SE:V Screenshots at the SE Depot

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings.

I've got permission from MM to post some exclusive screenshots at the Space Empires Depot.

There are 12 in total, and you can see them here:
http://www.captainkwok.net/feature-se5screenshots.php

Also, the SE:V feature list has had some updates. You can find that here:
http://www.captainkwok.net/se5info.php

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Oh. Wow. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif Frikken awesome! Thanks a lot Kwok (and Malfador)!

[Raapys]

Great! Thanks alot.

I still think the mouse pointer is a little too blocky/big. And the design window seems to be missing the "Condensed View" option, which was pretty practical. The fleet window looks neat.

[Xaren Hypr]

Hehehe, the more that I see of this, the more I want it! Thanks, Kwok http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ed Kolis]

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif:D:D
Ooh, the ship has 15 space movement...
/me wonders if troops/fighters can have both space movement and ground movement... Super Fighting Transformer Mecha Robots In Space! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif
/me also notices that Aaron has not balanced out the resource usage, at least for the Terrans http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Ooh, you get to set orders for warp point transit... which ships go first I presume?
Nice... big planets in combat... but the ships are visible too! MOO3 overdid it with the realism of scale http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif
So that's what the Abbidon look like now... hmm, I'd like to see them a bit closer up sometime http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
I just wish ground combat were not like the whole colony on a planet is in a tiny little space with a vast wasteland surrounding it... why can't the whole map be colony if the colony is large enough?
Very nice screenshots though! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Atrocities]

looking good, almost makes me wanna play the game.

[Captain Kwok]

Remember almost everything is moddable! (wink wink ground combat size http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif)

[Wade]

Nice! Thanks.

How about having the "wasteland" around the "main colony" or city consist of highways(roads ,rails, tubes) and smaller "settlements" or towns?

-Wade

And for water and gas worlds, instead of roads and rails, it could be ropes and cables.

A mod for this could be called "Roads/Ropes, Rails/Cables, Tubes, and Towns".

I hope that Malfador livens up the ground scenery at least a little.

-Wade

[Kamog]

Thanks for posting the screenshots, Captain Kwok. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Those battle scenes sure look exciting. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Will]

Hmmm... the screenshots imply that you can have a treaty with another empire, but exclude non-agression from certain systems. Lots of possibilities there. You could have non-agression in systems other than homeworld and immediately surrounding systems, or a truce on the front lines, but still attack if the enemy decides to push any farther...

Looking forward to it http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Kamog]

Is it just an optical illusion, but the tactical combat looks like the ships are in 3-D positions and orientations. The combat happens on a 2-D plane with 3-D ship models, right? But it doesn't look like a 2-D plane. Anyway, it sure looks great. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Captain Kwok]

Ack! It looks like I'll need to replace the .png with the .jpgs! You guys ate up almost 1 Gb of bandwidth! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Ships sometimes use 3d space for collision avoidance etc.

[Randallw]

I noted they were PNG's. I wondered why they weren't jpg. I got a glance this morning, but then had to go to work. I assumed someone would tell you to, or perhaps change them themselves.

[Captain Kwok]

I actually just changed them to .jpgs - I had kept them as .png to give you guys all the colours you deserved but didn't expect this kind of response. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[RonGianti]

Wow, thanks Kwok!

No Heros though http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif Thats too bad. Heros gave the universe a feel of.... something. Like it was inhabited by beings, not just ships.

[Raapys]

Agreed, sad to see heroes go. The more new things the better, especially when it comes with modding ability.

[Ed Kolis]

Hey, who says we can't mod heroes back in? Since abilities can have custom-defined scopes (if I'm reading the feature list correctly), perhaps we can have a Hero troop unit which gives special abilities to the ship or planet it is stationed on? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[TurinTurambar]

Oooooo..... shiney!

<sigh> I see a new graphics card in my future.

[bearclaw]

Is it just me or is the ship design screen changed? Previous screenshots showed the ship layout with StarFury type slot layout patterns. These shots show an SEIII-style ship component layout.

Not sure which I prefer...

[Captain Kwok]

I've already mentioned in the other thread about SE:V that the screenshot shows a SE:IV style summary view of the ship, but the slot view is the normal design and damage view.

[Puke]

wow, that fleet summary page really speaks volumes.

[Fyron]

Captain Kwok said:
Ack! It looks like I'll need to replace the .png with the .jpgs! You guys ate up almost 1 Gb of bandwidth! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

You could cheat and put the pngs on an external image hosting site, such as imageshack.us. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Puke]

hey Kwok, you've been linked:

http://www.tacticularcancer.com/

and if you read the forum comments there, they're even going to rename their website after you!

[Ed Kolis]

/me has replied to that comment with an even better name for their site http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Captain Kwok]

I had noticed the domain name in my traffic report from last night. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Markavian]

Pretty facility graphics and really cool explosions too. Remind me of the new BSG scenes.

[Captain Kwok]

Markavians said:
Pretty facility graphics and really cool explosions too. Remind me of the new BSG scenes.

Really? I thought the artist who made them was crappy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif

[AAshbery76]

Looks nice apart from the ground combat,which looks very poor.

[Combat Wombat]

AAshbery76 said:
Looks nice apart from the ground combat,which looks very poor.



Actually so far the looks of the ground combat has surpassed my expectations and considering how it is in se4 this is quite the improvement.

Edit: My 1000th post!

[Dejavuproned]

Combat Wombat said:

AAshbery76 said:
Looks nice apart from the ground combat,which looks very poor.



Actually so far the looks of the ground combat has surpassed my expectations and considering how it is in se4 this is quite the improvement.

Edit: My 1000th post!



Agreed, the ground combat is looking pretty good all things considered. Big improvment over SEIV http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Yimboli]

Raapys said:
Agreed, sad to see heroes go. The more new things the better, especially when it comes with modding ability.



what?????????? is hero unit synonymous with flagship??? no flagship??? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/confused.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/rant.gif

[Suicide Junkie]

You guys are talking about heroes as if they existed at some point in the past.

[henk brouwer]

The 12th screenshot has crab-like troops in it, that probably means the game supports animated models (moving legs etc.) very nice.

On the other hand, I don't really like the square shape of the city/colony in ground combat. It blends in very badly with the surrounding landscape. Maybe the concrete pavement could be replaced by something that blends in a bit better, like a network of roads, or some more irregular shaped pavement with mountains etc in between.

[Raapys]

I suppose all ground building models, textures, etc., will be moddable as well..?

Ground combat doesn't look overly good, but I think the crab-like thingies are neat. And it might all look a little better in real-time than on screenshots.

[Possum]

Yeah, cool looking screenshots!

Bummer about the no heroes, though...

[Atrocities]

We hope to con Aarron into putting the hero's in later in an expansion pack or patch. Our fingers are crossed.

[Puke]

Atrocities said:
We hope to con Aarron into putting the hero's in later in an expansion pack or patch. Our fingers are crossed.



heros are an outdated phenominon, as far as interstellar warfare is concerned. the most aggressive and heroic traits can be selectively taught, and those atributes that rely on genetics can be engineered or cloned. I expect that every ship in SE is crewed by heroes, and every fleet led by the best gods that modern (future) science can produce.

heros would be a good add for any wargame from the stoneage to the nuclear age, but beyond that it just dosent fit.

[dogscoff]

Jeez Puke, you just have to go p!ss on everyone's shoes don't you?


http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[Raapys]

Not unless you haven't researched genetics!

I think heroes works great; it adds another small but interesting aspect to the gameplay, some "people actually exist in this universe, not just spaceships" feeling. MoO has benefitted nicely from it.

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Raapys said:
Not unless you haven't researched genetics!



Heck, we've "researched" genetics, and we're still a long long way from any semblance of directed genetic manipulation. Let alone GM humans.

[bearclaw]

I don't mind the concept of unique personalities, but I don't think a "hero" within SE would be of any interest to me.

but that's just my opinion.

[Captain Kwok]

I think heroes are a level of detail beyond the Space Empires series.

[Raapys]

Call it 'leaders', 'administrators', heroes is so Lord of the Ring'ish. People for hire that gives benefits to planets, systems or fleets in a specific area(e.g. science), while often providing disadvantages in other areas(e.g. negative effects on moral, resources, etc.).

Personally, I think a sort of 'market' system, like in Imp Galactica 2, would be neat as well, where you can buy ships/vehicles that other empires have put for sale for a specific amount.

[Captain Kwok]

You can buy and sell ships in SE:IV etc. already. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Markavian]

Markavians said:
Pretty facility graphics and really cool explosions too. Remind me of the new BSG scenes.

Captain Kwok said:
Really? I thought the artist who made them was crappy. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif


I think the artist who made them said the "The mineral miners and the radioactive exctraction facilities don't look so good, but some of the later models (not featured in any screenshots) look much cooler". Honestly, word for word.

[Raapys]

Yes Kwok, but it's cooler when it's on a public billboard :p Other things could be put up there too; technology, resources, star maps, etc. Smallish feature, perhaps, but I think it'd be neat.

[Captain Kwok]

Markavians said:
Markavians said:I think the artist who made them said the "The mineral miners and the radioactive exctraction facilities don't look so good, but some of the later models (not featured in any screenshots) look much cooler". Honestly, word for word.

I guess on that count I would agree.

[Wade]

@ Captain Kwok,
I was wondering if the following sizes from the Neo- Stabdard ship set are included in Space Empires 5?
-----------------------------------------------------------

Also, I have some proposals:

TroopTiny- Machines and creatures the size of insects and small animals.
TroopMassive- Like TroopHuge, but...even bigger.
(There is FighterMassive, CarrierTiny, CarrierMassive.)
FighterTiny- Similiar to TroopTiny, but in space.
*Gigantic* size- More Massive. Gigantic is also the word used to describe Worldship.

So this would be the range: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, Massive, Gigantic.
Or maybe we could add three more to even it out at ten sizes: Enormous, Titanic, Colossal.(These three are the most likely candidates because they most often appear in a dictionary.)

So there would be sixteen sizes of ships from Scout to Worldship. I propose one more: Sphereworld Ship- The Ultimate. A current structure size but with mobility. (In 'Ringworld's Children' the Ringworld was made mobile.)

-Wade
-----------------------------------------------------------

Scout- A ship smaller than an escort.
Corvette- Between Escort and Frigate.
DestroyerHeavy- Between destroyer and light cruiser.
CruiserHeavy- Between cruiser and battlecruiser.
DreadnoughtHeavy- Between Dreadnought and Baseship.
BaseShip- Very big base sized ship.
BaseShipHeavy- A larger version of the baseship.
WorldShip- A gigantic ship which resembles a moon or planet.
ResourceShip- A ship designed with resource production in mind.
ResourceStation- A station designed with resource production in mind.
CarrierTiny- Smaller than the light carrier
CarrierMassive- Bigger than the large carrier
WarStation- A base between BattleStation and StarBase
ColonyShipLarge- A larger version of the colony ship
TransportTiny- Smaller than TransportSmall.
FighterHuge- Bigger than FighterLarge.
FighterMassive- Bigger than FighterHuge.
TroopInfantry- Good old fashioned foot soldier (or tentacle soldier, wing soldier...)
TroopHuge- Like TroopLarge, but bigger.
Barge- A vast ship used for the construction of artificial worlds.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Also,:
If Space Empires V will not have a ship creator similiar to below then will it let us choose any shipset during the custom race creation?

Space Empires V ship designer has a map/blueprint that we place components into. How about a unique map for every planet that we place facilities onto?

If customized ship sets are so popular for SE4 then maybe have a ship set creator as part of the in game for SE5.
Or, even better, we pick a basic shape : pyrimid, cube, sphere \ we stretch and shape it : triangular, rectangular, tubular, etc. \ we add a "hull material texture" and colors : smooth, moderate, rough: metal, ceramic, biological, crystal, energy etc.: glossy, glowing, moderate, dark, etc. \ we add hull "items" and customization : engine nacelles, wings, command bridge structure, etc. \ we add the components \ Complete .

-Wade

(Should I, instead, put these concepts in the 'SE5, Tell Aaron what's on your Wish List' thread?

[Captain Kwok]

You're post should probably be in the other thread but oh well.

There are actually less ships per race in SE:V than SE:IV, but they do change sizes throughout the game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Wade]

"There are actually less ships per race in SE:V than SE:IV..."

Darn.

"...but they do change sizes throughout the game."

Do you just mean how we get larger sizes by doing research?

[Markavian]

Because the models are fully 3D, i.e. vector data - the same models can be 'scaled up'. So, you can have Escorts that grow slightly larger for the next level of ship development.

Of course, it'd be much cooler if each step had its own individual model but that really is like 50x more work then setting up an additional static graphic.

[Dizzy]

Markavians said:
Because the models are fully 3D, i.e. vector data - the same models can be 'scaled up'. So, you can have Escorts that grow slightly larger for the next level of ship development.

Of course, it'd be much cooler if each step had its own individual model but that really is like 50x more work then setting up an additional static graphic.



Well, its really gonna SUCK BALLS if there isnt a way to represent different models than just scaling the same few up or down.

In the star trek tactical simulator game called: "Starfleet Command Orion Pirates" by Taldren, (its been out a few years)there are a few 3D models that are used to represent several ship classes from say, frigate to light cruiser... but although they are the same model, they are located in SEPERATE model folders and are simply scaled up or down. And as such if the user wishes to change the model, s/he can by simply replacing the model in that SPECIFIC folder for that SPECIFIC class.

I hope SEV works in a similar fashion having seperate model folders for each ship class even if they are all gonna look like the same ship but just scaled differently so the user has the ability to swap the model of that class without being hamstrung by also changing others as well...

I hope I wrote that so its comprehensible...

[Kamog]

Well, hopefully there aren't too many duplicate ship models; otherwise it might be hard to tell in tactical combat whether for example, a ship is a destroyer or maybe a cruiser that's far away and looks smaller.

[Suicide Junkie]

Of course there is a way!

But those identical models would be exactly identical, and scaled up in software.
All the models can have the same original size (even escorts and dreads), and the mod can make them bigger or smaller as needed.

[Captain Kwok]

The warships all have their own models. There is some model re-use for support ships and units.

[Raapys]

Not sure if I see any fighters on the screenshots? Guess I could be mistaking them for projectiles. Are fighters ordered around as usual, btw?

[Fyron]

Dizzy said:
Well, its really gonna SUCK BALLS if there isnt a way to represent different models than just scaling the same few up or down.

Why do you assume this aspect of the game would be unmoddable? Naturally, you can add more models for each race, with corresponding data file entries...

[Baron Munchausen]

I think the reason MM cut back on the number of ship classes from SE IV was the sheer amount of disk space that so many 3D models and textures would have used. But yes, the game is configured by text files just like SE IV and so we are free to build 'neo-standard' shipsets for all races if we have the disk space for a multi-GB game. And the processor power for all those models to be animated on screen. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Captain Kwok]

I also think it's more time consuming to build the actual models (or perhaps cost to MM in this case).

[Atrocities]

Imperator Fyron said:

Dizzy said:
Well, its really gonna SUCK BALLS if there isnt a way to represent different models than just scaling the same few up or down.

Why do you assume this aspect of the game would be unmoddable? Naturally, you can add more models for each race, with corresponding data file entries...



I think he is refering to making new models. IE the difficulty involved in making NEW models for use with the game. And in that regard he would be correct. Making new models for the game is going to be hard on the easiest days.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Collaborative shipsets? Basically, each ship type is claimed, then made, with a basic design laid out by the original author.

[Wade]

This is from malfador.com\SEV\interviews\Orion Sector

"4) Can you describe some about how the new ship design system works? How significantly does where you place a component affect the performance of the ship?

[Aaron] - The new ship design system is something we got a lot of requests for from SE4. You can now place your components onto a layout of your ship. There are three sections to a ship, the armor, outer hull, and inner hull. Damage first goes through the armor section, then the outer hull, then the inner hull. So components places in the Inner Hull are the most protected of your components and will usually damage last. Also, damage is directional and your components will be damaged on the side the ship is hit by weapons fire. So you need to design your ship with regards to how you like to fight with your ships. If you like frontal assaults, then put more protection in the front of your ship."

[Randallw]

Concerning the topic of rescaling ships, here's a little article. It's Star Trek specific but I believe it is relevant to general ship design.

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/scaling.htm

[Sandstig]

Noticed the ships in this screenshot (http://www.captainkwok.net/images/se5-screen8.jpg) all had individual names. Is there a feature to do this automatically (assign a txt file to a specific class) or was the renaming done manually for each ship? Or are the TFS Equinox, TFS Starfox, TFS Pathfinder, TFS Orion, TFS Oberon, TFS Fazer, TFS Celestica, TFS Nomad and TFS Nova all of different classes?

[Captain Kwok]

The naming system is the same as SE:IV. I re-named the ships in this case.

[Wade]

"baby arm" at the Strategy First forum has lead us to six new screen shots tonight, 7-27-06. They are the last six in the list. They're quite beautiful, even with the compression.

http://www.tacticularcancer.com/gallery.php?dir=Space%20Empires%20V

I wasn't aware that "Baseship" was included in Space Empires V! This is wonderful! Does this mean that some or all of the "Neo-Standard" classes are included?

-Wade

[Renegade 13]

Well actually..."Baseship" is a class of ship (1500kT) in stock SEIV, and isn't a neostandard ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

And what's this? Notice in the "SEV1.jpg" screenshot, the bottom component. "Bomblet Missile"...I don't seem to recall such a weapon being in SEIV http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Wade]

Renegade 13 said:
Well actually..."Baseship" is a class of ship (1500kT) in stock SEIV, and isn't a neostandard ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif:




http://www.dogscoff.co.uk/neostand.htm

I'm playing stock. I have not encountered Baseships. I looked in my C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Space Empires IV Deluxe\Pictures and they are not there.

Thus, you are mistaken.

-Wade

[Kamog]

Renegade 13 is right. In the stock game, baseships use the same pictures as starbases.

[dogscoff]

Yes, the baseship hull does appear in stock, but it shares an image with one of the spacestation sizes. That's why it's included in the neostandard, so that it can have its own unique image.

[Ed Kolis]

Ooh, levelled mounts... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif
And warp points that only let certain sizes of ship through... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

[Renegade 13]

Wade said:
I'm playing stock. I have not encountered Baseships. I looked in my C:\Program Files\Strategy First\Space Empires IV Deluxe\Pictures and they are not there.

Thus, you are mistaken.

-Wade

Well, I've played SE2, 3 and 4 for the past 7 years or so, and I know beyond a shadow of the doubt that baseships do exist http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif They're pretty much all I use in the late game.

[Baron Munchausen]

Renegade 13 said:
Well actually..."Baseship" is a class of ship (1500kT) in stock SEIV, and isn't a neostandard ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

And what's this? Notice in the "SEV1.jpg" screenshot, the bottom component. "Bomblet Missile"...I don't seem to recall such a weapon being in SEIV http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



Yes, there are several new 'point defense' type weapons. And quite a few new racial tech weapons. Isn't that what new version implies? Did you expect SE V to be SE IV with better graphics? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Ed Kolis]

PD missiles in stock? What is the world coming to? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Phoenix-D]

Yeah, in Sf if you tried to add new PD weapons they tended to make the game crash. Guess that's fixed for SE5, eh? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[ToddT]

baseships in Stock SEIV use the starbase bmp, The Neo standard ships sets usually add a specific image for base ships, but those will usually only get used in mods.
its been awile but think thers a few non neo standard shipsets that have a seperate basehip bmp.

[Suicide Junkie]

The stock files in deluxe use the baseship.bmp image, with starbase.bmp as the alternate.

[ToddT]

Which ai races have baships i just checked 2 i saw no Baseship bmp. Or are you sayin Deluxe has altererd imge ointer use Baseship bmb if one exists.

[Phoenix-D]

No stock races have baseship.bmp; it was added as a nod to the custom races that do.

[Renegade 13]

Baron Munchausen said:
Yes, there are several new 'point defense' type weapons. And quite a few new racial tech weapons. Isn't that what new version implies? Did you expect SE V to be SE IV with better graphics? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif I'm a beta tester BM, I know what's new and what isn't http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif I was just pointing out the new component for those who aren't beta testers and may not have noticed the addition http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Fyron]

Suicide Junkie said:
The stock files in deluxe use the baseship.bmp image, with starbase.bmp as the alternate.

I think this has been the case since a patch even before Gold. I know it was there in Gold 1.60, at least.

[Captain Kwok]

I always thought that a few of the stock races had baseship images even before the pic reference change was made...or at least the Praetorian race did...?

[Baron Munchausen]

Yes, the races made by AZ had dedicated Baseship images. (The Terrans, the Praetorians, and two others.) But most of the stock races did not, so these were not used.

[Fyron]

Oh? I don't have a Terran baseship image in my 1.91 install. I do have a Praetorian one that is dated with the other images though.