So is this a good game?

[demiare]

Okay, I will use term "currently SE is in beta stage" if you're so annoyed by "Early Access"

But it's true - several core mechanics is working only partially:
0) UI. UI is horrible.
I can't fire & replace a leader in same season? I can't place a leader in recently created zone/formation. WTF?
Stratagems are not set in place and moving around constantly. No sort here, just a huge mess. Stratagem window is more and more slow to open if you're having a lot of stratagems. Seriously? In 2020?
Game is seems to be tested only using NATO counters, attempt to play without them is a huge, huge pain. Random color for new OHQ? Yes, of course! Why our OHQs can't have similar colors? [:D]
Shadow Spy & Shadow Diplomat cards. Seriously? In 2020? I'm unable to use them directly in "Cover ops" / "Diplomacy" tabs? Nooo, you need to do more clicks! Clicks are life!
Several postures cards description isn't fitting in 1080p. It is not most fancy resolution, but well isn't obsolete one too.
1) OOB system as whole. Separate tanks OOB - seriously, gods prohibit you to mix light tanks with heavy? [:D]
2) Creating new zone unavoidable leading to 1 turn starvation & tons of happiness penalties in it. If you're not using stratagems / worker happiness bonuses - usually you will get 5-20% worker strike soon after colonization. It's extremely stupid.
3) While game tries to provide logs on tooltips (and that's cool) - they're still incomplete in every area. For example most bonuses from stratagems are never traced in such logs - despite they're zone happiness logs, leader relationship logs...
4) Military (!) techs are unbalanced and placed crazily. 2 RPG techs in SAME field? Why not? [:D] Useless gas-rifles and railguns inferior to lasers? Why not? Combat armor protecting better then 50mm of steel? Why not?
5) Tech discovery extremely opaque. Seems that there is a hidden roll to discovery instead of collecting enough BP like research. But can I see my rolls/targets? No! It leading to humorous situation when sometimes you're discovering tech/OOB with less then 100 BP and other time fail to do so with more then 300 BP.
6) Tons of events are forcing player to make a choice without an option to refuse. Golden example is "promising soldier" pack of events. Seriously you're trying to say that as a President/King/etc I'm forced to pay for anything my military want? [:D] Tons of unbalanced events. Here is a golden example is "marauders..." event - roll for skill NOT developed by governor, don't count garrisons (?! AFAIK national guard was used to stop marauders after hurricane destroyed a city & it's usual practice for military to patrol routes against bandits&marauders during any war). Sorry, but for me is absolutely not fun to "randomly" receive a events where I have 0% chance to success. If you're rely on randomness - you should give a player tiny chance of success.
7) AI is not only receiving it's usual AI economy bonuses, but purely cheating with logistics. Especially roads. I still mad on AI. Nobody in manual tell me to NOT play on planet with 20+% mountains. Guess my impressions after that game? [:D]
8) Postures. Both offensive and defensive modifier applied to counter-attacks. Sadly I'm always forget to check what will happen with counter-attacks if I have both offensive&defensive bonus [:D] My only guess it was made to buff AI as it's unable to properly hide attacking troops behind defending ones.
9) Ammo & machines building are alien to whole economy. They're definitely seems like remains of alpha "quick&dirty" testing.
10) Replacement system is half-done.
First we'are unable to upgrade existing vehicles. This look especially stupid in case of special upgrades like "Sensors" or "Cluster-bombs".
Second - our soldiers are one-use only and refuse to be retrained on new model. This why we need to waste recruits to REPLACE vehicles in existing units. Can I double face-palm here? Because IRL pilots & crew often re-trained in middle of their duty. Sometimes (around WW2 times) are several times.
11) Absolutely unequal profile choices. Democracy get much more then meritocracy, while autocracy get almost nothing but huge penalties. Sad, I thought that propaganda is a key "feature" of AAA-titles.

P.S. Still to be honest I need admit great job been done over logistics system. While it was same huge half-done mess in 1.0 - now it's seems to be finished and very intuitive to use. This is a really good job. [&o]

[Twotribes]

And all are intended as this is a finished product. That you don't like it does not equate to beta.

[wodin]

Yes it's good, very good.

[JWW]

ORIGINAL: demiare

Okay, I will use term "currently SE is in beta stage" if you're so annoyed by "Early Access"

And you are just wrong. Everything in your list of improvements is woth a discussion, but to say easrly access or beta is ridiculous. If you really feel that way, perhaps you should just step away from the game until it is out of beta/early access and fully playable to your standards. Or you might consider discussing the improvements you would like and problems you note without using pejorative terms, because that negates the message. But at least you did not resort to THIS GAME IS BROKEN!!!!!!

[eddieballgame]

Admittedly, if I had only read demiare's list of what makes him feel this is an 'early access' release, I might I have refrained from purchasing it.
However, as I have stated previously, I have played this game since day 1 release (June 4th) & have not stopped putting in much time on it on a daily basis; to include 2 'pbem' games which are going great. (not necessarily for me, however [:)])
This has been one of the best gaming experiences I have had in long time due to the quality of its' content to include great game mechanics which allow for said enjoyment, enhanced by a wonderful forum & 'dev'...imho.
The statement that the UI is horrible, for example, is but an opinion...nothing more.
Certainly not provable to me.

I suspect when the 'op' asked his/her question the responses would be but a few.
I hope he/she was not disappointed & just maybe they helped. [:)]

[demiare]

ORIGINAL: jwarrenw13
And you are just wrong. Everything in your list of improvements is woth a discussion, but to say easrly access or beta is ridiculous. If you really feel that way, perhaps you should just step away from the game until it is out of beta/early access and fully playable to your standards. Or you might consider discussing the improvements you would like and problems you note without using pejorative terms, because that negates the message. But at least you did not resort to THIS GAME IS BROKEN!!!!!!

Huh. Half-working core mechanics IS equal to beta-testing. Sorry but it's generic guideline to versioning. And you can't be serious that current formation system is anything but half-done, again we have unit models that lack any place in OOB. It isn't level of finished product.

Same with logistics. On release logistic was a horribly mess (yes, now it's fixed). It's 2020 now, player shouldn't fine-tune it each turn to feed basic buildings.

Let's compare with another great indie - Factorio. It openly states that was in beta-access, it added content over time, but even during beta-test it's lacking half-finished things that almost lack use for player.

Still game is good and promising to became a great one.

[JWW]

ORIGINAL: demiare

ORIGINAL: jwarrenw13
And you are just wrong. Everything in your list of improvements is woth a discussion, but to say easrly access or beta is ridiculous. If you really feel that way, perhaps you should just step away from the game until it is out of beta/early access and fully playable to your standards. Or you might consider discussing the improvements you would like and problems you note without using pejorative terms, because that negates the message. But at least you did not resort to THIS GAME IS BROKEN!!!!!!

Huh. Half-working core mechanics IS equal to beta-testing. Sorry but it's generic guideline to versioning. And you can't be serious that current formation system is anything but half-done, again we have unit models that lack any place in OOB. It isn't level of finished product.

Same with logistics. On release logistic was a horribly mess (yes, now it's fixed). It's 2020 now, player shouldn't fine-tune it each turn to feed basic buildings.

Let's compare with another great indie - Factorio. It openly states that was in beta-access, it added content over time, but even during beta-test it's lacking half-finished things that almost lack use for player.

Still game is good and promising to became a great one.

I continue to disagree with your Steamlike assessment of beta/early access. I think you are throwing those words out there to get attention. But you are getting attention for the wrong reason. Try focusing on the improvements you want and problems you see instead of the labeling. That would be a more reasonable approach.

[t1it]

Bestest* 4X game since DW:U so you'll be right at home.

[KingHalford]

It's not just my Game of the Year, it's not my "Game of the Decade", it's my "Best PC Strategy Game of All Time" and I've been playing these games since 1980s.

No hyperbole, it's just that good.

Shadow Empire is akin to Distant Worlds with regards to quality of gameplay at the expense of graphical fidelity whilst still suffering from some of the same issues that game had, such as unexplained/obtuse/opaque systems, which for me isn't an issue because it drives my desire to experiment and explore (certain spectrum autism-droids who need everything in black and white might not get along with it for the same reason.)

If you're undecided you might like my review, it is quite long but I tried to write it to be entertaining

: https://explorminate.co/what-to-expect-shadow-empire/

[VoodooDog]

such a stupid question to ask in a forum like this tbh

[Edorf]

ORIGINAL: VoodooDog

such a stupid question to ask in a forum like this tbh

????!

[KingHalford]

It's not a stupid question, people want to know if the game is worth buying, and it's not like some <£5 Steam deal where you can buy without risk.

[KingHalford]

You really shouldn't be advertising illegal copies of games on a company's forum mate, that's really bad form.

[eddieballgame]

ORIGINAL: Clux

ORIGINAL: KingHalford
*** deleted due to linking to illegal activity ***

Lets' not taint these forums & this thread in particular with very bad advice.
Every 'school child knows' about pirating software.
Of course, those same 'children' tend to forget about those nasty viruses that come with them.
If you steal from someone...expect some bad karma.

[ThunderLizard11]

Yeah it's a great game. Still scratching the surface and my biggest complaint is that I need more time to play it!

Here's a suggestion on getting started that I'm reposting from a thread where I asked the same question you did:


DasTactic Tips and Tricks[/link]Watch this video series if you care to watch that much video. If not at least watch the initial setup videos. DasTactic also has each video divided into an initial quick summary version and then a detailed look at each topi, so you can watch the first part of each video and get a good idea of the game. I don't like watching Youtubes to learn a game. Usually hate it. But I watched the entire series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MdylYE4Ees