Finding major problems

[Dweeb]

quote:

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Originally posted by KillerManJaro:
I dunno, Thog. If these issues are enough for you to consign this title to the shelf, what on Earth do you play? Seems to me to be pretty paltry issues, given that turn based works fine.....

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Yes, but my main interest in SE4 is in simultaneous-turn multiplay (I hope a lot of other people are interested too!) I agree it would be really nice to have a combat-replay feature. I don't know if it was promised or not.

[-Thog-]

Sorry for delay, machine bought it.

Well, as it turns out I am enjoying turn based enough to keep playing (remember I said I hadn't gotten to it yet and didn't know). It's a good game with some very solid design elements, some really annoying bugs, and an interface that is about 75% 'there'. But as I said, simultaneous mode has major problems.

Dweebs comment is spot on, in that I'm looking at SE4 as a replacement for VGAP, Stars and VGAP4 (which I think became vaporware). That's not practical in turn-based, and simultaneous has just enough shortcomings to make it not worth the effort. Don't read this as "SE4 isn't worth the effort and sucks". That isn't what I'm saying. It's just got a few shortcomings with major impact that need to be corrected. True of many games on first release.

Interface short list:
* Ability to sort planets by "Only My Empire".
* Ability to select a system in Planets Display and have it show only planets/contruction sites in that system.
* Ability to say "Send colony ship" without opening a new window and having to scroll around looking for the planet you've just identified in the Planet Display.
* Ability to choose which colony ship from a list.
Use the right-click for some of these perhaps?

Simultaneous short list:
* Ability to set formations, battle plans etc. (This may exist, but doesn't show up, because...)
* Ability to replay a recording of a battle. I want to see what happened in that fight where my 2nd Fleet got wiped out.

Aaron, thanks for the support. You folks seem to have a good rep with your players, and you have a good (and reasonably stable) design. My concerns with the interface are a result of playing it allot for a couple evenings (where seemingly minor things start to chafe). My concerns with simultaneous play are simply that without a replay feature the game loses a very large chunk of functionality, in that the whole point to these games for many folks is to see the USS Spoon smash the other guy in the head.

Thog

[JimBones]

The esc key does not close all windows--such as the facility description in the planet display. Why not bring up the short name of the facility just by placing cursor over facility icon? Now you have to right click to get it up, then click with mouse to close it (I like to use esc on my Strategic Commander).

[Grifman]

I doubt that there will be a replay capability of tactical battles. Mainly because I really doubt that the computer actually "fights" the battle. In most games such as this, instant tactical combat is merely a calculation of various offensive and defensive factors, comparing weapon strenghts, ranges, defensive armor, shields, number of weapons, etc. I know there appears to be a battle fought quickly onscreen, so perhaps I am wrong here, but most games do it this way.

And yes, you can choose tactics and formations - I think you can find it on the "Fleets" screen.

Grifman

[Phoenix-D]

Well, if you are correct about stratigic combat, what's the point of those tactics and formations? I think the computer goes through and fights the battle quickly.

Phoenix-D

[Graeme Dice]

In SE3 at least, the strategic battles were fought out rounf by round, as you could skip through them and watch as your missiles and fighters moved towards the enemy.

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Brave Sir Graeme ran away
Bravely ran away away
When danger reared its ugly head
He bravely turned his tail and fled
Brave sir Graeme turned about
and guaranteed he chickened out.