Distant Worlds 2

[OJsDad]

There are indeed many, many games that have a larger development team than we do. However, it's probably more fair to compare this to the development of DW1 + all the time that went into the development of the expansions. By that measure, we are way ahead of schedule. 

With that said, I know you are all impatient for news and an eventual release. I can only say that we will release it when it's ready, but I hope we will have a lot of news for you well before another year has passed.

Regards,

- Erik

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4138127&mpage=1&key=&&utm_content=buffer2afc8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#4147880

[sandman2575]

Sounds like we're still a long way (distant, if you will  ;)) from seeing this come to fruition.

Still, this is the one space 4x that I'd be more excited about than any other. I've found Stellaris dull and Polaris Sector, while interesting in some places, still too conventional and beholden to the same old 4x formulas.  Endless Space 2 sounded intriguing but the completely hands-off ship combat is a deal-killer for me. Gal Civ III feels like a graphically upgraded rehash of Gal Civ II... etc. etc.

[Bison]

Distant Worlds is the best Space 4X ever made IMHO.  I can muster the patience to wait for this one to be rolled out. 

[sandman2575]

Distant Worlds is the best Space 4X ever made IMHO.

I agree.

[Martok]

There are indeed many, many games that have a larger development team than we do. However, it's probably more fair to compare this to the development of DW1 + all the time that went into the development of the expansions. By that measure, we are way ahead of schedule. 

With that said, I know you are all impatient for news and an eventual release. I can only say that we will release it when it's ready, but I hope we will have a lot of news for you well before another year has passed.

Regards,

- Erik

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4138127&mpage=1&key=&&utm_content=buffer2afc8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#4147880

Hopefully we'll see an official announcement for DW2 sometime next spring.  I definitely don't think we'll see/hear anything earlier tan then, however. 

Sounds like we're still a long way (distant, if you will  ;)) from seeing this come to fruition.

Still, this is the one space 4x that I'd be more excited about than any other. I've found Stellaris dull and Polaris Sector, while interesting in some places, still too conventional and beholden to the same old 4x formulas.  Endless Space 2 sounded intriguing but the completely hands-off ship combat is a deal-killer for me. Gal Civ III feels like a graphically upgraded rehash of Gal Civ II... etc. etc.

I find Polaris Sector to be a somewhat uneven game, but I still like it overall.  I've immensely enjoyed Stellaris so far -- enough that I can easily rank it in my top 5 space 4x titles -- but Distant Worlds is definitely right up there as well.  I'd honestly be hard-pressed to say which of the two games I like more.  Am very much looking forward to the sequel to the latter.   

[OJsDad]

I'm looking forward to DW2 also.  But they have got to fix the combat system.  If they leave it as is, then I'm not sure I'll pick it up. 

[OJsDad]

I'm very serious when I say this, but I really hope they're able to give us a dual monitor option.  One for the map and the other empire interface.  On a single screen, it always seemed so clustered, which many games suffer.  Yes, I know not everyone has dual monitors, which is why I said an option for it. 

[republic]

Distant Worlds 2 is my most anticipated game of all time.  Distant Worlds 1's inclusion of a civilian economy was the greatest new game mechanic since Conquest: Frontier Wars brought us attrition to the RTS.  One of my greatest hopes for DW2 is that they expand the role of the civilian portion of the game.

[ghostryder]

I enjoyed DW a lot and am certainly looking towards this sequel. My wish is for more meaningful race mechanics and a more useful modding setup. We need more than just stats for races. We need cultures, beliefs and meaningful governments---along with a pairing diplomancy.  I care more for this than new wize bang graphics or even wize bang ship planners. Make the universe, races interesting with enough mechanics one can create what one wants---from a Dune race to an Emperor of the fading Suns. Hampsters in Space suits be damned!

[Martok]

Things I want to see in DW2: 

1.)  Better AI
2.)  Improved/streamlined UI
3.)  Improved management tools, especially for colonies and ships/fleets
4.)  Improved fleet formation/combat system (no more "mobs" of ships simply throwing themselves at each other and appearing to just miill about)
5.)  More transparent feedback & information (Why did my base income suddenly go negative, but my bonus income remains positive?)
6.)  Better/more balanced system for strategic resources. 

[OJsDad]

Things I want to see in DW2: 

1.)  Better AI
2.)  Improved/streamlined UI
3.)  Improved management tools, especially for colonies and ships/fleets
4.)  Improved fleet formation/combat system (no more "mobs" of ships simply throwing themselves at each other and appearing to just miill about)
5.)  More transparent feedback & information (Why did my base income suddenly go negative, but my bonus income remains positive?)
6.)  Better/more balanced system for strategic resources.

Martok, you least is nearly perfect.

I fired up a new game of DW today, and one thing I noticed was in research.  I know how much research point I have, but the next line down shows how much I actually get.  But no where that I look, can I find out why.  It's very frustrating.  There are a number of areas of the game that go along with your point #5

[FarAway Sooner]

DWU is not for the faint of heart, but it is a great, deep deep game.  I ultimately gave up because, while it's utterly immersive, the AI does too much brain-dead (often suicidal) stuff during combat and the workarounds (if they exist) are simply too cumbersome.  That, and the mining-station spam if I ever automate a Constructor.

I'm OK with units that don't do exactly what I tell them every time.  But watching my super high-tech "salvaged" battle cruiser flagship pursue an enemy destroyer within range of 3 orbiting weapons platforms orbiting an enemy homeworld (when it has weapons that are longer-ranged than anything those platforms have) is just heart-breaking. 

It was a GREAT game and got played more than almost any title in the last 3 years.  I just couldn't figure out enough elegant workarounds to some of the things that consistently ruined my immersion.

[Martok]

Things I want to see in DW2: 

1.)  Better AI
2.)  Improved/streamlined UI
3.)  Improved management tools, especially for colonies and ships/fleets
4.)  Improved fleet formation/combat system (no more "mobs" of ships simply throwing themselves at each other and appearing to just miill about)
5.)  More transparent feedback & information (Why did my base income suddenly go negative, but my bonus income remains positive?)
6.)  Better/more balanced system for strategic resources.

Martok, you least is nearly perfect.

I fired up a new game of DW today, and one thing I noticed was in research.  I know how much research point I have, but the next line down shows how much I actually get.  But no where that I look, can I find out why.  It's very frustrating.  There are a number of areas of the game that go along with your point #5

Thanks OJsDad.  Yes, the lack of explanation/feedback for certain things is definitely frustrating.  Similarly, tooltips would also be very welcome, at least as an option. 

DWU is not for the faint of heart, but it is a great, deep deep game.  I ultimately gave up because, while it's utterly immersive, the AI does too much brain-dead (often suicidal) stuff during combat and the workarounds (if they exist) are simply too cumbersome.  That, and the mining-station spam if I ever automate a Constructor.

Agreed.  And I'd like to clarify that when I say I want Distant Worlds 2 to have better AI, that that includes the AI governing the automated ships as well.  Your point about construction ships and mining-station spam is a good example of what I'm referring to. 

I'm OK with units that don't do exactly what I tell them every time.  But watching my super high-tech "salvaged" battle cruiser flagship pursue an enemy destroyer within range of 3 orbiting weapons platforms orbiting an enemy homeworld (when it has weapons that are longer-ranged than anything those platforms have) is just heart-breaking. 

Again, I concur.  I think that sort of behavior goes with my desire for both a better combat system (perhaps some way of determining general battle doctrine for our ship designs? or at least at the fleet level?) and better AI (so that it can actually understand and generally execute the orders/doctrine given to it). 

[Jarhead0331]

I'd like to see more complex and robust planetary invasion and ground combat mechanics.

[OJsDad]

DWU is not for the faint of heart, but it is a great, deep deep game.  I ultimately gave up because, while it's utterly immersive, the AI does too much brain-dead (often suicidal) stuff during combat and the workarounds (if they exist) are simply too cumbersome.  That, and the mining-station spam if I ever automate a Constructor.

Agreed.  And I'd like to clarify that when I say I want Distant Worlds 2 to have better AI, that that includes the AI governing the automated ships as well.  Your point about construction ships and mining-station spam is a good example of what I'm referring to. 

This is where improving the interface would help.  If I know my current active ship designs require X resources, and I don't have or not much of, then I want to prioritize my construction ships to build mining bases for those.  If I don't need something, then I don't want mines built for those. 

Need a ship construction planning screen.  If I say I want to build 10 Mahan class destroyers, it'll tell me how to total amount of each resource that I need for all of them, and if I have those resources either stored or the mining capacity to quickly get them.

I'm OK with units that don't do exactly what I tell them every time.  But watching my super high-tech "salvaged" battle cruiser flagship pursue an enemy destroyer within range of 3 orbiting weapons platforms orbiting an enemy homeworld (when it has weapons that are longer-ranged than anything those platforms have) is just heart-breaking. 

Again, I concur.  I think that sort of behavior goes with my desire for both a better combat system (perhaps some way of determining general battle doctrine for our ship designs? or at least at the fleet level?) and better AI (so that it can actually understand and generally execute the orders/doctrine given to it).

You should be able to set a threshold that says that if enemy strength 2 times your strength, then avoid combat.