GrogHeads Forum

I have most Space 4x games and none of them recently with the exception of Endless Space and SOTS series have kept my attention... but dwindle in the end.  I did not buy into DW at the beginning but went back and watched a LP of DW Legends from DAS and I became very interested.  Is it worth the hefty price tag and the Single player experience and ai worth the buy in?


PE

DW has been bantered about quite a bit with those who hate it and those who love it.  I enjoy the game, keep on my hard drive and go back to it often.  To me the appeal is the astonishing level of choice I have in what level of micro-managing I want or don't want.  And it isn't an all or nothing choice, you can micro-manage some elements and let the ai take over others in a very wide variety of areas, i.e. ship design, colonization, exploration, diplomacy, difficulty levels, and many more.  To me, the biggest let down are the ship battles themselves...very hectic and seem to play themselves out.

I'm a big fan of Distant Worlds.  It is the space 4x that I continually return to.

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 02, 2013, 12:14:13 PM
Is it worth the hefty price tag and the Single player experience and ai worth the buy in?


PE

Well it's certainly worth it for *me*.  ;)  Obviously, though, YMMV. 



A word about the AI (since you asked):  It's okay.  Not great, not bad.  Okay.  As far as AI in strategy games go, I'd say it's right in the middle of the pack. 

I suspect the problem with it being less than stellar is that the sheer amount of stuff it has to take care of (research, ship design, diplomacy, military operations, which bases to build and where, colony development, etc.) is almost overwhelming.  I don't offer that as an excuse, mind you -- merely an explanation. 

In my view, the AI's main problems are in ship design (it's not great at optimizing equipment & abilities - in other words, "min-maxing"), diplomacy (it doesn't have the best idea of how much something is worth), and aggressiveness.  By "aggressiveness", I mean that in two ways: 

1.) It doesn't seem to be as...active as a human player would be in seeking out and then mining and/or colonizing new worlds (the former honestly being almost more important than the latter). 

2.) Really coming after you in wartime.  The AI will often have a good amount of ships & troops, but it seems almost timid (and/or a little schizo) in how it employs its forces.  It only happens a minority of the time where I feel another empire is a genuine threat. 

Now it's true that work is always being done to improve the AI, and the computer-controlled empires do seem to perform somewhat better with each expansion that's come out so far (crossing my fingers with Shadows!).  Also, you may want to bear in mind my comments are based on the "Normal" difficulty setting; quite a lot of people play on higher difficulty settings. 

All that being said, however, I would be lying if I said DW's AI provides a robust challenge every game.  It doesn't suck, but it definitely won't blow you away either.  I personally find that lack to be balanced out by other things I really like about the game, but if a strong AI challenge is an absolute must for you, then in all honesty Distant Worlds probably isn't the 4x title you're looking for. 

Quote from: Rayfer on March 02, 2013, 12:52:54 PM
DW has been bantered about quite a bit with those who hate it and those who love it.  I enjoy the game, keep on my hard drive and go back to it often.  To me the appeal is the astonishing level of choice I have in what level of micro-managing I want or don't want.  And it isn't an all or nothing choice, you can micro-manage some elements and let the ai take over others in a very wide variety of areas, i.e. ship design, colonization, exploration, diplomacy, difficulty levels, and many more.  To me, the biggest let down are the ship battles themselves...very hectic and seem to play themselves out.

Good points, Rayfer!  I concur. 


I would just add another comment, which is on the game's whole "living galaxy" aspect... 

There really is so much going in any DW campaign, it never ceases to amaze me; it creates one of the most immersive atmospheres I've ever enjoyed in a PC game.  Between unexplored star systems, space monsters, derelict ships & space stations (many of which also harbor goodies, information, hidden threats, etc.), independent colonies alone in the darkness of space, and gods-only-knows-what-else-I'm-forgetting, there's almost always something new to find and/or discover.  And with the game's civilian economy, there are always ships going to and fro across the galaxy.  I'm still in awe of it, over two years later. 

Also:  Galaxies in this game are huge (especially if you choose one of the larger map sizes).  Absolutely, epically, gorgeously, HUGE.  How many 4x titles can boast maps with literally over a thousand star systems, and planets & moons numbering in the tens of thousands??  And that first time in a new game when you zoom out from your starting planet...and further...and further...and further, you start to have a small appreciation for just how big the maps in this game really are! 

Another big fan of the game here.
But it has its shortfalls (like any game). At the moment the biggest issues are the economy; its far too easy to get loads of money and then trade your way to victory.
And I agree about the combat being less than ideal. There are no formations or such so every fight with a fleet ends in a big blob of pew pew. But all can be forgiven as far as I am concerned. The sense of a living galaxy and the option to automate or micromanage as you see fit make it a joy to play. Especially with the Legends expansion I find the game to be one of the best 4x around.

That said, I would wait with getting it at the moment. The 3rd expansion is around the corner and they are likely to either have a bundle offer or a sale on the previous versions once it gets released.

Quote from: Yskonyn on March 02, 2013, 02:18:46 PM
That said, I would wait with getting it at the moment. The 3rd expansion is around the corner and they are likely to either have a bundle offer or a sale on the previous versions once it gets released.

Thanks Yskonyn.  I meant to point that out as well, but I forgot. 

Thanks for the post guys.  I really would like to slowly build an empire and I hate having to colony rush the map.  I read somewhere that as long as you can supply your empire with needed materials you do not have to colonize the entire map.... I also like the fact that you can colonize planets of the same species, instead of having to invade every one.


PE

You can build mining stations and refuel depo's in systems so there is often no requirement to colonize every habitable world.

The beauty of DW is that you can configure it the way you like to play.
Colony rush; possible.
Turtle mode; possible
Passive galaxy; possible
Small sector; possible
Huge sector; possible
Etc.

The game features a ton of starting configuration options which apply to galaxy size, distance between star systems, occurence of habitable worlds, events, victory conditions, you name it.
:)

I never did pick up the last expansion which added Heroes/Admirals/Wotnot.  Perhaps I'll have to do that sometime when I can put the total investment into the series out of mind.

He characters in the last expansion really provide a Crusader Kings 2 type quality to the game.  I started the game on very hard settings and soon was attacked by a far superior force, I had to surrender and become subjugated  to survive.  When I did that my leader gained the "Weak" trait and my fleet admiral at the time gained the "Drunk" trait.   :)

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 02, 2013, 05:05:02 PM
I read somewhere that as long as you can supply your empire with needed materials you do not have to colonize the entire map....

Happily, yes that is pretty much the case.  I've seen empires with only a handful of colonies still do well because they had a lot of mining bases bringing home the goods.  :)  Colonies are still vital, of course, but they alone won't bring you victory. 

Quote from: Yskonyn on March 03, 2013, 01:26:49 AM
The beauty of DW is that you can configure it the way you like to play.
Colony rush; possible.
Turtle mode; possible
Passive galaxy; possible
Small sector; possible
Huge sector; possible
Etc.

The game features a ton of starting configuration options which apply to galaxy size, distance between star systems, occurence of habitable worlds, events, victory conditions, you name it.
:)

+1

As has been said, one of DW's great strengths is that it allows for multiple play-styles. 

Quote from: Nefaro on March 03, 2013, 02:06:32 AM
I never did pick up the last expansion which added Heroes/Admirals/Wotnot.  Perhaps I'll have to do that sometime when I can put the total investment into the series out of mind.

Oh dear.  ;) 

You really must pick up Legends.  As with Return of the Shakturi, you'll wonder how you ever played the game without it! 

Quote from: Martok on March 03, 2013, 02:03:25 PM

Oh dear.  ;) 

You really must pick up Legends.  As with Return of the Shakturi, you'll wonder how you ever played the game without it!

That's quite an endorsement. 

I'll grab it when my next 4X itch strikes.

I'll put a big old +1 on the endorsement of Martok.
Legends did add a lot to the game and I would not play it anymore without Legends.
The whole Character system is fun and gives personality (pun intended) to your empire. It poses you with all kinds of funny problems where a character has pretty difficult traits to work with (lazy, weak, feeble and drunk come to mind (among many others!)).
Also the expanded techtree and new victory conditions are a very nice addition to the game.

Quote from: Nefaro on March 03, 2013, 02:58:14 PM

Quote from: Martok on March 03, 2013, 02:03:25 PM

Oh dear.  ;) 

You really must pick up Legends.  As with Return of the Shakturi, you'll wonder how you ever played the game without it!

That's quite an endorsement. 

I'll grab it when my next 4X itch strikes.

Excellent!  :D 

Look for Legends to go on sale when Shadows gets released.  I can't guarantee that'll happen, of course, but the odds are good. 

Quote from: Yskonyn on March 03, 2013, 03:46:11 PM
I'll put a big old +1 on the endorsement of Martok.
Legends did add a lot to the game and I would not play it anymore without Legends.
The whole Character system is fun and gives personality (pun intended) to your empire. It poses you with all kinds of funny problems where a character has pretty difficult traits to work with (lazy, weak, feeble and drunk come to mind (among many others!)).
Also the expanded techtree and new victory conditions are a very nice addition to the game.

Yeah, I love the Characters and the race-specific victory conditions that were added.  I'm also a fan of the new Sphere of Influence (SOI) system -- no more aliens claim-jumping stuff in "my" territory! 

It is to be....

I installed the game and also added the Graphic enhancement mod and the Distant Worlds Extended which adds more races.  If you watch some LPs on YouTube you will notice that all the games play differently either by the person or parameters they have setup and the way they play.  This is a very flexible system.

Just random thoughts:

The options for setup are astounding and you can customize a game in just about any way you see fit.  I really like the race specific win conditions and I decided to play as the humans but play them like the Federation where I do not interfere with other races once their zones are setup, however I extend as I can and it makes it difficult if you do not have strategic resources....  I also decided to allow myself to trade tech, however I cannot sell tech to other races.

I really like the zones of influence/control so it sets up neutral zones between you and other races so no over stepping you.  I have noticed that trade sanctions can really handicap you, especially on the strategic resources and there are races that are just hostile to you no matter what you do.

I setup 1 fleet as the 1st Anti-Pirate Fleet and another as the 1st Defense Fleet to patrol and guard the home world.  I am wanting to tech up some before I start branching out, however I would like to have forward military instillations with a small fleet and with long ran scanners.


Still feeling my way through, but so far very happy with my purchase and looking forward to the new expansion.  With the setup options, races, victory conditions, automation options, mods, and house rules you can create just about any game you can think of.  I know no game is perfect, but this one allows you to customize to your playing mod.


PE

Glad you're enjoying it so far!  May you have many hours of fun ahead of you.  :) 


If you don't mind some unsolicited advice, I recommend building a couple extra Constructor ships early on.  Doing so allows you to get more mining bases built sooner, which really helps with resources (both luxury and strategic).  Also remember that gasses like caslon & hydrogen are needed to fuel your ships, and materials such as steel & carbon fiber (I think?) are essential for ship construction. 

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 06, 2013, 09:05:32 AM
I installed the game and also added the Graphic enhancement mod and the Distant Worlds Extended which adds more races. 

Oddly enough, I still haven't gotten around to playing with any of the mods yet.  Are the two you mentioned easy to install?  (I'm an idiot when it comes to adding mods, so this is an important question for me!) 

Quote from: Martok on March 06, 2013, 09:44:16 AM
Glad you're enjoying it so far!  May you have many hours of fun ahead of you.  :) 


If you don't mind some unsolicited advice, I recommend building  a couple extra Constructor ships early on.  Doing so allows you to get more mining bases built sooner, which really helps with resources (both luxury and strategic).  Remember that gasses like caslon & hydrogen are needed to fuel fuel your ships, and materials such as steel & carbon fiber (I think?) are essential for ship construction. 

Oddly enough, I still haven't gotten around to playing with any of the mods yet.  Are the two you mentioned easy to install?  (I'm an idiot when it comes to adding mods, so this is an important question for me!)

Thanks for the advice, I can use all I can get!  ;)  That helps as it is pretty intense finding and securing strategic resources and knowing which ones to go after first.  I assume they do deplete after a time at these locations?  Interesting setting is the Colonization Range setting


The mods are very easy to install....

Graphic Enhancement Install
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3211317 (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3211317)
1. Backup original "Distant Worlds\images" folder
2. Extract archive and overwrite original files in Distant Worlds\images


Distant Worlds Extended
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3141149 (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3141149)
This mod requires Distant World Legends patched to the latest version.
1. Extract the contents of this .zip file to your Distant Worlds Customization directory.
    (Usually: C:\Matrix Games\Distant Worlds\Customization\ )
2. Then when you start the game select Change Theme from the main menu and select Distant Worlds Extended.


PE

To add to what Martok just said, I also build extra scouts at the beginning, this helps with exploration.  I also take the timet to build one of each research lab at my home world right away.  This seems to give me a leg up on research.

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 06, 2013, 10:06:43 AM
Thanks for the advice, I can use all I can get!  ;)  That helps as it is pretty intense finding and securing strategic resources and knowing which ones to go after first.  I assume they do deplete after a time at these locations?

Actually, resources are infinite (as in most 4x games).  Some folks have criticized this -- it's often commented that resources can be just a little too abundant, especially later in the game -- and I suspect we may see a major readjustment/re-balancing of them in Shadows.  For now, however, there's no bottom, so you can mine to your heart's content.  ;) 

If you're wondering, a resource's percentage value is an indication of how "pure" it is on that particular planet/moon/nebula/asteroid.  Its main effect is in how efficient mining extractors (from both bases & ships) are in obtaining that particular resource from that particular source.  So the higher the number, the better. 


Speaking of percentage values:  Only colonize planets & moons that have 50% quality or higher -- if you colonize any of lower quality, they'll never make any money for you.  Fortunately, low-quality planets/moons are turned off by default on your Expansion Planner, so there's generally little chance of you accidentally colonizing a "poor" world, but I wanted to mention it just in case you're wondering why that juicy-looking Desert planet doesn't show up as a colonization location for you! 

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 06, 2013, 10:06:43 AM
Interesting setting is the Colonization Range setting

Yeah, I like that one.  I use it all the time, as I don't wish to establish a colony that's way beyond my ability to support/protect it (no matter how tempting it may be). 

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 06, 2013, 10:06:43 AM
The mods are very easy to install....

Graphic Enhancement Install
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3211317 (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3211317)
1. Backup original "Distant Worlds\images" folder
2. Extract archive and overwrite original files in Distant Worlds\images


Distant Worlds Extended
http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3141149 (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3141149)
This mod requires Distant World Legends patched to the latest version.
1. Extract the contents of this .zip file to your Distant Worlds Customization directory.
    (Usually: C:\Matrix Games\Distant Worlds\Customization\ )
2. Then when you start the game select Change Theme from the main menu and select Distant Worlds Extended.


PE

Thanks PanzersEast!  Downloading now. 

Quote from: OJsDad on March 06, 2013, 12:39:03 PM
To add to what Martok just said, I also build extra scouts at the beginning, this helps with exploration. 

Thanks OJsDad.  I meant to mention this too, but I forgot. 

Yeah, I'll generally build an extra 5-10 exploration vessels at the beginning (along with the aforementioned 2-3 extra constructor ships).  The number of extra explorers I build depends on several factors, such as if I'm in a star-rich portion of the galaxy, and/or I suspect I'll have lots of nearby neighbors (who may try to claim stuff if they find it before I do). 

Having a few "spare" scouts is also handy for dispatching to those mysterious locations some lost data-core suggests I investigate (which is usually worthwhile).  ;) 

Quote from: OJsDad on March 06, 2013, 12:39:03 PM
I also take the timet to build one of each research lab at my home world right away.  This seems to give me a leg up on research.

No kidding?  Huh, hadn't thought of that.  Will have to try it next time I play! 

This is why DL has been rightly compared to Dominions 3.

Except far far moreso.  8)

Quote from: JasonPratt on March 06, 2013, 05:25:10 PM
This is why DL has been rightly compared to Dominions 3.

Except far far moreso.  8)

Dominions 3.... in my bin!

Had to scale back the space monsters, pain in the arse.  And the bloody pirates..... they are both useful and useless!

So far, I have to say I was hesitant on the price but thus far it has been well worth it.  It is funny how disputes pop up when you are going for the same resources and you are faced with a decision... do I push it or back off.  It leaves you with some interesting decisions and those you have to weigh carefully or those you are forced into for the sheer survival of your species.  I like how simply just invading everything can be suicide or enslaving etc...  it is not just war you have to worry about, but also the trade embargos against you.


PE

Yeah DW really nails the 'living galaxy' feeling. :)
Glad you like it so much, PE!

Glad you're still having a good time with it, PE!  Given the game's price (especially with both expansions), one is definitely taking a chance when buying it, so I'm very happy it's thus far proven to be a good purchase for you. 


Yeah, the question of how much to push for a certain resource can often be a pleasantly vexing one.  It all depends on so many different factors, and the situation is different almost every time.  With more common resources, I'm a bit more likely to back off, but it really depends on the circumstances. 

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 07, 2013, 11:47:04 AM
Had to scale back the space monsters, pain in the arse.  And the bloody pirates..... they are both useful and useless!

Yeah, I usually play with both on either the "low" or "normal" setting.  Setting them to "none" makes my surroundings feel a little too empty, and setting it higher tends to make things just a bit too...lively for my tastes.  ;) 

Quote from: Yskonyn on March 07, 2013, 01:09:46 PM
Yeah DW really nails the 'living galaxy' feeling. :)
Glad you like it so much, PE!

I really struggle with other 4X titles now; they all seem so empty compared to DW.

The other great thing about DW is just how flexible it is in setting up different scenarios.  Where most other 4X games just start you out at the "here's your home world, start building and climbing the tech tree," DW really allows you to create interesting starting conditions and play out a story. 

Right now I've running a sandbox game in a normal sized, irregular galaxy (really meant to simulate a small portion of a larger galaxy) with just four races.  All the races except mine start as mature and at tech level three; I'm a step down from that.  The idea is that I'm playing a human colony group that recently established itself in this area of the galaxy.  After a small build-up, the humans encounter one of the two hive mind insectile races in the area, thus kicking off the "Hive-Human War."  What's great is that I can start this scenario in a way that everyone already has advanced ship types like carriers and other decent tech.  The game plays out a lot more like a war game then than your traditional 4x grind. 

Add DW's great automation in, and it starts to get tough to even think about playing other 4X games.

Quote from: PanzersEast on March 07, 2013, 11:47:04 AM

Quote from: JasonPratt on March 06, 2013, 05:25:10 PM
This is why DL has been rightly compared to Dominions 3.

Except far far moreso.  8)

Dominions 3.... in my bin!

Grogheads has a slow (5-day turnaround) Dom3 game being worked up here (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=4996.0), if you're interested.

Good man, Jason!!
Yeah PE, jump in!

I'm still a newb and going through the tutorial of Dominions 3... I would get crushed, but I am still interested in jumping in one.

I am playing the Humans - Narg Council and have a escalating situation.  The Kantreem Dominion borders my zone and we have been competing for space.  They have since sanctioned a trade embargo on me.  I recently opened up free trade with the Enton Nation and then we entered into a defense pack together.  I also border them.  I am currently last in military and the Enton Nation is 3rd with the Kantreem Dominion being the big boy on the block.

Shortly after the trade embargo I asked the Entons to impose a trade embargo on the Kantreem and they agreed.  I then ordered my RedStar Fleet (main battle fleet) to blockade a new found system to the north of us which I felt the Kantreem should not have colonized.  It appears things are desenegrating fast between us as they are now furious with us but have since offered to end the Embargo if I gave up one of my mining stations.... I said no.

We have to wait and see from here, but things do not look good, they colonized system to the north of us and then the south was the last straw for me.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1307.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fs592%2FPanzersEast%2FDW_zps52fb8a20.jpg&hash=4f8f3dc21487f93aacc3c646c73e7ef39d2f9669)

 

Yeah, you're definitely in an interesting situation there.  Don't let the Kantreem give you any crap, though! 

Quote from: Martok on March 10, 2013, 04:50:13 PM
Yeah, you're definitely in an interesting situation there.  Don't let the Kantreem give you any crap, though!

The 1st Narg - Kantreem war....

The Kantreem colonized a world in my system (to the West) and refused to order their military ships out of my space (although their diplomate agreed to) I ordered an invasion of their newly settled colony and the colony directly to my north. I next ordered my Anti Pirate fleet to attack the ships they refused to remove from my territory and ordered the 1st Imperial Fleet to escort the invasion of the new colony to the west.

Once the enemy ships were destroyed and the colony in the west was secured, the Kantreem declared war and sent a large fleet to recapture the colony lost.  A large battle ensued where several of their troop carrier were destroyed, as well as some of my and their DD.  I had one Cruiser damaged, but I repulsed their attack.

Mean while, I had the 2nd Imperial Fleet escort a new landing fleet to capture the colony to the North (The Blockaded colony).  We took this one with ease and destroyed 2 of their frigates in the process.  Since then we have negotiated peace, however they continue to antagonize me, hence the 1st war title.

I still am lagging behind in military size, however I just designed a Torpedo Cruiser and started construction on defense stations at the newly colonized planets as they are on the front lines.  The colony to the north gives me the most concern as we have positioned for that area because of the fuel resources.  The 2nd war may be preemptive from me this time.

I've started a new campaign in the Extended Mod, this time as the United Shandar Alliance.  I'm playing on a max-size map, normal difficulty with 19 other (randomized) races. 

I'm off to a good start, with a strong economy, sufficient mining bases to supply my needs, and a reasonably strong navy to protect my territory.  I've colonized 3 (volcanic) worlds, and I'm about to grab an independent Shandar colony as well (our original homeworld, in fact!).  I also stumbled across an old (but still functional) colony ship inhabited by a machine race (I forget their name), which will allow me to colonize a desert planet/moon on top of everything else. 

So far, I haven't had to worry too much about my neighbors:  I've run into half a dozen other folks so far (including the Ancient Guardians), but we're all getting along pretty well.  My biggest threat to this point has been pirates, and everyone in the region have been diligent about going after them (with the AG's as usual leading the way).  I accidentally got into a scuffle with our neighbors to the southwest when -- amusingly -- we simultaneously sent a fleet to destroy the same pirate base, but quick apologies were made on both sides, so no worries there (at least for now). 

If anything, my biggest overall concern at the moment is the Ancient Guardians, who seem to establish mining bases all over the damn place.  If I wasn't so hilariously out-teched and out-gunned by them, I'd honestly consider launching a quick-strike assault to take their homeworld.  As it is, however, I'll simply have to live with them; if nothing else, they'll probably prove useful if/when the Shakturi show up... 

Hrmm..

Been waiting to see if they're gonna pop a sale on Legends before the new one hits.  *taps foot*

I'm just gonna throw this out there:

Warhammer40K megamod for Distant Legends == something that ought to be done.

Quote from: JasonPratt on March 11, 2013, 01:39:24 PM
I'm just gonna throw this out there:

Warhammer40K megamod for Distant Legends == something that ought to be done.

+1!

PE

Quote from: Nefaro on March 11, 2013, 01:15:08 PM
Hrmm..

Been waiting to see if they're gonna pop a sale on Legends before the new one hits.  *taps foot*

If there's a sale for DW (including Legends), it'll likely be *when* Shadows gets released.  Matrix likes to do this stuff simultaneously. 

If you buy Return from Matrix right now you get 20% off of Legends if you buy it at the same time.

Some screenshots from my new Shandar campaign: 





(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1108.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh412%2FRotarrin%2FDistant%2520Worlds%2FShandarleader_zps9d65cafd.jpg&hash=2fc62965c7b259c34a6faf4a0be180be7514138e)

My leader.  He has the "weak" and "pacifist" traits, which negatively impacts my people's war-weariness and troop-recruitment rate, but otherwise he's got decent stats overall (he also has the "organized" and "tolerant" traits, which really helps). 

The Shandar are a new race added in the Extended Mod, and are unusual in that Volcanic planets/moons are their habitat of choice.  This generally translates into more worlds available for colonization -- Continental planets/moons (which the majority of DW races prefer) are the least common type -- and their colonies are also more resistant to disasters. 

Shandar are also natural optimists, giving them a big happiness bonus, which is crucial for one of their race-specific victory conditions: having the happiest population.  They're kind of portrayed as being stupidly over-trusting, yet of a sunny disposition. 



(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1108.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh412%2FRotarrin%2FDistant%2520Worlds%2FShandarhomeworld_zps7ff76c84.jpg&hash=1c17eba0c3ed83d0f2c808fbbc2db9727b18930d)

New Shandar, my capital.  In addition to Station McKinley (a large spaceport), it's currently protected by 3 defensive bases and the 3rd Fleet (the ships with a pink circle around them).  Just off-screen, I also have the 5th Fleet assembling, although their duties lay elsewhere and will be departing shortly. 



(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1108.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh412%2FRotarrin%2FDistant%2520Worlds%2FShandardiplomaticview_zps06e793f2.jpg&hash=e13185cac638555f4184314d4957e7404b3a6ef1)

The diplomacy screen.  I've met a couple new races since I last posted, notably both the Humans and XHumans -- they don't like each other very much (understatement alert!!).  And yes, those are five separate pirate factions, only one of which I know the location to their base.  Grr. 

Fortunately, aside from the two Human facitons (and even that should only be temporary), most folks are cool with me.  My closest pals are -- thank goodness! -- the Ancient Guardians, who think I'm the cat's meow (they like my style of government - Utopian Paradise).  The Lipid Alliance and Riktoh Corporation are also on pretty good terms with me, although I'm concerned about possible border disputes in the future (especially with the latter). 

Interestingly, the Humans and Ancient Guardians are the only races from vanilla Distant Worlds: Legends that I've run into so far.  The other races are all new, courtesy of the Extended Mod.  Kinda cool, especially as I set the other empires to "random". 



(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1108.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh412%2FRotarrin%2FDistant%2520Worlds%2FShandaroverview1_zpsb20f8375.jpg&hash=a95cfdfba788843dbd75245e0a951ce47a805582)

The overall situation in my corner of the galaxy. 


The pink folks to the east are the Ancient Guardians.  Because of some of the colonies I've established, a number of their mining & research stations are now in "my" territory, and (in a couple cases) even in systems I've colonized.  The AG's aren't in a snit over this, though, and I'm more than willing to let sleeping dogs lie. 

To the southeast (in the light tan color) is the Lipid Alliance.  I can only see their one world, which is (thus far) their sole colony outside of their capital. 

The purple people in the southwest are the XHumans.  While they don't hint at any real hostile intent, I'm still going to be keeping an eye on them.  They have 10 colonies to my 6, and are close enough to me in military strength that I'm not going to take them lightly. 

The white territory in the north/northwest is the Riktoh.  They're expanding like crazy, having already colonized ten worlds, and they've blocked off any chance for me to expand in that direction.  Could be a problem.  (Their military strength is only around half my own, though...) 

Not pictured is the Ketaros Realm.  Although I haven't actually found their territory yet, I'm pretty sure they're somewhere to the south of me.  These are the guys I had a minor incident with earlier when we both sent fleets to eradicate a pirate's nest. 

Also not pictured:  The Humans and the Visareen, who I believe are both somewhere off to the west. 



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A closer look at the east/southeast. 

In between the Ancient Guardians and Lipid sits Heilcet, my lone desert colony; I was able to settle it thanks to that lost colony ship of Ortain (the machine race I mentioned in my earlier post).  That's where the 5th Fleet is being deployed.  Not that I really anticipate problems with the Lipid (and not at all with the AG's), but better safe than sorry.  Also, there's been increased pirate activity along my southern frontier as of late. 



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The southwest. 

My main concern in this area is -- again, and at least for the moment -- pirates.  However, the XHumans' expansion makes me mildly anxious.  I *was* going to withdraw & redeploy 1st Fleet (upper-right of the screen) after they were done refueling, but I think I'm going to have them stick around for a while... 



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The northern marches. 

More than anywhere else in the Alliance, it's here where things are most likely to get...sporty.  ;)  This region has it all: 

1.)  Encroachment by a rapidly-expanding neighbor (the Riktoh).

2.)  Pirates (see their base south of Perec Major, the Riktohs' eastern-most colony).

3.)  My 4th Fleet (based at Brintaal Junction at bottom of screen) preparing to take out said pirate base.

4.)  In the Dirra system, a newly-discovered independent Shandur world I'm about to colonize (see yellow circle in upper-right)...just outside of current Riktoh territory. 

5.)  More pirates -- "guarding" said Shandur world (in the Dirra system). 



After 4th Fleet takes out the pirate base, they're moving to Dirra -- to deal with the pirates there, and (if necessary) to deal with the Riktoh.  We'll see what happens... 

I finally got a chance to play my first game ever of DW (I have Legends). I like it so far. Very different from previous 4x space games I've played. I feel like I'm playing Europa Universalis 3 in space.  8)

@Martok
Looks like you are getting squeezed on each side.... don't trust those xHumans!  You may have to wedge yourself in the West.

@bbmike
That is the feeling I got when I started playing.... very deep political options (one of the best I have seen in a game).  There are so many things going on in the galaxy that you feel like you are the head of a race that is depended on your decisions.. and the automation never makes me feel like I am not in control, on the contrary it makes me feel like I am making vital decisions.  I find DW to be EU3 +++++  ;)

PE

A French site called Net4War did an interview (http://www.net4war.com/news.php?id_news=880)  with Erik Rutins regarding the upcoming Shadows expansion.  (To read the English version, scroll about 3/5 of the way down the screen.) 


It's a veritable info dump, especially with regards to planetary invasions and the new space-based factions.  Of the latter, there are four main types you can choose to play as: Raider, Smuggler, Mercenary, and Balanced.  Regarding the former, here's a big chunk of what Erik had to say about it: 

QuoteThe ground combat screen has two main parts. The first is the planet surface and the second is the space/orbit section. At any time, players can click on the troops area on a planet that is under attack to watch the combat unfold.

Each new unit type plays a role and you can watch the invading forces move from space to the planet surface, while being engaged by the planetary defenses. Once on the surface, special forces may go after the planetary defenses, while armor, mech and infantry troops fight it out. You can watch each unit and see which enemy it is engaging while also monitoring their strength and casualties.

As with Legends, characters can have a big impact (in the form of Generals, who also gains some new abilities), as can various new combined arms and attack/counter-attack bonuses for the right combination of troop types relative to the enemy forces.

On paper, at least, this sounds quite promising.  I especially like that Generals will be more important now and receive additional abilities, as they admittedly feel somewhat underutilized in Legends. 

Quote from: bbmike on March 11, 2013, 06:14:56 PM
I finally got a chance to play my first game ever of DW (I have Legends). I like it so far. Very different from previous 4x space games I've played. I feel like I'm playing Europa Universalis 3 in space.  8)

Awesome, bbmike!  You still enjoying the game, then? 

QuoteFor example, you can now set a garrison level on each planet to make sure you keep a minimum level of troops there even when loading transports.

This should make managing invasion forces easier. Leave a small garrison on newly conquered planets and pick up the rest with out having to tell individual transports to load. I just want to AI to be smart enough to load a balanced ground force mix when I tell transports to load from the nearest colonies.

QuoteIn Shadows we've made the most significant improvements to the performance of the graphics and memory management in Distant Worlds since the original release.

Wonder if this means they are moving the rendering of graphics from the CPU to the GPU.

Quote from: Kushan on March 20, 2013, 02:10:51 PM
Wonder if this means they are moving the rendering of graphics from the CPU to the GPU.

I really hope so.  Even on a very fast machine huge battles can turn into a slideshow.

OK so having my first game of Legends. Enjoyable but does get busy once you start expanding, finding getting around screens not too easy.

Have a question though - Planet Invasions.

Having a war with my nearest neighbour, I attacked his home system and one of my fleets took his second colony. We battled over his main colony to a stalemate and so I signed a peace treaty that stated I would gain the colony I took plus 2 others. However once signed the one I took reverted to the old ruler and his ships were still attacking my shipping. Annoyed now I declared war and sent the bulk of my fleets to his home planet and the one I took before. According to fleet screen I have plenty of troops on my ships but no invasion. Meanwhile his fleets take 2 of my outer colonies!!

So how do you complete a successful invasion?

Quote from: Martok on March 20, 2013, 11:52:11 AM
Awesome, bbmike!  You still enjoying the game, then?

I was, but then I became distracted by Armada 2526 Supernova. I've had that game for a while but just gave it a try about a week ago. I think it's my favorite 4x turn based space game for now.
I plan to start a new game of Distant Worlds soon. I'm going to try a larger map with more opponents. I might even turn on pirates this time.  ;D

Eric posted some high res screenshot from the interview.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3206160&mpage=17&key= (http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3206160&mpage=17&key=)

Quote from: bbmike on March 21, 2013, 05:37:59 AM

Quote from: Martok on March 20, 2013, 11:52:11 AM
Awesome, bbmike!  You still enjoying the game, then?

I was, but then I became distracted by Armada 2526 Supernova. I've had that game for a while but just gave it a try about a week ago. I think it's my favorite 4x turn based space game for now.
I plan to start a new game of Distant Worlds soon. I'm going to try a larger map with more opponents. I might even turn on pirates this time.  ;D

The games no fun if you don't play with pirates turned on.