Hive Mind or "We sure do think alike"

[Winterwolf00]

If that honeycomb symbol means what I think it does, looks like Hive Minds won't (just) be some advanced government type.

Hive Mind government now officially confirmed.

Now I'm seriously considering a Zerg playthrough.

 

[krios41]

Hive Mind government now officially confirmed.

Now I'm seriously considering a Zerg playthrough.

hype

 

[Psilous]

I'd use something like the wormhole radius system - have psychic link break the further a planet/fleet is from the Central Control Hivemind, and have networks which expand that range, with the issue being that you get rapid ethics divergence, rebellion risk, reduced production on planets, and fleets lose speed and power, giving you an incentive to keep a strong link, while also giving your opponents a target to hit to knock you out - it would make you very strong, but losing a networking node might end up with you losing an entire sector. But that's just my thoughts on how to implement a mechanic they already have.

You could unlock motherships at some point which would allow a queen to maintain hive mind control I really would love to see this!

 

[S.C. Watson]

I love all the hate early on in the thread how this just wasn't going to be possible. /snark.

 

[Xoatl]

I love all the hate early on in the thread how this just wasn't going to be possible. /snark.

I contributed to that. I was expecting mediocrity.

 

[Strager]

I contributed to that. I was expecting mediocrity.

And what do you think of the end result?

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

Considering Fanatic Purifiers originated as an AI personality type and are now a specific Civic trait tied to very similar prerequisites, I think it's not unreasonably to consider that the Hive Mind government may be a refinement and expansion of the Hive Mind AI personality type.

We could potentially look to it for help in what to anticipate from hive minds.

Paraphrased from the wiki:

Hive Mind
Prerequisites: Fanatic Collectivist, NOT Pacifist/Fanatic Pacifist, has the "Conformist" Trait.

Hive Minds concern themselves with the propagation of their species above all else. So long as they have room to expand, there is little to fear from them, but if boxed in they will think nothing of seizing worlds and slaughtering their native population.

Characteristics:

• Conqueror – Conquer planets from other empires.
• Dominator – Invade primitives.
• Opportunist – Attack someone already embroiled in war.
• Propagator – Only get aggressive once boxed in.
• Purger – Purge alien pops.
• Slaver – Enslave pops.

 

[TankRush]

Am I the only one who thought that the Conformists trait was a simple way of representing a naturally hivemind species? Especially since it's more likely to be a biological train than an artificial construct.

And once you start networking everyone's brains with cybernetic implants, you're going beyond a mere hivemind to basically giving everyone 24/7 subconscious google access.

 

[Sinister2202]

I finally have a reason to enable spawning of the terran federation and all the other nice and squishy creatures.

And once you start networking everyone's brains with cybernetic implants, you're going beyond a mere hivemind to basically giving everyone 24/7 subconscious google access.

I think there's a difference between total and unconditional obedience to the collective, than access to other people's heads.

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

Am I the only one who thought that the Conformists trait was a simple way of representing a naturally hivemind species? Especially since it's more likely to be a biological train than an artificial construct.

It's vague enough that it could go a few ways- I've used "Conformist" for species I conceived of as flock-based; everyone is still an individual, but group consensus is important and most decisions are made in a group, often with no clear "leader" behind them.

 

[Me_]

Hive Mind is a government, ethics and trait:

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

Ah, interesting. So it's more-or-less a "Zerg" model- a core mind controlling many puppet-body drones (ala the Overmind), with semi-autonomous specialist experts (Cerebrates). Or whatever other similar heirarchy you want to use.

 

[nweismuller]

Looks like I was absolutely correct about the 'mutual purge' relationship of hiveminded population and non-hiveminded population.

 

[Xoatl]

And what do you think of the end result?

Looks like I was absolutely correct about the 'mutual purge' relationship of hiveminded population and non-hiveminded population.

Pleasantly surprised, I was never a big proponent of the hivemind thing. But I'm glad the devs are listening to the community, sci-fi is fraught with hive mind stories. I was more of a supporter of stuff like some of the civics that let you have unique starts. Like the hivemind gives hope for additional government styles in the future. The civics system gives hope for more unique starts in the future.

Banks is generating a lot of hype in more communities than just this forum. If some of those posts are anything to go by I expect a lot of people will return to Stellaris when the update is out. To many this comes off as what Stellaris should have been on release (if not a little more). I felt the same way, but got so hyped, I just got mods instead of waiting.

Hive Mind is a government, ethics and trait:

That trait is rapid breeder

Also, "subsumed mind" and "one mind" is different from the last hivemind. Confirms different types of hiveminds.

 

[Me_]

I wonder if the Prethoryn will be redesigned to utilize the new Hive Mind.

 

[Lothmar]

I was curious about the 'immortal ruler' thing for hivemind. That's gonna be a spicey situation if they get a negative trait, though some might not matter mechanically aka substance abuser, but man the head canon lol. *remembers that episode of rick and morty*

Admittedly im more curious about if they mean that the ruler doesn't die from 'natural causes' ie, they can still be murdered in many numerous ways by someone exterminating your society. Or if that means per fluff the unkillable immortal hive mind is just captured by its conquerors and gives some kind of bonus, like a forced 'Research agreement' of any techs the hive mind had that the capture is researching as they probe it for information literally and figuratively. Or maybe they give a discount on the 'biological ascenion' path or become a 'special materials' that sits in your list 'Captured Hive mind'.

 

[Chaos_TLW]

I was curious about the 'immortal ruler' thing for hivemind. That's gonna be a spicey situation if they get a negative trait, though some might not matter mechanically aka substance abuser, but man the head canon lol. *remembers that episode of rick and morty*

Admittedly im more curious about if they mean that the ruler doesn't die from 'natural causes' ie, they can still be murdered in many numerous ways by someone exterminating your society. Or if that means per fluff the unkillable immortal hive mind is just captured by its conquerors and gives some kind of bonus, like a forced 'Research agreement' of any techs the hive mind had that the capture is researching as they probe it for information literally and figuratively. Or maybe they give a discount on the 'biological ascenion' path or become a 'special materials' that sits in your list 'Captured Hive mind'.

From what we've seen so far, a hive mind doesn't *really* have a ruler, it is just an undying entity named the same as the species itself.

That trait is rapid breeder

I believe he was talking about the last trait to the right.

 

[Sinister2202]

Looks like I was absolutely correct about the 'mutual purge' relationship of hiveminded population and non-hiveminded population.

I don't understand the last part of the tooltip. What's the point of genetically modifying to become hive minded if you are already a hive mind? Is this hinting at a possibility that hive mind society can be created during the game or be free from it and become it once more?

 

[Winterwolf00]

I don't understand the last part of the tooltip. What's the point of genetically modifying to become hive minded if you are already a hive mind? Is this hinting at a possibility that hive mind society can be created during the game or be free from it and become it once more?

Presumably it means modifying OTHER species so that they can be assimilated without being eaten.

 

[Winterwolf00]

Is it safe to assume that since Hive Mind both disables the tutorial AND makes internal stability an utter non-issue the balance is going to be extreme hostile relations with your neighbors and a focus on rapid expansion and conquest?
In other words, Hive Mind is difficult mode.