Space 4x : horizons (early access)

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 12:21:09 PM

Anybody try this out yet??

http://store.steampowered.com/app/236130/%20
http://forum.l3o.com/

Another space 4x! Thinking of picking up early access but I had not heard anything about it. Anyone here know anything??

OJsDad · July 14, 2013, 01:35:41 PM

Space Sector has a first look at the alpha release;

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2013/07/horizon-alpha-first-look/

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 02:57:51 PM

I picked it up. I kind of like research:

"The research system is quite peculiar and interesting. I would dare to say novel. First you discover new techs, through events or diplomacy gifts (the two occasions where I discovered new techs) but the game manual states other ways to discover techs (through archaeological digs, mission quests and advances on other technologies of that field). But, you can't do anything with techs right after you first discover them.

First, you need to study them, and eventually you'll make a breakthrough and can start using them at their most basic level, more precisely at level 1. Then, after that, you enter in a process called tech "refinement" where each time you make a breakthrough on that tech, it upgrades one level for extra damage/range or whatever the effect, and there seems to be many refinement levels available."

Huw the Poo · July 14, 2013, 03:05:04 PM

That is interesting. I wonder if it would lead to frustration when you've played a few games though. I mean, when you want that one tech but it just never appears. Perhaps you can engineer chances to get them through missions...?

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 03:56:22 PM

Seems more realistic though.

Steelgrave · July 14, 2013, 04:02:47 PM

I just added Stardrive and Doom III on top of the other games I've bought. Man, I'm never gonna have time to play all of these, especially considering that I haven't been able to walk away from Fallen Enchantress LE or Civ V. This is like buying cases of pickles at Sam's because they're a good value, ha! Forget that you'll never eat 'em all.

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 07:42:00 PM

Played through the tutorial. It seems very stable so that's good. Also quite polished...UI is quick, no spelling errors or graphical glitches. Just touched the surface of gameplay but I think this will be a good one. Everything is turn based including combat. Combat seems like Moo2...very "pew pew". Nothing glamorous at all so don't expect Nexus;jupiter or Homeworld combat here.

System graphics are good. Planets look great and there are even cool cut scenes when you colonize
They use an "evening news" broadcast to update you on certain things. Good idea but looks cheesy.

I like the tech system as described above.

Ship design is basic but I don't have a lot of tech developed yet so I can't say how deep it is. There are 4 chassis basically...scout, medium, large and ....huger or something like that. Anyway, you choose one of the subclasses under one if those. So for example, if you wanted to build a colonizer ship, you honor "medium" and drop down to "colonizer". This brings up an outline of your ship and a diagram of slots and toys to put in them. Nothing new but something in think every 4x needs.

What I like most is the system view. It's more immersive to have planets look like planets (like ES or Star drive) and less like gobstoppers or paper cutouts. Is also nice to have a game that doesn't let you colonize everything. I'm sorry, but I don't foresee a technology allowing us to colonize Venus or Jupiter..."oh look, we discovered "gas giant tech!! Now we can colonize that planet with 50x earths gravity and crushing atmospheric pressure!!"

Nope, colonies will be on actual colonizable planets...mars is it until you branch out.

There is also an interesting supply dynamic I have not gotten into yet. I had 3 ships at Pluto and every turn I get a message that the ships have been supplied. I ordered the scout to checkout a nearby star and next turn i got a message saying that it was out of supplies and out of supply range. So I imagine you could put enough fuel tanks on it to get there but if it used up missiles or whatever, it would have to fly back to the Sol system to get resupplied.

Seems planets get into combat too. There are options to build planetary missile batteries, lasers and barracks.

Oh yeah, fleets. Basically, you grab whatever ships you want and put them together in a fleet. Simple, but considering tactical combat is turn based, what you do with your fleet is up to you, so there is no point is having tactical options or formations.

Can't comment on diplo yet.

I have not played a lot but I like it. It's definitely an alpha but a very polished and "clean" one. Some features are still missing like race customization and creating bigger galaxies. Get about 60 stars for now but there are place markers there for 160 stars or so.

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 08:45:35 PM

Ok, played around a little more. At this point, I would hold off. It's not a bad game but it just lacks "soul" right now.

Diplomacy is horrible... Horrible. Not how it works so much, just that they make it corny. I was contacted by these little guys with big ears. The guy says "hey there fella, lets make a deal...you promise not to trade with the guy names "big Lou" and we will give you fusion engines" shows a picture of "big Lou" and he is an alien in a shitty blue tuxedo...wtf??

As usual, there is potential, just need a filling out. It is an alpha after all

Jarhead0331 · July 14, 2013, 09:09:34 PM

Quote from: mikeck on July 14, 2013, 08:45:35 PM
Ok, played around a little more. At this point, I would hold off. It's not a bad game but it just lacks "soul" right now.

Diplomacy is horrible... Horrible. Not how it works so much, just that they make it corny. I was contacted by these little guys with big ears. The guy says "hey there fella, lets make a deal...you promise not to trade with the guy names "big Lou" and we will give you fusion engines" shows a picture of "big Lou" and he is an alien in a shitty blue tuxedo...wtf??

As usual, there is potential, just need a filling out. It is an alpha after all

Couldn't you have posted this before that? :(

mikeck · July 14, 2013, 10:16:27 PM

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on July 14, 2013, 09:09:34 PM
Quote from: mikeck on July 14, 2013, 08:45:35 PM
Ok, played around a little more. At this point, I would hold off. It's not a bad game but it just lacks "soul" right now.

Diplomacy is horrible... Horrible. Not how it works so much, just that they make it corny. I was contacted by these little guys with big ears. The guy says "hey there fella, lets make a deal...you promise not to trade with the guy names "big Lou" and we will give you fusion engines" shows a picture of "big Lou" and he is an alien in a shitty blue tuxedo...wtf??

As usual, there is potential, just need a filling out. It is an alpha after all

Couldn't you have posted this before that? :(

Uhhh wha?

Well, if you mean the last post before the one before... I couldnt. As I mentioned, I had only played the tutorial and was reporting about it. At that point, it seemed pretty cool. As I finished the tutorial and played around (which I didn't think I would have time to do), I discovered that diplomacy blows and that the game was missing something.

Dunno what to tell ya

I just can't seem to find the 4x I want. DW SHOULD be it...but as great as it is, not doing it for me right now. I need more planetary development.

Jarhead0331 · July 15, 2013, 05:42:26 AM

Whatever...you owe me $18.99. You can transfer it directly to my paypal account. Thank you, sir.

undercovergeek · July 15, 2013, 06:27:10 AM

Quote from: mikeck on July 14, 2013, 08:45:35 PM
Ok, played around a little more. At this point, I would hold off. It's not a bad game but it just lacks "soul" right now.

Diplomacy is horrible... Horrible. Not how it works so much, just that they make it corny. I was contacted by these little guys with big ears. The guy says "hey there fella, lets make a deal...you promise not to trade with the guy names "big Lou" and we will give you fusion engines" shows a picture of "big Lou" and he is an alien in a shitty blue tuxedo...wtf??

As usual, there is potential, just need a filling out. It is an alpha after all

is it the ears or the tuxedos that upset you?

mikeck · July 15, 2013, 08:00:28 AM

What scares me is that one of the developed thought it would be a good idea to have either a tux or a mustache. Anyway. I don't regret the purchase as I would inevitably buy it at some point. It has some cool ideas that just need to be fleshed out. Seemed great during the tutorial...until you start playing and realize that you already did everything in the tutorial....