Hi folks!

We’re getting close to release and there is not much left to talk about that we haven’t already covered. The only remaining major feature is, I believe, the “Late Game Crises” events, and I really don’t want to spoil them, so bear with me if I’m being slightly vague this time…



Now, last week I talked about how large empires will have to worry about keeping all manner of political Factions in check. This is one of the ways we try to keep the game interesting and challenging past that crucial point when you often tend to lose interest in most strategy games and feel that you’ve already won. It’s not much fun to spend hours of your life mopping up the final resistance just so you’ll get to see that sweet acknowledgement saying “Victory!”. Another way to keep a game interesting is through random occurrences that can upset your plans even at a very late stage. This is where dangerous technologies and late game crises enter the picture.



Some technologies are clearly marked as being “risky”, for example Robot Workers. Now, you might not always risk having your victory snatched out of your grasp, but in this case at least, you really are gambling with the fate of the galaxy. Just researching such a technology is safe; it’s the actual use of it that carries the danger. For example, the more sentient Robot Pops there are in the galaxy, the higher the risk is that they will come to deem organic life unfit to exist and rise up in a well-planned revolt. Unless crushed quickly and with overwhelming force, such a Machine Empire will quickly get out of hand and threaten all the remaining empires in the galaxy. Sentient robots will out-research and outproduce everyone. If the revolt is centered in a powerful rival empire, you’ll need to think carefully about when you want to intervene; a savvy player might time it just right and be able to mop up both the robots and the remnants of the rival empire. Leave it too long, however, and the robots will overwhelm you.



The idea is that you will usually see one of the possible late game crises every time you play, but the chances increase the longer it takes you to win. However, it’s very rare to see more than one in the same game. The different threats vary in nature and behaviour, and can offer opportunities as well as posing an enormous danger to your survival. For example, it might be possible to reverse engineer some really unique technologies from these galactic threats, but the geography of the galaxy might also change in your favor…

That’s it for now my friends! Next week, we’ll change tack completely, and do a two-part, in-depth guide for modders.

Henrik Fåhraeus

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive

Hi folks!

We’re getting close to release and there is not much left to talk about that we haven’t already covered. The only remaining major feature is, I believe, the “Late Game Crises” events, and I really don’t want to spoil them, so bear with me if I’m being slightly vague this time…



Now, last week I talked about how large empires will have to worry about keeping all manner of political Factions in check. This is one of the ways we try to keep the game interesting and challenging past that crucial point when you often tend to lose interest in most strategy games and feel that you’ve already won. It’s not much fun to spend hours of your life mopping up the final resistance just so you’ll get to see that sweet acknowledgement saying “Victory!”. Another way to keep a game interesting is through random occurrences that can upset your plans even at a very late stage. This is where dangerous technologies and late game crises enter the picture.



Some technologies are clearly marked as being “risky”, for example Robot Workers. Now, you might not always risk having your victory snatched out of your grasp, but in this case at least, you really are gambling with the fate of the galaxy. Just researching such a technology is safe; it’s the actual use of it that carries the danger. For example, the more sentient Robot Pops there are in the galaxy, the higher the risk is that they will come to deem organic life unfit to exist and rise up in a well-planned revolt. Unless crushed quickly and with overwhelming force, such a Machine Empire will quickly get out of hand and threaten all the remaining empires in the galaxy. Sentient robots will out-research and outproduce everyone. If the revolt is centered in a powerful rival empire, you’ll need to think carefully about when you want to intervene; a savvy player might time it just right and be able to mop up both the robots and the remnants of the rival empire. Leave it too long, however, and the robots will overwhelm you.



The idea is that you will usually see one of the possible late game crises every time you play, but the chances increase the longer it takes you to win. However, it’s very rare to see more than one in the same game. The different threats vary in nature and behaviour, and can offer opportunities as well as posing an enormous danger to your survival. For example, it might be possible to reverse engineer some really unique technologies from these galactic threats, but the geography of the galaxy might also change in your favor…

That’s it for now my friends! Next week, we’ll change tack completely, and do a two-part, in-depth guide for modders.

Henrik Fåhraeus

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive

Countdown to Launch: Stellaris Now Available for Pre-Order
Paradox to Send Fans’ Names into Space to Signal E.T.

Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer of games that don’t just take up space, today began accepting pre-orders for Stellaris, the forthcoming sci-fi grand strategy game from Paradox Development Studio. Several versions of Stellaris are now available for pre-purchase, including premium editions which include a variety of bonus content. Stellaris challenges players to explore a new universe and establish an empire across the stars, venturing into new territory for Paradox’s traditionally historical games. The game will be released for Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs on May 9, 2016.

Players can pre-order the Stellaris game in the Standard Edition ($39.99), or in the Nova Edition ($49.99), the latter of which includes not only the game but also a 140-minute digital soundtrack, and more. The Galaxy Edition ($69.99) is also available and includes all of the above items, along with an extensive Digital Collector’s Book detailing the art and design of Stellaris, the novel “Stellaris: Infinite Frontiers” on eBook, and an exclusive wallpaper signed by the Stellaris development team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Huuacl6oqI

In addition, fans who pre-order any edition of Stellaris will have their name sent into lower space by Paradox. A USB drive filled with the names of all pre-order participants will be attached to a weather balloon and launched into the upper stratosphere in an effort to let drive-by extraterrestrials know who among us are the most enthusiastic to explore space and meet new friends. Pre-orders will also be rewarded with a set ofStellaris ringtones from the game’s original soundtrack.

If you pre-order you also get the Creatures of the Void DLC - a cosmetic add on that includes five new alien designs chosen by our community. Watch as the Hydra/Xenomorph, Evil Porcupine, Dinosaur Bird, Shadowy Anthropoid and Fungoid Infected Mammalian spread their grasping appendages across the galaxy.

For details on all pre-order rewards and versions, click here!

Stellaris is the new science fiction strategy game from Paradox Development Studio, the creators of Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron. This will be the first strategy game from PDS that is rooted not in the past, but the future, as you guide a species of your design to power and glory in the depths of space. With randomly created opponents and procedurally generated star systems, no two games can ever play out the same way.

For more information about Stellaris, visit http://www.stellarisgame.com/

Countdown to Launch: Stellaris Now Available for Pre-Order
Paradox to Send Fans’ Names into Space to Signal E.T.

Paradox Interactive, a publisher and developer of games that don’t just take up space, today began accepting pre-orders for Stellaris, the forthcoming sci-fi grand strategy game from Paradox Development Studio. Several versions of Stellaris are now available for pre-purchase, including premium editions which include a variety of bonus content. Stellaris challenges players to explore a new universe and establish an empire across the stars, venturing into new territory for Paradox’s traditionally historical games. The game will be released for Windows, Mac, and Linux PCs on May 9, 2016.

Players can pre-order the Stellaris game in the Standard Edition ($39.99), or in the Nova Edition ($49.99), the latter of which includes not only the game but also a 140-minute digital soundtrack, and more. The Galaxy Edition ($69.99) is also available and includes all of the above items, along with an extensive Digital Collector’s Book detailing the art and design of Stellaris, the novel “Stellaris: Infinite Frontiers” on eBook, and an exclusive wallpaper signed by the Stellaris development team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Huuacl6oqI

In addition, fans who pre-order any edition of Stellaris will have their name sent into lower space by Paradox. A USB drive filled with the names of all pre-order participants will be attached to a weather balloon and launched into the upper stratosphere in an effort to let drive-by extraterrestrials know who among us are the most enthusiastic to explore space and meet new friends. Pre-orders will also be rewarded with a set ofStellaris ringtones from the game’s original soundtrack.

If you pre-order you also get the Creatures of the Void DLC - a cosmetic add on that includes five new alien designs chosen by our community. Watch as the Hydra/Xenomorph, Evil Porcupine, Dinosaur Bird, Shadowy Anthropoid and Fungoid Infected Mammalian spread their grasping appendages across the galaxy.

For details on all pre-order rewards and versions, click here!

Stellaris is the new science fiction strategy game from Paradox Development Studio, the creators of Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron. This will be the first strategy game from PDS that is rooted not in the past, but the future, as you guide a species of your design to power and glory in the depths of space. With randomly created opponents and procedurally generated star systems, no two games can ever play out the same way.

For more information about Stellaris, visit http://www.stellarisgame.com/

Greetings fellow Spacers!

Today’s dev diary is about Pop Factions and Elections, which might sound like two wildly different topics, but they actually have some common ground. Let’s start with the Pop Factions. Now, as you know, each individual unit of population (a.k.a. “Pop”), has its own race, ethos and possibly even genetic differences compared to its species of origin. People who live far from the capital world of an empire - especially those who live in Administrative Sectors - tend to diverge in their Ethics over time. When you combine this with alien immigration and the conquest of alien worlds, you will soon have to deal with a potentially explosive mix of cultural diversity. As your empire grows, it will get harder and harder to keep everyone happy and your core group of loyalists might eventually find itself a minority. Discontent can manifest in two ways; the happiness of an individual Pop, and the growth of “Factions”, a type of political movement.



Unhappy Pops will tend to join or start the most appropriate Faction, depending on the reasons for their discontent. The most basic (and probably most dangerous) type of Faction is the Separatists, who desire independence. There are actually three Separatist variations; some want freedom for a single planet, some want their Sector to secede, and some are integrated aliens who seek the restoration of their lost empire. Another important Faction is the Democracy Faction, whose member Pops might prefer a change of Government Form, or just the right to vote (for example in the case of alien Pops who are denied the vote through a Policy.) There are other Factions as well, but one thing they all have in common is that you can actually deal with them before things get violent. This is an important use for Influence (and sometimes Energy Credits.) For example, you could bribe the Faction leader to prevent a revolt for a time, or you could grant a Separatist Faction limited independence as a vassal state. There are different potential actions depending on which type of Faction it is.

This brings us to Elections and how they tie into the overall scheme. All of the Democratic Government Forms in the game have Elections, though the terms might vary. One difference between the various forms of democracy is which leader characters are the most valid and supported candidates for the chief executive office. In a Military Republic, for example, your Admirals and Generals tend to win the elections. However, all of the Faction leaders are also valid candidates; even the ones who seek independence for their species. If a Faction leader wins an election, that does not mean that their demands are immediately met, however. Instead, what happens is that the Faction becomes passive and will not revolt, which is great for you. Unfortunately, it also increases the attraction of the Faction, which means that it is likely to get far more member Pops…



Does the player have any direct control over Election outcomes? Yes, you can spend Influence in order to campaign for the candidate of your choice, but it’s not a sure thing, and the cost can be prohibitive if the candidate enjoys little popular support.

The main point of the Faction system is that big empires should become unstable and challenging to keep together. You should see a lot of dynamism in the galaxy, with many big empires descending into civil wars and breaking up. Of course, a lot of this depends on your choice of Ethics and general play style (using slavery and purges, etc), which trades internal stability for increased external pressure…

That’s all for now folks! Stay tuned for next week...

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive

Greetings fellow Spacers!

Today’s dev diary is about Pop Factions and Elections, which might sound like two wildly different topics, but they actually have some common ground. Let’s start with the Pop Factions. Now, as you know, each individual unit of population (a.k.a. “Pop”), has its own race, ethos and possibly even genetic differences compared to its species of origin. People who live far from the capital world of an empire - especially those who live in Administrative Sectors - tend to diverge in their Ethics over time. When you combine this with alien immigration and the conquest of alien worlds, you will soon have to deal with a potentially explosive mix of cultural diversity. As your empire grows, it will get harder and harder to keep everyone happy and your core group of loyalists might eventually find itself a minority. Discontent can manifest in two ways; the happiness of an individual Pop, and the growth of “Factions”, a type of political movement.



Unhappy Pops will tend to join or start the most appropriate Faction, depending on the reasons for their discontent. The most basic (and probably most dangerous) type of Faction is the Separatists, who desire independence. There are actually three Separatist variations; some want freedom for a single planet, some want their Sector to secede, and some are integrated aliens who seek the restoration of their lost empire. Another important Faction is the Democracy Faction, whose member Pops might prefer a change of Government Form, or just the right to vote (for example in the case of alien Pops who are denied the vote through a Policy.) There are other Factions as well, but one thing they all have in common is that you can actually deal with them before things get violent. This is an important use for Influence (and sometimes Energy Credits.) For example, you could bribe the Faction leader to prevent a revolt for a time, or you could grant a Separatist Faction limited independence as a vassal state. There are different potential actions depending on which type of Faction it is.

This brings us to Elections and how they tie into the overall scheme. All of the Democratic Government Forms in the game have Elections, though the terms might vary. One difference between the various forms of democracy is which leader characters are the most valid and supported candidates for the chief executive office. In a Military Republic, for example, your Admirals and Generals tend to win the elections. However, all of the Faction leaders are also valid candidates; even the ones who seek independence for their species. If a Faction leader wins an election, that does not mean that their demands are immediately met, however. Instead, what happens is that the Faction becomes passive and will not revolt, which is great for you. Unfortunately, it also increases the attraction of the Faction, which means that it is likely to get far more member Pops…



Does the player have any direct control over Election outcomes? Yes, you can spend Influence in order to campaign for the candidate of your choice, but it’s not a sure thing, and the cost can be prohibitive if the candidate enjoys little popular support.

The main point of the Faction system is that big empires should become unstable and challenging to keep together. You should see a lot of dynamism in the galaxy, with many big empires descending into civil wars and breaking up. Of course, a lot of this depends on your choice of Ethics and general play style (using slavery and purges, etc), which trades internal stability for increased external pressure…

That’s all for now folks! Stay tuned for next week...

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive

Hi all!

We'd like to welcome you to the first in our multi-part series of video Dev Diaries, Developers Aiming for the Stars. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd2YFhvZDyQ

Hi all!

We'd like to welcome you to the first in our multi-part series of video Dev Diaries, Developers Aiming for the Stars. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd2YFhvZDyQ

Good news everyone!

Today’s Dev Diary will be about whatever I want it to be about! When I thought about what I would write in this dev diary I had a really hard time deciding what I should write. Most people told me that I should write about who I am and what I do, but I thought that felt a little self-absorbed. But anyway, let’s begin with being self-absorbed...

My name is Rikard Åslund and I have worked at PDS since 2011. Initially I worked as a programmer and then senior programmer, but these days my main focus is being the project lead for Stellaris. I have worked on a bunch of different projects during my years here but I spent most of them working on EU4. After EU4 I moved to Stellaris to work as a senior programmer, but I took over as project lead after some time.



As a project lead my main responsibility is to handle the execution of the project and making sure that we do that within set budget and time frames. Since I’m also the most senior programmer on the team I have also worked as a programmer lead (tech lead). These days I’m trying to step back from programming because I simply don’t have the time. This is something I feel confident doing since my team is so highly skilled, but it’s also hurtful since I love programming so much. Because of that I still try to write a couple of lines of code everyday, to keep my mind sane between all the different budget and time follow-up meetings.

When I think about Stellaris I feel three different strong loves; the team, the game and the players. I have the privilege to spend each day surrounded by highly skilled and passionate people, they are the makers of the game and the ones that should receive all credit. I feel so extremely proud of what the team has achieved, we have managed to create a such a good game in a setting we have never worked in before.



This game is in my personal opinion the best game PDS has ever created. First of all let me say that I love our other historical grand strategy games, no other games let you relive and feel history at such a grand scale. With that said I however have to say that sci-fi games have always had a certain attraction to me that few other games ever had. I love the feeling of dreaming myself away to an alien world and the feeling of exploring something new. Stellaris gives me exactly that possibility, I get to dream myself away.

Now when the release is incoming you always feel as a developer that you would like to have some more time. This feeling is completely normal and if someone ever tells you that they are completely done and have nothing more to add, you should probably not buy that game because it will suck. With Stellaris I know in my heart that we have a really good product in our hands, I think the game would be really well received even if we released it tomorrow (no we won’t), but we are in no way done with this game. We have plans for working with this game for a really long time and I’m really looking forward to see how this game gets shaped by our players. I usually say that we probably don’t know exactly what Stellaris is until a year after release, I’m really looking forward to be along for that ride with you guys.



Next week we will talk about Pop Factions and Elections, don't miss it!

Fun fact: Stellaris was originally planned to have a locked camera like our other games, so that it felt more like a 2D map. The rotatable camera was implemented as a test because we had a hunch it might work better and it turned out so good that we kept it. Meaning that in Stellaris, in comparison to our other games, you can always rotate the camera by holding the right mouse button.

Read original post

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive

Good news everyone!

Today’s Dev Diary will be about whatever I want it to be about! When I thought about what I would write in this dev diary I had a really hard time deciding what I should write. Most people told me that I should write about who I am and what I do, but I thought that felt a little self-absorbed. But anyway, let’s begin with being self-absorbed...

My name is Rikard Åslund and I have worked at PDS since 2011. Initially I worked as a programmer and then senior programmer, but these days my main focus is being the project lead for Stellaris. I have worked on a bunch of different projects during my years here but I spent most of them working on EU4. After EU4 I moved to Stellaris to work as a senior programmer, but I took over as project lead after some time.



As a project lead my main responsibility is to handle the execution of the project and making sure that we do that within set budget and time frames. Since I’m also the most senior programmer on the team I have also worked as a programmer lead (tech lead). These days I’m trying to step back from programming because I simply don’t have the time. This is something I feel confident doing since my team is so highly skilled, but it’s also hurtful since I love programming so much. Because of that I still try to write a couple of lines of code everyday, to keep my mind sane between all the different budget and time follow-up meetings.

When I think about Stellaris I feel three different strong loves; the team, the game and the players. I have the privilege to spend each day surrounded by highly skilled and passionate people, they are the makers of the game and the ones that should receive all credit. I feel so extremely proud of what the team has achieved, we have managed to create a such a good game in a setting we have never worked in before.



This game is in my personal opinion the best game PDS has ever created. First of all let me say that I love our other historical grand strategy games, no other games let you relive and feel history at such a grand scale. With that said I however have to say that sci-fi games have always had a certain attraction to me that few other games ever had. I love the feeling of dreaming myself away to an alien world and the feeling of exploring something new. Stellaris gives me exactly that possibility, I get to dream myself away.

Now when the release is incoming you always feel as a developer that you would like to have some more time. This feeling is completely normal and if someone ever tells you that they are completely done and have nothing more to add, you should probably not buy that game because it will suck. With Stellaris I know in my heart that we have a really good product in our hands, I think the game would be really well received even if we released it tomorrow (no we won’t), but we are in no way done with this game. We have plans for working with this game for a really long time and I’m really looking forward to see how this game gets shaped by our players. I usually say that we probably don’t know exactly what Stellaris is until a year after release, I’m really looking forward to be along for that ride with you guys.



Next week we will talk about Pop Factions and Elections, don't miss it!

Fun fact: Stellaris was originally planned to have a locked camera like our other games, so that it felt more like a 2D map. The rotatable camera was implemented as a test because we had a hunch it might work better and it turned out so good that we kept it. Meaning that in Stellaris, in comparison to our other games, you can always rotate the camera by holding the right mouse button.

Read original post

Useful links
Official Website
Stellaris Wiki
Developer Diary Archives
Stellaris Streams archive