Your History With SEIV

[TacticDragon]

As for me, I was a big Master of Orion fan. I played MOO for hours (still remember the day I bought it) and MOO2 ruled my life for years.

Eventually, I think this was back in 97, I read about the SE series in articles comparing MOO2 to other games. At the time, SE3 was the most recent one, but SE4 was already 'in preparation'. I downloaded my copy of SE3, but I kept on coming back to MOO2 because of the graphics (at the time) and the amazing gameplay experience it offered. Something I hate is what I call 'unnecessary micromanagement', and I must say that I have yet to encounter a better balanced game than MOO2 in this aspect.

I guess I never grew into SE3 because SE4 was announced and I said to myself "why bother learning this game when SE4 is coming and promises to be a killer?". Plus, in the meantime, I had MOO2...

I remember I also tried Imperium Galactica (1 & 2 & 3 or was it just 1 & 2?), which are real-time and not turn-based. The Last two IGs (this would be 2 and 3 I think) were cool because of the storyline and I just loved the way the tutorial was built into IG2. But it had a very limited replay value. I'm not a fan of real-time strategy games but the IG series was very well made in this aspect as you could pause the game and still issue orders.

Then there was Star Wars Rebellion (as many here, I am a SW fan). Interesting because of the SW universe, but what a nightmare in micromanagement! It was a real time game but would have been much better if it were turn-based. In fact the game is built like a turn-based game but the turns just drift by automatically. I think LucasArts made it real-time just because real-time was "in" at the time. Kind of stupid.

But back to SE4. I am European, and I am currently studying for an MBA in the US. Unluckily, SE4 (finally) came out during my 1st year in MBA so I don't have a lot of time to play it. But it certainly fulfills its promises, and is easily the best 4X type of game on the market. It is the first game of the genre that made me uninstall MOO2 from my hard disk. Mind you, I still think MOO2 is one of the greatest games ever, but I have beaten MOO2's AI to death soooo many times that I'm almost sick of it.

So how does SE4 score in micromanagement? Well, not bad after all. It doesn't beat MOO2, but that is understandable because it is richer. And it is 'manageable enough'. I love the game.

I think 'user modpacks' became a reality with Civilization 2, and I am glad SE4 was conceived with this aspect in mind. It is hard to find a good mod though: one that has a balanced feel to it.

A funny thing is that I have played maybe 15-20 games of SE4 but never finished a single one. I tend to pick a favorite race to play (currently: propulsion experts/psychic/religious) and develop a 'perfect strategy' with this race, and then I just can't let go of it. As a result, I struggle A LOT in the beginning of each game (I put AI settings on the hardest possible; I used to play on the "impossible" level in MOO2), but I invariable reach a point where I know I have won the game and it is just not challenging to keep on. So I start a new one...

However, I am very, very excited about MOO3 which will soon hit the market

[mac5732]

I never heard of the SE series at the time, I was always looking for a good space game, played both Moo's (still like 1 little better then 2), Pax Imperia 2, Birth of Federation, etc, then one day I read a review in I believe it was computer gaming world about SE4, sounded good, started looking for reviews in mags. At the time, my kids used the net, I very rarly. Then went on the net looking for more info on SE4, went to MM, Shrapnel sites, went to this forum, started reading the threads and Posts,which by the way, convinced me more then anything to buy the game. Sent for it, loved it, been playing it ever since,
even tho I take a break from it once in awhile and play something else, I always come back to it.
Introduced to 3 of my friends, they liked, bought, and the same with them. It is the best one out. I just wish I had known about the other SE games sooner. In addition, its thanks to SE4 and this forum that I now use the net and have become involved in other game forums, BUT, this one is my #1 favorite, it has everything all the others lack and I have found that MM and Shrapenl have the best support then any other game company out there, in addition, the vets and modders on this forum are the best in helping newbies and anyone who has questions or discussions on the game and its infrastructure. This is VERY lacking in other game forums, and there is no flaming, I hope it remains this way..

just some ideas mac

[Spyder]

quote:

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Originally posted by TacticDragon:
However, I am very, very excited about MOO3 which will soon hit the market

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Yep, me too....but I heard that it was going to be an RTS game

[ZeroAdunn]

One of my fondest memories from highschool is playing SEIII mutliplayer in the computer lab while I was supposed to be doing research... Ahhh, the fun never stops.

[ 29 November 2001: Message edited by: ZeroAdunn ]

[Nscaler]

Why not?

First turn-based game I really got into was the X-COM series. Then the friend who introduced me to that, showed me the first MOO but MOO2 was about to hit the shelves so I waited for that instead, and still love it, although the Last part of the game gets boring. 18 doomstars taking out the max number of enemy units (all but a dozen were doomstars and the rest titans) allowed in the combat screen in 1 turn with no return fire gets boring.

Again my friend comes to the rescue by introducing me to SEIV over the holiday. (He was a big Starfire nut and loved seeing something so close to it.)

And now MOO3 is on it's way (checked the site, battles will be real-time with the game itself is turn-based for whoever it was that asked).

There goes my freetime....

By the way, this is the first reference to 4x games, what does 4x stand for?

Nscaler

[ZeroAdunn]

X-ploration
X-pansion
X-???? poliation maybe?
X-termination

[bearclaw]

Ahh, memories of SE2...

I had a roomate who had this CD of shareware games. I was checking out the different ones when I came across something called Space Empires II. After two games of the demo Version, I was hooked. Simple yet still intriquing. The very notion of a game that allowed you such customizing features of your ships! Wow. At the time, I didn't have internet access but wanted the full Version, so I called a friend of mine and asked if he could check it out for me. He told me to come by later that day.

Later that same day, I pay my friend a visit. "Sorry," he says. "Couldn't find SE2." Damn, I thought, "But I did find SE3!" Cheeky bastard. Got home and proceeded to play SE3 for HOURS on end. Good thing I was single then...

About a year or 2 later, I heard that SE4 was in the works. I thought 'How could this game be improved?' I could think of nothing that could make this game better than it already is. But then I saw my first screen shots. That made for the longest year I can remember waiting for the release. First July, then september, then October, Then xmas. WHEN WOULD THE TORMENT END!!!

I preordered my copy the same day it was announced.

But then, came this news message on Malfador about something called PBW? Sounded interesting and I haven't played a single player game since.

I met Andreas Lescano through his Star Wars SE site while playing SE3. Imperial shipsets for me, all the way. I had developed one and utilized some of Andreas work into what I played. Once I saw the racestyles of SE4 I knew I wasn't going to be able to create anything like that. So, I talked with Andreas, who couldn't get a full Version in Argentina at that time, and asked him for a custom set. I told him what kind of ships I wanted for each size and Voila!! He created the beautiful Imperial Shipset I use nearly exclusively (thank you Andreas).

Now the Empire is strong and thriving in several SE4 PBW games.

Nick (bearclaw)