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More Space Empires V thoughts

Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:19 pm
by Gusset
Well, it's been about a year since SEV came out. I figured I'd throw a few things out there to go with the review I posted here a while back.

1. Restating something I've said before: IMO this game is not in the same category as MOO2, so it can't really be considered as a competitor...SEV is significantly deeper in terms of detail level, and therefore requires much more time to play. For longer games, turns can get to the point in which they take enough time individually that things settle into a rhythm of several per week. The two games don't really compete, even though they are both turn-based 4x.

2. SEV is much, much closer to its potential now, especially as a multiplayer game. I dare say that it's as close to its potential as MOO2 is to its own potential; there are things I'd still like to see changed or otherwise addressed, but between bug fixes and improvement oriented changes, there's no comparison with a year ago.

3. Star lanes and warp points: I have heard the occasional opinion expressed on strategy game forums that no game with star lanes or warp points is worth playing, because it is too limiting from a strategic movement perspective. In response, I offer this for consideration: an SEV solar system is not abstracted as in MOO2. Each individual solar system is a fully navigable grid made up of ~350 hexes, effectively comparable to a small or medium sized MOO2 galaxy. It's all there: cat and mouse interactions between attacking and defending fleets as one tries to intercept or evade the other, necessity to choose and prioritize offensive/defensive targets based on ship speeds and makeup, scouting, force gathering/splitting, etc. While invading or defending a multi-colony, multi-warp point solar system, the last thing a player thinks is, "Gee, this game's strategic movement options are too limiting."

4. Though it's not tactical (i.e. directly player controlled as in MOO2), I find myself enjoying the combat system, and the developer has bit by bit improved the system and the things the player can do to control ships. It's great fun developing and testing combat strategies in the combat simulator. There are still a few items that could use some attention (we all can say the same thing about just about any 4X combat system), but the SEV system has matured nicely.

I think that any MOO2 player who is interested in diving into something new in the 4X realm, and who is willing to deal with the additional aspects that come with deeper detail levels, would enjoy this game. It might be worth your $15.

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:03 pm
by Zaphod
I am learnign how to play this right now. I have not experienced interaction with other races yet, including combat and spying. Also, I have not done much apart from research, explore, design and colonize...

Still, it could be quite addicting :D

Re: More Space Empires V thoughts

Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:24 pm
by siron
1. Restating something I've said before: IMO this game is not in the same category as MOO2, so it can't really be considered as a competitor...
Of course, they compete. And you know that. 8)
I think that any MOO2 player who is interested in diving into something new in the 4X realm, and who is willing to deal with the additional aspects that come with deeper detail levels, would enjoy this game. It might be worth your $15.


Still 40 bucks (i.e. $60), at least the German version here...BTW, do they have any plans for the next sequel?

Re: More Space Empires V thoughts

Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:10 am
by Gusset
1. Restating something I've said before: IMO this game is not in the same category as MOO2, so it can't really be considered as a competitor...
Of course, they compete. And you know that. 8)
If I had to choose just one 4X game to play, I'll give you that they would compete. My point with the statement is to establish that the differences go beyond interface, flavor, and layout...these two games don't threaten one another in my desire to play them, mainly because the difference in abstractedness is so stark. My opinion, yours may differ. If one were to focus on multiplayer MOO2 and SEV, which I do as a player, I'm even more convinced that they are in different categories.
I think that any MOO2 player who is interested in diving into something new in the 4X realm, and who is willing to deal with the additional aspects that come with deeper detail levels, would enjoy this game. It might be worth your $15.


Still 40 bucks (i.e. $60), at least the German version here...BTW, do they have any plans for the next sequel?
My apologies for the mistake, I should have been more specific. In the US, I can find it for $15 quite easily.

I don't know what the plans are for the next installment. There were 5-6 years between SE4 and SE5 I heard. The developer has, as far as I can tell, been putting a lot of time into patching up SE5 to get it to where it is today, so I'd guess he's done nothing as of yet. He has stated that he intends to release an "Expansion Pack" for SE5 eventually, whatever that means.

Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:10 am
by Zaphod
Well personally, I am liking this game more and more.