The Ultimate Tease for Pandora: First Contact
http://www.thelordzgamesstudio.com/site/2013/11/the-ultimate-tease-for-pandora-first-contact/
Giggity! I'm really looking forward to this one.
I assume this is closer to a Civ style game than a Alpha Centauri....
PE
Quote from: PanzersEast on November 13, 2013, 02:59:47 PM
I assume this is closer to a Civ style game than a Alpha Centauri....
PE
After playing the beta I would have to say much closer to Alpha Centauri. :)
LZ - Thanks for the early glimpse at the "manual". Will the game come with additional docs that cover gameplay, units, etc or will those topics be covered (hopefully) in a help/encyclopedia-type feature???
Quote from: bbmike on November 13, 2013, 03:27:55 PM
Quote from: PanzersEast on November 13, 2013, 02:59:47 PM
I assume this is closer to a Civ style game than a Alpha Centauri....
PE
After playing the beta I would have to say much closer to Alpha Centauri. :)
Looks like the factions are identical to SMAC except for the names. You have the spartan guys, the religious guys, the hive guys, the money guys, the scientist Gus and the tree huggers commanded of course, by a young girl. They didn't even try to distinguish them from SMAC.
Personally, this is a plus for me since any similarities with SMAC are good!
.
Quote from: eyebiter on November 14, 2013, 01:26:01 AM
http://pandora.proxy-studios.com/
PC, Mac, and Linux - good idea
The earth background on each page of the manual looks nice, however trying to print that PDF will drain ink reserves fast.
You might want consider a version of the manual with no background image and traditional black text for those who want to print the PDF.
There is a printable version that comes with the game. I know the NDA is being lifted today, but I think it has to be available for purchase first. When it is, I'll have plenty to say about this and SMAC.
Quote from: tgb on November 14, 2013, 08:56:18 AM
Quote from: eyebiter on November 14, 2013, 01:26:01 AM
http://pandora.proxy-studios.com/
PC, Mac, and Linux - good idea
The earth background on each page of the manual looks nice, however trying to print that PDF will drain ink reserves fast.
You might want consider a version of the manual with no background image and traditional black text for those who want to print the PDF.
There is a printable version that comes with the game. I know the NDA is being lifted today, but I think it has to be available for purchase first. When it is, I'll have plenty to say about this and SMAC.
I look forward to hearing your feedback.... because if it is close to SMAC, then it is an insta-buy for me. I remember seeing this game, however did not follow development of it.
JA gave it a positive review and said it was a worthy successor to SMAC.... with capable AI and good game mechanics (specifically native alien creatures that eventually turn hostile, random order of Tech tree, etc.....).
PE
it was on Matrix site as being released today but seems to have disappeared.
Release is today, isn't it?
James gives it a decent enought write up..
"While the game lacks significant innovation, those looking for a modern take on Alpha Centauri will not be disappointed."
http://www.outofeight.info/2013/11/pandora-first-contact-gameplay-review.html
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on November 14, 2013, 09:59:10 AM
Release is today, isn't it?
Today is suppose to be the day.... but have not seen much activity.
PE
... in the meantime ;D
shouldn't the The Ultimate Tease for Pandora look like that and not a half a pdf file ;)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi39.tinypic.com%2Fycayw.jpg&hash=070c8e47b05ec8d22d7b8f7bcac7d4ed975c5470)
Its out. $29.99 digital download. $44.99 for box edition+digital
http://matrixgames.com/products/435/details/Pandora:.First.Contact
The game is up for sale at the Matrix site, so I'm assuming the NDA is no longer in effect.
If you said that this looks like a modern SMAC, you win a cookie. The problem I have with it is that it copies SMAC too slavishly, right down to the names of units, the factions, and just about everything else. Other than the graphics, SMAC does everything better. Everything shows a lack of imagination, imo, from the victory conditions, to the faction descriptions. The only way this game differs, as others mentioned, is a wider variety of flora and fauna. Dialogue is goofy, and the A.I. is questionable. In several games an AI faction would declare war when first encountered for no discernable reason, and then sit on it's hands.
I don't want to say this is a bad game, because it's not, in spite of a couple of bugs that may or may not have been squashed (beta testers received their final build last Sunday, so I don't know how much has been done to fix the release version). It's just bland, generic, and, as long as you can still play SMAC on a modern system, unnecessary.
I think NDA's last into release...though how long I don't know. Just giving you a heads up...just in case. I'm ALL for honesty.
I stand corrected with this post from a Moderator at Matrix
Quote
Hey,
Sorry for the lack of info.
There will be a new trailer with the release and all that jazz.
Slitherine is keeping the NDA up until Thursday, but you can take a look at an AAR, check a preview or read through the story manual in the meantime.
Hope that helps,
Rok
And thank you for your honesty.
This was never on my radar anyway.
Quote from: JudgeDredd on November 14, 2013, 11:12:37 AM
I think NDA's last into release...though how long I don't know. Just giving you a heads up...just in case. I'm ALL for honesty.
It has been released. Read my post again.
Sorry - my use of the English language I guess. :)
By "into release" I meant past release (as in into the release date and beyond)
But as you can see anyway, I corrected myself with a post I found at Matrix.
MINE! It's all MINE! Come to me, my precioussssss........
There goes the rest of my day!
lol - someone wants it!
Pandora: First Contact Releases
http://www.thelordzgamesstudio.com/site/2013/11/pandora-first-contact-releases/
I can't download the game.
The first download started at somewhat reasonable speed, and then after a while just stalled towards the end forcing me to start downloading again.
And now it's downloading even slower than before (about 155KB/s) and looks like it is going to "get stuck" like the previous one.
Finally downloaded and installing :)
I would love to hear additional impressions. I like the idea, but the caveats that TGB gave have been pretty much spot-on with my impression of the game from afar.
I played around a bit with it. Graphics are nice and it seems polished. Two things I DONT like: no frickin documentation or manual outside of the "manual" that simply explains the factions..wtf? For example, there are tons of little icons denoting all sorts of things from minerals to fungus. But I don't know what any mean because I don't have a damn manual worth a crap.
Second: the tech tree seems awfully small. Now for me, that is not a big deal since research is just a means to get to better weapons...so the sooner I get there the better.
Can't say much else at this point. I would recommend at playing on "slow" or "epic" (or whatever they are called) instead of "standard" in regards to the speed of the games research. I blew through about 6 techs in about 20 turns.
Anywho...seems pretty fun. I mean, it is what if is...civ 5 in space...or a remake of alpha centauri. I suspect if you liked SMAC and are expecting a slightly less complex remake, you will like this. I don't sense this is complex as SMAC but am not sure.
(Edit: I do like that you can modify military units like changing weapons and armor and abilities and such. So you could make a heavily armored unit armed with flame throwers and have other infantry lighter armored but carrying rockets)
Quote from: tgb on November 14, 2013, 10:52:00 AM
The game is up for sale at the Matrix site, so I'm assuming the NDA is no longer in effect.
If you said that this looks like a modern SMAC, you win a cookie. The problem I have with it is that it copies SMAC too slavishly, right down to the names of units, the factions, and just about everything else. Other than the graphics, SMAC does everything better. Everything shows a lack of imagination, imo, from the victory conditions, to the faction descriptions. The only way this game differs, as others mentioned, is a wider variety of flora and fauna. Dialogue is goofy, and the A.I. is questionable. In several games an AI faction would declare war when first encountered for no discernable reason, and then sit on it's hands.
I don't want to say this is a bad game, because it's not, in spite of a couple of bugs that may or may not have been squashed (beta testers received their final build last Sunday, so I don't know how much has been done to fix the release version). It's just bland, generic, and, as long as you can still play SMAC on a modern system, unnecessary.
Except I'm kinda of a graphics who're and SMAC makes by eyes hurt on my monitor
Quote from: mikeck on November 14, 2013, 05:42:50 PM
Except I'm kinda of a graphics who're and SMAC makes by eyes hurt on my monitor
Seize the heretic and burn him! ;D
Lol. Yep. Same reason I don't play John Tiller games. I think TW graphics are so bad that one of his civil war games actually have me a brain tumor.
Quote from: mikeck on November 14, 2013, 06:04:59 PM
Lol. Yep. Same reason I don't play John Tiller games. I think TW graphics are so bad that one of his civil war games actually have me a brain tumor.
Oh my god, so true!
Any more impressions?
Bearing in mind I've not played the beta in a few weeks, and that I didn't got around to playing SMAC enough to make a worthwhile comparison, I generally like what I've seen so far.
Cons: I agree the tech tree is small, and that the documentation is lacking. In addition, the AI felt somewhat anemic when I last played it -- not horrible, but no better than average IMO. Pandora also probably isn't quite as deep as SMAC, although you may want to take that statement with a grain of salt, given how long it's been since I've played the latter (and how little time I spent on it even at the time).
Pros: It's got a fairly modest learning curve (for a strategy game), it's somewhat more streamlined (but without being dumbed down), the UI is (for the most part) reasonably easy to figure out, unit design is fun, and I find it to have decent atmosphere -- it really does feel like an alien (and sometimes hostile) world that you're on. The game's immersion factor isn't hurt by the fact that it looks nice and "science-fiction-y" (intentionally or not, I'm reminded of, well, the planet Pandora from Avatar); while I don't think I'm a graphics whore, I do have to compliment the game's visuals & aesthetics.
FWIW, I'll definitely be getting this in the next few weeks (just gotta get paid first!).
The best description I can give is:" the game is what you think it is". Basically, it's SMAC light with updated UI and graphics. Is it worth $30? Well yes...so long as you are looking for an updated version of SMAC with a bit less complexity. It's not that it's "simple" or basic...but no terraforming new mountains and stuff like that.
Also, because there is no manual, I have no idea of there even is diplomacy let alone how it works.
I like it though
I was watching a few let's play videos and one of them showed the player research Guerrilla Warfare...why are you required to research a concept that was pioneered, I dunno, hundreds of years prior to the point in which the game takes place? Little things like that bother me.
Is there any strategic use of satellites or spaceborne weapons? The feature list mentioned assaults behind enemy lines with drop pods and that sort of got me excited...
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on November 15, 2013, 04:10:23 PM
I was watching a few let's play videos and one of them showed the player research Guerrilla Warfare...why are you required to research a concept that was pioneered, I dunno, hundreds of years prior to the point in which the game takes place? Little things like that bother me.
Is there any strategic use of satellites or spaceborne weapons? The feature list mentioned assaults behind enemy lines with drop pods and that sort of got me excited...
Dunno...would love to tell you (as I "discovered" the satellite tech) about that and "operations" you can choose to conduct... BUT THERE IS NO ^%$&-ing manual so I have no idea what to do with half of the things I do discover
So frustrating because I like the game I just can't figure out how to completely play it is it that hard to write a damned instruction manual?
Well after my first attempt at a game, I highly recommend playing with "alien aggression" at low. I played with it on medium and after about turn 39 or so, I was building nothing but troops to replace the troops that were dying by constant enemy attacks. I would also lose cities now and then. 100% of my effort went into fighting alien life.
Adam Solo over at SpaceSector has posted his initial impressions (http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2013/11/pandora-first-contact-first-impressions/). Sounds like he's generally liking it so far.
I also had fun with the beta. While a proper manual would be nice, gameplay is rather intuitive. I agree that it is Alpha Centauri lite but that is not a bad thing if you just want to unwind a bit with a fun strategy game.
Only played a bit of this, but am enjoying it so far - its quite streamlined I think, which helps me get short quick bursts of gaming out of the game, and I haven't got to keep a paper log just to remember where I am. Was going well first medium game I had, until the end game neared, and I had to force a war condition between one of the weaker AI's - thinking I'd mop them up and use their resources to build up to face off against the big boy, I didn't anticipate having to fight both of them at the same time. The stronger AI rolled over me then! Wow. I was shanked by the old switcheroo, the same tactic I was trying to employ myself!
My advice, even Goliaths in boats fall with one hit. Keep them on land if you can. :)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F94fNp4P.jpg&hash=e3bab13d5ed0a134206317852803e1b1d278ec70)
Very cool Pandora: First Contact video.
Anyone still playing this? I went to the Matrix forum to see what players had to say and found it almost void of any threads except for a few technical issues. Anything more thoughts beyond the initial ones posted earlier in this thread?
Most activity for this game is at Slitherine, Beta testing also took place there:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=173
Quote from: Lord Zimoa on November 19, 2013, 07:00:00 PM
Most activity for this game is at Slitherine, Beta testing also took place there:
http://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=173
Thanks for the link...quite a lot of activity/discussion there!
Quote from: Rayfer on November 19, 2013, 04:47:21 PM
Anyone still playing this? I went to the Matrix forum to see what players had to say and found it almost void of any threads except for a few technical issues. Anything more thoughts beyond the initial ones posted earlier in this thread?
I'm enjoying it. It's a pretty polished game but there is nothing groundbreaking here. It's a simplified civ 5 on another planet basically. That's a good thing!
Rob Clark puts up a good review of the game
http://www.oneguytoomanygames.com/2013/11/pandora-first-contact-review.html
just picked this up as I have never played smac :o yeah you heard me right, i have never played smac :-[
Quote from: spelk on November 20, 2013, 03:28:27 AM
Rob Clark puts up a good review of the game
http://www.oneguytoomanygames.com/2013/11/pandora-first-contact-review.html
Thanks for the link,
spelk. Yeah, that was a pretty thorough (and well-written) review.
The game generally seems to be garnering positive feedback so far. It sounds like the consensus thus far is that there's not much revolutionary or "new" (which I would agree with, given what I saw in the beta), but what Pandora *does* do, it does well.
Quote from: CptHowdy on November 20, 2013, 03:25:12 PM
just picked this up as I have never played smac :o yeah you heard me right, i have never played smac :-[
I wouldn't feel too bad about that. I daresay there's quite a few of us that haven't played certain classic strategy games (gods knows I'm one of them myself), including SMAC. At least you have the courage to admit it! :D
Hello, my name is Jason, and I've never played with SMAC.
(But I'm thinking about playing this. 8) )
As usual, I'm loving this game, but am struggling to hold it all together. A Shameful admission, but I start out with good plans, but once things start rolling, my economy goes to pot, I focus too much on the twiddling with units, and then I get steam rollered by either, the wildlife, or the AI who have got sick of my placation routine. I think the micro later on just simply overwhelms me. So like Leia pleading into R2D2, here's me asking Civ/SMAC/4X/City Builder fanatics for help, you're my only hope... on Pandora..
Quote from: spelk on December 02, 2013, 01:42:09 PM
As usual, I'm loving this game, but am struggling to hold it all together. A Shameful admission, but I start out with good plans, but once things start rolling, my economy goes to pot, I focus too much on the twiddling with units, and then I get steam rollered by either, the wildlife, or the AI who have got sick of my placation routine. I think the micro later on just simply overwhelms me. So like Leia pleading into R2D2, here's me asking Civ/SMAC/4X/City Builder fanatics for help, you're my only hope... on Pandora..
LOL...+1. I have this same problem with all these Civ-like games, I start out great then hit the mid-game where things start to fall apart and then the end game when catastrophe strikes. Not sure why but it is happenin in Pandora as well. I'm into my second game and the indigenous creatures are getting very, very aggressive.
Shamefully, I've set up a match, with easy difficulty on everything, with ONE AI player, and they still trounce me!!! I must just be utter shit at this game. But I really enjoy the exploration, and the unit crafting... and the unit naming. In fact I can spend more time coming up with cool names for custom troopers "Flamekin", "Beastkin", "Steelrollers" etc.. than I spend mulling over the farmer/miner/worker/scientist rotations. Perhaps thats where I'm going wrong?
In fact if I could set up a world, where all I had to fight was the wildlife, I'd buy that for a dollar!
Lol...I'm having the opposite problem. Everyone is ignoring me! My military is only 2 stars...the weakest of the six players. I would think they would be attacking me left and right. No one is fighting anyone.
SpaceSector's review is up (http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2013/12/pandora-first-contact-review/). They scored it 8.3 (out of 10).
For those who don't have the patience to read it (their reviews tend to be extremely lengthy), here's the rundown:
Quote
The Good:
- Excellent stability and performance (very low turn-time)
- Easy to pick up due to low learning curve and user-friendly UI
- Fun and replayable tech progression due to tech tree's random nature
- Good AI that is both competent in managing its cities as challenging in the battlefield
- Elegant and micromanagement-friendly economy allows for the specialization of cities
- Interesting and diverse fauna and flora provides a nice sense of discovery
- Very enjoyable warfare that really makes you think offering diverse customizable units
- Support actions/operations are very fun to use (e.g. nukes, sat scans and black holes)
The Bad:
- Diplomacy is too simple and too predictable
- The factions are not innovative or special enough, and are also too few
- Gameplay a bit light (e.g. no espionage, social policies and simple terraforming)
- Not as immersive as Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (similar game from the 90′s)
Oh yeah, and I just finally purchased the game this morning. Looking forward to trying out the "finished" product". :)
Martok...to me, the tech tree randomization should be under the 'bad' heading, not the 'good'. There is no logic, rhyme nor reason to it. You research farming that opens up steel plates which opens up stock market....huh? And that's only in that game, in the next they are all jumbled up differently. It makes planning to take a military, economic or whatever path, next to impossible. But overall I like the game, it's easy to learn, moves along at a nice pace and has that 'just one more turn' feel.
Quote from: Rayfer on December 08, 2013, 03:48:37 PM
Martok...to me, the tech tree randomization should be under the 'bad' heading, not the 'good'. There is no logic, rhyme nor reason to it. You research farming that opens up steel plates which opens up stock market....huh? And that's only in that game, in the next they are all jumbled up differently. It makes planning to take a military, economic or whatever path, next to impossible. But overall I like the game, it's easy to learn, moves along at a nice pace and has that 'just one more turn' feel.
I agree...why do I have to research hydro-farming in order to discover nuclear weapons delivery? Or metallurgy in order to get guerrilla warfare
Quote from: mikeck on December 08, 2013, 04:55:40 PM
Quote from: Rayfer on December 08, 2013, 03:48:37 PM
Martok...to me, the tech tree randomization should be under the 'bad' heading, not the 'good'. There is no logic, rhyme nor reason to it. You research farming that opens up steel plates which opens up stock market....huh? And that's only in that game, in the next they are all jumbled up differently. It makes planning to take a military, economic or whatever path, next to impossible. But overall I like the game, it's easy to learn, moves along at a nice pace and has that 'just one more turn' feel.
I agree...why do I have to research hydro-farming in order to discover nuclear weapons delivery? Or metallurgy in order to get guerrilla warfare
While you're thinking about it, try asking why you have to research guerrilla warfare at all in the first place.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 08, 2013, 05:58:40 PM
Quote from: mikeck on December 08, 2013, 04:55:40 PM
Quote from: Rayfer on December 08, 2013, 03:48:37 PM
Martok...to me, the tech tree randomization should be under the 'bad' heading, not the 'good'. There is no logic, rhyme nor reason to it. You research farming that opens up steel plates which opens up stock market....huh? And that's only in that game, in the next they are all jumbled up differently. It makes planning to take a military, economic or whatever path, next to impossible. But overall I like the game, it's easy to learn, moves along at a nice pace and has that 'just one more turn' feel.
I agree...why do I have to research hydro-farming in order to discover nuclear weapons delivery? Or metallurgy in order to get guerrilla warfare
While you're thinking about it, try asking why you have to research guerrilla warfare at all in the first place.
LOL...touche'. But then.....you are humans on an alien world where the flora and fauna are unlike anything you have ever seen or encountered. Conducting guerrilla warfare under those conditions might be something one needs to research and learn? Just saying.
I freely concede the structure of
Pandora's randomized tech trees lacks a certain...logic. ??? It does need to be addressed IMO.
That being said, I'm still enjoying my first game so far. I'm playing the techie faction and currently fighting off the native fauna. Fun!
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 08, 2013, 05:58:40 PM
While you're thinking about it, try asking why you have to research guerrilla warfare at all in the first place.
I'll admit that's something that irritates me in quite a few strategy games. Needing to research things like "Alliances", "Democratic Governments", "Ground Combat", etc. has always baffled/annoyed me.
Quote from: Martok on December 09, 2013, 05:49:56 AM
I freely concede the structure of Pandora's randomized tech trees lacks a certain...logic. ??? It does need to be addressed IMO.
That being said, I'm still enjoying my first game so far. I'm playing the techie faction and currently fighting off the native fauna. Fun!
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 08, 2013, 05:58:40 PM
While you're thinking about it, try asking why you have to research guerrilla warfare at all in the first place.
I'll admit that's something that irritates me in quite a few strategy games. Needing to research things like "Alliances", "Democratic Governments", "Ground Combat", etc. has always baffled/annoyed me.
I'm enjoying the game too, especially mounting expeditions to destroy the hives to put a stop to the endlessly spawning alien creatures that love to attack my cities. Quite a lot of fun.
im finding this title meh at the moment. im just seeing no reason to fire it up when I have FE:LH or warlock :-\
Quote from: CptHowdy on December 09, 2013, 11:17:54 AM
im finding this title meh at the moment. im just seeing no reason to fire it up when I have FE:LH or warlock :-\
Same for me...good game,
Just doesn't blow my skirt up.