Massive superiority counts for nothing...

[Stormhound]

There are a lot of things man is not meant to know. (Which is why my sig says what it does, and why I compare game design to the old saying about law and sausage.)

[pchang]

Ugh

Please disregard

[ChristopherC]

I hope that Stormhound doesnt feel I have been going after him like an 'attack dog'. You dont feel that, do you, Stormhound? I would be unhappy if you did!

I am exceedingly grateful to him, and I hoped I had made that clear. If I havent, I hope I am making it clear now! Many thanks, Stormhound! I simply would have given up on the game because of the CD problem I had -the CD started sticking thereby crashing the game - if it hadnt been for his advice to transfer over the music to my HD. So that is what I owe to him. K?

Despite some faults, deficiencies and puzzles, I love the game! I love space strategy games more than any other kind! I am glad I am alive at a time when there are computers and space strategy games! How can life have been any fun before that? BC for me means 'before computers' (and space strategy games)! There are things I would like put right with MOO3 but I have gotten to turn 760 plus playing it in my present game and look forward to playing another 760 plus if necessary to crush the perfidious aliens! As I said, I love the manifold ways in which a colony develops as I like building things - though I also like a bit of a scrap now and then as well, so long as the odds are in my favour! That me is the ultimate gaming happiness! The only real weakness of the game, as I have also said, seems to be the diplomatic AI. You cant, or at least I cant, forge lasting alliances. The alien races either seem fickle or downright hostile. But I can live with that, so long as my battlefleets outfight theirs which, so far, they are doing! Death to the Ogoch and Zdarelek!

From something Stormhound let slip, I guessed he had some connection with the game. I think they ought to have kept him on. The game would have been better for it! Most certainly, we have all benefitted terrifically from Stormhound's advice where are there lacunae in the manual.

Live long and prosper, Stormhound!

[raghar]

you are in turn 760 and still didn't win? Oh... It must be battle 300 ships vs 500 ships. How could you?Most of players are yelling about low difficulty and you did this thing.
I think that alliens are hostile to harvesters. Yes. But to others... If you don't spy them too much you'd have few problems...

[Vince278]

Originally posted by ChristopherC
I hope that Stormhound doesnt feel I have been going after him like an 'attack dog'. You dont feel that, do you, Stormhound? I would be unhappy if you did!

Since he seems to put people who do so on ignore we'll see if he responds.

Originally posted by ChristopherC
From something Stormhound let slip, I guessed he had some connection with the game. I think they ought to have kept him on. The game would have been better for it! Most certainly, we have all benefitted terrifically from Stormhound's advice where are there lacunae in the manual.

I tend to agree. I like alot of what I heard about the early game.

[ChristopherC]

I havent found it easy to invade planets, Raghar. You do seem to need massive resources to clear systems and invade planets.

Earlier in the game I had two serious threats from the alien races against which to contend at once and so had to split my fleets and just hold fast. It took me a longgg time to reduce the threat to the level manageability whereby I could go on the offensive and that only on one front. I have been cranking out ships and soldiers as fast as I can and it has still taken fifty odd turns to disposess the Ogoch from the Yekub system. This has been a problem I had with other games. The AI could always crank out ships and stuff far quicker than I could!

In the largest of the galaxies upon which I am playing my opponents have obviously a lot of systems so I could be playing for a while yet! But this I dont mind for I like long campaigns. Actually, I wish there was a scenario editor whereby one could have a mature empire and go from there. There was the option to start from a mature empire in MOO3. I dont like having to start from scratch and wonder how extensive I can make my resources before the inevitable, hostile confrontation which puts an end to easy expansion.

I do think this game is superior to MOO2 in several ways, incidentally, though that view might offend the purists. One problem I never solved with MOO2 was that suddenly my budget would crash and I would have to mothball ships so I never managed to build up the huge fleets I have now. I am glad the MOO3 budget rules dont have such nasty and unexplained surprises.

Live long and prosper.

[Stormhound]

Yes, one thing I've observed about the game is that budget isn't often a problem, or for very long. Money one usually has (and you can deficit spend up to a point, as well), the only question is what one does with it, and I've yet to have a serious problem with that.

[Vince278]

Economy really hasn't been much of a problem for me unless I'm expanding too fast. I just love that idea of starting with a mature empire (ala MOO2). Wish they could add that into the code patch.

[Stormhound]

Actually, I was under the impression that one of the things in the code patch was a feature that would allow that...perhaps I'm mistaken?

[Craig P.]

Originally posted by Brazuca
with this computer....any size...i had a P3 450 hz 128 mb and never had problens with TF sizes, if i remenber well i could put in combat a maximun of 10 fleets of 18 ships each

Obviously you haven't tried a 180 vs. 180 ship battle with lots of fighters yet. Trying to take Orion with 6 carrier armadas against 6 NO carrier armadas brought my P2/400 to its knees.

[Craig P.]

Originally posted by Stormhound
Actually, I was under the impression that one of the things in the code patch was a feature that would allow that...perhaps I'm mistaken?

One of the announced features is being able to turn the galaxy loose for some number of turns and pick it up later. That's supposed to provide for "advanced start" games.

[Vince278]

Originally posted by Craig P.
One of the announced features is being able to turn the galaxy loose for some number of turns and pick it up later. That's supposed to provide for "advanced start" games.

Turn the galaxy loose? Hope I'm not conquered in X number of turns! Hate to see the results of how the AI advances things ( skewed research priorities, DEA builds, colonizing, lots of unneeded ships, diplomatic relations, unrest, economics, etc., etc. ).
Thanks for the info.

[ChristopherC]

Hello there, fellas! How y'all doing?

Remember I criticised the diplomatic AI?

Well, I have just met the third race in my longgg game, the Einarii. Far more militarily powerful than mine! Now they could give me realll trrrrouble! Dont you just hate those 'oh-oh' moments? I had inadvertently expanded close to their sector so I try to gingerly withdraw and I send them some little gifts and guess what? They complain about several unexplained aggressive actions on my part although I have only just met them and promptly declare war on me! Damn! Or even stronger words to that effect! Good job I save every fiftieth turn I think I may be going back through this handy 'timewarp' to expand in another direction! So strike three for my diplomacy!

On a more philosophical level and commercial level, is it that strategy games (as well obviously as 'shoot 'em ups') are designed to cater more for young, aggressive players rather than mature players like myself who prefer a lot of building, diplomacy and only a little fighting from time to time to spice things up? I havent gotten in this game to use any diplomacy yet worth a dam! In MOO2, you could make more lasting alliances or engage in diplomatic manoevres. The diplo scenes of visiting ambassadors were more fun, too. So, forget about TV making for a more violent society, if world leaders grow up playing MOO3 this planet is in trouble! They may think the diplomatic option doesnt work in real life, either, so why bother? 'Here is this country with whom I have a problem, better declare war and crank out the ships and planes!'

Still, I love the game. I was yawning at work all today and dreaming of galactic empires!

Live long and prosper.

[Stormhound]

Yeah, diplomacy got scaled back a wee bit, as I recall...including explanations of why the other empire was ticked at you, which was kind of a dumb thing to cut.

Making lasting relationships IS tough, especially between certain races. Sometimes you've gotta do a lot of rump-smooching, and you have to be mindful of how many of your ships are on their border. Considering the history of the MOO galaxy, a little paranoia is essential. Also, there's a little patch-fixing to come, but we'll see how much it changes.

[pchang]

This makes no sense

In another thread, Stormhound says he did not get his complimentary copy of the game yet. However, he is still able to help people with their version. How can this be?