Out of Pod Experience

first was MoO II with real-time 3D, Newtonian physics-enhanced space battles added.


nothing else needs to be said.

about SotS II, seems like it's pretty much SotS I with better gfx, an expanded tech tree and actual star systems instead just planets.


in sum, it has prospects of being even better

I also must warn you that this game is a huge timesink, since you need to play just. one. more. turn.

I'd go as far as to classify SotS 1 as one of the best 4X of this decade following MOO.
(sorry, for SotSE fans, Sins just doesn't cut it with its shallow gameplay)

Truly unique individual races and techs, random tech discovery (which increases re-playability) and best of all, unique ship module sections and weapon mounts & arcs with detailed to-hit probability depending on the weapon type. The game may look casual at first look (which testify to the skill of the game designers at getting the complexity formula right), but the if you read the wiki on the techs and hulls, there are various nuances which enhances gameplay if you so choose look it up.

My favourite race to play is the Hiver , slow to start but they have the toughest ships bristling with weapons. Lategame, depending on galaxy size, their Gate system is useful in simplifying standby defensive fleet management and each of your system will have a space scanner eyes (when you fit the module to your gate ship).

SotS 2 promises to be a good sequel, but we shall see.
They made the game only for DX10 and above, raising the entry level from XP to Win7.

Minimum requirements:

OS: Windows Vista 32-bit
RAM: 2-GB RAM
Video: 512-MB DirectX 10
Display: 1024x768
HDD: 2-GB free space
CPU: Core2 Duo or equivalent
DX: February 2010 or newer (DX10)
Sound: Any Windows Vista compatible sound device, stereo speakers or head phones
Control: 2-button mouse and keyboard

Recommended:

OS: Windows 7 64-bit
RAM: 6-GB
Video: 1-GB DirectX 10/11
Display: 1650x1080 or greater
CPU: Intel i5 equivalent or better
Sound: Any Windows Vista compatible sound device, 5.1 speaker configuration for full effect
Control: 3-button mouse and keyboard

Yeah, AI research's always a touch and go when the vaccine's not discovered - which I normally leave towards the end game when you can finish research in several easy turns. By that time, I'd be already in control of most of the central star clusters and pretty much half the galaxy. The AI boosts are great, but it's just really a bonus - icing on the cake. Nothing can stop the Hiver steamroller once its achieved a critical mass

The thing I love above SotS is you have to play differently with different races. What works with Hiver, won't work with Liir for example as their ships tend to be fragile. The only race that I tend to avoid playing are the Zuuls, mainly because they permanently suck each world's resource dry ... that imposes a sort of time limit in an open game. Tough ships though with interesting Rip Bore ships being used as a weapon (last I looked). To survive encounters with them early on, targeting their individual weapon mounts is always a priority.

I am thankfull for this thread, as this is exactly the kind of game I am looking for. I just bought it on steam and will try it after work.

Which race is the most newb-friendly? I heard the humans could have a difficult start if they got unlucky on the node layout, and insects whatever their names were very slow on exploration.

After a few games of Sots, I can say it's become one of my favorites.

The comp keep handing me my head because I tend to stop expanding after 12-15 colonies to concentrate on R&D, and I end up overwhelmed under flea bites. Plus I never know if the incoming bogey is 1 destroyer or 40 cruisers.

For me it has only 3 faults:

- You can't move on the vertical axis in fights. If I want my destroyer to get under the belly on another destroyer, where it doesn't have many guns it can point at me, I can't, the software randomly decide that for you.

- Outdated graphics.

- A large map with nodes all over the place rapidly become a haystack. And with the need to station scout ships everywhere, it is very easy to forget you sent that colony fleet here and there.


I'm waiting for SOTS 2. The screenshots are making me drool.

SWoTSII has released. However it looks like another rushed delivery.

I would hold on to your money for a few months and see where it's at. The version currently on steam is a beta build from Oct 14th, but from what I've seen, an extra two weeks isn't enough to clean things up.

Can't wait to play it.


Also, the first version released on Steam is apprently seven months old, not just two weeks old. A few hours ago Kerberos was in the process of uploading to Steam the version that should have been released. You might want to uninstall and download it again.

Damn, I'll have to pass until I upgrade this machine.
On the bright side, it should be more mature by then :)

sorry if this is a bit of a threadjack , I need some help.
I've tried to research but it's surprising how little info there is regarding this specific feature.

I love MoO II, primarily because it allows for hot seat games (2ppl or more sometimes, on one pc). with moo2 a buddy of mine and I still get together every month or two and play a game over many beers and movies.

does either of the sword of the stars games have this?
Do you know of any other good tbs 4x games that do?