SO SWEET

[Okim]

You mean having a colony in your empire that you abandon? No, this is not in the game. How would you intend to use this?

 
For example:
 
1. I have a colony that is about to break out and join my opponent. I can`t do anything to prevent it, but i don`t want it to fall into my opponent`s hands so i would prefer to abandon it.
 
2. I have just conquered a colony that i cannot defend, so i decide to abandon it in order to prevent it from being recaptured.
 
3. I conquered a poor planet or planet with bad conditions etc. I wish to abandon it as it is not profitable for me to sustain.
 
The last example produces some questions:
- are there any planets in DW that have no resources at all?
- is there any kind of planet conditions/climate hazards etc. in DW?
- are there any races in DW that benefit from certain planet types or require specific planets for colonization? For example gas giant dwellers.
- is it possible to manually control migration between planets? For example to ressetle a conquered race to another planet.
- is there any maintainance for colonies or any colony only provides income?

[adamsolo]

ORIGINAL: Captain_Proton

ORIGINAL: adamsolo

Did an overview of Distant Worlds at SpaceSector.com: http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2010/01 ... tegy-game/

Enjoy!

Cool blog Adamsolo, I've bookmarked this one in my Games/News folder [:)]

Glad to have you as a reader. Hope to see you in the forums one of these days

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: Okim
For example:

1. I have a colony that is about to break out and join my opponent. I can`t do anything to prevent it, but i don`t want it to fall into my opponent`s hands so i would prefer to abandon it.

2. I have just conquered a colony that i cannot defend, so i decide to abandon it in order to prevent it from being recaptured.

3. I conquered a poor planet or planet with bad conditions etc. I wish to abandon it as it is not profitable for me to sustain.

When you say 'abandon', what happens to the existing population at the colony? Do they become independent? Are they exterminated? Do you ferry them off to another colony?

The last example produces some questions:
1. are there any planets in DW that have no resources at all?
2. is there any kind of planet conditions/climate hazards etc. in DW?
3. are there any races in DW that benefit from certain planet types or require specific planets for colonization? For example gas giant dwellers.
4. is it possible to manually control migration between planets? For example to ressetle a conquered race to another planet.
5. is there any maintainance for colonies or any colony only provides income?

1. Yes, resources are randomly distributed, with some planets having none. But each type of planet has a typical set of resources it's likely to provide.
2. There are different types of planets that are more/less hospitable for population growth. They may also have natural scenic features that make them excellent centers for tourism.
3. Yes, some races have inhospitable native planet types and can thus colonize these types of planets
4. No, this happens automatically, with migration occurring from colonies with large populations to smaller ones.
5. Colonies do not have direct maintenance costs, beyond defending them with ships and bases. They provide tax income for your empire.

[Okim]

When you say 'abandon', what happens to the existing population at the colony? Do they become independent? Are they exterminated? Do you ferry them off to another colony?

 
A choice between making them independent, exterminating captured population (like in MOO2) and totally evacuating could be interesting.

[PDiFolco]

ORIGINAL: Okim

When you say 'abandon', what happens to the existing population at the colony? Do they become independent? Are they exterminated? Do you ferry them off to another colony?

A choice between making them independent, exterminating captured population (like in MOO2) and totally evacuating could be interesting.

In most games you can ferry the pop out and destroy the buildings of a colony, then it's effectively abandoned...Is it the same in DW ?

[Gertjan]

I've just given the game some publicity on the Sins forum. Two questions:
1) Is it possible to play the game without space monsters?
2) How does space combat work, is it fully/mostly automated or is there a lot of micromanagement involved, because I don't really like that so much.

[ASHBERY76]

ORIGINAL: Okim

When you say 'abandon', what happens to the existing population at the colony? Do they become independent? Are they exterminated? Do you ferry them off to another colony?

A choice between making them independent, exterminating captured population (like in MOO2) and totally evacuating could be interesting.

I agree.I want the choice to have aliens in my empire and not be forced into it.

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan
1) Is it possible to play the game without space monsters?

You can turn down the prevalence of space monsters quite a lot. If enough people dislike them I can probably add an option to turn them off completely. But you should probably play the game first... [;)]

2) How does space combat work, is it fully/mostly automated or is there a lot of micromanagement involved, because I don't really like that so much.

You can can have either fully automated or completely manually controlled - or anything in between. Each individual ship can be automated, in which case they'll select their own targets. Or you can manually control ships. You also have the choice of directly commanding individual ships or working at a higher level by assigning missions to fleets (groups of ships).

So, for example, in a major engagement you might assign a fleet to attack a well-defended colony. Each ship in the fleet will select specific targets: e.g. attack defending ships or bases, or drop off invading troops if they are carrying them. But you can also take control of individual ships to move them and assign targets for them.

You can also assign battle tactics to each ship design that controls how they maneuver and attack their targets, determines when they flee battle, etc. All of these features work together so that battles are not a chore, they're fun and exciting as they should be.

So, hopefully a best-of-all-worlds model [:)]

[Gertjan]

" So if you don't like the expansion phase much you can jump directly to major wars and battles between large empires."
I wish I could! Is there a way to join the beta?

Thanks for the detailed description of battles. Does this mean that you don't have to micromanage to get an edge in battles, only if you like to do it? I hope there aren't lots of different spells like in Sins for the capital ships, so that it doesn't become a clickfest like Starcraft.

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: Gertjan
Thanks for the detailed description of battles. Does this mean that you don't have to micromanage to get an edge in battles, only if you like to do it?

That's the idea, only micro-manage if you want to. Anyway, it's pretty hard to describe the battles. You'll just have to wait and try it for yourself [:)]

There will be a video about combat and fleets in the near future though, so look out for that.

[Okim]

 
I hope there aren't lots of different spells...

 
BTW are there any special abilities for ships?
 

[Gertjan]

"here will be a video about combat and fleets in the near future though"
When is the near future, I can't wait!

[CV Zuikaku]

Good thing hearing game such these is so close to release. i am a great "Space empires" fan, but that game just lacks somethig- hope Distant Worlds is what I need.
I woul'd like if you implement ship capture- the captured toys are the best [:D]
and if you can answer to a some of these questions:

1. What are the planet specifications? Do they have surface temperature, different (or no at all) atmosphere types, levels of radiation and gravity?

2. Can we encounter "goodies" such as primitive civilizations, or strange flora and fauna (which we can use in some way)

3. How many resource types do we have?

4. How many tradeable goods do we hae (I am a great Elite/Frontier fan)

5. Can we develop industry to be specialized in some particular product that we can trade with other races (monopoly [:)] ) and are there anything we can produce at all?

6. Can we build our own ship- deciding how many and which weapons and components to use. Are there weapons firing arcs?

7. Ship components can be damaged during combat, or is damage model in percents like in ordinary RTS?

8. What is research tree like? Can we specialize in some techs? Can we discover sone unique techs (temporal, nanotech). Do some races have unique tech tree?

9. are all the races playable?

10. Do we have space carriers and fighters?

Thanks in advance [&o]

[Okim]

Most of these questions have been answered either here or on official site. For example about resources and "goodies" or about planets.

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: CV Zuikaku
1. What are the planet specifications? Do they have surface temperature, different (or no at all) atmosphere types, levels of radiation and gravity?

These are the habitable planet types, in order from most hospitable to least: Continental (Forested, earth-like), Marshy Swamp, Desert, Ocean, Ice, Volcanic.

2. Can we encounter "goodies" such as primitive civilizations, or strange flora and fauna (which we can use in some way)

Plenty of goodies of various kinds.

3. How many resource types do we have?

About 40. Half are luxury resources that increase the development level of your colonies, the other half are strategic resources that you use to build stuff with.

4. How many tradeable goods do we hae (I am a great Elite/Frontier fan)

You trade the resources described above.

5. Can we develop industry to be specialized in some particular product that we can trade with other races (monopoly [:)] ) and are there anything we can produce at all?

Most resources are found throughout the galaxy, but some are rarer than others. You can monopolize the trade of some extremely rare resources.

6. Can we build our own ship- deciding how many and which weapons and components to use. Are there weapons firing arcs?

Yes

7. Ship components can be damaged during combat, or is damage model in percents like in ordinary RTS?

Yes, once shields are lowered, individual components are damaged, causing your ships or bases to lose specific functionality.

8. What is research tree like? Can we specialize in some techs? Can we discover sone unique techs (temporal, nanotech). Do some races have unique tech tree?

Check the forum elsewhere for more details on research.

9. are all the races playable?

Yes

10. Do we have space carriers and fighters?

No carriers sorry.

[Tycow]

I know this is a bit premature, considering the game isn't out yet, but are you planning on doing any expansions?

(Basically, I'd like to give you more money )

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: Tycow
I know this is a bit premature, considering the game isn't out yet, but are you planning on doing any expansions?

(Basically, I'd like to give you more money )

All money happily accepted [:D] Would like to do an expansion if there's enough interest

[Tycow]

ORIGINAL: elliotg

ORIGINAL: Tycow
I know this is a bit premature, considering the game isn't out yet, but are you planning on doing any expansions?

(Basically, I'd like to give you more money )

All money happily accepted [:D] Would like to do an expansion if there's enough interest

Brilliant - fingers crossed for you Elliot

[martok]

ORIGINAL: elliotg

7. Ship components can be damaged during combat, or is damage model in percents like in ordinary RTS?

Yes, once shields are lowered, individual components are damaged, causing your ships or bases to lose specific functionality.

I have one word for this: OUTSTANDING. [&o]


Some random (but related) questions regarding this:

1.) Can a ship's engines be damaged/destroyed to the point where it can no longer retreat from a battle?

2.) What about if a colony ship were unfortunate enough to be caught in combat? Could only part of its population be "destroyed" during the engagement, or would they all die?

3.) Same question for freighters: If they were unlucky enough to be in a battle and their cargo holds were hit, would they necessarily lose the entire cargo, or could they -- assuming they somehow survived the engagement -- proceed to deliver the remaining goods/resources (albeit a reduced amount, obviously)?

4.) Same question for resupply ships: If when in combat their holds are damaged, would that then reduce the amount of range they normally lend the fleet they're attached to?

5.) Are sensors a separate component? If so, and they take damage in combat, does that have an immediate effect? Or does the reduced sensor capacity only kick in when the battle is over?


Sorry for all the inane questions, but this feature has me quite excited (obviously!), and I'm just curious as to exactly what kind of effects this can have.

[elliotg]

ORIGINAL: martok
1.) Can a ship's engines be damaged/destroyed to the point where it can no longer retreat from a battle?

Yes

2.) What about if a colony ship were unfortunate enough to be caught in combat? Could only part of its population be "destroyed" during the engagement, or would they all die?

You only have a single colonization component on a colony ship, so no they all die [X(]

3.) Same question for freighters: If they were unlucky enough to be in a battle and their cargo holds were hit, would they necessarily lose the entire cargo, or could they -- assuming they somehow survived the engagement -- proceed to deliver the remaining goods/resources (albeit a reduced amount, obviously)?

Freighters usually have multiple cargo components, so yes they may still have some cargo onboard. They may not necessarily continue with their transport mission however, but other freighters will deliver anything they fail to.

4.) Same question for resupply ships: If when in combat their holds are damaged, would that then reduce the amount of range they normally lend the fleet they're attached to?

Resupply ships have gas mining components and cargo components - so yes, in that their mining or storage capacity may be reduced.

5.) Are sensors a separate component? If so, and they take damage in combat, does that have an immediate effect? Or does the reduced sensor capacity only kick in when the battle is over?

Yes. Destroying a sensor has immediate effect.