What is everyone hoping for in the next DLC?

[oreopirate]

I've recently noticed that Aquatics brings the number of species packs to five. And the number of Expansions is five. Story pack, we only have four, unless you want to count the horizon signal. So I'm pretty sure that the next DLC (probably in March or May of 2022 at this point) will probably be a story pack.

Since they usually offer a small overhaul of one system, and expand it's content. I have found myself curious as to what system people hope they target next? Personally, I'm hoping for a story involving primitive species, pre-sapients, and recently conquered planets. Giving you variation in how they assimilate into your empire/ into the galaxy.

 

[Quinzal]

It seems like a good time to drop another story pack, honestly. Maybe they can fix espionage while they're at it.

I also want some more megastructures for the mid-game, but that's just me.

 

[Me_]

I'd like a new story pack. Obviously, more meaningful internal mechanics would be fine, but I've always found the discovery portion of the game to be the most engaging one.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Better interactions with vassals.

Empires should have things which specifically increase or reduce their loyalty based on their ethics. It should be possible to influence a vassal's ethic attraction, and their ethics should need to be compatible to allow integration (like at least 50% of their population holds your government's ethics). Integration should be a diplomatic request that can be declined, but that a loyal subject with compatible ethics can actively ask for.

During wars it should be possible to call up part of a vassal's fleet to the overlord's control, how much should be influenced by their ethics and loyalty (pacifists and xenophobes give less, militarists give more). They should have opinions on how they are used as well (pacifists like being used only defensively and lose loyalty if their fleets are moved out of friendly territory, militarists like winning battles, xenophobes like bombing aliens but xenophiles hate it, etc).

Basically, vassalisation and being an overlord or even a vassal should have more interactions alongside any mechanical bonuses (tax and tribute, etc).

Vassals and protectorates should have special interactions in federations, being essentially junior members with no direct voting power but giving some portion of their power to their overlord in strength or diplo weight based feds and reduced benefits (how much being dependent on the federation type, more in the more equal ones, less in hegemonies).

 

[Liquid Ghost]

Well on the purely aesthetic side: I'd like a Bio shipset and a Machine shipset. Also, it would just be window dressing, but alter technology for Hive Minds so it's biologically-themed, i.e. Better computers are "evolved calculating brain drones" or something to that effect.

 

[Tech Noir Synth]

1. Fixing Necrophage Hiveminds
2. Improving Balance of Origins (Tomb world is a good example for a lackluster Origin that needs a buff)
3. Improved Balance of civics
4. Giving Gestalts their ruler traits back and giving them agendas to choose every 20 years
5. Giving Gestalts the same content in the form of Anomalies and Federation options
6. Overhaul of the Galactic community laws just like Stefan's perfectly balanced mod does it to enforce a real rivalry between Robots/Organics and Spiritualism/Materialism

 

[Empire of Terra Nova]

- internal empire management (laws, nasty revolts, faction quests)
- cool stuff for hive minds
- new revolutionary ship designs (see babylon 5, v visitors and lexx for inspiration)
- more stuff for psi, bio, synth and (mega)construction ascension paths
- a new super scary end-game crisis with a new precursor

 

[Peepijeep]

- Inteenal politics
- Bio ascension should be able to assimate pops into main species
- More interacrion with other member of your feseration (Ethic attraction etc)
- Old.sector Management before 2.2

 

[A2ch0n]

- Heavy espionage upgrades
- internal politics
- anniversary portraits II
- better and more diplomacy options
- Rework of the GC AI behavior (far less prio to military and more prio to own ethics/friendly empire opinions)

 

[GloatingSwine]

Espionage upgrades don't need to be part of a DLC. They can be part of a normal patch because the upgrades are basically "put in some Operations that actually matter".

Stuff like supporting a faction within an empire to shift its ethics, fabricating claims (you as empire A give empire B a claim on empire C pushing them into conflict), dissolving claims against you etc.

Right now the operations top out at "mildly irritating" but the AI doesn't understand irritation so there's no reason for the player to do them.

 

[Eled the Worm Tamer]

'War by other means'
The culture and politics (internal and external) DLC.

 

[exi123]

I am stil all in for an art pack for planetary icons, empire icons, colours and stuff like that. Its not a neccessity but would bring some more flavour and immersion to planet management.

I would also love some gimmicks to solve midgameboredom and tall gameplay: Rings for planets, stations, automated space fabrication, infrastructure and just more life in the solar systems.

Also:
- internal politics
- more traditions, more unique traditions for certain empire types
- a second galaxy creation screen, with many many options to set for starting conditions
- in the current enviroment, just way more stuff to do when boxed in, no matter what. Interactions between empires, more layers of exploration, different layers of hyperlanes ro unlock new systems later in the game
- better sector management

 

[David Lo Pan]

The ability to recruit special armies from penal worlds.

That way we can make use of these fine, outstanding citizens!

And expand espionage in such a way so we can sneak attack a powerful rival in the Galactic Community that we've been warring with for hundreds of years.

What's that you say? No, I didn't just see a certain movie so I don't know what you're talking about. I came about all of this....... you know....... on my own......

 

[TrotBot]

internal politics and its influence on federations, which should also have ethics. external politics and its influence on deeper liberation wars so i can force equal standards for xenos, utopian abundance for all, and AI rights.

 

[A2ch0n]

Stuff like supporting a faction within an empire to shift its ethics, fabricating claims (you as empire A give empire B a claim on empire C pushing them into conflict), dissolving claims against you etc.

That one is a good idea!

 

[xking]

Internal politics

And making the game feel more alive. I want to feel like I'm actually ruling an Empire of sentient and Sapient beings.

 

[Dargaron]

internal politics and its influence on federations, which should also have ethics. external politics and its influence on deeper liberation wars so i can force equal standards for xenos, utopian abundance for all, and AI rights.

If the next expansion is the Internal Politics expansion, I hope they go all the way and give internal factions some actual teeth. In particular, give them resources of their own to spend on projects that may or may not align with the needs of the overall government, a la Crusader Kings or Vicky II.

 

[TrotBot]

If the next expansion is the Internal Politics expansion, I hope they go all the way and give internal factions some actual teeth. In particular, give them resources of their own to spend on projects that may or may not align with the needs of the overall government, a la Crusader Kings or Vicky II.

rebellions, revolutions, and civil wars (that aren't just forming a new empire to fight) are a must. Also, factions should not be limited to one ethic, and not limited to the limits placed on empires. I should be able to make a faction that is triple fanatic even if my empire can't be one, maybe this faction insists on utopian abundance, ai rights, AND xeno rights. and there should be a difference between a fanatic version of a faction and a normal one.

 

[Ryika]

Internal politics

And making the game feel more alive. I want to feel like I'm actually ruling an Empire of sentient and Sapient beings.

Those are the two things I've wanted since the day the game was released.

It's kind of ironic that the one time I really felt like things were happening in my empire, was when some of my planets were overrun with crime and the machine uprising was happening at the same time.

 

[methegrate]

A strong identity for the middle game.

The early game is discovery. The late game is building huge things and fighting huge wars. Right now the middle game is basically spent waiting for the late game to begin. (To give a deep call back, Stellaris kind of has a Spore problem. It's usually a lot more fun to create your empire than it is to actually play with it.)

New toys are fine, and politics feels like it will be necessary. But more than anything else I think we just need a clear, simple answer to the question "what are players supposed to do during the middle game?"