Sword of the Stars? (New 4x game apparently)

[cshank2]

Well, I was having a chat with my friends when I brought up SE:V to them, they immediatly (both of them) posted this link: http://www.kerberos-productions.com/sots.shtml

It's a 4X game with real time combat etc, only four races though.

Looks like some competition for our beloved SE:V.

[RCCCL]

Hmmm, Ever hear of the Orion games?

I bought Orion 3 a couple months back, I got it for $3 at a Half Price Books, and I swear it is almost exactly like Space Empires.

The only major difference is that it somewhat of a story line to it.

[Randallw]

Not quite as extensive as I would like, but the graphics look good.

[Ed Kolis]

You talking about MASTER of Orion 3? Exactly like Space Empires? Oh no... *prepares for 4X holy war* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Puke]

wow, SotS looks cool. not as large, open-ended, or modable as SE4, so i dont consider it real compitition. but it looks like a really fun game that will add positive things to the genre.

This little gameplay feature sounds particularly compelling:

♦ Each race has a unique mode of transport between star systems, creating very different styles of play, depending on what race you choose to control.

[Slaughtermeyer]

This little gameplay feature sounds like a definite improvement over SEIV:

♦ Over 150 distinct technologies to research on a dynamic tech tree that changes from game to game. While the core technology of the tree is consistent, certain offshoots are random from game to game. There is no perfect path up the tech tree to memorize and exploit, because the path keeps changing!

[Ed Kolis]

Hmm, MOO3 had that; it was somewhat interesting; maybe if it were incorporated into SE5 it would be even more interesting http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif MOO3 even had different randomized tech trees for each race, so the Humans might get Phasors at level 5 of Physics, the Klackons might get them at level 7, and the Ithkul might never get them at all, but might instead get something else...

[kerensky]

So where do you get it?

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Looks fun. However, also looks a little shallow in comparison.

* Players can design and build ships from three size classes - Destroyer, Cruiser, and Dreadnought - by mixing and matching ship sections (command, mission, and engines), then outfitting them with armour and weapons to suit their preference.

[tesco samoa]

Perhaps the engine is based off the engine Imperium Galactica II: Alliances was using. Which was an amazing engine. Too bad they never did anything with it. The demo was they best space combat I had ever seen. The only problem was that you thought you were watching a movie as it was unfrigging unreal how amazing it looked. Unfortantly the developers never did anything more with it...

Hopefully this game will not join that famous list of space games that were never finished.

As all space games are great.... Even if they are bad http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[cshank2]

tesco samoa said:
As all space games are great.... Even if they are bad http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif




*points tesco to the MOO3 homepage.*

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

tesco samoa said:
(Perhaps the engine is based off the engine Imperium Galactica II: Alliances was using. Which was an amazing engine.) Too bad they never did anything with it. ..... (Unfortantly the developers never did anything more with it...)

Hopefully this game will not join that famous list of space games that were never finished.



What was supposed to be the next game in the Imperium Galactica line, is now on the market as "Nexus: The Jupiter Incident". And even though I saw only still screenshots, my god, that looked friggin amazing. Heck, you can even mod it! I read about a HW2 mod for the game once!

[cshank2]

I do believe Nexus:JI is either released or finishing development, I saw boxes for it at Bestbuy, don't know if they were Pre-Order ones or the real deal.

[kerensky]

Nexus: the jupiter incident is amazing. I just got it a couple of weeks ago and the graphics are awesome. It does take a little while to get used to the game engine, but the whole way teh game works is very neat.

[Thermodyne]

Anyone know when it might be out? Looks like it could be something I would like.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Nexus: TJI? It's already been released. Don't know exactly when, I think it was earlier this year. Those boxes at BestBuy were the real deal probably.

[TurinTurambar]

I think he meant SotS. I can't find it anywhere; looks like it's still in development.

[cshank2]

No, I meant Nexus http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[kerensky]

Did anyone read my post????


kerensky said:
Nexus: the jupiter incident is amazing. I just got it a couple of weeks ago and the graphics are awesome. It does take a little while to get used to the game engine, but the whole way teh game works is very neat.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Yup. It's "Nexus: The Jupiter Incident" and not "Nexus: the jupiter incident", oh, and yoy spelled "the" incorrectly once.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[TurinTurambar]

Strategia_In_Ultima said:
Yup. It's "Nexus: The Jupiter Incident" and not "Nexus: the jupiter incident", oh, and yoy spelled "the" incorrectly once.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif



"yoy"?
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Fyron]

It isn't really a good idea to start emulating the behavior in that light bulb and forumers joke thread... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

How do you play the game anyway? I've tried, and I have no idea what I'm supposed to do.

(And the movement controls suck)

[TurinTurambar]

Play which game?

~T

[TurinTurambar]

Imperator Fyron said:
It isn't really a good idea to start emulating the behavior in that light bulb and forumers joke thread... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif



And that, my friend, is what makes it fun to do just so!

/threads/images/Graemlins/icon42.gifTurin

[Mecron]

Hi all,
Thanks for your interest in SOTS. A lil birdie told me there was a few questions here. There has been a few answers at these other SOTS discussions...

http://forums.avault.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=006636;p=3

http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6473&st=0&#entry134557

I wouldn't think of it as something that was meant to replace Grand Empires 4X games like SE as much as compliment them. SOTS concentrates on level of detail in tactical and production choices and strives to do them justice in 3-D combat. Granted you will not being building movie theaters to keep a planet happy...on the other had you will be nesting minelayers with EW destroyers and slipping torpedo groups behind moons to take down command ships in the backfield.

Ask anything you are still curious about and I will be happy to pop in and answer.

--Mecron
Kerberos Productions

[cshank2]

Ah, nice to see you here, Mec, the torpedo's behind moon does sound fun... although I'd rather blow up the moon and let nature work on my enemies.

[Mecron]

funny you should mention that, cshank http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
--MEC

[cshank2]

Oh my.

[Mecron]

For those of you interested in the fiction and background for a game, the racial essays for our fourth race, the Liir have been posted on the website.
--MEC

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Side note: For all those 3D modelers out there, who are also interested in this game, I have just found out that SOTS ship files are .X files! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif So that probably means that any SEV race can be transplanted to SOTS! Anyone up for a match between the Tarkas and the Jraenar?..... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Mecron]

Just to let you all know, shots of the main strat interface have been posted as well as our message boards are now up.
--MEC

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/sots.shtml

[Anguille]

This new game looks nice...a bit too cartoony but mostly nice.

[Mecron]

Thanks anguille...Sorry you feel its a bit too "cartoony"...everybody and their dog does the same old boring 3-D talking heads...we thought we would do something a little more stylish, a little less taking oneself oh so seriously. These days one tends to forget that in the days of Ho! and early MOO there was a bit of tongue in cheek mixed in with the space opera.

[Anguille]

Mecron said:
Thanks anguille...Sorry you feel its a bit too "cartoony"...everybody and their dog does the same old boring 3-D talking heads...we thought we would do something a little more stylish, a little less taking oneself oh so seriously. These days one tends to forget that in the days of Ho! and early MOO there was a bit of tongue in cheek mixed in with the space opera.


Actually i love cartoons and the original MOO. It's that i am more into "belgium" and "french" style of cartoons (like Valérian). I'll be following this with interest...will it be released in Europe?
Thanks

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

It had better be released in Europe, or else..... *starts placing calls for Tarka mercenaries*

[Fyron]

Mecron said:
Thanks anguille...Sorry you feel its a bit too "cartoony"...everybody and their dog does the same old boring 3-D talking heads...

Have you seen SE4's race portraits? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Mecron]

We have always been dedicated to international releases, especially Europe. Every project this team has done we have made a point doing a media tour across Europe. Oddly enough this time around though we have had a lot of european publishers tell us you people are NOT interested in space games anymore...

[El_Phil]

You do meant aren't there don't you? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Mecron]

Mmmmmmaaaaaaaaayyyyybe! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[El_Phil]

Ahh what do I care. I'm not European.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

*nukes all of non-Europe save for the Malfador and Kerberos offices, and the Shrapnel server*

[douglas]

Strategia_In_Ultima said:
*nukes all of non-Europe save for the Malfador and Kerberos offices, and the Shrapnel server*


Besides any fallout issues, I'm pretty sure that would destroy the electrical power grid they depend on.

[Renegade 13]

Strategia_In_Ultima said:
*nukes all of non-Europe save for the Malfador and Kerberos offices, and the Shrapnel server*


Hey, don't nuke me! All you'll be killing is about 6 people and a few thousand deer, moose, and a bunch of trees!

Not to mention the sheer number of nukes involved... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Oh well OK then.....

*fires orbital plasma launchers at all populated areas of the world, save for the aforementioned locations, then proceeds to beam power down from orbit to the spared sites*

I must say though, it doesn't have the same ring to it..... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[El_Phil]

Well beaming power down from orbit sounds alot like a microwave based orbital deathray...

Of course that could be just me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[douglas]

Strategia_In_Ultima said:
Oh well OK then.....

*fires orbital plasma launchers at all populated areas of the world, save for the aforementioned locations, then proceeds to beam power down from orbit to the spared sites*

I must say though, it doesn't have the same ring to it..... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif


You'll have to install receptors in the spared sites first, otherwise the power beamed down from orbit won't be of any use to them. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

*destroys Douglas and Phil, then grudgingly installs laser-power reception devices*

[Renegade 13]

Hey man, thanks for the free power! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

*gives up and fires an orbital plasma launcher at his command ship's bridge*

[narf poit chez BOOM]

So...You shot the *launcher* at your ship? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The phrase "to fire an orbital plasma launcher" means that the plasma launcher fires a cohesive ball of fusing plasma. Think like "to fire a cannon"..... Ah what the heck.

*/me just gives up and blasts his brains out*

[El_Phil]

Ahh perhaps Strategia wasn't on his ship. Maybe he was shooting it down from orbit.

Strategia's ships comes screaming down from orbit as an immense fireball. The wrecakge crashes into Narf's hole, scattering walls, cheese and bits of Narf over a wide area.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Musta hit a decoy. I'm in my planatiod, as usual. To much flaming debris hitting the Earth lately.

[Fyron]

So much for a discussion on Sword of the Stars... Perhaps this stuff should be kept in one of the insanity threads?

[narf poit chez BOOM]

On-Topic?...

...Nope, sorry, couldn't find it in the forum dictionary. Besides, it's had about 3 pages. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Kamog]

You're inside a planetoid??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/confused.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Yep. A spaceship known as the Murphy's Law...

...Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go stop it from blowing up. Again.

[El_Phil]

We'll have none off that 'on-topic' heresy round here me lado.

An on-topic post? On the Shrapnel forums? That's one of the signs of an incoming apocolypse!

[Mecron]

Hides his Mines inside a jammer field and lobs detonating anti-matter torps at everyone from deep inside the field to get their attention while distracting all your guided ordanance with a couple of wild weasel destroyers backed up by a ghosting PD cruiser that goes intangible when you try and hunt it down.

There...back on topic as all that is possible in SOTS http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[TurinTurambar]

Mecron said:
Just to let you all know, shots of the main strat interface have been posted as well as our message boards are now up.
--MEC

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/sots.shtml



I might just be dense, but I couldn't find any message boards at that link.

/threads/images/Graemlins/Dagger.gifT

[El_Phil]

See the thin red line, just under the logo. About the middle of there the link to the forum, which is a board with messages on. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Fyron]

It is not a very friendly color scheme, black on dark red... Very little contrast.

[Mecron]

of course the button with the big green and white writing on the main page is kind of a dead giveaway http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

and as an added bonus, a new gameplay video. Who loves ya?

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/sots.shtml

[TurinTurambar]

Yes, on the Home page it is easy to see (and has a nice "Image Comics" feel to it I might add). But your previous links were to the SOTS page where as Fyron said, it's hard to see. Make it white or pink please.

Registered to forums.

Looking forward to a beta or something to play with.

Turin/threads/images/Graemlins/Dagger.gif

[Mecron]

Hey folks!

Just thought I would pop in and post some update links for any of you that are still interested.


New interview on a spanish site, don't worry the link is to the english version. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

http://jdejuegos.com/jestrategia/sots/sots_art_b02.htm

And some new screens for said interview.

http://jdejuegos.com/jestrategia/sots/recursos_imgs00.htm?t=008&n=000&c=4&r=2&y=1&p=1&g= 001

The human backstory for SotS has also been added.

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/sots.shtml

as well as many more details of the 3 alien races of SotS being discussed in this alien topic.

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start= 15

Take care and feel free to ask any questions here as I do keep checking in when I can.
--MEC

[Mecron]

In case anyone is still interested;) The first hands on preview of SotS is up at...

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=29599

--MEC

[AgentZero]

Mecron said:
In case anyone is still interested;) The first hands on preview of SotS is up at...

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=29599

--MEC



I need demo! Must show off shiney new video card to Playstation owning friends!

[wilhil]

AgentZero said:

Mecron said:
In case anyone is still interested;) The first hands on preview of SotS is up at...

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=29599

--MEC



I need demo! Must show off shiney new video card to Playstation owning friends!




get halflife 2 or doom 3 then! this game looks cool, but it does not look like it will be a challenge on the graphics!

[Mecron]

Well...we don't want to leave older cards behind and so have a nice scale of fx...but the thing to remember is that HL2 or D3 are all about the background sets...they only run a couple dozen fx at the same time on a screen. With a full fleet battle in SotS with shields, cloaking, damage venting, explosions and dozens of weapons systems. It runs 10 or 20 times more fx than a shooter.

[Hunpecked]

Pretty, yes. But is it moddable?

BTW, I like the illustration of the "lab accident". http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Mecron]

Very modable...fully data driven engine.

[AAshbery76]

Looks interesting, i would've liked to have seen more races to improve diplomatic options, not just 2 vs 2/1.I will keep an eye on the game anyhow.

[Suicide Junkie]

I wonder whos idea it was to have six exclamation points in that combat encounter screen!!!1!1one!

[Mecron]

AAsh- Its 8 player...how you do the diplomacy is up to you. As for the number of different races... Well we decided to have 4 that meant something rather than 16 that were just bad skins.

Junkie- I dunno...maybe they were REALLY excited about combat.

[wilhil]

Mecron said:
Well...we don't want to leave older cards behind and so have a nice scale of fx...but the thing to remember is that HL2 or D3 are all about the background sets...they only run a couple dozen fx at the same time on a screen. With a full fleet battle in SotS with shields, cloaking, damage venting, explosions and dozens of weapons systems. It runs 10 or 20 times more fx than a shooter.




ahh, sorry! I reread my post and realise I sounded really bad like I was taking the mick out of the game!

I am really really sorry! I didnt mean for it to come across like that at all!

Anyway, as far as I think, graphics dont really mean anything! I hated doom 3 (well I dont really like horror games) it was a bad game with just good graphics (apart from the interactive ingame panels! I loved them!), on the other hand, SEIV is poor graphics with brilliant gameplay, and guess which one I am playing years after buying!

As both a regular programmer and game programmer as well, I personally have a diffrent stance to you though, I personally try to target products that I have a role in to play well, but have as good graphics as possible, as far as I think, people get the latest consoles each 2-3 years, but they expect their pc to be able to run the latest games 10 years down the road! I add compatibility where possible for older generation cards, but I dont make it my main target, It just drives me mad for example on the HL2/Steam forums people complaining that the game will not run well or at all on their geforce 2 and lower cards!

anyway, I read a few comments on the first page and the last one, sorry if you mentioned this already, are you going to release a demo to your game soon, and if so, when!?

[Mecron]

No need to be sorry wil, I knew what you were getting at. Was just pointing out that thing where shooters strain your card in the way of a fine painting where space combat games do it in a more fireworks kind of way. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif And yeah graphic compatibility is brutal sometimes. I generally ask my team to make to pretties thing they can for the current years tech and then to make sure they can pare features away and still have something playable thats not hideous for older machines.

We are pretty much demo-licious right now and pending final publisher negotiations we will be able to tell you an exact release sate for both game and demo.

[AgentZero]

No! Fie your legal mumbojumbo! Demo now! [sanity mode: ON] Right well, HL2 may have fancy physics and all, and Doom 3 might be all scary, but neither one has anything that comes close to the spectacle of a couple hundred beautiful spaceships blowing the living hell out each other.

Maybe it's not quite as Oh-my-freaking-gawd! pretty as Nexus, but I don't care if I can have hundreds of ships instead of dozens. BTW, colour me pissed of at IGN, went over there to see if their trailers were as good as SotS's (they're not) and downloaded what IGN told me were 3 compeletely different trailers, but they ended up just being different resolution versions of the EXACT same trailer, despite IGN telling me they were all 320x240 resolution. Grrrr...

[AAshbery76]

So you have more than 1 empire for each race.Do they have different graphics,race pictures.Can you mod more than 8 empires in a game?

[Mecron]

they will have different race pictures. And feel free to mod to your hearts content.

AZ: Are you talking about that jupiter incident game?

[cshank2]

I just caught the trailer on G4TV



Looks slick.

[TurinTurambar]

Mecron said:
In case anyone is still interested;) The first hands on preview of SotS is up at...

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=29599

--MEC



Wow. Talk about a "glowing review..." You handed this guy a coupla $100 Starbucks Cards right when he walked in the door didn't you...

...and I'll bet there were chicks in his hotel room, weren't there...

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gifTurin/threads/images/Graemlins/Dagger.gif

P.S. I'm looking forward to the game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Mecron]

We like to think of the game itself as the "hot chick" and he certainly had his hands all over "her". We are thinking of filing a restraining order as he won't stop calling. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[AgentZero]

Mecron said:
they will have different race pictures. And feel free to mod to your hearts content.

AZ: Are you talking about that jupiter incident game?



Yes, yes I am. Sooooo preeeeety. And that's about it. But still, sooooo preeeeety. You mean you haven't played it? Shame! Should be doing your research! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif BTW, if you have any job vacancies for 'researchers' lemme know k? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Mecron]

Ummm not knowing what term you were referring to is not the same as not playing it. Indeed I did play it;) I was a reviewer for most of the 90's...I still have the habit of playin a loooooot of stuff. I found it extremely pretty close up but at most ranges I was shooting at the ships were just lil shiny chunks.

[AgentZero]

Forgive my unarticularity. I will attempt to be a bit more clear in the future, though I have no doubt that I will fail miserably.

Ahhhh, the joys of interstellar combat. Tiny little pinpricks hurling even smaller pinpricks back and forth at each other, puctuated occasionally by an impressive pinprick. Still, it's a bit better than Hegemonia (Hegemonia: Legions of Iron, 2002, Dreamcatcher Interactive). That was an extremely pretty game, and still is, but I played nearly the entire game from the strategic map, coz otherwise I got whupped.

[Mecron]

Space games have a rough relationship with "reality". The truth of it all is that "real" space combat is a battle of dots of light and long periods of time. Your basic terrifying yawn fest. Old timers who remember first edition Traveler starship combat rules can attest to the fact that realism is not often your best friend in space games. And I have seen plenty of computer game designs over the years that get infected by this same dubious yen and end up wasting all their pretty art becuase they really want players to shoot at things 10,000 klicks away.

On the other hand I guess the nightmare of the opposite pole would be the Wing Commander movie....<shudder>.

[David E. Gervais]

Hi there people, I didn't feel like starting a new thread and since this thread was about an 'other' game I thought I'd post this link I found at TheGameCreators..

Another 'Other' game.. Can you say 'Elite/Privateer' Plus a whole lot more? (http://starfighter.home.att.net/evochronalliance/)


This caused my eyes to glaze over and send my mind on a journey to the past where I have fond memories of Universe II, Elite, Privateer, Starflight, and Sundog... aaah, the good old days.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[dogscoff]

David E. Gervais said:
Hi there people, I didn't feel like starting a new thread and since this thread was about an 'other' game I thought I'd post this link I found at TheGameCreators..

Another 'Other' game.. Can you say 'Elite/Privateer' Plus a whole lot more? (http://starfighter.home.att.net/evochronalliance/)


This caused my eyes to glaze over and send my mind on a journey to the past where I have fond memories of Universe II, Elite, Privateer, Starflight, and Sundog... aaah, the good old days.

Cheers! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



I've just recently discovered Vegastrike (http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/), which takes a little bit of learning but is basically everything Elite II: Frontier should have been. Free, too.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Yeah, the Starwraith line of games is great. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[TurinTurambar]

Meh... I downloaded StarWraith Shadows of Orion and couldn't even get it to work with my Wingman Force joystick. Got frustrated, gave up and went back to Freespace II.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Probably because it's a one-man job using a second-rate compiler.

But for the money, it's worth it.

[TurinTurambar]

Oh damn... that's right... I PAID for that.

Now I'm more pissed than just frustrated.

[Mecron]

Heads up on a new storyline trailer for SotS. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

http://kerberos.filecloud.com/files/file.php?user_file_id=85046

[pathfinder]

Mecron said:

Heads up on a new storyline trailer for SotS. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

http://kerberos.filecloud.com/files/file.php?user_file_id=85046



Yup, saw it. Looks like a decent game.

[AAshbery76]

This aint a true 4xgame like MOO,IG2,GALCIV,etc, this is Homeworld with a starmap.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Homeworld with a starmap, planetary resource production, industry, terraforming, diplomatic relations, more research, ship design with 3 sections and multiple weapons slots per ship, fuel, random events but yeah, apart from that it's exactly HW with a starmap.

[AAshbery76]

Yeah yeah only three options for diplomacy, no ground battles,no espionage,no planetary buildings,no trade,etc,etc that is what 4x is all about, moo,civ anyone?

This 4x lite type game has been tried before.Hegemonia: Legions of Iron tried the same very,very lightweight 4X with flashy tactical spacebattles.I hope Sword is a good tactical fleet game with starmovement, but it aint going to reinvigorate a sub-genre like their website claims, because it doesn't represent it.Galciv2 will do that fine thankyou,without the dumbing down.

[Iron Giant]

AAshbery76 said:
.Galciv2 will do that fine thankyou,without the dumbing down.



And Galciv wasnt dumbed down? Oh no! My spacey-ship got hit with enemy spacey-beam and went from 3 pegs to 1! Oh no! Better move spacey-ship back to port to get 2 pegs back. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

If Sword of the Stars dumbed down some diplomacy but added real tactical combat, I'd call them both dumbed down in their own way.

If GalCiv "represented" 4x, I wouldn't play 4x anymore.

[AAshbery76]

Galciv2 you clown.

[Iron Giant]

AAshbery76 said:
Galciv2 you clown.



Pleasure to meet you. *snip* I'll avoid the flame bait.

I checked out the galciv2 website and it does look like it might be closer to what 4x is supposed to be.

Galciv was a complete waste of my time to the point that any game with the name galciv in any part of it has a long way to go to call itself 4x in my book. If they got completely away from galciv, it might be worth something.

[Renegade 13]

GalCiv only succeeded due to the abysmal failure of MOO3. I bought GalCiv. It annoyed me to no end. SEIV was/is a much better game. Hell, SE3 is a better game! SE5 will be a much better game than GalCiv2. Granted, GalCiv2 looks better than the original, has a few things that the original really should have had (ship design anyone?), but...nah.

[AAshbery76]

I can vouch that the Galciv2 beta is streets ahead of SE4 at this moment.Don't know about se5 yet,apart from the fact the groundcombat graphics look laughable for 2005,even the 1999 game ImperiumGalatica2 had better looking graphics.

[Morkilus]

IG2 could have been so good... too bad it was fundamentally flawed. Like I'm supposed to believe you can rule the galaxy simply with thousands of fighters, like the AI continually did. No upkeep. The game was busted.

[Renegade 13]

AAshbery76 said:
Don't know about se5 yet,apart from the fact the groundcombat graphics look laughable for 2005,even the 1999 game ImperiumGalatica2 had better looking graphics.


This should reassure you. Too often graphics are enhanced at the expense of gameplay. I'm not sure about you, but if a game is pretty but without lasting appeal, it's useless. However if it looks a little 'dated' as some would say but has addictive gameplay, guess which wins in my book.

[Kana]

One of my most favorite computer games growing up was on a Atari 800 pc. It was called "The Battle of Midway"...yes WW2, planes and carriers and ships. All of the graphics were ascii characters, and text messages...and maybe a few bleeps and beeps...but it was very well done, and engrossing, and it had sit on the edge of your seat kinda feel...Like will the torpedo planes get any hits...how many will make it back to the carrier...will their scout planes find our carriers...I agree graphics don't make the game...'game'play makes the game...

Kana

[Mecron]

Aash...sorry to hear about your troll bait problem...maybe a good proctologist can help you with that. I think there is plenty of room for all kinds of 4X games in the world. From the mind-numbingly tedious to the incredibly light and quick.

As for what is and isn't 4x...perhaps it's your kind of dogmatic, repetitive, uninspired thinking that has so badly limited the genre over the past few years. Seems like at the beginning of things there was room for things other than remaking the same game with the same options the same way just with MORE. I am looking forward to galciv2 myself but to be honest, from your raving, I think it might be too good for you. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[narf poit chez BOOM]

...Tick...Tick...Tick...

[TurinTurambar]

...boom?

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Not yet.

[Rasorow]

I dont know what you want in a game..... let alone a 4x game but I do know that what I like and what you like can easily be lightcenturies apart... yet still be in the same game genre. That is all to the better.

Personally, I have played SE (the whole series) and Stars for years. I also played ImperiumGalatica and others. They didnt last 6 months on my selves...let alone harddrive. To many things that caused me to grind my teeth.

My frustration with the Homeworld series was 1 I couldn't design my own ships, 2 was limited to the senarios presented 3 limited to the meager resources in the game, 4 didn't have the challenge of an empire to manage.

I also was a little dismayed at the diplomacy options at first but then after talking to the devs agreed with the choice. These are alien races. You have to learn the language. Therefore you have to meet, attempt to communicate, listen, snoop, then practice their language (all research) to be able to talk to them. You cannot negotiate complex treaties when you are still speaking baby speak.. plus each race has different cultural concepts. It makes since that you have only limited options.

As for spying... you can barely talk to them.. How are you going to spy? There is some limited stuff you can do - send a ship to a region of space to investigate, etc. How are you going to infiltrate otherwise? Especially when they are infiltrating a toxic (possibly) environment?

I welcome anyone that wants to shake things up a little and provide a fresh view that is well executed. The more little fish that we get actually trying new things in good ways that listen to the community that gathers around them then the better off we are as gamers.

So let them work and present their unique take on the 4x genre. Even if you dont appreciate their work, they may inspire someone who's work you will appreciatse.

Rasorow

(Fades back into the mist)

[Hunpecked]

Rasorow writes: "How are you going to infiltrate otherwise? Especially when they are infiltrating a toxic (possibly) environment?"

We know humans can be bought. Perhaps members of other intelligent species are also for sale (or rent).

[AAshbery76]

Heh, what a strawman argument for simplistic gameplay.There are many animals on this planet humans can communicate with and they haven't built Space empires and all have IQ's under 20,lol.I laugh at such rubbish.

Anyway, i don't want to slate this game, even with such a rude designer.It does look a good military game with a starmap,but it ain't 4X.And it aint unique by any means.

[TurinTurambar]

Umm... why are you here?

[Suicide Junkie]

Kana said:
One of my most favorite computer games growing up was on a Atari 800 pc. It was called "The Battle of Midway"...yes WW2, planes and carriers and ships. All of the graphics were ascii characters, and text messages...and maybe a few bleeps and beeps...but it was very well done, and engrossing, and it had sit on the edge of your seat kinda feel...Like will the torpedo planes get any hits...how many will make it back to the carrier...will their scout planes find our carriers...I agree graphics don't make the game...'game'play makes the game...

Kana

We were talking about that one a couple years ago on the forums here...

For reference, here is a compiled version, colourized (!) and with slow-down code for todays modern computers:
http://imagemodserver.mine.nu/nick/tempstuff/Midway_exe.zip

[Kana]

Thanks...I can' believe its 92kb...nowadays games are gb's of code and such...

Kana

[Ruatha]

Warlords and Warlords2, I still play them.
Spent 12 hours on Master of Orion (Not 2 or 3) last week when I was sick, it's still great!
But that doesn't stop me from buying SE5 when it comes out!

[Mecron]

AAsh that wasn't rude, it was replying in kind http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Everyone seeks attention in their own way and you have found yours...not very originally of course. You want to be heard...and really, you don't want to take the risk to produce or create anything. I can understand that. It's scarey. But please, don't try and hide behind civility because you show none. And I show very little to you in return. Your attempt to be the one to define 4X or orginality is the ultimate in bombastic, pointless judgement calls. I could go on and on refuting your silly claims or making valid points of my own but in the end that is pretty much what guys like you want. Attention.
Ras gives you a bunch of reasons why he likes things in SotS and you respond with "I laugh at such rubbish." (wow dude, get a better script writer. Even Doctor Doom doesn't talk like that anymore.) So much for intelligent debate or respect for anyone else's thoughts than your own.
Lets face it...you are the person who runs into a restaurant and yells "I hate the food here!" Is it because you are interested in polite, meaningful debate? Nope. You just want to be heard by the people who are enjoying, or in this case looking forward to enjoying, their food.

SotS is attempt to break out of a mold set down 15 years ago or so. To take what works and question what doesn't. If that eludes or upsets you then don't buy the game...hell, I forbid it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Its not for you. Now scurry along to the next restaurant.

[Suicide Junkie]

Kana said:
Thanks...I can' believe its 92kb...nowadays games are gb's of code and such...

Kana

The source code is only 1941 bytes. (816 when rared)

[TurinTurambar]

Wow... I havent seen a game like that since "Bombs" back in like 92. How do you play Midway? I couldn't grasp the thing just by looking at the UI.

[Hunpecked]

I went to the SoTS site, read some about the game, registered on the forum, and dove into one of the threads. The game certainly has potential, and I'm eager to try the demo when/if it comes out.

I was disappointed to learn that enemy populations can only be eXterminated, not eXploited; nevertheless the game remains well within the boundaries of the 4X genre. The upside of simplifying planet management is that the programmers can spend more of their time on other aspects of the game, e.g. tactical space combat.

One thing I like about SoTS is its terraforming requirement: most (all?) worlds have to be made friendly to colonists before they can be eXploited--especially if an alien species has already modified the world to its own specs. Unlike SE IV, even if two SoTS species breathed the same atmosphere they couldn't really live side by side in the open--the ecosystems needed to sustain them would generally be incompatible. That makes sense to me; it sounds like it would be a nice option in SE V.

[Edited 12/16 for grammar]

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Suicide Junkie said:The source code is only 1941 bytes.



Midway was 1942 http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Just one byte off. That's pretty damn accurate.

*****

AAsh, if you don't like this game, WHY are you still posting in this thread? You're not going to convince anyone here that it's rubbish just by acting like a self-centered self-righteous troll. Some people like it; you don't. That's the way it is. Get over it and find another thread to post in. Period.

[Fyron]

Its called trolling Strategia... best to ignore trolls.

[AAshbery76]

Show me where i said the game was rubbish you clown.I said the game looks a good military game with a starmap.Don't put words into my mouth troll.

The appeasing going on here is a joke.

[Iron Giant]

AAshbery76 said:
Show me where i said the game was rubbish you clown.I said the game looks a good military game with a starmap.Don't put words into my mouth troll.

The appeasing going on here is a joke.



This all reminds me of when the Internet was young, before most people realized that you should not talk to people on the Internet differently than you talk to them in real live person. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Puke]

actually, it reminds me of the REST of the internet. I sure hope this kind of behavior does not catch on, round here.

even in the BBS days, things were divided between civil communities and the unkempt barbarians at the gate. everythings bigger now, and the twits are more numerous.

im happy that the player base is expanding, but a bit upset to see the bottom falling out on our least common denominator.

[Renegade 13]

AAshbery76 said:
The appeasing going on here is a joke.


You don't like appeasing? Fine.

[censored] off. Hows that for a lack of appeasement? People like you seem to only understand things when people descend to your level. It's just too bad certain words are censored.

[Fyron]

Can we please stop feeding the troll and let this thread return to its purpose? Any response is what he wants... Thanks.

[cshank2]

Sigh, the trollers always eat my threads.


I swear, they should implement a ban button for topic posters to keep certain users from posting in that thread.

[Puke]

actually, its not really a problem here. despite how looney we all are, this really is an island of sanity on the net.

[El_Phil]

Scarily true. Trolls generally starve to death around here, and we don't have many to start with.

We also have an amazingly high standard of grammar and spelling around here.

(Sod's law says I will have made some mistake in this post, -10 brownie points for anyone who points them out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif)

[narf poit chez BOOM]

[Nasty, Trolly Voice]If you use 'points them out', which is multiple, you must use 'made some mistakes', so they balance.[/Nasty, Trolly Voice]
Now, take your ten chocolate brownies and like them, you nasty bad grammer person, you!

[Hunpecked]

Strictly speaking, I think it's "I shall have made".

If I'm right, save the brownie points. Obsessive nitpicking is its own reward. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Mecron]

Merry Christmas, folks!


http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=140


And there is now a SotS wikipedia!

http://sots.rorschach.net/

Have a great holiday!

[DarkHorse]

*Engages Thread Resurrector 3000*

I read today that this game is now available for purchase via download, with the box copy to be released on the 22nd of August (next week). Has anyone tried the demo or release copy of this game yet? I just started reading about it; it sounds somewhat intriguing.

[Captain Kwok]

I've downloaded the demo but haven't tried it myself. However, the few items I've seen about it in the local forums are kind of cold on the game.

[DarkHorse]

Check it out when you get a chance, and tell us what you think. Try to keep an open mind http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Is the demo available for the general public now? I could only find a link to the File Planet you-have-to-subscribe nonsense.

[Hunpecked]

Gamedaily has the demo:

http://www.gamedaily.com/download/info/?packageid=0078701454

I've been playing the demo on and off (RL has kept me busy lately). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif The demo comes with a "mini-manual" which only explains the controls on the various screens, and a "tutorial" mode which is just enough to get players started. The lack of documentation was frustrating at first, but I eventually found the answers to most of my questions at the Kerberos forum, which has a whole sub-forum dedicated to the demo. Nevertheless, I suspect some potential players may have been put off by the lack of handy instructions.

More information on the game can be found earlier in this thread, and in the thread "Sins of a Solar Empire" also on this forum. For those undecided about buying SoTS, I strongly suggest investing some time in playing the demo; that would be more useful than any second-hand account I could give.

[Ragnarok-X]

So, i take it you like the game, Hunpecked ? I was one of the main-flamers in the thread you are referring to.

[Kana]

I thought GalCiv 2 was simple...SotS practially plays itself...I was expecting some new ground breaking game, and in the end it turned out to be a rehash of a couple fo different games, and didnt do any of those things well..

[Hunpecked]

Actually I'm ambivalent about SoTS. The strategic side is a bit too abstracted for my taste, as I mentioned in the "Sins of a Solar Empire" thread. A good tactical game could make up for all the strategic abstraction, but there's a problem with SotS tactical combat: I really, really suck at it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

However, so far I've only played one of the two demo races, I've only played 1 vs 1 against the AI, I haven't found the end of the demo tech tree, and I've never played more than about half way to victory or defeat. So I intend to play the demo a lot more before making up my mind.

[Kana]

Most games for me...if I'm hooked, or like it in the first hour of play, then it probably will be a good game...if it turns me off, or even worse pisses me off, int the first hour, then I probably never play it again...

[DarkHorse]

Played the demo for several hours yesterday; it has potential, but I certainly don't see it as a replacement or even competition for SE:V. They could do a little better job of explaining how combat works, I never did figure it out. There's a reason I usually avoid RTSs...

[TurinTurambar]

Mecron's idea for the game was the "ooooo.... shiney" of Homeworld with the simplicity of SpacewardHo!. It's a mass-market game designed for broad appeal, not the nit-picky hardcore SE-fan. That was stated from the beginning.

[Hunpecked]

Well, the "ooooo.... shiney" aspect may capture the impulse buyers, but it wears off pretty fast when, like DarkHorse and me, you're trying to figure out how combat works and the game just isn't helping. Similarly, the voice responses are cute at first, but lose their charm with repetition (although I still get a kick out of the shipyard guy; he sounds just like Fat Bastard).

From recent posts on the Kerberos forums I gather that the manual won't clarify a lot of the game's nuts and bolts, perhaps on the theory that prolonging the learning curve will prolong the game's longevity on customers' hard drives. For "mass-market" gamers, however, I would expect just the opposite. Yes, all the answers will probably be available on the Kerberos forums, just as so much of Space Empires' lore is found here. But how many "mass market" players will bother with the forums?

[StarShadow]

I've been playing the demo, off and on, for two days and I must say, I'm not impressed. Random techs, RTS combat, even the Main Map conspire to turn what could be a fun game into more of an irritation than anything else.

[pathfinder]

Guess I am in the minority....liked the demo and love the full game.

*shrug* different strokes/tastes, different folks I guess.

Tactical combat DOES take some getting used to.