Anybody still play this? If so, what are you running it on? It seems to really dislike Win10. Also, are you using any mods? Which ones?
Ha! I've been playing it all weekend. Runs fine on Windows 10 for me (Steam version). I'm using Balance Mod 1.20. I'm currently playing a solo game (running 4 empires). I also found a Star Trek mod called Warp 10 2.2 but haven't tried it yet. And I just started a game against one AI opponent. One thing I remember that I didn't like from this game was you have to colonize a LOT and there are a LOT of places to colonize.
Here's a link to the most recent WarpTen 2.2 Star Trek mod (http://www.aarcentral.com/files/WarpTen2.2.zip).
Thanks bbmike. How would you say the experience compares with Polaris Sector or the MOO titles? Is it worth investing time into?
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 28, 2018, 12:06:40 PM
Anybody still play this? If so, what are you running it on? It seems to really dislike Win10. Also, are you using any mods? Which ones?
I used to play it a
lot, but it's been years. As a solo game it eventually evolves into a bit of a grind. I found it intriguing while learning the nuances but once you've got it down, the AI is no competition. You know you're going to win eventually, it's just a matter of grinding out the turns. On the other hand... I really enjoyed playing on the play-by-web site (http://pbw.spaceempires.net/) but I never finished a game because once the various fleets got really large, the game couldn't handle the combat and crashed. I've often thought that if you limited the size of the fleets (possible in the game setup) many of the problems might be avoided but I never found a game with those restrictions. Of course, the other problem with any on-line game is dealing with the jerks but private games are possible. If anyone is interested, I'd be willing to host a private game where we could try it with limited fleet size. Let me know.
One other thing... like bbmike, I like The Balance Mod (http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php) quite a bit.
Wasn't SE IV considered better than V
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 28, 2018, 03:31:58 PM
Thanks bbmike. How would you say the experience compares with Polaris Sector or the MOO titles? Is it worth investing time into?
Closer to the classic MOO experience. I don't have enough time invested in playing against the AI to recommend it. My gut feeling is Polaris Sector is superior. Everything I've read says don't play without the Balance mod.
Quote from: OJsDad on January 28, 2018, 06:11:08 PM
Wasn't SE IV considered better than V
Yeah, most people say that. Not 100% certain why.
Quote from: OJsDad on January 28, 2018, 06:11:08 PM
Wasn't SE IV considered better than V
I'm aware that many Space Empires fans prefer IV to V but I'm not exactly sure why. I've played both but my time with V was .... 10 yrs. ago? and, obviously, my time with IV was prior to that. It's been so long that I can't remember specifics but I do recall that after noticing that some preferred IV, I went back to IV to see why and it didn't work for me. I found that I missed the additions to V and the only thing that IV had going for it was that it was more stable. As noted in my previous post, V is subject to crashes once you get into the late game with massive fleets.
Does anyone have any other info regarding a preference for IV over V?
Perhaps it was the late game crashes and some AI issues.
Quote from: Millipede on January 28, 2018, 06:42:06 PM
Quote from: OJsDad on January 28, 2018, 06:11:08 PM
Wasn't SE IV considered better than V
I'm aware that many Space Empires fans prefer IV to V but I'm not exactly sure why. I've played both but my time with V was .... 10 yrs. ago? and, obviously, my time with IV was prior to that. It's been so long that I can't remember specifics but I do recall that after noticing that some preferred IV, I went back to IV to see why and it didn't work for me. I found that I missed the additions to V and the only thing that IV had going for it was that it was more stable. As noted in my previous post, V is subject to crashes once you get into the late game with massive fleets.
Does anyone have any other info regarding a preference for IV over V?
Millipede, looking at the data files in SEV, it looks like you can set the number of ships. Wouldn't that avoid the problem with massive fleets (which I could never stand in any 4x game)? In fact, it looks like there is a lot you can mod.
Millipede, looking at the data files in SEV, it looks like you can set the number of ships. Wouldn't that avoid the problem with massive fleets (which I could never stand in any 4x game)? In fact, it looks like there is a lot you can mod.
[/quote]
Absolutely! I just never found a game that anyone had specified fleet limits and I never got around to hosting one myself (terminally lazy ::)).
The game runs very poorly for me. Even menus in the game creation mode cause the FPS to plummet. Most of the advice I've found online does not help.
If you guys get around to setting up a pbem for this I'd like to join in.
Quote from: Yskonyn on January 29, 2018, 12:53:46 AM
If you guys get around to setting up a pbem for this I'd like to join in.
This thread inspired me to dig out my disk and install it and once I play around with it a bit, to refresh my memory, I'll post an invite here and see who else is interested. 4 or 5 would be ideal.
Jarhead... It's running fine on Windows 10 Pro for me and I doubt that I did anything that you haven't tried but, for whatever it's worth, I did run the installer with XP (service pack 3) compatibility and as an administrator. I'm also running the game as an admin. but not in any particular compatibility mode. Once I got it installed, I ran through the setup and the 1st turn in vanilla and then patched up to version 1.79 (http://spaceempires.net/article396.html) and I highly recommend installing the Balance Mod v. 1.20 (http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php). When you're on Capt. Kwok's web page, make sure to download Balance Mod v1.20 Tech Chart. Kwok's instructions for installing the mod are to extract it to the "Game Types" folder in your SE 5 install but that didn't work for me. I had to extract the file to another location (your choice) and than copy/paste the "Balance Mod v120+" folder to the "Game Types" folder. Patching up to v1.79 also gives the option of modern screen resolutions but, after trying 1920 x 1080 I returned to 1024 x 768 as it ran better and in full screen.
I'd be willing to play 4 or 5, once everyone is up and running.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 28, 2018, 07:55:10 PM
The game runs very poorly for me. Even menus in the game creation mode cause the FPS to plummet. Most of the advice I've found online does not help.
I think there is a way to fix that. I'll have to dig around to see if I can find out where I saw it. A lot of the online stuff didn't help me either. Do you have the Steam version?
Yup. Steam version. Running it in windowed mode seems to help a lot, but then the window is pretty small. I saw a script that runs it in windowed mode with a full screen, but it looked like way too much work to apply it for this game.
Jarhead, here's a screenshot of what my SEV Setup tab looks like:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2Fpics%2Fsevset.jpg&hash=1d7d9ae9831d45702fb7df9d8f2f874d375eb8ea)
I also had to edit Hudsettings.txt (in the data folder) to change:
Windowed Width := 1920
Windowed Height := 1000
I changed the 3D device in Setup. I have a nvidia card.
Also, I am not using any compatibility settings for the exe.
Thanks bbmike. I changed my display adaptor from what you have to my nvidia card. This drastically improved the framrate but gave me a fairly small window to play in. Everything else looks the same.
I'll try tinkering with hudsettings file...but I'm not going to put too much more effort into this. Not convinced it's really worth it,
Quote from: OJsDad on January 28, 2018, 06:44:34 PM
Perhaps it was the late game crashes and some AI issues.
I recall SE5 ran like shit on newer Windows OSes shortly after it came out.
It would be a steady low FPS stutterfest on WinVista and Win7 back in the day. Would run SO SLOW. Don't recall them fixing it during that period, either, so everyone past using WinXP just went back to SE4.
I've been dinking around with SE5 for the last 6 or 7 days and have been really enjoying it. Even playing against the AI hasn't been too bad... so far. I found a pretty good Let's Play (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-RmUv08T-01c9RzO6ERFGqTumu8hsucP) and set the game parameters up pretty much the same and the AI is doing okay. Those videos show the depth and complexity of the game really well... the strategic possibilities are nearly endless.
Anyway, my fond memories of multi-player SE5 have been re-lit and I'm ready to host a game if there is sufficient interest. As I said in an earlier post, I think 4 or 5 would be ideal but that's just a ball park figure. Speak up if you want in.
^Good video series. I've never really liked SEV but then again I never really took the time to properly learn it. Perhaps I should watch these vids and try again.
Take a look at the manual. There is A LOT that you can mod in SEV. If only there were a modern space 4x that followed the same options. Highly mod-able and a hotseat mode. :smitten:
Had this game for years but no played it a great deal as most of comments regarding AI were a bit negative. Just reloaded and seems to run fine. Would be up for a MP game
Quote from: mkivcs on February 05, 2018, 08:31:31 AM
Had this game for years but no played it a great deal as most of comments regarding AI were a bit negative. Just reloaded and seems to run fine. Would be up for a MP game
Excellent! That's two of us... we need, at least, one more and hopefully two or three.
Sigh, reinstalling now.
Are you going to use any mods for the MP game.
Quote from: OJsDad on February 05, 2018, 06:57:20 PM
Sigh, reinstalling now.
Are you going to use any mods for the MP game.
You're joining us? That's great and would put us at three. Hopefully we can get one or two more. We'll be using the Balance Mod v1.20 (http://www.captainkwok.net/balancemod.php). We'll be using the play-by-web facility at http://pbw.spaceempires.net and you'll have to set up an account. If you're using Firefox you'll get a security warning (apparently Firefox decided that the certificate utility that PBW has used forever is no longer valid) but Internet Explorer doesn't object at all... I don't know about any other browsers.
Where can I find the latest patches for SEV. I'm on the Malfador web site but none of the links seem to work.
NM, I found it.
Well I tried to access the game via Strategy Firsts game account library and I found out that Strategy First is gone. Years ago I purchased SEV directly from them for the amazing low price of 3.99. Still have my product registration key but no where to re-download the game.
Hence I've added the game to my Steam wishlist and will just wait for the price to drop below 5.
Quote from: W8taminute on February 06, 2018, 07:38:48 AM
Well I tried to access the game via Strategy Firsts game account library and I found out that Strategy First is gone. Years ago I purchased SEV directly from them for the amazing low price of 3.99. Still have my product registration key but no where to re-download the game.
Hence I've added the game to my Steam wishlist and will just wait for the price to drop below 5.
I still have the original installation file from them. I'll have to find it when I get home but I'm sure I could provide you a download link to it. You will need your product registration key, though, as it will not work without it.
That would be awesome if you find the link and share it with me. I do have my product registration key.
sign me up for the game please!
Quote from: W8taminute on February 06, 2018, 10:40:38 AM
That would be awesome if you find the link and share it with me. I do have my product registration key.
PM sent. :)
I have installed SE5 through Steam and signed up at pbw SE where my user name is Uberhauskaninichen (same as Steam). I am installing the Balance mod now.
If my math is correct (always questionable), we have 4 participants (moi, mkivcs, OJsDad & Uberhaus) and possibly 5 (not sure if W8aminute wants in or not) and Yskonyn expressed an interest earlier but haven't heard anything recently. I think I'll go ahead and set up a game on http://pbw.spaceempires.net (no later than tomorrow) and you can check it out while we wait to see if anyone else wants to join us.
Thanks for the heads up, but I will pass for now.
Hopefully someone will make an AAR about this, though. I would like to follow the game even if I don't play myself.
Yes. Please definitely post an AAR thread in the AAR forum! Would love to see how you guys get on with this.
Okay, the game is up on the PBW site and, as you'll see, I'm having a couple of problems so I'm going to try manual hosting :DD :uglystupid2: and we may have to go back to the previous version of the Balance Mod. I'll let you know. I also need your PBW names (I've got Uberhaus') in order to accept you into the game. If you have different preferences for the game parameters, I'm open to discussion but you'll have to be convincing.
Sheesh! Manual hosting and you want an AAR too?
Oh yeah, minor detail... the name of the game is "Mudhens Return".
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:15:00 PM
Sheesh! Manual hosting and you want an AAR too?
Nobody said you have to do the AAR... >:D
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:15:00 PM
Sheesh! Manual hosting and you want an AAR too?
Nobody said you have to do the AAR... >:D
Yeah, I know. I was just being my usual smartass.;D Who knows, I might try an AAR since I'd like to generate a little SE5 interest.
btw, is there a way to set-up a group page or msg. group within Grogheads so that those of us participating can communicate without boring the hell out of the rest of you?
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:44:21 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:15:00 PM
Sheesh! Manual hosting and you want an AAR too?
Nobody said you have to do the AAR... >:D
Yeah, I know. I was just being my usual smartass.;D Who knows, I might try an AAR since I'd like to generate a little SE5 interest.
btw, is there a way to set-up a group page or msg. group within Grogheads so that those of us participating can communicate without boring the hell out of the rest of you?
Not sure...I think your best bet is to just create a thread in the AAR forum. Anyone who isn't interested doesn't have to read it. Alternatively, a group PM is always a good idea too.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 03:59:04 PM
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:44:21 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: Millipede on February 08, 2018, 03:15:00 PM
Sheesh! Manual hosting and you want an AAR too?
Nobody said you have to do the AAR... >:D
Yeah, I know. I was just being my usual smartass.;D Who knows, I might try an AAR since I'd like to generate a little SE5 interest.
btw, is there a way to set-up a group page or msg. group within Grogheads so that those of us participating can communicate without boring the hell out of the rest of you?
Not sure...I think your best bet is to just create a thread in the AAR forum. Anyone who isn't interested doesn't have to read it. Alternatively, a group PM is always a good idea too.
Okay, I surrender. A group PM sounds like an excellent idea but I can't figure out how to set one up. :-[
^Simply click on the name of a member you want to include in the message. Select "Send PM". Add names of others you wish to include in the "To" box. Viola.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 04:33:16 PM
^Simply click on the name of a member you want to include in the message. Select "Send PM". Add names of others you wish to include in the "To" box. Viola.
You want a job in IT? :P
Quote from: mirth on February 08, 2018, 04:41:12 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 04:33:16 PM
^Simply click on the name of a member you want to include in the message. Select "Send PM". Add names of others you wish to include in the "To" box. Viola.
You want a job in IT? :P
How are the fringe benefits?
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 04:45:17 PM
Quote from: mirth on February 08, 2018, 04:41:12 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 04:33:16 PM
^Simply click on the name of a member you want to include in the message. Select "Send PM". Add names of others you wish to include in the "To" box. Viola.
You want a job in IT? :P
How are the fringe benefits?
The what now?
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 08, 2018, 04:33:16 PM
^Simply click on the name of a member you want to include in the message. Select "Send PM". Add names of others you wish to include in the "To" box. Viola.
Gee, not too obvious.
Thanks Jarhead.
We've got 4 ready to go for "Mudhen's Return" over at http://pbw.spaceempires.net/games/mudhen but we would really like to have 1 or 2 more. Last one in gets their loins moistened.... but not by me.
Mili, did you guys ever kick this off?
The Mudhen thread seems non existent on the PBW forums?
Would you still be interested to start a SEV game (and know of a few others who want to join)?
Quote from: Yskonyn on October 25, 2018, 03:32:47 AM
Mili, did you guys ever kick this off?
The Mudhen thread seems non existent on the PBW forums?
Would you still be interested to start a SEV game (and know of a few others who want to join)?
We tried, but no joy. Even with limits on # of stars and size of fleets we only got a few dozen (?) turns in before the game just continually crashed while processing turns. I even tried going to some of the old hands, that I had played with in the past, for suggestions/help and they've all pretty much given up on SE5. Since we couldn't process the turns I gave up :'( and deleted the game, and it's attached forum, from the PBW server.
Ah! Thats unfortunate. Thanks for the heads up.
I hope this crash is only associated with playing multiplayer. In all my hours of playing SEV single player I've never had the game crash on me, even in the late game.
Quote from: W8taminute on October 25, 2018, 01:39:12 PM
I hope this crash is only associated with playing multiplayer. In all my hours of playing SEV single player I've never had the game crash on me, even in the late game.
Not to worry with single player. The problem (I think) is that the engine just can't keep track of and process thousands and thousands of ships, mines, missiles, multiple massive battles etc.