The first DLC for DW2 is out. How underwhelming it is. You get to pay $10 for nothing more than two races. I never thought I would see Matrix follow the Paradox model of "soak our customers for all they are worth" model of DLC rip-offs. I guess I should have expected it as they ignored their loyal direct customer base in providing betas in favor of the Steam base. I did not mind paying for the expansions in DW-1 because they added quite a bit each time, but this...wow. Eventually, DW-1 became a good game after a rocky start. I don't know if I can stomach paying for DW2 development if Matrix is going down the road it appears to. Grossly disappointed in the signal it is sending.
That is unfortunate. Thanks for the heads up. I'll stay away.
In order to justify adding 2 races to the base game via a paid for DLC there must be more to the game than just clicking on Auto Manage while watching DASTactic video tutorials on how to play DW2 in full automated mode.
That being said however, DW2 does fit the bill for when you need to play a game but not have to think too much, such as at the end of a long day.
Well, take a look at the sales blurbs for yourself. Maybe someone can see some upside. I really WANT this game to be good. DW1 was really, really good.
I've got both DW1 and DW2. They both are indeed good games IMHO. I agree with you though, DW1 was really, really, really, good and DW2 is good.
Try as I might I haven't been able to ever get into DW 2.
I don't know why. It doesn't look like this DLC is going to help matters.
Quote from: solops on March 16, 2023, 12:00:38 PMThe first DLC for DW2 is out. How underwhelming it is. You get to pay $10 for nothing more than two races. I never thought I would see Matrix follow the Paradox model of "soak our customers for all they are worth" model of DLC rip-offs. I guess I should have expected it as they ignored their loyal direct customer base in providing betas in favor of the Steam base. I did not mind paying for the expansions in DW-1 because they added quite a bit each time, but this...wow. Eventually, DW-1 became a good game after a rocky start. I don't know if I can stomach paying for DW2 development if Matrix is going down the road it appears to. Grossly disappointed in the signal it is sending.
Oh they turned to the dark side ages ago. There was a time I bought almost every game they published but significantly slowed down when they moved to that model. I have DW2 but probably won't be getting DLC until I start seeing bulk sales ( a la Stellaris). And if they never do, then probably will never buy.
Quote from: solops on March 16, 2023, 12:00:38 PMThe first DLC for DW2 is out. How underwhelming it is. You get to pay $10 for nothing more than two races. I never thought I would see Matrix follow the Paradox model of "soak our customers for all they are worth" model of DLC rip-offs. I guess I should have expected it as they ignored their loyal direct customer base in providing betas in favor of the Steam base. I did not mind paying for the expansions in DW-1 because they added quite a bit each time, but this...wow. Eventually, DW-1 became a good game after a rocky start. I don't know if I can stomach paying for DW2 development if Matrix is going down the road it appears to. Grossly disappointed in the signal it is sending.
I don't disagree with you and I think it should have been at least 3 new races but apparently the race animations and 3D ships for every race take a lot more work this time around as opposed to DWU. So they are separating the races into smaller DLC and then doing bigger expansions separately...
If you already own DW2 you can get a bundled discount on Steam so the cost will be $8.99.
I thought I wrote a blurb on this, but apparently not.
As with all such firms, they're trying to find the sweet spot between providing good value to customers and maximizing revenue. And, as with all such buyers, we're free in choosing to spend or not spend our money on that product. Such is the free market!
I think DW2 is a good game. I also think it's really easy, when we compare it DWU, to remember that DWU wasn't a single game either. It was a single game (released in 2010) with 3 additional expansions (released in 2010, 2013, and 2014) that the benefit of 4 years polishing along the way.
I agree with those who say it's not yet as polished as the original. I wouldn't expect it to be. It is, in many other regards, already as good. I'm enjoying it.
While the initial release suffered from some really bad graphics driver bugs, Eric and the devs have admitted as much.
I appreciate the numerous free updates that have gone far beyond fixing it. I hope the game makes enough money to keep getting more and more updates.
I love the game greatly, but am unlikely to buy this first DLC any time soon. I'm still trying to master playing the Humans at Basic Difficulty.
I played about 5 hours yesterday for the first time since the release. The game has come a long way from where it started.
While race dlc might be underwhelming or offensive to some, they're optional. I for one appreciate that the game continues to evolve and be improved for the benefit of all without forcing anyone to pay for new features.
Quote from: Tanaka on March 18, 2023, 12:29:43 AMI don't disagree with you and I think it should have been at least 3 new races but apparently the race animations and 3D ships for every race take a lot more work this time around as opposed to DWU. So they are separating the races into smaller DLC and then doing bigger expansions separately...
Given I don't care about race animations nor 3D ships this is disappointing. Much like the whole game. I haven't played since the first week it came out. Didn't have any tech problems. It just didn't seem like an improvement in play over DWU.
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Quote from: bobarossa on March 18, 2023, 08:40:44 AMQuote from: Tanaka on March 18, 2023, 12:29:43 AMI don't disagree with you and I think it should have been at least 3 new races but apparently the race animations and 3D ships for every race take a lot more work this time around as opposed to DWU. So they are separating the races into smaller DLC and then doing bigger expansions separately...
Given I don't care about race animations nor 3D ships this is disappointing. Much like the whole game. I haven't played since the first week it came out. Didn't have any tech problems. It just didn't seem like an improvement in play over DWU.
While I can't guaranty your feelings will change, it has been drastically improved since the first week of release. I thought it was a total dud when it came out. It was my biggest disappointment of the year. I've recently given it another shot and have enjoyed it much more.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 18, 2023, 10:52:19 AMQuote from: bobarossa on March 18, 2023, 08:40:44 AMQuote from: Tanaka on March 18, 2023, 12:29:43 AMI don't disagree with you and I think it should have been at least 3 new races but apparently the race animations and 3D ships for every race take a lot more work this time around as opposed to DWU. So they are separating the races into smaller DLC and then doing bigger expansions separately...
Given I don't care about race animations nor 3D ships this is disappointing. Much like the whole game. I haven't played since the first week it came out. Didn't have any tech problems. It just didn't seem like an improvement in play over DWU.
While I can't guaranty your feelings will change, it has been drastically improved since the first week of release. I thought it was a total dud when it came out. It was my biggest disappointment of the year. I've recently given it another shot and have enjoyed it much more.
I feel much the same as Bobarossa, but Jarhead's comment is encouraging. I thought the graphics is DW1 were fine. I wanted improvements in game mechanics. The new ship design restrictions are not to my liking, just as one item where DW2 is disappointing, not that it is the only thing or even the main thing. It just popped up while writing. When DW1 came out, it was a mess, but you could see a good game in there somewhere. I hope DW2 matures as well. But graphics is NOT where I want effort expended. I see DW2 as having a lot more restrictions that DW1, which I see as a step backwards.
Admittedly I never really spent enough time with DW1 to compare it fairly with DW2. I was disappointed initially with DW2 when it first came out. With the recent patch improvements plus me giving this game a fair chance, I have begun to enjoy DW2 much more.
I am more appreciative now of the level of automation in DW2 for one reason, size and scope of the game. Even if you setup a 4x4 galaxy composed of 300 stars there is way too much going on for nothing but a seasoned veteran to handle and manage. Automation provides the first time player the opportunity to observe how things work. The first time player can incrementally increase the amount of micro-management they want as they learn more about the game.
TBS space 4x games allow first time players plenty of time to ponder, experiment, and familiarize themselves with a game. DW2 is not turn based.
Yoda said, 'You must unlearn what you have learned'.
Quote from: W8taminute on March 18, 2023, 11:53:37 AMAdmittedly I never really spent enough time with DW1 to compare it fairly with DW2. I was disappointed initially with DW2 when it first came out. With the recent patch improvements plus me giving this game a fair chance, I have begun to enjoy DW2 much more.
I am more appreciative now of the level of automation in DW2 for one reason, size and scope of the game. Even if you setup a 4x4 galaxy composed of 300 stars there is way too much going on for nothing but a seasoned veteran to handle and manage. Automation provides the first time player the opportunity to observe how things work. The first time player can incrementally increase the amount of micro-management they want as they learn more about the game.
TBS space 4x games allow first time players plenty of time to ponder, experiment, and familiarize themselves with a game. DW2 is not turn based.
Yoda said, 'You must unlearn what you have learned'.
I like to play on prewarp, starting, harsh planet, slowest research and put the AIs on the same. This slows things down tremendously and thus contains micromanagement. Much more fun to play imo. But of course as you say you can automate whatever you want as well.
Second DLC is out with two new races.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2409480/Distant_Worlds_2_Factions__Quameno_and_Gizureans/ (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2409480/Distant_Worlds_2_Factions__Quameno_and_Gizureans/)
QuoteThe Galaxy Expands! The second Distant Worlds 2 expansion brings two new playable factions – the introverted puzzle-solving Quameno and the numberless and ruthless Gizureans!
The Quameno mostly prefer to be left alone to focus on their research and their societies are often organized like war-time economies, but with a focus on research instead of military matters. They value puzzle-solving and the discovery of new knowledge above almost everything else, certainly more than distractions such as diplomacy, war or espionage. They also have a natural aptitude when it comes to energy technologies and because of the abundance of energy in their ships, stations and cities, they use energy fields where many others might use solid materials.
Their governments are typically based on a Geniocracy, which uses unique facilities such as the Enigma Maze to determine which are the most worthy to lead and the Transcendence Hub, a wonder which will trigger a singularity of sorts, which will free them from their physical limits and allow research to continue through eternity.
The Gizureans are legion, with an incredible reproduction rate, along with a ruthless focus on gaining and consuming enough resources to keep their burgeoning populations happy enough to stave off their tendency towards tribal strife. They also have a mysterious past, as the hive mind they once had was broken and a more limited shared consciousness is all that remains. They engineer their ships through partially organic processes, which allows them to be tougher, but their real focus is in their numbers. Gizureans tend to focus on numbers and tactics based on quantity in space combat, specializing in many smaller ships and large quantities of hive starfighters for their ships, stations and colony defense with the earliest access of any faction to planetary starfighter bases.
Each of these new factions also comes with their own special storyline and unique story locations, adding to the possible exploration events and to your knowledge of galactic lore. The Quameno will give you some additional insights on the Ancient galaxy and some of the mysteries the Ancient Guardians left behind, while the history of the Gizureans is connected with that of the Hive threat as well as the ancient enemy known as the Shakturi!
Quameno Unique Features:
Geniocracy Government starts with better Research Labs and provides the largest research bonus of all government types, at the expense of other areas, including being unable to fund bonus colony growth. Also has the option for additional benefits whenever a research breakthrough or research critical failure happens.
The Quameno also are the most gifted researchers in the galaxy, though their single-minded focus also means that they are limited when it comes to concurrent research
Additional bonuses when they find new research locations or build new research stations
Some temporary penalties due to distraction when treaties are signed or populations are unassimilated, preventing the Quameno from focusing as fully as they are normally able on their research puzzles
Novacore Reactors, the best reactor in the game, along with Bubble Shields which have the highest Shield Resistance of all shield types
The Transcendence Hub, an end-game victory condition wonder which allows the Quameno to transcend their physical forms
Larger Research Stations
Special exclusive Leader and Scientist Traits focused on Research
Special conditional events Alien Distractions, Integration Studies, Puzzle Solved, Building the Future, A Piece of the Puzzle and The Answer reward them for thematic play
Their unique story gives them an advantage when it comes to finding the new Ancient Guardian Vaults scattered throughout the galaxy and recovering the knowledge and artifacts within.
Gizurean Unique Features:
Cell Hegemony government type is a form of limited shared consciousness, which includes some of the benefits and fewer of the disadvantages of a full hive mind. Starts with better sensors and command control, more inspiring characters and a generally reduced rate of luxury resource needs.
Excellent at boarding combat and gain extra bonuses from salvaging and retiring captured ships
Swarm Targeting systems make their ships more accurate the more ships there are in a fleet.
Hive Hangars and Hex Armor allow them to build and repair starfighters more quickly and cover their ships with partially organic armor that is stronger than normal alloys.
Hive Fighter Bases are available to defend their planets from the very early game
Internecine Tribal Conflicts can hold them back at times and they will need to supplement their slower research through reverse engineering and conquest
Larger Carriers
Special exclusive Leader and General traits focused on improving their collective consciousness and increasing the size and resiliency of their armies
Special conditional events, such as Waste Nothing and The Scouring, give them extra bonuses when retiring ships or conquering planets. The Rivalry event means that their characters periodically engage in power struggles to eliminate the weak and Breeding World allows them to choose to boost their own growth rate further by using other species as food.
Also, don't forget the Discovery update was released late last month. Game might be worth hopping back into now?
It is. There's a lot of QOL improvements that was done as part of Discovery update. Some are in the game settings, others are in automation improvements, and even in graphic improvements such as how shields look when hit.
Not to mention the DLCs do add two very unusual races. This IS the last DLC that was planned. What is to come is an Expansion and according to Erik I think...beta testing starts December or January 2024? But I do know there's rework on the humans to come next, and the Shakturi are part of this expansion just like they were in DW1.
Yeah, the game's quite polished and MUCH more playable than it was previously. The interface is better than DW 1, and the overall game play experience is pretty similar--if a bit more circumscribed due to lack of quite as many races (including the Shakturi), lack of pirate options, etc.
It's not utterly polished yet, but it's much more polished!
The game is becoming more polished. I already prefer it over the original. I really want the Kiaden race though. They were my favorite in DW1 and I've played enough DW2 to want them sooner than later.
Quote from: Sparhawk on September 11, 2023, 08:50:11 PMThe game is becoming more polished. I already prefer it over the original. I really want the Kiaden race though. They were my favorite in DW1 and I've played enough DW2 to want them sooner than later.
I will pick up the DLC and try again. Somehow the new game did not connect with me like the old one...and I can't really explain it. So maybe the DLC will turn that around.
Quote from: ArizonaTank on September 12, 2023, 07:50:48 AMQuote from: Sparhawk on September 11, 2023, 08:50:11 PMThe game is becoming more polished. I already prefer it over the original. I really want the Kiaden race though. They were my favorite in DW1 and I've played enough DW2 to want them sooner than later.
I will pick up the DLC and try again. Somehow the new game did not connect with me like the old one...and I can't really explain it. So maybe the DLC will turn that around.
The new spider race with all the swarm bonuses looks great - capture pirates and take their stuff apart for tech bonuses
Basically tyrannids in dw2