Fun with Sins of a Solar Empire

from JoeUser Forums

Sins of a Solar Empire is shaping up nicely. An RTS with turn-based level depth that allows users to manage huge empires in real-time without getting bogged down in micro management.

Here are some screenshots from today's play.

ScreenShot_11

Each race gets its own technology tree. Tech trees are a feature from 4X strategy games. RTS's usually don't have them.  To keep micro management down, the techs have a cost associated with them but also require a certain number of labs to be built in your planets.

Building orbital labs requires logistics points which are finite per planet. So choosing to build an orbital lab means not building something else.

ScreenShot_13

The scale of the game is what I find amazing. This is a small map. And if you're playing multiplayer, it lasts probably an hour or so depending on your speed settings.

But you could, literally, play the game in this view zoomed out. That's what makes Sins so amazing as a strategy game.  You can, if you want, zoom in and direct each and every ship on the map and watch them battle it out or zoom out and manage your empire here -- or at any zoom level in between.

real-time
30,152 views 30 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'm really looking forward to this game... I always liked the idea of RTS, but haven't seen much of an RTS l liked to play. (with the exception of Supreme Commander, maybe)
Most so-called RTS are just to much Real-Time and to little strategy for my taste. To much about clicking fast and to little about coming up with good strategies.
Sins of a Solar Empire could be the game I've been waiting for... I am still a bit skeptical how it will turn out, but after GalCiv I+II I think Stardock could be among the few who could really manage to get it right, especially since you don't seem to be bound to the 'stick to the old formula'-mindsets which the big game companys seem to follow...

(Ah, and another Hooray! for DRM-free online purchase! )
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
For some reason that looks totally different than my version...
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So far I have really enjoyed the beta of SoaSE (recognizing it is a beta) and am very hopeful the final game will turn out to be as terrific as GCII and its iterations (including TA, which also is looking great!)  :CONGRAT: 
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You know, Stardock might actually become the sole reason for me to finally get a credit card of my own (haven't got any use for it other than SD purchases...).
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Makes me wonder what version he is playing, mine doesn't look like that either...
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Brad's playing the near-final version of the game. It's radically different than the Beta version that's available to pre-order folk.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I am also looking forward to this game, and have been for quite awhile. I can't wait to sink my teeth into the tactical combat.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Brad's playing the near-final version of the game. It's radically different than the Beta version that's available to pre-order folk.

Sure tease us like a school girl. :SNIFF!:
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yes this is very innovative game. You can play it zoomed out which I really like. It also is very nice Multiplayer game, especially for teams. I have preordered long time ago, and now I'm just waiting for the release.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can the final release of this game be played solo, or is it supposed to be multiplayer only?
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Nope, it's both single and multiplayer.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
We tested (cough* played *cough) an internal build yesterday at the office.  It was my first experience with the game, and I gotta say, it was a lot of fun (thanks to some initial tips by Yarlen).  Our setup was an 8 person map, playing 4 on 4 teams.  Cari, CodeCritter, another coworker, and I; versus Brad, Mittens, and two other coworkers.  It was a blast, even though my team lost.

Maybe we'll do some overtime today and "test" it some more.   :D

~Charles
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That's a nasty cough you got there.

Might have to stay home and take care of it. ;)

While you're at home, might as well get some WAN connectivity testing in..

Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You know, that does it.

I can't preorder (when will preorder be available for PayPal?), but I'm buying this game as soon as it's released. Stardock has enough of a good record for me that I'm willing to forego playing a demo first - even if it's an RTS game.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

Pre-orders won't be available via PayPal for a long time, if ever. You'll be able to order it using PayPal when it's released early next month, though.

Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great. Between this and Gal Civ, looks like I might as well give up on ever having a life.  The market is sorely lacking in good RTS games right now (that don't require a Cray machine to play). :p 
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nope, it's both single and multiplayer.


Good. I'd rather be a solo player, as I'd prefer to avoid teenyboppers bellowing obscenities at each other in leetspeak.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well I normally hate RTS games with 2 noted exceptions, The Homeworld series and the Total War series (granted total war is both a TBS (solo unfortunately) and RTS.) All others that I've tried have been nothing but boring clickfest with little time for civilization development. I now usually avoid them like the plague unless they have a TBS element with them. So is Sins of a Solar Empire another boring clickfest or is there a TBS element to it? What game does it mostly resemble in play style?
Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top
It's most like a cross between GalCiv II and Homeworld. It's definitely not a click-fest.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How's the AI? I'm unlikely to ever play the game MP, so it needs to be worth its purchase price for the single player component alone.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How's the AI? I'm unlikely to ever play the game MP, so it needs to be worth its purchase price for the single player component alone.


Good question, anyone has answers?
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Really hoping that SoaSE has room for good micromanagement. I'd love to see a game like Starcraft again, where focusing on micro and taking your attention away from macro would lead to a noticeable shift if your gameplay. Where players could suck at micro but be so good at macro that they could still be victorious, and vice versa.

That's the main reason I'm excited about the game. I see it as a game that's complex enough to get away with such an up to date UI without having the skill-roof be too low. I'm really hoping I'm right Stardock. I think a game like this could really be a smash hit in the competitive gaming industry if you guys play your cards right, and I'd love to see something like that ::D
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ok so there is an over all strategic TBS portion of the game (GalCiv 2). Then when you’re in battle you go to the RTS section of the game (Homeworld?) Well if this is the case then it does sound like the single player version of Total War but in space. If this is the case then I just may have to get htis game.
Reply #24 from Stardock Forums Top

The AI is pretty good, keeping it mind that it's designed for multiple opponents (not 1v1). Also, there's not just a general AI but an "autocast" AI for many elements in the game that make intelligent decisions on when to use special abilities, etc.  Ironclad plans to continue updating the AI after release as well, just as we've done with GC2.

In combat, you can come out ahead if you opt to micromanage - but this comes at the cost of taking attention away from your greater empire. I've often been tricked into spending too much time focused on battles (admittedly just to watch them) and then ended up losing because I failed to spend enough time on the big picture. The opposite can also be true, but is less likely if you're careful.

Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When you say 'multiple opponents' do you mean team games or FFAs?

Basically, does the AI favor the human player as a target (bad) or does it target human and AI equally?