Sid Meier's Starships

[FarAway Sooner]

Could be good...  Or it could be Civilization 5 with no terrain and space ships instead of ground units.  Have to wait and see what game play features they introduce.  Because, frankly, Space 4x games these days have introduced a lot of different interesting innovations.

[Tpek]

Okay... another game to drain my bank account.  :P

[Huw the Poo]

Sorry but I'm with Jarhead and tgb on this one.  A scarcity of detail, it will be ready soon suggesting a very short development cycle, and it will be available on iPad.  Pfft.  This is going to be Ace Patrol in space.  Hardly anything to get worked up about.

[Barthheart]

....
2:  Yep, Sid is a brand now, and I too want to know who's developing this.
...

From the GameSpot article:

Starships was developed by Meier and a small team at Firaxis. Check back later this week for an in-depth interview with Meier about his new development team, and lots more.

[Barthheart]

Anybody read Spanish?

Interview with Sid on Spanish website:
http://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/avances/21338/4375/0/sid-meiers-starships/

[BanzaiCat]

Anybody read Spanish?

Interview with Sid on Spanish website:
http://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/avances/21338/4375/0/sid-meiers-starships/

Open it in Chrome...Chrome should prompt you, asking if you want to translate it.

[Barthheart]

Blah! Not using Chrome. 

How about German:

http://www.eurogamer.de/articles/2015-01-19-sid-meiers-starships-eine-ganze-galaxis-nur-fuer-euch

[bbmike]

Paste the url into Google search. In the results there will be an option to translate the page. Off to read...

[steve58]

Do we know yet if this is actually Sid's design, or just more branding?

...sounds like he was intimately involved.

As I said this is the game in which I have been working for the past year and a half-year. I designed the gameplay and artificial intelligence, have worked with the team and have done work related to graphics and sound. I have also been involved in some parts of the interface.

...CHrome translated from the Spanish article.

[jomni]

Why can't Sid just make a proper space 4x?

Looks fairly close to it...don't you think?

No. I don't. From the description, it sounds more like you have a fleet of ships that travel around space to combat threats against colonized worlds.  I don't see anything to suggest that there is any building, colony management, or combat on planets.  I want Civilization in space, somewhat along the lines of Emperor of the Fading Suns. Start with a planet and then explore. Land forces on other planets and colonize and build. Done properly, a game like this would simply be epic.

Because they make more money by splitting the 4x concept into several parts instead of an all-in-one game.

[Dread Rlyeh]

This doesn't sounds very promising to me, and given that I haven't been impressed with the recent Firaxis offerings, I'm not too hopeful.

I think the only way we are going to get the game we want is if we do it ourselves. 

Step 1. Incorporate
Step 2. Kickstart Overlord of the Dying Stars
Step 3. Get some interns that we pay in sandwiches.
Step 4.  ???
Step 5.  Profit!   

[Nefaro]

Yay!

Overloard of the Dying Stars 1908!

[Gusington]

I'm assuming the Byzantine faction will be available at release and not in a future DLC.

[Dread Rlyeh]

I'm assuming the Byzantine faction will be available at release and not in a future DLC.

I suggest we meet with a Vaporware consultant and plan marketing strategies before disclosing any details :) 

[Jarhead0331]

Hate to be the Debbie downer, but this just sounds like it is going to be very underwhelming. It may be fun and enjoyable, but its definitely not going to be the game we all hoped it would be...

http://www.pockettactics.com/news/ios-news/absolutely-everything-know-sid-meiers-starships-far/

Sid Meier's Starships, an "adventure-driven strategy game" for iPad, Mac, and PC. It's being developed by Sid's studio Firaxis. Here's publisher 2K's official description.

    Take command of a fleet of powerful starships in this adventure-driven strategy game from legendary designer Sid Meier. Travel to new worlds, completing missions to help save and protect the planets and their people from dangerous Space Pirates, to powerful Marauders and other hostile factions.

Your ships travel through a randomly-generated galaxy, using diplomacy to collect allies and combat to subjugate enemies. The ships are "fully customizable" and the galaxy is full of missions and quests.

It might be epic, but it probably won't be too big. According to Polygon, Starships will be download-only — the lack of a boxed retail release suggests that it'll be a $10-$15ish game like Ace Patrol Pacific Skies, the WWII turn-based dog-fighting game Firaxis released in 2013. There's nothing wrong with that at all. We loved Ace Patrol around here, and I personally played it for months.