Looks really interesting. Can't wait for this new update.

thx for the comment :)!
Just finished the code, so now all that's left is the localisation so it looks good. C:

Okay, so I just switched from a devoted Ironman player to using a few mods in the last month, and I got your mod a few days ago... and appreciated it. Today, I went back to my latest game and saw that you added waaaaaaay more stuff.

At first, I was like, "Whoah... this is insanely too much stuff." I was a little annoyed having to sort through the new policies. Then, I was like, "Oooo.. wait.. I like this... Oh, and this too." It does make the RP more realistic when you think about it. You can totally "vote amongst your congress" or "make a dictatorial decision" to be completely lax and unconcerned with some policies while prioritizing others, and then change those priorities over time, as your empire grows.

And then I saw the additional edicts and I'm playing with strategies on those right now. Is the high cost worth the short boost to the various resources? All of a sudden I realized you refreshed the micro-management of the game (even if you added to it - let's be fair), with all these extra options. Lots of new strategies to try out, now, and that's really what the game is about for most players.

Maybe you could do a menu at the startup of the new game that allows you to select all or some of your policy and edict changes to show/hide - you know, like 'lite' version and the full version? Thumbs up, though, and thanks for sharing.

A question occurs to me, because I downloaded a mod the other week that adds a few more race trait slots and points, and then noticed that all the AI races had an increased number of traits, too. Does your mod give all the AI empires the same additional policies and edicts to use?

The menu thing, I would be willing to do, if I knew how :P, I'm still learning.

As for the AI Empires, yes they do have access to the policies and edicts, however, they do not swap to different policies during gameplay (I don't think.)

It's set for them to take all the basic regular level policy stuff.
So for example, Ship Construction Quality: They will take the one with no bonuses at the start of the game.

For edicts, they are set to decide to purchase them based on whether or not they have enough energy credits (they are also set to low priority. So just because they have the energy to pay for it, doesn't mean they will.)

Hopefully this cleared all the questions you had, let me know if I missed anything, or didn't explain something fully :)!

Oh and by the way!
Thank you for the kind words about my mod, and upvote :)

I'm truly glad that you are getting the same sort of satisfaction I get from all the choices and opportunity :D!

And don't worry, I won't be adding more options anytime soon. The next goal is to refine them with better AI Weights.
But the menu thing, I will certainly look into it and see about trying to learn that :)

Originally posted by SeanMungo:

Oh and by the way!
Thank you for the kind words about my mod, and upvote :)

You are welcome. I thought I'd share some of the strategies I've been employing/enjoying with your mod the past few days:

It's interesting how it can be so tailored to different types of players. For example, my style is usually to ignore building ships and invasion armies for decades while I focus on research, expansion, and unity, to get through the tradition trees quickly. So I can immediately change those military and war policies to the bare minimum to increase my energy, and then use that energy for a few good policy upgrades - perhaps ones that increase pop growth and unity in the beginning.

By mid-game, I get past the hump where I'm struggling to cover some kind of deficit by constantly going to the market to sell some other surplus, and I can start cashing in lots of resources for a big chunk of energy to use one of your higher level energy boost edicts - then, while this beautiful snowball effect is happening, I can go and change a bunch more of your policies to benefit the empire (since I can afford to, by then.) :D

As for the amount of policies and a potential start-up menu, I'd just say that it seems like you have quite a few that are redundant for stability and happiness (like all the pollution control). But, that's just my opinion. A couple weeks ago, I found this mod that adds all kinds of unique buildings to the game. I'm really enjoying it. This person has a start-up menu on the mod. Funny thing is, the English isn't so good, and the options on the menu are a bit cryptic.. but essentially, it might give you an idea how this person did it. Hope this helps:

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1940171945

I actually use that mod as well xd,
My mod list has something like 103 in it, so it's incredibly heavily modified.

I'm in a discord called the "Stellaris Modding Den" and they have a bunch of shared resources as well as a bunch of guys in there willing to help out. I asked a few questions myself already when I created the mod.

The main way I learned though was yeah, looking at other peoples code to see how it worked. I will def be taking a look at trying that, but no promises, depends on how complicated it actually is to setup :)

I think you really shouldn't have the policies based around percentages; rather, perhaps add costs to the relevant field? Higher class soldiers should beget larger military costs and the like.

You would need to get more in-depth on your concept.

I say this, because I already fiddled with doing it that way in the first place, but it was just way too imbalanced. The costs would have to be massive, but at that point you can't afford them for a long time anyways.

With this system, you are able to buy a few perks early depending on what you need for the moment, and as time goes on, you can purchase edicts which boost your overall % so that you can purchase more policies for your country.

I would need at least a few good rock solid examples on a list for some of the policies for me to go back and change all of it. And if I did, it would probably be an optional thing.
(Been looking at perhaps making a menu at the start of the game)

So, Cost/Policy Ratios,
You could put flat rates, but they are policies so remember you can't do purchases. It would have to be flat rates as far as "50 Energy Credits Per Month" etc.

As soon as you start messing with this concept, you will begin to see how difficult it is to curb it. Even just in the early game. And ofc to keep it balanced in the mid to late game

@SeanMungo One thing I thought of: would it be possible to link some of these policies to the resolutions the GC can pass? What I mean by this is making it so you would be in breach of Galactic Law if you didn't use at least "X" level policy for whatever they pass:

EX: The Pangalactic Recycling Initiatives resolution could require you to use at least low recycling policies, and at least mixed waste disposal.

EX: The Readied Shield requiring you to use at least "Normal" Military Spending

I'm not a modder, but if you like my ideas and want help coming up with what resolutions would make certain things required, PM me, I'd love to fire some ideas around.

The mod is amazing either way, just some QOL things I think could be added to make it even better. Thanks for all your hard work, my dude! Have a great day!

Hm, does the AI use these new policies effectively? i noticed at the start of the game my empire was in the red until a changed a few things and then i was sort of making a small profit. and with the AI's tendency to spam missile cruisers (most damage) and assault ships for literally no reason.

I'd think the AI would be so far in the hole at the start they couldn't possibly make enough energy to go into the black again, unless they expanded to like 100 new stars and gained a few dozen money making techs and that would be quite a bit later in the game.

i know this because i put my race into observe mod from time to time to see what they'd do and even if my race is a bunch of Fox hippies they spam missile ships and assault ships even if i'm not at war and crash my economy. so with all these new policies do they use them, turning stuff up or down or on and off? you'd think so right?

The AI start with the same policies as the player, but they do not change.
I play a super super modded 400 ai map with no room for expansion for anyone so.. I wouldn't know if it affects them that badly.
The starting deficit should be around -40%, but with what you gain back from the free stability and happiness it should easily outweigh the starting negatives.

Currently working on mod version 3.0 which will include a huge update adding new breaches to intergalactic law, based on policy stances, depending on which resolutions get passed in the galactic community.

When it's finished it will cause the AI empires to potentially swap out of their original policies.

Some thoughts so far:

Some policies feel overly repetitive; for example, Amenities Quality and Amenities Quantity have almost identical effects, just different magnitudes. You could easily merge these two into a single policy and have no loss of either impact or roleplay immersion. Same for Spy Network and Secret Police, or Prohibition on Piracy and War on Piracy, or Army Training and Soldier Equipment Quality, or the Pollution/Waste/Recycling policies. The lore aspect and effect aspect are so very similar that it seems almost pointless to have them separate.

Also, nearly every policy is just a spectrum of high impact to low impact of the same effects (for the choices within that policy). It would be nice to see some policies where you could choose between more than just two ends of a spectrum. For example, instead of just high vs low education funding, what about a choice between public schools, privatized schools, religious education, or nationalistic propaganda? Or a choice of economic policy between communist, anarco-capitalist, market liberal, etc? An army based on conscription, or volunteer, or mercenary forces? And so on.

Yeah, that's the point of this mod. High to low spectrum.

As for some of the ideas mentioned in the second paragraph, I personally use another mod called "We have a policy for that" and it already includes that stuff. So I didn't want to take stuff from another mod that already exists for multiple reasons.

1.) I don't want them thinking I took their stuff
2.) I use their mod, so it's easier for me not to have to mod it, since I can already have it by just subbing to theirs on top of mine.

There are some policies that do not have a simple high low spectrum though, be sure to check them all out.

The whole point of this mod was specifically designed more or less for role-play. Though, if you give forward some specific ideas that are not included in another mod already, I will certainly add them :).

(about the role-play comment I made above ^ This does not mean im not willing to change things.)

Oh and btw, the secret police/spy network | amenities quality/quantity is there to have multiple options to increase amenities. It was more or less for myself.

Remember, the whole reason I made this mod was specifically tailored for myself so that I could have more stuff in my larger then life playthroughs