Ok, it's official. I am bored with this game. Still never lost a round (or even come close to it). I think the main reason is that cap ships are just too damn powerful compared to frigates. This is not a strategy game. This is a game about microing 1-5 really power units.
I'm going back to SupCom and Dwarf Fortress.
were you playing 1v1 on normal AI? Did you play against people? tell us your playing conditions so that we my rip into you for trying to sound smug and superior to us all.
Played 1v1, 1v2, 1v3, 1v4 all against allied Hard AIs.
Edit: Also got the achievements for winning with no frigates, winning with no cap ships (both in 1v1 hard).
I know it sounds odd, but have you ever thought about playing against people?
Honestly, the AI hasn't impressed me a lot, but people are generally smarter.
Yea, the IA is pretty meh. although i found a 10 player FFA is pretty entertaining against the AI with no pirates.
Just played a game on a custom map with three star systems. Each system had two pirate bases, andone of the pirate bases was like three jumps away from each home planet, and it had to be traveled through in order to get further (usually the pirate bases are on a little branch of their own from what I've seen, this was a bit new).
Each little 'blocking' pirate base had about 50-60 ships in it so I build up an even fleet of my own to take out the one base blocking me - after a while one of the AI factions starts sending me missions to give them resources.
This goes on for a while until they end up offering Peace/Trade/Ship Vision/Planet Vision. I take a look to see what they have - four colonized planets, a fucking fleet of close to 250 ships, all sitting blocked in by a little pirate base of less then 50 ships.
Am I the only person who gets really disoriented in this game? I'm only on the tutorial but geeze it seems difficult to properly align the camera.
I, as soon as the game starts, pick out a North, South, East and West. Save for zooming in on battles, I never rotate the camera for more than a few minutes. If I don't do this, I have no earthly idea where I am (or say, right after loading up a save which screws with the rotation).
Part Two of the Interview with Ironclad Games is now up.
This is the second part in a two part interview with Ironclad Game. The interview took place on February 19th, 2008 and covered their history, the nature of the studio and the details of their smash hit Sins of a Solar Empire. Part one of the interview can be found here.
I'd spent the previous half hour speaking with Blair Fraser, Steven Mackay and Craig Fraser about their personal history and the genesis of Ironclad Games. Moving forward through the interview we turned to Sins of a Solar Empire - a game where the largest complaint is that gamers can't find copies to buy (please note: digital downloads are available through Stardock!). The game had been very well received and I was curious of their thoughts on the reception and the development of some of the more unique aspects of the game..
Is there still a demo coming? I want to see how my machine clicks along running it without blowing 49 dollarinos.
It should be here in about two weeks. You could also borrow the game from someone. There is no DRM on it.
Sure there is, it says right on the CD "Do not lend or make illegal copies of this disk." Surely gently telling people not to break the law will prevent piracy. :P
Seriously though, buy the game. Its incredibly well mannered on even older systems. If you list your specs you could probably get responses from people with similar systems.
Is there still a demo coming? I want to see how my machine clicks along running it without blowing 49 dollarinos.
The demo is coming - they discuss it in detail of part one of the interview I conducted with them. The game's only $40 here in Canada, so take a look around and make sure you're getting the best price. The CE is a bit more, but that's how it goes.
This game has just been eating up some serious time on me. I'm really enjoying it and I'm excited to see what the modding community is going to be.
Little known fact - it started life as a 360 title.
Is there still a demo coming? I want to see how my machine clicks along running it without blowing 49 dollarinos.
The demo is coming - they discuss it in detail of part one of the interview I conducted with them. The game's only $40 here in Canada, so take a look around and make sure you're getting the best price. The CE is a bit more, but that's how it goes.
This game has just been eating up some serious time on me. I'm really enjoying it and I'm excited to see what the modding community is going to be.
Little known fact - it started life as a 360 title.
You'll play the hell out of whatever Star Wars mod comes for it. You have no say in the matter.
Ok, it's official. I am bored with this game. Still never lost a round (or even come close to it). I think the main reason is that cap ships are just too damn powerful compared to frigates. This is not a strategy game. This is a game about microing 1-5 really power units.
I'm going back to SupCom and Dwarf Fortress.
were you playing 1v1 on normal AI? Did you play against people? tell us your playing conditions so that we my rip into you for trying to sound smug and superior to us all.
Played 1v1, 1v2, 1v3, 1v4 all against allied Hard AIs.
Edit: Also got the achievements for winning with no frigates, winning with no cap ships (both in 1v1 hard).
Uh
You're judging the game based on the AI? Unless they cheat, strategy game AIs are notoriously poor, especially in 4x games. Try playing against humans. You'll most likely get destroyed.
Threepio im reading now. solid gold man. solid fucking gold.
Thanks for the encouragement, I appreciate it
I have difficulty describing just how awesome these people are.
You know the dream? The small team coming up with something amazing while not losing sight of your roots while working in a pretty cool space and playing dodgeball and Rock Band in the evenings?
They're living that dream. And they're so bloody down to earth it's shocking. They're polar opposites of Itagaki.
So, due to me winning an art contest (it involved designing and drawing an ad), I will soon be $50 richer.
However, there is one question which has been bugging me:
How stringent is the LAN play? Would my buddy be able to install the game onto his computer and be able to play with me without risk to my online capabilities?
I remember shit like NWN which required unique CD-keys for all expansions during LAN play, which was pretty damn annoying.
How stringent is the LAN play? Would my buddy be able to install the game onto his computer and be able to play with me without risk to my online capabilities?
I remember shit like NWN which required unique CD-keys for all expansions during LAN play, which was pretty damn annoying.
You can LAN the game with the same copy because it doesn't require the CD. No, it doesn't adversely affect your online capability.
One thing I think I'm totally doing wrong is fleets. What is the advantage of using them over unit groupings by numbers? Is there an easy way to make a single unit join a fleet without having to re-click create? And what is this auto-join fleet thing I hear people referencing sometimes? The one thing I do is make the rally point a fleet, and then most units join the fleet, but some don't and are just set of follow for the lead unit.
From what I can gather, the advantage of fleets from simple number groupings is that you can organize fleets into formations and set their engagement range globally. They also complement each other in combat and prioritize targets automatically to eliminate more critical threats. This extends itself to the fighter craft that launch from ships belonging to a fleet.
The auto-join fleet thing I kinda get confused about it. If you don't know yet, the button is in the tactics management, and right clicking the "create fleet" button will make the unit auto-join a fleet. If it's on in my fleet's capital ship, I find that any ships in the same gravity well as my fleet that are not already in a fleet will join the "best" fleet (it's in the manual, I take it to mean that it will join the fleet with lesser numbers). However, if auto-join is on on a single ship without a fleet nearby, it kinda starts to make a fleet of its own. I dunno, kind of confusing (and annoying too, once you see ships you don't want to move suddenly phase jumping seemingly of their own accord). If somebody could give a decent tutorial on how the "auto-join fleet" command works, it would be a great help.
Auto join works for the individual ships, not the fleet; it's a bit backwards from how I would have done it. If a ship has autofleet on, it will join a fleet it encounters if its sitting without orders. For example, if you wanted every ship going to star A to not join a fleet, instead of picking the fleet at A and turning off auto join, you have to turn off the autojoin of EVERY ship as it gets produced.
The best way to build multiple fleets simultaneously is to have multiple factories pointed at 2 or 3 different planets and just have each fleet in its own gravity well.
Also, when ships auto join they don't adopt the fleets settings, so make sure you toggle formation jump and the like again, as the new ships will have the defaults they were produced with.
Also, when ships auto join they don't adopt the fleets settings, so make sure you toggle formation jump and the like again, as the new ships will have the defaults they were produced with.
Now I would really like to know how to set the defaults that units are produced with. Specifically, say turning off auto-join for new units when I'm building fleets in a smaller area.
Bama on
0
Zen VulgarityWhat a lovely day for teaSecret British ThreadRegistered Userregular
so.. how the hell do you use wormholes and those race specific phase jump points ?
I have the researched skills for the wh .. and i've tried simply flying into it or selecting the output hole for a destination.. no dice.
Phase jumps are the same thing... I have a two which I would like to travel between.. but no dice...
Halp?
I haven't seen a wormhole yet, but the Vasari phase stabilizers are easy: just order your ship/fleet to jump from any planet with a phase stab to any other planet with a phase stab. They will jump in a straight line from origin to destination, ignoring the standard phase lanes and crossing any amount of space* in a single jump.
The position of the stab in your gravity well doesn't seem to matter.
* = I've only played single system games so far, you may not be able to change solar systems with these.
Played this for a couple days off a friend's disc: so buying it.
The User-friendly DRM policy strikes again! Another sale!
Seriously.
It's at least in part the reverse psychology.
"You don't want me to have to buy it? Well guess what motherfucker - that's too damn bad."
I would say it's more to do with the fact that he was able to sample the game first, and not a hamstrung version, or a "best bits" version, but what the game actually was.
When you see that, you see whether you like it or not, you buy your own copy so you don't have to worry about returning the CD to your friend and not being able to play the game anymore (sure you could keep it installed, but without the disc or licence you're probably going to lose the game soon as it is).
But then, I also feel it's also partly just general goodwill towards a developer that's willing to treat it's customers in goodwill.
I'm buying because:
A) the game is great and deserves support the developer is indy, great and deserves support
[A & B are similar, but A is about quality and B is about philosophy. Total package here. I hope these guys are (pardon the expression) "the next blizzard" in the success, polish and reliability department]
C) Multiplayer (though it seems like the games are so lengthy.. not sure how well it will work with RL time constraints)
D) "You don't want me to have to buy it? Well guess what motherfucker..."
editing in~
I would say it's more to do with the fact that he was able to sample the game first, and not a hamstrung version, or a "best bits" version, but what the game actually was.
Yes. Perfect advertising ^^ Wouldn't work without a good game, but they made a smart choice I think.
goodwill towards a developer that's willing to treat it's customers in goodwill.
Yes. I don't think this is even a real thing in the world as we know (knew?) it, I would like to encourage this kind of karma.
I know you are buying the game, or maybe have bought it. But there is to be no mention of illegal torrents on these boards and I think the mods would appreciate an edit of your post to reflect this.
I get what you're saying, but that rule is absolute and without exception.
Posts
Yea, the IA is pretty meh. although i found a 10 player FFA is pretty entertaining against the AI with no pirates.
Each little 'blocking' pirate base had about 50-60 ships in it so I build up an even fleet of my own to take out the one base blocking me - after a while one of the AI factions starts sending me missions to give them resources.
This goes on for a while until they end up offering Peace/Trade/Ship Vision/Planet Vision. I take a look to see what they have - four colonized planets, a fucking fleet of close to 250 ships, all sitting blocked in by a little pirate base of less then 50 ships.
Errr, ok.
I, as soon as the game starts, pick out a North, South, East and West. Save for zooming in on battles, I never rotate the camera for more than a few minutes. If I don't do this, I have no earthly idea where I am (or say, right after loading up a save which screws with the rotation).
This is the second part in a two part interview with Ironclad Game. The interview took place on February 19th, 2008 and covered their history, the nature of the studio and the details of their smash hit Sins of a Solar Empire. Part one of the interview can be found here.
I'd spent the previous half hour speaking with Blair Fraser, Steven Mackay and Craig Fraser about their personal history and the genesis of Ironclad Games. Moving forward through the interview we turned to Sins of a Solar Empire - a game where the largest complaint is that gamers can't find copies to buy (please note: digital downloads are available through Stardock!). The game had been very well received and I was curious of their thoughts on the reception and the development of some of the more unique aspects of the game..
Click for more...
It should be here in about two weeks. You could also borrow the game from someone. There is no DRM on it.
"Read twice, post once. It's almost like 'measure twice, cut once' only with reading." - MetaverseNomad
Sure there is, it says right on the CD "Do not lend or make illegal copies of this disk." Surely gently telling people not to break the law will prevent piracy. :P
Seriously though, buy the game. Its incredibly well mannered on even older systems. If you list your specs you could probably get responses from people with similar systems.
The demo is coming - they discuss it in detail of part one of the interview I conducted with them. The game's only $40 here in Canada, so take a look around and make sure you're getting the best price. The CE is a bit more, but that's how it goes.
This game has just been eating up some serious time on me. I'm really enjoying it and I'm excited to see what the modding community is going to be.
Little known fact - it started life as a 360 title.
You'll play the hell out of whatever Star Wars mod comes for it. You have no say in the matter.
Dual core 2.1ghz
2.4 gigs dual channel ram
nVidia 7900 gtx 512 card(2 of them)
My proc is the only thing I am worried about if I will be abl to run it in 1680x1050
So will it shine or chug at good settings?
Uh
You're judging the game based on the AI? Unless they cheat, strategy game AIs are notoriously poor, especially in 4x games. Try playing against humans. You'll most likely get destroyed.
More than adequate. I don't know why people think this is a hardware-intensive game.
I have difficulty describing just how awesome these people are.
You know the dream? The small team coming up with something amazing while not losing sight of your roots while working in a pretty cool space and playing dodgeball and Rock Band in the evenings?
They're living that dream. And they're so bloody down to earth it's shocking. They're polar opposites of Itagaki.
However, there is one question which has been bugging me:
How stringent is the LAN play? Would my buddy be able to install the game onto his computer and be able to play with me without risk to my online capabilities?
I remember shit like NWN which required unique CD-keys for all expansions during LAN play, which was pretty damn annoying.
Hahaha. I'm using:
Dual Core 2.13ghz
1gig RAM
Geforce 7600gt
and can run it good at 1024x768. I imagine that your increased RAM and gfx card would compensate for your higher resolution just fine.
You can LAN the game with the same copy because it doesn't require the CD. No, it doesn't adversely affect your online capability.
I will have this.
Not yet.
One thing I think I'm totally doing wrong is fleets. What is the advantage of using them over unit groupings by numbers? Is there an easy way to make a single unit join a fleet without having to re-click create? And what is this auto-join fleet thing I hear people referencing sometimes? The one thing I do is make the rally point a fleet, and then most units join the fleet, but some don't and are just set of follow for the lead unit.
The auto-join fleet thing I kinda get confused about it. If you don't know yet, the button is in the tactics management, and right clicking the "create fleet" button will make the unit auto-join a fleet. If it's on in my fleet's capital ship, I find that any ships in the same gravity well as my fleet that are not already in a fleet will join the "best" fleet (it's in the manual, I take it to mean that it will join the fleet with lesser numbers). However, if auto-join is on on a single ship without a fleet nearby, it kinda starts to make a fleet of its own. I dunno, kind of confusing (and annoying too, once you see ships you don't want to move suddenly phase jumping seemingly of their own accord). If somebody could give a decent tutorial on how the "auto-join fleet" command works, it would be a great help.
The best way to build multiple fleets simultaneously is to have multiple factories pointed at 2 or 3 different planets and just have each fleet in its own gravity well.
Also, when ships auto join they don't adopt the fleets settings, so make sure you toggle formation jump and the like again, as the new ships will have the defaults they were produced with.
I have the researched skills for the wh .. and i've tried simply flying into it or selecting the output hole for a destination.. no dice.
Phase jumps are the same thing... I have a two which I would like to travel between.. but no dice...
Halp?
Librarians harbor a terrible secret. Find it.
I haven't seen a wormhole yet, but the Vasari phase stabilizers are easy: just order your ship/fleet to jump from any planet with a phase stab to any other planet with a phase stab. They will jump in a straight line from origin to destination, ignoring the standard phase lanes and crossing any amount of space* in a single jump.
The position of the stab in your gravity well doesn't seem to matter.
* = I've only played single system games so far, you may not be able to change solar systems with these.
The User-friendly DRM policy strikes again! Another sale!
Seriously.
It's at least in part the reverse psychology.
"You don't want me to have to buy it? Well guess what motherfucker - that's too damn bad."
Beware, fools
I would say it's more to do with the fact that he was able to sample the game first, and not a hamstrung version, or a "best bits" version, but what the game actually was.
When you see that, you see whether you like it or not, you buy your own copy so you don't have to worry about returning the CD to your friend and not being able to play the game anymore (sure you could keep it installed, but without the disc or licence you're probably going to lose the game soon as it is).
But then, I also feel it's also partly just general goodwill towards a developer that's willing to treat it's customers in goodwill.
"I could torrent this, but what if my pc dies or I uninstall it at some point and want it back? Meh. Buy, buy."
"Oooh, nifty package."
A) the game is great and deserves support
[A & B are similar, but A is about quality and B is about philosophy. Total package here. I hope these guys are (pardon the expression) "the next blizzard" in the success, polish and reliability department]
C) Multiplayer (though it seems like the games are so lengthy.. not sure how well it will work with RL time constraints)
D) "You don't want me to have to buy it? Well guess what motherfucker..."
editing in~
Yes. Perfect advertising ^^ Wouldn't work without a good game, but they made a smart choice I think.
Yes. I don't think this is even a real thing in the world as we know (knew?) it, I would like to encourage this kind of karma.
I get what you're saying, but that rule is absolute and without exception.