Distant Worlds: Shadows

[Yskonyn]

With the new boarding mechanics it might, at last, be interesting to play as a small fleet or even a single ship now.
Interesting to see how this will work out.

But the main draw for me will likely be space 4x on a massive scale! :)

[Kushan]

I wasn't initially sure that I cared much about the space-based factions, but the more I thought about it, the more it seems like this will add an interesting twist on game play.  I haven't played DW for a few months now, but I think this will get me interested again.

I got the impression that they are splitting the game into two separate scenarios. One with the independent factions, that from the sounds of it has a privateer feel. It will basically expand on the alternate play styles that are in the in game encyclopedia.. Then you will have the main game that we have now with all the new features added.

[solops]

Exactly...its a space EMPIRE game...that means building empires and fighting wars. That means invading and conquering alien worlds. No matter how far into the future we go, you still need to put boots on the ground and this should be modeled in any self-respecting 4x space empire game.  It does not need to be modeled on the scale of the games you cite, which are all WWII games, by the way, and very different from anything that one would expect to see in a space empire builder, but there should be concepts for developing Marine/Infantry technology, weapons and tactics and then building your forces up to prepare for invasion and defense.  I don't see why anyone would complain about this.

Jarhead, I usually find myself firmly in agreement with you, but this time we will have to agree to disagree. From a practical point of view, I think invasions over interstellar distances are ludicrous, especially when an alien race is the target. The only reasonable and economic courses of action are to exterminate the enemy, or after securing the system, demand surrender and then, if they do not read the writing on the wall and abjectly bend over, exterminate them (biologicals, chemicals, nukes, whatever; depends on what you want the real estate for). And I don't even want to get started on boarding. From a more pragmatic viewpoint, AIs are pretty dumb already and adding levels of sophisication to the software probably will hurt it. But, I understand that some folks like the whole invasion thingy. I'd rather see programming resources spent on a better AI, an option for wormholes, more R&D for terraforming and weapons, a better sorted out trade & economic model, bigger maps, more races. It is a pretty good game already. IMO, if they can fix the economy and the AI of the current build they won't need this expansion or anything else to secure their place in gaming history. For a small shop, the game is already astounding.

[Jarhead0331]

Exactly...its a space EMPIRE game...that means building empires and fighting wars. That means invading and conquering alien worlds. No matter how far into the future we go, you still need to put boots on the ground and this should be modeled in any self-respecting 4x space empire game.  It does not need to be modeled on the scale of the games you cite, which are all WWII games, by the way, and very different from anything that one would expect to see in a space empire builder, but there should be concepts for developing Marine/Infantry technology, weapons and tactics and then building your forces up to prepare for invasion and defense.  I don't see why anyone would complain about this.

Jarhead, I usually find myself firmly in agreement with you, but this time we will have to agree to disagree. From a practical point of view, I think invasions over interstellar distances are ludicrous, especially when an alien race is the target. The only reasonable and economic courses of action are to exterminate the enemy, or after securing the system, demand surrender and then, if they do not read the writing on the wall and abjectly bend over, exterminate them (biologicals, chemicals, nukes, whatever; depends on what you want the real estate for). And I don't even want to get started on boarding. From a more pragmatic viewpoint, AIs are pretty dumb already and adding levels of sophisication to the software probably will hurt it. But, I understand that some folks like the whole invasion thingy. I'd rather see programming resources spent on a better AI, an option for wormholes, more R&D for terraforming and weapons, a better sorted out trade & economic model, bigger maps, more races. It is a pretty good game already. IMO, if they can fix the economy and the AI of the current build they won't need this expansion or anything else to secure their place in gaming history. For a small shop, the game is already astounding.

Those are all fair points.  However, from a standpoint of authenticity, I don't think anyone can really make a determination as to how "it will really be," when we get there, or what is practical and what is not.  For our sake though, I hope you're wrong!

From a standpoint of game making, hopefully increasing the content of the game will not have an adverse impact on other areas, such as the AI.  I guess we just have to wait and see with fingers crossed!  Hopefully, it won't be too long.  I know they're shooting for release before the end of the year.

[solops]

Those are all fair points.  However, from a standpoint of authenticity, I don't think anyone can really make a determination as to how "it will really be," when we get there, or what is practical and what is not.  For our sake though, I hope you're wrong!

You know, after I wrote my post (the part about bend over or die) I thought about it...and I hope I am wrong too. It would be a curse to be either the aggressor or the victim if that turns out to be the practical model.

[bboyer66]

I am glad to see improvements to the game, but the whole ground combat thing is wasted on me. It is a space empire game and I wanna build/fight spaceships while I expand my empire. If I want to see ground combat, I'll play Fire in the East or TOAW or Advanced Tactics. It looks like another level of complication for an AI that is already struggling.

Exactly...its a space EMPIRE game...that means building empires and fighting wars. That means invading and conquering alien worlds. No matter how far into the future we go, you still need to put boots on the ground and this should be modeled in any self-respecting 4x space empire game.  It does not need to be modeled on the scale of the games you cite, which are all WWII games, by the way, and very different from anything that one would expect to see in a space empire builder, but there should be concepts for developing Marine/Infantry technology, weapons and tactics and then building your forces up to prepare for invasion and defense.  I don't see why anyone would complain about this.

So say we all

[OJsDad]

Also, I hope they add some better functionality for unit control in battles. And figure out a way to get rid of the 'blob' effect. Formations would be nice.

I agree, fleet formations is the one thing that could make this a truely epic game in my opinion.

[Staggerwing]

BBoyer! Where the (insert expletive of choice) have you been? Some secret mission related to timely events postulated in that ancient Franklin-Covey Planner found found in MesoAmerica no doubt.

[Kushan]

Erik has been posting answers to a lot of questions regarding the new expansion. Looks like the pushed back the release until Q1 of next year.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3206160&mpage=5&key=

[Jarhead0331]

Pretty disappointed that we're not going to see a holiday release, but there is a lot of exciting info. Posted by Erik in that thread. I'm very eagerly awaiting this release, but more so for the additions to the current timeline.  The idea of the Shadows timeline starting before the discovery of hyperdrive technology doesn't really appeal to me.  Quite frankly, I don't see how this game could be kept exciting while limiting its scope to a single system.

[Yskonyn]

Pretty disappointed that we're not going to see a holiday release, but there is a lot of exciting info. Posted by Erik in that thread. I'm very eagerly awaiting this release, but more so for the additions to the current timeline.  The idea of the Shadows timeline starting before the discovery of hyperdrive technology doesn't really appeal to me.  Quite frankly, I don't see how this game could be kept exciting while limiting its scope to a single system.

+1 for the excitement! :)

Erik claims in the thread that gameplay in only one system is going to be interesting as well. I am curious to see how this will work out, because -like you- I am not very thrilled about the pre-hyperdrive stuff either.

[ArizonaTank]

Looks like the pushed back the release until Q1 of next year.

OK with me....although I love DW....just too much to play right now....Q1 will give me a chance to clear the decks...

[Martok]

Looks like the pushed back the release until Q1 of next year.

OK with me....although I love DW....just too much to play right now....Q1 will give me a chance to clear the decks...

Ditto that.  I always have too much on my gaming plate as it is, and I'm nearly always in favor of delaying a game's release until it's actually ready. 

[Nefaro]

I never picked up the last expansion, just haven't got back around to playing DW (the 'list' is rather massive).  But this xpac, and it's new gameplay type, may be a fresh enough approach to get me moving.

[Grimnirsson]

Would anybody of the players in the know here take the time to give me a quick comparison, pro and con, of Distant Worlds and Armada 2526?

Thank you  :)