Distant Worlds 2

[VorteeX]

Erik or Gerry, can we get some info about DW2. Meybe some screenshots already, ideas. I'm ask becose today announcement Star Drive 2. They give some screenshots and basic idea to get back into turn based strategy with real time battles.

Thats why i'm interesting what you guys planing. *making very sweat eyes* preaty please.

[Cauldyth]

Most of us would be happy with some screenshots of Universe first! [;)]

[joeyeti]

VorteeX, don't hold your breath for at least a year, if not more I suppose... First the Universe expansion has to come out and only then serious work on DW2 can begin (not that some preparational work would not be done I guess, but you cannot expect such a small studio to be working full time on two projects).

[Flinkebeinchen]

Looks like StarDrive 2 took some features Distant Worlds..

[..]Build a space empire turn by turn in an immersive, living galaxy filled with 9 alien races, pirate factions, galactic lore and mystery.[..]
[..]Research hundreds of technologies, including technologies that are unique to your race. Find even more technologies through in-game events and galactic exploration[..]

[ASHBERY76]

I don't think DW was the first game to have features.DW only unique aspect is the non abstracted economy.

[Cauldyth]

I didn't enjoy the original, here's hoping the second iteration is more to my liking. It'll definitely be "wait and see" though.

And man, I don't know what's been worse, the long drought where no one was making space 4X games, or this recent period where everyone's making them, but they're almost all disappointing. DW is the only one of them that has a coherent, enjoyable (and novel) approach. The rest seem to do some things right, but other things drastically wrong. It makes me want to lock all those other developers in a room, and force them to make a game with the best of each of their ideas. [;)]

[VorteeX]

ORIGINAL: joeyeti

VorteeX, don't hold your breath for at least a year, if not more I suppose... First the Universe expansion has to come out and only then serious work on DW2 can begin (not that some preparational work would not be done I guess, but you cannot expect such a small studio to be working full time on two projects).

Well i'm was thinking about this, you say small studio. So, making game engine, GUI is easy with compared to making whole game AI of this kind. DW have nice community/moders. So why to not give DW2 ingame open source script editor for making AI (ship behaviour, empire diplomacy, planet behaviour etc.)
Typical object type with events like OnEnemySign() OnHit(shield%) etc.

And i'm sure game can see daylight alot faster if Erik Team don't need to focus on making whole universe AI, leave this to dedicated moders. Also so good possibility of game moding bring alot more moders here later, so we get alot more fun.

[joeyeti]

Those are nice ideas, but I am afraid this game does not use that approach. Yes, they might request help from some established DW players/modders during the lifecycle (as I believe they did for DW already), but I do not think they would outsource any development part outside the studio.

[DeadlyShoe]

You can't trust anything promised by Star Drive 2, since they never finished all the features of Star Drive 1. :p

[Deathball]

ORIGINAL: VorteeX

And i'm sure game can see daylight alot faster if Erik Team don't need to focus on making whole universe AI, leave this to dedicated moders. Also so good possibility of game moding bring alot more moders here later, so we get alot more fun.

Am I the only one who finds this proposal to have the devs just release an unfinished product and rely on free labor to complete it absolutely disgusting?

[ReadeB]

Modding is for those gamers who think a game would be perfect if it could do one more thing.

I don't have any problem with devs making the game mechanics work and letting modders fill it with content.

[feygan]

ORIGINAL: Cauldyth

I didn't enjoy the original, here's hoping the second iteration is more to my liking. It'll definitely be "wait and see" though.

And man, I don't know what's been worse, the long drought where no one was making space 4X games, or this recent period where everyone's making them, but they're almost all disappointing. DW is the only one of them that has a coherent, enjoyable (and novel) approach. The rest seem to do some things right, but other things drastically wrong. It makes me want to lock all those other developers in a room, and force them to make a game with the best of each of their ideas. [;)]

If you don't like DW then why would you ever consider that you may like DW2? Pretty much every single sequel be it game or film has been a simple expansion and development on ideas presented in the first offering. I cannot fathom why any developer of a product would radically alter the core of the product line and yet keep the name?

If the DW dev comes up with a game that is to your liking it won't be DW2 it will be something else.

[Osito]

ORIGINAL: feygan

ORIGINAL: Cauldyth

I didn't enjoy the original, here's hoping the second iteration is more to my liking. It'll definitely be "wait and see" though.

And man, I don't know what's been worse, the long drought where no one was making space 4X games, or this recent period where everyone's making them, but they're almost all disappointing. DW is the only one of them that has a coherent, enjoyable (and novel) approach. The rest seem to do some things right, but other things drastically wrong. It makes me want to lock all those other developers in a room, and force them to make a game with the best of each of their ideas. [;)]

If you don't like DW then why would you ever consider that you may like DW2? Pretty much every single sequel be it game or film has been a simple expansion and development on ideas presented in the first offering. I cannot fathom why any developer of a product would radically alter the core of the product line and yet keep the name?

If the DW dev comes up with a game that is to your liking it won't be DW2 it will be something else.

Could be wrong, but I thought he was talking about StarDrive.

[Cauldyth]

ORIGINAL: Osito
Could be wrong, but I thought he was talking about StarDrive.

Yeah, I was talking about StarDrive. I absolutely love Distant Worlds. Of course, feygan's point applies equally well to the StarDrive series.

However, a developer may radically change the approach of a sequel if the original didn't sell as well as they'd hoped. For example, I'd consider StarDrive 2's switch to a turn-based strategic layer with separate real-time battles to be a pretty radical change over the original, which had a combined real-time approach for both.

[Bebop Cola]

Does anyone know why there hasn't been any sort of announcement around here for Distant Worlds: Universe?

I mean, if it were due out in another 6 months to a year I could understand the silence, but if it's truly due out next month as the interviews elsewhere state, then it seems like something worthy of announcing here. I wouldn't even be aware of it without Darkspire's post back in January. Am I just out of touch with where I should be getting my Distant Worlds news?

[VorteeX]

ORIGINAL: Deathball

ORIGINAL: VorteeX

And i'm sure game can see daylight alot faster if Erik Team don't need to focus on making whole universe AI, leave this to dedicated moders. Also so good possibility of game moding bring alot more moders here later, so we get alot more fun.

Am I the only one who finds this proposal to have the devs just release an unfinished product and rely on free labor to complete it absolutely disgusting?

I'm don't mean unfinished, i'm sure devs make some basic, working fine scripts. But i'm also sure they will be not enough for everyone. It's always like this, no matter how complex they will be.

[DrApostle]

ORIGINAL: Bebop Cola

Does anyone know why there hasn't been any sort of announcement around here for Distant Worlds: Universe?

I mean, if it were due out in another 6 months to a year I could understand the silence, but if it's truly due out next month as the interviews elsewhere state, then it seems like something worthy of announcing here. I wouldn't even be aware of it without Darkspire's post back in January. Am I just out of touch with where I should be getting my Distant Worlds news?

You should be careful with your post as it could be perceived as an attack on Matrix's unquestionably superior marketing strategy. This could result in the locking of this tread and the termination of your privilege to post on these forums. [;)]

[Tcby]

ORIGINAL: DrApostle
You should be careful with your post as it could be perceived as an attack on Matrix's unquestionably superior marketing strategy. This could result in the locking of this tread and the termination of your privilege to post on these forums. [;)]

I don't think that has ever happened [&:]

[Bebop Cola]

ORIGINAL: DrApostle
You should be careful with your post as it could be perceived as an attack on Matrix's unquestionably superior marketing strategy. This could result in the locking of this tread and the termination of your privilege to post on these forums. [;)]

I understand you're trying to be funny, but I wasn't looking for a snarky response when I asked the question.

[DrApostle]

I think a lot of us who LOVE Distant Worlds are on the same page of wanting more info. So in the absence of a real response, I thought I would post a funny one.[;)]