Limit of current implementation: It only blocks Gene Path ascension, does not prevent AI's start doing some gene modding right after they researched "Gene Tailoring" tech.

And there is some ways to AI empires to get too many species even with 00 Performance Plus and AI Species Limit combined. (The Omnicodex, Migration treaty, waging many small wars with many empires......)

But, merging species function is purely manual to execute.

Furthermore, blocking Gene Path ascension at all seems badly affect on AI's ascension path diversity.


There is a Korean, anonymous, local mod that implemented better way to prevent AI's gene modding. There is no name for the mod, but it may be called "Gene modding alternative policies", I think.

This mod adds policies to get some moderate bonuses in cost of Trait Points -100 or -500
And AI weight to make them always pick that policy. So, AI has only about 3 days between the tech researched and the policy enabled.

Then modded game_rules to prevent AI from using that 3 days to make some gene modding (or robomodding) template.


Note: Follows are Google translated, maybe incorrect :)

https://gall.dcinside.com/mgallery/board/view/?id=stellaris&no=12199
Kor: 유전자 변형 대신 일선 의료 서비스에 응용했다는 설명으로 사회학 산출량을 소모하여 유전자개량과 비슷한 보너스를 준다.
유전자 변형 기술과 유전 승천 기술을 하나씩 습득할 때마다 더 많은 보너스를 주는 정책이 해금된다.

Eng: Explaining that it was applied to first-line medical services instead of genetic modification, it consumes sociology output and gives a similar bonus to genetic improvement.
Each time you acquire a genetic modification technique and a genetic ascension technique, a policy that gives more bonuses is lifted.

Simplified Chinese: 解释说它被用于一线医疗服务而不是基因改造，它消耗了社会学的产出，为遗传改良提供了类似的好处。
每次您获得基因改造技术和基因提升技术时，都会取消提供更多奖金的政策。


https://gall.dcinside.com/mgallery/board/view/?id=stellaris&no=12458

https://dcimg1.dcinside.com/viewimage.php?id=3ea9d52ae9d32aaf7d&no=24b0d769e1d32ca73ded87fa11d02831b24d3c2d27291c406c42f02d1b523e4a4621a769fe55be8b1befc630acaa06810411dcc887b876e47ad0a183d720&orgExt
(rename from 1585742540.jpg to 1585742540.zip for use it)


He declared that anyone can use it:

Kor: 다운받아서 마음대로 고쳐서 써도 되고 재배포해도 되고 창작마당에 올려도 됨
누군가가 이걸 기반으로 더 좋은걸 만들어서 창작마당에 올려서 관리해줄 것이라 믿는다

Eng: You can download it, modify it freely, redistribute it, or upload it to the workshop.
I believe someone will make a better one based on this and upload it to the workshop to manage it.

Simplified Chinese: 您可以下载，自由修改，重新分发或将其上传到工作室。
我相信有人会以此为基础做出更好的选择，并将其上传到工作室进行管理。

(I think a credit link of his post - https://gall.dcinside.com/mgallery/board/view/?id=stellaris&no=12458 as courtesy to his idea and works would be the best)


And there is Auto Gene Assimilation mod https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1962029890


Suggestion : Adapt their ideas as new default option would be much better than current default.


My think
1. Gene modding alternative policies instead of ban Gene Path ascension.
2. Auto merging species option to execute it to species of less than 20 POPs only (or recently conquered only).
3. Periodic check to AI empires that has too many species and execute auto merging species *
4. More fine-control for merging species function, apply specific single species only (maybe adding option to execute that into "Citizenship" menu is the best way).........or just an option make that 3. applies player's empire too.


* For that, Hemothep's Dynamic Difficulty's way of implementation may helps. https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1809087738

Use monthly check, but enforce 18 months or 6 months cooldown-period to itself right after executing some changes.