Swords of the Stars II - Friendly warning

[Hertston]

The reaction to SotS2 is something of an over-reaction, in that it isn't as dire as some claim and - if Kerberos/Paradox keep their promises to fix it - could end up rather special. Unlike Elemental, the potential is there. At the moment, though, I agree with the OP, I couldn't recommend the purchase now. Buy it in a few months once salvaged and no doubt at a heavily discounted price.

Just in case there are any SotS fans about to take the plunge anyway, they are now chucking in all the launch-time DLC 'immersion packs' for free. If you haven't played SotS, you can get that for free too via Kerberos.

[Simulation01]

I'm a fan of SOTS I and I want SOTS II.  I believe in supporting things that look like they have promise and I believe it does.  So, I'm not asking for my money back and I'm not going to berate them though I am disappointed.  They will fix it and make it right.  I don't consider my money wasted...for months I've been screaming for news and now I have it.  We now know exactly where they are with the game....and that is not an invitation for snide comments.

[DasTactic]

I bought it to tide me over until DW:Legends is released. The game looks awesome and the game mechanics as designed will be great after patching. It boasts a dynamic government matrix that shifts based on the choices you make in the game; provinces with provincial capitals; different game-play styles; and so on.The launch was very very poor but unlike MOO3 the actual game mechanics will be very solid after patching. If they needed an injection of funds they should have launched it as a beta and then released the release version in a few months. As it is the fans are peeved becuase they launched it saying it was ready - which it clearly isn't. Will be a great game one day - just not right now.

I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

[Malevolence]

Let's have positive thoughts and hopes for SOT II. Successful titles encourage investment $ and publishers to back 4X games. Flops have the opposite effect.

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Das123
I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

Hey now, it's not like we don't sell other games here too, if you were looking for a distraction. [8D]

I don't blame you for giving into temptation though. The original SOTS + Expansions is excellent.

Have you tried Armada 2526 + Supernova yet? Starships Unlimited also still has its charms, even though it looks quaint graphically and AI War will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Regards,

- Erik

[Gelatinous Cube]

I also heartily recommend AI war. Not a 4x game per se.. but it's certainly as long as any. A medium-sized game will last you weeks, unless you play a LOT.

[unclean]

Yeah, AI War is awesome. Not at all like DW though, it's some Tower Defense, Grand Strategy, RTS... thing. Starts out kind of slow but once you carve out a decent chunk of the galaxy it's really tense and fun.

A lot more complicated than DW though, which isn't really a good thing. I mean they must have at least 300 units, all with unique counters. It's a lot to take in.

[martok]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Das123
I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

Hey now, it's not like we don't sell other games here too, if you were looking for a distraction. [8D]

I don't blame you for giving into temptation though. The original SOTS + Expansions is excellent.

Have you tried Armada 2526 + Supernova yet? Starships Unlimited also still has its charms, even though it looks quaint graphically and AI War will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Regards,

- Erik

I can enthusiastically second the recommendation for Armada 2526, especially in combination with the Supernova expansion. It's now tied with BOTF as my favorite 4x title of all time, surpassing even Distant Worlds (which is #3 on my personal "Top 5" list). [8D]

[SpectralFremen]

Wow.
Game dev discussing other games (from OTHER companies in the same genre no less!) perks with his customer base? Eric you are one awesome guy.

I've always wondered why you guys don't get yourself put on gamersgate? The paradox strategy games are the only things I've really played that are comparable to DW's overall depth and awesomeness.

[Erik Rutins]

Hi SpectralFremen,

Oh, really?

http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-DIWO/distant-worlds

[;)]

Allow me to encourage you to try a few of our other games too. [:D]

Regards,

- Erik

[SpectralFremen]

Oh wow! Don't i feel silly now hahaha

[Erik Rutins]

Hi SpectralFremen,

No offense intended, I couldn't help posting that link for you but I hope you took it in the light hearted way that I meant it. [8D]

Regards,

- Erik

[SpectralFremen]

Yeah of course

Btw I love your game, its amazing.

[DasTactic]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Das123
I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

Hey now, it's not like we don't sell other games here too, if you were looking for a distraction. [8D]

I don't blame you for giving into temptation though. The original SOTS + Expansions is excellent.

Have you tried Armada 2526 + Supernova yet? Starships Unlimited also still has its charms, even though it looks quaint graphically and AI War will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Regards,

- Erik

Armada 2526 + Supernova : tick (not something I can really get into for some reason)
Stardhips Unlimited : tick (loved it in its day)
AI War : tick (another game I just can't get into)
and others mentioned (and not mentioned yet)
BOTF : tick (never really liked it)
Stars! : tick (loved it at the time)
MOO2 : tick (great game in its day)
MOO3 : tick (terrible game)


Distant Worlds has been the best game I've played for years. Nothing else comes close.

[Malevolence]

Stars! remains at the top of my list, but DW moves closer with each expansion.

The Space Empires series isn't bad either, despite being more simplistic. That's where I learned to gate camp before Eve online.

[Bleek]

ORIGINAL: Das123

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Das123
I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

Hey now, it's not like we don't sell other games here too, if you were looking for a distraction. [8D]

I don't blame you for giving into temptation though. The original SOTS + Expansions is excellent.

Have you tried Armada 2526 + Supernova yet? Starships Unlimited also still has its charms, even though it looks quaint graphically and AI War will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Regards,

- Erik

Armada 2526 + Supernova : tick (not something I can really get into for some reason)
Stardhips Unlimited : tick (loved it in its day)
AI War : tick (another game I just can't get into)
and others mentioned (and not mentioned yet)
BOTF : tick (never really liked it)
Stars! : tick (loved it at the time)
MOO2 : tick (great game in its day)
MOO3 : tick (terrible game)


Distant Worlds has been the best game I've played for years. Nothing else comes close.

AI War Fleet Command is brilliant, however I think what puts a lot of people off (especially as it's more RTS than 4X) is that it takes about 5-10 hours to play a single game, sometimes longer!

[mbar]

I own many of the listed games because I love sci-fi space games. If I ranked them for my hours played it would be.

Armada 2526 with Supernova expansion.
Sins of a Solar Empire.
Sword of the Stars Complete Collection
Distant Worlds + Expansions
Everything else

I bought SotS2 as well. I see the potential and I want it to succeed. That said DO NOT BUY now. Not unless you just gotta have it now.

[torontorock]

ORIGINAL: martok

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Das123
I'm blaming Elliot and Eric for making me find distractions while waiting for Legends to be released.

Hey now, it's not like we don't sell other games here too, if you were looking for a distraction. [8D]

I don't blame you for giving into temptation though. The original SOTS + Expansions is excellent.

Have you tried Armada 2526 + Supernova yet? Starships Unlimited also still has its charms, even though it looks quaint graphically and AI War will certainly keep you busy for a while.

Regards,

- Erik

I can enthusiastically second the recommendation for Armada 2526, especially in combination with the Supernova expansion. It's now tied with BOTF as my favorite 4x title of all time, surpassing even Distant Worlds (which is #3 on my personal "Top 5" list). [8D]

Interesting list. I personally found Armada + expansion to be fun but to easy even at the highest difficulty setting. The only other space strategy game I've even played is Gal Civ2 and I played it ALOT (like 500 games or so) and got pretty decent at it. Perhaps that gave me an idea of how to win games like Armada but either way I found that the AI never attacked enough and it was pretty easy to lay back and build up to victory so I ended up not playing anymore. I've read that the 1.04 patch was supposed to make the AI more aggresive but I haven't tried it yet. Have you played the 1.04 patch? Would you say the AI is better at pressuring you? Just my thoughts.
Also what is BOTF? A space strategy game?

[Tophat1815]

BOTF is Birth of the Federation. it's a game based on the Star Trek Universe and one i spent too many hours to count playing. That is a game I wish someone would do a revised edition of..........but its the Trek franchise which seems to continuously fall on the phaser on overload.[:'(]

[Gelatinous Cube]

Of course, can't forget Master of Orion II. Been playing that one a lot lately, and it never ceases to impress me how deep and polished that game is. If you threw modern day graphics in there and didn't change a damned thing else, it'd be beat everything else on the market today.

Anyone who hasn't played it, you're missing out. [8D]