The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

Will Malfador continue to support the game following the release of this latest patch? Or will it leave well enough alone and call it quites?

SE IV has been out now for nearly two years, and by all rights its game over man. Most publishers stop supporting their games after the year and a half mark. That is if your lucky. At what point does Malfador say tough **** SE IV fans, buy SE V?

Will there be an SE V? I doubt it. Since they did not make any money off of SE IV, there can be no SE V. To have an SE V, will mean that Aaron will have to incorperate a 3D combat system. Since most Four X games since 97 and on have had 3D combat, one has to really wonder why SE IV did nt have it. I don't think not having hurt the game, in fact I think it made the game that much more enjoyable. However, an evolution must be made. So will there be an SE V? I will bet no.

The cost is too high to produce it.

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Given the healthy modding community here, obviously there are still plenty of people interested in the game, and interested in improving it.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Where did you get that tidbit of information? I mean, they didn't GIVE SE4 away, theys old it. They didn't sell it for $5US a pop, they charged reasonable rates.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">IT does not neccessarily follow that combat MUST be 3D, "because veryone else is doing that" ... nor that an evolution MUST incorporate 3D anything.

Would it be nice? sure. But not required.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Unless you have access to MM's books, you can't know that for certain.

Now, stop trolling. Please.

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

I think ManOfWar is just peeved that the troll thread he started about fan shipsets got locked, so he's trying to start another troll thread with plenty pointless and incorrect premises.

Boo.

PvK

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">dunno, it could be the Last one, since DO is also in production
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I doubt Malfador would ever say tough **** to the fans http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif
But i wouldn't be upset or surprised if they stopped supporting it now.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Uhm, Richard said several times that SE4 is their top selling title, i would find it hard to believe if there was no profit made then.
And 3D combat isn't mandatory, i don't think GalCiv has 3D combat.
I do think 3D realtime (pausable) combat would be an improvement, but that would surely drive the production cost up. And i think there are other ways SE5 could improve over SE4 than just graphics, AI and diplomacy for example.

[ August 16, 2002, 17:53: Message edited by: Lemmy ]

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

Hey I made a mistake with that "other" thread. This one is as it reads.

My point is that the COST would prohibit the inclusion of 3D combat, and since no publisher will even look at a Four X game without 3D combat, the reason to produce it is null and void.

Hell I would love to see SE V, but I fear that it would not be "cost effective" to produce it.

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

"My point is that the COST would prohibit the inclusion of 3D combat, and since no publisher will even look at a Four X game without 3D combat, the reason to produce it is null and void."

heh. Not Shrapnel. Check out Dungon Oddysey for more proof of the "gameplay over graphics" style http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Phoenix-D

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

Gentlemen,

In agreement with many who enjoy this community, I support the "game-play over graphics" strategy that MM and Shrapnel sell. The ability to mod and improve the game away from the developers allows me to invest personal time into the game. This vastly increases the Lasting playability of this game.

I have enjoyed/endured many many strategy games in the 20 years or so that I have been playing, as I am sure anyone posting here has. SEIV is simply (and I mean that literally) the most mind engaging game I have enjoyed since the original CIV game.

That is not to say that I do not enjoy other morw graphic oriented games and genre's, such as Everquest, or Star Trek games. Never having been a "twitchy" gamer I do not always enjoy playing visually action oriented games as much as I do strategy games.

Finally, what makes a game truly enjoyable is those I play it with. The community around this game is so positive that I doubt I would have ever bought the game if this community didnt exist.

Cheers!
Trajan

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

You couldn't be more wrong. Aaron is going to first off continue to support SE:IV for the near future. It is STILL selling at a fairly nice clip, and is still our top selling game.

Aaron made enough money to quit his day job and make his dream of doing Malfador a full time thing a reality.

Currently he is working on support of SE:IV, DO, and is already working on the upcoming 3D Space combat game in the SE:IV universe. This game will be the test bed for the 3D combat portion of SE:V. Right now we're looking for a new artist to finish up the 3D work, since our artist got a job with one of the MMORPG companies, but that will happen in time. The engine is coming along nicely with placehoulder art.

To be honest i really shouldn't feed this any further, but I wanted to make sure the facts are known.

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

Oh and your wrong about another thing. We had competition for SE:IV when we negiotiated the deal with Aaron. In fact a large publisher of strategy games recently begged us to allow them to sell SE:IV Gold in retail. However, as normal, the deal just wasn't that good for everyone but the publisher involved http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif .

Re: The Future for SE IV? Does it have one?
 

MoW pleasantly surprised me at once :

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I can not agree more. SEIV tactical battles suits me very well. I won't mind pseudo-3D like in CivIII, Starcraft, etc. but it is not big deal for me.

And now Richard announce 3D expansion of SEIV !!!!
I'm going to off-license for champaine bottle http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif