What will make MOO3 different?

[Big Dave]

Ok, we've seen that the Ethos system has been cut. We've also seen that a major design feature has been changed from MOO2, space travel is now down "spacelanes".

So if I already have Space Empires 4, or I'm trying to decide on a space game to get, why should I get/wait for MOO3?
Respectfuly,

Big Dave

[Stormhound]

I'd say you should check out the resources I gave Yolky on his thread, as well as the other threads here. If none of that stuff convinces you, nothing will...we're trying for nothing short of a revolutionary step forward in the genre.

Feel free to go read and then report back on your thoughts...

[Big Dave]

Ok, since the breaking news of Infogreed's "new and improved" strategy to "get the product out the door NOW" I thought that we might revisit this thread.

[madmario]

This is my big q too.

[Straybow]

Space Empires IV is micromanagement hell. If nothing else, the way migration is handled automatically in MOO3 takes a big chunk of µmgmt out of the picture. They have promised decent governors, too. I think that is believeable.

All it needs is a non-crappy empire AI to make it stand head and shoulders above the games going all the way back to CTP2. That's not setting the bar too high.

[moomin]

At this point we're not even asking for a great game.

We're asking for a game without major bugs, reasonable interface and the general mood of the previous Moo offerings.

Is even that too much to ask? Time will tell.

[Big Dave]

Originally posted by Straybow
Space Empires IV is micromanagement hell. If nothing else, the way migration is handled automatically in MOO3 takes a big chunk of µmgmt out of the picture. They have promised decent governors, too. I think that is believeable.

All it needs is a non-crappy empire AI to make it stand head and shoulders above the games going all the way back to CTP2. That's not setting the bar too high.

You have ministers to relieve the MM in SEIV. Colonization is as easy as falling off a log.

And as for non-crappy AI, if Firaxis first two attempts are any sign of what we can expect from another Infograme company, I won't be holding my breath. And the AI in SEIV is user configurable on top of that. More like CTP2 than Civ....

[Straybow]

I played with the 100 turn demo extensively. I ended up disabling the ministers one by one. They were idiots. I'm not aware of any alternate AI settings.

The publisher has nothing to do with the coding of the AI. MOO3 is getting tweaked on QS's time, not InFrogGrames' time.

[Big Dave]

Minister settings

The ministers are stupid, untill you edit the text files that control them. Remember my reference to CTP2? Also, like CTP and CTP2 there is a large, active modding community out there. There is a Babylon 5 mod, numerous Star Trek races, and a number of others from various Sci-Fi books, media, etc.

Big Dave

PS It's all Infogrammes time untill they're making a profit on it, i.e. it's shipped out the door. Therefore, the publisher has a tremendous impact on the AI, along with all other facets of the finished product. Granted the author can always patch it after shipping, but we know how problematical THAT can be.


Edit: Added PS

[AnubisWoD]

Well actually some of the things they cut from the game is what made most people like it, IFP (although I hate that a lot of peopel liked it) and Ethos (made the game unique). Removing the Ethos and IFP actually has mainstreamed the game. So you can probably buy SE4 Gold and have just as much fun with that as in Moo 3. However I personally would wait for Moo3 and buy that. Se4 is a bit....... ameteur although it is still a good game.

Well to compair that to moo3 is. Supposidly moo3 is going to have a better diplomacy system (one like Alpha Centauri maybe?) however they seem to have the same automation. Combat for them depends if you like TBS or RTS. Also customizability is a great factor. Moo3 is as it is and SE4 has mods and you can add plenty of things to your liking. You will probably have to play both to see the real differences.

[Big Dave]

The only thing I can see that's more "amaturish" about SEIV than MOO3 is the graphics. I can't speak for anyone else, but as long as the graphics are good enough to easily tell the difference between different units, planets, stars, and other phenomena then I'll take good game play over eye candy any day that ends in "y".

Big Dave

[moomin]

The problem with SE IV is that it is so heavy on the MM I get tired just thinking about it. The grapics are more than adequate. But the ministers are pretty useless, and I couldn't be bothered tweaking them myself.

[AnubisWoD]

Originally posted by Big Dave
The only thing I can see that's more "amaturish" about SEIV than MOO3 is the graphics. I can't speak for anyone else, but as long as the graphics are good enough to easily tell the difference between different units, planets, stars, and other phenomena then I'll take good game play over eye candy any day that ends in "y".

Big Dave

Well its not just the graphics. The AI could use tweaking as well. Plus the non inclusion of tcp/ip support in the origional game. They should quit their day job and go full time for their next game. Because the main reason for it being ameteur is that they made it on their free time not because of how the game looks or plays.

[moomin]

Originally posted by AnubisWoD
Well its not just the graphics. The AI could use tweaking as well. Plus the non inclusion of tcp/ip support in the origional game. They should quit their day job and go full time for their next game. Because the main reason for it being ameteur is that they made it on their free time not because of how the game looks or plays.

What they shoul do is strike a deal with a publisher who'll deliver their game to the shelves, as opposed to that little Internet outfit they're dealing with now. That's by far the most amateurish thing 'bout Malfador.

[AnubisWoD]

Originally posted by moominparatrooper


What they shoul do is strike a deal with a publisher who'll deliver their game to the shelves, as opposed to that little Internet outfit they're dealing with now. That's by far the most amateurish thing 'bout Malfador.

That and their website is worse than mine for my Counter-Strike clan, lol.

I BET that now that moo3 is coming out they would get published by a "better" company, so long as they asked. Who knows they may be getting offers and just have a contract with shrapnel that forbids leaving.