Anyone ever play Aurora 4X?

[SpaceGameJunkie]

I've TRIED to play Aurora 4X. Emphasis on tried. I also failed miserably.

YouTube tutorials are your friend

Nah, I still cried.

[Jarhead0331]

I've TRIED to play Aurora 4X. Emphasis on tried. I also failed miserably.

Aurora is definitely an acquired taste and it is not going to be the 4x game for everyone. That being said, it is singularly unique and there is nothing else out there that comes even close to its complexity. For some, this is what makes it so great...for others, it is what makes it unplayable.

[JasonPratt]

^ Boxquote for War in the West / War in the East 2 

[Steve Walmsley]

Official site has been down for what feels like several weeks. Hope everything is ok.

Steve, if you're lurking, check in and give an update! 

The forums are run by Erik Luken, who has put a lot of work in over the years. There has been a problem in recent weeks, but I believe it should be resolved soon.

You can still access the forum in the meantime using the internet archive, although its read-only:
https://web.archive.org/web/20250202181720/http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php

If anyone wants an overview of the gameplay, my last campaign AAR was the longest so far. It's an alternate history where the Imperial Japanese Navy conquers the world and heads into space in 1960 :)  Also on the internet archive and on the forums once they are back up.
https://web.archive.org/web/20241117221459/http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13595.0

(you will need to copy-paste the links rather than clicking on them)

[Jarhead0331]

Official site has been down for what feels like several weeks. Hope everything is ok.

Steve, if you're lurking, check in and give an update! 

The forums are run by Erik Luken, who has put a lot of work in over the years. There has been a problem in recent weeks, but I believe it should be resolved soon.

You can still access the forum in the meantime using the internet archive, although its read-only:
https://web.archive.org/web/20250202181720/http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php

If anyone wants an overview of the gameplay, my last campaign AAR was the longest so far. It's an alternate history where the Imperial Japanese Navy conquers the world and heads into space in 1960 :)  Also on the internet archive and on the forums once they are back up.
https://web.archive.org/web/20241117221459/http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13595.0

(you will need to copy-paste the links rather than clicking on them)

Thanks, Steve. Please let Erik know to reach out if he ever needs help. Our forums run on the same software (SMF) and I've become somewhat of an amateur expert with respect to common issues and hosting.

[Steve Walmsley]

Thanks, Steve. Please let Erik know to reach out if he ever needs help. Our forums run on the same software (SMF) and I've become somewhat of an amateur expert with respect to common issues and hosting.

Thanks, I will let him know.

[Jarhead0331]

2.6.0 dropped yesterday...a huge amount of changes.

https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13463.0

[SpaceGameJunkie]

I've TRIED to play Aurora 4X. Emphasis on tried. I also failed miserably.

YouTube tutorials are your friend

Ain't nobody got time for that.

[Steve Walmsley]

If anyone wants an idea of gameplay, here is a recent AAR with the Imperial Japanese Navy going into space.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13595.0

This is WH40k themed.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13790.0

[undercovergeek]

If anyone wants an idea of gameplay, here is a recent AAR with the Imperial Japanese Navy going into space.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13595.0

This is WH40k themed.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13790.0

Is the IJN one 2.5 Steve?

Asking to see if I could use the IJN one to assist starting a 2.6 game

[Jarhead0331]

The fleet/ship orders menu seems to have changed. Still trying to get comfortable with the new layout and system for setting standing orders with modifying conditions. 

[Steve Walmsley]

If anyone wants an idea of gameplay, here is a recent AAR with the Imperial Japanese Navy going into space.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13595.0

This is WH40k themed.
https://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?topic=13790.0

Is the IJN one 2.5 Steve?

Asking to see if I could use the IJN one to assist starting a 2.6 game

It's partway between the v2.5.1. release and the v2.6 release. I used it as a test campaign, but its still a very good example of how the game plays.

[solops]

So uh... you're saying I should use teh googlez, huh? 

the search feature around here is actually pretty good!

Aurora is a game I get into periodically and then obsess over for months before taking a break. My cycle usually corresponds to Steve's update schedule. The v2.2 patch has been in the works for almost a year and it has some major new features I've been waiting for, so I haven't really played since the  early v2.1 days.

I love Aurora and to answer your question, I do not think it is "complexity by weight". I think the parts fit together  in a way that makes for a very rewarding and satisfying strategic experience. It is totally worth the investment in time to learn and explore. In fact, it is so worth it, that I've repeated the process several times. Its so complex that when I put it down for several months, I typically need to relearn much of it when I pick it back up.

+1

Steep learning curve. UI takes effort. Really good game, though.