Interested in SE-V -- differences to GalCiv II?

[onomastikon]

Hello everybody!
I hope this is the correct place to post this question.

I recently became aware of SE-V, and read a review of it on gamespot, which gave it a very weak score -- surprisingly, they had given Dom3 a very high score, so it can't be pure anti-indie-bias.

In any case, I enjoy 4X-TBS games. My only experience with a space setting has been GalCiv2, which had purchased shortly after its release. I enjoyed that game quite a bit for some time, and then got suddenly bored with it, quite bored, despite its excellent AI and interesting play, because I found myself always doing the same things. I disliked the tech tree (too linear, not enough synergetic choices) and disliked the way that constructor ships function, but otherwise liked the AI. I was just absolutely floored by the amazing support that Stardock offered its fans as well.

I wanted to give SE-V a try, since I like the Shrapnel-based community and know that SE-IV had a big fan club -- yet was put off by the reviews I read. I suppose the main points -- very buggy and poor AI -- were the main catches. Might I ask your opinion on this?
I should say that I am not keen on MP games, and hence really need a decent AI to enjoy a game. That is why I lost interest in great games such as Dom3; the AI simply cannot do a decent job. That's ok, I know dom3 is for MP; but is that how the fans here feel about SEV too? If so, I know it's not for me, but I would really appreciate an honest appraisal from some of its staunch players.
So if you could give me your opinion on SE-V, I would be greatly obliged. Have the vast majority of bugs been eliminated by now? Have there been great improvements to AI? Is there something the reviewers have missed? Particularly interested in comparisons to GC2, since it is the only 4X space game I know.
thank you very much!

[Suicide Junkie]

I'd suggest that you probably want to get SE4 to start with.
If you don't mind crisp and responsive 2D graphics, SE4 has the advantage of over 7 years of refinement, mods, shipsets and some decent AI for some of those mods.

SE5 is still new, with more flash and more potential, but it dosen't have much of a legacy built up yet.

[AstralWanderer]

SEV offers a vastly superior tech tree to GC2 and far more detail generally (the exception being planetary developement - with SE you purchase facilities until the planetary limit is reached). In particular, areas like ship design, race/empire setup, intelligence and combat (space and ground) provide far more options and issues to ponder over.

On the other hand, not everything works as it should (though with the patches, things are much better, hence the poor initial reviews), the UI is clunky and the AI fairly anaemic (even with mods).

Based on previous form, SEV is likely to get more updates (SEIV was receiving updates 5 years after its initial release) and there is no "online activation" hassle (something which I greatly resented having with GC2's patches). As such I would say it is worth a try, though I think the demo is still based on an old (buggy) version.

SEIV does have a polished UI and mods aplenty, but suffers in areas like tactical combat and ship design (though still better than GC2).

[Fyron]

SE4 _suffers_ in ship design? What? Its quite superior to the 97% useless slot layout of SE5... If it had the inner/outer/armor lists of SE3, it would be perfect.

Regarding AI requirements, you would be better off with SE4 and the TDM mod (which just alters AI). AIC and Carrier Battles also have some good AI, but are widely divergent from the stock tech tree and best saved til after you become familiar with the game. AI has never been one of SE's particular strong points, though mods have been able to make it fairly challenging. SE5 has some AI related mods in the works, but as of yet they lack the amount of refinement that SE4's mods developed over the years.

[aegisx]

I think tactical combat is the big difference. Ships and how they are built really matter, rather than being simple different name and power rating. You have to decide whether you want, for example, range vs power. Some weapons only affect shields, some only armor etc There is so much variety compared to GC2 and the decisions are very important.

[onomastikon]

I see, thanks for these replies so far.
I hadnt considered getting the older game vs. the newer, since I only uncovered reviews for SE-IV (by Bruce Geryk no less) after reading these posts. It really is nearly 8 years old?!?!
I didnt know that AI was redone on mods, ok. I will try the demo.
If SE-V hasnt been "fixed" by now (I mean simply bugfixes, not improved AI etc.) then I doubt it will be in the next year.
That's too bad, since it appeared that there were really a lot of neat choices to be had in SEV.
If I am understanding you correctly, SEV and SEIV are also, like Dom3, basically for MP play. I am afraid that I will have to look elsewhere then. Aren't there any good SINGLE PLAYER 4X games out there with decent AI??

[Renegade 13]

The second link times out before loading SJ.

[Suicide Junkie]

Just setting up a new router, and mucking with cabling for the last hour or so. Its all good now.

[Renegade 13]

Awesome

[tinkthank]

But all in all you would recommend SEiv over SEv because the AI in SEiv is better -- due to mods? (I assume I can find out where to get which mods how etc. too if I were to buy the game...?)
The tactical combat in both is also TBS?