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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit MACLUNKY -- The Lit Forum Maclunky Thread, v3

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Point Given , Sep 12, 2015.

  1. blackmyron

    blackmyron Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2005
    Don't worry, I'm writing a novel that has a secret group of aristocrats working behind the scenes in America.
     
  2. Karl0413

    Karl0413 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2015
    New Stellaris Dev diary:

    Hello everyone and welcome to another Stellaris development diary. This development diary will cover Leviathans, the recently announced DLC that will be accompanying the 1.3 'Heinlein' update. As previously mentioned, Leviathans is not an expansion but rather something we call a 'Story Pack', a collection of mostly scripted content that is larger than an event pack but smaller than a full expansion. Originally, Heinlein was supposed to be an update accompanying a full-fledged expansion, but we chose instead to do a Story Pack so that the Stellaris programmers would be able to focus on bug fixing, UI improvements and improving/reworking features in the free update.

    The Heinlein update has already been covered in several development diaries, but I still thought I should take the time to remind everyone of what it contains. Note that this is NOT an exhaustive list:
    • Awakened Fallen Empires
    • Fallen Empire quests, tasks and general improvements
    • Fleet Roles and new XL weapons
    • Weapon Balance rework
    • Federation Victory Condition
    • Strategic Resource Rework
    • Auto-Exploration
    • Rally Points
    • Expansion Planner
    • Habitability System Rework
    • Federation/Alliance Rework
    • Federation Association Status
    • Better control over sectors
    • 5 new portraits (NOT the 'cuties')
    • Major sound and graphics improvements
    • Space Creature rework, including new art and encounters
    • Loads of bug fixes, AI improvements and UI improvements
    The Leviathans Story Pack, meanwhile, will contain the following. This IS an exhaustive list:
    • Guardians feature
    • Enclaves feature
    • War in Heaven feature
    • 5 new portraits ('cuties')
    • 20+ minutes of new music by Andreas Waldetoft
    With that out of the way, on to today's topic! Today we'll be talking about Enclaves, one of the above listed paid features. Enclaves are a new type of precursors those with the Leviathans Story Pack will encounter while exploring the galaxy. Instead of living on planets and controlling an empire, they are neutral traders, artists and scholars who reside in ancient space stations and who will offer their services to anyone who is willing to pay.
    [​IMG]

    There are three types of Enclaves, each with their own range of interactions:
    • Traders allow you to exchange minerals for energy and vice versa.
    • Artists allow you to commission a piece of art that can be placed on one of your planets as a building, or become their patron to support more advanced works.
    • Curators allow you to purchase star charts, enlist their aid in furthering your research, or purchase information about the different Guardians and their weaknesses.
    [​IMG]

    In addition to these basic interactions, each type of Enclave also has an 'advanced' interaction. This interaction is not immediately available, but must be earned by building up that Enclave's opinion of your empire. This is done by utilizing their basic interactions, so for example a Trader Enclave's opinion of you will increase every time you trade minerals and energy with them. An Enclave that is located inside of your borders will also have its opinion of you slowly increase over time. The advanced interactions are as follows:
    • Traders will sell you a unique strategic resource accessible only to them.
    • Artists can be asked to organize a festival across your worlds, improving happiness across your entire empire.
    • Curators will allow you to recruit one of their researchers, who provides access to unique technologies not otherwise researchable.
    [​IMG]

    Of course, if your empire leans more towards the Fanatical Purifier type of thinking, you can also choose to simply attack an Enclave. Their space stations are powerful, but not invincible, and you may just find valuable salvage and technologies among the wreckage.

    That's all for today! Next time we'll be talking about the headline feature of the Leviathans Story Pack, the Guardians, so stay tuned! In the meanwhile, here's a little teaser of what to expect...
    [​IMG]

     
  3. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    I'm afraid to click spoiler tags in this thread, because they're probably gonna double the size of the page. My poor bandwidth. :(
     
  4. Karl0413

    Karl0413 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2015

    More like triple. [face_whistling]
     
  5. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
  6. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2003
    I don't play the game, but that's a cool... uh... whatever that thing is. Trippy space thing.

    You could purchase more, or you could just ban Gamiel. Your choice.
     
  7. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
    Can we vote on that, just asking.
     
    Random Comments likes this.
  8. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    oh man the Leviathan DLC includes the cute aliens?

    I am totally creating an imperialistic all-conquering race of cute aliens
     
  9. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    That's awesome.
     
  10. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [​IMG]
     
    Amon_Amarth and jSarek like this.
  11. AdmiralWesJanson

    AdmiralWesJanson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 23, 2005
    I can't wait for Leviathan and the patch to drop. I didn't bother with plantoids, but I will be buying Leviathan. And starting a new game where fleet combat is more complex than tachyon lances beat everything.
     
    AdmiralNick22 likes this.
  12. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    "They do nothing but consume food and breed!"
     
  13. Amon_Amarth

    Amon_Amarth Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2005
    That is beautiful.
     
  14. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Battlefront is a bland game but the addition of Imperial officer skins is enough to make me want to come back.

    I think it's a patch feature, so it's not like I'm paying anything for it. Which is good.

    And yes, it's both male and female. Thank goodness. (They actually removed helmet less stormies from the game entirely, but also kept male and female versions).

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Edit: we have a battlefront thread I'm sure, but the continuing lack of a search feature makes it a pain to find


    Missa ab iPhona mea est.
     
  15. AdmiralNick22

    AdmiralNick22 Retired Fleet Admiral star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 28, 2003
    Jay, why aren't you posting about the new logo for the reboot of Duck Tales?

    [​IMG]

    Before Ulicus can say it... what's a duck? :p

    --Adm. Nick
     
  16. Ulicus

    Ulicus Lapsed Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2005
  17. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000

    TV or comic?


    Missa ab iPhona mea est.
     
  18. AdmiralNick22

    AdmiralNick22 Retired Fleet Admiral star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 28, 2003
    TV show, from what I read online.

    --Adm. Nick
     
  19. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    .... Intrigued. Quite intrigued!


    Missa ab iPhona mea est.
     
  20. CooperTFN

    CooperTFN TFN EU Staff Emeritus star 7 VIP

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1999
    CHILDHOOD RUINED THANKS FILONI
     
    jSarek likes this.
  21. Karl0413

    Karl0413 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2015

    They announced it last year.
     
  22. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    How the hell can publishers do this crap? The day before Thorn of Emberlain is supposed to come out according to Amazon and suddenly it's "we don't know when this item will be in stock"

    Then just to add insult to injury, a 10th anniversary edition of The Lies of Locke Lamora has come out as of a week ago!

    EDIT: OK, just found this:

    http://gentlemenbastards.com/thorn-of-emberlain-pushed-back-to-undetermined-release-date/

    Ok, that's better - Amazon have clearly been lax in not updating people as this was 3 weeks ago.

    Also have to applaud that Lynch put a statement out at all, that takes a lot of courage these days.
     
  23. Karl0413

    Karl0413 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2015
    Stellaris mini-update on 1.3:

    [​IMG]

    Fallen Empires that like you will now send you gifts. Somebody make sure Jello doesn't faint.

    [​IMG]

    You can now move your capital.

    [​IMG]

    And there is now an expansion planner.
     
    Gorefiend and Gamiel like this.
  24. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    mmm imperialism made simple.

    And wait, we can colonize ring worlds? Could we do that already?
     
  25. Karl0413

    Karl0413 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2015

    Yes.