Stellaris III: Shop at the Paradox Megacorp!

[GloatingSwine]

I ran into a similar issue with my federation. Every now and again, one of my members would get a bug up their butts and decide they wanted to declare war on someone. Then every single one of the other members would all vote 'yes' on this, leaving me to make the final call.

And it really put me in an annoying spot. Because if I voted 'yes' I'd be dragged into a decades long war that I had no stakes in, and to make matters worse, I'd wind up doing 90% of the work of winning it. But if I voted 'no' then all that would happen is that I'd get a -50 opinion penalty to whoever wanted to start the war, and then a a short time later they would put it to a vote again. If I said no a second time, my penalty increased to -100 and then a short time later, they'd call for a vote again. They'd keep doing this until I finally said yes.

Actually, just wanted to return to this because I didn't remember it before.

Although there's an opinion penalty for saying no to a war vote, there's no penalty for letting it time out. So you can delay or deny their war indefinitely just by never voting.

Filibuster baby!

[Caelestion]

I once had a game where my xenophile pacifists were too successful with their federating. My friendly neighbours joined both joined up, then another abruptly changed ethics to be more aligned and became the fourth member, whereas the only other empire within range was mauled by a distant enemy and was making all nice to our federation too, such that suddenly I was now surrounded on all sides by federation members, which made for a rather dull game.

[The_Snark]

I once played an empire I called the Democracy Crusaders, Militaristic Egalitarian Democracy, who converted something like 3/4 of the galaxy to my ideology. None of them wanted to join my federation except one, and that one then voted against everyone else joining. It sucked.

That's kind of hilarious. (And a sensible failure mode for a democratic crusade, really.)

[Thufir]

Actually, just wanted to return to this because I didn't remember it before.

Although there's an opinion penalty for saying no to a war vote, there's no penalty for letting it time out. So you can delay or deny their war indefinitely just by never voting.

Filibuster baby!

Oh neat, I didn't know that. I've been doing that whenever it comes up for me, but I just did it because I figured if they were going to just keep asking over and over there was no point in actually responding. I didn't realise I was actually avoiding the opinion penalty as well.

[Narkis]

I still want to see how the new federations work. Some of the new ones might be considerably more convenient. I especially hope they come with more diplomatic options. Like forcing people to join your federation through war. I once played an empire I called the Democracy Crusaders, Militaristic Egalitarian Democracy, who converted something like 3/4 of the galaxy to my ideology. None of them wanted to join my federation except one, and that one then voted against everyone else joining. It sucked. Also, non-democratic federations would be nice, where you don't have to vote on every decision but occasionally can force something?

I think one of the new federations is gonna be authoritarian, with one empire the leader and the rest acting more as vassal states.

[Artanis]

One of the screenshots in the Federations dev diary shows the Federations rules, where you set up how the Federation works. War declaration, inviting members, and kicking members all have "President Decides" as options. I'm not entirely sure what you have to do to GET those as your Federation's rules, but they're there.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...ework.1270552/

[Grif]

One of the screenshots in the Federations dev diary shows the Federations rules, where you set up how the Federation works. War declaration, inviting members, and kicking members all have "President Decides" as options. I'm not entirely sure what you have to do to GET those as your Federation's rules, but they're there.

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...ework.1270552/

Finally. A federation where every Lifeform has the Vote and I am the Lifeform.

Just as it should be.

[Silverraptor]

Okay. I need help. How do I build a Dyson sphere and ring world? I have galactic wonders ascension perk. I have built the science nexus, sentry array, mega-art, and strategic coordinator and a couple gateways in my territory. I now want to build a Dyson sphere, but the construction ship does not list it as an option at all. So how do I make a Dyson sphere?

[tonberrian]

Okay. I need help. How do I build a Dyson sphere and ring world? I have galactic wonders ascension perk. I have built the science nexus, sentry array, mega-art, and strategic coordinator and a couple gateways in my territory. I now want to build a Dyson sphere, but the construction ship does not list it as an option at all. So how do I make a Dyson sphere?

Have you learned the Dyson Sphere technology? Once you have Galactic Wonders, it has a chance of appearing, but you can't create the megastructures unlocked by the perk until you've learned the technology for doing so.

[Artanis]

I think you also have to delete the mining station on the star.

[Silverraptor]

Have you learned the Dyson Sphere technology? Once you have Galactic Wonders, it has a chance of appearing, but you can't create the megastructures unlocked by the perk until you've learned the technology for doing so.

But it seems to be phrased that the ascension perk unlocks the technology for you outright?

[factotum]

But it seems to be phrased that the ascension perk unlocks the technology for you outright?

In older versions of the game it *did*--I can't remember when they changed it to require a tech as well, but they definitely did so.

[GloatingSwine]

In older versions of the game it *did*--I can't remember when they changed it to require a tech as well, but they definitely did so.

With Megacorp when all the new megastructures were added. They got moved out of the ascension perk and into techs instead, only Ringworld, Dyson Sphere, and Matter Decompressor are left under a perk now but still have techs.

Usually techs that get unlocked by ascension perk choices don't go into the random deck though, they're always available.

[Aresneo]

With Megacorp when all the new megastructures were added. They got moved out of the ascension perk and into techs instead, only Ringworld, Dyson Sphere, and Matter Decompressor are left under a perk now but still have techs.

Usually techs that get unlocked by ascension perk choices don't go into the random deck though, they're always available.

It was around the time of Ancient Relics, not Megacorps. The change was because Megacorps made Galactic Wonders way to good.

[Thufir]

But it seems to be phrased that the ascension perk unlocks the technology for you outright?

It doesn't unlock it automatically, but it does make it immediately (and permanently) available for you to choose to research any time you like. Same goes for the Matter Decompressor (if you have MegaCorps) and Ring World techs. Just go to switch what tech you're researching and scroll down - Dyson Sphere is a physics tech, Ring World is engineering, don't know about the Decompressor.

[Silverraptor]

Okay, and I assume you can only have 1 of each wonder at a tlme?

[Thufir]

Okay, and I assume you can only have 1 of each wonder at a tlme?

You can only build one of each, though I have seen people say you can get more if other empires build them and then you conquer the relevant systems from them. I've never seen the AI build a megastructure (not counting gateways and habitats) so I've never had a chance to try that myself.

[Artanis]

Ruined ones (from initial galaxy gen) that you find and repair also don't count against your limit.

[Silverraptor]

Ruined ones (from initial galaxy gen) that you find and repair also don't count against your limit.

So, if I found a matter decompressor, and I try to build another one, which should I finish first? The broken one or the one I'm making from scratch?

[tonberrian]

So, if I found a matter decompressor, and I try to build another one, which should I finish first? The broken one or the one I'm making from scratch?

The broken one, because it takes much less time and resources. It's only one stage to fix one, but it takes 4 to get one fully working from scratch.

[Silverraptor]

The broken one, because it takes much less time and resources. It's only one stage to fix one, but it takes 4 to get one fully working from scratch.

The broken one is bordering a fanatic xenophobic fallen empire. I just wanted to make sure I could still make 2 if I built it first.

[GloatingSwine]

Okay, and I assume you can only have 1 of each wonder at a tlme?

Except habitats and ringworlds. You can build as many of those as you like.

You can also only be building one at a time, which can be increased by certain other perks.

The AI does build megastructures on higher difficulties, it loves science nexi.

[Silverraptor]

So, just conquered the first of the 2 awakened empires in the war in the heavens. After I did so, one of my scientists that commanded a science ship died of old age. In recruiting a new scientist, one of the species of the fallen empire I conquered was available. They were cybernetic with an expertise in psionics...

[Silverraptor]

Figured out most of what he said on my own already. But did learn from this video about hangers increasing system protection range and gateways also expand that as well. That should eliminate patrols late game.

[Guancyto]

So, just conquered the first of the 2 awakened empires in the war in the heavens. After I did so, one of my scientists that commanded a science ship died of old age. In recruiting a new scientist, one of the species of the fallen empire I conquered was available. They were cybernetic with an expertise in psionics...

There have been games where I've conquered Fallen Empires and in fifty years their pops were completely running my empire.

I believe they call that "conquering China."

[Narkis]

There have been games where I've conquered Fallen Empires and in fifty years their pops were completely running my empire.

I believe they call that "conquering China."

That's because you guys play hippy non-Fanatic Exterminators. I've never had that problem.

[KillianHawkeye]

That's because you guys play hippy non-Fanatic Exterminators. I've never had that problem.

Why conquer a fallen empire when you can eat it instead?

[factotum]

Figured out most of what he said on my own already. But did learn from this video about hangers increasing system protection range and gateways also expand that as well. That should eliminate patrols late game.

It doesn't. The protection offered by a single starbase simply isn't enough to suppress piracy when you have very high-value trade routes going through the systems around it. Only the system where the starbase actually is are guaranteed to be pirate-free.

Gateways, on the other hand, *do* potentially eliminate a lot of patrols, because the trade can jump through the gateways and ignore the systems in between--so that significantly reduces the number of systems the trade has to go through.

[GloatingSwine]

All defensive starbase modules increase trade protection range.

But it's only going to do any good in the midgame, eventually trade value numbers get too high for starbases to suppress and one anchorage (with logistics depot) is 60 trade protection in naked corvettes. (Not even with the old figleaf of red lasers, just keep the upkeep low).

(That's the main reason I think they should change trade protection to remove it from actual ships, because the best way to do it is super fake and gamey)

[KillianHawkeye]

Is it, though?

I mean, if there were a bunch of self-driving police cars on the roads, I'd still slow down and be extra careful when I see one on the off chance that it's a real cop. That's basically what having a bunch of unarmed corvettes flying around does. Pirates just aren't brave enough to chance a confrontation because they can't tell how much weaponry the ships have until they engage them.