Any decent 4x space strategy games for OS X?

[Riesstiu IV]

Originally posted by Bkeela
I haven't even tried MoO3.

Don't ever try it. MoO3 is probably the worst 4x space game ever made. A friend lent me his copy of the game and... oh boy what a nightmare. Imagine having to fight tooth and nail against AI controlled governors to actually get the things you want done. Imagine having no idea what's going on in your empire or why you hundreds of of transport ships are being built every year.

You could literally keep pressing the turn button, not do anything and watch your empire expand and win the game. The enemy AI was terrible at best.

It wasn't a 4x empire building space game but rather leading a vast galactic bureaucracy that doesn't listen to what you say, somehow manages to get things done against even more incompetent enemies, and you don't really have a clue what the hell the governors are trying to accomplish.


Thanks for the description, Proteus_MST. One question about the Galactic Civilizations series, are you allowed to customize ships?

[Proteus_MST]

I definitely disagree about MOO3 not being worth playing.

MOO3 has something that isn´t a learning curve but a learning cliff, but if one has mastered it MOO3 can be quite enjoyable. Especially as the last patches have fixed all of the serious that had till then haunted MOO3.

It´s also not everything bureaucracy.
Of coruse you can let the planet governors run most things in the game, you can however, instead of using te buraeucracy that Riesstiu IV still micromanage your planets (or use a mixed approach, i.e. micromanagoing some planets and use the planet govrnor for others.


But I agree that MOO3 isn´t a game for everyone as it is definitely very complex.

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV

Thanks for the description, Proteus_MST. One question about the Galactic Civilizations series, are you allowed to customize ships?

Well, if I remember correctly ships in GC2 are very very very customizable (in contrast to the ships in GC1).
Aside from equipping them with weapons, engines and all the other equipment you have a lot of non functional additions that you can put onto your ships, for one to increase the number of hardpoints (every pieceof equipment is attachedd to a hardpoint on your ship) for the other to make your ship more individual in his apearance

[Kinjiru]

OOLite is OSX native. They port it to other os's, but all development is done for OSX.

It's basically an updated Elite. Good stuff!

[DrSpike]

So not a 4x space strategy game then.

[Riesstiu IV]

I just got the full deluxe version of Space Empires IV for $10. Looks like it came with updated sounds, graphic improvements, and a ton of mods. I finally had a chance to test space combat and it seems very similar to MoO2 except for a few added tactics and combat options. Overall,

[Patroklos]

Pychic weapons

Some hints for you...

Reaserch Point Defence Weapons to get PDC level III or higher and you will rule the early game, missile weapons are favored by the AIs until they develope more effective energy weapons, at which time they will switch to ploaron beams, but since you know this you will have already reserched phased shields and will rule the middle game to

And watch out for sun crushers. Drop a few satillites over the stars in you systems to keep enemies from sneaking a cloaked sun crusher in there. You can also mine your stars for the same effect. Minefields are pretty devestating early game because designing specialized mine sweeping ships is a stretch on the tech/shipbuilding capacities of most early empires. Mines on the other had are cheap (and don't require maintenance!).

Fighters are a good early system defense if you find yourself being overrun in the early game (along with planetary weapons platforms and mines), but not so good a power projection until you have the ability to build carriers. Fighters will go out of style in the mid game due to PDC improvments, but they come back with a vengence in the late game.

[Riesstiu IV]

Weapons that blow up stars? I wouldn't have even thought to bother protecting stars.

Thanks for the advice. I just lost my first game... well not exactly lost but gave up after losing several colonies to enemy frigates and destroyers. I think I over-stretched my limits by just focusing on colony ships. I didn't expect the AI to be aggressive early on. I've read a newbie guide and now have a somewhat better understanding of what to do.

There's so much research I'm not sure what area to focus on. Early on, should I focus more on satellite and mining defense or try to go for bigger ships?

One thing I noticed is a system with star that was described as being highly unstable and nearing collapse. Is there a chance for it to go Super Nova?

[Proteus_MST]

Wow,
the space empires series sounds great for anyone who loves complex 4X games.
Too bad the previous 4 parts of the series never got published in germany, so I never got to know it. At least SE 5 is available here, so I will very probably buy it

[DrSpike]

Personally I would get GalCiv2 in your position.

[Riesstiu IV]

Originally posted by Proteus_MST
Wow,
the space empires series sounds great for anyone who loves complex 4X games.
Too bad the previous 4 parts of the series never got published in germany, so I never got to know it. At least SE 5 is available here, so I will very probably buy it

Well you could always try digital download. I got the game as a direct download from the publisher.

It certainly is a complex game with a lot of possibilities and the interface design is well organized and easily understandable. One aspect I like is races who are adapted to certain atmospheres such as methane, hydrogen, oxygen, etc and certain types of planets such as rocky, icy, and gas giants. It makes terraforming more abstract unlike the MoO2 where the goal was to make everything into earth like planets.

After looking at the tech tree, I'm rather amazed. Apparently with enough research you can create and destroy stars and planets as well as build ring worlds and dyson spheres around stars.

Another well developed feature of the game is intelligence services and diplomacy. With intelligence services, you can do things ranging from create false messages to try and get to empires to fight one another to conducting mission of sabotage to counterintelligence. Diplomacy has a lot to offer too with a lot of treaty variations.

MoO2 used to be my favorite 4x space empire game but I've got to say Space Empires IV is incredibly well developed and the added complexity makes the game re-playable.

My only complaint so far is that colonists have to be loaded on colony ships. In my first game I sent several colony ships to settle planets without a population.

[Kinjiru]

You know, I never did get around to playing SEIV. At the time it came out, my rig was out of commission and then I never bought when I was back up and running. Maybe it's time to try it out. The specs say 800x600, but can it be run in other (ideally, widescreen) resolutions?

[Patroklos]

There's so much research I'm not sure what area to focus on. Early on, should I focus more on satellite and mining defense or try to go for bigger ships?

You want to get the masic techs for mines and fighters right away so you can put up some static defenses (mine the warp points). I usually research to destroy level right off the bat because that hull is large enough for you to fit all your basic componets. After that I focus on upgraded the component techs rather than hull sizes, a very advanced destroyer will beat a low tech cruiser anyday.

After you get some initial security I normally focus on getting better mineral miners and research complexes. Next on my list is atmphere convertors. Both those things will let you maximize the value of your systems, it is better to have a few really developed systems than alot of colonies flung around everywhere. Then I break out an conquer the galaxy

[Riesstiu IV]

Whoops I missed your post there, Patroklos. Lucky for me I followed the first few suggestions you made.

My second game was okay... I guess but I abandon it after a while. I picked a race that required carbon-dioxide/rock planets (Phong I think) but I only found a few planets of that type and I ended up being a mediocre power. I'm doing really well in my third game. I created a custom race with emphasis on science, production, and better maintenance at the cost of being somewhat bad at ground combat. I picked rock/oxygen native environment and I found a lot more suitable worlds to colonize in this game. I also picked Advanced Storage Techniques and that's been a lot of help. So far I'm doing well.

Another question, what are your thoughts about trade and research alliances with other races. I'd like to be friendly at first but I'm somewhat reluctant to make them since I'm far more advanced then my neighbors and I have a huge surplus in all resource areas.

@Kinjiru - Yes it can run in other resolutions over 800x600 according to the official Faq. I think the game automatically adjusts to the maximum native resolution available.

Oh, I also managed to get the Space Empires V Demo working after messing around with some settings and now I know the general consensus was right. I don't have anything against the graphics themselves but the 3d engine was badly implemented and awkward to use. In SEIV it's easy to pick any system and automatically see everything that's going on while in SEV, rotating the 3d camera and trying to get everything in view is a pain.

[Main_Brain]

For this Reason I moved the 3D Cam in a 2D Position (In SEV)

Unfortunatly I started a game while Diplomacy wasnt working too well (alas not working at all) and did not want to start a new Game before finishing it first.

The AI doesnt realize their Number Superiority in Battles though.
Instead of cutting of my Missile ships it follows them leaving a Trail of Deactivated AI Ships.

[Bkeela]

How can anyone take Space Empires IV seriously?

Check out the artwork for the Phong Confederation. If that doesn't make you want to burst out laughing, you need to get a pair of glasses.

The race profiles are so lame. Where is the peaceful aquatic creatures for Christ's sake? Why aren't there any cat race people? Did the developers even pass their Sci-Fi Cliche 101 course or what?

Why are humans always included in these games? It reminds me of that Sesame Street segment: One of these things is not like the other things. Or like someone who has snuck into a group photo in which they don't belong. If I want to play humans, I'll play Civilization. I love how humans are always represented as American. I think Galactic Civilizations even went so far as having all ships named USS something or other.

So the Ukra-Tal Collective have developed ADVANCED ORGANIC MANIPULATION TECHNOLOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 No wonder sci-fiction is the poor second cousin to fantasy when developers employ arcane advanced technology descriptions. This is one area in which Alpha Centauri excelled - all the tech advancements were articulate.

Space Empires IV? Nah, I think I'll give it a miss.