Master of Orion 3 - What Went Wrong?

[Killazer]

I'm learning, but the learning curve isnt the problem. The game simply is unnecessarily complicated with information that is not needed. More is not always better, especially in math. Half of mathematics is simplifying equations so that the simplifications can be used in conjunction with other equations to solve a problem. But you dont go needlessly adding on variables to equations if they are not required. QS went about this game in the wrong direction. They should have expanded the Moo2 equation while maintaining simplified formulae/constructs that is moo2. Instead QS added on loads of variables unnecessarily and just turned the game into more work for the user. Instead of a complex, yet streamlined solution we get a complex and tremendously cluttered solution that we must unravel, or simplify, before we can even begin to enjoy the game. Most people will not bother to do that as good games are all about doing that for you, while you enjoy the experience. However, they still remain complex yet simplified (no thats not a contradiction not sure if u are following me here ).

ANYWAY, it's still a good game

[Comrade Tribune]

Complex actually sounds good, but is it also interesting?

I mean it is a complex task getting out of bed, to the toilet, showering, putting on your clothes...

If you never did that, the learning curve is steep. Ask any three year old. But the question is: After having learned it, is it then still challenging? Is it fun? Or is it repetitive, boring, mundane tasks?

[ACEofHeart]

I read one Thread that stated .. "I know I'll love MOO3, bring on those complex spreadsheets, cause I love number-crunching "
To me thats the essence of what seperates Gamers that want atmosphere and as you say "a soul" in the game from those who only see "Excel" on the screen and think winning is to just come up with the sum of all those digits..
I've played MOO3 for over 10 hours now and while I'm not going to trash it, it's just an unreasonably complex experience that's NOT fun. And please,,you can read all the manuals you want, it's still not going to make it fun.!

So while all you cosmic accountants enjoy it, I'll wait for GalCiv..

[Killazer]

yer just not getting the point, programming games is all about keeping things simple even though they may be representing things that are complicated at a lower level, yet fun and engaging. The programmers just got carried away with the code and their ideas thats all it seems like. They missed some of the bigger picture and the fact that its just a game. I still like the game tho.

I personally like and enjoy the game, but I can easily understand where many people are coming from who simply got turned off by it.

[slitherin]

They should have taken their cues from Space Empires - editable files, all access menu, production, orders, research, foreign relations, etc right on the top of the main screen! Does anyone at Quicksilver have real software gaming expertise? These countless tabs and menus are maddening!

[slitherin]

BTW,

Hopefully, Galciv will kick MOO3's arse!

[kalbear]

Well, so far for me, it's quite fun. Perhaps I had low expectations, or perhaps because I knew a lot about the game I knew how to deal with what I needed and what I didn't.

I'll not say that there aren't problems - there are problems a bushelload full. But they're mostly solvable problems. The AI does make good use of defensive structures that require massive force to crack, normally. Now, all they need do is make a lot of offensive ships and bring them en force. Fix diplomacy to be more informative and more logical. Or at least more understandable. Make build queues easier to access. Make the viceroy not emphasize troops so much. Change a few things here and there.

It's got a lot of potential, but more than that, it's a lot of fun as it stands. At least for me.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Ray K
Similar story from the Civ2 die hards re Civ 3.

Not true. I was a Civ/Civ2 diehard that loved Civ3.

I don't care if the look & feel changes as long as it doesn't detract from the FUN.

Ray, it is quite true if you read and followed the Civ3 forum, it was replete with those complaints (not the same as civII).

[Tuberski]

I was suprised that, in the very first game, the Sakkra's started assassinating my leaders very early, I was used to MOO 2 espionage where you have a little break.

ACK!

[vmxa1]

I have not played enough to make any conclusions, but I am starting to ask myself, what is there for me to actually contribute to the game? I mean I gives me so little data on things that I am not able to see any reason for me to manage anything.
I hate it when I am given a new tech and it just has a story, no facts. The tech reads like a astrology chart, so generic it does not let me know how useful it is, just that is very useful. Well exactly what does it do? Add 1.5 to this or that, reduce 2.4 on the other thing, I mean what does it do precisely.
Without this information, how can I determine if I should build item A after item B or C or which should be the priority.

[Corentor]

MOO3 did not go wrong.

The ideas of what the game was going to be were executed fairly well.

Just because it is not to *your* tastes does not mean the game sucks.

Just as the fanboys were wrong in trying to question the negative review's point of view, it is wrong to say that the game bad or that the developers went astray simply because you do not agree with the vision of the developers on what MOO3 should be.

The game seems to be 99% bug free and with the exception of bad documentation, there is little fault you can find within the game.

[slitherin]

You gotta be kidding me. The cluttered menu and the constant lcikcing to get to one view to another and back and forth are "no fault". Yes, the game is stable, but the interface and menus are cumbersome and very archaic.

[Magus Flynn]

I'm into my 6th hour of gameplay....and while there are still a few questions about how certain things work together, for the most part I'm done the learning curve and am into the strategy curve now!

You see, it all depends on how you come to the game. I taught my wife to play Mo02 and it took a looooonnnngggg time for her to catch on to how the game really worked. She was watching over my shoulder this evening as I played and you know what she said? "That makes a lot more sense than the other Orion game {referring to the star lanes, senate, and tech tree in particular}."

I'm not saying that QS couldn't have done better with Mo03. I agree that there are things I still like better about Mo02. But is Mo03 an improvement on Mo02? YES! Is Mo03 a true sequel to the others? YES!

For those of you who wished you'd get a picture of the tech you built or stole, what for - that's just eye candy that doesn't add to the playability. INstead of a picture, I suggest that a military advisor/viceroy advise you how new discoveries fit into your fleet planning.

In the end, however, whether you like Mo03 or not is up to you. This is the first time I've been part of a game forum and I'm not sure I ever will again. You'd think by the griping that people's lives are at stake or something.

________________

Who died and made you the Guardian?

[canamrock]

I have the game, and I like it. At first, playing as the Psilon, I was getting my butt kicked down on easy, and I was falling way behind. Now, after about 12 hours gametime, I am getting used to the controls, and am having a blast. I like the menu system, mainly because the planets don't move around any more. lol Also, I think the new system feels more governmenty than MOO2 did.

I loved MOO2, and was pulling my friends into it. I wasn't a fan of tactical combat in MOO2, and I appreciate the Star Trek TBS-like system for combat.

I got mindblasted when I realized the main galactic mapwas full 3D. It's fun to spin it around!

So far, I think that MOO3 could be a really good game, but I guess you just have to see past the controls. If you are an Axis & Allies or Diplomacy fan, you know what I mean.

[Corentor]

Originally posted by slitherin
You gotta be kidding me. The cluttered menu and the constant lcikcing to get to one view to another and back and forth are "no fault". Yes, the game is stable, but the interface and menus are cumbersome and very archaic.

I happen to like the UI.....I don't find it cumbersome at all.

Everything you need is 2 or 3 screens away at most. Which is good when there is so much information to present.