StarDrive -- 4x "action strategy"

[Nefaro]

Some hope for Desura buyers; Dan posted this yesterday: 

The problem is that I cannot actually retrieve a list of users from Desura to give keys to. I think they may be able to do it though. But basically Desura is going to get kept up to date with Steam and when we launch, I'll see if Desura can work with me to give out keys to all the Desura folks.

And then another fellow responded a couple posts later: 

They can. They already have key distributing system. When I bought Postal 2 on Desura and was Greenlighted on Steam later it took few days but all Desura owners had the Steam key directly on Desura's Keys page (little tricky to find). So if you provide them the keys, they should be able to add them to the owners same as they distribute keys for games sold but not downloaded on Desura (not sure how happy they are).

So you may see the full game yet.  It's still no guarantee of a happy ending, obviously, and I do wish Dan was making more of a commitment to do right by you guys, but maybe he's finally listening to some of us who've complained.

From what I understand, Desura can't freely give out their customer's purchase info to anyone but the customer, as it's in the Agreement you get when signing up for a Desura account.  There has been some concern as to whether this could be done without lawsuits flying?  So evidentally when the developer lost his sales info, and has asked Desura to cobble it up, they have resisted due to lawsuit concerns (somewhat similar to the big class-action one that got heaped on Netflix a short time ago, I imagine).   Wouldn't surprise me if there are numerous litigation concerns, especially where there are multiple contracts & agreements coming into play.  What a damn mess.

[sandman2575]

...is it just me, or has Space 4X become so completely devoted to the same basic set of conventions that all these games start to look alike?

On the one hand, I'm almost certain to buy this, as it's not getting 'GeminiWars'-type reviews and it does indeed look very cool.

On the other hand, I look at this and think, "Man, space 4x could really use some 'out-of-the-box' thinking to liven things up."

I know the 'explore - exploit - expand - exterminate' formula means the genre has to be, well, formulaic to some extent.  But it just strikes me looking at StarDrive that all these games are pretty much 'structurally' identical, and what differentiates them is more or less decoration.  I don't mean that in a dismissive way -- I get a lot of enjoyment out of these games and can appreciate that games like SotS or Gal Civ or Distant Worlds are unique in their own ways.  Still, it just seems like there's an opportunity for some really creative dev's to shake things up by finding a way to do space 4x in a new way -- to shift the paradigm, so to speak.

Time for a paradigm shift !!! 

[tgb]

What he said. ^

[republic]

I think Distant Worlds is the only real innovation in years with the Civilian economy that you have no control of.  I really would like to see that smartened up and expanded.  It really makes you feel a part of the world rather than in a sandbox.  Its strange but less control is actually better in many occasions.

[son_of_montfort]

I keep thinking that one day I will turn on all the automation for Distant Worlds, start a game, go to bed, and then see what it looks like the next morning.

[bbmike]

I think you might be right, sandman. I think only Distant Worlds succeeds in being 'a little different'.

I keep thinking that one day I will turn on all the automation for Distant Worlds, start a game, go to bed, and then see what it looks like the next morning.

Don't do it! One of the races will leave your PC around 3:00am and come looking for you!  ;D

[sandman2575]

DW's living economy is indeed very cool and does feel like a real innovation.

Thinking about this some more -- it's really pretty amazing how the template Sid Meier created with Civilization still forms so much of the groundwork of 4X (which seems almost synonymous with 'space 4X' now -- I'm hard pressed to think of recent 4X titles that aren't space-themed).  Similar to what Gary Gygax accomplished with DnD and creating a template for RPGs as such. 

And yet it seems like RPGs have been far more creative in branching out and evolving the DnD template.  4X still sticks very close to the conventions Civilization established more than 20 years ago.

[republic]

I think the best place for 4X's to expand, would be in the eXplore area.  I'd like to see procedural generation of universes filled with interesting things to discover and do.

[Nefaro]

I think the best place for 4X's to expand, would be in the eXplore area.  I'd like to see procedural generation of universes filled with interesting things to discover and do.

This.  Definitely.

More "stuff" is always good, and having some mechanics for finding all that extra stuff would be cool.  That's rather vague, but I'd also like to see one with more focus on the exploration side.  But I'm probably thinking of something more along the lines of a more extensive FTL game, with more RPG features and more varied encounters instead of a traditional 4X.

[PanzersEast]

There has been a constant rehash and mash of different games and ideas.... maybe just repackaged in a way that is slightly different. 

I think DW has broken the mold in a lot of ways.  As mentioned the private sector of the empire is a huge steep forward and DW does it very well.  DW also has a deeper diplomacy than other games, for example the trade embargo and the blockade are non-war methods to effecting another faction.  The presence of Strategic vs Luxury resources.  The fact that you can co-colonize a planet is just awesome.... and watch the different race populations grow.  I also like the fact of vacation spots to earn extra money.  The random events are nice as well.....  There are some draw backs to having so much in a game, but this forces you to slow down and educate yourself about the galaxy and not just point and click.  For me, DW is the best 4X game I have played and with the next expansion, I am interested to see how much further will go.

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.  I also think there could be more factions within a 4X game, not just limited to a handful, increase the galaxy size and the number of factions.  Expansion would be slowed depending on which races you came across (primitive vs advanced etc...).  I also believe that the exploration leave a lot to be desired, it has always consisted of just send a scout ship and then you are done.

I like how SD has federations and not just alliances..... this makes things very dangerous.  I would like heroes used better, a famous admiral etc... that would make battles interesting..... I agree it is time to break out of the conventional box of developing 4x games.



PE

[Jarhead0331]

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.

I believe a modded and patched MOO3 does ground combat the best of any 4x game ever, except for maybe Emperor of the Fading Suns.

[Nefaro]

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.

I believe a modded and patched MOO3 does ground combat the best of any 4x game ever, except for maybe Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Man!  I don't even remember what MOO3 played like with all those unofficial 'fix' mods.  I know it played a good deal better than vanilla.  But I've never gone back and messed with it since the screen resolution is reportedly locked pretty low  (800x600!?).  :-\

[Jarhead0331]

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.

I believe a modded and patched MOO3 does ground combat the best of any 4x game ever, except for maybe Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Man!  I don't even remember what MOO3 played like with all those unofficial 'fix' mods.  I know it played a good deal better than vanilla.  But I've never gone back and messed with it since the screen resolution is reportedly locked pretty low  (800x600!?).  :-\

modded 1024x768

[son_of_montfort]

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.

...Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Man... why won't this get a remake!!! It was so buggy, but it was so good. And, from the perspective of all these rehashed 4X ideas, EotFS would be something innovative again!

[Tpek]

I have never seen a good implementation of ground forces/combat used in a 4X game, that has been missing.

...Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Man... why won't this get a remake!!! It was so buggy, but it was so good. And, from the perspective of all these rehashed 4X ideas, EotFS would be something innovative again!

People have been saying it for years and still... :(

Then again, weren't a couple of guys back from the WG doing a game heavily inspired by it?