And so...the Steam sale begins.

[ledshok]

GalCiv2 was a lot of fun for a while.  It's not an eternal gem like MoO but it's worth a try.

Though right now if I took the time to sit down to a space-4X it would probably be endless space instead of GalCiv2.  Not that ES is the best space-4X out there by a long shot, it's just the one I'm more recently acquainted with and it was pretty fun.

As others have said around here, there really aren't any really good modern space-4X's out there.  GalCiv2 doesn't break out of that, but it's a decent game.

How would you rate Sword of the Stars (the original with expansions) versus Gal Civ 2 (with expansions)? Both look like an interesting (and cheap!) diversion as the Steam sale nears its end...

[Volatar]

How would you rate Sword of the Stars (the original with expansions) versus Gal Civ 2 (with expansions)? Both look like an interesting (and cheap!) diversion as the Steam sale nears its end...

I would like to know how good SotS is as well to justify my impulse purchase of it earlier this week. 

[keith.lamothe]

Well, it's not like I'm an authority on 4X's or anything like that, but since you asked: Compared to GalCiv2 I found SotS... probably roughly as fun, just in a very different way.  In GalCiv there's way more detail on your planets and what you build, etc.  In SotS there's way more detail on combat and the meaningfulness of your ship design decisions (design matters in GalCiv2 but there's no tactical combat).

I get the impression that SotS is the better game overall, I just haven't gotten far enough into it to realize it because I've never fully gotten a handle on the combat system such that I feel like I'm not making stupid novice mistakes.  Whereas I pretty thoroughly figured out GalCiv2 from top to bottom (though they came out with another expansion after that and I don't know much about terror stars, etc).

(none of the above applies to SotS2, as I haven't had any experience with it other than to realize that they're still working on getting it to release quality, though perhaps they don't see it that way)

[BobTheJanitor]

By the way, since no one mentioned it, Fallout New Vegas is absolutely great. Get the full version with all the DLC included, if you can swing it. It is one of the few big open world RPGs of that sort which I actually played all the way through the base game and every bit of DLC. 95 hours, according to Steam. Obsidian doesn't get enough credit for the care they put into making incredible branching choices in RPGs. Unfortunately they usually seem to get remembered for their games that publishers have booted out the door early and thus they are just known for bugs. Sad times. In Fallout NV you can play the game as 'intended' and get one story, or you can literally kill every single character you meet and the game will still give you a coherent (if bloody) story from beginning to end. It's not like Fallout 3 where plot specific characters will just 'fall asleep' if you shoot them, and then get back up later and keep asking you to go do a fetch quest for them. The number of ways you can play through the game and not have it break because you didn't follow the sequence properly is pretty amazing.

[tigersfan]

By the way, since no one mentioned it, Fallout New Vegas is absolutely great. Get the full version with all the DLC included, if you can swing it. It is one of the few big open world RPGs of that sort which I actually played all the way through the base game and every bit of DLC. 95 hours, according to Steam. Obsidian doesn't get enough credit for the care they put into making incredible branching choices in RPGs. Unfortunately they usually seem to get remembered for their games that publishers have booted out the door early and thus they are just known for bugs. Sad times. In Fallout NV you can play the game as 'intended' and get one story, or you can literally kill every single character you meet and the game will still give you a coherent (if bloody) story from beginning to end. It's not like Fallout 3 where plot specific characters will just 'fall asleep' if you shoot them, and then get back up later and keep asking you to go do a fetch quest for them. The number of ways you can play through the game and not have it break because you didn't follow the sequence properly is pretty amazing.

Actually, I just grabbed it. I'm waiting for it to d/l as I type this. I have a friend who has some issues with it and he pretty much turned me off to it. But, I figured I'd give it a shot for $5.

[Castruccio]

Gal Civ 2 Ultimate is 4.99 for the next couple hours, for those interested. (It is currently 9:30pm ET and the sale lasts for 5 more hours).

[Volatar]

Thanks for the SotS info Keith. Sounds like I will like it.

[keith.lamothe]

Gal Civ 2 Ultimate is 4.99 for the next couple hours, for those interested. (It is currently 9:30pm ET and the sale lasts for 5 more hours).

For anyone that's really enjoyed a space 4X, that's a pretty good deal.

[Castruccio]

I've been going back and forth between getting Gal Civ 2 and Sins Trinity.  I think Sins Trinity might appeal more to the AI War fan. 

[keith.lamothe]

I've been going back and forth between getting Gal Civ 2 and Sins Trinity.  I think Sins Trinity might appeal more to the AI War fan.

If you're a solo player, I think GalCiv2 is the hands-down winner.  Its AI isn't terrific, but Sins is really an RTS, and most RTS's don't have good AI opponents.  At least, my experience with SoaSE vanilla was that it was a fun solo game for a while but the AI wasn't really trying that hard.  That could have changed since then, or I may have misinterpreted what was happening.

If you want to play multiplayer... well, GalCiv2 does not have multiplayer, so that kinda settles that

[ledshok]

Gal Civ 2 Ultimate is 4.99 for the next couple hours, for those interested. (It is currently 9:30pm ET and the sale lasts for 5 more hours).

For anyone that's really enjoyed a space 4X, that's a pretty good deal.

Aaaaaaaand bought. 

[chemical_art]

I've been going back and forth between getting Gal Civ 2 and Sins Trinity.  I think Sins Trinity might appeal more to the AI War fan.

If you're a solo player, I think GalCiv2 is the hands-down winner.  Its AI isn't terrific, but Sins is really an RTS, and most RTS's don't have good AI opponents.  At least, my experience with SoaSE vanilla was that it was a fun solo game for a while but the AI wasn't really trying that hard.  That could have changed since then, or I may have misinterpreted what was happening.

If you want to play multiplayer... well, GalCiv2 does not have multiplayer, so that kinda settles that

The AI doesn't try hard in SINS, but they have added since vanhilla at least one (maybe two?) difficulties higher that seem to give a boost to the AI in resources, but not in direct military combat. They creame me if I am not TES, and the second highest is the best I can hope to compete. (see below)

Since I love playing TES, who in the economic endgame get a slice of everyone else's economy, it causes real slugfests.

[Volatar]

I am absolutely terrible against the AI in SoaSE. No idea why.

Put me up against a player and I do fine, but against an AI I find myself making no headway...

[Mánagarmr]

Given how badly that star networking worked out on launch, that may actually be the technically accurate term.

Pretty much. Demigods networking was an absolute disaster on launch. Games failed to connect to all players, players intermittently dropping out of games with no chance of rejoining. It was awful

[eRe4s3r]

So it was like Diablo 3, then?

Also did anyone see the Max Payne 3 50% sale? They are selling a spanking new game for 50% off? Must have some terrible sale figures...