

It's not supposed to be MP competitive and never should be. It's a flavour origin and for that it works perfectly fine.

 

[Cat_Fuzz]

I agree that increasing the chance of habitable planets goes against the spirit of the origin.

I also don’t mind if it’s not permanent. The specific reason I want to see this is so that there’s a bit of time after the world has exploded to get primarily food and cg back on track so you’re not spending a long time after floundering with negative effects (in the case where you only have <20% habitability available)

 

[Nebbie Zebbie]

Permanent boost? Please no. Temporary powerful boost, like 100 influence and +10% happiness for 20 years on all planets? That'd be okay. Trait that increases your habitability by 20% for "adpating to new words"? That might be good.
And make it have guaranteed habitables, but they're from the wrong climate category, so it's not quite as bad when RNG screws you.

 

[Empire of Terra Nova]

It would be interesting to know how many people actually use the origin regularly. Personally, I've used it a few times out of curiosity, but never again since then.

If that's the norm for most of the playerbase, then I would argue that's a good reason for adding a stronger positive component to it (other than the extra alloy production being great for an early rush). But if there's a significant amount of people who like using it for the challenge that it poses, then I would argue that it's currently fulfilling its purpose.

I would assume that the fact that it's the only intentionally challenging origin that was ever released is not a coincidence though.

i use it as a means to relocate to a better starting position early on (e.g. true relic world with free science jobs, a place completely isolated and thus shielded by enigmatic observers fe, l-gate proximity, gaia worlds and so on)

that's why i don't even find it to be of no use, though more rewards are always welcome

 

[Tamwin5]

It would be interesting to know how many people actually use the origin regularly. Personally, I've used it a few times out of curiosity, but never again since then.

If that's the norm for most of the playerbase, then I would argue that's a good reason for adding a stronger positive component to it (other than the extra alloy production being great for an early rush). But if there's a significant amount of people who like using it for the challenge that it poses, then I would argue that it's currently fulfilling its purpose.

I would assume that the fact that it's the only intentionally challenging origin that was ever released is not a coincidence though.

I have a terravore doomsday empire I play occasionally. Lore is they ate their own homeworld until it went boom.

In regards to the challenge, at the point where you successfully managed to evacuate your homeworld you've already "won" the challenge, or at least gotten past the most challenging part of it. Getting a nice big lump sum of unity or a 10 year happiness modifier wouldn't make it any easier to actually get to that point, which is where the struggle is.

 

[killer260111]

its we're on about giving a buff, i think migration chance for your empire might be an idea, or pop resettlement cost reduction might work for the theme of doomsday.

nothing too powerful since this is meant to be a challenging origin, but feels fitting.

 

[Cat_Fuzz]

In regards to the challenge, at the point where you successfully managed to evacuate your homeworld you've already "won" the challenge, or at least gotten past the most challenging part of it. Getting a nice big lump sum of unity or a 10 year happiness modifier wouldn't make it any easier to actually get to that point, which is where the struggle is.

It’s not about making it easier to evacuate, I’m talking post explosion to allow you to recover from it - that’s where a bonus (temporary or otherwise) would be beneficial (something like +10% to happiness and unity for like 10-20 years)

 

[Franton]

It would be interesting to know how many people actually use the origin regularly. Personally, I've used it a few times out of curiosity, but never again since then.

If that's the norm for most of the playerbase, then I would argue that's a good reason for adding a stronger positive component to it (other than the extra alloy production being great for an early rush). But if there's a significant amount of people who like using it for the challenge that it poses, then I would argue that it's currently fulfilling its purpose.

I would assume that the fact that it's the only intentionally challenging origin that was ever released is not a coincidence though.

I just started a second try out of curiosity after struggling so much with my first attempt (see above), and found it's a difference as night and day:

- playing as Lithoids instead of Plantoids reduces the initial economic strain considerably: As plantoids my farmers were struggling to provide more food than they were consuming from 2210 onwards, as Lithoids I don't need food, and don't suffer penalties from reduced penalties

- also I had a lot more luck regarding planets: I found a system with not one but two perfect habitability planets only 4 jumps away very early

I think I'll continue both this game and my first try to see how much of a difference it makes, but I expect it to be significant, as I set mid-game, end-game and victory year dates to the minimum!

I may even try a second game as Lithoids and/or as machine empire. However, I'm well aware that the challenge within this origin was targeted at food-based species.

 

[Franton]

To answer the original question (again), after trying this origin with both Plantoids and Lithoids, I think the only thing I'd change is changing the effect of the "Guaranteed habitable worlds" setting from providing nearby planets of the preferred type to providing planets of a non-preferred type.

And to those trying this origin I'd recommend settling the first planet they find to produce food and maybe a few CGs, while avoiding jobs that need CGs as much as possible until you find a good planet. Or simply play Lithoids or Machines to avoid most of the early game economy bottlenecks.

 

[Goodwood Empire]

I want the Memorialist civic to give extra bonuses if you choose doomsday origin, after your home planet goes boom.

 

[mial42]

Wouldn't mind a chunk of unity or a temporary unity bonus for surviving Doomsday. Nothing major though, the origin is pretty much fine as-is. Still disappointed that you can't make doomed ecumenepoli via the Worm anymore.

 

[Lykus Cerebros]

Wouldn't mind a chunk of unity or a temporary unity bonus for surviving Doomsday. Nothing major though, the origin is pretty much fine as-is. Still disappointed that you can't make doomed ecumenepoli via the Worm anymore.

Wait you can't? Broken worlds are no longer repaired or is just the modifier gone?

First one would prohibit repairing the voiddweller homeworld

 

[Empire of Terra Nova]

Wait you can't? Broken worlds are no longer repaired or is just the modifier gone?

First one would prohibit repairing the voiddweller homeworld

ruined megastractures can be repaired, broken worlds only give some minerals, if at all

 

[Lykus Cerebros]

ruined megastractures can be repaired, broken worlds only give some minerals, if at all

You were able to repair broken worlds (the void dweller homeworld, doomsday homeworld or cracked worlds) using theworm in waiting signal.

The code didn't differentiate between broken or non broken planets. I repeatedly repaired my homeworld as void dwellers using this trick.

If you settled it afterwards you could also get tomb world habitabilty using the self modified event chain.

 

[Tamwin5]

It’s not about making it easier to evacuate, I’m talking post explosion to allow you to recover from it - that’s where a bonus (temporary or otherwise) would be beneficial (something like +10% to happiness and unity for like 10-20 years)

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I was talking about for a reward after the planet blows up. A happiness buff pre-explosion would actually make things easier, since happiness is stability and Doomsday has some troubles with that.