Developers said they want to rework how food functions, mostly with food sharing between planets.
Problem:
Food have only single usage in Stellaris - to make POPs grow faster. Which means that in the end once you filled all planet tiles you will inevitably do the same thing - replace all food buildings with power plants or labs, keeping planetary food balance on minimum positive.
And it's a really underdeveloped part of the game. It takes upgraded planetary capital and one-two farms to fed entire planet, depending on size.
Ideas to change it:
1. Make Food affect more than growth.
Obvious stat is happiness. With excessive food resulting in more happiness on a given planet.
2. Make food be shared between planets.
Master of Orion II had this feature. When excessive food would be pooled to a single empire-wide storage, from where it could be used to feed other planets(for example without athmosphere or where farming is not allowed). That was possible until you had transport fleets to deliver this food. Transport acted as convoys in HOIIV - not present on the map but rather as a number. Blockades would stop off-world food supply.
3. Make food generate profits.
Also from Master of Orion II. When you had free transports and covered planetary needs, excessive food would be used as atrade good, generating profits. This way, food was very important resource, and Empires could thrive on agrarian trade. Same could be applied to Stellaris.
4. Trade synergy
Should interplanetary trade or trade edicts be implemented, that could synergize well with food. As excessive food could be either sold to other empires or used to fed yours, maybe depending on some policy.
5. Improvement of Trade Agreements
Sign an agreement and civilian AI controlled ships start coursing between empires, bringing mutual profits upon reaching destination. More sulprus food generates more abstract trade ships\freighters.
6. Make specialized planets possible
Make specialized world possible so we'll have agricultural worlds, factory or scientific worlds. Which in turn will add more strategic layers, so you can hit certain planets to starve enemy empire and protect your farm worlds to keep your empire fed. Supply lanes also could be integrated in some future privateer or piracy mechanics, with pirates raiding your trade routes. Also you can see things like this:
7. Tech synergy
Adding techs that will not only be endless +5% food or Hydroponic farms I II II IV V VI VII VIII etc. but add food-to-energy conversion from excessive food traded. Or maybe adding, for example 0.5 additional minerals per excessive food produed. Or adding other various bonuses.
8. Slaves.
Make slaves more important. Let them work on plantations, process them into food. Buy slaves to process them etc.
9. Food Strategic resources
Add variation of Betharian stones for Food output. Make additional edits for Alien pets(or slaves) produce food.
Anything to make food a important resource, insted of "build-farm-and-forget"
Problem:
Food have only single usage in Stellaris - to make POPs grow faster. Which means that in the end once you filled all planet tiles you will inevitably do the same thing - replace all food buildings with power plants or labs, keeping planetary food balance on minimum positive.
And it's a really underdeveloped part of the game. It takes upgraded planetary capital and one-two farms to fed entire planet, depending on size.
Ideas to change it:
1. Make Food affect more than growth.
Obvious stat is happiness. With excessive food resulting in more happiness on a given planet.
2. Make food be shared between planets.
Master of Orion II had this feature. When excessive food would be pooled to a single empire-wide storage, from where it could be used to feed other planets(for example without athmosphere or where farming is not allowed). That was possible until you had transport fleets to deliver this food. Transport acted as convoys in HOIIV - not present on the map but rather as a number. Blockades would stop off-world food supply.
3. Make food generate profits.
Also from Master of Orion II. When you had free transports and covered planetary needs, excessive food would be used as atrade good, generating profits. This way, food was very important resource, and Empires could thrive on agrarian trade. Same could be applied to Stellaris.
4. Trade synergy
Should interplanetary trade or trade edicts be implemented, that could synergize well with food. As excessive food could be either sold to other empires or used to fed yours, maybe depending on some policy.
5. Improvement of Trade Agreements
Sign an agreement and civilian AI controlled ships start coursing between empires, bringing mutual profits upon reaching destination. More sulprus food generates more abstract trade ships\freighters.
6. Make specialized planets possible
Make specialized world possible so we'll have agricultural worlds, factory or scientific worlds. Which in turn will add more strategic layers, so you can hit certain planets to starve enemy empire and protect your farm worlds to keep your empire fed. Supply lanes also could be integrated in some future privateer or piracy mechanics, with pirates raiding your trade routes. Also you can see things like this:
Adding techs that will not only be endless +5% food or Hydroponic farms I II II IV V VI VII VIII etc. but add food-to-energy conversion from excessive food traded. Or maybe adding, for example 0.5 additional minerals per excessive food produed. Or adding other various bonuses.
8. Slaves.
Make slaves more important. Let them work on plantations, process them into food. Buy slaves to process them etc.
9. Food Strategic resources
Add variation of Betharian stones for Food output. Make additional edits for Alien pets(or slaves) produce food.
Anything to make food a important resource, insted of "build-farm-and-forget"
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