Twitter Updates (1.4/1.5)

[Milten]

all the other axis could work perfectly find. There's no reason that a single consciousness for a species couldn't crave companionship or fear it. No reason for it to be spiritual or shun that which it can't see. No reason for it to not seek peace or war more than other things.

The thing is that this single consciousness is you. It has player ethos.

 

[Ratstranger]

With the new ethos system, if your empire have at least 2 ethics, your population will be split at least at 2 different groups, each with their own ethic.

It's conflicting with Hive Mind. Hive Mind single ethic ensures where is no dissent, it's just not possible.

 

[pieman]

With the new ethos system, if your empire have at least 2 ethics, your population will be split at least at 2 different groups, each with their own ethic.

It's conflicting with Hive Mind. Hive Mind single ethic ensures where is no dissent, it's just not possible.

Yeah but like, there's no reason they couldn't have hive ethic be a special case where all pops have hive ethic but overall authority still has ethical preferances.

 

[Sportsmaster]

The thing is that this single consciousness is you. It has player ethos.

Hrm... I had not thought of this, but this is an interesting justification. If that is the case, I wonder what the default diplomatic stance is for AI on hive minds. Their ways might seem so profoundly (or relatively) alien, that diplomacy with other empires could prove difficult... regardless of the actual ethics of the "player." Originally, I had thought that having ethics in common with hive minds might inspire some good stories for the game, but I like this interpretation very much, and their opening text, too. I am imaging myself a benevolent overmind, invisibly directing some aimless species towards the stars...

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

Hrm... I had not thought of this, but this is an interesting justification. If that is the case, I wonder what the default diplomatic stance is for AI on hive minds. Their ways might seem so profoundly (or relatively) alien, that diplomacy with other empires could prove difficult... regardless of the actual ethics of the "player." Originally, I had thought that having ethics in common with hive minds might inspire some good stories for the game, but I like this interpretation very much, and their opening text, too. I am imaging myself a benevolent overmind, directing some aimless species towards the stars...

I think that since Fanatic Purifiers got spun off into a whole specific part of these new mechanics, it's not unreasonable to assume that the Hive Mind stuff is an extension and expansion of what they imagined for the "Hive Mind" AI personality already in the game.

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.

 

[Milten]

Hrm... I had not thought of this, but this is an interesting justification. If that is the case, I wonder what the default diplomatic stance is for AI on hive minds. Their ways might seem so profoundly (or relatively) alien, that diplomacy with other empires could prove difficult... regardless of the actual ethics of the "player." Originally, I had thought that having ethics in common with hive minds might inspire some good stories for the game, but I like this interpretation very much, and their opening text, too. I am imaging myself a benevolent overmind, directing some aimless species towards the stars...

I'm not saying it's the best way, but Hive Mind secondary "ethos" could be handled with HM specific civics. Like "territorial" for aggressive ones or "curious" for more friendly option.

 

[Sportsmaster]

I'm not saying it's the best way, but Hive Mind secondary "ethos" could be handled with HM specific civics. Like "territorial" for aggressive ones or "curious" for more friendly option.

I did not realize this until just now but... I think my actual concern about hive minds is that they might not be engaging enough without an additional ethic. Hopefully, their unique civics will distinguish hive minds from each other in a single game *and* across different play-throughs.

 

[BlackUmbrellas]

I did not realize this until just now but... I think my actual concern about hive minds is that they might not be interesting enough without an additional ethic. Hopefully, they will be well supplied with civics that will be unique enough to distinguish hive minds from each other in a single game *and* across different play-throughs.

Question: How distinct do you find AI personality "Hive Minds" between different playthroughs?

What about Fanatic Purifiers? Do they have a lot of variation?

This is obviously a little bit simplistic, and I'm sure there will be a few interesting player choices, but I mostly see Hive Minds as another "special government" option, the same as Fanatic Purifiers are going to be now- not so much a whole new branch of game mechanics as a way of doing a very specific thing (in this case, playing without internal factions and dissent).

 

[Ratstranger]

I did not realize this until just now but... I think my actual concern about hive minds is that they might not be engaging enough without an additional ethic. Hopefully, their unique civics will distinguish hive minds from each other in a single game *and* across different play-throughs.

Problem is not even about civics, it's a about how Hive Mind gameplay shoud be interesting in comparing to other empires. How will your empire will react to conquered pops? How other empires will react to yours? Purge only/Coexistance/(Un-)Hivefication? How huge buff from lack of ethic divergence and factions will be offset? Lack of normal ethic bonuses?

Half of events already ingame should work very differently, from Worm in Waiting to "comet sighted".

There is a lot of work there for Stellaris dev team.

A lot.

 

[Sportsmaster]

https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/834358123343335426

Well, this clears up a lot.

 

[faljen_isus]

so no borg as things stand

 

[Ratstranger]

Wow. What's pretty brutal. In a way, Hives are more deserving "kill it with fire" reaction now than Purifiers. You can play like mini-Prethoryn basically. And assimilate species with biological Ascension.

 

[CassCD]

"A parrot Hive Mind takes to the stars."

I can just imagine a whole bunch of birds, all squawking as one to communicate. They would drive aliens everywhere into xenophobia.

 

[Horror In The Deep]

So, It is said. Hive Mind is 3 Ethos points.

I`m a bit sad that all Hives will be pretty much same. And there will be no "Militaristic SpaceCats Hive vs Pacifist Bug Hive"
Or just imagine Friendly Blorg Hive...

 

[Milten]

https://twitter.com/Martin_Anward/status/834358123343335426

Well, this clear up a lot.

"Hive-Minded pops can not survive in non-Hive Mind empires" - understandable.
"Non-Hive Minded pops can not survive in Hive Mind empires" - now that's a shame
"Can not follow Psionic and Synthetic Ascension paths" - shame again
"Can genetically modifiy species..." - wait, what? How can you modify them if they can't survive in your empire? Or they are like insta-connected on conquest?

 

[Artaios Greybark]

So, It is said. Hive Mind is 3 Ethos points.

I`m a bit sad that all Hives will be pretty much same. And there will be no "Militaristic SpaceCats Hive vs Pacifist Bug Hive"
Or just imagine Friendly Blorg Hive...

Well, Hive Minds do have different civics to choose from.

 

[Horror In The Deep]

"Can genetically modifiy species..." - wait, what? How can you modify them if they can't survive in your empire? Or they are like insta-connected on conquest?

I personally read this as "you may make Hive Mind of your normal Empire if you complete Bio Ascension Path "
But I am not a native speaker, so I could be wrong

And it seems that non-hivemind species are connected to Hive when conquered. Without any asсension perks:

https://twitter.com/LevelTwoRogue/status/834359086678474754

"They can't live inside a Hive Mind empire though - they get processed"

 

[Voldurak78]

 

[Ratstranger]

"Hive-Minded pops can not survive in non-Hive Mind empires" - understandable.
"Non-Hive Minded pops can not survive in Hive Mind empires" - now that's a shame
"Can not follow Psionic and Synthetic Ascension paths" - shame again
"Can genetically modifiy species..." - wait, what? How can you modify them if they can't survive in your empire? Or they are like insta-connected on conquest?

I assume that 'can't survive" means they get insta-flagged for purge. But purge is not immediate, so you have a little time to tinker with them, while they are dying out.

 

[Milten]

And it seems that non-hivemind species are connected to Hive when conquered. Without any asсension perks:

https://twitter.com/LevelTwoRogue/status/834359086678474754

"They can't live inside a Hive Mind empire though - they get processed"

I assume it's one of Purge options
"Processing: The species is processed into food for the consumption of other Pops. Pops being Processed generate a fixed amount of food and die off at a fairly fast pace, but cannot be put to use producing any other resources."