Star Wars

[Atrocities]

I will never understand why Aaron didn't take the best of SE IV, improve upon the UI, and go with that for SE V.

I have been cut completely out of the loop for SE VI and given the dismal sales for SE V, I wonder if there will ever be a sixth installment to the game.

I recommended a while back that they should have released SE V under a different name... Space Empires - Evolution or something.

If they do come out with a new game, that'll have to be the road they go down. To call a game Space Empires VI would be an injustice and bad marketing IMHO.

SE V had a lot of great attributes, none of which inspired me to play it. The weakness out paced the benefits thus turning off my interest in playing the game. However SE IV still holds my interest albeit at a substantially reduced value these days.

I think, rather hope, that people will turn back toward the game once they realize that nothing new is coming out. PC gaming is on its final legs these days and the industry knows it. So most developers are focusing on console games and downsizing their PC options.

The spirit of innovation has been killed off one independent developer at a time. Gobbled up by the big evil mass marketing companies like EA games and others.

It was only 12 years ago that the spirit of radical innovation was alive and thriving, but now, the fields that were once busting with life life are but a desolate waste land. We are stuck with inferior clones of clone of sequals of great games. Gone are the inspirational "Got to have it" games that drove the industry for years. Even the PC game magazines are dead, or dying. The games of today are so lack luster filled with eye candy but no depth. Easy to play, and quick to bore are the standards of today.

Case in point, EAW, Lucas Arts aging game that could have been a lot more than it ultimately was. I played Empires At War and the expansion version and just couldn't get into them. They lacked depth. They offered nothing but ground hog day play. I grew bored with the game within hours. Same thing with GalCiv 2.

GalCiv 2 was really really boring. My God was that a dull *** game.

I tried Sins of a solar empire and a few other games but found them all to be repetitive and boring.

It is funny now that a simple basic browser game like Cyber nations holds my interest as captivity as SE IV once had. Out of all the games there are, this simple free to play game is the most appealing to me. Go figure.

One more thing I would have loved to have seen done with SE IV would have been:

11. The ability to more than one type of construction facility to the planet. One for ships, one for fighters, and one for troops. And for the AI to use them equally and build them.

12. The ability to set a requirement as to what facilities you want the AI to build and it actually would build them. As it is now, it be broken. The AI builds what the AI is hard coded to build. As it is now, I have to come up with a work around and that is proving to be impossible. (Another reason I burned out.)

[Kana]

I completely agree with our your assements and improvments AT. If Aaron could even consider just turning SEIV into the graphics of SEV, with those few additons you've mentioned, it would have been a great game. Hopefully he will consider either updating SEIV (Space Empires Advanced?), or just making the next SE installment we all really wanted. Yet again it makes me wonder who all did the beta testing, can if Aaron really listened to any one when making SEV.

Of course this will be after he makes his Civ clone....

[Black_Knyght]

Originally Posted by Kana

Space Empires Advanced

Now THAT is both an excellent idea and title for an updated version of SE4, if Aaron were to just release the code.

Sooooooo very much more is possibly for SE4, and it could really save the title in ways SE5 never did!!!

[Atrocities]

No one in the Beta will talk about the beta. NDA.

But we all know who most of them were so we know Aaron got the best of the best.

I would say that when it comes to Space Empires, Aaron sets the bar high. He nailed it out of the park with SE IV, but got rained out on SE V. Many of us in the know were in the bleachers doing what fans do. We all regret the game being rained out though and really really want see a rematch.

[Captain Kwok]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with the general comments of last few posts.

Out of the list of 12 items that Atrocities posted, 9 can be readily done in SE5. Of the remaining 3, export/import ship designs for AI and vehicle type specific construction yards could be done through scripting. Only planet type specific facilities at this time would not be possible.

I understand some have difficulty getting past the different UI and it makes SE5 not enjoyable for them, but that shouldn't be used to ignore/dismiss SE5's improvement on many of SE4's mechanics. I'd be hard-pressed to find many non-UI areas where SE5 has regressed.

I'm not so bothered that you guys don't like SE5, but you should at least be somewhat specific in your criticism if you choose to post about it. The vagueness of the comments here just tells me that you never really played SE5 all that much and don't really know what the gameplay/feature differences are.

Unfortunately SE5 was released before it should have been and there wasn't time to address the primary UI issues. IMO, too much was taken on for a single developer - custom scripting language, new graphics engine, new combat engine, formula data fields - plus the usual coding/documentation that goes along with an SE game. That's the issue, too much is made of this 'testers were ignored' sentiment, which is not true.

I'm not sure how many of you lamenting guys have kept up with the patches though since the UI/game has been steadily improved from the early days and might even be "tolerable".

[Black_Knyght]

Originally Posted by Captain Kwok

I'm sorry, but I disagree with the general comments of last few posts.

As is your option always

Out of the list of 12 items that Atrocities posted, 9 can be readily done in SE5. Of the remaining 3, export/import ship designs for AI and vehicle type specific construction yards could be done through scripting. Only planet type specific facilities at this time would not be possible.

True enough, though for me the flaw there is that you can only do that in SE5, which is the root of the issue here.

I understand some have difficulty getting past the different UI and it makes SE5 not enjoyable for them, but that shouldn't be used to ignore/dismiss SE5's improvement on many of SE4's mechanics. I'd be hard-pressed to find many non-UI areas where SE5 has regressed.

I'll readily admit SE5 lends itself better to modding. But, what possible good does it do to improve what SE5 did, and toss away general enjoyability of it at the same time. The UI alone is not the only issue some people have with SE5.

I'm not so bothered that you guys don't like SE5, but you should at least be somewhat specific in your criticism if you choose to post about it. The vagueness of the comments here just tells me that you never really played SE5 all that much and don't really know what the gameplay/feature differences are.

Specific criticism has been listed many times over, and none too vaguely either. And I for one HAVE really played SE5. Several times over. I tried the flawed demo, I went out and bought the flawed game itself. I played each flawed update. And came to the conclusion I just don't like it. At all. Most certainly not the way I did SE4. What it gains is buried in what it lost for me. I don't like the UI, or the new graphics style, or the 3D rendering of systems, ships, and such. I don't like how it's myriad of "little" flaws add up to a totally unenjoyable game for me. What I liked about SE4 was tossed aside, even as what I wanted was added in.

Unfortunately SE5 was released before it should have been and there wasn't time to address the primary UI issues. IMO, too much was taken on for a single developer - custom scripting language, new graphics engine, new combat engine, formula data fields - plus the usual coding/documentation that goes along with an SE game. That's the issue, too much is made of this 'testers were ignored' sentiment, which is not true.

I'll agree with you to a point here. How many of those issues were addressed by testers, and how many ignored or disregarded. Yes, it was too much for one developer to do, so maybe it would've been better to go with a more tried and true game and expand its capabilities, as has been so many times requested, rather than create an altogether new game that may well have put a stake in the heart of SE as a marketable commodity. A sad truth is the trackable fact that SE5 has already had a much shorter shelf life compared to it's predecessor.

I'm not sure how many of you lamenting guys have kept up with the patches though since the UI/game has been steadily improved from the early days and might even be "tolerable".

So many patches later, and it's "might even be tolerable"? Pretty much sums up the whole issue I, and apparently others, seem to have with SE5. IMHO, anyway.

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Also - to be clear, this is not a personal attack, just a differing perspective on the matter.

[Black_Knyght]

It occurs to me, as I was rereading all of this, that this thread may have been unintentionally sidetracked with an off-topic issue....


So....., while I'm here I thought I'd ask how things were going with the mod? I'm dying to see it come to be, and hope all is well still!

[Atrocities]

Well spoken BK.

CK, you know that we all sincerely appreciate all that you have done especially for SE V. Thank you. Some games appeal to people, some don't. SE V while it is a very good game in its own right isn't a game that inspires people on level that SE IV had. That isn't a bad thing, its just an unfortunate thing.

Originally Posted by Captain Kwok

I'm sorry, but I disagree with the general comments of last few posts.

Out of the list of 12 items that Atrocities posted, 9 can be readily done in SE5. Of the remaining 3, export/import ship designs for AI and vehicle type specific construction yards could be done through scripting. Only planet type specific facilities at this time would not be possible.

That is true, but I am ashamed to say that I really don't enjoy playing SE V. The game frustrates me and doesn't inspire me at any level like SE IV did.

I understand some have difficulty getting past the different UI and it makes SE5 not enjoyable for them, but that shouldn't be used to ignore/dismiss SE5's improvement on many of SE4's mechanics. I'd be hard-pressed to find many non-UI areas where SE5 has regressed.

No one is denying that SE V has some great innovations. We just regret that the bad attributes of the game out weighed the positive attributes of the game.

I'm not so bothered that you guys don't like SE5, but you should at least be somewhat specific in your criticism if you choose to post about it. The vagueness of the comments here just tells me that you never really played SE5 all that much and don't really know what the gameplay/feature differences are.

While some my have said they don't like SE V, all I have said is that the game didn't inspire me and thusly I opted not to continue to play it.

I'm not sure how many of you lamenting guys have kept up with the patches though since the UI/game has been steadily improved from the early days and might even be "tolerable".

No one will deny that Aaron is one cool hard working dude with a keen gaming sense and a dedication to his work that far exceeds the industry standard by 100 fold. SE V was a 3 base hit, not the home run that SE IV was, but still a respectable game none the less. I am sure the next game, if there is one, will be a home run grand slam.

[Black_Knyght]

*BUMP*

Thought I'd bump this back on track, and ask how things are going with the Mod?

[Ironmanbc]

what AT said "I will never understand why Aaron didn't take the best of SE IV, improve upon the UI, and go with that for SE V"

we could say the same about MOO3
it's like WHAT were they thinking


oh well people try new things and they don't work out the way everyone like it to be

i know i haven't been on top of stuff but this starwars mod sounds like a great idea you were off to a good start and then ......

if you make it for se5 there is more scriping to play with and in a way you can do more

I don't mind the UI i just learn to live with it

i do ask if you make the mod for se5 try to make some more neostandard shipsets (if ya can) like 10 more sizes so we can custom make ships to do stuff like

Juggernought
Medical Ship
Mining Ship
Repair Barge
Resource Ship
Resource Station
Stellar Manipulation Ship
WorldShip

just to name a few