[Twitter] 1.6 To be Named 'Adams'

[Tim_Ward]

That's Douglas Adams.

Two new types of FTL - Infinite Improbability and Bistromathics - confirmed.

Planet construction confirmed.

Krikkit Wars Endgame Crisis Confirmed.

'Depressed' trait for synth leaders Confirmed.

Me saying things are confirmed when they're actually not confirmed confirmed.

https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/851346202226565120

 

[The_Red_Star]

Honestly using Douglas Adams' name for a relatively minor patch update seems like a waste of the name since so far, most of the patches' names have been relatively thematic. I.E Heinlein's biggest changes were to combat and Banks' accompanied the Utopia patch; and many would say that the Culture that he created in his most famous series of books is indeed a utopia.

 

[Tim_Ward]

In seriousness, I don't think there's much you can take from Adam's work and put it into Stellaris without turning the game into a 'lol, memes' game, which I presume most people don't want.

 

[The_Red_Star]

In seriousness, I don't think there's much you can take from Adam's work and put it into Stellaris without turning the game into a 'lol, memes' game, which I presume most people don't want.

With Adams I'd be disappointed if there weren't a whole books worth of text for new events that range from the flippantly silly to the "so dark light cannot escape its surface" variety of comedy.

 

[Penguin Zero]

There are a few things you could take from the HItchhiker's Guide series without making the game sillier. Planetary destruction, for one thing -- Earth was blown up to make a hyperspace bypass, after all. More unique traits for synths, perhaps, since Synthetic People Personalities like Marvin or Eddie the Shipboard Computer were a big part of the series. And there could always be more serious event chains taking on things like the creation of a galactic guidebook/encyclopedia, or sinister plots to find the creator of the universe, or even time travel.

 

[mathers]

Honestly using Douglas Adams' name for a relatively minor patch update seems like a waste of the name since so far, most of the patches' names have been relatively thematic. I.E Heinlein's biggest changes were to combat and Banks' accompanied the Utopia patch; and many would say that the Culture that he created in his most famous series of books is indeed a utopia.

Asimov was wasted for an even shorter one....

 

[ModZero]

Culture that he created in his most famous series of books is indeed a utopia.

That's... incredibly, terribly wrong, and in a way that would make Banks really sad. On the other hand, the utopias of Stellaris ain't either, so it's fine.

 

[Jerev]

In the tweet Wiz said that there will be one towel related feature. I wonder what that might be...
...an army attachment?
...a tech that raises leader age?

 

[JonStryker]

Also there seems to be a new project lead. So we've reached the low-maintenance mode already? Like with CK2 where the more experienced coders where pulled out long ago ...
Or am I overdramaticing this?!

 

[Grotuk]

nice 1 thanks Wiz

 

[Brownbeard]

What if the run out of sci-fi writer names?

Other than this, it might be a good time to enjoy some Vogon poetry.

 

[mathers]

What if the run out of sci-fi writer names?

Aldrin, Lem, Stephenson, Baxter,... The genre is alive and kicking. A lot more writer to go.

 

[misterderp]

What if the run out of sci-fi writer names?

I don't think they will run out of writers soon™.

 

[-Marauder-]

Also there seems to be a new project lead. So we've reached the low-maintenance mode already? Like with CK2 where the more experienced coders where pulled out long ago ...
Or am I overdramaticing this?!

Let's hope so. This is by far my most favorite Paradox game and I really hope it will live a long time and succeed to eventually we'll see a Stellaris 2 and then 3 and then 42.

 

[ModZero]

Aldrin, Lem, Stephenson, Baxter,... The genre is alive and kicking. A lot more writer to go.

The question is whether adding authors that are still alive is okay. I mean, I don't care much about some, but I'd be miffed if they offed Ann Leckie by naming a patch after her (hint, hint).

Let's hope so. This is by far my most favorite Paradox game and I really hope it will live a long time and succeed to eventually we'll see a Stellaris 2 and then 3 and then 42.

Considering its success, I think Stellaris is off to a rather glorious future.

 

[Alblaka]

Planetary destruction, for one thing

Welp. This is a very realistic assumption, given that we know Wiz intended Stellaris' next content update (albeit I personally didn't expect for that to be 1.6) to either cover warfare or diplomacy (or both, or neither).

Which however, implies 1.6 may be a bit more then just a bugfixing/QoL update.

 

[The_Red_Star]

Aldrin, Lem, Stephenson, Baxter,... The genre is alive and kicking. A lot more writer to go.

I think he means more in the sense of "big name" scifi writers before we have to start drawing from the dregs of the Science Fiction//Space Opera/Space Fantasy genre's pedigree. While there are still quite a number of acclaimed writers to go for sooner or later you start getting into really obscure writers, famous but schlocky writers, or worst of all schlocky and obscure writers. Although the last category has a lot of hilarity you won't see in more respectable categories; even tie in novels for the Star Wars or Halo EU or Warhammer 40k's black library have some sort of general idea of a setting to cling to but once you enter the foul depths of E-book only authors the sky is the limit in terms of insanity.

That's... incredibly, terribly wrong, and in a way that would make Banks really sad. On the other hand, the utopias of Stellaris ain't either, so it's fine.

While I would also generally agree that the Culture does not fit the classical definition of Utopia, it's still an anarcho-transhumanist post-scarcity and post-labor idyllic paradise for the average citizen of the culture. At that level of development the great struggle of society is won; the average person has no obligation to do any work to enjoy essentially all the pleasures of life. Which is of course why the series so very rarely focuses on the civilians of the culture because they don't really have very interesting struggles; all the action is with special circumstances and the like who go outside of the polity to interact with other civilizations.

 

[Nyrael]

Also there seems to be a new project lead. So we've reached the low-maintenance mode already? Like with CK2 where the more experienced coders where pulled out long ago ...
Or am I overdramaticing this?!

The change itself could mean "Oh Utopia sold extremely well, let's increase maintenance!". But generally, it means little as devs are constantly moved around, even during development.
Also, nowadays Project Lead isn't as big of a title due to it getting split into three (Game Director, Project Lead, Technical Lead). Since Game Director and Technical Lead decide what gets to be in the game, and Project Lead takes case those get in, there shouldn't be major changes for Stellaris

 

[ModZero]

dregs of the Science Fiction//Space Opera/Space Fantasy genre's pedigree.

We already have Heinlein, so that particular ship has sailed *grind, duck and run*.

Which is of course why the series so very rarely focuses on the civilians

No, the society focuses on them because it's implied that the mainline Culture is incredibly conformist and docile. Even as Banks said he'd like to live in it (of course, who doesn't like luxury), he also wrote much about atrocities committed by culture, each and every novel mentions the social rules people actually live in — mostly due to risk of one's peers scorn.

SC and Contact aren't implied to be magical and special. They're implied to be social rejects of Culture. Every time there is a strong implication that the job could have been done by a Mind, but you just have to do something about those people who just couldn't get along.

Culture is a series about how the dream society of Banks (and mine) would still be deeply flawed. Perhaps most it's about the impossibility of utopia. I mean, the idea that Banks would write a book about something that's not horrible is ridiculous.

 

[General Retreat]

the dregs of the Science Fiction//Space Opera/Space Fantasy genre's pedigree.

I hear 1.7 "Lucas" is going to deal with trade and federations.