Polaris Sector - another new space 4x

Started by RedArgo, November 02, 2015, 04:48:47 PM

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FarAway Sooner

I'd concur with Ghostryder's assessment that the expand and build parts of the game are fairly shallow.  It's combat-centric and was designed that way, so it's okay that some of the other parts of the game are streamlined, but if combat isn't your cup of tea, that can start to be a problem.

The research system also has plenty of legs late into the game.  Ghost, if you maxxed out the tech tree too quickly, maybe it's something in your settings?  I've only played the game to completion twice, but both times, I never made it past DDs.

However, I'd beg to differ with Jarhead's assessment that "Really, there's so little to criticize in this game."  It's a great little game, but there is plenty to criticize.

The way research is handled is cool in theory, but in practice it quickly grows so complex as to be unmanageable.  The technologies you get, and their effect on combat, are masterfully done.  But (I haven't tried the Beta yet) my own experiences navigating the tech tree are best expressed using this emoji: :pullhair:

The game is largely a one-man effort, and impressive for that.  But it lacks any of the RPG-like or story-telling elements you find in games like Galactic Civilization, Distant Worlds: Universe or Stellaris.  The alien races feel like cardboard cut-outs, as they do in almost all the Space 4x titles out there.

I don't expect any of those things from the first launch of what is a one-man effort.  But to suggest that there's no room for criticism seems a bit on the... "optimistic" side to me.

But it's still one of the best freaking 4x games I've played in a long time!   :bd:

Jarhead0331

I said there is little to criticize, not nothing criticize. So, I don't think you're begging to differ, I think you're agreeing.  :coolsmiley: Of course there are some aspects that could be improved upon. The point is, it's a one man development and the game excels in so many areas where almost all the other space 4x games have failed.

I agree that the races are pretty lackluster, but I don't care that there are no RPG or story elements. When I want that, I play an RPG. Not a space 4x.

I do wish there were mods for this game, and I'm really surprised there are not more than the one or two I have seen, especially considering the developer released a mod guide and designed the game to be moddable.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Steelgrave

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 13, 2017, 08:40:17 AM
I do wish there were mods for this game, and I'm really surprised there are not more than the one or two I have seen, especially considering the developer released a mod guide and designed the game to be moddable.

I'm surprised as well. Polaris Sector seems to be a great platform for mods. When you look at the literally thousands of mods available for GalCivIII on Steam, it makes me wonder if the Steam Workshop isn't the difference? Ease of use via Steam Workshop is no small thing. I don't play GalCiv or even Civ without Steam mods anymore....there is simply too much goodness there to ignore. Polaris Sector is a great game but having mods easily available would be the icing on a very sweet cake.

goldsboro

Probably the issue is in the number of players. Hardly anybody knows about Polaris, unlike GalCiv.

mikeck

Quote from: Steelgrave on October 13, 2017, 09:10:47 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 13, 2017, 08:40:17 AM
I do wish there were mods for this game, and I'm really surprised there are not more than the one or two I have seen, especially considering the developer released a mod guide and designed the game to be moddable.

I'm surprised as well. Polaris Sector seems to be a great platform for mods. When you look at the literally thousands of mods available for GalCivIII on Steam, it makes me wonder if the Steam Workshop isn't the difference? Ease of use via Steam Workshop is no small thing. I don't play GalCiv or even Civ without Steam mods anymore....there is simply too much goodness there to ignore. Polaris Sector is a great game but having mods easily available would be the icing on a very sweet cake.

It's the difference for me. I won't mod a game (or rarely) unless it's through steam workshop. I don't have to screw around with files and such.
"A government large enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have."--Thomas Jefferson

ghostryder

#605
For me Polaris is far superior to gal Civ III which only makes the lack of mods more puzzling. Like JH I'm not missing the RP elements at all- but that doesn't mean there not ought to be compelling Lore. You can achieve that by creating good interesting races. But on the RPG side even games like Gal Civ or stellaris I do not play the canned story maps. I play sandbox almost always. I can create my own stories. Which is why I was kind of 'meh' on the last stellaris 'story' DLC. the extra tweaks were nice but to not include a shipset was a major fumble in my book. My machine race should not be forced to use organic race shipsets.

What both games here need is not fluff but more depth. And notice I do include the often phrased Stellaris as 'complex and deep' in this-- as in truth it isn't really there either yet.

  "yet' is the operative word as expansions come along these two games will get there no doubt--  \m/

FarAway Sooner

That's a really good clarification.  It's not the RPG elements I miss so much as the "lore" and a compelling back story.  Distant Worlds: Universe did this better than any other Space 4x I've played.  Part of that was through carefully dropped hints discovered at different times, part of that was through side-events that were often part of a branching story line where the decisions you made affected how a story played out (at least, I think I encountered those once or twice when I was playing).

The other thing that made DWU's back story so immersive was that the game started out with a HARD P vs E component in the Default game mode.  Pirates weren't just a nuisance, they were the dominant force in the galaxy for a good chunk of the opening game.  How you managed them and when you took them on had a lot to do with setting tension in the early game, both in terms of story line and in terms of managing strategic trade-offs.

Polaris doesn't need either of those to be the gem it is, but with more back story, it would be better.

HoodedHorseJoe

It's not even about the RPG/Lore elements for me (although those are cool), It's just the complete lack of a compelling strategic layer. There's no challenge to colonisation, so you're in a competition with the AI to see who can grab the most amount of land quickest. My early games when I was taking it slow I just ended up getting surrounded by my closest neighbour and they were then of course so much stronger than me they pretty much stomped me into dust.

It's about the land-rush until the borders stabilise and that's the only thing you can really pay attention to in the early game. It's not satisfying, and it's not especially profound. I feel like I'm a virus.

Don't get me wrong, the technology system is definitely one of the best I've seen to date, and I love the ship design and the tactical battles are superb. You can really tell where the designer's passion was and overall I do like Polaris.

It's just sometimes I feel you could strip this game back to just designing ships, and then taking them into tactical battles (with no other mechanics) and it'd still be no better or worse than it is currently.
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Jarhead0331

One of the challenges to colonization is managing population and resources. If you colonize too many worlds too quickly without enough that are capable of producing food, your people will die. I've made this mistake several times resulting in catastrophe.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


ghostryder

I think the best way to combat the rush is to have choke points. Space Empires for example. Cover that warp gate with all you got if your technologically behind. Games like Gal Civ really suffer for the lack of them. You either steam roll or are steam rolled. There's no defense mechanic other than distance---which just focus's that weakness more when they can reach you but you can't reach them. Of course hampsters in space suits only adds to the 'meh' as well as the lack of combat involvement-- once you play it and discover the correct path to steamroll there's little reason to replay the game.

FarAway Sooner

A more vigorous P vs E component is one nice way to brake the land-rush fixation in the early game that plagues so many Space 4x games.  Distant Worlds: Universe is the only space 4x that ever really got this right, although Master of Orion 2 at least had a nice wrinkle where the Antarean raiders would assault whoever was the most powerful race.

Tanaka

The one thing that frustrates me about this game that I do not understand that while I am only colonizing earth and ocean planets the AI just colonizes everything. How are they doing that and how is that beneficial? Yet I am still getting stomped on Challenging. No one seems to mention how good the AI is in this game.

Jarhead0331

Quote from: Tanaka on October 17, 2017, 09:00:46 PM
The one thing that frustrates me about this game that I do not understand that while I am only colonizing earth and ocean planets the AI just colonizes everything. How are they doing that and how is that beneficial? Yet I am still getting stomped on Challenging. No one seems to mention how good the AI is in this game.

I colonize inhospitable worlds for minerals and resources, or to build industrial centers capable of building large Star ships quickly.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Tanaka

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 17, 2017, 09:31:06 PM
Quote from: Tanaka on October 17, 2017, 09:00:46 PM
The one thing that frustrates me about this game that I do not understand that while I am only colonizing earth and ocean planets the AI just colonizes everything. How are they doing that and how is that beneficial? Yet I am still getting stomped on Challenging. No one seems to mention how good the AI is in this game.

I colonize inhospitable worlds for minerals and resources, or to build industrial centers capable of building large Star ships quickly.

Is it really viable to colonize the inhospitable worlds for resources? How do you sustain them? Which ones are best?

Jarhead0331

Quote from: Tanaka on October 17, 2017, 09:42:45 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 17, 2017, 09:31:06 PM
Quote from: Tanaka on October 17, 2017, 09:00:46 PM
The one thing that frustrates me about this game that I do not understand that while I am only colonizing earth and ocean planets the AI just colonizes everything. How are they doing that and how is that beneficial? Yet I am still getting stomped on Challenging. No one seems to mention how good the AI is in this game.

I colonize inhospitable worlds for minerals and resources, or to build industrial centers capable of building large Star ships quickly.

Is it really viable to colonize the inhospitable worlds for resources? How do you sustain them? Which ones are best?

Totally viable and absolutely necessary, I'd say. You only want to use hospitable worlds for food production and research. Nothing else.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18