Newbie Pre-purchase question

[onomastikon]

Thank you for these replies. I was under the impression, perhaps mistaken, that SE-V as the latest iteration of this game was the preferred choice. I have been able to locate a copy of it for 6 Euros, but have not been able find a (reasonably priced = under 25 Euros)copy of SE-IV. I'm surprised at only 2 replies, and that the first person didn't even own SEV - so that means that even with patches, the AI remains suboptimal and there are bugs? Or why do you all prefer SEiv (which I would also try to check out if I could find it)?
Thank you

[dumbluck]

I tried the demo, and I just didn't like the user interface. I didn't get to check out the decent AI in mods like Balance Mod. And quite frankly, even if the AI in Balance Mod was everything it is made out to be, even if the game balancing was PERFECT, I still don't think I could have gotten past that UI. So I never bought it.

That's my story.

[Arralen]

Sorry, I'm a bit busy these days, otherwise I would have replied earlier ...

At first, come to http://www.spaceempires.net/forums.html to discuss SE4 or SE5 ... this forum here is mostly dead, as it is only kept for "historical reasons", as Shrapnel does not have anything to do with the Space Empires series any more.

That said ...
... go, get yourself SE5.
Download Kwoks Balance Mod.
Read how to set up an AI-friendly game.
Be happy.

With Kwoks Balance Mod (always get yourself the latest version!!), the game is rather balanced (no only between players, but much more so "in itself", between different techs and tech levels etc.).
And the AI is on of the best (if not the best) that I know of!!