Stars Supernova

[Puke]

well, i guess i am alone in liking the strategic combat. i think it would make it easier to play Online as well.

I will most certainly pick up stars and moo3, but wither or not i continue to play them depends on multiplayer support. I doubt either of them will have available the customization of SE, but if you can setup scenarios without moding, like some people have been doing for the more creative game ideas, that shoud be good enough. also, if their Online communities are beligerant and hard to get along with like most Online communities are, I will probably stop playing them. The best thing about SE4 multiplayer is the friendly, mature community that supports it.

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"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

[Atrocities]

I just got a copy of the full game of Stars today, and I must admit, its .... well, detailed. The tutorial is very good. Right now, I am on tutorial page 30, and just about dozed off. Time to post at shrapnel. I think Stars is a good game just on what I have seen, but not worth what I paid. Its old, and very windowish. Not bad for the age of the game, and quite revolutionary in its design for that time though.

Overall, I like the look and feel of SE IV. The concept of having a huge 2000 plush glaxy (not a grid) to explore is very tantalizing. I like the Year concept. It takes X many of years to reach Y location. I also like the Intel aspects of the up coming new release of Stars Supernova. Reminds me a tad of Rebellion.

To me, what makes a game one to keep is one that had indepth game play, long term play, and one that allows you to emerse yourself in it. SSN seems to have some nice features that would be excellent components for SE V. I like the Emporor notes system, you can keep track of what your doing in a journal and post it to the web. I like the Spy feature, and the way that the galaxy looks like a galaxy with starts (Red, Green, Blue, Orange, Yellow, Red, etc) that represent systems with up to 22 planets and moons. It takes 15 years to go from point A to point B with Tech level X in warp drive. That I like. keeps the game down to earth, and allows for more realistic game play.

I do look forward to SE V as I am sure Aaron,(who is really the only guy working on SE IV or V compared to the 15 people working on SSN,) is working on it.

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"We've made too many compromises already, too many retreats! They invade our space and we fall back -- they assimilate entire worlds and we fall back! Not again! The line must be drawn here -- this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done!" -- Captain Picard STNG
New Age Ship Yards

[tesco samoa]

Perhaps some back ground on the long Lasting game.

It occured at university. All players were in the same major. It was not every day. Just week days. And we would stop for the holidays and when people were on vacation.

The only way we kept it interesting was by role playing our races. And it became another part of my day to day activities. Stars allowed you to write scripts ( in game ) for everything( planet building was a piece of cake, very automated). So turns did not take that long.

If we did not role play or races the game would have lost interest.

It could be repeated in SEIV.

If you have dedicated players and good race role playing the game becomes just like watching a good show on tv.

We also used the game for keeping in touch with each other during the summer months.

Start a game with 1 planet, max systems, high cost tech, and low tech level.

Get 8 players who can role play and are friends or have alot of common interests and eventually people will just play their turns as an excuse to talk to each other. But at the same time competing to win.

That game would take a year or two to complete.

But it is very important to pause the game for when people are on vacation, or important life situations pop up. When the computer takes control then people lose interest.

The pbem games will weed out the people who are in for quick games and the people who lose interest after a 100 turns or so.

Then get the people who are left in a game and enjoy the experince.

Buy the end of the game. These people will become your friends.

And in the long run that is what gaming is about.

And yea I have not joined a single PBEM game on the web site.

I have just being playing against friends at work and their dads.

In the fall I will start playing some PBEM games. I am looking forward to it.

Just to busy right now to commit.