Space Empires V

do you like it?
i don't like bugs do you ?

Uh..Beta version?

It's been released AND it's at version 1.08

Personally I'm enjoying the game, the new ship design interface is a little bit confusing and I'm not sure I approve of the massive leveling up system of the tech tree (Putting a few million points into projectile weapons will yield a D.U cannon that can blow up a planet!) but otherwise it's a nice game.

I bought it a week ago, it's still sitting on my desk waiting to be opened. I have to admit, the crazy bug list and their endless work to getting a stable version out is a bit frightening, but I always knew that SEV would be like that in the beginning. It will be months before it will become a truly GREAT game, because its strength lies in its moddability. Normally I would tear the plastic wrap off and start modding myself, but there is just so many features that are not working or malfunctioning that modding it right now seems like wasting effort. Doesn't really bother me, I've got plenty of other things to keep me occupied in the mean times.

If you bought the game, just put it aside for now and come back to it later. Aaron isn't the type to quit on his games (if you've been following the SE series, you'd know). Eventually things will settle, but yeah, the game was released waaay before it was ready, and I blame the beta testers for enjoying the game a little too much and ended up not doing a very good job QA-ing it.

I've played the 1.08 demo, I think the game is ok, smaller galaxies then in Galciv, and more complexity, er choices to choose from rather. More to do. Not sure if it's a better gameplay exprience. The graphics are using an older engine that is for sure but the tactical combat actually looks as good as Galciv2, and it's actually there for tactics not just show. Mp isn't available in the demo and from what I can tell the way they have implemented MP in the actual retail release isn't really what I was looking for in this kinda game.

I enjoyed SE IV, and intend to eventually pick up SE V.

But I *AM* holding off until the bug list gets shorter.

Will be fighting NWN2 bugs in the meantime...

Yeah I like the game but I dont enjoy the bugs. Dan Greene: as to the galaxy size, I think a mod will come out that will make it possible to have way larger galaxies. I know the stupid box is misleading claming "255 solar systems with 15 planets each" as Large Galaxy, but it is possible.

The AI is terribly weak, it's obviously hard to make good AI with so many game options. So unless you get a very advanced AI mod, AI will be no challenge. I hope the stock AI will get a boost in the patch, if not it will be up to the modders.

Hey thanks for the update Astax. I think I'm going to pass on the full retail version. I just can't get into it the way I am with GalCiv, score 1 Stardock, I like the depth, but if you say the AI is awful, then eventualy I'll either luck them dead or learn enough about the strategies to do so on my own. I like the tactical combat, but it's not enought to keep me coming back and there just seems to be a bit too much depth. I like the fact that you can build a ship in 30 sec in Galciv, I think it'd be too much extra work in SE V. I also don't like the way they are saying MP is setup. Not sure how good of a game it would be. What I really think about Galciv2 is that the depth is almost perfect for MP and the scope is almost perfect too which is why I wish they'd do an MP but I can wish in one hand and well u know...

SE4 pretty much made the GalCiv's unplayable for me. The scope of Space Empires makes playing a GC game with a few hundred ships seem paltry, plus the tech tree is pathetic in GC. Ah but the AI! I would love to play a Space Empires game with GalCiv's AI. I've tried to play GalCiv2 and kept on telling myself to give it another try but it's just a very slick but mediocre experience for me. I haven't played since the patch that broke the campaign mode (the combat modification, months ago) but I will eventually go back and give it another try. I think Stardock has been exemplary in the way it's treated it's userbase and would really like to like their games too. Don't much care for Frogboy though. Him and his army of lawyers. ****!

Space Empires 5 has been a total crapout for me so far. The User Interface is to the detriment of the user experience and the 1.08 patch (from Steam, yes I like Steam and I don't mind Starforce. I have a pair and don't give a frak about the details.) pretty much makes the single-player game pointless. I emailed Aaron Hall a pretty cheeky request for a 2D makeover (when you have an essentially 2D solar system what's the point of having a twitchy 3D representation of it as your main interface?) and even cited the pointlessness of trying to compete with GalCiv2, which has one of THE nicest interfaces in any game I've ever played. He emailed me back a form letter (I think) basically saying I wasn't alone and that it should make it into a patch soon. That and fixing the AI (just to a point where they don't automatically roll over when the human player enters their system would be a good start.) will be the start of what will be an amazing game eventually, I'm sure. Until then play SE4 with the Adamant or Star Trek mod.

EDIT: oh yeah, the size of galaxies thing - unless they've changed it GalCiv has one star map but Space Empires has upto, what?, 50 or so linked star maps. Individual star maps may be smaller than the only starmap in GalCiv but overall GalCiv stands proudly shoulder to ankle with Space Empires on the scope front.

Hmmm, so I finally got some time to burn and broke this game out of its plastic wrapping and tested it out (version 1.08)... and it was pretty much what I had expected. After a few dozen turns, it crashed. Gave it another go, same thing a few turns later... if it's not one thing, it's another. Guess I'll just have to wait for the next patch that's supposedly coming out on the 6th, maybe I'll finally get somewhere in order to judge the game then.

As for the 2D/3D map thing, I don't think it really makes any difference, especially since you even have the option to represent the map as 2D or 3D. What I would really like is the ability to modify/reorganize the interface because if you play on any resolution other than 1024x768, the interface gets broken up into pieces and it looks really odd. The ability to grab some pieces of the interface and move them around, or hide portions of them completely (like the orders panel)would be great. As for the graphical "look" of the UI, you can change that along with all the other graphics in the game. I don't think the 3D thing is really that bad, once you get used to the scrolling it's actually pretty convenient, IMO.

As for the supposedly horrible new AI, I'm not sure I can properly judge them with how far I've gotten, but there are options to give bonuses to the AI in the advance game setups. And while I don't think they will ever "wow" you with their intelligence, it should be okay until some mad geniuses comes along to mod the AI to perfection, since you can script that as well.

In the end though, SE V is about its modding potential. It provides all the necessary parts for you to build a really good game from if you're devoted enough to the task. There are a lot of "neat" stuff to play with or to remove from the game (should you want something simpler, to make better AIs), but it's there to allow you to do what you want with it (just try modding in sphereworlds in GalCiv and you'll know what I mean). The default "game" isn't really all that different than SE IV, so if you're just looking for that, then you're much better off getting SE IV, and playing that instead. SE V allows more room for customization and modding, so that a few years from now people will still look back and say, "Oh man, you've got to try this new SE V mod!" (a better graphics engine helps tremendously here). And on that front, I think Aaron did pretty well. Of course, the bugs will need squashing first before anything can be done...

Yup it's buggy, potential though, definetly. I just wish they'd have more quashed before they went retail with it. Ewww.

Hope I'm not spamming or anything, but if you guys want to hear it straight from the developer's keyboard there's a moderated chat session with Aaron Hall (Malfador) at #SpaceEmpires on freenode IRC starting in just over two hours!
There is a nifty Java-based web client here:
http://www.spaceempires.net/home/irc.html
which connects you directly to the channel as a guest, so "I don't know how to use IRC" is no excuse!
Even though I've hardly played GalCiv and never got really active in the community other than to post occasionally comparing it to Space Empires and to suggest a MOO-based mod, it might be worthwhile if you're on the fence about Space Empires to join in the discussion!

I shelfed it. Even after recent patch. They didnt patch my most hated bug, where u regenerate galaxy over and over to get the shape you like, after 4-5 times it gets totally screwed up. I love spiral arm but using not all points ocnnected so I get less warppoints, but I stillw ant all the systems connected together :/ So I have to generate atleast 20 tiems to get a nice looking one. But it's truelly best looking galaxy. I'll even post u guys a pic of what it can look like.




The interface needs major redo, I agree. Like why do I have to click one button to reorder the queue and then click move up/move down. I mean if you cant program drag and drop, atleast have the move up/down buttons on the same menu.

And the tech tree is a pain, too many levels. I will have to get a mod or something. Like why even design a troop on your frist turn if after you build 10 of them you have level 2 weapons and armor. Then what are you supposed to redo all your construction queues cause you queued up 100 troops? And change all your designs every 2-3 turns. Hell no. I mean maybe they should do it so they upgrade automatically on all vehicles. So i can put armor and it will be armor level 1, but when I research level 2, it gets upgraded automatically in the design and on all existing vehicles. If someone can mod that I would love it.

Anyway, I shall observe the game's progress, and if it gets improved I may jump back in. But it needs LOT of work. Also I think I got banned from their forums :/ Yeah I know telling someone to go kill themselves isn't proper forum edicate, but the guy did use nickname of "Suicide Junkie." Then I cursed out the mod for bringing it up. Why don't u go deal with a guy using retarded nickname first :/

I really like SEIV, I did get V, the bugs chased me out. There were some things I liked about it, but SEIV and GALCIV2 are enough for me. Unless I'm playing Cossacks 2...

BooBoo

Has anyone played the game since the 1.20patch?

Did it correct any of the stability problems? I have tried the tutorial and printed the 300 page manual out from work. The game seems quite good. But I would hate to waste the time and effort if its going to crash and burn.

Thanks for any input and/or info

I would really have love SEV if they had fixed the AI. As it stands, it is the framework of a great system with no AI.

The balance mod has much better A.I.SEV with the latest patch played with the balance mod is great fun.

Where does one fine this balance mod?

Does anyone know when the next pacth is coming out?

Thanks for the 411.

WWW Link
There will be version 1.2 balance mod released toady sometime,with even better A.I.

Thanks....

Yeah I find the latest build to be very stable, but vanilla game is still pretty crappy as far as the tech tree goes, and other game balancing issues. I will have to find a good mod. Also the alliance system is buggy as hell.

Gal Civ AI spoils us. Makes us wants computer players in other games who can really think and put up a fight.

Played 1.25 before I gave up. I think I'm waiting til 1.89 arrives. Maybe it will be worth our money then.

I was always interested in the Space Empires series and I noticed on Steam that SE IV Deluxe and SE V were on sale together for $14.90 so I bought them.
So far I'm enjoying SE V, I read on their forum that a new patch 1.70 is coming out in a few days.