Stellaris

This is a /v/ related article, which we tolerate because it's relevant and/or popular on /tg/... or we just can't be bothered to delete it.

As if creating Crusader Kings, Europa Universalis, Victoria and Hearts of Iron wasn't enough, Paradox Interactive decided that space literally was the limit, setting out to make a 4X game set in the vast reaches of the cosmos. It's notable for /tg/ in that it can be used to fit almost any sci-fi archetype. Do you want to play as the Imperium of Man and purge all the filthy Xenos for the God-Emperor? You can do that. You want to play as the Federation and create a noblebright union of alien species working together for the greater good? You can do that too. Wanna just *nom* the entire galaxy as the Tyranids? You can do that too. Wanna make a haha-funny hive mind that names everything Steve and probably receives buffs from it somehow? You can do that too! With a large selection of DLC and fan mods available (including explicit 40k based mods) Stellaris is an incredible sandbox for creating grand narratives of the rise and fall of interstellar empires.

On the downside the cost of the paid DLC can be considered almost criminal.

Setting and Gameplay Timeline

The game starts in 2200, with a galaxy of several species and goes from there. The gameplay has three phases adjustable in options: Early Game, Middle Game and Late Game, with events popping up in each. You win when you conquer the galaxy's majority as yourself or in a federation. Solid/tradeable resources are minerals for generic consrtuction and processing, food for biologicals, energy credits for virtually everything from buildings to robot pops and wages, alloys for military and high-tech construction of robots, and consumer goods for biologicals and sentient robots. Then there are amenities signifying easiness of life and infrastructural comforts, and Unity which is gained by cultural activities, some of which are slaughtering aliens and exterminating the pesky organics, and discovering Precursors.

To simulate a Europa Universalis atmosphere, the game has certain obstacles and nascense of empires to match the era of medieval earth, it doesn't get any more anthropocentric than that.

In Early game, empires expand and start their national questlines corresponding to their nature.

In Middle game, if present, a nomadic, bickering and raiding spacefaring society somewhere in the galaxy will have an orphan aiming for greater things and uniting the tribes for galactic conquest with a dark start but noble goals in mind. Now where did we see that before on Earth? Needless to say, this is similar to the Mongol invasions of the medieval era with similar effects.

In Late Game, the galaxy gets an endgame crisis similar to mongol invasions, but on a galactic scale forcing everyone to work against it or face total extinction. Fallen Empires which are younger than Precursors, but older than the player, will mostly awaken around that time similar to Eldar and Necrons.

Empires

What can tickle /tg/ and /v/ 's fancy is that the empires are no longer same, cookie-cutter space 4X but with unique gameplays, only remotely adaptable to each other. There are MANY categories of governments and species, which can be roughly cut into two. Autonomous (like us) or Gestalt in sentience, and Genocidal as an even more different gameplay.

Autonomous Empires have rulers, populations with jobs (slaves if slaving, criminals if internally unstable), and civics which determine what the government and the society is about. A sub category is a Megacorporation, basically a giant business corporation in shape of a government. Megacorps are forced to expand slower in planet size with penalties mounting heavily if growing, but tend to get lots of income when buddying up with Generic Empires, Building unique corporation structures helping the host empire giving jobs and non-money resources per franchise just like a support class in a RPG game. A fast-food chain feeds the host country with new farmer jobs and gives cheap food to the Corporation stores, and Disneyland-expy Amusement Megaplexes instantly generate money for the Corporation and gives "Amenity" to host planet. Mercenary Office provides both sides with cheaper and better soldiers, Private Military Industries gives the host clerk jobs and the corporation military alloys and so on.

Gestalt Consciousness empires are divided into two:

Hivemind Empires are drones following specialized drones similar to Synapse carriers toting biological antenna, they die en masse if the planet is taken, or kill autonomous populations they conquer or drive them out. More or less, they are unified and working hard, and the centralized mental control helps with the reproduction strategies, as well as a unified front. On the downside, everyone finds Hive Empires a bit creepy, damaging their diplomacy. Good thing is they can still trade and communicate with neutral parties across the galaxy, and even join Federations if they act really nice. They use very little consumer goods in the fashion of bare minimum clothing.

Mechanical Empires are like Hivemind empires, but even more bizarre as they are robots, and the entire central mind is same as a hivemind empire. Since they have virtually no biological needs, food and consumer goods aren't an issue (energy is even more as populations literally shut down if lacking) but military alloys are heavily used to build the populations themselves. Diplomatically they are in trouble like the Hiveminds themselves.

And of course, you want to play Imperium of Man.

Genocidal Empires are factions that are automatically hostile to everyone, making up the lack of trade and negotiation with extreme bonuses to combat and unity. Autonomous one-species empires can be genocidal under the moniker "Fanatic purifiers", robots can be "Exterminators" like SKYNET, and hiveminds can be "Devourers" who simply eat the captured populations for biological research bonuses. Exterminated populations give bonuses in social and genetic unity of the race as its beliefs are vindicated.

One could argue the Imperium of man is -not- a Genocidal Empire gameplay since when in trouble, it can negotiate, ally and even trade with xenos. Which is even better, as one can still purge xenos in billions as a non-Genocidal empire, just have massive maluses in diplomacy and displacing/enslaving whatever you want exactly like the Imperium. A "true" Genocidal empire will exterminate EVERY xeno on sight and never even talk to one.

Empires have civics, core tenets of government and lifestyle, and an 8-pointed star leaning political beliefs if not Gestalt.

Pacifism vs Militarism = Attack first, or tell everyone to stay in line and fight defensively, "liberating" if conquering into puppets.

Materialism vs Spiritualism = Interex vs Imperium of Man. Enough said. Xenophiles have a lategame Unity unlock called "Xeno-Compatibility" boosting migration, sex tourism and happiness.

Democracy vs Despotism = Votes vs a King/Emperor/Oligarchically elected scientist/priest.

Xenophilia vs Xenophobia = Chakats vs Imperium of Man. Note that Tau can be counted in the middle as they -can- purge xenos species if they really find it against the Greater Good.

Civics depend on government political views or gameplay styles as Gestalt, each have bonuses and some have maluses, like a warrior culture or exalted priesthood where different jobs get bonuses or modifiers. A warrior society has entertainers double as virtual duelists, consuming military alloys as upkeep but adding not just amenities but also other bonuses. Technocracy makes every first population of ruling class (Administrator Job) in a planet a Science Director giving bonuses, Exalted Priesthood makes it "High Priest" with similar bonuses, and Merchant Guilds makes the Administrator job . Distinguished Admiralty lets you field more ships before penalties kick in, and so on. You choose 2, then a third as you develop societal technology.

/tg/ and /v/ relevance

You can simulate every stereotype in mind.