Endless Space 2

[Martok]

I see they're sticking with the craptastic card-based combat from ES1.    What a waste, especially given how good the battles look. 

[undercovergeek]

I think it's a brilliant way of dealing with the combat - you choose your strategy - you watch the result

[solops]

As much as I really, really like Endless Legend, I loathe Endless Space I. While pretty, it does not have much substance to me. I particularly dislike the combat system, which I find repetitive, boring and shallow. The game overall was easy and boring, even with all of the DLC and patches. I have difficulty believing that the same company made both games. If ES2 is remotely like ES1, then I shall not waste my money on it.

[Nefaro]

I see they're sticking with the craptastic card-based combat from ES1.    What a waste, especially given how good the battles look.

Thought it was a great idea for speeding the overall campaign along while still having some battle input.  But they didn't provide enough depth or options to it in the original.  I had similar feelings about Endless Legend too.

Been hoping they improve that situation in #2.



Very happy to hear that Horatio faction, from the original, is in.  Great concept.. something rather different in theme if nothing else.  :)

[mikeck]

 They knew huge patch is out today. Update some of the user interface adds a bunch of stuff to the battles and some graphics oriented things to increase immersion like lights on planets and civilian ships.

I have been playing a lot the last few weeks and I will tell you that if you did not like the battle system and endless space because there was not enough to do you might try this one.  You can have three flotillas and you move your ships around and assign each shift to whatever flotilla you want. You then choose various tactics that have each flotilla doing something different either short range median range long range and then moving in on the flank barrel and straight ahead whatever.   So you could design long-range ships in short range bruisers and put them in the proper flotillas and assign a strategy that uses their strengths. That's the old system and I think they've actually improved upon it with this new patch

[bbmike]

Damn, do I play this or Afghanistan '11 tonight?  :dreamer:

[fabius]

Been loosely watching this one.

Have to say, the politics caught my interest; and now the improved combat with tactical view, better feed back, and 3 parts to the fleets is making my trigger finger itch to pull on this now.

[mikeck]

I see they're sticking with the craptastic card-based combat from ES1.    What a waste, especially given how good the battles look.

Truthfully, the endless space 2 system of choosing a tactic and placing your ships into the proper flotillas to execute that tactic properly gives you more control over the fight than simply pushing your ship around a hex board and clicking on an enemy to fire at it. It's a more appropriate system for a commander role. I also like the animation because it will have your ships actually flanking and such

[FarAway Sooner]

I appreciated the effort at innovation and agree that the card-based combat could be a cool new mechanic for lots of different reasons.

When I flirted with that mechanic in ES1, I found it fairly inscrutable and uninteresting, but I didn't play for more than a "free long weekend" they offered a few years back before moving back to other titles (Distant Worlds: Universe in particular). 

If they get it right, it could be very cool.  I'm continuing to watch this product!

[mikeck]

 It's a good system but to be honest I have some issues and how it's implemented because it requires technologies.  For example, when starting off I can't put my ships in a different place for the battle  and only certain strategies are available to me to pick from.  I have to research the technology that allows me to do those individual things and I just think that's kind of silly. I think a better route would be that as your hero advances and get to experience new tactics and things are opening up to him. That or possibly some type of military Academy you construct and the longer it's constructed the more options you start getting.

What's funny is that over the last two years I've tried all sorts of space 4Xs in various stages of development. To me, Polaris sector still the best of all of them. Having said that though the endless space\endless legend games have unbelievable Art and UIs...best by far

[bbmike]

Just released a day early!

[Yskonyn]

is it finished, finished? or has it just launched cause all the features basically are in?
Has the AI been improved over the beta?

[mikeck]

Well it's complete anyway. Runs better on my system anyway. Too early to tell about AI but it is a beautiful game

[Jarhead0331]

I'm in the middle of my first game. I'm playing on a huge map and am at around turn 60. So far, I have not made contact with another major faction. I have discovered one minor faction and assimilated it. Not sure, I like this feature, but you can see the score of every major faction from turn one, even if they are undiscovered. So while you don't know which race they are, you can see how they are doing compared to you. Of 8 species I'm ranked 5th, so the AI must be doing something right. You are also notified when another race discovers something significant, like the Academy, or completes a challenge/achievement. The AI in my game appear to bbe over achievers...

I'll echo mikeck, the game is simply a stunner. The art direction is superb.

[bbmike]

I'm still playing the first game I started. I haven't met any major races either but I can see the edge of another race. My star lanes were all dead ends. I'm in last place right now. I should start over I guess but I'm still having fun and want to see what happens next. There's still a lot to do (quests, anomalies to investigate, etc.). I've also encountered 'alien ships' and pirates.

And yes, the game really is beautiful.  O0