AI War: Fleet Command

There's a big update coming down the pipe, probably any day now - the update to 5.0 for the base version and the full release of Light of the Spire, the latest expansion. The Spire have some pretty wicked ships, and the new game mode is plenty fun. I highly recommend it.

I'm new to the game -- is there any way to increase the tutorial font size (top right corner)? My old, tired eyes...

ebarstad wrote:

I'm new to the game -- is there any way to increase the tutorial font size (top right corner)? My old, tired eyes...

I looked when I first bought the game. There's no way to change it even though the game can be modded in other ways. Won't people think of the 2048x1152ren?

The tutorial font, I believe, is the only font you still can't change (I can't find anything in the releases, though I only did a cursory search). Otherwise I believe they've allowed for changes to font size and whatnot in the settings (which is one of the most complex settings I've ever seen).

syndicatedragon wrote:

I'm really liking this game. I wish I could convince my friends it's not really a RTS game. I really like the "puzzle" aspect of it. Does anyone here play co-op? I'm still very new to it (still trying to finish up the campaign tutorial), but co-op sounds like a lot of fun. I guess it takes quite a while though.

I'm still new to it as well, but I'd be game for a bit of co-op if you or anyone else is interested. We certainly wouldn't be able to play-through a game in one sitting, but carving out some time to mess around would be a fun way to get better.

That being said, I have no idea how to set it up. I'll investigate.

As soon as there's some in-game shots I'll stop talking about other Arcen projects here, but Arcen updated their website and re-did the A Valley Without Wind page to include quite a bit more info. Sounds awesome. And no zombies, thankfully. Like I said, once they put up a damn screenshot ...

Still no word on 5.0 and Spire, but I imagine the relaunch of the site may have gotten in the way or something.

garion333 wrote:

As soon as there's some in-game shots I'll stop talking about other Arcen projects here, but Arcen updated their website and re-did the A Valley Without Wind page to include quite a bit more info. Sounds awesome. And no zombies, thankfully. Like I said, once they put up a damn screenshot ...

That looks incredibly interesting. Damn indies keep taking my money by doing interesting things!

Out now? Looks like it's about to be as they've removed the beta info from the Spire page.

Hooray!

Version 5.0 for the main game is live, check out the ginormous release notes.

The latest $10 expansion, Light of the Spire, is out of beta. You can also check those release notes.

You can also read the summary at the Arcen blog.

I don't know how he has time to do the actual game AND write all that.

Pulled the trigger and I am loving this game. After trying two matches and losing one I am finally situated to expand out into the galaxy. My strategy so far is lock down a nice bottleneck to protect my 10 planets and then sit on sectors to let my level 3 science lab pick up all the data.

While this means constant combat it is better than taking over the system and pissing the AI even further up the anger meter.

PROBLEM: Having trouble finding the two AI homeworlds. Tips?

Strangeblades wrote:

PROBLEM: Having trouble finding the two AI homeworlds. Tips?

Upgrade your scouts if they keep getting killed off and then send a bunch of them out together.

garion333 wrote:
Strangeblades wrote:

PROBLEM: Having trouble finding the two AI homeworlds. Tips?

Upgrade your scouts if they keep getting killed off and then send a bunch of them out together.

I've also found that if there's a farthest, most inconvenient corner of the galaxy, the AI homeworlds are there.

A Valley Without Wind catchall thread. Pics and video got released today. This game is actually happening now.

A lot of these Spire ships are pretty brutal. The mini battering rams in particular have been harassing the hell out of me.

I first thought of this game as a dated looking Sins of a Solar Empire. I was wrong. It is similar at first blush but the overall gameplay and strategy of the game is very different. Interesting stuff. I don't know how long it will keep my interest but it seems to have a lot of replay value for people with a longer attention span than mine.

pseudointellectual wrote:

I first thought of this game as a dated looking Sins of a Solar Empire. I was wrong. It is similar at first blush but the overall gameplay and strategy of the game is very different. Interesting stuff. I don't know how long it will keep my interest but it seems to have a lot of replay value for people with a longer attention span than mine.

Man, that's the truth. When Chris set out to make the game he wanted to make a game that he and his friends who he regularly plays online with would never get bored of. I think he did a damn fine job.

Yeah, definitely. Between the different maps, optional factions, the aliens and ships in the expansions, and the AI plots, it is a Build Your Own Game game. I wish I could give the multiplayer a shot but 60 hour work weeks make that tough. I bet it's a totally different game.

I started a new game. Simple galaxy, 70 planets, and two level five AIs: an 'Entrenched Homeworlder' and a 'Fortress Baron.'

I've already gotten over the first obstacle that killed my last game: taking out those guard posts by the wormholes that uncloak scouts. I'm hopping in, blowing up the gates, and bugging out. This lets me sneak my scouts into the next layer of planets. I haven't seen any research stations or factories yet, but it's early. I did see some sort of human holding pen; blowing it up or taking its planet jacks the AI progress up 100 points.

I've already reclaimed one planet and an easy one is ripe for the taking, but I'm holding off to avoid raising the AI progress. This game is crazy!

Yes, it is. Crazy awesome!

If you run into a human colony or something that's like "lots of cool stuff, but 100 progress if it's destroyed", always make sure to be ready to defend it heavily before you capture it. You aren't the only one who can blow things up... >_>

Cross posting from the deals thread:

Arcen is having a two year anniversary sale for AI War. All single titles are 50% while the entire AI War bundle (game and 3 expansions) is 30% off for $21.

Just posted here because I love AI War - actually played an entire game - yeah me! And to keep track of the posts.

AI War is on sale at Steam for $10 or $20 including all three expansions. I'm still working on finishing the tutorial, but it worthwhile to get all three expansions for the extra $10?

hannibals wrote:

AI War is on sale at Steam for $10 or $20 including all three expansions. I'm still working on finishing the tutorial, but it worthwhile to get all three expansions for the extra $10?

Are you enjoying the tutorial? If so then yes. Get all three expansions.

Yeah, the expansions add more goodies to play with. If you're hesitant the vanilla game gives you a lot of game, but the expansions add some really cool stuff.

The last expansion is pretty ho-hum... the much-vaunted "new way to win!" is about eighteen times harder than just winning the regular way. But the earlier expansions are pretty good.

AI War is up for sale on Steam today, only $2.99! I have been watching this game since it came out but never had the time to pick it up. Now I have even less time than ever before, but it's $2.99!

Also, 234 achievements on Steam? Isn't that, way more than a lot?

Should I play without the expansions? Play them in order or all at once? I'm not very familiar with what they are and what they add to the base game.

I'd say play without them for your first full sized game. Gradually add in the stuff that looks most interesting to you in subsequent games.

I also highly recommend the videos here to get started. Especially the general tactics ones I found quite fun to watch in their own right.