I enjoy Space Empires because...

[Taqwus]

I like SE4 for its depth and flexibility.

If I want to play a horde of ravaging scientists (the usual militarist technology-for-war hive Civ II strategy, or especially the self-sufficient Creative/Repulsive combo in MOO2), I can.

If I want to play a shadowy spymaster race with a sneakiness obsession, that can be done too.

Likewise, it's possible -- albeit quite (realistically, one suspects...) frustrating -- to try to be a benevolent, honorable race striving for peace.

Peace or war? Assimilation or genocide? "Special" tech, or merely specialists in the normal ones? The standard SE4 universe, or a heavily modded one -- and if modded, which one? Plenty of choices...

And it works well when each turn seems to bring *some* progress... but little enough to leave you wanting more (the "just one more turn" phenom; just like in CM:BO, where 60th-second cliffhangers seem incredibly common). It also definitely helps that the developer and publisher provide darn good support for their product.

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[capnq]

I haven't replied to this before because I couldn't summarize what I like. I agree with everybody's reasons.

I think my favorite part is the variety. In my oldest solo game, my Serene Scientists, the Tictsin, have Partnerships with three races, and have spread all over the map while holding their own in a protracted war with the Xi-Chung. In my first PBW game, my Honorable Warriors, the Rrurrr, fight on to certain death rather than surrender to a technologically superior alliance. (Hi, Askan & Spoo) In my other PBW game, my Psychotic Engineers, the Mi-Go, have cultivated numerous alliances as they prepare for their next wave of expansion.

I enjoy writing in-character diplomacy with human players, too. The Rrurrr often speak of Honor. the Mi-Go have buzzing rrazpy whizperring voicez...they do not uze capital letterrz...prroperr namez excepted...no conjunctionz...theirr only punctuation iz the ellipziz...

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Cap'n Q

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the
human mind to correlate all of its contents. We live on a placid
island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was
not meant that we should go far. -- HP Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

[Instar]

I enjoy SE4 because Im in command, I rule the empire. I have always wanted to conquer the universe, and now I can. I am the ultimate potentiate, the ultrapowerful leader. I am in command.
Plus the fact that the game is customizable is fun too.
Strategy and tactics are my favorite parts though.

[Quikngruvn]

I love SEIV because it exercises my brain. I also love that it's so customizable and addictive that it has created a group of modders who can take the game to places that MM would not be able to go alone.

Quikngruvn

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"That which does not kill you will make you stronger." -- Nietzsche