Space Empires new Kleenex [MOO3]

Dan C. · #1 December 19th, 2002, 11:01 PM

You know how a brand name like Kleenex for facial tissue or asprin for pain relief sometimes becomes the generic name for the entire class of product after time or being very successful?

Well I just read a review of MOO3 on Gamespot, and besides moo3 having many similarities to SEIV, there is also these interesting quotes:

"Master of Orion helped define the genre of "4X" space empire games" and "The game packs in a lot of complexity for hard-core fans of space empire games"

Anyway, here is the link: MOO3

Fyron · #2 December 20th, 2002, 12:06 AM

Umm... well... "space empire" is a very generic term as it is.

That's like saying "historical empire" or "fantasy empire", really.

disabled · #3 December 20th, 2002, 06:46 AM

Looks like MOO3 might fall flat on it's face. They posted a mammoth list of features they were pulling recently.

StarJack · #4 December 20th, 2002, 08:13 AM

Good analogy Dan! Name recognition in and of itself will sell a lot of copies of MOO III via impulse buys. Whether they sell enough copies to ensure a MOO IV remains to be seen. Missing the Christmas season is going to cost them some sales out of the gate. The determination to release a product with no major bugs is quite admirable these days though, so I hope they succeed.

Phoenix-D · #5 December 20th, 2002, 10:04 AM

I read part of that preview, and am already seeing things I don't like. For example, they mentioned having *friendly* ships in your systems will automaticlly blockade. Eww.

Phoenix-D

PvK · #6 December 20th, 2002, 10:17 AM

Yeah, I noticed that too, Pheonix-D - sounds like a very dubious design choice. No counter-intel, and allies conducting terrorism on each other as matter of course.

It also wasn't encouraged by what they said about tactical combat.

Looks like there are some interesting bits, though, but overall, I'm not very hopeful. Especially if it's still TCP only for multiplayer (no PBEM).

PvK

mottlee · #7 December 23rd, 2002, 08:39 PM

Looks close to SE.. I have not played it...how is it to SE? play the same? harder? mod-able? I can not see myself quiting SE for what I seen in the link below.

1FSTCAT · #8 December 27th, 2002, 05:42 PM

There's was also something I didn't like.. The description of combat and "battleGroups" made it sound like ships couldn't be damaged. I got the impression that each ship just has a certain amount of hit points, and then it's dead. If that's the case, there's another reason it won't be any good.

--Ed

Perrin · #9 December 27th, 2002, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mottlee:
Looks close to SE.. I have not played it...how is it to SE? play the same? harder? mod-able? I can not see myself quiting SE for what I seen in the link below.

It hasn't been released or 'gone gold' yet.

[ December 27, 2002, 16:43: Message edited by: Perrin ]

raynfala · #10 December 27th, 2002, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan C.:
Anyway, here is the link: MOO3[/QB]

Just read that review and glanced at some screenshots, and when you compare MOO3 with SEIV Gold, nothing about MOO3 exactly "blows up my skirt".

A few interesting things that MOO3 seems to offer:

* Specially trained spies (using the "hero" model)
* Multiple regions on a planet (which should give micromanagement fanatics a good time)
* Distinction between "warp" drives and "impulse" drives, allowing for more beefy local patrol vessels

Things about MOO3 that sounded really bad:

* No ability to perform field upgrades on ships when new technological breakthroughs are made
* No counter-intelligence, short of oppressing the population
* Lackluster combat F/X
* Braindead rules that make allied presence a pain rather than a blessing
* Forcing ships into a function-specific task group (read: fleet) before it can do any sort of movement, and imposing time penalties for regrouping
* Didn't read anything about fighters (my personal fav's in SEIV)
* Somebody else mentioned that the combat model doesn't seem to include component damage, just "hit points". If true, then that REALLY sucks

Stuff in MOO3 that the reviewer breathlessly described as exciting, new and innovative, when, in reality, SEIV Gold has "been there, done that, bought the T-shirt":

* Theoretical research necessary before applied research can produce results
* Varied ground combat troop types (pretty generic in MOO3, too)
* The "SitRep"
* Maps with 50 to 200 stars... biiiiiiig deal

* Wormhole-like connectivity between star systems
* Ministers
* Multiplayer

At this rate, MOO3 is going to look like a "me-too" game next to SEIV.

--Raynfala