OT: other shrapnel games

Gandalf Parker · #1 June 25th, 2004, 08:44 PM

I get to play them all (but its in my job description).

Still I would recommend Space Empires IV. I really like that so much of it (images and AI) is BMP and TXT files. Im debating doing a Version of Poke-in-the-Eye or WEvsTHEM for SEIV. A randomizer for the AI's. heehee

And The War Engine is way cooler than the attention it gets. Im especially tempted to mention it to the people who want to MOD Dom2 into a whole new game (Fading Suns replacing magic with tech?!?). But in the TWE forums here you see reference to a Traveler Version, a medieval one, a paintball one, a MechWarrior one

ColdSteel · #2 June 25th, 2004, 11:36 PM

Space Empires 4 is a modders dream come true.

A ton of the game internals and graphics for ships and races are exposed in text and BMP files. I had a lot of fun writing some component, ship and race viewer utilities in Python/HTML for the SE4 community. One of them (done with Raynor) even made it onto the SE4 Gold CD. Now THAT was just really unexpected and very cool.

The SE4 game itself could have been the absolute best of its genre if only the AI were a bit better. It's just way too passive and doesn't put up much of a tussle. That pretty much takes all the fun out of the game for me. Some of the game mods do make the AI more agressive, but there's only so much you can do with the AI in mods. I have some high hopes for SE5, which is currently in developement.

The Dominions 2 AI I find to be VERY aggressive. This, and the the overall depth of the tactical and strategic options in the game, makes up for a whole lot of other shortcomings in the AI department, IMO.

I'm still learning the game so the sense of AI ennui I've read about in the Posts here hasn't quite hit me yet. So far it's a whole lot of fun.

-CS

ioticus · #3 June 28th, 2004, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ColdSteel:

The Dominions 2 AI I find to be VERY aggressive. This, and the the overall depth of the tactical and strategic options in the game, makes up for a whole lot of other shortcomings in the AI department, IMO.

I'm still learning the game so the sense of AI ennui I've read about in the Posts here hasn't quite hit me yet. So far it's a whole lot of fun.

-CS

I agree here. I'm amazed at the people who claim the Dominions 2 AI is weak. It sure gives me a good beating most of the time, even on normal difficulty. Of course, it could always use improvement, and I'd like to see better spell casting AI.

Norfleet · #4 June 28th, 2004, 04:47 AM

The Dom2 AI is fairly aggressive....and very predictable. Once you become relatively familiar with its behaviors, it will never surprise you and you will always defeat it with ease. It's a good way to get started in the game, but ultimately, the AI's deficiencies mean it is little more than a training exercise for when/if you decide to seek real prey.

Tenryu · #5 June 28th, 2004, 02:04 PM

Space Empires 4

Awesomely full of coolness and funness. Great Mods available and very modable.

sachmo · #6 June 28th, 2004, 02:36 PM

Nanotech nd Interstellar Trader are fun games. Pretty simple and quick to play, but fun.

Coliseum is another game I've heard good things about.

All of these are Stormcloud games.

I also recommend SEIV, if you couldn't tell from my signature!

Saxon · #7 June 29th, 2004, 06:11 AM

Space Empires is excellent, well worth the money. I prefer Dominions, but that is mostly thematic. Both have been played for many hours, both have great multiplayer, both have great communities and both are must buys.

Armies of Armageddon, which I think is part of the War Engine, did not impress me. If you enjoyed tile and counter games on your table top, I think you will enjoy the War Engine. Yes, it is very moddable, the easiest I have ever seen, but I do not mod…

Austerlitz seemed ok, but I got pulled away by Dom II. It is a niche sort of game and I am not familiar with that niche, preferring fire balls to light dragoons.

Coliseum left me cold. I played Duelmasters, a mail in, pay per play, text based game where you ran a squad of gladiators, so I was really excited about Coliseum and pre ordered. I found it too opaque and the rate of change in your gladiators far too slow. I also found it far too text based. I know, heresy to speak this opinion around here, but graphics are good! I like pretty things, be they girls or games, and the purely text based Coliseum did not get asked out on a second date.