What is the difference between Distant Worlds 2 and Stellaris?

[Lighthope]

I asked this in the wrong forum by mistake. (The old DW game.)

What is the difference between DW2 and Stellaris? They look like the same thing, but with Stellaris being seven years old and this one coming out just last year?

Stellaris is free this weekend, so I have been playing it and am finding it enjoyable. Plus I do like Civilization-type games.

Should I get Stellaris or DW2? What's the difference?

Admittedly, Paradox games scare me a bit. I have Crusader Kings III and the micromanagement is just overwhelming.

BTW, I don't know what a "4X game" is.

[AK_icebear]

There are many differences, but the main ones Distant Worlds 2 has are:
- A private economy - freight ships are run by the private sector, with logistics of supply an important consideration. Many like this "living universe" feeling in game. By comparison, in Stellaris resources are transported instantaneously throughout your empire once mined.
- Point to point warp - no star lanes in DW2. Star lanes are a common restriction to create bottlenecks in most space 4x - including Stellaris. I vastly prefer the point to point warp mechanic.
- Less (nearly zero) planet development options - planet economies will mostly develop automatically based on their incoming supply of resources. This makes the late game more scalable when you are managing an empire of dozens or hundreds of planets. By comparison, most 4x (including Stellaris) have detailed production chains and buildings the player makes decisions on frequently per planet/city, which can scale poorly depending on game settings.
- Real time combat - each ship within each fleet will follow its own battle orders, although you can intervene as you like with more detailed orders. By comparison, in Stellaris battles are automatically handled at a per-system level, with no intervention by the player possible once a battle starts.

What Stellaris has that DW lacks:
- Empire customization in many dimensions, most notably ethics. DW2 is very rudimentary here, both in terms of options available within the game engine, but also in how one does this - there is no nice empire creator in game, instead you need to edit text files as a mod.
- Population mechanics - Stellaris models population happiness, ethics, productivity, migration at a more detailed level (per planet, species, ethics faction, etc) than Distant Worlds 2 or more other games. I think in the end the gameplay impact tends to be smaller than advertised in Stellaris, but I do like the ideas behind the system and hope to see a better version of it eventually in DW2. For now DW2 populations are pretty boring - just a simple number that always grows.
- Events - there many, many, many more events in Stellaris. If you like sci-fi trope events, with lots of reading/text, Stellaris is currently far superior.

Overall I think DW2 has more interesting mechanics, but it does lack a few things Stellaris does well. Hopefully they'll incorporate their own take on those ideas, eventually.

[Lighthope]

Originally posted by AK_icebear:

There are many differences, but the main ones Distant Worlds 2 has are:
- A private economy - freight ships are run by the private sector, with logistics of supply an important consideration. Many like this "living universe" feeling in game. By comparison, in Stellaris resources are transported instantaneously throughout your empire once mined.
- Point to point warp - no star lanes in DW2. Star lanes are a common restriction to create bottlenecks in most space 4x - including Stellaris. I vastly prefer the point to point warp mechanic.
- Less (nearly zero) planet development options - planet economies will mostly develop automatically based on their incoming supply of resources. This makes the late game more scalable when you are managing an empire of dozens or hundreds of planets. By comparison, most 4x (including Stellaris) have detailed production chains and buildings the player makes decisions on frequently per planet/city, which can scale poorly depending on game settings.
- Real time combat - each ship within each fleet will follow its own battle orders, although you can intervene as you like with more detailed orders. By comparison, in Stellaris battles are automatically handled at a per-system level, with no intervention by the player possible once a battle starts.

What Stellaris has that DW lacks:
- Empire customization in many dimensions, most notably ethics. DW2 is very rudimentary here, both in terms of options available within the game engine, but also in how one does this - there is no nice empire creator in game, instead you need to edit text files as a mod.
- Population mechanics - Stellaris models population happiness, ethics, productivity, migration at a more detailed level (per planet, species, ethics faction, etc) than Distant Worlds 2 or more other games. I think in the end the gameplay impact tends to be smaller than advertised in Stellaris, but I do like the ideas behind the system and hope to see a better version of it eventually in DW2. For now DW2 populations are pretty boring - just a simple number that always grows.
- Events - there many, many, many more events in Stellaris. If you like sci-fi trope events, with lots of reading/text, Stellaris is currently far superior.

Overall I think DW2 has more interesting mechanics, but it does lack a few things Stellaris does well. Hopefully they'll incorporate their own take on those ideas, eventually.

Thanks. That was interesting.

[Sabaithal]

At its core Stellaris is a resource simulator. Distant Worlds 2 on the other hand is a logistics simulator.

What I mean is this: In Stellaris its all about numbers. Distance doesn't matter too much, you set up mining and research stations wherever, and...somehow offscreen the resources just get to where they need to go from there. Same with migrants, and pretty much anything aside from military ships.

But in Distant Worlds this isn't the case. Yes, the mining stations gather the resource, but you need freighters to deliver the resources to where they need to go. Yes migrants can transfer between worlds, but you need passenger vessels and consequently the capacity and speed of said vessels affects how fast migrants can come and go throughout the empire. Lots of things of this nature.

There's a lot of factors that go into empire-building in DW2 aside from just raw numbers, which is refreshing honestly. For some people it scratches an itch that other games just don't even if they have much more content.

[szaki2]

Maybe important factor maybe not depend on your preferences. Stellaris is a mature game. Many DLC and expansions. DW 2 only have one faction dlc and will get a second one soon. But more like a early access game. Evolving and changes. Og and the beta branch is awesome if you not want to finish your games and ok to start over.

[TheCr33pur]

Heh here we go again. Well only way i can put it, i like DW series better and this one is more of 3D and better graphics than the previous one. The differences between these two is simple, Stellaris is more of easy pace and it is not in 3D space. So for Distant Worlds II is much more complex than Stellaris, to me it is more realistic too.

I use to like Stellaris back in those days, they started to make things rough and feel like they are ruin it. Also told they just manage to make the AI better, but was told the game still sucks!

DW2 will be having more features and addons in the future.

[artilious]

When looking at only combat...do people prefer DW2 or Stellaris? Which game models combat better? Including ground combat?

[Vyndicu]

Originally posted by artilious:

When looking at only combat...do people prefer DW2 or Stellaris? Which game models combat better? Including ground combat?

DW2 has a better simulation/control for fleet combat by a large margin.

DW2 ships have plenty of tools that Stellaris doesn't have, such as tractor/repulse beams. Energy collector panels to offset fuel loss while in a solar system idling. More granular in sensors range and functions. Limited fuel plays a vital role in logistics and engagement range. Damage Control mitigates damage and assists in keeping ships in the field longer. Assault pods for capturing hostile ships.


What Stellaris lacks from DW2, Stellaris made up with a more straightforward combat simulation where you have no control over individual ships and unlimited engagement range, which means that in warfare, how far your fleet has to go has no meaning.

There was a recent combat overhaul, and I have no idea if fleet combat is better, but from what little I have heard. Not much has changed other than shaking up the old alpha strike meta that I knew.

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by artilious:

When looking at only combat...do people prefer DW2 or Stellaris? Which game models combat better? Including ground combat?

Dw2 no contest at all. Stellaris doesn't even come close. Yeah Stellaris might make a bit of a lightshow...but that's it. There's no strategy or tactics involved, the whole thing is hands off, and honestly some if its presentation is janky (battleships snap-rotating as if they're made of paper).

DW2 on the other hand has MUCH more depth since you can design your own ships, weapon systems and race-specific hulls are asymmetrical, unique systems to specific races, range tactics, retreat tactics, and having full on-demand control of fleets and specific ships if you need to, etc.

It is so much more fun and satisfying to design and use ships/fleets in DW2.

[jorgen_cab]

The major difference when playing DW or Stellaris is the way that planning and actions in DW are much harder to predict the outcome of as the economy is a living entity. So, if you find yourself making some bad decisions you will usually not notice it immediately and when you do notice it it might be tough and take a long time to correct.

The reason for this is the living more dynamic systems in place in DW versus Stellaris. This makes DW in my opinion a much more deeper gameplay. Stellaris have many more features but most of them are quite shallow and it mainly is number crunching.

Stellaris also have many features that just feels stand alone and don't interact with the game much other than the sharing of resources, which again are just numbers.

I have enjoyed Stellaris a pretty large deal in the past, but I don't play it any longer, DW2 simply give me a much better experience in the 4x genre.

In general, despite all the features and complexity in Stellaris I think DW2 is a much more thought provoking game even at this stage of development. Stellaris is a simpler game and probably also attract a bigger audience due to that fact. Allot of people struggle to understand how DW economy work in terms of planning and the logistical side of it.

I think both games have it's place in the 4x market but DW2 is in my opinion a better game and it is unfortunate it does not get the recognition that it deserves in the general public.

[💖⎛⎝Silver Knight⎠⎞]

Maybe DW2 will become more in-depth with planetary management and pop control

[Sabaithal]

Originally posted by 💖⎛⎝Silver Knight⎠⎞:

Maybe DW2 will become more in-depth with planetary management and pop control

Not sure if that's a great idea. So far DW2 focuses on macroeconomics by avoiding micromanaging. Not saying planetary management can't be done without micro, just that its difficult.

I would personally prefer more depth with leaders honestly, more portraits, more randomized traits to get, etc.

[JohnnyBravo40]

I have thousands of hours in stellaris and almost 600 in DW2. Both games are really good. I don't think picking up either will be a mistake by any means. Stellaris has, however, really picked up a lot of bloat in my opinion. paradox just keeps shoving DLC at it, as is their custom (I am actually a fan of DLC based game development). DW2 on the other hand is very bare bones right now. it can only barely be considered a complete game as of now. A few things to consider is that stellaris is all about making your own fantasy, there is no set lore for it so you make up it all for yourself, and there are many ways to customize empires for this. DW2 has a set story and lore so it isn't as natural to pretend all of your own fantasy into the game, but if you want to "discover" the universe of DW2 you can, unlike stellaris. I will say though that stellaris has much more going with events and crises to keep you curious and entertained with things going on in the galaxy wheras DW2 doesn't have much at all in terms of events yet. And there is no crises at all so the game gets bland once you are in midgame. Now this might not sound all that intuitive but stellaris is a "simpler" game without as much depth/complexity, but there is a TON more content and things to learn in the game itself. DW2 is a much more complex game that has a lot of depth but very little "width" ill call it. The game has very little content in comparison to stellaris, so while it is more difficult to learn and understand, there are less aspects in the game overall to learn and figure out. And once you do it all seems very straight forward and easy, but you have to get there first lol. Lastly the biggest factors in DW2 that are not in stellaris is that you have to physically transport all resources and populations in your empire, so it is more of a simulator. Stellaris is all about micromanagement, you have to manually pick each and every aspect of employment, building, colonizing, ext. DW2 is about macromanagement (you are more of an overseer giving directions to subordinates who then carry out your commands... if and when they feel like it :P ) I hope you find this useful, again, neither is a bad choice, I would say that stellaris is more intuitive and throws things at you to keep you busy/entertained and DW2 is more bare bones and about planning.
BTW 4X means: Expand. Explore. Exploit. Exterminate. Its the basic phases or premises of a genre. They are usually set as taking control of a space empire but don't have to be.

[kezthezek]

The main difference is this:

1. DW2: "Oho, my ships are out of fuel!"
2. Stellaris: "Oho, I don't have enough alloys!"

Stellaris is imo the better game by a long shot but it's not necessarily more fun. DW2 is most definitely more frustrating than Stellaris (DW has too many bugs, Stellaris has too many mechanics).

[Vyndicu]

Originally posted by kezthezek:

The main difference is this:

1. DW2: "Oho, my ships are out of fuel!"
2. Stellaris: "Oho, I don't have enough alloys!"

Stellaris is imo the better game by a long shot but it's not necessarily more fun. DW2 is most definitely more frustrating than Stellaris (DW has too many bugs, Stellaris has too many mechanics).

I'm afraid I have to disagree with the premise that Stellaris is the better game.

Paradox Interactive lost much of the original spirit I was looking for in a Space 4X that hooked me to Stellaris in the first place. Given how many mechanics there are in Stellaris, it is not difficult to find more bugs or even old bugs coming back.


DW:U and DW 2 certainly have their distinct issues as well. At least I am actively hooked and looking forward to when I can properly play a full-length DW 2 campaign.

[Lighthope]

I admit that I am somewhat overwhelmed by the number of mechanics is Stellaris.