2022 Stellaris Beginner's Guide - Your Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

[@MaxTheCatfish]

Drop a comment down below, let me know how the tutorial series has helped you! And don't forget to join me on Twitch! twitch.tv/maxthecatfish for live gameplay and community!

[@ramenbomberdeluxe4958]

Hey man, just wanted to say that your tutorial has helped melt away my usual concerns with how seemingly complicated these games can be. Not to say they arent complex, of course, I just felt overhwelmed at first. While I still have much to learn, your series has truly melted away the blockade in my head and opened me up to feeling my way through this game. As we speak, I'm on my first ever campaign, playing as my custom democratic nation (a bunch of Syndicalist salt bugs who want to extend their hands to the galaxy at large and make people's lives better while also plunging the nearest heavy object into the heads of those who would do themselves or their allies harm), and it's been VERY start and stop for me. I'm slowly breaking out of it, but I've been hyper-focusing on saving my game after most notable events and keeping an eye on my list to see if I'm leaving ships with nothing to do, just so I don't fall behind. I think one of my biggest issues in these games is the fear of falling behind if I'm not hyper-vigilant, and while sure I shouldn't neglect working and improving my nation, I like to think that even if I played on, say, normal, that risk isnt as extreme as it seems. Thanks again for the video series, sorry to ramble like that ^^

[@rodrigodiasvaz3845]

Thank you for all that nology you broght to us ,can you make a video talking about SPY NETWORK and all we can do on it? ...Love your videos its helping us a lot.🤗

[@hunterlawson227]

If you’d told me even a few months ago I’d spend 10 hours on a game tutorial I would have laughed. But I did. And thank you man! This game is awesome and has so much depth. I wouldn’t have made in past the UI navigation with you. Hope to catch you on twitch sometime!

[@jeremyflowers8908]

@@hunterlawson227 Did you ever catch a Stellaris game he played there? It seems to be all God of War Ragnorak - which I all but completed - 2 final bosses on a PS5.. Also Alien Isolation and Subnautica.

[@troyetheredge8344]

I believe it was the Federations DLC that brought in features for the Galactic Community.

[@JamesMadisonsSpiritAnimal]

It really says a lot about the devs that they saw how good your tutorials and abilities are and immediately hired you to make a series helping newbs. It's essentially better than a tutorial. So many game devs ignore or actively hurt the communities that pop up around their game. Often times these communities create content that in it's self can keep the game alive and or skyrocket it to the next level like twitch did for Fortnite, KZbin did for minecraft or Skyrim. You'll notice a common thread between all this hyper popular long lived games, they embraced their communitys and offered them sponsorships, incorporated their work, and in Mojang and Bethesda's case even took time and resources to create then give to the community for free dev resource kits to take their creativity to the next level. I think the true difference between a good game and a great game is absolutely how the devs treat their community. It's good to see these devs utilize content creators rather than slap copywrite strikes on them like the dinosaura at nintendo

[@MaxTheCatfish]

It's the other way around actually! Paradox found me when I was an itty-bitty streamer on Twitch and invited me to participate in one of their Stellaris events celebrating the release of the Ancient Relics DLC and I've been working with them ever since on various projects, events, and videos. Independently of Paradox, I wanted to create this tutorial series for the game - do it "my way" - the way it should have been done at launch. This series is one of the last things I created for Stellaris and I never imagined it would be so well-received as it has been! It's been humbling! But you're absolutely right that Paradox has been a HUGE supporter of me and my work. They're really fun to work with and we've created some awesome stuff together. You may have seen my Beginner/Intermediate/Expert tip videos on the official Stellaris channel. There's also a few roleplaying events that I was either a participant of or helped produce. :)

[@NickRLayton]

Yo max! We need more Stellaris videos! You got us going and now we need to know how to keep going. I bought the utopia and federations dlc with a couple of the others like distant stars and stuff. I’ve been going slow so I’m really not that far. Your tutorials helped get me started in ways I would have never been able to myself.. but… now I want an advanced class!

[@pactus7808]

Awesome Vid, Max. Can't wait for more midgame and late game content! Wondering if you could do a detailed video on how you look at an enemy ships and decide on a ship design to counter it?

[@dclegg98]

i could really use these tips

[@henobani8039]

me too bro, me too.@@dclegg98

[@darthligma8592]

Hey Max I found your series yesterday and binged it. So many small things I didn't know. What a great series - I'd love to see you move onto a mid-game tutorial series. Keep up the good work! Incredibly well explained.

[@darciukas]

I just wanna say thank you for this tutorial series! Just tried actually doing my first playthrough and I'm not doing half bad thanks to you!

[@huntermanikas6881]

Great job with the beginners series really helped me out. Designing fleets to combat the enemies would be a great video

[@michaelfurtmayr979]

Repeating myself: Great series! One thing I am doing with my playthroughs (and you might be able to mention in your DLC-Tutorial that's coming): My first playthrough was only with the base game, the Arachnoids Portrait Pack and Horizon Signal. Second playthrough now is with Anniversary portraits and Leviathans Story Pack added. Even though I own most of the DLC already I only add a few with every playthrough so my experience feels like it felt for the people back then who got every DLC right away and had another go with that immediately. Next playthrough I want to play an "empire of abandoned construction droids who went crazy without their masters when mankind finally managed to wipe itself out" - so Utopia, Synthetic Dawn and Apocalypse will be my next added DLCs (with all the previous ones staying active - so every playthrough more mechanics are added and I can look forward to what might be new for me). After that: Ancient Relics + Distant Stars + MegaCorp (or Federations). 5th playthrough will be with Federations (or MegaCorp - depending on which one is not active already) + all the Speciespacks except Necroids, Aquatics and Toxoids. 6th will add Nemesis, Necroids and Aquatics, 7th adds Overlord and Toxoids (and maybe whats next in line by then). I also connect the backstory of each playthrough-empire I play with the run before that in my mind so basically everything is a huge connected story in a vast galaxy full of wonders to explore... Looking forward to your other content and subbed of course (right after the first tutorial yesterday). All the best from Austria, keep up the great work and passion! Mike

[@konpenv2]

This tutorial series has been so helpful. Thanks for doing these.

[@rollingstoned5977]

Really appreciate your series on Stellaris it's helped me a lot. You have a very down to earth and chill demeanor and are very well spoken in your videos! Looking forward to seeing future videos from your channel!

[@ericfrank4991]

Great series, watched all your videos. These videos is what I am recommending to everyone that wants to start playing Stellaris.

[@TavandtheTadpole]

Thank you very much for this series. I stopped playing Stellaris for a few years and the game has changed so much since then and I was totally lost when booting up the game again. This is by far the best beginner series on the internet. You explain mechanics very well and you make it interesting!

[@dmunro5069]

Fantastic video series, so very clear and full of enthusiasm- the benchmark of how beginner guides should be!

[@eucenor4171]

never thought i'd binge watch a stellaris turorial playlist

[@teubert2]

Same lol. It's kinda ironic or something that it later turns out it's actually not a game for me XD

[@teubert2]

Thanks for the tutorials. I really enjoyed watching them (yes, I watched all of them, including this one) and decided to try out Stellaris properly (before watching this series I gave up a few minutes into the game as it was too overwhelming for me) after watching them. So... What do I think after playing for like 13 hours? It's not for me lol. The early game was fun, but later on most of the time I felt like it was an unrewarding and addicting drug. I wanted to keep playing it, but I felt unsatisfied and annoyed when I did play it. I just don't find it fun to play. I don't know if you (or anyone else) care to know, but the specific reasons why the game is not for me are: 1. I'm not a fan of a war system where I can be forced to sign a peace treaty when I'm at an advantage, making brilliant tactical decisions compared to a very stupid AI (why would you REPEATEDLY send weak transports to a heavily defended starhold?), and I only lost one ship and one uninhabited system (but gained a very useful habited system in return). I want a war until one side is destroyed, or at least that there be a logical reason for the ending of a war. A peace treaty where I have a reason to want an end to the war. In this war I had the upper hand in pretty much every possible way (and was growing stronger even), so this outcome to the war was just too frustrating for me to deal with. 2. Research is too slow and I don't really like the random nature of it (I'm fine with the "rare" techs appearing sometimes though, as I think that's an interesting game mechanic of sorts). 3. I don't like the influence system. I want a massive empire with no part of space left unclaimed. 4. There aren't enough tooltips sometimes. In regards to the war above, the Commonwealth of Man declared war on me after I accepted their former slaves' proposal to join my empire. I was informed a war might start if I accepted them into my empire, but I was not informed of the war actually starting. Since there was no notification of the Commonwealth of Man declaring war on me, I simply assumed I only lost relationship points with them and so I was a bit surprised when I after a while suddenly got a notification for enemy ships nearing my border... The same is true for AIs proposing various treaties (like non-aggresion pacts); the game did not inform me I'm going to lose influence if I accept, so I thought I would only lose influence if I was the one making the proposal. 5. Lack of information in regards to the pop system. When will a planet have another pop? I want some kind of estimate (even something as simple as "0.2 pop per year") for when it's going to happen and I want a notification for when it has happened. I actually do think Stellaris does a lot of things right, but because of the reasons listed above, it's just not a game for me. You did an amazing job with the tutorials, so while my Stellaris experience has been mostly negative, watching your videos has not.

[@bigego503]

Greatly enjoyed this series. Learned a ton. About to dive back in. Thank you and good vid

[@woodsie8965]

The first empire I created was a group of avian scientists that I aptly name Beakers.

[@jamieosh70]

This has been a great great series and really added to the game for me. Would love to see more - watched them all, some more than once!

[@gamefan8552]

It was a great series, however I see there are some automation options for survey, exploring with science ship and also for planet management, which as the empire grows becomes more difficult to micromanage, was wondering what options are good to leave for automation.

[@thed3m0n0id9]

Can make a STRONG argument for at least exploiting the space in your empire, even if the resource numbers are small. One time spends are negligible next to the value of monthly income. All those small numbers add up QUICKLY.

[@sean3680]

Dropping knowledge NUKES!!!! I really can't thank you enough for this series man..

[@ellzey2644]

It's like this guy is in my head and knows exactly the things I've been looking to learn.

[@clausbohm9807]

Once again a great approach to the game! You have the best way to teach the game I found so far! Under rated.

[@gidds617]

Just finished this series it was great. Noticed you haven't uploaded in 7 months I hope you are well.

[@troytaylor5768]

I just started playing this game again. Before I wasn’t able to get into it because it was so complicated. This go around I have been watching your videos and it has helped me get into this game on a much deeper level.

[@richardortiz178]

Great series! Any chance you could add to it? Some in-between episodes i.e. 1.1-1.9, to fill in more helpful details from Future Max :) And some FAQ updates in the same way, to address newer questions like How do I use 'Favors'?

[@demonicell]

Wanted to think you immensely for this series. I have just started the game, only have the base game, and I think you have made it actually possible for me to play it.

[@MatrixCL]

This tutorial was very well done! Very clear explanations and you're so enthusiastic. I really enjoyed watching the whole playlist. Thank you! :) Time to start a new game. I had no idea what I was doing. :p

[@Eraser18574]

Love your Stellaris videos! You brought me back into the game after abandoning it, because I couldn’t get into it. Thanks to your excellent tutorial videos, I am now addicted to this game and own almost all DLC.

[@Draeckon]

Relatively new player, this series has been a big help. I tried playing Stellaris once a few years ago and just kinda bounced right off of it because of how mechanically dense it is. Back then I think you still had to juggle resources between planets, which didn't help. Now I'm trying it again and I feel like I'm understanding it more. My only complaint is how poorly the game compels you to have a decent military strength or what a good army strength to maintain looks like. I had spent a few hours playing today when one of my neighbors rocked up to me with a fleet three times the size of mine. I was lucky I had a lot of production throughout my empire I was able to pump out ships to push them back after they took out my initial forces. But then I pushed into them and fought a fleet where mine was stronger... But I lost the fight anyway? It was weird. I also made an RP faction, which might just be my favorite part of this game. I had a fun time making a species loosely inspired by dragons, making them stronger, but loners that love shiny things a lot. Writing the history was fun.

[@kainxjm]

Love these - would absolutely love to see an update video about how the new changes would impact anything in the previous videos.

[@zachopotamusrex2581]

Thanks to your videos I figured out that Blockers dont completely shut down building on a planet, just reduces the number of districts. I had been playing with 4 planets that had NOTHING on them for years of in-gameplay, lmao.

[@hyperretroactivehyperretro5992]

Would be great to see this video again with the sector editor now in place.

[@scoutMaster97]

Could you also explain more about Pre-FIL civilizations and how they work / how to interact with them if that would be possible?

[@sungvin]

The one question I have left is what’s the intro/outro song, it absolutely rocks!

[@shadowhenge7118]

Any chance youd do a "nice guy" longplay series where you run from beginning to end, explaining the evolution. Information dumps are good, but it helps to see things beginning to end.

[@thedracophile]

After having stopped playing for 3-4 years, and firing Stellaris up again, I found that the game has significantly changed since I last played. As with most things, some good changes, some less so, IMO. But this tutorial series got me back in the saddle, so to speak. Thanks for this, very much appreciated!

[@TriggerWarning88]

@MaxTheCatfish I have one I would like to see someone cover, I can’t really find videos I’m 100% satisfied with. I would like a video on diplomatically weight and really just how to insure your top dog in the galactic community

[@ricardowatson4975]

Enjoyed watching the tutorials and this FAQ as I'm new to the game. It was a struggle before, but now after learning from your good self, I'm really enjoying the game. Thanks and namaste 🙏🏽😏

[@Jeckurosaki]

thanks for this journey learning about the galaxy trully thank you ^^

[@sammosaurusrex]

Did you ever cover bombardment/planetary assault? Didn’t see it in the warfare section

[@dgjFOURlife]

25:08 Im at 9949 victory on year 2297, for my first game. This game is reallllly long, but it has given me time to consume your well put together content

[@pauldangel734]

Most helpful. Many thanks for this and looking forward to the DLC video.

[@LoyaltotheNightsky]

Thanks again for the series. Loved it. Extremely helpful.

[@solomani5959]

Thanks Max. This has been very good for a new user. Would love to see more advanced version as well! 🖖

[@johnny450gf]

this guy needs more subs

[@MonstrousEthicist]

When you mentioned that you subjugated a hive mind species, I completely lost track of the operational problems you then had to solve, because I had to marvel at what kind of society you had created.

[@krel4115]

how to be a competitive multiplayer player? what are the viable builds? what are the settings used in competitive multiplayer... can you make a vid about it? sorry i am a new to stellaris...

[@mastwellchirwa4499]

thanks for the guide, been blind throughout my play throughs

[@zack6192]

Great series of videos for the first time player to Stellaris. Will you be doing a suggested ship load out early to mid game. I have noticed how folks are now using armor more with hardened armor mod to in A slot times 3. These cruisers are using level three disruptors as well. It seems to be the new meta. Use an armor mod to prevent bypass weapons like missiles, and torpedoes. I have noticed this setup lately. Great video keep up the good work.

[@unl0ck998]

Just wanted to let you know this whole tutorial is still being appreciated by new players like myself!

[@XD9rottie]

Found your series just as I was finishing up my first "real" playthru (the first time in owning this game I finally played an empire start to my crushing defeat at the hands of the endgame faction. I wonder if you could comment on a future video a bit more on DLC, specifically this: The AI gets to build megastructures and have Titan class ships, but you don't without the DLC... For someone like me who own none of the DLC I feel like I'm at a severe disadvantage now, as in, is it even possible to win anymore if you don't buy the DLC's :(

[@schwingedeshaehers]

Do they build or repair it?

[@ConditionOfMan]

Great episode! Thanks for explaining some more nuanced aspects of the game.

[@piensabiblia7351]

Thank you Max. Great teaching series

[@NickRLayton]

Hey Buddy! So I have been playing Stellaris and I love it, but I have also been playing Elite Dangerous. I don’t know if you just do PC games or if that is a PC game, I play on Xbox , but You should do a tutorial on that or atleast check it out in your free time. It’s another space game but I think it’s maybe less strategy and just more of like a spaceship Piloting game. But yea , let me know if you have played.

[@HeliusM112]

many thanks again for your guides. Now i feel confident for my real first Stellaris session. Luckily i dont require to rely on the ingame tutorial, instead i watched your videos :D

[@BugPowderDust]

Thanks for this. One lingering question is, how do I know when the time is right to colonise the next planet? I know too many too soon is 'bad' but not really why.

[@marcusw86]

Suggestions for beginner fleets? Ideally for defensive purposes?

[@Veterans_for_Harris]

Dude, thanks for these videos. I'm enjoying playing Stellaris.

[@renealbrechtsen9743]

So, since you've done a Stellaris tutorial, would you be interested in doing something similar for other Paradox games like ck3 or eu4 ?

[@johnrogers4024]

Thanks for this!

[@MaxTheCatfish]

Of course! Thanks for watching! :D

[@Tyranagon1]

Can you do a tutorial on ship builds? And possibly good setups?

[@solomani5959]

Apart from depending on RNG is there a more reliable why to get psionic/cybernetics? I know a project and a only can do this but that’s random as well.

[@andrijagrgic2357]

What do i do with planets that are full and pops growing and jobs not enough?

[@smellbow]

man these are great helps, I need something like this for current hoi4! :D

[@kinjiru731]

Will you do a video on the features of DLC? In particular, I'd like to understand megacorporations and stuff related to that better.

[@MaxTheCatfish]

Yup! It's coming out this Saturday!

[@kinjiru731]

@@MaxTheCatfish Awesome!

[@crowxar]

Bro if you make a series like this for Total war Warhammer 3 I will literally name my first born after you

[@Ricardo-zo1ti]

What a great series!

[@tristan2668]

Awesome series!

[@gqx8522]

when you create empire army traits looks like a nobrainer picks first aren't they kinda overpowered don't you think? and I think you can choose opposite edicts from creation empire if you unselect xenophile and open points for it. And god those number of dlc's EA Paradox and Ubisoft blinded by greed witholding game mechanics to sell later and how they treat their workers is so sickening

[@tomkmb4120]

What happened to this guy? one minute I'm watching him play Stellaris and eat home made Foccacia and next minute he hasn't uploaded or streamed in a year

[@zackhartley4718]

You think we will be getting a species pack this year? Also you should do a intermediate/ experienced player tips video.

[@MaxTheCatfish]

Stellaris has been doing two releases yearly for a little bit. I could definitely see a species pack released around November, possibly! And I've actually done Intermediate and Advanced tips videos that were posted to the Stellaris YT channel! Intermediate: kzbin.info/www/bejne/raGtgGywq72npNk Advanced: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKWriXtujrGfeqc

[@zackhartley4718]

@@MaxTheCatfish I hope so, would love a organic Zerg/ Tyranid themed civilization pack. I’ll check it out!

[@hitzer2000]

how ship to ship combat work

[@felipejhony6039]

where is the next video???

[@dse9564]

How to counter empire sprawl ?

[@gamerdad4596]

Hey Max, are you going to redo another guide, because the game changed again?

[@Kossagubben]

How do I deal with unemployment when I can't build anymore?

[@MaxTheCatfish]

You can either settle new planets, create habitat megastructures (with the DLC), build a Ring World (with the DLC), terraform your planet into an ecumenopolis (with the DLC), or go into the Species panel and change your species' Living Standards to either Social Welfare, Shared Burden, or Utopian Abundance depending on what you have access to.

[@Kossagubben]

@@MaxTheCatfish I will study this text 🤗

[@ZeNex74]

Still complicated and hard to find the time. Can I not just pay you to teach me

[@ZeNex74]

Still need you to teach me

[@McWesley82]

Man I completely suck at this game

[@jackduane5555]

What I don't understand is what the point of this game is. A 4X game that has a limit on expansion?! Huh?! This game makes no sense

[@archonofcommorragh1221]

Intermediate guide gib.

[@sinful_katze7174]

Dude you have too much free time to read every commet

[@aden1466]

brilliant series , thanks for the help!