Is there a storyline?

[Thoemse]

I know this type of game is not all about following a storyline. To me it is very important to follow a thread to follow and watch a story unfold though. Is there anything like that with this game or any of it's DLC?

I don't want to start a debate about the need for this by the way. If it has none that is fine. I just need to know before I buy.

[Jetoilio]

Not exactly. With exception of the occasional event (more common in the beginning) telling a short story, the only overarching story being told is that of your empire's rise to power. That story isn't told by the game, but rather by the story you have in your head. You have to use your imagination for the most part, if you want an actual story. Otherwise, there is only the occasional scripted events.

[Mansen]

No storyline at all - The story is one of your own making. 4X games don't generally have pre-scripted stories save for a few exceptions like Alpha Centauri.

[LAG]

It's a sandbox type game, not a set story line. Civ 5 uses something similiar.

No two games are the same and you make your own decisions for how your empire comes to power. Or how it crumbled into the history books.

[Exarch_Alpha]

Once upon a time, a mad emperor started spamming corvettes and doing research, then he killed monsters and killed puny aliens to steal their research. Then uglies from outside the galaxy invaded but he buttraped them all.

The End

[Thoemse]

Thanks for your replies guys. I know most 4X games have no story. I hope there will be one with a story again at some point.

[LAG]

Originally posted by Thoemse:

Thanks for your replies guys. I know most 4X games have no story. I hope there will be one with a story again at some point.

that usually goes against 4x i'd say.

you can have lore, but an actual storyline will always be ackwardly linear and the opposite of sandbox.

[Mansen]

Originally posted by Thoemse:

Thanks for your replies guys. I know most 4X games have no story. I hope there will be one with a story again at some point.

Have you looked at Endless Legend? While it doesn't have a set story, it does have campaign elements and an overreaching story arc for the planet you inhabit as a whole.

A game like this lets you become the writer - Do a greater degree than most 4X, since it has a lot of Grand Strategy and RPG roots.

[Jetoilio]

Yea, each race in Endless Legend has it's own story to tell.

[Stelar Seven]

There are some long running story elements in the discovery aspect of the game. I don't know that they are fully functional but there are at least three arcs that you can find and build on. Possibly more.

Having said that, it's led to one playthrough having my primary species get genetically altered, and a few others indicating events that happened eons ago in the galaxy which still echo in the current era.

Other threads seem broken, I've never managed to complete the precursor event series.

IMO the early game discovery phase is one of the strongest parts of Stellaris.

[Xangelo7]

well you can say the Paradox version of Warhammer 40k exept that Imperium of Man/commonwealth of man is not a main iconic thing for stellaris.

Warhammer 40k+Star trek:TNG=stellaris

there is no bad guys or good guys all the factions, including you own custom faction are all aszholes.

[Richon]

Originally posted by Xangelo7:

well you can say the Paradox version of Warhammer 40k exept that Imperium of Man/commonwealth of man is not a main iconic thing for stellaris.

Warhammer 40k+Star trek:TNG=stellaris

there is no bad guys or good guys all the factions, including you own custom faction are all aszholes.

I'd say that's more WH40K + Star Trek:DS9. TNG really tried to push the whole 'utopian Federation' idea, and for the most part, there are extremely clear good-guys and bad-guys throughout. DS9 really introduced the moral grey area, and while we still had the clear protagonist-antagonist dichotomy, it wasn't necessarily that one side was righteous and the other evil. Federation, Bajorans, Klingons, Cardassians, Dominion... all had their virtues and their vices.

[Stelar Seven]

Originally posted by Richon:

Originally posted by Xangelo7:

well you can say the Paradox version of Warhammer 40k exept that Imperium of Man/commonwealth of man is not a main iconic thing for stellaris.

Warhammer 40k+Star trek:TNG=stellaris

there is no bad guys or good guys all the factions, including you own custom faction are all aszholes.

I'd say that's more WH40K + Star Trek:DS9. TNG really tried to push the whole 'utopian Federation' idea, and for the most part, there are extremely clear good-guys and bad-guys throughout. DS9 really introduced the moral grey area, and while we still had the clear protagonist-antagonist dichotomy, it wasn't necessarily that one side was righteous and the other evil. Federation, Bajorans, Klingons, Cardassians, Dominion... all had their virtues and their vices.

Babylon 5. Major races, minor races ancients waking and causing trouble. This game mirrors that universe quite well politically. The tech is different though.

[emperor_kk]

Originally posted by Xangelo7:

well you can say the Paradox version of Warhammer 40k exept that Imperium of Man/commonwealth of man is not a main iconic thing for stellaris.

Warhammer 40k+Star trek:TNG=stellaris

there is no bad guys or good guys all the factions, including you own custom faction are all aszholes.

Having pitiful excuses for tyranids does not provide sufficient content for W40k. As long as exterminatus is not a vanilla option, it has nothing to do with W40k.

[Half Phased]

There's no story for stellaris, each new game is unique. However there is a general backstory to the galaxy, and that is that life is old. From stagnant AEs, to other empires who got an early start to FTL, pirates that are comprised of species that came before and ancient beings in the form of the tiyanki and crystals.

Takes the archeological ideas of Star Trek and runs with it.

Also it seems to be a state of that life evolution in the galaxy appears to follow cycles, where each cycle multiple new species launch into the stars, fighting for dominance, challenging the elder FEs and uplifting/eradicating all the others that didn't achieve FTL. Then some great collamity occurs, most species are wiped out, a few stagnate and the galaxy is left mostly barren of intelligent life until more of it can evolve.

[Zsrai]

Originally posted by Thoemse:

Thanks for your replies guys. I know most 4X games have no story. I hope there will be one with a story again at some point.

I will give you a third reccomendation for Endless Legend. There isn't a full blown STORY, but each races main quest tells a story, if that difference makes sense to you. It's a pretty awesome game world with some good lore behind it, that is tied into their other games (they all take place in the same universe).

Another one that I find ok (I could never get into the gameplay much) are the Fallen Enchantress series from Star Dock. There is a campaign in each that tells a story, but it also lets you play sandbox. I'd skip the first one since the 2nd one has the first's campaign in it anyways. Sorcerer King (the 3rd installment) has a sequel/stand alone expac that I've never played, so I'm not sure that has the SK campaign included too.