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OFFICIAL Strategy Gaming Thread

Caesar 3 was where it was at for me! That game was a riot! I have some very good memories of finally building a successful and powerful empire and crushing my enemy and rioting citizens.

Currently I'm still stuck in space with Sword of the Stars. Such an entertaining game.this has turned out to be. I'm loving the way SotS works and plays. It has a flow to it that maintains forward progress. I feel like most turns aren't wasteful, because in some way I'm able to improve my empire effectively.

I also like how the combat works even if it takes place in a separately loaded instance. Though admittedly the controls are what I would call clunky in this day and age. It would be nice to have WASD panning, a little more zoom ability, zoom to mouse cursor in combat, and better overall lighting or way to show/highlight the smaller ships better when not using scanner mode.

But even with those complaints I keep finding myself enjoying combat as I improve my units via upgrades and additions from the search. Seeing what is effective.

My current game I have built up a decent multi-sided war machine. But I did so a touch early and many of my forces are without the better weapon options. Though I have power in numbers due to those ships being noticeably cheaper so now I'm pursuing the research that will allow me to have more deployed in battle at once.

I could keep going but I'm gonna stop there. I just gotta say SotS is a lot of fun. For an older game it is still well worth $10 on Steam. The learning curve isn't as bad as Distant Worlds, but since SotS plays a little differently you just gotta learn how to play it. I'm no pro by any means. I'm too casual for that! :)
 
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Ashes of the Singularity is 50% off on Steam, and the 2.1 patch just dropped too! Big things are reworked maps for better gameplay, supply line control and single player observer mode if you wanna watch AI vs AI skirmishes to see how they play and react to each other and watch some really amazing graphical battles. :D

Also to note, Stardock has done away with the simpler Ashes and more complex Escalation process and combined both games. They will implement a "simple" mode which will allow for a simpler, faster game to take place. Works great for my son and I as we both prefer to load up Escalation, but he's not quite ready for the extra stuff yet...we're still working on quanta development. He took a short break from RTS and got back into Minecraft, which I totally supported...but now he wants to play this again and of course I'm stoked about it! :D

I commend Stardock for keeping this game going and really continuing to make it fun to play, interesting AI challenges, adding more content, working to get the mod community some resources (coming soon), and keeping the community involved. A lot of devs do this, but many don't do it this well IMHO. Smaller indie devs do, which I suppose at one point Stardock was.

Anyways totally worth it at $20!!! Get it! Make your computer cry and plead as it struggles to render all the goodness that is Escalation while you enjoy the view from the skies. :D

Also as a side note, I have been really into 4X's for a while....still looking for the one that I keep coming back to. So far Sword of the Stars 1/2 and Stars in Shadow are in the top tier, Star Ruler 2 is pulling up the 3rd spot. With that said, I was thinking is this an appropriate thread to discuss 4X or should we create a dedicated thread? Not sure how many 4X gamers are out there...I prefer my space themed 4X titles, but there are so many more in fantasy, modern era's, etc. Thoughts?
 
You've almost convinced me to buy Ashes. But my Steam catalogue has grown so rapidly in the last months, I don't even know where to start.

Imho 4X definitely has its place in this thread. My interest in the genre has recently grown as well, since turn based gameplay definitely has its advantages as a father of two young kids.
 
I need life. Help.

Edit: I hear Stellaris is good but I ain't paying full price for it. Waitin' for a big sale before buying.

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I can't get into it...though I got it on sale. It is good, and pretty...but needs mods to feel more fleshed out. The Star Wars mod looks amazing BTW.

Buuuuut.... I HATE the uninvolved combat that I've played so far...to the point I save and exit.

Stellaris has a lot going for it, and will probably be uber amazing in the future. But I don't see it being a 2000-hour game for me yet. :D

Frankly I don't mind trading some empire development depth for more tactical and controlled combat. Which has led me to playing Sword of the Stars 1 and 2 (well mostly 1 at the moment... 2 I am holding on reserve because both 1 and 2 are serious time sinks but a lotta fun!). I also have been playing a good bit of Sins of a Solar Empire with some mods as well...I forgot to mention that one in my last post when I mentioned Star Ruler 2. Also one thing that bugs me about Stellaris is that development can feel sooooo slow even on the fastest speed. Maybe I just don't enjoy empire development and internal government issues as much as I thought I would.

But the fact that combat is so fruitless...it comes down to who has the bigger blob...they automatically fight how they're going to fight, you don't really get any kind of control over them... the power/fight bar thing doesn't do it for me. I want something more akin to what Shallow Space is doing for space battles, or what SoaSE has done, or SotS-series. SotS does it best for a large 4X game where you can choose peaceful auto, auto resolve, manual...and manual is worth it. You can set your fleet positioning and formations, you can effectively customize your ships, you feel like your inputs on unit placement and management makes a difference in battle. I like flanking and surprising in battles. It is fun to me.

Realizing SotS is turn-based strategy which I normally am not a fan of, but here it works so well, and progress really works well...you feel things are moving along and happening. Even Distant Worlds Universe feels like it moves along at a more enjoyable pace than Stellaris to me.

I hope Stellaris improves in these aspects, but for me it is fun for a short bit but I feel a push away in some aspects after expanding and getting into conflicts. DWU, SotS, SoaSE, SiS (Stars in Shadow), all end up taking my time when I have time to play that is. :D

Another one I'm keeping an eye on is Dawn of Andromeda, looking very promising. Not the depth of Stellaris, but interesting mechanics and options, and looking like solid empire development and combat. :toast:
 
What drove me to play Crusader Kings 2 for 2000-hour is the drama and their unpredictability.

I usually play as a pagan in Baltic. Fend off Catholics while reforming the religion.

Oh, and my son coming out of closet and marry a lesbian princess. My word, I had a hard time producing a heir off that couple. And that heir was a princess. Oh, boy, I had a hard time holding my nation together with a female heir.

Every game session is very different even if I start out in the exactly same place and that's what kept me going.
 
That's pretty awesome, and they do have some of that in Stellaris...not nearly as personal or detailed.

You should check out Rimworld, I haven't played it in a while but the devs are amazing and this simulation is pretty detailed and amazing. Graphics are cartoony but fit what it is so well I couldn't imagine Rimworld any other way now. So if you like the drama, unpredictability, interactions, randomness, you might find you would really really really enjoy this gem of a game. My apologies in advance for giving you another opportunity to lose a lotta hours if you do get into it. But you might not like it because the scope is different...it is more about a surviving society on a fringe planet, not a growing empire. But you should take a look. :)

Normally I am into space/sci-fi-themed games...but Northgard caught my eye today on Steam. It reminds me of Warcraft 3 with vikings, with a touch of simulation (survival effects)...looks like it could be pretty effing awesome in the future. I won't buy it now...but am going to check it out later.

Also I failed to link Dawn of Andromeda earlier, I am looking forward to the next update to this one...it really has the promise to have beautiful graphics and a great blend of RTS and 4X in something that takes good inspiration from the best the genres have to offer. We shall see...I hope I don't regret buying into it. :D
 
Yep, Northgard caught my eyes also but it's early access and I am going to wait on it. Viking is always fun to play as or against.

Rimworld is on my wish list. Just waitng for a sale of at least 40%. I almost never buy games at full price since I can always wait. I don't know about Dawn of Andromeda. It's my first time hearing about it.

I am mostly happy with Crusader Kings 2 and I play all kind of different genes. Mount&Blade is also my big favorite.
 
Nice. Ya I'm gonna sit tight on Northgard, seems like it needs a little more content and AI development. But damn does it look like a fun game.

Rimworld is worth it IMHO. I can't say I've seen it on sale very often...hopefully it will be soon though.

DoA looks amazing and features are getting there, it feels like the development is focusing on quality rather than quantity which I can appreciate. I haven't put much time in because the last patch introduced an economy killing bug that should be fixed next week.

I forgot to mention another game I've been playing on and off...not that I highly recommend it at full price, but am hoping the dev will release the next big patch soon...a game called Polaris Sector. It's more of a wargaming 4X, and it uses 2D sprites in an isometric view. Works well though. I like how you manage time in that one, as it is another pausable RTS, but it can go up to 64X. Planet development is good enough, and combat is instanced and very tactical. I've played the combat tutorial several times because it is actually pretty fun. I was pretty disappointed at release after a couple of games...and just picked it back up. So we'll see...frankly Sword of the Stars 1 is so fun,that it's aging controls and graphics are worth dealing with to play it. LOL...I wish I had just one game that would hook me and keep me hooked. My fault for not just picking one and going. :D
 
So had a few moments to play some Polaris Sector last night, and next thing I know its 3 hours later. Holy hell. I didn't need to stay up that late...but had a pretty good time with the game getting my ships designed, expanding my empire, creating my fleets, staging what I want to colonize next, and meeting my future adversaries for the first time. For now we are at peace...for now... :D

I was able to increase the range of my fleets quite a bit which meant those Earth-like planets my colony ships couldn't reach before were not only reachable but I had 5-10,000 fuel left! I also really like how this game doesn't use currency as a resource...it uses actual resources. It fits well here. Though if it added resources I'd like to see a private-sector setup like Distant Worlds Universe...I really like that mechanic.

I really appreciate the game speed element in this game and how the dev deployed it, I usually run at 6.4X speed which feels like a really good pace to keep the game moving along. It pauses at appropriate times so it isn't overly annoying. Information is easy to find and understand. Research is unique but not too shabby to get the hang of...or at least I think thus far.

I was going to play some Ashes Escalation 2.1 but the 1GB patch was taking a while to download...I decided to try Polaris instead of SotS1 for something different.

In SotS1 I was researching AI, which rebelled, took 4 of my planets over. I took that as a personal challenge to maintain my current battle lines against the enemy human fleets that are attacking me on several fronts and get my planets back from that damn AI. I of course have had more than my fair share of research mishaps...especially with AI... one took out part of my colony due to an accident on my home planet...but a 50% increase in research speed will make such a nice difference in the next stages of my war machine... Damn do I wish this game had some modern touches to it.

Last time I played SoaSE Rebellion with SW Interregnum Mod, I modified the controls for WASD panning and Spacebar pause....total game changer. Feels so much nicer...for a guy that wasn't really used to either control scheme because old school RTS games never really used them...I sure have found them useful and prefer WASD panning to mouse panning and endless zoom to mousing. :D
 
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Welp !

CK2 released yet another major DLC: Monks and Mystics. It's like their 10th major expansion.

This DLC enables me to do few interesting things. It basically adds dark cult system where you can recruit/force people to join the cult and do as you please.

Since I play as pagan most of time, this DLC adds a very powerful tool. It gives me an ability to force Catolic people (especially female prisoners) to join the cult which allows me to brainwash them to convert their allegiance!

What good does it do? Before this DLC, all you could do to female prisoners was either rape them or sacrifice them (Well, you could release/ransom them also). Now, I have a chance of sending them to my cult and then brainwash them and send them back, causing chaos from within.

I think this will be tweaked in future patch because right now this feature is really powerful and can destroy a nation from within. (Capture a duke's wife, convert her, and send her back. During bed time talk, she converts her husband and the husband revolts due to religious difference, profit for me.)
 
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That just goes to show how powerful women are...
 
Drone said:
Earth Liberation trailer


Looks kinda dated but maybe it has a well balanced gameplay
Click to expand...
The unit design is very unimaginative and borrows heavily from all sorts of sources. The overall look reminds me somewhat of C&C - one of my favorite series of all time - but that didn't help said trailer to arouse my interest.
But thanks for sharing anyway. Greatly appreciate any input when it comes to new strategy games :toast:
 
@Dethroy You're right. C&C (basically Dune II spiritual successor) series was so iconic that almost every rts tries to borrow anything from that.
Just like many hack n slash/rpg games borrowed stuff from original Diablo.
 
Been playing some Ashes of the Singularity Escalation testing the new 2.2 beta patch that rebalances everything, the AI is much harder...I have been getting my arse handed to me, but now they have replays so I can see how the AI pulled it off...what I appreciate is that when I work on that strategy, they'll change to counter my new strategy. The action is fun, and watching the battles is just fucking amazing. I know a lotta folks think of this as a benchmark masked as a game, but I disagree. More now than ever, and with the future looking brighter for AotSE with upcoming naval units, tier 4 units, Steamworks integration, it is only going to get better. That all being said, this game loads my systems more than any other game I play...which makes it a great OC stability tester too! I feel that Stardock and Oxide Games have a great direction moving forward with this one and there's a lot to do already with a lot more coming. Bring it! :D

Frankly anyone that's a fan of RTS and large-scale battles should take a serious look at this one. If you tried it before and having in recent months, it might be a great time to check it out again. Seems to scale better with systems too, can get it to play smooth on systems in my sig with medium-high, and my main rig and Acer Predator 15 laptop with high-ultra settings all at 1080P. The adjustments made to textures, details, shading, effects have all made the game absolutely stunning to look at. I love to pause mid-battle and take screenshots...just amazing. The camera is easy to use, pan, tilt and zoom with as well...especially since they added WASD panning support months ago.

I've been all over the place with 4X games lately as well...floating between Gal Civ 3 in anticipation for the Crusades DLC and Stellaris in anticipation of this week's Utopia and 1.5 patch releases. Both are big news for both games, and I won't get into either here. They both have pro's and con's. Where they disappoint the most is combat for me. Gal Civ 3, I really like the empire development and exploration phases...I have the least amount of time invested to this one, but it sure is entertaining and looks amazing. I'm normally not a TBS fan, but this one does it well. I do like the little touches and attention to detail they brought to the game...and Crusades' changes to GC3 are going to be huge...the economy change, addition of civilions as a mechanic, even the changes in the 2.0 release now have been helpful to enjoying the game more (I think at least...I bought it on the 2.0 release sale). Stellaris is fun in bites, and churns along....but never keeps me hooked. Even with the combat mods, I still am frustrated by the hands off feeling of combat. Not being instanced like GC3 helps its setting though...but there needs to be some major balance changes which the 1.5 patch should address. Neither really does much to focus on their combat issues...but if GC3 can add more tactical control and fix its horrid camera in the battle instances and Stellaris can add some better fleet options, controls and tactics, both could really shine without adding too much to detract from users that don't necessarily care to get involved with combat.

I will say I feel GC3 and Stellaris do a fine job making you an emperor and should only get better with time. StarDock and Paradox are known for DLC, long-term support and constantly improving games so I feel my investments here are sound and I've already gotten my money's worth of fun out of each so far and have a long ways yet to go. I am just hoping that sooner than later issues are fixed so I can maintain an interest in these games longer...for now I play till I get tired of the unfixed BS or balance issues and move onto something else.

When I want combat I have been going to Ashes, when I still want a 4X empire building experience with more combat I'm playing the currently early access title Dawn of Andromeda (think Sins of a Solar Empire + Stellaris Lite + better UI) and Polaris Sector (best instanced tactical combat around IMHO).

Dawn of Andromeda offers a more standard RTS feel to the 4X genre, and offers simple yet strategic planetary development. Combat feels a lot like SoaSE. The galaxy view and graphics quality reminds me of a warm Stellaris. Plays smooth, looks great, excellent UI, constant patching and communication from the devs. I'm very happy with this one. I play it at a faster pace than I do many other 4X games, and it does a great job of handling that. Upcoming additions should add even more to see, find, exploit, and master. If you don't like EA, keep an eye on this one anyways. I play through this one, give my feedback to the dev. It is fun and a little more casual, kind of like Stars in Shadow is a more casual 4X TBS. Great fun and presentation that's only getting better!

Polaris Sector has been out over a year now and is still getting updates and free content. The graphics are definitely showing their indie-side but are enjoyable and get the job done. The research system is unique and about to get a major update to add even more to it to make tuning your research more effective and important. Combat is instanced and is very tactical. Planetary development is standard 4X, and the AI does a great job with it. The time control and auto-pause features are some of the best in the genre for real-time 4X. This game has had a lot of development time, and has a very old school feel to it that really works very well for it. This also means it can run on about anything that is probably 7-8yrs old or newer...maybe even older. This is one of those games that I'll start at a decent hour and then all of a sudden it is 3AM...SHIT! I gotta work, but dammit that Klackon empire cannot be allowed to infringe on my border, that next battlefleet is almost there. Let's do it! :D
 
Don't forget Europa Universalis IV also. Made by the same company that made Crusader Kings 2.

I prefer CK2 much more due to its deep RPG elements but still I've had my share of fun with it. Time wise, EU 4 is about colonization and discovering America as well as rise of Ottoman empire.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/236850/

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Played some GalCiv 3 for about an hour last night... that's about all I can play before I am ready to move on. Crusade's is going to fix soooooo much, I'm glad Brad is taking a break from Ashes development to get a handle on GalCiv 3, from UI, economy, population, empire mechanics...so much is going to change that GalCiv2 and 4X fans all should appreciate. The game looks amazing, and has so much potential... and while I'm not a TBS fan usually...I like the flow of this one. If they can fix a few things and make the instanced combat useful this will be one of my go-to's. Right now, the galaxy map combat summary (quick combat option) works for me...which is sad.

Though after an hour of GC3, I hop over to Polaris Sector for some more fun. I dug up a save from a couple months ago I hadn't finished yet...and I'm in a pickle with two pissed off empires. But I got the invade mechanic figured out, and started making some headway. Bolstered the other end of my empire with a non-aggression pact with the largest empire of all the AI's.

I did something right with my empire development, or rather the AI planetary development worked amazingly well...for the 2nd smallest empire, I had the largest income, population and production. Though I overdid it on production and choked my empire down because I ran out of a vital resource. I do like how PS uses different resources rather than credits. It works very well here, and the economy summary screen is a great place to review what the hell I'm doing, how much I'm making and where I'm screwing up or need to pause production until my eco could catch up. Within that hour-long session I gained 5 new planets, 3 of which were directly invaded by me. I garrisioned the planets with fleets, and then let my siege ships and personnel carriers auto-ferry tanks and soldiers from my core planets to fuel these wars.

Granted ground battles aren't fought beyond a numbers game...but I was fine with that really. Where this game still shines for me is the tactical combat. The AI is very competent here too and I struggle to win some battles...but have pulled out some sneaky maneuvers on them...looking forward to the larger battlefields for space battles in the next patch though. Frankly for a game that has such a mediocre review rating, it sure is quite fun to play. Anyone else playing?
 
SoaSE:Rebellion on sale for $10. Steam.
 
Not only that they just dropped the 1.9 update, pretty incredible that SoaSE: Rebellion released in 2012, had a DLC launched last year, and is still being updated. The new updates include 4K UI support and improvements, improved graphics and shading, improved late-game performance, utilizing 4GB RAM vs 2GB, improved mod support, etc.

I am pretty damn happy with StarDock games. Ashes is fun as hell, and gets better with every update. GalCiv 3 is getting more updates and Crusades.

If you haven't played Sins in a while, you definitely should...especially for $10. Also the Star Wars Interregnum and Extended 4X mods are excellent! :rockout:
 
Stellaris: Utopia just got released, it adds alot of endgame content to Stellaris, like building megastructures.

If you aren't familar with Stellaris yet, it's a 4x game similar to Gal Civ, Master of Orion, Star Ruler, etc. but I find it much much better in basically everything, gameplay, graphics, modding, etc.. look it up if you are interested
 
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