Distant Worlds -- a new update and SpaceSector interview

[Martok]

Yikes.  You know I haven't played a game in a while when there was a huge update released a week ago, and I'm only just now finding out about it.  :-[  I suppose better late then never, though! 


Also, Adam Solo over at SpaceSector has posted the first part of a two-part interview with Erik about DW.  It's a fairly extensive read. 

[Darkspire]

My bad  :-\  I shall keep the post for DW on here updated as and when updates occur, when you say massive update I take it you realize the public beta on the Matrix forums is three change logs in one? It's the post for .10, they just rolled the post into one big post for updates .08 through to .10. Good catch on the interview, never knew about that one, thank you.

Darkspire

[Martok]

Not your fault, man.  It's my own responsibility for keeping up-to-date on my games, not yours.  ;) 

It's just a little embarrassing that, for as much as I love Distant Worlds, I've been too busy/distracted to check the Matrix forums for new info/updates.  I suppose that's what happens, though, when one has way more good games to play than time in which to play them...  ::) 

[OJsDad]

I missed it too Martok.  I had joined Twiter a couple of months ago to help keep track of updates to a few web sites.  Matrix is one of them.  I went back and just looked, and I don't see a tweet for this patch. 

[Darkspire]

I will post all the updates in the other thread on here (there will be one fairly soon  ;) ) and will also help if I can with any gameplay questions in that thread.

Darkspire

[Nefaro]

AREA WEAPONS
- epicenter of area weapons is no longer centered on firer. Instead area weapons now fire at target and the damage shockwave expands from the target (similar to area gravity weapons)

***

OTHER
- added pirate strength option in Game setup. Decreasing pirate strength makes for an easier game, with pirates closer to the weaker, old-style Legends pirates

Wow.  Area weapons got some love.  And more pirate gelding options too!

[Darkspire]

Don't hold your breath on that, forum posts have been none to good on current version implementation, I am at present just designing mines and working my way up the tech tree to see what has happened. Previously AOE weapons were pretty much useless on moving craft and space ports as they caused to much collateral damage, the only area they came into there own is being fitted to mines, with the pirate attacks and new freight handling routines in Shadows they are / were great for defense, my later revisions could take out small fleets on there own. The only concession is that you need good shields, fast engines and a repair bot on full tech for the defense fleets, most of the time they are fast enough to avoid the AOE but there can be casualties, ships though are much easier to replace than a mine though IMO, current reports are that they have been nerfed way to much, from experience if I have at least 5 mines with mid range tech AOE weapons I did not have to worry about protection for a system to much, so I will work towards seeing what they can do now, really hoping it is not the case but am keeping an open mind.

Darkspire

[mikeck]

Man, I am gonna kick some ass this game. In two different ruins I discovered the "death ray" and some sort of death "pulse". Bad ass weaponry was recently installed on specially designed cruisers. Never liked area weapons but what the hell

[Darkspire]

Man, I am gonna kick some ass this game. In two different ruins I discovered the "death ray" and some sort of death "pulse". Bad ass weaponry was recently installed on specially designed cruisers. Never liked area weapons but what the hell

The Death Ray is a beam weapon and the Devastator Pulse is an AOE, you will need much power and good class size to mount the Death Ray, slow rate of fire so best used with something else as a primary weapon, like a Phaser Lance. As for the DP, used to be great but as posted above the jury is still out on that one in the current version (.10).

Darkspire

[steve58]

Just noticed that a Distant Worlds Universe is on the Matrixgames Beta test website?  Any idea what this is???

[Kushan]

Just noticed that a Distant Worlds Universe is on the Matrixgames Beta test website?  Any idea what this is???

Must be the next expansion they've been hinting at since before shadows. Think someone mentioned that matrix was looking for beta testers a few weeks ago.

[Yskonyn]

Holy smokes! I have been playing DW for quite some time now, but I never once tried to use the awesome Fleet controls like this:

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2973167

Great guide on using Fleet Postures and Automation to create some awesome self-sufficient fleets who take care of defense and attack. You can even define complete frontlines like this.
How clever! And besides a great way the game presents feedback!

Kudos to Gelatinous Cube!

[Martok]

Cool guide, Yskonyn; thanks for the link!  I just checked it out, and it definitely looks like something I'll want to peruse in greater depth. 

Kudos to Gelatinous Cube!

Indeed.  He's a good bloke; I remember him from over at TotalWar.Org. 

[Yskonyn]

I am currently running a small galaxy game as the Humans in a pre-warp age.
Several Pirate factions are all trying to get our money, but we are becoming pretty self-sufficient and do not need the 'protection' of those pesky pirates anymore.
Of course if we piss them off too much, they will start to harass our nation with bullits instead of words. And my navy isn't up for big conflicts yet.

Trade in the mean time is going pretty well. We got lucky with our starting system being full of neat resources and even some luxury item rich planets.
It's a fun game so far with only 5 other major players.
This guide above will definately come in handy once my territory gets expanded!

[Rayfer]

Yskonyn...thanks for posting that link.  I really enjoy this game but never knew how to set up fleets as detailed in the video.  Can't wait to start a new game.