Advantages to closed systems

[randommonicle]

I can see it being easier in some aspect's to have your frontier worlds as open systems. From the way i look at things, when an empire founds a new colony, the colony tends to have less governmental control over it at the beginning.

Sort of like, the areas on the edge of your empire are the free trade colonies. And the deeper you go, the more established imperial worlds you see.

[Naja]

I'm sure there's going to be a lot of different playstyles depending on player priority, which will certainly indicate your political ideology.

Me personally, I see the closed/open system like the castle/town development option in Medieval 2: Total War. Castles provide you with a more loyal population, are safer against attack, and give you better units - but at the cost of economic development; cities are cash cows, but are more unruly, more difficult to defend, and produce shoddier militia troops.

My personal style will be to start frontier territories as tightly controlled fortresses, then as the borders either expand, or as relations with neighboring empires warm up, gradually liberalize those closed up territories. So I would probably play communalist/junta in the initial phases, then - once I have bought myself breathing space and Lebesraum through sheer force of arms - chill out and become centrist or socialist to capitalize on my gains and make friendly with my neighbors.

[Goontrooper]

Managing systems is one of the new features that has been incredibly excited. Also the whole idea of provinces. All the stuff like this that is adding to the non-combat side of the game is what I feel the series needed most. SotS1, with all the expansions, was very light on options outside of combat. Some argue this is streamlining, but to me it was neglecting some of the major aspects of a 4X. I like wargames, but full-blown 4X games that provide equal attention to the various aspects of an empire are far more enjoyable to me.

We don't have tons of information on how provinces, systems, etc. will really work, but it sounds awesome, so far. I still wish we could rename systems, but planets are the most important, and since we can name them now, I am very pleased. I had such a hard time remembering the names of my planets in SotS 1. Now I'll actually be able to pick out characterful names, which is more enjoyable and will be easier to remember.

Really looking forward to seeing the strategies for closed and open systems. I think Distanct Worlds was the first 4X game to include a civilian economy. It was an awesome feature, and so much more realistic than everything always being built by the player. Seeing this feature in SotS2, and how it impacts your overall economy and government...well, it sounds awesome. I love the idea of my frontier colonists maybe colonizing areas that I don't want them to, which might spark a conflict with another empire...the new systems we are getting look like they will really take this game to the next level.

[Itharus]

Autocracy is so much fun.

[kdonovan]

One would think Horde Zuul with open free market solar systems would be against the character of all consuming Horde Zuul.

True, but ...

In The Deacon's Tale the (lesser male) Zuul do seem to be motivated by the prospect of their own gain. So the Great Father might be less inclined to allow Open Systems but the rest of the (male) populace seems quite willing to take advantage of these sorts of opportunities. Of course the Zuul idea of an Open system might not be one where individuals or groups can build a factory or a mine but rather one where they can launch their own private raids from.

[Naja]

Will mining stations only show up in an open system, or is it also possible to build mining stations yourself in a closed system?

[nighthaunt]

Will mining stations only show up in an open system, or is it also possible to build mining stations yourself in a closed system?

Yes you can build mining stations yourself - they don't even have to be in the same system as the civilian stations but within trading range of it