Matrix Games Forums

Man, this forum is dead. As awesome as this game is, I'd expect it to liven up a little. So here's something to help get it going.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S25Zf8svHZQ

It seems pretty alive to me, even though alot of people are getting ready for holidays / are on holidays

Looks like about 1 to 3 posts an hour. I think that's pretty dead.

That's because everybody but you is playing the game [;)]

Dead is when your post gets unanswered for weeks and hardly anyone posts anything new.
I never had to wait for more than 12 hrs for a reply here. Besides, many are 'lurkers' on a forum and hardly post anyway. It is not neccessarily a sign of lost interest in a game. [;)]

ORIGINAL: Bartje

That's because everybody but you is playing the game [;)]

Actually, I'm pretending to work. [:D]

Strange that activity is quite low, but there are always lots of people viewing the forum.  I guess most are just looking for info.

As sweet as this game is, I would expect lots of AARs and strategies being posted but there are hardly any new ones? What am I supposed to read while at work em, I mean on break?

ORIGINAL: jalapen0

As sweet as this game is, I would expect lots of AARs and strategies being posted but there are hardly any new ones? What am I supposed to read while at work em, I mean on break?

I agree with you that reading AARs is a great way to wile away the hours. But doing AARs for Distant Worlds is actually really quite difficult because the game is just so damned broad. [:)]

Most games are quite linear in their strategic approach but the beauty of DW is that your objectives shift all the time. But this game-play bonus makes producing an AAR complicated because the shifting foci doesn't translate well into a story unless it is very very long. So a four hour game might take weeks to write up in story form.

I usually read AARs before I buy a game just to get the feel of the game-play and to see if I might like it. It was why I bought Europa Universalis as an example. Games like that are made for AARs because they are relatively contained. But the AARs written for DW tend to be snippets of full games or stories based on games because of the scope.

Also, strategies are really dependant on your specific situation, race and government type. People have written that they find all the races too similar because of the tech tree but I personally don't have this issue. If you play as Boskarans or Slukens your bonuses and racial characteristics push you into conquest mode. If you are playing as Teekans you naturally gravitate toward playing a trading game. And if you are playing as Humans you tend to play a diplomatic game. Etc etc. So there are just so many variables that just having one approach to the game is not a good idea.

Well I think the best time for writing AAR's will be when we get the patch after the one that is currently in Beta.  At the moment when they patch the game old saves are not compatible which means writing an AAR is pretty much out the window, because it takes too long.  I stopped writing my AAR because I updated my game.  But, when we get the patch after the one currently in Beta, the game should be moddable allowing for more varied AAR's and also its probably the last big update so any patches after it will hopefully be save game compatible, allowing more time to write AAR.  

I agree, jalapen0. Let's liven things up:-

http://vimeo.com/4052500

Yeah, I noticed the lower activity level as well, but then again, I'm not posting anything either because:

1) patient enough to wait till the next patch (or maybe the one after that) before starting to invest a lot of time in the game
2) weather is just too good to play PC games for any extended time.

Oh well. A sweet autum it will be

Interesting. 2-3 months ago (immediate post-release) there were 40 people on average on the DW forum at one time.

I personally think that activity will pick up again when a) the modability of the game improves and b) when patches released are no longer about improving AI, UI and fixes but about adding totally new features e.g. new weapons, ship classes and possibly even characters/heroes.

I gotta admit, I've stopped playing the game for a while. I've been sick of new updates constantly coming out in the middle of my games. The ironic thing is that these frequent updates are the best proof we have that at the end of the day this game is going to live up to its full potential. I've taken a break, but by no means have I given up on the game. It has the best bones of any game I've played in years.

I've been too busy lately.

I'm old and I have publications to write.

When I'm not busy with DW I been playing other games like Red Dead Redemption, Tiger Woods PGA 11, Splinter Cell Conviction, And Uncharted 2.
BTW... DW is a very fun game to play.[;)]
 
My name is ________
and
I want cheese points.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Igard

I agree, jalapen0. Let's liven things up:-

http://vimeo.com/4052500

Thanks pretty good.

Has anyone seen the old spice ads? I'm not from the states so I don't get to see phenomenal advertisements like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLTIowBF0kE

Ah, Im waiting on Lordxorns next release for the star wars mod  [:D]
And I have been a litle bussy with my work. Grumbles [:@]

ORIGINAL: Webbco

Has anyone seen the old spice ads? I'm not from the states so I don't get to see phenomenal advertisements like this:

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=messages&tid=1157643198147

I am from the states and most of the advertisements I see make me want to throw a brick through my TV...

All a matter of perspective I guess. [;)]