[Mod] Despicable Neutrals

[Danik]

Added the ethos "Neutral".
In the ethos wheel there is this glaring void in the middle, and what could possibly fit better than a neutral ethos in there?

That said, what does the neutral ethos even represent? It is a mystery, nobody knows exactly.
Still, there are boni involved, mainly cheaper maintenance for defense stations, another embassy to keep your neighbours reassured and less ethos divergence.
You make of it whatever you want but the AI probably won't like accepting alliance or federation proposals. They are less likely to attack, but more willing to take a good trade deal and generate less border friction and threat.

Now, I'm open to suggestions for the bonuses, any ideas?
I toyed with the idea of less rivalries, less influence and less core planets but honestly, nobody wants to have less of something.

Includes:
Neutral ethics
can ethics drift from and to neutral and additional ethics (still a bit weird!)
AI can pick it (http://i.imgur.com/OVGvCza.png)
personality entry for the AI

 

[CaptRobau]

Interesting concept.

 

[Pilatian]

Probably should have some maluses as well. Far too strong right now, if a player picks it then you're getting a ton of stations at low cost and an additional embassy with no reason not to declare war besides roleplaying.

Increased war exhaustion and less influence probably the best options here, and if possible significantly increase the cost of war demands for ceding planets as well. Neutrals are essentially pacifists without friends. Maybe get rid of the embassy as well, or find some other way to prevent the player from just getting themselves into an alliance easily? Influence can sort of do that, but federation won't cost influence.

 

[AKjeldsen]

Reaction penalty with all other species. Because they're despicable neutrals.

 

[wergy]

A trait with only good modifiers and nothing bad? I'm sure it's accurately balanced and not OP at all

 

[Mackus]

I'd say make the ethic pick cost 3 points, and rather than make stations cheaper or affect threat or friction, make it give less ethic divergence (maybe pop_ethic_shift = -0.10 for country, not just for pops), since they have no strong feelings one way or the other.

 

[Danik]

A trait with only good modifiers and nothing bad? I'm sure it's accurately balanced and not OP at all

It's not a trait. It is an additional ethics. Feel free to contribute to the idea.

I'd say make the ethic pick cost 3 points, and rather than make stations cheaper or affect threat or friction, make it give less ethic divergence (maybe pop_ethic_shift = -0.10 for country, not just for pops), since they have no strong feelings one way or the other.

Ethics cost on 3 was my initial pick but ethics divergence was pretty weird and strange when I did that. The system basically only changed the drift on one axis range f_col to f_indiv.
A second minor ethics helped with that and gave more choices for the system to diverge to/from.
Defense stations are rather optional, pretty good to have but don't on their own increase the chance for you to win the war without a fleet. It helps keep the cost down by 20% for the big stations and that may be too much, I agree.
Empire divergence influences everyone, the other only the pops. Maybe a bit too strong? I don't know.

 

[keynes2.0]

I dont know if this is a good idea. My gut says maybe.

 

[Danik]

Probably should have some maluses as well. Far too strong right now, if a player picks it then you're getting a ton of stations at low cost and an additional embassy with no reason not to declare war besides roleplaying.

Increased war exhaustion and less influence probably the best options here, and if possible significantly increase the cost of war demands for ceding planets as well. Neutrals are essentially pacifists without friends. Maybe get rid of the embassy as well, or find some other way to prevent the player from just getting themselves into an alliance easily? Influence can sort of do that, but federation won't cost influence.

I really like the idea of war demands.

Reaction penalty with all other species. Because they're despicable neutrals.

Good too.

I will look into that.