Research... where does it end?

[Ceo]

I've owned the game since day one, only started playing after Utopia was released. My first game has me as the head of a fairly large Federation. I've killed all the boss monsters, I've stopped the Unbidden (though it seems bugged as the quest is still in my Situation Log).

I've found all 7 Precursor artifacts, though, I can't do anything at the end because their home system is in another territories borders (any tips here? The quest just sits there, doing nothing in my Situation Log).

My research consists of adding 5% to this, 5% to that. It's all very boring stuff. I can't seem to advance any more because my society is fairly peaceful and wants to win via Federation victory.

All I've been doing is watching my Ring World slowly build. Kind of unexciting at this point, anything else due to pop up?

[Bomber]

It never ends. The +5% here and there are repeatable, endlessly repeatable. So you still might get a new tech or two, because they had a very low chance to trigger, but you always reach a point where you don't get anything new.

Its some kind of an balance thing. On the smallest map size you usually own the whole galaxy before you even have late game techs like megastructures. -> Way to slow research / to much tech available.
On the other side on a 1k map you always reach the point where you only can research these repeatables because you researched everything, but the game will take some more hundred years. -> Way to fast research overall and not enough techs to reasearch.

[Brodacious]

The Precursor thing is happening in my game too. Their homeworld ringworld sector was in one of my federation member's space.
As soon as it popped up, the whole federation's science ships swarmed to it, lol.
They scanned all the pieces before i could even get there, which makes it where i cant scan it for some reason.
Im guessing the same happened to you.
It's still in my log as you say, same as the already defeated Unbidden.

[Ceo]

Yeah that's exactly what happened to me as well Brod, this Federation is kind of frustrating. The AI is quick to hop in to get final death blows and enjoy the benefits of my research etc. You're probably right, they got to the homeworld before I did and that's that.

Additionally, despite being the most powerful member by a long shot, what I can do with the Federation is very limited...

My galaxy has ended up like this (large) - of the 7 remaining species, 5 are in my Federation. We fill half the Galaxy. On the other side of the core, are two more who are both Associates with my Federation (and I can't remove them due to no votes), nor can I invite them, ALSO due to No votes... I can't even go to WAR with them due to no votes...

Very frustrating. Not sure what I can do at this point to achieve victory conditions other than leave the entire Federation and be surrounded by an entire galaxy of enemies. Not exactly how I think my species would like to go down.

I'm building the last megastructure (Dyson sphere is the only one I've yet to build) and may just quit it once it's done. Is this how most peaceful games play out?

[Bomber]

Originally posted by Ceo:

I'm building the last megastructure (Dyson sphere is the only one I've yet to build) and may just quit it once it's done. Is this how most peaceful games play out?

Yes, sometimes. The AI discovering your precurser is something paradox is working on fixing (as far as I know).

The thing about peaceful game and large federation: Either convince the AI to give you votes on wars / etc. or you have to leave it. You kind of put yourself into these decision, because you should usually hold your federation small or at least have federation rivals right next to you. Everything else can (quite often) bring you to such an stalemate.
On the other side, paradox is working on the federation mechanics (I read something about the possibility to kick others out of the federation), so this probably will change at some point and make peaceful large federations not so boring.

[Ceo]

Thanks Bomber, appreciate the insights. As I said, this was my first game, so was unsure of a few things.

I think it's time to ramp up the difficulty and go or a conquest victory, might be a bit more of a challenge :)

[Marsh]

Originally posted by Bomber:

Originally posted by Ceo:

I'm building the last megastructure (Dyson sphere is the only one I've yet to build) and may just quit it once it's done. Is this how most peaceful games play out?

Yes, sometimes. The AI discovering your precurser is something paradox is working on fixing (as far as I know).

The thing about peaceful game and large federation: Either convince the AI to give you votes on wars / etc. or you have to leave it.

Enable Liberation Wars, and the majority of AI will agree to them. Even pacifists. Then after the planets are liberated to your ethos, you can 9 times out of 10 vassalize them instantly/next day. Then, annex.

It's slow, but effective, and a nice way of spreading good ethics around, even to the more stubborn of xenophobic militarists.

[Ceo]

Wooo, I didn't know about this! That sounds good, I'll give it a shot thanks!

[Brodacious]

If you cant get votes to declare war, keep insulting the target till they declare war on you. I did this against a fallen empire that was technically stronger than me. They eventually declared war on me to liberate half my planets. Instead I took 5 ringworld sections for like 38 warscore lol.