Sword of the Stars

[Caliga]

Is this game good.  I've been missing space 4x lately.  I know there's a sequel due out soon, but I don't like this genre quite enough to ever pay full price for a game, and it looks like I can get a bundle of the original plus all expansions for $20.

[sbr]

I have played around with it a bit but not recently.  I remember there are some parts I liked and found interesting, but I can't remember specifics.  Ont eh downside the 3-D maps are really hard to get used to and the real time space battles never did much for me.  I do know quite a few people who really like the game though.

[Caliga]

So do you think it's worth $20?

[Ed Anger]

The 3-D map will drive you bonkers.

[sbr]

So do you think it's worth $20?

I guess to me it depends on how you feel about the real time battles.  I know I said before they "never did much for me" but that isn't true, I actively dislike them.  I don't like them in Total War games, I don't like any RTS games no matter how much I want to.  If you enjoy/can tolerate the real time battles I think there is definitely enough interesting stuff in the game to make it worth $20.

[sbr]

The 3-D map will drive you bonkers.

I didn't like them at first either.  I ended up mostly playing on the flat 2-D map they have, I think they called it a disc.  Once I got more comfortable I moved on to some of the other maps, they were always a bit annoying though.

[Caliga]

This game has real time battles but is otherwise turn based, right?  I like that "Total War"-style setup (and I do like the TW games).  I passed on Sins of a Solar Empire when I heard it was entirely real-time.

[sbr]

This game has real time battles but is otherwise turn based, right?  I like that "Total War"-style setup (and I do like the TW games).  I passed on Sins of a Solar Empire when I heard it was entirely real-time.

Yes.

[Caliga]

Ok, another question: how does control of the battles compare to TW?  Do you actively move ships around or just say "attack" or "defend" and pretty much watch the outcome?

[sbr]

I am pretty sure you move the ships around and decide when and where to fire.

[The Brain]

20 bucks? No way. I mean it's not horrible but 20 bucks for a several years old game?

[Josquius]

It sucks.
The 3D map does indeed drive one mad.

[DontSayBanana]

How's the 3D map in comparison to, say, the Homeworld games?  They're full-3D, but the nav is done via a disc plane with variable altitude.

[Berkut]

Kind of amazing that after all this time there still really hasn't been a 4X game that has been really good, say compared to MOO2.

[JonasSalk]

Sins of a Solar Empire? Galactic Civilizations 2?