Things you wish they kept from SE3

[JeffG]

Sounds like SEIV took a few steps back. That's too bad. Though I'm definitely enjoying the game (primarily PBEM) I really don't feel it was worth the amount that had to be paid after postage, etc. For the same price you can get retail games like Age of Empires II, Master of Orion II (when it came out), etc., which I think are much more enjoyable games. In fact, I think I like MOO ][ better than SE4, though SE4 is definitely fun. I have to confess, more visual glitz would've made the $40 (or whatever it was) a better investment for me.

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Cheers!
Jeff George

[Barnacle Bill]

quote:

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Originally posted by JeffG:
In fact, I think I like MOO ][ better than SE4, though SE4 is definitely fun. I have to confess, more visual glitz would've made the $40 (or whatever it was) a better investment for me.

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I have to disagree. I think visual glitz is the biggest threat to game play going. The depth and customizing abilities offered by a game like SE4 are simply impossible when you start throwing in 3D animation, FMV, etc... You end up with a game that has fewer options/less depth because all the animations won't fit on the CD, and no ability for fan mods because nobody has access to the software tools you would need.

Plus, those sorts of games require big companies to produce. Big companies = dumbed down in search of that mythical "mass market", little after-release support because all the programmers are working on the next glitzy game instead of fixing the one the beancounters shoved out the door with unplayable bugs, projects cancelled when nearly complete because of corporate restructuring, a total lack of concern for player input, etc...



[This message has been edited by Barnacle Bill (edited 23 January 2001).]

[DirectorTsaarx]

Don't misunderstand me; I miss some of the SE3 features, but SE4 is a great leap forward in terms of tech advances (especially the new stellar manipulation stuff & sensor types). Not to mention extra replayability due to the inclusion of racial techs, different quadrant types, the "finite resources" option, and the option to have warp points placed anywhere in a system (I LOVE this option!). Not to mention better fighters and troops (though mines could stand some more interesting options, and ground combat could use a bit more detail - or at least an explanation of the factors involved); and I like the idea of satellites, though I don't use them very often.

[Nyx]

quote:

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I think visual glitz is the biggest threat to game play going.

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I agree 100%. I think the single worst thing that ever happened to video games was the invention of powerful computers. Back in the '80s game designers had to scrimp and save every bit of computing power they could. Games had to emphasize gameplay over glitz because there was really no other option. Then moore's law started giving us kick a$$ computers and games went all to hell. 99% of the games that come down the pipeline these days are complete garbage with pretty interfaces and graphics. Like Star Trek New Worlds. That game blew steaming chunks of dog feces. But it looked pretty. It didn't sell because it didn't deserve to have ever been made. Meanwhile, ugly games with huge gameplay values sell millions of copies forever. Look at Civ, over 4 million copies sold. StarCraft only just came off the top 10 best selling lists a few months back. Ugly games that are a lot of fun to play. Every dollar spent on graphics is a dollar not spent making the game fun. And the fancy 3D graphics and cutscenes that look like garbage compared to full-motion video cost 10-30 times more.

Ok, I'll stop foaming at the mouth here. It's a sore spot with me. Companies like Hasbro and Infogrames take great games and release sequels that are worse but with "modern 3D graphics" and the new game sucks and no one wants to play any more. Like the third X-Com compared to the first. What a bloody waste of a great game.

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Compete in the Space Empires IV World Championship at www.twingalaxies.com.

[dmm]

X-Com! Simple and addictive! And it was great for breaks -- 15 minutes of adrenalin-pumping excitement.