Woah! This one totally came out of nowhere. Had never heard of it despite the fact that it seems to have been in development for over 10 years! There isn't a lot of information out there about it and hardly any publicity or press. It looks like total dog shit in the screen shots and in the videos on the steam page, but the developer blog posts really captured my attention...beside the fact that the single guy making this game sounds like he is absolutely a lunatic who has gone insane while making this game, there are some really deep and epic concepts that appear to be incorporated and I can really appreciate what the developer is trying to accomplish...massive procedurally generated maps including astronomically accurate planets, moons and space objects all contained within solar systems within galaxies within a universe populated by other galaxies and wait for it...alternate universes too. All of this space and time is filled with life forms, and not just your standard avian, ape, insectoid, robotic types either. Some really diverse and eclectic stuff out there. Hundreds of technologies to be researched, hundreds of different kinds of units to be built, including space vessels, sea, land and air units. Move your units through time and space. Deploy them on planets for colonization and conquest. Spread your religion and way of life. Take slaves, etc. My first battle in the tutorial was against a race of fanatical Nazis lead by a brilliant military tactician. There is also diplomacy, planetary construction and development and all sorts of anomalies to discover and explore. The strategic layer of the game is turn based, but when two armies or fleets meet, it changes into an RTS.
I can't say whether the game will prove to be good at the end of the day, but the tutorial held my interest from start to finish and I'm really looking forward to trying this in more depth.
I just love games that capture the vastness of space whereby the passage of time and travel amongst the stars is a strategy that needs to be considered itself. This game seems to have that.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2363060/Universal_Conquest/ (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2363060/Universal_Conquest/)
Really interesting find! I'm exactly 50/50 on the fence between "this dev seems like an absolute lunatic" and "that doesn't mean it hasn't all been channeled into the game design in a productive way". Will be fascinated to see how/if this pans out.
Edit: was reading the Steam reviews. This one makes it sound a bit like Dwarf Fortress. Not sure if that's good or bad 😁. Quote follows:
"Pros (so far): - In my first 26 hours of play, there were tons of bugs, but overall I was able to conquer about 1/3rd of my home galaxy and had no leaders defect
- I had a cannibal society who lived off the slaves they captured try to attack me, only to have their own units admit defeat because they had eaten/killed everyone else on their home world before getting to attack me
- I had a vassal society that worked for another race decide to join me, which caused their ENTIRE vassalized society across the map to upend and caused a coup that ended up with me randomly winning a bunch of battles somewhere else in the galaxy and being made their supreme commander
- I was attacked by a fleet of Giant space abominations that spoke perfectly broken English and agreed to a ceasefire if I traded them some wealth
- I found and commandeered a lost space fleet, repaired it, and was beset by parasites for the rest of my run because APPARENTLY, that can happen. Some space fleets are abandoned for a reason, some are traps, some send radio beacons back to an unknown world, etc, there are so many dynamic and funny systems in place
- Building units on my homeworld to stop revolts and being able to see how far/wide those units can move in realtime with tracers is a nice touch, also knowing which tileset is dangerous is a really good update the game had too. It makes battles more strategic and you can do some cool things with it
-The AI has massively improved over time, from only spinning in circles on retreating, to now being able to coordinate, gather, send intel back and forth, and trade with itself in realtime. It makes the world feel alive when other races approach the player base or attack an ambush position you set, knowing you were there ahead of time because they scouted you out etc."
The voice in the intro video somehow reminded me of narration of the Necromancer off of the Rush Caress of Steel Album. Anyhoos the game looks interesting, may watch some videos and wait for a sale.
OK, you convinced me...
The first sentence in the 'About' section pretty clearly indicates he may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic...
"Based on personal interviews with alien abductees and UFO Lore and developed as outsider art by a one-man team for over the past decade..."
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on June 18, 2024, 07:36:27 PM...beside the fact that the single guy making this game sounds like he is absolutely a lunatic who has gone insane while making this game, ...
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2363060/Universal_Conquest/ (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2363060/Universal_Conquest/)
I have to support someone who is willing to go insane doing something they love. [as an aside, this probably explains my collection of 70's and 80's rock music] Purchased.
Quote from: Sigwolf on June 19, 2024, 09:34:13 AMThe first sentence in the 'About' section pretty clearly indicates he may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic...
"Based on personal interviews with alien abductees and UFO Lore and developed as outsider art by a one-man team for over the past decade..."
Yeah...and I can't tell if he is trying to be funny, or if he is being serious because comments like this are pretty common throughout his blogs.
Here are some screenshots of the civilization generation screen. Most categories are pretty basic and what one would expect (although there are some unique outliers), but the diversity within some of those options is really cool permitting you to come up with some really wild traits and characteristics.
For instance, religion seems to be a major concept in this game which can drastically effect the strengths and weaknesses of your civilization and shape how it will interact with others. Religion can span the entire range from non-existent to benevolent to downright psychotic and satanic. I mean seriously, you can create a civilization of Nazi cannibal devil worshipers...if you wanted to. The economy can also range from Laissez-Faire, to corporatism, to communism to fascism and everything in between. You can even control how your civilization feels about sex and breeding! I also like how you can not only choose the kind of planet your species is native to, but also the kind of atmosphere that it prefers. Still, have no idea how any of this will play out in game, but the creation options are intriguing. This is seriously along the lines of the grand intergalactic 4x game I've always envisioned designing myself.
(https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/448793171_10160831547392702_8832379462819519960_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=n7JjpJxAGyAQ7kNvgG8cJ_c&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AYB77cwT1Ak3pjGEo1ExSEWpoKxTbgcVKmzKRGnTeqeKxw&oe=66790227)
(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/448768077_10160831547492702_5801556035621485261_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=QOhGzseZzQIQ7kNvgHtrdIa&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=00_AYBMr31ygLpBH5ylcrXgWm5QkiHH3X5nijtC82wY5xrbWw&oe=6678DB97)
Quote from: Sigwolf on June 19, 2024, 09:34:13 AMThe first sentence in the 'About' section pretty clearly indicates he may be a few sandwiches short of a picnic...
"Based on personal interviews with alien abductees and UFO Lore and developed as outsider art by a one-man team for over the past decade..."
There's something quite endearing about describing something you, yourself, are creating as "outsider art." A few sandwiches short a picnic, but self awarely so? :shocked:
Looks fascinating to me, I'm not really a 4X guys these days beyond Dominions, but if I was I'd give it a shot.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on June 19, 2024, 01:04:45 PMFor instance, religion seems to be a major concept in this game which can drastically effect the strengths and weaknesses of your civilization and shape how it will interact with others. Religion can span the entire range from non-existent to benevolent to downright psychotic and satanic. I mean seriously, you can create a civilization of Nazi cannibal devil worshipers...if you wanted to. The economy can also range from Laissez-Faire, to corporatism, to communism to fascism and everything in between. You can even control how your civilization feels about sex and breeding! I also like how you can not only choose the kind of planet your species is native to, but also the kind of atmosphere that it prefers. Still, have no idea how any of this will play out in game, but the creation options are intriguing. This is seriously along the lines of the grand intergalactic 4x game I've always envisioned designing myself.
My hopes are slowly creeping up... what's the tech tree like? Tried any combat yet?
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on June 19, 2024, 04:21:20 PMQuote from: Jarhead0331 on June 19, 2024, 01:04:45 PMFor instance, religion seems to be a major concept in this game which can drastically effect the strengths and weaknesses of your civilization and shape how it will interact with others. Religion can span the entire range from non-existent to benevolent to downright psychotic and satanic. I mean seriously, you can create a civilization of Nazi cannibal devil worshipers...if you wanted to. The economy can also range from Laissez-Faire, to corporatism, to communism to fascism and everything in between. You can even control how your civilization feels about sex and breeding! I also like how you can not only choose the kind of planet your species is native to, but also the kind of atmosphere that it prefers. Still, have no idea how any of this will play out in game, but the creation options are intriguing. This is seriously along the lines of the grand intergalactic 4x game I've always envisioned designing myself.
My hopes are slowly creeping up... what's the tech tree like? Tried any combat yet?
You don't seem to have access to the entire tech tree at first. There are only a handful of techs that you can research in the early game I've started. However, I presume this can be adjusted at game generation since you can set your civilization's starting tech level.
Combat has been a mixed bag. I've only done it in the context of the tutorial, which had a space battle and a land battle. There was not a tremendous amount of maneuvering on the part of the AI which in both instances sort of hung out and only fired when I moved into range...this was in both space and ground battles, but it is possible that these were scripted for the tutorial, particularly since I won both battles despite the fact that the enemy possessed technology superior to my own.
I'm thinking most of the battles I will eventually auto-resolve.
Dammit - just as civ 6 gets its claws in me
Im on holiday next week and will give it a go - this looks like a get in on the ground floor opportunity and became one of the grizzled veterans who remembers the old days over on the aurora forums
Fascinating! Will keep an eye on that one.
Quote from: AchillesLastStand on June 19, 2024, 12:30:35 AMThe voice in the intro video somehow reminded me of narration of the Necromancer off of the Rush Caress of Steel Album. Anyhoos the game looks interesting, may watch some videos and wait for a sale.
You are spot on.
"Journeying into the dark and forbidding lands of the Universal Conquest"
Is there any level of tactical control or insight into the combat, or is it just "bandbox 1000 generic units and toss them at 1000 other generic units, and some of them will eventually disappear"?
Looks interesting.
Interesting twitch from the developer...
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2186114462 (https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2186114462)
Edit: Not 100% sure this is the developer. He is definitely very active in the official discord though.
Fairly large update released today with a lot of fixes.
In general, the developer has also released a statement on the RTS portion of the game:
Quote# Patch v1.1 out now!
Hey @everyone!
I'm here to give y'all some news about what we're up to behind the scenes and what you can expect, and if you haven't read the recent patch notes they're below:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/4235154200381486600?l=english
We've got some updates on things we're working on in the background:
## Updates:
> ### UI, Art, and Tile Overhaul:
>
> For our biggest change, we're creating a major overhaul of the user interface (UI), art, and tiles in Universal Conquest. Our goal is to make the game not only more visually appealing but also more intuitive and user-friendly. This comprehensive UI enhancement will significantly change the look and feel of the game, ensuring that information is presented more clearly and attractively. This overhaul is set to be the main focus of our next patch, which will also include some minor bug fixes to improve overall gameplay stability.
> ### Optimizations:
>
> Performance is key to a smooth gaming experience, and we are dedicated to making Universal Conquest run better than ever. Our team is working on several optimizations to improve performance and reduce loading times. Additionally, we are working on enhancing the save file system to make save files much smaller, which will help in quicker load times and better overall game management. These optimizations are designed to ensure that you can enjoy the game without unnecessary interruptions or delays.
> ### Gameplay Enhancements:
>
> We understand the importance of coherent and high-quality gameplay. To this end, we are making significant improvements to the real-time strategy (RTS) elements of Universal Conquest. Our aim is to refine and polish various gameplay systems so that everything feels more cohesive and satisfying. These enhancements will ensure that every aspect of the game meets our high standards of quality and correctness, providing you with a more engaging and enjoyable experience.
We appreciate your continued support and patience as we work on these updates. Your feedback is invaluable to us as always so please keep posting your feedback and bug reports...we are committed to making Universal Conquest the best it can be. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, happy conquering!
Thanks,
UC Dev & Staff Team
And as weird and out of the blue as it came... it's now gone in the same manner.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/664940919610410268?l=english
Much fun as I had with the game, I suspect from the dev's ranting posts that he has... let's just say some issues. I wish him well, hope he return to this one day, but not holding my breath.
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on January 05, 2025, 06:26:20 PMAnd as weird and out of the blue as it came... it's now gone in the same manner.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/664940919610410268?l=english
Much fun as I had with the game, I suspect from the dev's ranting posts that he has... let's just say some issues. I wish him well, hope he return to this one day, but not holding my breath.
Yeah. I've been following this for awhile and thought about posting something about it. But, it is such a strange and bizarre situation I just let it be. The excuse also strikes me as incredible. If someone makes a claim that is "illegal" or unlawful, and you've done nothing wrong, you usually at least make some effort to prove it. Needless to say, I'm disappointed that the project appears to be dead.
Well just reinforces the premise not to buy EA games or games that promise to deliver X Y Z after release. It's becoming too common now for people to sell a promise then abandon the game (cough cough looking at you UG American Revolution).
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on January 05, 2025, 06:26:20 PMAnd as weird and out of the blue as it came... it's now gone in the same manner.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/664940919610410268?l=english
Much fun as I had with the game, I suspect from the dev's ranting posts that he has... let's just say some issues. I wish him well, hope he return to this one day, but not holding my breath.
So vague and unintelligible as well as a little contradictory. They got an offer they could not refuse? This sounds like a movie quote out of John Wick or something.
Quote from: rss334 on January 05, 2025, 11:11:23 PMWell just reinforces the premise not to buy EA games or games that promise to deliver X Y Z after release. It's becoming too common now for people to sell a promise then abandon the game (cough cough looking at you UG American Revolution).
While a "noble" goal, I'm not sure how realistic this is these days. Many games now spend years in a sort of perpetual early access. Some get regular updates for over a decade. Some early access games are far more complete than many "finished" games. I think this is just too black-and-white a criterion to use in today's gaming market.
So, I previewed this game a while back, and found it lacking. The dev then contacted me and asked me to take the video down, which I did. It felt oddly like a threat at the time. In seeing their dev logs, none of this surprises me.
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on January 06, 2025, 10:36:34 AMQuote from: rss334 on January 05, 2025, 11:11:23 PMWell just reinforces the premise not to buy EA games or games that promise to deliver X Y Z after release. It's becoming too common now for people to sell a promise then abandon the game (cough cough looking at you UG American Revolution).
While a "noble" goal, I'm not sure how realistic this is these days. Many games now spend years in a sort of perpetual early access. Some get regular updates for over a decade. Some early access games are far more complete than many "finished" games. I think this is just too black-and-white a criterion to use in today's gaming market.
I am pretty much done with EA promises. If an EA is playable as is...and enjoyable without all features...sure I will buy it.
But I will no longer buy a game based on the "roadmap."
Too many broken promises.
Steam had 18,825 new games on the platform in 2024. Only 2600+ were early access. So there is an alternative still.
Steam new game stats are here:
https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=493 (https://steamdb.info/stats/releases/?tagid=493)
Sure, I'd agree with that. If it seems like it would be fun today, buy it, and vice versa, independently of whether it's self-declared to be in early access or release. Never assume the roadmap will happen.
Dev claims he's resuming work:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/517454273702791835?l=english
Not getting my hopes up too high, but better than nothing I suppose.
Quote from: CaptainKoloth on March 02, 2025, 03:05:39 PMDev claims he's resuming work:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/517454273702791835?l=english
Not getting my hopes up too high, but better than nothing I suppose.
I'd buy it just for the entertainment factor alone, spend more time reading the forums then playing the game probably.
Quote from: rss334 on March 02, 2025, 03:13:50 PMQuote from: CaptainKoloth on March 02, 2025, 03:05:39 PMDev claims he's resuming work:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/517454273702791835?l=english
Not getting my hopes up too high, but better than nothing I suppose.
I'd buy it just for the entertainment factor alone, spend more time reading the forums then playing the game probably.
Wow. The alien stuff was just make believe? This whole time I thought it was real.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 02, 2025, 03:27:14 PMQuote from: rss334 on March 02, 2025, 03:13:50 PMQuote from: CaptainKoloth on March 02, 2025, 03:05:39 PMDev claims he's resuming work:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2363060/view/517454273702791835?l=english
Not getting my hopes up too high, but better than nothing I suppose.
I'd buy it just for the entertainment factor alone, spend more time reading the forums then playing the game probably.
Wow. The alien stuff was just make believe? This whole time I thought it was real.
Yeah but the car bomb talk is totally true !
''No longer available on steam store''
I continue to watch this with a kind of morbid curiosity. This went up a few days ago:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/2363060/discussions/0/599652165026373820/?snr=2___
Poor guy. I think he genuinely needs some help. This reads to me as really unhinged.
The only reason for the much drama in your life is being married, certainly don't need that in my games.