Distant Worlds 2 News?

[RogerBacon]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Keeping modding as easy as possible remains one of our goals. [8D]

That is very reassuring. Would that include things like I have done with the Bacon Mod? Since DWU took some steps (intended or unintended) that made what I did difficult I didn't know if you guys were OK with it or not. It seems to be well received by the community so I hope it will be possible with DW2.

[Ranbir]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: AKicebear

https://mobile.twitter.com/Iain_Slither ... 2824471559

[&o][&o][&o] [8D]

So it looks like DW2 has gone isometric 3D? I was charmed by the top down 2D. Moody.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Ranbir
So it looks like DW2 has gone isometric 3D? I was charmed by the top down 2D. Moody.

No, that is a screenshot of a development build. What you see there is just how I happened to have the camera positioned when Iain snapped the picture. You will certainly be able to play top down as with DW1, but we'll have other camera options as well.

[RogerBacon]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Ranbir
So it looks like DW2 has gone isometric 3D? I was charmed by the top down 2D. Moody.

... but we'll have other camera options as well.

Woo hoo. You hear that everyone? First person shooter Distant Worlds!

[Ranbir]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Ranbir
So it looks like DW2 has gone isometric 3D? I was charmed by the top down 2D. Moody.

No, that is a screenshot of a development build. What you see there is just how I happened to have the camera positioned when Iain snapped the picture. You will certainly be able to play top down as with DW1, but we'll have other camera options as well.

Hah, negativity is bringing you out with more info!

[Sabranan]

ORIGINAL: RogerBacon
Would that include things like I have done with the Bacon Mod? Since DWU took some steps (intended or unintended) that made what I did difficult I didn't know if you guys were OK with it or not. It seems to be well received by the community so I hope it will be possible with DW2.

I would hazard to guess that if they weren't ok with it you'd have heard about it by now. At the end of the day your unique modifications have given people new ways to play and mod the game but haven't made it any easier for pirates, which increases and helps to retain the playerbase. There's no downside.

That can only be good for their sales of DW and DW2.

[Cauldyth]

ORIGINAL: Ranbir

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Ranbir
So it looks like DW2 has gone isometric 3D? I was charmed by the top down 2D. Moody.

No, that is a screenshot of a development build. What you see there is just how I happened to have the camera positioned when Iain snapped the picture. You will certainly be able to play top down as with DW1, but we'll have other camera options as well.

Hah, negativity is bringing you out with more info!

The dam has a leak! Quick, jam a crowbar in it and start prying!

[ZG264]

I just got to play Distant Worlds Universe for the first time over the xmas period, thanks to it being on GOG!

What a game! SMAC, Moo1+2 and Space Empires IV Gold are some of my favourite all time space 4x games and even at this early stage i can say i think DWU beats them all. The only sad part is that even as i have known about DWU since it was first released, it's taken me until now to be able to buy and play it.

Please, for all things holy, can you try to ensure that DW2 is available from GOG on release? I have no issues with whatever price it will be, but having to wait so long to get the game is hard.

My game playing machine is off-line and i have an 'ethical' issue over using Steam. So GOG is the perfect option imho, and i hope it does well for DWU and allowing more people to experience these great games.

And one small suggestion for DW2, would it be possible to ship the game with all the advisors (scientists/spys/ship captains etc) having different pictures from your Empire Race picture? There is a cool mod that does that for the Human Race only, and i play with it and it makes a great improvement to the overall feel of the game in terms of 'role playing' your story

[Osito]

Wait, what!?

You can buy this game directly from Matrix/Slitherine, can't you. Has that changed?

[ZG264]

ORIGINAL: Osito

Wait, what!?

You can buy this game directly from Matrix/Slitherine, can't you. Has that changed?

Off course not, it is just alongside the ease of use of GOG (no internet connection needed to play, or DRM issues etc) they also offer the only online purchase option i consider 100% safe to use these days. You can buy using the 'Paysafe card' method, which means no credit card details are ever needed online.

With such great user orientated options it is just very hard (going on impossible!) to consider other options when looking for a new (or old) game imho.

[ASHBERY76]

The sad reality is 3d ships will kill most modding.The generic star wars,Startrek will be alight because a million 3d models are done already.

I also wonder about what this means for the game scale and the economy.20 races with all 3d ships modeled is a lot of budget.

[SirHoraceHarkness]

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

The sad reality is 3d ships will kill most modding.The generic star wars,Startrek will be alight because a million 3d models are done already.

I also wonder about what this means for the game scale and the economy.20 races with all 3d ships modeled is a lot of budget.

3D ships have never been an issue for modders. I was part of the modding scene decades ago with homeworld and that game didn't even have modding support. Hell the devs gloated about how the game was unmoddable because at that time mods were considered a high crime and theft from the company because it prolonged the game life which at that time was a big nono because they wanted you onto the next new game not playing new unpaid content on the old game. I'd wager that the idea for DLC came from combating the modding scene but we were too strong and the companies finally gave in and accepted that prolonging a games life far past its initial run was doing quite well on sales.

As to budget there are a zillion starving artists out there who would probably do the work for free if it got them a good reference for later or for a song if they really need the work. All you really need who is top notch is the production idea guy who makes all the initial designs the modelers then make into 3d.

[Artophwar]

ORIGINAL: ZG264

ORIGINAL: Osito

Wait, what!?

You can buy this game directly from Matrix/Slitherine, can't you. Has that changed?

Off course not, it is just alongside the ease of use of GOG (no internet connection needed to play, or DRM issues etc) they also offer the only online purchase option i consider 100% safe to use these days. You can buy using the 'Paysafe card' method, which means no credit card details are ever needed online.

With such great user orientated options it is just very hard (going on impossible!) to consider other options when looking for a new (or old) game imho.

For anyone who may want to purchase DWU from Steam and worried about DRM, the Steam version of DWU is DRM free as well. No internet connection required to play, you dont have to have Steam running. You can run the game directly from the exe once it is installed. It is a misconception that all games purchased from Steam require online connection or Steam to be running in the background to play. That is one of my complaints with the Steam store, I wish they listed games that were DRM free. I have over 250 games on Steam and the majority are DRM free.

[FlashXAron_slith]

Photo ... nice at least a sign of life

and still bored to death, with all other 4x and strategy games ...
don't get it, to invest so much development time in a "linear" braindead game like Stellaris, even the new 2.0 Version looks like a joke.

So played Supreme Ruler Ultimate new DLC 1914 for some time, still to swallow , but already to complex for the AI, after 10 years ALL AI are broken, apart from the fact, it is not able to handle any battles , special water ... and know what, earth consists of around 70% water areas LOL ! Even the gameplay is worth a try, until you know how to handle economy

So when DW 2 will be like DW 1 Universe BUT WITH MP (like Paradox has) , I will be already happy !

So go go go , devs you could do it, best 4x game in history of mankind ... oh wait, you already have that

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: SirHoraceHarkness

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

The sad reality is 3d ships will kill most modding.The generic star wars,Startrek will be alight because a million 3d models are done already.

I also wonder about what this means for the game scale and the economy.20 races with all 3d ships modeled is a lot of budget.

3D ships have never been an issue for modders. I was part of the modding scene decades ago with homeworld and that game didn't even have modding support. Hell the devs gloated about how the game was unmoddable because at that time mods were considered a high crime and theft from the company because it prolonged the game life which at that time was a big nono because they wanted you onto the next new game not playing new unpaid content on the old game. I'd wager that the idea for DLC came from combating the modding scene but we were too strong and the companies finally gave in and accepted that prolonging a games life far past its initial run was doing quite well on sales.

As to budget there are a zillion starving artists out there who would probably do the work for free if it got them a good reference for later or for a song if they really need the work. All you really need who is top notch is the production idea guy who makes all the initial designs the modelers then make into 3d.

Or you even have people that are simply fans of a game and would be willing to do some work. Especially people who do the 3d modeling as a hobby, and never actually intend to make money on it...like the folks who mod games and release their mods free for all to use. [;)]

There are folks out there that do things just because they enjoy doing it.

[ehsumrell1]

ORIGINAL: Shark7

There are folks out there that do things just because they enjoy doing it.

What you talking 'bout Shark! (In my Willis voice! Lol!)
[:D]

[OJsDad]

ORIGINAL: FlashXAron

Photo ... nice at least a sign of life

and still bored to death, with all other 4x and strategy games ...
don't get it, to invest so much development time in a "linear" braindead game like Stellaris, even the new 2.0 Version looks like a joke.

So played Supreme Ruler Ultimate new DLC 1914 for some time, still to swallow , but already to complex for the AI, after 10 years ALL AI are broken, apart from the fact, it is not able to handle any battles , special water ... and know what, earth consists of around 70% water areas LOL ! Even the gameplay is worth a try, until you know how to handle economy

So when DW 2 will be like DW 1 Universe BUT WITH MP (like Paradox has) , I will be already happy !

So go go go , devs you could do it, best 4x game in history of mankind ... oh wait, you already have that

DW was a very good game, but it had many short comings, some of which Stellaris does not have, even though Stellaris has been out less than half the time that DW was out and actively getting updates/DLC.

DW2 will be one of the few games I seriously consider for a day 1 purchase, however, if some of the short comings are not addressed, then I will not be purchasing.

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.

[LordMM]

My little worry about Isometric 3d, is if this will impact game performance on my lower end potato on 1000+ stars.

[Bingeling]

I doubt you will see much 3d outside of one system, so the 1000+ others should not necessarily burden your potato more than the current game does. One could hope they will burden it less.

[Haree78]

Distant Worlds Extended 2 is going to be an interesting task for me lol
Looking forward to it.