A little info from Strategy First...

[Randallw]

Well I was planning to import it anyway as I didn't expect it to be in stores here. On the other hand I have seen O.R.B in the shop here and that's a strategy first game.

[NullAshton]

O.R.B. is a really old game. I've had it for a couple of years now...

[Baron Munchausen]

Winter starts on December 21st, remember. So most of a given Winter falls in the next year.

The end of 2006 is certainly a more realistic date. But I wonder if they (both MM and SF) can actually exercise that kind of restraint. Everyone from the Mega-Evil Empire itself (Microsoft) on down to the smallest developer has fallen back on the 'release and finish it later with patches' method since the earliest days of the PC industry. Does MM have the cash to just keep developing until it's really ready? Does SF have the patience to allow MM to do this? I doubt it. At the pace its currently going, they would be releasing without several of the major planned features in Feb 2006, just like they did with SE IV (no drones, etc.). That's likely what will happen.

[Enigma]

My concern is the "Real-Time Strategy" Game. Is that right?

[Ed Kolis]

Well, *space combat* is real-time, but everything else is turn-based...

[Atrocities]

And if you really want a laugh, read their feature list for SEIV. Especially the Political one. Ha ha.

[Enigma]

Well the Strategy First listing has it listed as a Real Time Strategy game. Obviously that is wrong. I am not a big fan of RTS games and tend to dismiss them. So this error could cause someone who likes a turn-based strategy game to give it a pass.

Although honestly I am not sure there are too many people who prefer turn-based strategy games who have not at least heard of SEIV.

I have not been following SEV real close and was initially shocked when I saw the RTS tag. My first thought was another good strategy game ruined by making the switch to RTS. But fortunately I see that is not happening.

[Suicide Junkie]

Certainly not an RTS.

Just to head off the common misconceptions; think of it as combat being turn based, in an SE4-simultaneous-play sort of way.

The best parts of turn based (not rushed, tactics & control, etc) and the best parts of real-time (perfect "initiative", continuum of locations, etc)

[Puke]

no, thats uneducated marketing fluff. the news is that combat will be real time, but in multiplayer it will all be strategic combat that relies on your ship / fleet strategies.

just like now, except the single player combat will be real time (pauseable, i think).

I intend to be playing Wierd Worlds, SotS, and GC2 to hold me over. I see that MOO3 is now available for about 10 bucks, and there is a forum thread here talking about some official and unofficial mods and patches that make it into a good game.

I also plan to play X3: Reunion, when it comes out. and honestly, im not bored of SE4 yet. I might have time to get in another PBW game, soon.

Im happy to wait, as long as it means that it will be a good game. there are plenty of lesser games that will burn through my tiny shreds of free time, until Malfador delivers us the game to end all games.

[El_Phil]

Must be wrong, probably also the reason they pulled the 'more info' link. No point giving out even more inaccurate information.