The first Stellaris looks like it's gonna be worth it.

[Atlantians]

That is a very myopic viewpoint.

"Victory Conditions" are foreign to paradox games and insisting that all new games follow particular restrictive paradigms is a good way to kill creativity.

One thing I personally hate in most 4x titles are victory conditions.

Because I prefer the living sandbox style that Stellaris represents.

 

[V3N0M1300]

The problem is that all you can do is paint the map and pacifists aren't good for that. Every ethos should be able to "win" the game, that's why we need victory conditions.

 

[Atlantians]

The problem is that all you can do is paint the map and pacifists aren't good for that. Every ethos should be able to "win" the game, that's why we need victory conditions.

It is a sandbox game. You set your own win condition, just like in EU4, Victoria II, Rome, CKII, and HOI4.

 

[V3N0M1300]

It is a sandbox game. You set your own win condition, just like in EU4, Victoria II, Rome, CKII, and HOI4.

Except that those games have historical contexts and ways to expand without firing a shot, so you can "win" by becoming the new caliph, or colonizing the americas as Ireland, or whatever. Stellaris has neither-you can't even explore the rest of the galaxy once you're boxed in.

 

[monsterfurby]

The problem is that all you can do is paint the map and pacifists aren't good for that. Every ethos should be able to "win" the game, that's why we need victory conditions.

Victory conditions don't help painting the map being the only endgame. That's an entirely different issue, namely with the lack of non-territorial, non-military expansion/progression choices.

Right now, regardless of what the player wants, territorial expansion is the only choice.
Want to economically dominate the galaxy? -> Conquer more planets, built resource production
Want to reach the pinnacle of scientific development? -> Conquer more planets, build labs
Want to build the most powerful fleet in the galaxy? -> Conquer more planets, build spaceports

Without actually having interesting gameplay to tie victory conditions into, having them wouldn't make a difference.