Distant Worlds : Universe quick hit pictures

[Spacecadet]

Greetings fellow DW'ers [:)]

In this thread I'm just going to post a few pictures in regards to starting a new game.

First, I want to commend and thank Das123 for the videos he posted in his "Under the Hood" thread - this is my inspiration for this thread.

Next, let me say that I've been testing Universe since October, so my Memory on the actual Shadows Interface and setup is quite fuzzy, so I may be thinking something is new here that is not.


First up, here is the new Start Screen (@ 1920 x 1200) :





Note the Galactopedia to the upper left, Updates at lower left, and of course the Credits to the lower right.

Other than the new Background (which I think is pretty sweet), the Main Menu functions remain centered.

[Spacecadet]

Selecting "Start New Game" brings us to this :





As you have seen from Das123's video, this is now what is seen when starting a new game.

I may later post some added pictures for how things look when selecting one of the six upper options, but for now I'm just going to cover "Custom Game as Standard Empire" (lower left).

Most of my testing has been on "The Ancient Galaxy", but I believe a Custom Game is going to be the most common (outside of Mods), so that's what I'm going to focus on right now.

[Spacecadet]

Here's where we really start to set up the game we're going to play :





As Das123 pointed out, the upper right section is new, and should allow for even more extended play of forthcoming Mods developed (I need to add a note on this at the end).

Fuzzy Memory Alert :
I think the Even Clusters & Varied Clusters in the upper left is new.
I'm also not sure about the Pirate Strength setting at the lower right.

The rest remains as it was before.

[Spacecadet]

This is the next step in the new game setup.

No real changes here, but posted for the sake of continuity.

[Spacecadet]

Again, no real changes, but the next step in the process :

[Spacecadet]

Another continuity picture, but part of the process :

[Spacecadet]

Okay, something new here.

If you run on normal defaults you're going to miss this one.

If you customize other Empires, you now have a fairly granular way to set their starting location - within limits :





As long as there is a decent location for an Empire to start at the designated location, things should be good, but if nothing is there then they'll be randomly located.

[Spacecadet]

The final setup screen before starting :




Here, I believe the only real change is the "Allow Giant Kaltors at game start" check box at the lower right.

[Spacecadet]

That's it for this round.

I just wanted to give everyone time to look over the Menus and setup screens so they can start making their plans for next Friday [:)]



Ah, the note I mentioned earlier.

This is in regards to the Ancient Galaxy Theme.

The point I want to bring to light is in regards to that upper right section I pointed out.

Keep in mind, I've played this particular game/Theme over and over many multiples of times.

In the many times I've played this one particular Theme, the ways things have unfolded were rarely the same.
In fact, I could save the game immediately after hitting "Start the Game", play that game for a few years, go back and reload that first save (at Start Game), and the two games would be significantly different.

I would expect no different from any Mods created, and with the additional options available in that upper right section - the replayability factor is just off the wall.



Smoke 'em if ya got em' :


Something else I haven't seen mentioned, and it may just be specific to the Ancient Galaxy (but I don't think it is), is Resources.

Enjoy them now, because you're not going to see them anywhere near the levels you're seeing them now.

They're tight.

That sweet Blue Gas Giant next to my Colony (you know, they always have Caslon and Hydrogen, and probably something else) . . . is empty . . . void . . . nada . . . nothing . . . zilch . . .

How about the Barren Rock Planet that orbits it . . . hmmmm, same story ?

Hey, there's a Continental Planet in my System . . . empty ?


Something's not looking right here . . . .

[StarLab]

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet


Smoke 'em if ya got em' :


Something else I haven't seen mentioned, and it may just be specific to the Ancient Galaxy (but I don't think it is), is Resources.

Enjoy them now, because you're not going to see them anywhere near the levels you're seeing them now.

They're tight.

That sweet Blue Gas Giant next to my Colony (you know, they always have Caslon and Hydrogen, and probably something else) . . . is empty . . . void . . . nada . . . nothing . . . zilch . . .

How about the Barren Rock Planet that orbits it . . . hmmmm, same story ?

Hey, there's a Continental Planet in my System . . . empty ?


Something's not looking right here . . . .

On the other hand, you can find single planets with 7 resources on it. [8D]

[Spacecadet]

ORIGINAL: StarLab

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet


Smoke 'em if ya got em' :


Something else I haven't seen mentioned, and it may just be specific to the Ancient Galaxy (but I don't think it is), is Resources.

Enjoy them now, because you're not going to see them anywhere near the levels you're seeing them now.

They're tight.

That sweet Blue Gas Giant next to my Colony (you know, they always have Caslon and Hydrogen, and probably something else) . . . is empty . . . void . . . nada . . . nothing . . . zilch . . .

How about the Barren Rock Planet that orbits it . . . hmmmm, same story ?

Hey, there's a Continental Planet in my System . . . empty ?


Something's not looking right here . . . .

On the other hand, you can find single planets with 7 resources on it. [8D]

True.

But in my experience those are usually Enemy Planets [:D]

[Cauldyth]

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet
Something else I haven't seen mentioned, and it may just be specific to the Ancient Galaxy (but I don't think it is), is Resources.

Enjoy them now, because you're not going to see them anywhere near the levels you're seeing them now.

Sweet! [:)]

[drillerman]

Not sure what the point of this thread is?

[Osito]

ORIGINAL: drillerman

Not sure what the point of this thread is?

The point of the thread is to inform those who wish to be informed. The thread serves that purpose.

Thanks for the post Spacecadet, I found that interesting.

Osito

[Darkspire]

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet

Here's where we really start to set up the game we're going to play :





As Das123 pointed out, the upper right section is new, and should allow for even more extended play of forthcoming Mods developed (I need to add a note on this at the end).

Fuzzy Memory Alert :
I think the Even Clusters & Varied Clusters in the upper left is new.
I'm also not sure about the Pirate Strength setting at the lower right.

The rest remains as it was before.

The Galaxy Expansion Slider is now used to determine the game starting era in a custom game. This is a major change from Shadows.

If you want a PreWarp start then the slider must be set accordingly, you no longer have the option to start a PreWarp game in a more advanced galaxy from this screen, to get a more advanced galaxy you will have to add races manually and increase there starting level, this means that independents with higher populations are no longer available at game start on a PreWarp game, you must also set the tech level in the Your Empire screen to PreWarp as well to get the PreWarp start and if you want the immersion messages for the PreWarp era you now have to select and play with the Shadows story events enabled on the victory screen, both of these are another major change from Shadows.

Darkspire

[drillerman]

quote:

ORIGINAL: drillerman

Not sure what the point of this thread is?


The point of the thread is to inform those who wish to be informed. The thread serves that purpose.

Thanks for the post Spacecadet, I found that interesting.

Osito

I shall, in that case consider myself duly chastised.

[Bebop Cola]

Any changes made to planetary population management? Are we still limited, barring future modding, to race-family vs. non-race-family settings?

[Buio]

I think the new start screen is to busy and not that good. I will probably mod it out and get the current one from Shadows back (if that is possible). Not important of course, but when you can mod, why not fix your pet peeves too.

[Spacecadet]

ORIGINAL: Bebop Cola

Any changes made to planetary population management? Are we still limited, barring future modding, to race-family vs. non-race-family settings?

If you are referring to the Racial Policy for similar and non-similar races immigrating to a planet, this is the same as before.

[ASHBERY76]

Wow the new Start Screen is a eye sore after the great Shadows art.Small nick pic I know.