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Discussion in 'Off-Topic' started by newsbuff, Oct 2, 2015.

  1. newsbuff

    newsbuff Forum Royalty

    [redacted]
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2015
  2. Ohmin

    Ohmin Forum Royalty

    I know a number of 4X games can have timed turns as an option for multi-player, particularly those with plenty of automation. Personally, I've never cared for using automation, but I also don't play multiplayer. However it could be a decent way to speed things up for you and anyone you choose to play with.
     
  3. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    I'm debating if I should get gal civ3 or wait for endless space 2.
     
  4. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    Not a fan of Stardock in general, and Gal Civ series hasn't impressed me much.

    There are also better 4X games tho I suppose the Sci-Fi section is a bit hit or miss.

    For an old school version of Gal Civ with way more character, try Star Trek: Birth of the Federation:
     
  5. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    Pretty much this. There's a mobile 4x that's really good and playable in MP in a couple of hours though:
     
    newsbuff likes this.
  6. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    Endless Space and Endless Legend are both worth a shot.

    Endless Legend has interesting ideas, but Endless Space is much more polished and a very enjoyable experience overall.

    Endless Space 2 is in development, 1 is worth getting.

    Heard a lot of good things about Distant Worlds, but haven't played that one personally.

    Sins of a Solar Empire is probably the best game published by Stardock, but they didn't develop it, which makes sense, at least for me :D
     
  7. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    As for Brad himself, there's enough dirt there, though it's hard to say since it's mostly he-said, she-said, so I won't get into that. That said, given that he's been villainized by the game media a number of times, that might have played a part in his support of Gamer Gate.

    Anyway, that stuff is irrelevant to the fact that I don't like the games they make :D

    ~

    As a development studio, while Gal Civ has been fairly popular I don't think it does anything particularly innovative or well. And many other projects they have done have been disappointment or handled extremely poorly (like the debacle surrounding Elemental/Fallen Enchantress).

    But it's easy to criticize when you are on the outside and always things you can do better.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2015
  8. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    This game is async multiplayer too. If anyone has or gets Starbase Orion, I'd be interested in a game :D We can probably get a 3P or 4P going.

    It's bite-sized 4X with some interesting ideas and generally pretty fun. Dev is one guy I think.
     
  9. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    There was a lawsuit, yes, it's not the only reason people think he's an *******, but it's certainly fuel to the fire. I would note that the letter never did say she was retracting her accusations, largely that she would have "handled things differently." Brad also never denies the emails in the suit that he sent her in which he was basically an ******* to her and cause the whole situation himself. Maybe she did delete the files out of anger/spite and that's certainly wrong (and seems like very strong leverage against her if true), but it doesn't make Brad's treatment of her any less of a **** move. And he treats his customers in a similar fashion as well.

    His own words: "I am an inappropriate, sexist, vulgar and embarrassing person and I'm not inclined to change my behavior. If this is a problem, you need to find another job."

    "I maintian my view that as the primary shareholder of the corporation that I am free to do what I choose so long as it does not violate the rights of others. Hence, if I "jokingly" touched Alexandra's hair or teased her about her fiancee, I respect her request that this should cease. However, my general obnoxiousness is not subject to change and I would terminate the corporation and all jobs within it if I felt my rights were being curtailed."

    He is free to think this stuff, and I am free to dislike him for it. Obviously I can't REALLY tell what he is like in real life, but there are people I have worked with that I would imagine is similar to Brad based on he's said publically (on Twitter, on Forums, etc.), and I disliked those people too.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2015
  10. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    The Gal Civ series is certainly not a bad game (but it doesn't really do anything all that interesting and is largely a clone of older 4X games like MOO and Birth of the Federation), and Civ: BE is definitely terrible.

    I actually used to love Stardock when they made desktop products like Fences and Windows Blinds, but since they started making games I have soured on the company for various reasons, mostly because of Brad and the business decisions that he seems to be responsible for.
     
  11. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    gal civ 2 I thought had a ship design element that would at least be called 'interesting'. its also has the best diplomacy layer of most 4x games ive played, I would assume that gal civ 3 hasn't gone backwards in those areas.
     
  12. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    I do admit I am biased against ship/unit design because I don't like doing it and don't think it really adds anything to 4X unless it is really the primary focus. It always ends up just being this extra thing you constantly have to adjust and all your ships are slightly different.

    You also lose the whole idea of understanding what the enemy has based on the chassis in many cases (which is an important design concept), etc.

    Many reasons I dislike it, but as I said, it's also somewhat of a personal bias.
     
    newsbuff likes this.
  13. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    As for diplomacy, I admit I don't play 4X single player very often, so I don't tend to care about those systems as much personally. For this stuff, I like EU4's system where it's all about points and influence and how they resolve wars with a warscore mechanic.

    I tried to look up something on the Gal Civ diplomacy stuff, and this is the first thread on google:

    http://apolyton.net/showthread.php/185564-Why-are-tyou-setting-Gal-Civ-2-aside

    "I think the biggest weaknesses are diplomacy and the minors. The diplomacy is very much like Civ2 ie about 20 years behind current standard expected in a computer game."

    I will look more into it though.
     
  14. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    Remember I've never played the older 4x games ( or any of the civs ) so my best may not be THE best. But compared to FE ES AoW Warlock and EL, I put Gal civ 2's diplomacy above them.

    Being able to customize the look of your ships is probably more of a solo players feature as we tend to spend more time with the game (days vs hours). But it can be ignored easily enough. The ship upgrade system was a bit clunky but that was 2. I think 3 has improved on that as well.
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2015
  15. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    I basically consider most of those games to not have real diplomacy systems, haha. ES seems designed to be played multiplayer first and foremost.

    AOW and the other "HOMM-like" games are almost always terrible diplomacy wise because you aren't really expected to ally with anyone. You build, then crush, and then crush some more.

    But yea, Gal Civ 2's diplomacy seems to be fairly standard Sci-Fi 4X stuff based on the old-school things, but that also means it is definitely on the "good" end of the spectrum.

    That does bring up an interesting question, why are SPACE 4x games more likely to be have fleshed out diplomacy systems than other types of these games? I wonder if the influence of things like sci-fi literature like Dune and stuff having so much political intrigue has anything to do with it.
     
    Ragic likes this.
  16. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    Eh, I don't play 4X for what the portraits of their hero characters look like =P

    [​IMG]

    This is what you stare at most of the time.
     
  17. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    I play games for the immersion. I want to be there, not just solve the math puzzle.
     
    IMAGIRL likes this.
  18. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    I'd lay the blame on Star Trek before anything else. Prime directives, neutral zones, peace with Klingons etc.
     
  19. Ohmin

    Ohmin Forum Royalty

    That's what Skype and Multiplayer are for.
     
  20. StormChasee

    StormChasee The King of Potatoes

    I've played several strategy 4X games as that's my preferred genre. I have Gal Civ2 and Endless Space. I like Gal Civ2, but have waited on GalCiv3 since it's minimum video requirement is 512mb and I have 256mb. Sometimes those work OK (like EU4), but without knowing for sure, it's a bit expensive to get it and hope. I'm waiting on Sorcerer King for the same reason. (Steam often times will have free weekends which are ideal to test these. That's when I got Endless Legend. I think they've changed their refund policy to allow for this type of tests if memory serves.) Anyway in comparison I was very disappointed with Endless Space. It's scope was meager in comparison with other games out there and production should be planet based, not system based as is the case with Endless Space. There could be a tech that allows it and to have the ability, but not the way they have it. In general I was not impressed.

    What is this fascination for real-time in a strategic 4x game????? There's no need for it. I'll play them, but usually pause, set my moves and let it go again.

    I also have Endless Legend which to me is the better game versus Endless Space though it is a different realm (fantasy versus space).

    I played HOMM3 a lot though the reviews were not good for the remake so I've held up on that.

    I've been playing Gems of War which has a modest nation building feel in addition to the match 3 arena hero/troop battle game. They do have a twist on pvp play. You don't actually play the other person. You play their line up controlled by the AI. They don't have the true pvp as you do here. I wonder how something like that would work here? Have an option to play against other people's decks controlled by the AI. As is the case here the AI is not as strong as a player, but it's not a bad opponent for a beginning to intermediate or casual player.

    I'm continuing to monitor the website to see if the developers will incorporate a nation building aspect into the game. I haven't played it months.

    I'm also waiting for the business trip to Scotland to get done before I get too bright eyed and bushy tailed and start getting new games.
     

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