PDOX Games VIII: Communism Will Win

[Renoa]

So, I've been playing Stellaris pretty much all day and I'm really enjoying it, but I'm not sure I can sustain my interest in it enough to warrant buying it.

[Bralia]

So, I've been playing Stellaris pretty much all day and I'm really enjoying it, but I'm not sure I can sustain my interest in it enough to warrant buying it.

It gets more fun with the more stuff packed into it, in my experience. All of the expansions and mods on top of that. It just works better as a game with as much content in it as possible.

[Purpelia]

It's also the gateway to a host of negative traits that make it unfun to play with. Seriously, why did they have to make the path constantly make you insane, crippled or worse? Paradox is literally the only game that managed to make playing a demon worshiping human sacrificing torturing madman unfun.

“Balancing.”

F*** that sort of balancing. Balance in a strategy game should come from having to solve intellectual problems, devise strategies and implement them. Not from having random numerical modifiers thrown at you as flat penalties.

[Valrifell]

“Balancing.”

F*** that sort of balancing. Balance in a strategy game should come from having to solve intellectual problems, devise strategies and implement them. Not from having random numerical modifiers thrown at you as flat penalties.

I'm sorry you want to play as an overpowered immortal, I guess.

[Purpelia]

F*** that sort of balancing. Balance in a strategy game should come from having to solve intellectual problems, devise strategies and implement them. Not from having random numerical modifiers thrown at you as flat penalties.

I'm sorry you want to play as an overpowered immortal, I guess.

No. What I want is for my strategy games to have strategic challenges as opposed to random crippling modifiers I can't do anything about. It's the equivalent of a football game where you get random unsolicited red cards to handicap you if you are winning too hard.

[Valrifell]

I'm sorry you want to play as an overpowered immortal, I guess.

No. What I want is for my strategy games to have strategic challenges as opposed to random crippling modifiers I can't do anything about. It's the equivalent of a football game where you get random unsolicited red cards to handicap you if you are winning too hard.

This whole conversation started because you got miffed because the game has opinion debuffs for being an immortal and there's not really a whole of of strategic ways to not make that strategically overpowered, since that's half the point of becoming immortal in the first place. There are no conceivable ways to balance immortality in the way you're talking about because in a game like CK2, you could just hypothetically max out stats through carefully maxing out stats over the years, if you want to play that way that's fine, but I don't think you ought to expect Paradox to make immortality a de facto win condition.

[Purpelia]

This whole conversation started because you got miffed because the game has opinion debuffs for being an immortal and there's not really a whole of of strategic ways to not make that strategically overpowered, since that's half the point of becoming immortal in the first place.

Nonsense. There are plenty of ways to do it. Like for example you becoming immortal could suddenly bring you to the attention of other immortals far older and better connected than you who could than start scheming to evict you. Which by the way really is what those secret societies should have been as well. Instead of just being a small handful of events and flavor.

Can you imagine if Satanism wasn't just a small fad thing where your guy can go from small county ruler to head of the conspiracy in one lifetime but actually your entire bloodline joining a multi generation effort to claw their way up the ladder of an ancient conspiracy to end the world through evil magical power. All the while juggling the needs of your realm, trying not to get discovered and trying to scheme, murder, undermine or outplay your opponents at the same time.

It could have added a whole new layer of strategic depth to the game.

There are no conceivable ways to balance immortality in the way you're talking about because in a game like CK2, you could just hypothetically max out stats through carefully maxing out stats over the years, if you want to play that way that's fine, but I don't think you ought to expect Paradox to make immortality a de facto win condition.

Than don't include it. If you can't do something right don't do it at all.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Ive never got to be immortal in ck2... that woman who shows up in the events always screws me or i fuck it up... am sad

[Purpelia]

Ive never got to be immortal in ck2... that woman who shows up in the events always screws me or i fuck it up... am sad

You aren't missing much. Basically your character won't die but he can still get cancer and stuff which will wreck your stats. And than some 60 or so years down the line you'll start getting "immortal suspicion" malluses to your relation with EVERYONE which make the game unplayable. But you won't have to worry much because by the time that happens your character will inevitably grow insane.

And yet at the same time there is so little flavor to the whole thing that you don't really gain anything in return. The only real benefit is that you have all the time in the world to complete what ever project you have. But that only makes it boring by revealing just how unchallenging these things can get when you are not up against a clock.

[Ifreann]

I don't play CK2, but it sounds like it would have been weirder for other characters to not care that the player is living a suspiciously long time.

[Hanafuridake]

“Balancing.”

F*** that sort of balancing. Balance in a strategy game should come from having to solve intellectual problems, devise strategies and implement them. Not from having random numerical modifiers thrown at you as flat penalties.

It's not like CK2 is even that balanced to begin with.

[Dawetid]

I don't play CK2, but it sounds like it would have been weirder for other characters to not care that the player is living a suspiciously long time.

Well, the player is not a single character.

[Thuzbekistan]

I'm sorry you want to play as an overpowered immortal, I guess.

No. What I want is for my strategy games to have strategic challenges as opposed to random crippling modifiers I can't do anything about. It's the equivalent of a football game where you get random unsolicited red cards to handicap you if you are winning too hard.

Yes!

[Ifreann]

I don't play CK2, but it sounds like it would have been weirder for other characters to not care that the player is living a suspiciously long time.

Well, the player is not a single character.

I would think that you rather are once you become immortal.

[The Huskar Social Union]

The sacrifice that every ruler makes.


For the realm.

[Lunas Legion]

(Image)

The sacrifice that every ruler makes.


For the realm.

Make them a commander, send them out to sea, wait for them to die from scurvy. Is genius. At least in HIP.

[Hanafuridake]

(Image)

The sacrifice that every ruler makes.


For the realm.

This is why I love Dharmic religious mechanics in the game.

Getting to choose which of your children you want to be your heir is such a relief.

[Impaled Nazarene]

(Image)

The sacrifice that every ruler makes.


For the realm.

This is why I love Dharmic religious mechanics in the game.

Getting to choose which of your children you want to be your heir is such a relief.

Laughs in Open succession and polygamy

[Evil Dictators Happyland]

I don't play CK2, but it sounds like it would have been weirder for other characters to not care that the player is living a suspiciously long time.

If you're not doing anything to draw attention to yourself and you were reasonably old when you became immortal, then it actually makes a certain amount of sense.
At the same time, you'd think that people would notice that a 60 year old doesn't look a day over 20 (if you were 20 or so when you gained immortality), and you'd DEFINITELY think people would spot something fishy if your children look older than you.

[Bralia]

Quite the amount of new stuff regarding governments in I:R's 1.1 patch. And power costs for a fair amount of things are actually being removed in favor of more meaningful penalties. I think that's the bit I like the most.

[Alvecia]

Quite the amount of new stuff regarding governments in I:R's 1.1 patch. And power costs for a fair amount of things are actually being removed in favor of more meaningful penalties. I think that's the bit I like the most.

Sounds like women might actually be good for something other than making babies, if you’re not using the gender neutral button.

[Bralia]

I decided to click the Randomize button that Stellaris has for empire creation because I've literally never touched the button before and I thought it would be funny to see what would happen. I was not disappointed. I rolled Fanatic Militarist/Egalitarians that had the modded Lethargic trait, which makes army damage absolutely dreadful.

[Evil Dictators Happyland]

I decided to click the Randomize button that Stellaris has for empire creation because I've literally never touched the button before and I thought it would be funny to see what would happen. I was not disappointed. I rolled Fanatic Militarist/Egalitarians that had the modded Lethargic trait, which makes army damage absolutely dreadful.

"You'd better accept democracy or we'll, uh, do something about it!"
*dictator ignores their message*
"GOSHDARNIT EMPEROR GLOMPER I'M SERIOUS"

[Bralia]

This is fun. I rolled a Devouring Swarm that has surprisingly fitting and synergistic, except for one particular trait: Apparently they're very curious about how other societies work.

[The Huskar Social Union]

This is fun. I rolled a Devouring Swarm that has surprisingly fitting and synergistic, except for one particular trait: Apparently they're very curious about how other societies work.

"Before we devour you, we shall learn of your customs, your politics, your history and indeed your art. So explain, we will wait"
"...."