As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
We're funding a new Acquisitions Incorporated series on Kickstarter right now! Check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pennyarcade/acquisitions-incorporated-the-series-2

[Game On] Sins of a Solar Empire

1151618202130

Posts

  • psyck0psyck0 Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Updating the game almost always breaks your saves. The patches make a lot of changes, especially to the AI.

    psyck0 on
    Play Smash Bros 3DS with me! 4399-1034-5444
    steam_sig.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    That's fine; the problem is that as far as the game is concerned, my account doesn't exist. Yet it does, and it works on Impulse and the forums.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • psyck0psyck0 Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    What do you mean? For multiplayer? What?

    psyck0 on
    Play Smash Bros 3DS with me! 4399-1034-5444
    steam_sig.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Honestly I'm not sure.

    When you go to the menu in-game and click "Ironclad online" and it asks you for your login; I could log in before but now it says account not found.

    I haven't tried playing a multiplayer game so I don't know if that's part if it.

    I found the error log that was displayed when I updated the game:


    Application start: 2009-2-21 9.40.12

    Silent mode

    Mode 1, short info

    Submitting activation request...

    Download: success

    Activation result: 1

    Product successfully activated

    Using silent activation with null serial mode.



    Application start: 2009-2-21 9.40.13

    Silent mode

    Mode 2

    Submitting activation request...

    Download: failed HttpSendRequest

    Result parsing error (1)

    Error activating the product

    Please check the serial number that you have entered and ensure that it is associated with the email you used. Try to activate the product again. If you are using Stardock Central you can right-click on the product and attempt to activate without reinstalling. Please include this log file when contacting [email protected].

    But when I go to my registered products in Impulse Sins is still listed there. I have no idea what this means.

    All I know that afterwards all my settings were removed in-game and my player didn't exist and the games were invalid. I get that the saves are lost, that happens when games patch sometimes.

    So I guess I'm not even sure what's going on. I can play single-player fine. If someone wants to set up a multiplayer game I can see if there's a problem there that I can't tell atm.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • psyck0psyck0 Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Oh, yeah, ignore that. It happens from time to time. Doesn't matter at all, just have to reset your settings, that's all.

    psyck0 on
    Play Smash Bros 3DS with me! 4399-1034-5444
    steam_sig.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    So, having never bought a game off Impulse (ordered SoaSE from Amazon), when can we expect Entrenchment to go live? Will it be a stroke of midnight thing, or sometime tomorrow during the day?

    EDIT: That's odd. I went and pre-ordered it in impulse and it downloaded and installed. All the loading screens say it is still beta though.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • CarcharodontosaurusCarcharodontosaurus Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    So, having never bought a game off Impulse (ordered SoaSE from Amazon), when can we expect Entrenchment to go live? Will it be a stroke of midnight thing, or sometime tomorrow during the day?

    EDIT: That's odd. I went and pre-ordered it in impulse and it downloaded and installed. All the loading screens say it is still beta though.

    I think that's because you downloaded and installed the beta. The full version of Entrenchment should be released sometime tomorrow, I hope.

    Carcharodontosaurus on
    steam_sig.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    So, having never bought a game off Impulse (ordered SoaSE from Amazon), when can we expect Entrenchment to go live? Will it be a stroke of midnight thing, or sometime tomorrow during the day?

    EDIT: That's odd. I went and pre-ordered it in impulse and it downloaded and installed. All the loading screens say it is still beta though.

    I think that's because you downloaded and installed the beta. The full version of Entrenchment should be released sometime tomorrow, I hope.

    Well yeah...but it didn't say beta. When I bought it, it just showed up in my games list and I clicked install.

    No biggie, I'm checking it out anyway. Star bases are sick.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Entrenchment is Live.

    Impulse still lists it as Pre-Order on the order page, but if you have purchased it on your games list it now shows version 1.00.025. Also the base game has a small 1.15 update out, presumably with last minute balance changes from Entrenchment.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • DeadOnArrivalDeadOnArrival Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Who's up for a big PA game of Entrenchment come Saturday then?

    I'm thinking 8pm GMT, which is 3pm EST. Game speed will be set to fast so that hopefully we can have a good epic game without taking a year to finish. ;)

    Edit: People without Entrenchment need not apply, since if even one person doesn't have it, noone can use Entrenchment stuffs. :(

    Edit2: For anyone new to this, we'll be using hamachi (google hamachi and download it, version 1.0.1.5 is the best for lack of bloatware) and the Steam Group to meet up.

    DeadOnArrival on
    2zz3vp4.jpg
  • AstnsAstns Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Who's up for a big PA game of Entrenchment come Saturday then?

    I'm thinking 8pm GMT, which is 3pm EST. Game speed will be set to fast so that hopefully we can have a good epic game without taking a year to finish. ;)

    Edit: People without Entrenchment need not apply, since if even one person doesn't have it, noone can use Entrenchment stuffs. :(

    I will fight the good fight.
    And betray EVERYONE!

    Astns on
  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Sign me up. Bow before your future psychic overlords.

    PolloDiablo on
  • psyck0psyck0 Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Who's up for a big PA game of Entrenchment come Saturday then?

    I'm thinking 8pm GMT, which is 3pm EST. Game speed will be set to fast so that hopefully we can have a good epic game without taking a year to finish. ;)

    Edit: People without Entrenchment need not apply, since if even one person doesn't have it, noone can use Entrenchment stuffs. :(

    Edit2: For anyone new to this, we'll be using hamachi (google hamachi and download it, version 1.0.1.5 is the best for lack of bloatware) and the Steam Group to meet up.

    Actually, people with Entrenchment can now toggle the expansion on/off so we can join in your pleb games as well. That said, I may be busy. Will have to see. Lots of school work to do.

    psyck0 on
    Play Smash Bros 3DS with me! 4399-1034-5444
    steam_sig.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I would tentatively like to get in on this. I haven't played it multiplayer yet and I'm really itching to.

    However my schedule for Saturday is up in the air right now until my wife figures out her weekend plans, so I can't say 100% I'll be there.

    But man, screw toggling Entrenchment off! It's good stuff.

    I wish they would have added more system background graphics though. The 5 there are aren't enough. We need some more wild ones, their artists need to get imaginative.
    This isn't to say I think the games art is bad, it's great, if very limited

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • AstnsAstns Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    So does anyone fancy a game of entrenchment this afternoon/evening?

    Need 4 people for a proper game really.

    Astns on
  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    This Saturday shit is going down. Sign me up. Ill be online all day. I'm thinking 4v4 huge single star map, everything on fast pirates off. No AIs for gods sake.

    Also, the changes to starbases from useless to omgawesome over the course of the beta really impressed me. It felt like a beta, the game improved constantly, it wasn't just a buggy demo.

    The_Scarab on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Why single star?

    I don't care either way, just curious.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • DeadOnArrivalDeadOnArrival Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Why single star?

    I don't care either way, just curious.

    Single-star games are faster, and you can get into the meat of the game (politics, territorial disputes, WAAAAAGH) quicker.

    In addition, actually leaving your starting star system behind either to attack an enemy star system or protect fledgling colonies in a new star system is a good way to get your home systems raped by an enemy fleet before you can return to protect it.

    Starbases might change that, but seeing as they're immobile, I somehow doubt it.

    DeadOnArrival on
    2zz3vp4.jpg
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    When I play against NPC's I tend to choose smaller star systems, or single star systems for that reason; but I had assumed that starbases would make multi-star systems more interesting as now you have a point of defense at your system to prevent rampant attacks with no real way to prevent them. Throw up a starbase (or more) and some mine drones at your star; maybe a small fleet to support and that would make willy-nilly star hopping a dangerous proposition.

    But yeah, again, I've never played it multiplayer so I'm not really aware of that kind of dynamics. I guess I'm more of a slow, deliberate player so having things spread even more out isn't much of an issue to my style. Switching to a faster paced play would be harder for me to get used to.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Actually, now that I think about it, how do multiplayer games work, usually?

    In singleplayer games it's fairly easy to decide who to ally with or do quests for because usually you can just do the quests that have you kill the players near you and stuff, make alliances with them.

    In multiplayer how does it work? I mean, if you do teams, yeah, it's set in stone, but if you do a 8 player FFA how do you win? If you have an alliance and clear everyone else out does that finish it? Do you have to stab that other player in the back at the end of the game?

    How do you communicate? Just type? I assume there's no in-game voice communication and stuff.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    A game ends when only a single alliance remains.

    Remember, an alliance can be just one person, so if you are going to backstab make sure it works.

    The_Scarab on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Hey, whats the difference between "Normal Start" and "Quick Start"?

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • Blair FraserBlair Fraser Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Quick start: you start off with your initial asteroids built, 2 scout ships, a frigate factory, capitalship factory, and full population upgrades on your homeworld. Makes getting to the interesting stuff a lot faster.

    Blair Fraser on
  • TertieeTertiee Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Starbases might change that, but seeing as they're immobile, I somehow doubt it.

    I thought that Starbases could move, just slowly. If they are immobile are they decently cheap enough to make a large difference?

    Tertiee on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    They can move, but they can't move between planets; they're locked to the gravity well you build them in.

    Price wise-they're pretty much on the level of Capital Ships up front, but when you take into account research and the various upgrades, if you fully expand your Starbase (keep in mind that what is "fully expanded" for you might end up being a totally different beast than mine. There is 8 upgrade points and like 10 upgrade options, each with 1 or more levels per (each level takes a slot), then they cost a fortune. Probably ~13k creds and 4k of each resource, guessing off the top of my head for upgrades alone; research to open up those is even more.

    But they're so worth it. For defense, and against an NPC offence, they do what they do amazingly well. Give them some fleet/hangar/turret support and man. good stuff. They're sick strong on their own though, but don't expect them to solo protect a planet or whatever. You can't just plop one down on a gas giant and prevent full scale assults; they'll still go down with relative ease against an organized fleet (though they won't go quietly if they're upgraded to any degree).

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Alright, wife will be gone all weekend so count me in for a game Saturday.

    Who do we have and what will be the game info?

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • AntithesisAntithesis Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    They can move, but they can't move between planets; they're locked to the gravity well you build them in.

    Price wise-they're pretty much on the level of Capital Ships up front, but when you take into account research and the various upgrades, if you fully expand your Starbase (keep in mind that what is "fully expanded" for you might end up being a totally different beast than mine. There is 8 upgrade points and like 10 upgrade options, each with 1 or more levels per (each level takes a slot), then they cost a fortune. Probably ~13k creds and 4k of each resource, guessing off the top of my head for upgrades alone; research to open up those is even more.

    But they're so worth it. For defense, and against an NPC offence, they do what they do amazingly well. Give them some fleet/hangar/turret support and man. good stuff. They're sick strong on their own though, but don't expect them to solo protect a planet or whatever. You can't just plop one down on a gas giant and prevent full scale assults; they'll still go down with relative ease against an organized fleet (though they won't go quietly if they're upgraded to any degree).


    I love how they stuck with each faction's strategy of building ships, too- as Vasari, I spent quite awhile getting everything, but after investing a massive fortune, nothing could resist my unstoppable fortress of death.

    Anyone try building one on the edge of a hostile gravity well to assault a planet? Would that even work if you were facing someone with even a modicum of skill?

    Antithesis on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    The starbases can't attack planets; at least not with the weapon upgrades I had on mine (3, can it go higher?). I used it to take out enemy forces while my fleet bypassed defenses focused on the base.

    So, no direct planet assault, but indirectly they work well in a siege; the main problem is the build time and if you were playing against a human, they'd notice immediately and destroy your base before it got finished constructing.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I just realized one thing that Sins could theoretically improve on: Cloaking.


    I mean, in SupCom the Cybran can really be nasty with their stealth firebases... it'd be fun to see that placed with Sins... though I guess it'd be hard to pull off, since systems are so small.

    Khavall on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    You never know.

    What's the focus of the other two boosters coming?

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    You never know.

    What's the focus of the other two boosters coming?

    The first expansion is defense.

    The second expansion is diplomacy

    The third one is rumoured to be some kind of single player campaign. Don't think we know much yet.

    The_Scarab on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    oooh, an actual campaign would be cool.

    I wonder what they can do for diplomacy that is interesting? I mean, diplomacy itself can be interesting, but I can't really think of anything already in the mechanics of the game to make it a lot deeper without some major changes.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    It's going to be a bunch of improvements to AI companions and alliances. Missions are crap and annoying.

    The_Scarab on
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    The_Scarab wrote: »
    It's going to be a bunch of improvements to AI companions and alliances. Missions are crap and annoying.

    Pretty much, yeah.

    Well that's cool. The diplomacy aspect is kinda lacking, can't hurt to improve it.

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • DarmakDarmak RAGE vympyvvhyc vyctyvyRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    It's a problem I seem to have recently but I was reading the thread and I blacked out. Next thing I know I'm looking at Impulse while it's downloading Entrenchment. I guess I'll have to add myself to the Steam group and try and play with you guys. :D

    Darmak on
    JtgVX0H.png
  • The Dude With HerpesThe Dude With Herpes Lehi, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Considering picking up SoaSE and haven't yet?

    The CE is currently the deal of the day on Amazon for $19.99

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000208101

    The Dude With Herpes on
    Steam: Galedrid - XBL: Galedrid - PSN: Galedrid
    Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
    Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand

  • DeadOnArrivalDeadOnArrival Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    The_Scarab wrote: »
    It's going to be a bunch of improvements to AI companions and alliances. Missions are crap and annoying.

    Pretty much, yeah.

    Well that's cool. The diplomacy aspect is kinda lacking, can't hurt to improve it.

    One idea I had been throwing around in my head is making communication less like a chat room and more like long-range communication. For example, you would only have instant communication if you had ships or a starbase or a planet in the same gravity well as another empire's ships/starbase/planet. The further away an enemy empire is (counted by shortest possible jump distance, ie, 2 jumps away, 4 jumps away) the longer it would take for transmissions you sent to be received by them.

    You could have a new structure to facilitate this mechanic, called a communications relay for example, which could be placed in neutral uncolonizable grav wells or allied grav wells to enable faster communication, if you had an unbroken chain, for example, to your ally's space, communication could be instant as it is now. It would of course be a very cheap (and fragile) structure to slap down, since any of your ships (or starbases) would serve the same purpose.

    It would also open the mechanics of communications jamming and disruption. Jamming ships could stop allies from successfully coordinating with each other or stop transmissions not using relays to reach their intended recipient. Perhaps even stealing and (after a time) decoding the transmissions intended for other players for an espionage element.

    I dunno how it would work in the grand scheme of things, and it could be easily bypassed by using outside communication methods like ventrilo or steam/xfire overlay, but it does sound interesting to me and I don't think any RTS has tried to pull off anything quite like it before.

    DeadOnArrival on
    2zz3vp4.jpg
  • IriahIriah Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I think the problem with diplomacy in SoaSE is that the rest of the game isn't deep enough to warrant a satisfying range of diplomatic mechanics, especially on anything smaller than large systems.

    Iriah on
  • DeadOnArrivalDeadOnArrival Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Iriah wrote: »
    I think the problem with diplomacy in SoaSE is that the rest of the game isn't deep enough to warrant a satisfying range of diplomatic mechanics, especially on anything smaller than large systems.

    I would contest that diplomacy is a lot deeper here than most RTS games because of the scope. There's plenty of room for deceit, backstabbings, united fronts, protectorates, cooperation and intimidation.

    I've seen it happen on our PA games many a time. It's one of the more fun parts of the game, imho.

    DeadOnArrival on
    2zz3vp4.jpg
  • IriahIriah Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I was thinking more along the lines of a 4X. I've been playing Gigantic maps in Galactic Civilisations 2, and the AI is incredible. It's wonderful because there's so much to do - fundamentally similar to SoaSE but with a broader range of options. I mean, if you want to end a war in SoaSE you ask for a cease fire, or whatever, but if you've got the upper hand in GalCiv2 you can demand a planet and all of their latest technologies, then put a trade embargo on them and send spies to take out all their factories.

    Then you declare war on them the next round and EVERYONE hates you for being a backstabbing dick. It's great!

    Iriah on
Sign In or Register to comment.