opinion of a new player

[bernd]

i am new to seIV and i am still not sure if i really like the game. but i can tell you that i am positively surprised about the great complexity in a game which uses only 6 mbyte of my ram. though there are some facts i don't like.

the interface is quite good, but some graphics are just too small. does the developer assume that all players have eagle-eyes? the ships in the systemwindow could also have been a bit bigger in size.

the game could need some colour. i mean story-colour. though i set random events to medium they hardly occur. so the game becomes a bit monotonous after a while, 'cause you always fullfill the same steps. at least i do so. more events, serious and funny could add more colour to the game. i know that se4 is a highly mod-able game, though i did not change any of the settings yet. is it possible to write an own storyline for se4 and let own events happen?

but all in all i like the game. what i like the most is the fact, that there is so much game in the amount of megabytes sitting in my ram.

[Grandpa Kim]

[quote]Originally posted by bernd:
i am new to seIV and i am still not sure if i really like the game. but i can tell you that i am positively surprised about the great complexity in a game which uses only 6 mbyte of my ram. though there are some facts i don't like.

Yes there is a "H" of a lot of game there and lot of space was saved by using simple yet effective graphics. In fact I have a feeling you have only scratched the surface of how deep this game really is. (Apologies if I'm mistaken.)

the interface is quite good, but some graphics are just too small. does the developer assume that all players have eagle-eyes? the ships in the systemwindow could also have been a bit bigger in size.

I think that's just a matter of getting used to the style and look of the game. I know my old eyes need all the help they can get but I manage quite well.
I don't see how the ships can be enlarged on the system window; they pretty much fill the sector they are in as it is.

the game could need some colour. i mean story-colour. though i set random events to medium they hardly occur. so the game becomes a bit monotonous after a while, 'cause you always fullfill the same steps. at least i do so. more events, serious and funny could add more colour to the game. i know that se4 is a highly mod-able game, though i did not change any of the settings yet.

Once again, I think you need to get even deeper into the game. Try different things-- large map few opponents, small map many opponents, no warp points, excessive warp points. Things look a lot different when four enemies have entered your home system before turn 10!
IMO SEIV is designed for pro-active players who make their own "colour". To get the most color, play against other people on PBW. Even in games where role playing is not even mentioned, you still get a lot of it. We all just simply enjoy it that way. And that's where the color comes from: the players.

is it possible to write an own storyline for se4 and let own events happen?

Don't know about that. Maybe one of the mod experts can answer this one.

[Ed Kolis]

Regarding the storyline question, yes, you can create your own scenarios with predetermined events, but it's a painful and time-consuming task, since there isn't actually a scenario editor - you have to set up the initial conditions by playing out all the empires and getting them in just the right positions! So there aren't very many scenarios available for SE4.

If you're looking for storyline, though, you can always join a PBW game, lots of roleplaying there, as Grandpa Kim said - or wait till summer when Starfury is released! (Think Privateer, Freelancer, or Elite, only with SE4 ships and races! )

[oleg]

Originally posted by bernd:
...the interface is quite good, but some graphics are just too small. does the developer assume that all players have eagle-eyes? the ships in the systemwindow could also have been a bit bigger in size.

.

Some stock races indeed have ultra small ships. Like Praetorian or Piundon. Don't really know why it was not fixed in Gold. But there are hundreds of fun made shipsets ! Use them only.

[bernd]

hmm, thanks for all the answers. i will try the pbw-thing after i am finished with this alien-scum in my home-system :-)

[Aloofi]

Originally posted by oleg:
Some stock races indeed have ultra small ships. Like Praetorian or Piundon. Don't really know why it was not fixed in Gold. But there are hundreds of fun made shipsets ! Use them only.

Yeah. In some cases I have changed the original shipset of a race to have a better looking races but with a heavily developed AI.
I changed the Drushocka shipset for the UFA, but keeping Oleg's Drushocka AI for Proportions.....

[Xiodos]

Originally posted by Ed Kolis:
or wait till summer when Starfury is released! (Think Privateer, Freelancer, or Elite, only with SE4 ships and races! )

Starfury? I dont know what that is, but I want it... Privateer is one of my favorite games. Any more info on this Starfury that someone wants to send my way?

And as for story, you're right in that this isnt like, say, a Blizzard game. There really isnt any predescribed plot, but that is what is so attractive. We as players dont have to do anything we dont want to. It's the open-endeness that is so attractive about SEIV... Nevertheless, many veterans of the game will tell you theres plenty of story, only that you have to make it on your own. Currently im engaged in a fierce battle with the Xiang that has Lasted several centuries, with atrocity after atrocity. In my mind (and maybe im just dellusional) I have a huge story going, one that can turn any way and is completly orginal.

[Fyron]

Ever go to www.malfador.com ?

[Taera]

fyron, never thought of you as lazy
http://www.malfador.com/starfury/starfury.html

also
http://www.just-rpg.com/default.asp?pid=377

[Xiodos]

I think my sig says it all...