Distant Worlds -- A new 4x space strategy game

[Martok]

Link

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I think I'm even more excited for this game than I was for Armada 2526 (which -- make no mistake -- I've continued to enjoy). In fact, I suspect this is the most pumped I've been for a space 4x title since the release of Galactic Civilizations 2 back in 2006!

The release of Distant Worlds is just a few days away -- either March 23rd or 24th, depending on how a couple last-minute details work out -- and there's been a virtual frenzy of anticipation for it at a number of other gaming sites I frequent. I don't want to hype it up too much just yet (since I obviously won't have the game in my grubby little paws for another several days), but this one really does look good.

One caveat: Distant Worlds is in real-time; it's not turn-based like most space 4x titles. While this admittedly makes me a little nervous, it doesn't sound like it's going to be a twitchy click-fest -- a number of the game's beta-testers have described DW as being somewhat like the Europa Universalis series set "IN SPACE", which I find encouraging.

I'll try and post my opinion/impressions ASAP (although I anticipate wanting to play it for at least a few days before I do so)!

[seireikhaan]

Europa Universalis in space? Hmm... As long as they have the Almighty Pause Button, things should hopefully not get too hectic. I'm assuming there's a slider on speed too. Real time's make me nervous, I can't handle clickfests.

[Martok]

Europa Universalis in space? Hmm... As long as they have the Almighty Pause Button, things should hopefully not get too hectic.

Yes, the game does allow you to pause. And you can issue orders (or do just about anything else) while the game is paused.

I'm assuming there's a slider on speed too.

I don't know if it's a "slider" per se, but there are five different speeds you can choose from (and which you can alternate back & forth on as the game's progress warrants). I believe the speed settings are: 1/4, 1/2, 1x (which is the standard/average), 2x, and 4x.

Real time's make me nervous, I can't handle clickfests.

Same here. I sympathize entirely too much that statement.

Fortunately, the beta-testers for Distant Worlds are almost all veteran posters at Matrix Games' forums -- who are themselves a long-time and respected developer/publisher of niche strategy- and war-games (most of which are turn-based) -- and nearly all the beta-testers have repeatedly said (with strong emphasis) that DW is *not* a click-fest in the tradition of Starcraft or Command & Conquer. In terms of pacing, most of them have said it definitely compares to Paradox games....and in a good way.

[Meneldil]

Wow, I was planning to buy Sin of a Solar Empire, but I might chose Distant Worlds instead. The game indeed looks great, and I'm craving for more outter-space stuff after playing Mass Effect three times :D

Is it known whether they'll be different races with differents tech trees and UI, or only cultures a la EU3 ?

Edit: Wow, and start systems are actually star systems, with a star and various planets orbiting around. The systems in Sword of the Stars and SoaSE seemed a bit meh.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

There is a built in Game Editor? Wow, I think I like this game!

[Subotan]

This looks very interesting. I'll be keeping a close eye on this. Thanks for the heads up

EDIT: Oh wow, the developers actually sound like the guys from Flight of the Conchords. Great footage too

[Crazed Rabbit]

EU3...IN SPAAAACE?

*cries tears of happiness*

Thanks for the news, I'm going to have a look at this. And the planets rotate around stars! And the galactic map looks real! Even if only 2D.

CR

[Ibn-Khaldun]

As long as the AI is good I don't care about the graphics.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Intriguing, though that video is way too choppy for me to sit through.

On a "EU in space" related note, I always thought someone should make a Battletech mod for it.

[Crazed Rabbit]

As long as the AI is good I don't care about the graphics.

The difference between 2 and 3 dimensions doesn't have to do with graphics.

I looked at the intro video; I'm not sure I like how the FTL travel lets you surprise attack enemy worlds.

ATPG; do you mean a battletech mod for EU3?

CR

[Martok]

Is it known whether they'll be different races with differents tech trees and UI, or only cultures a la EU3?

As I understand it, the races will mostly share the same tech tree, but will each sport a couple unique technologies that only they have access to.

Edit: Wow, and start systems are actually star systems, with a star and various planets orbiting around. The systems in Sword of the Stars and SoaSE seemed a bit meh.

Yes, star systems appear to be very robust in this game. Within a single system, you can potentially have multiple colonies (both on planets and moons!), multiple space stations for various purposes (mining, research, tourism, etc.), and asteroid fields that can be exploited for raw materials and other resources.

There is a built in Game Editor? Wow, I think I like this game!

Yeah, and it looks like it's going to be fairly robust too. Apparently DW is also going to be easy to mod, although as usual I can't comment directly on that (as I have the modding abilities of a rock).

As long as the AI is good I don't care about the graphics.

FWIW, a lot -- and I mean a *lot* -- of folks (including myself) have brought up the AI as a concern, and most of the beta-testers have said the AI is very competent and will give you a real run for your money if you piss it off. (No small number have admitted to actually having been beaten by the AI and needing to start a new game!) Obviously, we can only take their word for it for the time being that the AI is any good, but I'm encouraged by what I've read so far.

Also, Elliot (the game's lead/main developer) has said the AI does not cheat, and that it knows how to use all the game's features. He's a big believer in not adding features unless he can program the AI to use them as well.

Intriguing, though that video is way too choppy for me to sit through.

Yeah, the video-capture program they used apparently doesn't work the greatest. I think they were going to try and use a different program for when they put up the next video (which is supposed to be out in a couple days and will focus on combat).

I looked at the intro video; I'm not sure I like how the FTL travel lets you surprise attack enemy worlds.

Apparently the video is somewhat misleading in that respect, as all it's really showing is the visual representation of what ships look like when they drop out of light-speed and revert to normal space. It sounds like we'll have sensors/scanners on our colonies, stations, and ships that allow us to detect ships/fleets in deep space. Elliot and the beta-testers have indicated that unless the player isn't paying attention, it's pretty hard for a fleet of any real size to approach/enter a system undetected.

Of course, there (apparently) will be cloaking technology that can potentially defeat scanners/sensors....

[Ibn-Khaldun]

If it's possible to sign an alliance with AI faction and live peacefully with them through out the game then I happy.
I just hope there isn't CA like AI that sends one small ship to attack your most fortified planet.

The more I think about it the more I want this game!

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

ATPG; do you mean a battletech mod for EU3?

CR

Yes indeed. Obviously the combat would be heavily abstracted, but it already is with EU3. Other than that, since Battletech is based off of European feudalism to begin with, it would mostly involve just renaming places and figuring out a good way to implement planets and space travel. In my mental picture of this mod, a planet would have 2-5 provinces within it (somehow, I doubt the Battletech fluff is detailed enough for that to work on the average planet) and there would be a lot of bodies of water (colored like space).

[frogbeastegg]

I'll try and post my opinion/impressions ASAP (although I anticipate wanting to play it for at least a few days before I do so)!

I'll allow you a week. If we don't have some impressions by that point then I will [assorted comedy threats here]

The game almost sounds too good to be true.

[Martok]

I'll allow you a week. If we don't have some impressions by that point then I will [assorted comedy threats here]

Right-o, then. I shall immediately commence quaking in my boots.

The game almost sounds too good to be true.

I concur. In fact, that's a big reason why I'm trying very hard to remain at least somewhat skeptical and not over-praise the game before I've actually played it. There's so much wonderful-sounding stuff regarding Distant Worlds that it seems hard to believe sometimes.

In any case, I should be finding out in a few days how close to the hype the game actually gets. Here's hoping!

[Martok]

For those interested, a new video discussing combat is now available.





To me, battles look....okay. They appear a bit lacking in depth, but then I probably would say that being the owner of 3 Total War games (and having played 5 of them).

In addition, the battles aren't as important to me as the other features this game has. So long as things like the macro-management, diplomacy, AI, and automation tools work as advertised, I don't think I'll be complaining too much.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

If there is one thing I don't like then it is the sound of weapons.

[Martok]

Incidentally, Matrix has announced Distant Worlds has gone gold, and that it will be available for purchase through their website either tomorrow or Friday. (I'm rather desperately hoping it's the former, as I have tomorrow off, and then I have to work all damn weekend.) Soon, my precious, soon....

Also, one of the beta-testers has posted an "AAR" on ship design. It's actually pretty neat: Ship design is very detailed -- probably more so than any strategy game I've yet played -- there are a lot of decisions to make about what to put into your ships/bases/stations, a lot of balancing and trade-offs to be made. Of course, you can also let the helper AI take care of ship design for you, at which (by most accounts) it's actually pretty competent.


Uff-da, the waiting for this game is killing me. GAH!

[Subotan]

The ship sprites remind me of Baldur's Gate. Which may or may not be a good thing.

[Martok]

The game is now out! Am downloading now.

[Subotan]

Is it any good?

[Beskar]

One thing I dislike about "god of everything" games is the amount of management that you sometimes have to do, in many ways, I would like the be the god we love as in "for seven days, I create what I think is good, then I have the day of rest as I watch everything play out".

One example of this is Spore. I would have liked many words to simply build up by themselves and just run themselves without me constantly having to be there at their beck and call.

[Subotan]

Spore disappointed in so many ways it is impossible to list them all in a single sentence.

[Martok]

Is it any good?

Too early to tell yet. I just finished the tutorials -- I wound up having to work a half-shift today, and therefore wasn't really able to get into the game until about an hour ago. I will start a proper game after supper.

One caveat: This game appears to be pretty deep, a result of which is that it seems to have a somewhat steep learning curve. Fortunately, the tutorials and the PDF manual seem to cover most of what you need to know (and the AI automation is a HUGE help), but it's still a bit daunting at first. Just fair warning for you guys....

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

The first stage was the most fun (but the shortest) :(

[Meneldil]

Wow, after reading a few AARs, it seems this game is a real killer. I haven't played it yet, and the point of an AAR is to make your game sounds cool but... so many random events, so many things to do. It looks like you can write a bread and butter sci-fi book based on your current game.

It looks like Mass Effect on a macro level :D I'll probably get it when I'm done with all my current games (which will be in quite some time, saddly).

[Martok]

Just taking a short break from playing to (very quickly) post my thoughts & observations thus far....


What I like: I love the amount of information available to the player (even if it can be a bit overwhelming at first). Similarly, the "Galactopedia" is a godsend -- if you have a question about something, odds are good you can find the answer there. There's a lot of details you can get into, but you don't have to if you don't want, as the AI automation and AI "adviser/suggester" is generally good and actually useful. Ship design is quite deep & involving, but (again) you don't have to bother with it if you don't wish to; the AI automation appears to handle it pretty well. Support has been excellent, with two patches having already been released. Generally speaking, the pace isn't overwhelming, especially on the slower speeds.

What I don't like: A fairly major bug that caused your economy to inexplicably crash into the red (it involved the distribution of resources); it's since been fixed, but was very annoying at the time. The UI isn't laid out very well IMO -- trying to remember where/how to call up certain screens & information can be a real pain sometimes. Even with all the tools & info at your disposal (and the ability to pause), trying to keep track of everything can be difficult; admittedly, however, this may be due more to my own relative inexperience with RTS games. Finally, the soundtrack is one of the most irritating I've ever heard in a game; I've got to overcome my technical incompetence and find a way to import my own music. (My only other choices are to either play with the sound off, or puncture my ear drums.)



Overall, my initial impressions are pretty favorable. It's certainly not perfect, of course, but I'm definitely enjoying myself so far. Also (and for what it's worth), the game's comparison to the EU series seems to be quite apt; whether you consider that a good or bad thing, I leave to you.

Now back to my game!

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Gah I have to get this and Warband but I already spent way too much getting Pokemon HeartGold and a DS to play it.

I need a high-paying job with flexible hours.

[Martok]

By the by: It's worth mentioning that this game is truly EPIC in scale. Playing in a galaxy with 700 stars is absolutely "ginormous" -- and that's only the third-largest map size! Even with 20 empires in play (myself plus 19 computer players), there's plenty of expansion room for all....at least for now.

Also, the ability to conduct diplomacy with the pirate factions is a nice touch. You can pay protection money, buy map info, even purchase technology from them (although I understand that last part's a crap shoot; you don't know what you're going to get). I confess I bought protection from a pirate group that was attacking a few of my more distant mining stations, as my ships were (at the time) too few and too spread out to effectively defend them all. Note to self: I've really gotta build a few more military ships early on -- must listen to the AI adviser more....

[seireikhaan]

Martok, where is it that one actually buys this game? I for the life of me haven't been able to figure that out.