Space Sims/Strategy Games Catch-All

Budo wrote:

So am I a bad person that Distant Worlds just didn't click with me? I respect it tremendously for what it does, but it's just not what I'm looking for.

No, not at all. Sometimes good games don't work for some folks.

Edit: Just thought of this: what made DW "click" for me was when I realized I was not playing a Master of Orion clone, I was playing Europa Universalis in Space. Ignore if that means nothing to you.

Budo wrote:

So am I a bad person that Distant Worlds just didn't click with me? I respect it tremendously for what it does, but it's just not what I'm looking for.

I'm 100% with you, Budo. I love space games, and hated DW.

I'm surprised I haven't been in this thread yet. Always liked the Space games, played X-Wing, Tie Fighter, and Wing Commanders growing up.

Last games I put any amount of time into are X3:TC and Darkstar One.

But I haven't read this whole thread... what's everyone's opinion on Star Citizen? I just took a serious look at it, looks pretty cool, I might put in for a copy, or possibly Alpha/Beta access. Is that available yet?

It was actually the first Kickstarter I backed (late to the party), and I'm quite excited about it. No alpha/beta access as yet, at least, not at the level I bought in at. I'm mostly a spectator in this thread though, as I endlessly search for a space-based version of Civ - nothing I've tried quite gets me there. Others will probably have more input on Star Citizen, however.

Star Citizen is expected to have some kind of pre-alpha thing this summer, I think it'll be little more than walking around a station, then a dogfighting demo/alpha before the end of the year.

It looks great, its terribly ambitious, but honestly, if you're not already in, I dont think there's any good reason to tie yourself to it before people really know what it can do. Alpha/Beta would be the most compelling reasons but I learned from Elemental: War of Magic that Beta's can be cleverly designed to hide a terrible game even while you're playing it.

tboon wrote:
Budo wrote:

So am I a bad person that Distant Worlds just didn't click with me? I respect it tremendously for what it does, but it's just not what I'm looking for.

No, not at all. Sometimes good games don't work for some folks.

Edit: Just thought of this: what made DW "click" for me was when I realized I was not playing a Master of Orion clone, I was playing Europa Universalis in Space. Ignore if that means nothing to you.

That does actually. Again, I can totally see why people would love the game and become fully immersed in it. I get it. It just doesn't work for me. MOO2 remains my favorite 4X Space Strategy Game so I'm not surprised that this didn't work for me.

Speaking of EU, can you imagine if we had a Crusader Kings 2 version of Distant Worlds? I would pay good money for that. The long forgotten Emperor of the Fading Suns attempted a very loose version of this, but that game had too many problems to overcome it's great ideas.

Budo wrote:

So am I a bad person that Distant Worlds just didn't click with me? I respect it tremendously for what it does, but it's just not what I'm looking for.

No, it's a wonderful game but it might not click with everyone. What are you looking for? What made it click with me was playing the one-ship method I've mentioned before. It didn't click until several hours in, and it's been so worth it since.

Citizen86 wrote:

But I haven't read this whole thread... what's everyone's opinion on Star Citizen? I just took a serious look at it, looks pretty cool, I might put in for a copy, or possibly Alpha/Beta access. Is that available yet?

I am terribly and horribly excited to play it, but the alpha isn't available yet. It might be available either later this year or early next year, I believe.

Also guys, new podcast up looking back at the rise, fall, and splat of LucasArts.

http://www.spacegamejunkie.com/podca...

Enjoy!

Kier wrote:

It really makes me want to see what paradox could do with a space game.

Er...you sure about that?

IMAGE(http://pinoytutorial.com/techtorial/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/sword-of-the-stars-2-box-art.jpg)

Paradox published that, they did not develop it. Kerberos developed it.

tboon wrote:

Paradox published that, they did not develop it. Kerberos developed it.

I know silly goose.

I love the scale, the living galaxy thing, but I honestly do prefer more of a MOO2 experience instead of a EU in Space Experience. And as much as I hate to admit it, I guess I would prefer better looking graphics. Also, I really love personality behind alien species, and the aliens in DW just seem kind of indistinct from one another. I LOVE, however, that there are a bunch that can pop up in a galaxy. It is a good game, and I can easily see why you can consider it a great game, but it just never fully engaged me after diving hours into it.

What do you mean a "moo2 experience"? The graphics and alien personality, or something else?

I guess more of a turn based gameplay instead of real time. Definitely the alien personality aspect too. Other than that I honestly can't describe it.

Huh, nothing comes to mind except MoO2 of course...

Budo, you're capturing my thoughts without my evening being aware of them - yes, a thousand times. The problems I had with DW were about my expectations: I wanted a direct, starship level experience, or at least a MOO-level experience.

Starship-level experience?

Veloxi wrote:

Starship-level experience?

Picking and moving scouts and ships, and seeing/controlling them in battle, vis a vis MOO2. DW always felt a few levels more abstract, even when I attempted to play it at that level.

DW is more abstract because it has to be. Sins of a Solar Empire sounds much more your speed, or Endless Space (ugh).

Veloxi wrote:

DW is more abstract because it has to be. Sins of a Solar Empire sounds much more your speed, or Endless Space (ugh).

I do enjoy Sins, but it's a bit too low-level. The problem I have is that MOO2 is still exactly what I want.

That's not a problem, really.

ENDLESS SPACE RULES!

BadKen wrote:

ENDLESS SPACE RULES! :P

NUH UH!

Endless space is one solid expansion pack from away from being great. Game play wise it just needs more depth in the combat and research and I'd enjoy it much more. Although it probable still be a rather sterile game, but it looks like it's improving on that part slowly as well.

Veloxi wrote:
BadKen wrote:

ENDLESS SPACE RULES! :P

NUH UH!

In this corner we have Veloxi and his wacky wrong opinions...

In the opposite corner we have the Internet....

Keep it clean! Fight!

Spoiler:

was that too much? do I presume too much? i'm not a good troll. i'm sorry. apparently i'm a great canadian.

master0 wrote:

Endless space is one solid expansion pack from away from being great. Game play wise it just needs more depth in the combat and research and I'd enjoy it much more. Although it probable still be a rather sterile game, but it looks like it's improving on that part slowly as well.

Not enough research options in there for you? That tech tree is insane!

I do agree about the combat though. I wish it had the combat from Sins.

For the record, I like Endless Space.

PWAlessi wrote:
master0 wrote:

Endless space is one solid expansion pack from away from being great. Game play wise it just needs more depth in the combat and research and I'd enjoy it much more. Although it probable still be a rather sterile game, but it looks like it's improving on that part slowly as well.

Not enough research options in there for you? That tech tree is insane!

I do agree about the combat though. I wish it had the combat from Sins.

For the record, I like Endless Space.

The tech tree feels so boring really, it's fairly big but I never feel like I'm making meaningful choices on it. I do enjoy endless space, but I could only play it twice before shelving it. I've beaten distant worlds half a dozen times, and lost quite a few as well. SOTS had a really nice tech tree, plus it was semi random. The interface for it was awful, but somehow they made it worse in the sequel...

Endless Space feels like a shallow echo of MoO2.

It's got well designed menus though.

master0 wrote:

The tech tree feels so boring really, it's fairly big but I never feel like I'm making meaningful choices on it. I do enjoy endless space, but I could only play it twice before shelving it. I've beaten distant worlds half a dozen times, and lost quite a few as well. SOTS had a really nice tech tree, plus it was semi random. The interface for it was awful, but somehow they made it worse in the sequel...

I bought Endless Space shortly after release, played through it once, and enjoyed the game.

I started a second game, but before I progressed very far I got distracted by Mark of the Ninja, then Crusader Kings II, then Kerbal Space Program. I just have felt compelled to jump back into it. I almost feel guilty about it.

I'm not yet sure what to think of the tech tree. There is so much going on there, that I sometimes felt overwhelmed with choice.

I was underwhelmed by the combat, but I knew about it before I bought the game, so I was OK with it. I rarely play MP so I feel that they had to simplify it in favor of a part of the game that I'll never use.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Endless Space feels like a shallow echo of MoO2.

Endless Space doesn't deserve to even be in the same sentence as...that other game...