The Things That Worked In SE V

[Atrocities]

Hands down the game failed to inspire me. That is why I stopped playing it pure and simple. However there were a lot of things in the game that I felt worked and worked well and would love to see in the next version of this game.

1. Scalable ship and base sizes.
2. 3d planet and systems views.
3. Combat
4. Planetary combat (Please improve this to use 3d objects.)

There are more but I leave it to any who choose to post to point them out.

[Arkcon]

I personally got over the user interface designs problems, that seemed to be a deal killer for some people.

The balance mod is very important too. Most significantly for me, the endless tiny incremental tech tree that came with unmodded SE5 was not an improvement. I remember some noobs complained that they finished the SE4 tech tree, and were bored. But that's not what Space Empires was about -- you shouldn't get to complete the tree, you should have conquered the galaxay by then, or have died trying. Truly, on PBW, no one gets to live, unmolested, while they research every tech.

I didn't much care for ground combat. It ran slowly on my old box, and there wasn't much to do, really. 'Tho I'm sure that could be modded.

I actually do look forward to SE6, if there is one. SE5 is more evolutionary while SE4 was revolutionary. Maybe they'll be some more tricks up MM's sleeve for the next version, while some of the grunt work of interface is done.

[Azselendor]

I have to agree with the above comments

The interface was cumbersome and far from elegant with too much eye candy used to gloss over the failings. In many ways, playing SE5 felt like trying to play SE4 with SE2's interface.

If there is an SE6, I look forward to a 'getting back to basics' on the interface with a good 3D upgrade. SE5, in the meantime, shall have to remain unused on my computer.

I also hope Aaron can re-release starfury on xbox live arcade in the future

[Hugh Manatee]

I still fail to see what all the fuss was about the interface, once you learn a few hotkeys, the right click menu, and learn how to scrap facilities, the only truly "clunky" part is the design screen when you have to build stuff bigger then light cruisers(like I wish I could switch decks with a hotkey or while I'm holding a part, not sure if I can or not, I've never looked into it). Aside from that I just save a few layouts in the colony, queue, fleet and planet displays, and turn on all the system/planet info I need in the empire options and I'm good to go.

I used to play myst and riven a lot, maybe thats why I can get around in SEV and Blender better then the average user...

I liked the space combat as a simultaneous, real time system with strategies or pauses to issue orders.

The Hex Grid, it was wierd at first but I'm liking it. I kinda wish the planets revolved, maybe had moons. I still like Stars! floating points and vectors with the fuel usage determined by engine quality. I'd like to see SE6 have a full on revolving planetary system, the planets to have moons and a non-grid based movement system with combat based on weapon range.... Think like each system is a small revolving Stars! map connected by the warp points.

There's not really a whole lot I don't like about the new SEV, random AI wierdness and some parts of the stock research tree aside not a whole lot bugs me.

[Fyron]

Planets do have moons... they are just in different sectors than the parent planet now. It's trivial to adjust them back to the Same As positioning, but you will run into clipping issues from the overlapping models.

[Arkcon]

... and the Balance Mod's implementation of Fyron's planet mod did allow for rotating planets and stars. Which was a bit of eye-candy I did like, especially with the mild atmospheric glow.

[Azselendor]

I liked the idea of ground combat, but I'm a fan of games like starcraft, warcraft, command and conquer so that's what I've come to expect for any ground combat game.

Damnit, I want to be able to call down orbital bombardment in ground combat!

[Hugh Manatee]

Planets do have moons... they are just in different sectors than the parent planet now. It's trivial to adjust them back to the Same As positioning, but you will run into clipping issues from the overlapping models.

yeah that's what I mean, like in SE4(iirc) the moons were in the same sector asthe planet and you could colonize them, and in combat didn't they used to show up in addition to the planet? I remember loading a moon up with fighters and weapon platforms, they were like cheap space stations.

... and the Balance Mod's implementation of Fyron's planet mod did allow for rotating planets and stars. Which was a bit of eye-candy I did like, especially with the mild atmospheric glow.

Revolving, as in orbiting, as in it moves every turn around the sun.

Just a dumb thought, is it possible to have a component give movemnt points to another ship? like say you could get the tractor beams to pull space stations and crippled ships around... Always wanted that...

[Ed Kolis]

Well, you could give it a movement ability with a scope of "Sector - This Player"...

*bangs head on wall* Why did I never think of this before?!?

Just have to make sure it doesn't apply to PLANETS...

[narf poit chez BOOM]

...Now that is an excellent idea.