Tune star gain for the v13 changes before cycle 15 #27

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opened 2026-08-20 05:00:02 +00:00 by coilyco-ops · 0 comments

coilyco-ops commented

2026-08-20 05:00:02 +00:00

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Filed from the Sirens Discord #suggestions-feedback-bugs forum.

Source // https://discord.com/channels/1300204416229441587/1510880169391292437
Raised by // Elizabeth, 2026-06-01
Forum tags // mods (balance)
Signal // 12 replies

What was asked

Elizabeth opened it as a poll of the regulars rather than a proposal: "V13 introduced changes to how stars work and also how quickly they accumulate. Regular players have opinions on this to follow."

No decision was reached. Two coherent positions emerged plus a middle option, and they need resolving before cycle 15 config is frozen.

Position one, stars are too generous

Octavian: "This cycle has been rough. Stars need balancing back to the vanilla ie 'new skill cost + number of skills you already have'." He noted holding all specializations from two skill chains and finding that "amusing and stressful".

yourock17 reported accidentally reaching seven talents (Logging, BE, Mechanics, Industry, Shipwright, Mining, Masonry, Blacksmith, Smelting) while doing very little house building, compared to players who housemaxx. Their own assessment: "I think a wee bit much".

FarFromPro noted the starting point: "seeing how we start with 21 stars".

Position two, generous stars are load-bearing

Theo argued the resilience case, which is specific to a small long-running server:

I say that not having around any player with the needed skill is worse than not having the mat while there is people able to product it. In our case, no smelter is far worse than having a side smelter.

More stars, especially when the server is designed to last longer than the game originally intended, means you're sure to find someone who can fill a missing role and let the rest of the group keep having fun.

He accepts vanilla's tightening is good design in general, but argues Sirens already gates progression through its skill trees, and that the spare star pool exists to break a late-game deadlock when someone leaves. He also raised newcomer competitiveness: late joiners get discouraged because everyone else is doing everything better and cheaper.

Middle option, and where the thread actually landed

yourock17 changed position after reading Theo, which is the most useful datapoint in the thread:

I am not one normally to change my mind.. but this I appreciate this perspective. Maybe just reduce the rate of stars slightly instead?

Theo also floated a non-config alternative: leave the possibility open for an admin to step in and help a few users, with the community's approval, to resolve a deadlock if it arises.

What needs deciding

Revert to vanilla scaling, keep current generosity, or reduce the accumulation rate slightly.
If the rate changes, whether the 21 starting stars change with it.
Whether an admin-intervention escape hatch removes the need for a generous pool at all.

Timing

v14 may reset the terms of this discussion entirely, since the upgrade and module changes are already known to be breaking. Confirm what v14 does to star costs before tuning against v13 behavior.

Filed from the Sirens Discord `#suggestions-feedback-bugs` forum. **Source** // https://discord.com/channels/1300204416229441587/1510880169391292437 **Raised by** // Elizabeth, 2026-06-01 **Forum tags** // mods (balance) **Signal** // 12 replies ## What was asked Elizabeth opened it as a poll of the regulars rather than a proposal: "V13 introduced changes to how stars work and also how quickly they accumulate. Regular players have opinions on this to follow." No decision was reached. Two coherent positions emerged plus a middle option, and they need resolving before cycle 15 config is frozen. ## Position one, stars are too generous Octavian: "This cycle has been rough. Stars need balancing back to the vanilla ie 'new skill cost + number of skills you already have'." He noted holding all specializations from two skill chains and finding that "amusing and stressful". yourock17 reported accidentally reaching seven talents (Logging, BE, Mechanics, Industry, Shipwright, Mining, Masonry, Blacksmith, Smelting) while doing very little house building, compared to players who housemaxx. Their own assessment: "I think a wee bit much". FarFromPro noted the starting point: "seeing how we start with 21 stars". ## Position two, generous stars are load-bearing Theo argued the resilience case, which is specific to a small long-running server: > I say that not having around any player with the needed skill is worse than not having the mat while there is people able to product it. In our case, no smelter is far worse than having a side smelter. > More stars, especially when the server is designed to last longer than the game originally intended, means you're sure to find someone who can fill a missing role and let the rest of the group keep having fun. He accepts vanilla's tightening is good design in general, but argues Sirens already gates progression through its skill trees, and that the spare star pool exists to break a late-game deadlock when someone leaves. He also raised newcomer competitiveness: late joiners get discouraged because everyone else is doing everything better and cheaper. ## Middle option, and where the thread actually landed yourock17 changed position after reading Theo, which is the most useful datapoint in the thread: > I am not one normally to change my mind.. but this I appreciate this perspective. Maybe just reduce the rate of stars slightly instead? Theo also floated a non-config alternative: leave the possibility open for an admin to step in and help a few users, with the community's approval, to resolve a deadlock if it arises. ## What needs deciding 1. Revert to vanilla scaling, keep current generosity, or reduce the accumulation rate slightly. 2. If the rate changes, whether the 21 starting stars change with it. 3. Whether an admin-intervention escape hatch removes the need for a generous pool at all. ## Timing v14 may reset the terms of this discussion entirely, since the upgrade and module changes are already known to be breaking. Confirm what v14 does to star costs before tuning against v13 behavior.

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2026-08-20 05:00:02 +00:00