A "late game" game

[Ghostbear]

The more I read and play, the more it becomes apparent that MOO 3 is designed to be fun in the late game (not sure if it succeeds though).

All of the automation features make sense if you have a large thriving empire. EXCEPT the research "feature" why you are forced to complete every project is absolutely stupid.

However, it takes you TEN HOURS to get to a point where the automation becomes useful. And, the game is almost PAINFUL up until then.

Not sure what the solution is, but that's the problem as I see it.

GB

[vee4473]

Is there an "accelerated start" type of option for a new game?
So that you can jump right into where some are saying the game shines.
The endgame macro.


It's kind of interesting reading what you guys have to say about the game.

My impression is that MOO3 got right what Civ got wrong...made the endgame less tedious with their Macro Management, but seems to have gotten terribly wrong what Civ excelled at...the early game micro management addiction and fun. (Some of you are saying that the early game is just a borefest because of the Macro aspect)

Now if only the strong points of each game were combined in some way...

[Quag]

The endgame is more tedious than the beginning.

In the very beginning, there are some interesting things to do: explore, figure out which planets to colonize, watch for the choke points on the star lanes, etc.

By the endgame all the positons are set and you have to whack away at your opponents. Then comes the tedium of designing, obsoleting, redesigning ships, setting up endless task forces, and going through the motions of a foregone conclusion. Eventually, if you play the game long enough, you WILL build up enough a fleet to walk over your opponents, because they really do just sit there and wait for you to come get them. It's almost like a role-playing game rather than a strategy game at that point.

And, if the technology stuff goes too fast in the beginning, the Antares X stuff goes WAY too slow in the end. I'm playing through a last game now just to see what those five things are. I'm beyond 500 turns.

Don't both with troops/armies by the way. Once you get into the endgame its lots easier just to pound away with your fleets, exterminate each planet in each system, and then autocolonize. MUCH easier than dealing with the army taskforce/invasion stuff -- particularly if you're weak on the ground anyway.

[Quag]

The endgame is more tedious than the beginning.

In the very beginning, there are some interesting things to do: explore, figure out which planets to colonize, watch for the choke points on the star lanes, etc.

By the endgame all the positons are set and you have to whack away at your opponents. Then comes the tedium of designing, obsoleting, redesigning ships, setting up endless task forces, and going through the motions of a foregone conclusion. Eventually, if you play the game long enough, you WILL build up enough a fleet to walk over your opponents, because they really do just sit there and wait for you to come get them. It's almost like a role-playing game rather than a strategy game at that point.

And, if the technology stuff goes too fast in the beginning, the Antares X stuff goes WAY too slow in the end. I'm playing through a last game now just to see what those five things are. I'm beyond 500 turns.

Don't both with troops/armies by the way. Once you get into the endgame its lots easier just to pound away with your fleets, exterminate each planet in each system, and then autocolonize. MUCH easier than dealing with the army taskforce/invasion stuff -- particularly if you're weak on the ground anyway.

[Malleus]

He felt so strongly he had to say it twice folks!



Seriously, the endgame is a micromanagement game. All of the micro from MOO2 is gone, but the macro has become a micro nightmare.

It's funny, it's like we just notched the "point of view" up one but still have to micromanage the endgame ad naseum.

Incidentally, I am in the turn 300s in my first game and have the feeling I am only in the "mid game"

K

[Main_Brain]

??
I appreciate the CIVeroy uhm Viceroy managment as soon as turn 100 when I reach 35-40 Planets.

[Harry Seldon]

The only late game travesty for me is waiting twenty turns for the task force that took me fifty turns to create to get to a planet only to realize when I'm halfway there that I forgot to build troop transports (I always obsolete the damn things to keep the AI from building 200 per system).

[Ghostbear]

Aargh

So anyway, I was TRYING to be optimistic.

All the threads on the passiveness of the AI are really bothering me.

Its almost amazing how arrogant and, frankly, stupid the IGMOO team seems to be. I mean, why would you build a game almost strictly for multiplayer when its almost uniquely UNSUITED for MP, due to its length if nothing else?

I read a post from Chantz whining about not working weekends because their families wanted to see them. My thought is that if this thing doesn't get some attention, and SOON, they're going to have lots of time with their families.

It has numerous, fatal playability flaws.

Bottom line - its just not fun.