After many patches - now worth getting?

[Wayston]

compared to many other strategy games this game was already really good at the time of release, but I can see why people would hold back their purchase until it gets further and further polished

[the1sean]

This is a really engaging 4X that feels alive. Sins is isnt designed to be a long term single player game, its an RTS combat game with 4X elements, not a pausable real-time 4X. Does that make any sense? So yeah, if you are looking for a fun "Paradox" style 4X definitely give Distant Worlds a shot. I like it better than Hearts of Iron 3, the AI is way more capable.

[Keston]

There is a lot to like, and a lot of rough edges.  I like the EU-style sandbox approach and DW has a good feel that way.  The live economy is a great core concept, and a lot of the other concepts, but the practicalities of playing can get hard.

It's complex, and hard to figure out what's really going on under the hood even with the PDF manual - still mostly trial and error and jumping through the galacopedia, which I hope is updated with info and strategy tips.

The one issue that runs through the game is the UI is set up so it's hard to get context and info for decisions without bouncing around. You can jump to a recent event, but then must zoom out for the question "where am I?" and what ships may be in range, then back in several times to check what they are doing, select, give orders by zooming in elsewhere to click etc.

It could use some dashboard tools.  Split screens should be used to enable identifying the location and facts of events (it's a big map with lots of stars, planets, ships and other things floating around in space) and making it easier to interact between ships/bases/etc. at different locations (like seeing a ship under attack, a zoomed out window showing location and nearby warships, and being able to access those ships using thumbnail windows of waht they are doing and just click on target in the initial window).  It's not that I mind the process of doing something to respond a lot - it's the process of seeing what's happening and deciding if anything can/should be done (should be easier).

[Spoot]

I too am still considering this game, and this thread has been very helpful. I do enjoy 4x games and there are so few created that part of me simply wants to support the fact that someone made the game in the first place.

Side Note: My personal view on SoSE is that it is a boring game, with such things as static guns, that face in one direction only and never move in the direction they are firing. Also, I think it was borderline underhanded how all patches for Sins were stand alone until the biggest and best patch came out that forced users to download and use Impulse if they wanted to patch their game ever again.
It was at that point I uninstalled all my Stardock games and never looked back, and will never buy another from them.

[jpowell]

ORIGINAL: Spoot

Side Note: My personal view on SoSE is that it is a boring game, with such things as static guns, that face in one direction only and never move in the direction they are firing. Also, I think it was borderline underhanded how all patches for Sins were stand alone until the biggest and best patch came out that forced users to download and use Impulse if they wanted to patch their game ever again.
It was at that point I uninstalled all my Stardock games and never looked back, and will never buy another from them.

Couldn't agree less. SoSE is a quick, intense RTS space game; it is not a 4X game. In any case, the program is stable, the graphics gorgeous, and the interface intuitive. Impulse isn't perfect, but it is free and unobtrusive.

I love 4X games and all too often I am a sucker to purchase those few published regardless of their faults (e.g., Armada 2625). Distant Worlds makes me uneasy however. At least A2625 was sold by several trust-worthy vendors (including Matrix). The sole source for DW is Matrix, and apparently by download only so I can't check with retailers for their complaint experience with the game. I've never heard of Code Force, and the lack of a demo often means the gameplay won't sell the product. None of the major game magazines have reviewed DW. I have been following the Matrix forums daily, and am disquieted by the persistent reports of game-killing bugs, defective AI, and overwhelming complexity. As the old saying goes, a game should be quick to pick up and take a lifetime to master, not the other way around.

I'll continue to watch the forums before deciding whether to buy DW or move on.

[blastpop]

I feel much the same as jpowell about the game. Despite the chorus of those who like and enjoy the game, I will take a longer wait and see attitude before I purchase. There are plenty of games on my hard drive to keep me busy for the moment. It comes down to the old adage- too many games, not enough time.

[mim_uk]

ORIGINAL: jpowell

ORIGINAL: Spoot

Side Note: My personal view on SoSE is that it is a boring game, with such things as static guns, that face in one direction only and never move in the direction they are firing. Also, I think it was borderline underhanded how all patches for Sins were stand alone until the biggest and best patch came out that forced users to download and use Impulse if they wanted to patch their game ever again.
It was at that point I uninstalled all my Stardock games and never looked back, and will never buy another from them.

Couldn't agree less. SoSE is a quick, intense RTS space game; it is not a 4X game. In any case, the program is stable, the graphics gorgeous, and the interface intuitive. Impulse isn't perfect, but it is free and unobtrusive.

I love 4X games and all too often I am a sucker to purchase those few published regardless of their faults (e.g., Armada 2625). Distant Worlds makes me uneasy however. At least A2625 was sold by several trust-worthy vendors (including Matrix). The sole source for DW is Matrix, and apparently by download only so I can't check with retailers for their complaint experience with the game. I've never heard of Code Force, and the lack of a demo often means the gameplay won't sell the product. None of the major game magazines have reviewed DW. I have been following the Matrix forums daily, and am disquieted by the persistent reports of game-killing bugs, defective AI, and overwhelming complexity. As the old saying goes, a game should be quick to pick up and take a lifetime to master, not the other way around.

I'll continue to watch the forums before deciding whether to buy DW or move on.

Re: "At least A2625 was sold by several trust-worthy vendors (including Matrix). The sole source for DW is Matrix, and apparently by download only so I can't check with retailers for their complaint experience with the game. I've never heard of Code Force, and the lack of a demo often means the gameplay won't sell the product. "

AFAIK, DW is Codeforce's first game. They all have to start somewhere.

[Tophat1815]

ORIGINAL: jscott991

Does no one ever have a large empire in this game? Is everyone always stuck with like 20 colonies, 30 AI empires, and tons of cash because you don't bother to buy anything?

Put a game on full auto, have only one other AI nation, and avoid war.

Watch what happens to your economy when you crest 150, 180, 200, etc. colonies. Your income stream dries up.

In going through this entire thread is this the game killing bug? This seems to be the only issue listed by someone that has actually bought and played the game in this thread. Fishman just says no don't buy it stay away,but doesn't say why? I do believe he has the game and with his personality seems he may just be sarcastically making a remark.

Now jscott991 seems to like every star-system with a viable planet to have a colony on it and when he gets somewhere over 100+ he can't understand why the corruption level is staggering and stagnating his empire.Alright,its a point.

Anyone else with a bug that still exists in version 1.0.4.6? And please don't make "there is no demo"therefore something is amiss claims.

[ceyan]

ORIGINAL: Tophat1812

In going through this entire thread is this the game killing bug? This seems to be the only issue listed by someone that has actually bought and played the game in this thread. Fishman just says no don't buy it stay away,but doesn't say why? I do believe he has the game and with his personality seems he may just be sarcastically making a remark.

Now jscott991 seems to like every star-system with a viable planet to have a colony on it and when he gets somewhere over 100+ he can't understand why the corruption level is staggering and stagnating his empire.Alright,its a point.

Anyone else with a bug that still exists in version 1.0.4.6? And please don't make "there is no demo"therefore something is amiss claims.

The problem was the corruption system was supposed to have a cap on it, but it didn't (or wasn't working properly), and its been fixed as of 1.0.4.6 (or, more accurately, a working cap has been applied).

I love 4X games and all too often I am a sucker to purchase those few published regardless of their faults (e.g., Armada 2625). Distant Worlds makes me uneasy however. At least A2625 was sold by several trust-worthy vendors (including Matrix). The sole source for DW is Matrix, and apparently by download only so I can't check with retailers for their complaint experience with the game. I've never heard of Code Force, and the lack of a demo often means the gameplay won't sell the product. None of the major game magazines have reviewed DW. I have been following the Matrix forums daily, and am disquieted by the persistent reports of game-killing bugs, defective AI, and overwhelming complexity. As the old saying goes, a game should be quick to pick up and take a lifetime to master, not the other way around.

Hell, if I hesitated based on that criteria I'd be a helluva lot richer and my bookshelf might actually have room for books. There has been nothing game killing about Distant Worlds yet. There have been issues which has impacted a player's personal play style, to the point where they felt it was pointless to play the game, but there has yet to be a issue which has affected the ability to play the game by the customer base at large.

Really, you have to take complaints in context. Overwhelming complexity might be a valid complaint if the game wasn't designed to allow you to play it with absolutely no complexity (unless deciding whether to pay off pirates or not is complex) and let you add as much, or as little, as you want. The AI may do stupid things, but getting a good AI right is hard as hell, and even then there is only so much you can do. And CodeForce has proven they're working to make it better.

[Pipewrench]

If your into Sci-fi and owned a telescope when you were young this is a must buy. On the other hand there are many things to work with the play mechanics to keep the game challenging and balanced.

[DasTactic]

I think what throws people off a bit before they play it is that when many of us are saying that the game has balancing issues - it isn't really as bad as it sounds. The game is enormous in its scale and scope and for a game like this you will always have balancing issues. Most other games are much more contained because of scale so balance seems to be a bigger issue for these games.

I own GalCiv, SotS, Sins, Armada 2526 and many other space genre games and even at 90% this game is by far the best in my opinion.

[tkobo]

The bigegst game ending bug ive come across so far, is the save games stop working.
So even IF you persevere thru the ctds,at some point your save just might stop working ,and no matter how much you might want to continue even with the ctds,you cant because your last save simply wont load .

Ive got about 9 of these right now.....

[Tophat1815]

ORIGINAL: tkobo

The bigegst game ending bug ive come across so far, is the save games stop working.
So even IF you persevere thru the ctds,at some point your save just might stop working ,and no matter how much you might want to continue even with the ctds,you cant because your last save simply wont load .

Ive got about 9 of these right now.....

Took a quick look and didn't see this listed in the tech support forum. What are the particulars? Are you using the latest patch 1.0.4.6? Make a report in the tech support forum listing all pertinent data and last save if possible.