MOO3 Review up on Gamespy

[Unworthy]

http://www.gamespy.com/reviews/february03/moo3pc/

They give MOO3 a score of 76/100. Disappointing to say the least, but I think I still will buy come daylight here.

[Unworthy]

Upon reading the review, I don't get a sense that the reviewer really spent a lot of time with the game. There was nothing particularly insightful in his comments. Except for the fact that he didn't like the diplomacy at all, when I have read nothing but good things about it.

I generally have a high regard for Gamespy's reviews, but this one seemed rather mediocre.

[Jamski]

Gamespy wrote...
This is understandable to a point -- after all, there are races that are extremely warlike, such as the Nommo...

I'm glad to see Gamespy read the manual

-Jam

[Jamski]

if you put a timer on each turn (to speed up the game), there's no visible clock that tells you how much time you have left.

Um...there is. Its on the timer tag at the top of the screen. It toggles turn time, Galctic Cycle, real time (if you have a life)

-Jam

[Killazer]

I really wouldnt trust any reviews about moo3 at this point. The game is so huge... much larger than most games before it, that many reviewers simply dont know wtf they are talking about yet. That is partly the reason for a large degree of vagueness in their reviews. They say they dont like particular things but then they offer no real evidence and explanation as to why... just that they dont understand it or it 'seems' to complicated lol. Their reviews also miss more than half of the features of the game.

Just go out and buy moo3 and see for yourself. That's the best way right now

[JonahFalcon]

MOO3 has its share of flaws, but it can still eat away hours of your life, especially in multiplayer.

How can a game eat away hours of your life and get a 76 score?

"I'm not thrilled by this game... but damned, I can't stop playing!"

At least they praised the multiplayer, which I think everyone here cares about most.

The game is so huge... much larger than most games before it, that many reviewers simply dont know wtf they are talking about yet.

I think the fact I spent a few months reading the Strategy Guide made me more familiar with the game than most -- and the fact I spent two weeks with the final and already knew the game mechanics -- actually gave me a better perspective.

Reminds me of the MOO2 bashing - it got terrible reviews, but then, after time, people started demanding a MOO3. Ditto with MOM (though it took 3 patches to perfect MOM.)

[Stuie]

Originally posted by JonahFalcon
At least they praised the multiplayer, which I think everyone here cares about most.

Actually, I could care less about MP. I don't have close friends to play with, and the personalities that you have to deal with online are, for me, unpalatable. Also, with a game like this the time commitment would be prohibitive, at least for me.

Whatever - I always completely skip over the MP section of reviews.

[JonahFalcon]

Well, the player chat is easily ignored - just don't click the tab.

Trust me - I learned a lot from playing MP that I used for SP.

[FatJoeFish]

I think alot of reviewers didn't even bother turning the econ AI off...if they did they obviously didn't realize that some things will still be done by the AI...IIRC only DEA improvements are done automatically when the AI is turned off.

I plan on micromanaging my homeworld and maybe 1 or 2 other core planets...esp planets with mobilization centers....

[booje]

I wasn't too happy to see that you don't choose which technology you wish to develop and that since tech developments come so fast that means resdesigning ships a lot.

I hope most of the issues can be fixed with a simple patch.

[Alexfrog]

Dont choose what technology to develop? what are you talking about...yes you do.

You allocate your research points among the six schools however you like, and once you reach the right level for the tech, it goes into development, and after a few turns its ready.



Re: turning off the AI. I recommend not turning it off, except maybe for your homeworld at the very very beginning. You need to learn how to contol the AI well.....not micro things. There are lots of ways to control what the AI does from a macro level.


Re: reveiwers not giving good reveiws. I dont see how anyone who hasnt played the game at least 10 or 15 hours could give a good reveiw. So many cool features of this game depend on learning and experience....like controlling the AI well so you dont need to micro. This is not like other TBS games where its all about microing....

[ashbery]

It just wish that the game was reviewed by strategy fans and not these simpleton game reviewer's that think C&C generals is complex strategy.

[Craig P.]

The thing about "don't choose what technology to develop" is a reference to the fact that you automatically research all the applied techs once you have the right theoretical tech. It looks like Mr. Abner would have preferred the older design. (As would I, it's one of the few design decisions they made that I still disagree with.)

[Stuie]

Problem is, "fans" have been clamoring for a system that allows research in multiple areas at once. Pretty sure this was on the "wishlist" that was put together for Civ3, too. So now we got it.

[Demosthenes1234]

Originally posted by Killazer
Just go out and buy moo3 and see for yourself. That's the best way right now

OR if you have self control, wait a week, see what people are saying on the threads and then make the decision to buy the game or not......if you have self control.....must...have...my...precious.....mooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
-Demos