Today’s game is Stellaris. I picked this up with the Winter Sale and finally decided to give it a go. I’m hooked. I made my own Empire and tried to go for a diplomatic xenophile fox like species named Cevellians. They’re an Elected Dictatorship (at least if i remember correctly) and they’ve formed a treaty with one of their neighbors.
At first tensions with all the neighbors except the Saiiban Foundation were tense. Eventually though the Haspalv Federation kept getting their asses kicked by the Kaan-Visam federation and the neighbors north, and they offered themselves as a territory. I said yes, intending to annex them and making them a Vassal after tensions with Kaan-Visam calm down.
Kaan-Visam ended up declaring war on me though, and my allies and me went to war against them. They only had two major points of entry into our system, so i rapidly militarized and steam rolled them. I didn’t really understand the claims system until after the war, but i accidentally walked off with the majority of their territory. I’m trying to improve diplomatic relations with them and annex them so that way i don’t have to deal with their constant invasions, though after taking most their land they’ve chilled out. Still, i’d like peace if possible, and if not i’ll have to militarize again for self defense.
So far this is what the galaxy looks like. I’ve been making deals with everyone i’m in good standing with. Theirs one Corporation Faction that keeps subjecting people by force. So far they took the entire southern portion of the map. If they try to invade me or my allies though i’m preparing to invade for self defense. I also told all their Territories that if they try for independence i’ll help them. The faction scooping everyone up is getting really annoying and they’re starting to push everyone around.
I could never get into Stellaris, or most other Paradox games for that matter. I have a thing where I want the complete experience on my first playthrough, and Paradox’s DLC practices are like anti-catnip for me. I can’t enjoy the base game because I keep thinking of what all I’m missing out on, but the game with all DLCs is overwhelming for a newbie.
Side note, I got excited seeing this post’s thumbnail because I thought you were playing Starsector. Great game if you haven’t picked it up yet, one of those indie games that does a half-dozen genres and does them well.
I’m getting a lot of game recommendations from this lol. I’ll have to give Starsector a look because I’m always in the mood to try a new game
This is a fair point, though I will say for most Paradox games the majority of the changes come out in free updates when the DLCs drop. And I’ve found (coming from Europa Universalis IV) that there are only a few crucial DLCs that really feel necessary to the experience, many just add cosmetics or minor changes that get balanced out with free updates anyway.
Doesn’t solve the problem, you still feel like you’re missing out, but for example EUIV has like 20 DLCs, only 5 or so I would consider mandatory, and they go on sale in packs so often I don’t think I’ve paid more than $50 for the full game and all necessary DLCs for any paradox game.
Yup, I had this exact issue with this game and everything paradox. I can’t enjoy it if I feel I’m not getting a complete experience, and if doing so means buying a hundred bullshit DLC, I’m out.