Man, it's just not there.

[Raapys]

Ah yeah, the 3D system view. I really, really don't like that part of SEV. The camera is completely awkward, the suns are annoyingly large, it's extremely difficult to get a decent overview, the top-down view is useless for various reasons, etc., etc. I'd give just about anything to have good old SEIV's system view( just replace it with hexes ) in SEV. It feels, looks and plays much better.

[BlueTemplar]

5)Replace in Settings.txt:
Number of Title Songs := 1
Title Song 1 Filename :=

[Fyron]

Atrocities said:
The game dynamics are very different between IV and V.

Really? How so? They seem, I dunno, virtually identical to me. Sure interface and rendering elements are different, but the core gameplay is more or less the same in both games. There is far less difference (in terms of gameplay mechanics) than there was between SE3 and SE4.

[Renegade 13]

Raapys said:
There's three major problems I'd say. The UI, as has been mentioned, very long turn processing times, and harmless AI.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. The largest problem of the three is the processing time. It just takes too bloody long, making the kind of games I like (255 systems, 10ish TDM empires, 20k max ships and units) impossible.

[Uncle_Joe]

I'm still in the same boat with many of y'all. I WANT to really like SE5, but it still leaves me feeling like I'm missing something.

Every time a new patch comes out, I wait for Kwok's latest update to take advantage of it and then I start a new game. And each time a play a handful of turns and lose interest. I dont know why it is either. I think it just starts to feel less manageable and starts to feel more like work than fun. And yes, the long turn times are a killer because they occur even for smaller games. I just recently doubled my RAM on my system (from 1gb to 2gb) but I have yet to see if that helps or not.

Anyways, if I hadnt liked SE3 and SE4 so much I would have given up SE5 by now and just written it off as a loss. But given how much time I spent on the prior two games, I'm still hoping that the patching and mods make SE5 into the game I had hoped it would be.

[Atrocities]

Imperator Fyron said:

Really? How so? They seem, I dunno, virtually identical to me. Sure interface and rendering elements are different, but the core gameplay is more or less the same in both games. There is far less difference (in terms of gameplay mechanics) than there was between SE3 and SE4.

I guess the best way for me to put it would be to say that the finer subtleties between the two games is significant enough to support my statement that the pattern of growth, change, and development in the feel of "game play" between the two games is valid. Sure they are very close in game play but there are slight differences between them that manifest themselves in a way that makes the dynamics of game play of the the two games different. This is illustrated by the appeal that most people have demonstrate toward SE IV in preference over SE V.

When asked why some players prefer SE IV over SE V, most cannot specifically tell you why they like the one over the other. Hence my comment about the subtle differences in the dynamics of game play. These minute difference are prominent enough to affect people and their choice to play one game over the other time and again.

Simply put, SE V doesn't have what many gamers want. Sad but true.

Fixed misspelling of subtleties

[Fyron]

I dunno, everyone always seems to complain about the UI and clickiness, almost never actual gameplay issues.

[Atrocities]

Imperator Fyron said:
I dunno, everyone always seems to complain about the UI and clickiness, almost never actual gameplay issues.

You misunderstand, I am not saying people are complaining about game play issues. I fail to see where you formed that opinion from. Nevertheless, let me be clear, it is not the game play that people are complaining about. The game play is different and that is all that most people are saying. I believe many people have tried to explain that they simply do not enjoy playing SE V for various reason, least of which are these undefinable subtleties in game play. Now to say that you don't know why you don't enjoy playing SE V isn't the same as saying playing SE V is bad. There is a difference between not saying that you are not enjoying something, and complaining about it.

[Atrocities]

If we could specifically nail down the little things that seem to be spoiling the fun of playing SE V and resolve them, then no doubt SE V would become even more popular than SE IV ever could have dreamed of becoming.

[AngleWyrm]

I liked: Fleet subdivisions! Grouping ships into Strike group, Marine lander group, long-range fire support group, Civilian group. Each with separate strategies. Great idea.
I disliked: Having to do it over and over. No saving important creations.

I liked: Detailed Treaties! Fantastic, and loads of fun to think about. In theory.
I disliked: AI drained the joy out of them with clueless responses/proposals. Also couldn't save those treaties for later use.

I liked: Huge tech tree, that does a good job of being better than just a spreadsheet optimizable choice.
I disliked: research interface designed to keep players in the dark. Bug or a feature? Depends on who you ask. I certainly didn't enjoy it.