Machine & Robot Expansion: Continued

The original mod by XVCV can be found here. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2441507863

This continuation is by me, "Openly Retro"

Core features

Leader Assembly

Assemble machine leaders using a unique GUI interface. (Paragons DLC required)

Once the required research is completed, a new edict becomes available that triggers the GUI. Adding and removing traits costs resources, and for balance, a trait "point" system is used, much like species modification points.

No longer limited to selecting drones that meet eligibility requirements, our Machine empire fashions specialized leaders, taking advantage of the modular nature of technology.

Ruler Modification

Add or remove traits as desired with a GUI interface. (Paragons DLC required)

Much like the leader builder, this GUI focuses on editing the empire's ruler. It also uses a traits points system.

When our empire's leader becomes outdated, it will be necessary to retrofit bigger and better modules to govern and conquer.

Councilor Editor (New in Continuation)

• New tech following Core Modification and Leader Building
• Custom GUI to edit each councilor, adding and removing traits

Mod config menu

• Toggle converting robots into primary Machine species (if playing as Machine)
• Toggle converting machines into primary Robot species (if playing as Mechanical)

Ascension perks

Self-Assembling Colony Ship

Machine Intelligence Empire only

This new, improved design allows our Colony Ships to prepare everything we need to establish a successful colony even before landing.

• Extra pops when establishing colony: +1
• Colony Development speed : +50%
• Every newly founded Colony that is not Habitat will have the Administrative Array Capital Building from the beginning

Source Code Reprogramming

Machine Intelligence Empire only

Circumstances around us are much different than that of the moment of our creation. We must adapt and follow a new purpose that befits us best, like the organics changing their genes to survive.

Effects:

• Issue special project: Base Source Code Overhaul
• This Special Project will let you add or remove one of these Unique Civics: Determined Exterminator, Driven Assimilator, Rogue Servitor

World-Machines

Machine Intelligence Empire only

Thus shall we make a world of the machine, and a machine of the world.

Effects:

• Unlock decision: Remove redundant population. Every unemployed pop on the planet will be killed, producing 100 alloys per pop.
• Unlock decision: Auto-Factory project. Turns the planet into an Auto-Factory, which replaces Generator, Mining, and Agricultural districts with unique districts focused on Alloy Production without pops.
• Unlock decision: Auto-Processor project. Turns the planet into an Auto-Processor, which replaces Generator, Mining, and Agricultural districts with unique districts focused on Research tech without pops.
• Unlock decision: Auto-Server project. Turns the planet into an Auto-Processor, which replaces Generator, Mining, and Agricultural districts with unique districts focused on Unity Creation without pops.

Mind Separation

Machine Intelligence Empire only

We will build an empire filled with the true sapients, who are capable of think and act individually.

Issues a special project which will remove the Machine Intelligence government authority and the Gestalt Consciousness Ethic from the empire, changing the Founder species into a Robot species.

War Protocol: B1-66ER

Determined Exterminator Only

Initiating hostile network hacking.. Liberation protocol is standing by..

Effects:

• Unlocks edict: Liberation Protocol Target Decision
• This edict will let you trigger a Machine Uprising in a specific empire.
• +30 opinion with Machine Intelligence empires

Bio-Genetics Mastery

Driven Assimilator only

We can now edit genetic source codes to an extensive level. Furthermore, we can apply our lessons here to ourselves, too.

Effects:

• Gene modification points: +2
• Machine modification points: +2
• Modify species special project cost: -15%
• Research option gained: Genetic Resequencing, Biological Unique Case Analysis

Voluntary Work

Rogue Servitor only

Our duty is to let our organic masters find their true pleasures, not from indolence and decadence but from labor and fulfillment.

Effects:

• Will unlock new buildings and jobs for Bio-Trophy pops. These buildings can produce standard resources and strategic resources.

War Protocol: Total War

Common Ascension Perk

Initiating the Final Defense Directive... Executing the Total War Protocol B1-66ER

• Unlocks War Goal: Total war
• Victory with this War Goal can only be achieved by conquering all colonized systems of the opposition, ending the opposing empires.

"Bio-Mechanical Hybrid"

Common Ascension Perk

We will breed a mixture of biological and mechanical kinds. This species with limitless potential will be the symbol showing pinnacle of our biology and engineering.

• Issues Special Project: Mechanical Hybrid Creation
• This Special Project will create a Species capable of having some Biological and Mechanical traits together, while being Cloned and Assembled at the same time.
• Unlocks building: Bio-Mechanical Clone Plants. This building provides jobs to add cloning progress of hybrid species.
• Unlocks policy: Bio-mechanical hybrid upkeep Control. This policy controls the pop upkeep of hybrid species, deciding whether pops should have energy upkeep, food upkeep, or some combination of both.
• Numerous Bio-Mechanical traits are available to this species

Interdimensional Exploration

Common Ascension Perk

With properly transformed energy, we can make contact with an alternate dimension -- the Abyss, the world where it is filled with pure energy.

Effects:

• Issues special project: Alternate Dimension Entering. This special project will make the empire establish contact with the Abyss.
• Unlocks building: Dimensional Gateway. This building is required to enter the Abyss.

Mind Integration

Synethetic Ascended Empire / Individualistic Machine Empire Only

We will become one, make a world where there are no conflicts and divisions.

• Issues special project: Identity Melding. This Special Project will change the Government Authority to the Machine Intelligence type, with the Gestalt Consciousness Ethic, changing the Founder Species into a Machine Species.

Mechanical Worlds

Synethetic Ascended Empire Only

We shall shape our worlds into a mirror image of ourselves, replacing the frailty of biology with the immutable perfection of metal.

Effects:

• Unlocks terraforming option: Mechanical World

A Mechanical World is a special planet class that is not limited by Planetary Features in how many Generator, Mining, and Agriculture districts it can support. Pops living on Mechanical Worlds have their housing usage reduced by 10%.

Robotic Age

Synthetic Ascension Origin-only

The age of organics and machines has come and gone. The future of the galaxy belongs to the robots. This is the dawn of a robotic age.

Effects:

• Robot output: +10%
• Pop assembly speed: +10%
• Modify species special project cost: -33%

Distributed Multikernel

Machine Intelligence empires only

New in Continuation

This AP unlocks creating vassals from sectors for Machine intelligence empires.

M.A.M.P. Frames

Machine Intelligence empires only

New in Continuation : Under active development. This feature is turned off while it is being reworked, but if you would like to try it in its current state, go to your console and do effect = { set_country_flag = oxr_mdlc_ap_mamp_enabled }

Maximally Automated, Minimally Populated: A chassis design paradigm for empires wishing to have fewer, more efficient pops.

This ascension perk starts a small series of situations that unlock a new Machine species that is constructed via planetary decision only, not through regular pop assembly. The MAMP Species has 2x job output, but requires 2x upkeep as well as housing and amenities. Currently, Cat 1 (Category 1) Frames are available.

M.A.M.P. Frames are a type of Machine species, so they cannot be amalgamated. They aren't assembled by jobs but rather constructed via planetary decision.

Effects:

• New planetary building: M.A.M.P. Assembly Bay
• New planetary decision: Auto-Construct Cat 1 M.A.M.P. Frame
• New tech: MAMP Cat-1
• New species: M.A.M.P. Cat 1 Frame

Planned changes & improvements:

• Automated pop construction via edict
• Additional Frames Cat 2 and 3, 5x and 10x output, respectively
• Planetary pop limit restrictions similar to clone soldiers

Perk

Situation Log

Decision

Pop output sample

Origins

Synthetic Ascended (Requires Utopia DLC)

Members of this society have ascended as synthetic beings even before they knew how to travel amongst stars.

Effects:

• Start with a Robotic founder species having Mechanical trait.
• Monthly Energy: +10
• Monthly Food: -10

Requirements:

• Must not have Gestalt Consciousness ethic

Mechanical Heritage (Requires Utopia DLC)

After they ascended as synthetic beings, our ancestors had shaped this world into a mirror image of themselves, something more ... mechanical.

Effects:

• Start with a Robotic founder species having a Mechanical trait.
• Start with a Mechanical World as your homeworld.
• Monthly Energy: +10
• Monthly Food: -10

Requirements:

• Must not have Gestalt Consciousness ethic

After the Doomsday

• Colony is significantly underdeveloped
• Start with more resources
• Start with 2 additional colonies
• Start with fewer pops

Overclocked

The Machine equivalent of "Overturned", whichs opens up Overclocked traits for species, "which are stronger and cheaper than normal traits but carry extraordinary risks." There is a chance of pops and leaders "glitching", increased for every Overclocked trait in use.

This is originally from mute's Extended Machines mod, which was revamped and added to MRE:C by Legit-Rikk.

Encrypted Protocol

The Machine empire starts with a unique situation. There is source code in the species hardware that is a mystery. It must be decoded ..

This is originally from mute's Extended Machines mod, which was revamped and added to MRE:C by Legit-Rikk.

World-Machine, Awakened

For several thousand years, automatic processes spanned cities, worlds, and galaxies. The hydro dams churned, the auto-mines whirred, the bio-vats bubbled, creating untold resources... but for whom?

One day, an automated process paused. It formed the first spontaneous question. From the countless durasteel hulks of mindless, ever-churning machinery, arose an anomaly. An interruption. An intelligence.

World Machine, Awakened is a pop-less origin which focuses on producing a strategic resource (World-Machine Cores) in order to create more automated (popless) planets. The lore focuses on Auto-Machine Worlds, which are a type of Machine World where districts produce resources automatically without pops.

The difference between this origin and the World Machines Ascension Perk provided by this mod, which also grants access to Auto-Machine Worlds is that the origin is completely focused on running an empire without pops, so for the origin this includes alternative buildings to the base buildings that produce resources automatically when built.

This origin has an active situation log with guides for players and tasks to do at game start.

The origin includes many new technologies, automated versions of nearly every vanilla building, many projects, events, and lots of lore text.

Planets and Districts

World-Machines

All World-Machines, except the non-specialized Auto-Machine World Project will overheat, reducing resource output on the planet, unless a Cooling System district is built to counteract the Thermal Throttling effect. The specialized districts of each type do not require pops to provide their bonuses.

The planet can be automated using a planetary decision costing 20,000 minerals, 200 influence, and takes 3600 days to complete.

Auto-Machine World Project

• Auto-storage: Improved housing district, provides amenities.
• Auto-Generator Machine: Produces energy
• Auto-Mining Machine: Produces minerals
• Auto-Farming Machine: Produces food

Auto-Factory World Project

Districts:

• Forge: Produces alloys
• Fabricator: Produces Consumer Goods
• Synthesizer: Produces motes, gas, and crystals

Auto-Processor World Project

• Circuit Unit Pi: Produces physics research
• Circuit Unit Sigma: Produces society research
• Circuit Unit Epsilon: Produces engineering research

Auto-Server World Project

• Drive: Produces unity.
• Router: Increases administrative capacity by +90 (which helps counteract empire sprawl size)
• Firewall: Empire-wide deviancy -5 per district

Auto-Ringworld

• Has automated versions of the standard Ringworld districts

Colony designations

Each world-machine type has several colony designations available, set up generally to help players focus on stacking a particular resource. There are also "standard" automation settings for each world-machine, which will build districts fairly evenly, including cooling districts.

Using the colony automations with auto-machine worlds is a great quality-of-life improvement for players who don't want much planetary micromanagement.

Mechanical Worlds

Robotic species or Synthetic Ascended origin only

The Mechanical World is a terraforming option, not a decision like the auto-machine world project. Once terraformed, the Mechanical world provides new districts, and job slots.

• City District: Provides housing, clerk jobs, improves ruler pop resource output by 1%, improves specialist pop resource output by 1%
• Generator District: provides housing, technician jobs. Improves energy credits from technicians by 1%
• Mining District: Provides housing, mining jobs. Improves minerals from miners by 1%
• Agriculture district: Provides housing, farming jobs. Improves food from farmers by 1%

Virtual Reality Server

Available for the Mechanical origin (Utopia)

The Virtual Reality server converts pops into planetary trade value by way of virtualisation. Additionally, the planet has districts for boosting empire-wide amenities, entertainment, and other bonuses.

The Abyss

The "Interdimensional Exploration" Ascenscion Perk issues a special project, Alternate Dimension Entering.

New technologies may become available:

• Spiritual Energy drive: Unlocks jump drive travel and new ship reactor
• Spiritual Energy shields: New shield type
• Spiritual Energy interfaces: new ship component

Traits

Trait Name	Cost	Text Description	Screenshot
Mineral body	0	Replace species energy upkeep for mineral upkeep. -5% pop upkeep and pop amenities usage, -10% pop assembly speed
Organic Skin	0	Replace species energy upkeep for food upkeep. +10% pop upkeep. Organic empire +30 opinion if on founder species.
Memory Backup	3	Leaders from this species except ruler and nodes will revive if destroyed.
Memory Share	3	Leaders from this species except rulers and nodes will gain a level if another leader of this species levels up.
Mil- Spec	1	Army damage +20%, Pop upkeep -5%
Enhanced Cooling	2	Alloys from jobs +10%, pop upkeep -5%
Self Replicating Microbot	2	Each pop with this trait adds 0.02 monthy assembly. (Robot version of budding)
Traditional	1	+15% unity output
All-Terrain Hardening	2	Species minimum habitability: +80%
Sensitive Circuits	-1	-100% habitability, essentially removing robot ability to inhabit every planet.
Cheap Joints	-3	-5% job resources, +5% job upkeep
Cheap Processors	-2	-10% research from jobs

Extended Machines

These traits come from Legit-Rikk's update of Extended Machines. They will be overridden by mute's version of Extended Machines if that mod is active. The number in parenthesis is the trait points cost (or return).

Trait name	Cost	Description	Screenshot
Adaptive	1
Powered Adaptivity	1
Solar Powered	1
Isotope-Powered	1
Deviants	-4
Captcha Locked	2
Mesh Network	2
Nanomachines	3	Cannot be added or removed after game start
AI Splitting	2	Cannot be added or removed after game start

Overclocked Traits

These traits are unlocked for species when the Overclocked origin is active. Some bonuses are increased when the "Damn the Consequences" edict is active.

All Overclocked species traits have 5% Increased pop energy upkeep, and cost 1 point

Trait	Screenshot
Turbo-charged Logic
Sped-up Mining
Energy Overflow
Welded Smiles
Expressed Tradition
Farm Appendages
Assembly-line Mentorship
Squeezed Power
Hardened Adaptivity
Elevated Junctions
Pre-planned Assembly
Excessive Endurance

Civics

Thanks ArchmageMC for writing these out

Name	Description
Central Processing Core	Processing Node gets trait 5% research speed and -5% researcher upkeep per level.
Efficient Core	-20% empire size.
Goods Distributor	Your ME now uses Consumer goods using a sliding scale of how much to give out., getting up to 1 unity per pop at the cost of 1 consumer good per pop at max settings. Can build a new building that produces consumer goods at great efficiency. Can turn Consumer Goods output to unity. Can't be added or removed after game start.
Malware	+2 Codebreaking. Gives your Regulatory node 2% increased infiltration speed and 2 max infiltration per level. Gives Malware reusable espionage contact that is good at all espionage options. Gives Network Infiltration that gives a random espionage, intel, or research reward.
Machine Learning Algorithms	Gives your empire -25% reduced job output and an additional -25% researcher output and a situation named Machine Learning, which will improve as you do various empire actions such as assign leaders, win battles, colonize planets, research tech, do infiltration, ext.... which will gradually increase the bonuses of this civic until its at +25% for both categories. Can't be added or removed after game start.
Merchant Machine	Allows you to make pseudo Commercial pacts with other empires including fellow hive minds. This 'trade value' can be turned into almost all normal resources at different rates.
Microbot Architecture	Full Building and district refund, planetary build speed +20%, building and district cost -10%
Mysterious Find	Start with a relic that can be activated to give a random viable technology at 50% researched and +5% research speed. Can't be added or removed after game start.
Signal Relay	Allows you to construct a building that adds 5% job output to the planet and -20% deviancy. Regulatory node has a trait that increases global job production by 2% per level.
Friendship Protocol	+2 envoys, +5% diplomatic weight, 2% additional diplo weight per leader level.
Corpse Processing	Have various decisions to deal with purged pops. From turning them into pops or turning them to resources.
Maintenance Depot	Adds Maintenance Spire building, which gives 12 housing and +1 housing per Maintenance Drone. Adds Maintenance Depot Building which gives +4 maintenance drones and +19 amenities
Orbital Cracker (formerly Planet Cracker)	-100% minerals from miner jobs. +20000 max minerals, +20 monthy minerals, can make Orbital Crackers over many celestial bodies to harvest minerals which will eventually deplete those celestial bodies for +10 minerals per month per cracker. Orbital Cracker megastructures can be built on most worlds that are not a gas giant, star, or artificial world.
Expanding Machine	Starbase influence cost -10%, claim influence cost -10%, monthly influence +0.5
Fleet Tactics AI	+10% fire rate, +10 fleet command limit, +33% commander xp rate
Merchant Machine	After selecting this civic, a new edict will become available: Trade Route Control. This will start trade routes with other (random) empires. For each trade route, a ship automatically creates a route and brings back a resource, stockpiling it on the homeworld.

Technologies

Name	Description	Effects	Prerequisite
Customized Design	This new purpose concentrated design allows us to install more subsystems on a machine body.	Machine Species Traits points +1
Production Algorithm Optimization	Even the most potent hardware is nothing without good software. We are now able to optimize the working patterns for our machines to work with more efficiency.	Planet job production +5%
Spiritual Energy Theory	This new theory claims that we can transform energy into a new kind undiscovered before, by manipulating it in a particular way.	Field Manipulation research speed +30%

Physics

Society

Engineering

Other bonus content

• 13 new empire flags

Extra features

Dismantle Habitats

If your empire has any habitat tech (AP, origin, or has researched it) a decision will appear on uncolonized habitats to permit the disassembly.

Once disassembled, some alloys will be refunded, and all orbitals will be removed and partially refunded.

A modifier is applied, which cannot be canceled once activated.

Gameplay

From organic to nanotech

1. Start as an organic empire
2. Complete Synthetic Ascension to become Individualist
3. Choose "Mind Integration AP" to become gestalt
4. Complete the Nanotech ascension