Sins of a Solar Empire

[mluu510]

this game is way too complicate for newcomers to enjoy.

[Island Dog]

The next major update to Sins of a Solar Empire will be as an open beta. The preliminary change log for v1.1 can be found here. The beta will start in July, and the final release will be later this summer.

Stardock has made available the preliminary change log to Sins of a Solar Empire v1.1. Developer Ironclad has been busy updating virtually every part of the game based on player feedback. Version 1.1 not only includes a host of play balancing changes but new content such as an updated graphics engine, updated visuals, new damage animations, and more. It also includes a new multiplayer system called ?Alloy? which eliminates the need for configuring routers or changing port numbers.

:)

[Emorex]

Anyone play this?

I am having a very difficult time with resources in the initial stage. I have no money to both research and build up a fleet.

Current strat is:

1) Create extractors for all asteroids

2) Build Capital Ship yard

3) Create a CS that can colonize

4) Sell CS Yard

5) Build Civic Research stations

6) Start researching metal/crystal extractions while building more civic research

7) CS is already sent to colonize neighbouring planets.

At this point, I have either a crystal or metal shortage.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

I just started playing this again in anticipation of the upcoming expansion.

Emorex: It's been awhile since I last played so my advice might not be that good. In any case, I think you're building a Capital Shipyard way too early. Generally you'll want to get a nice flow of resources early on in the game. What I normally do is setup a defencive position before spending money on expensive orbital facilities like the Capital Shipyard. The way I see it, it costs less to put up a good defence than a good offence. All in all, I'll play again later tonight and maybe then I'll remember the strategies I used to employ. I'll post back here soon.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

I figured I'd play this game again in anticipation of the upcoming expansion, titled "Rebellion": http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/?aid=405917

Oddly enough, I still haven't bought Diplomacy. Perhaps it's time I did.

[Fourjays Veteran]

I figured I'd play this game again in anticipation of the upcoming expansion, titled "Rebellion": http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/?aid=405917

Oddly enough, I still haven't bought Diplomacy. Perhaps it's time I did.

Nice, had no idea they'd do more expansions for it. Bought the Trinity edition a few weeks ago and it is one of the best RTS games I've played in years. :D

[Tharp Daddy]

I keep wanting to get into this game (i only played the tutorial when i first bought it), but damn that tutorial is a lot to take in. I keep losing interest :cry:

[Flawed]

I figured I'd play this game again in anticipation of the upcoming expansion, titled "Rebellion": http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/?aid=405917

Oddly enough, I still haven't bought Diplomacy. Perhaps it's time I did.

Wow, that looks sweet. Diplomacy is good. I like playing the advent the most. Allure of the Unity + Induced Reverence = mucho minerals ;) Using culture as an offensive weapon is also very cool. Not to mention the vast number strike craft that the Advent get :D

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

Nice, had no idea they'd do more expansions for it. Bought the Trinity edition a few weeks ago and it is one of the best RTS games I've played in years. :D

Nice. I still need to buy Diplomacy. :o

I keep wanting to get into this game (i only played the tutorial when i first bought it), but damn that tutorial is a lot to take in. I keep losing interest :cry:

I never tried the tutorial and that might have been a mistake because it took me awhile to get a hang of the game. And by that, I mean being able to play properly. I think you should stick with it. The game is a lot of fun when you know what you're doing.

Wow, that looks sweet. Diplomacy is good. I like playing the advent the most. Allure of the Unity + Induced Reverence = mucho minerals ;) Using culture as an offensive weapon is also very cool. Not to mention the vast number strike craft that the Advent get :D

I play as TEC 80% of the time. The other 20% is spent playing as the Advent. Minerals? This isn't Starcraft. :p I never used culture as a weapon. I mostly spent my resources improving my empire and resources. It's awesome when your metal and crystal reach 5.0/sec.

[PGHammer]

this game is way too complicate for newcomers to enjoy.

Actually, if anything, it's *less* complicated than Starcraft (the first one) or even Galactic Civilizations II (any of them). Also, unlike most newer RTS titles (in fact, unlike Elemental), it requires nothing more than DX9c support (thus, it's both XP-friendly and portable-friendly).

I started playing as the TEC; however, I've switched over to playing as the Advent (though it does have a bit of a *wrong-shoe* feeling - an American playing as the galactic equivalent of a religious terrorist; though it's even more wrong-shoe considering that the Advent's protagonist is *female* - beware the nuns!).

[PGHammer]

Nice. I still need to buy Diplomacy. :o

I never tried the tutorial and that might have been a mistake because it took me awhile to get a hang of the game. And by that, I mean being able to play properly. I think you should stick with it. The game is a lot of fun when you know what you're doing.

I play as TEC 80% of the time. The other 20% is spent playing as the Advent. Minerals? This isn't Starcraft. :p I never used culture as a weapon. I mostly spent my resources improving my empire and resources. It's awesome when your metal and crystal reach 5.0/sec.

Anaron - metal-mining is important (in fact, you can't build OR maintain your forces without it - you can't even improve the *planet* without metal-mining satellites and the GMRX). Why else are the first two non-military structires you build in the game collection satellites?

Entrenchment and Diplomacy brought the old Starcraft tactic of the *fatal funnel* to space-based RTS games with the use of warp-disruption satellites, space mines, and (starting with Entrenchment) battlestations as a defensive structure - one of my nastier tactics is to deploy the entire set of delayers (gauss cannon, fighter hangers, mines, *and* a battlestation or two) to a chokepoint (especially one without planets) buying myself time if I can force the enemy the *longer way around* - or even roadblocking the opposition entirely if I can put enough bite in the defenses.

[Flawed]

Really looking forward to Rebellion. I think the advent are the most powerful if you factor in their cultural prowess, extra strikecraft, and the synergistic abilities of their capital ships.

[briangw]

Actually, if anything, it's *less* complicated than Starcraft (the first one) or even Galactic Civilizations II (any of them). Also, unlike most newer RTS titles (in fact, unlike Elemental), it requires nothing more than DX9c support (thus, it's both XP-friendly and portable-friendly).

I started playing as the TEC; however, I've switched over to playing as the Advent (though it does have a bit of a *wrong-shoe* feeling - an American playing as the galactic equivalent of a religious terrorist; though it's even more wrong-shoe considering that the Advent's protagonist is *female* - beware the nuns!).

I agree. I've been playing the game with TEC and although a little steep on the curve, it didn't take long to know your way around. There's always helpful forums out on Stardock's site too.

the thing I don't care much for is the limited count for your fleet. Some of these larger maps in a 1 vs 2+ in SP suck because you can't always hold your systems with the limit. Are there mods out that increase that? I haven't played in about a year.

[Andre S. Veteran]

I played Entrenchment quite a bit, but the game would drop to single-digit framerates with several AIs on large maps, after a while. Combine this with the inherently slow gameplay and it was unbearable to play. I did play some multiplayer, and got crushed of course, but then again you had to wait such a long time to get a game going. And now with Diplomacy out there's no one playing Entrenchment anymore, so I'm basically stuck buying Diplomacy if I want to play any more multiplayer. So it's that combination of factors that really killed the game for me.

[bolerodan]

I played Entrenchment quite a bit, but the game would drop to single-digit framerates with several AIs on large maps, after a while. Combine this with the inherently slow gameplay and it was unbearable to play. I did play some multiplayer, and got crushed of course, but then again you had to wait such a long time to get a game going. And now with Diplomacy out there's no one playing Entrenchment anymore, so I'm basically stuck buying Diplomacy if I want to play any more multiplayer. So it's that combination of factors that really killed the game for me.

The latest patch for the game improves memory usage and performance and AI behavior, to fix issues that you were originally having.

Very large performance increase I found on my system when multi player matches had many human players vs many AI players. Before, the game would lag down so hard we couldnt finish a match. Different story now.

[Emn1ty]

Entrenchment and Diplomacy brought the old Starcraft tactic of the *fatal funnel* to space-based RTS games with the use of warp-disruption satellites, space mines, and (starting with Entrenchment) battlestations as a defensive structure - one of my nastier tactics is to deploy the entire set of delayers (gauss cannon, fighter hangers, mines, *and* a battlestation or two) to a chokepoint (especially one without planets) buying myself time if I can force the enemy the *longer way around* - or even roadblocking the opposition entirely if I can put enough bite in the defenses.

Always my personal tactic. Nab a small area of the system for myself, throw a much smaller amount of funds into one/two bottleneck systems and just slowly build up my forces/tech till I can just push extremely hard. I have yet to have this tactic work on an AI though. Still, turtling in Sins is a fun challenge against such ruthless AI.

[ObiWanToby]

Does this game still take many hours to complete. I do not mind playing 2 or 3 hours, but beyond that gets kinda painful.

Supreme Commander is a game where I do not mind the time, but has sufficient action. Something similar to that would be nice.

[Emn1ty]

Does this game still take many hours to complete. I do not mind playing 2 or 3 hours, but beyond that gets kinda painful.

Supreme Commander is a game where I do not mind the time, but has sufficient action. Something similar to that would be nice.

It is still a game with greater time investment than even SupCom. Although I have seen games in the realm of 30 minutes it usually lasts around 2-4 hours.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

This isn't gameplay footage of the upcoming expansion (Rebellion), but it looks awesome:

[Shaun N.]

This isn't gameplay footage of the upcoming expansion (Rebellion), but it looks awesome:

It does, But a good trailer doesn't make a good game.

[Island Dog]

It's just the first teaser, more good stuff to come. :)

[briangw]

It does, But a good trailer doesn't make a good game.

Maybe not, but I have faith in IronClad as they've hit three home runs before.

[Andre S. Veteran]

So this is a "stand-alone sequel" to SoaSE, but it's the same engine and the same content with new additions and tweaks... so basically it's an expansion. I find this somewhat confusing, but anyway. I'm mainly surprised that 4 years after SoaSE IronClad is still essentially working on the same game, rather than a true sequel.

If they finally fixed the unplayable lag you'd get from putting several AI players and letting them get huge armies (which was entirely CPU-bound), I might give it a go. It was actually a great RTS, it just didn't support, performance-wise, what it allowed a player to do, which was incredibly frustrating.

[The_Observer]

one of my fav and hardest to learn game!

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

I played Entrenchment quite a bit, but the game would drop to single-digit framerates with several AIs on large maps, after a while. Combine this with the inherently slow gameplay and it was unbearable to play. I did play some multiplayer, and got crushed of course, but then again you had to wait such a long time to get a game going. And now with Diplomacy out there's no one playing Entrenchment anymore, so I'm basically stuck buying Diplomacy if I want to play any more multiplayer. So it's that combination of factors that really killed the game for me.

I really hope they improve the performance. I know that they're improving the engine in terms of image quality though (see here).