Sins of a Solar Empire. So I want to get into 4X.

[Fire Daemon]

For a long time I've been thinking of buying Sins of a Solar Empire, the 4X RTS that came out earlier this year. I like the premise of the game and I feel like it would be fun to break into the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate). But that's the problem, see, I have not played many (if any) 4X games.

So I'm asking you, humble Escapee, if Sins of a Solar Empire is a game that people new to the 4X genre could easily pick up and play. It doesn't have to necesarily be easy (I do expect a bit of challenge) but I don't want a game that I'll find impossible to get into because I have not played similar games before it.

If Sins of a Solar Empire is not the sort of game for newcomers to the Genre, what other games could you recomend?

 

[Shurikens and Lightning]

It is a definite buy. I absolutly love that game and it is so easy to pick up and play. Get up and buy it now sir!

 

[hattifnatt]

have they fixed the problem with games taking 4hours + to complete?

 

[Saphire]

have they fixed the problem with games taking 4hours + to complete?

That's really not a problem, that's just the pacing of the larger scale games. If you don't want 4+ hr games then don't start a large map.

As for the game itself, I definitely enjoy it! Do beware that some of the larger maps can take ages to complete.

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

There is a demo isn't there?

Either way, there's no campaigns or anything, so just start practicing and then get online.

 

[Vigormortis]

have they fixed the problem with games taking 4hours + to complete?

That's really not a problem, that's just the pacing of the larger scale games. If you don't want 4+ hr games then don't start a large map.

As for the game itself, I definitely enjoy it! Do beware that some of the larger maps can take ages to complete.

Tell me about it. I recently played through an epic match with three other friends. It took us near a week to complete. Granted, we only played for a few hours in each play session and saved our progress after each, but the fact that it took at least seven days to finish still surprised me. Still, was one hell of a fun week.

 

[Shurikens and Lightning]

Then just play a 10 planet map. I love those giant maps though because some of the battles are epic. and DLC makes it even better.

 

[Nifty]

Great game. If you dig the Civ series this is definitely for you.

 

[Powerhelix]

I would start out with Warcraft 3... Best RTS to date, It is simple enough for newcomers to the genre to understand, and it is old enough so it is dirt cheap... If you like it and want somthing more in depth then go for Sins of a Solar Empire.

 

[Fire Daemon]

I would start out with Warcraft 3... Best RTS to date, It is simple enough for newcomers to the genre to understand, and it is old enough so it is dirt cheap... If you like it and want somthing more in depth then go for Sins of a Solar Empire.

I've played plenty of RTS to date, it was the 4X that worried me.

Very well then, I shall buy this game.

Thanks guys.

 

[bkd69]

I'm not trying to discourage you from buying, but if you're new to the style, you may want to give FreeCiv a try:
http://freeciv.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

It is, well, free.

 

[xXyZaThEx]

What I really wish for Sins of a Solar Empire is a campaign mode.

Otherwise, it is an awesome game, and with some maps, there might even be battles between you and your enemy you don't know about. That's how largescale it is.

 

[erictheone]

Defiantly a buy. The learning curve is high (at least it was for me). They games are long, but the massive fleets you get by the end are amazing

 

[Jandau]

Well, plenty of people are praising the game, so I might as well point out a few of its flaws:

1. Visually pathetic. Yeah, the game has a good looking 3D enigne. Unfortunately, you'll spend 99% of your game time zoomed out and watching ugly little icons crawl their way across the screen. If you zoom in to get some eyecandy, you'll be effectively out of the game until you zoom back out.

2. Not quite a 4X game, but rather a 4X/RTS hybrid. For a true 4X game try Galactic Civilizations 2 (and the expansions). Granted, this isn't a bad thing, but OP stated he's looking to get into 4X games...

3. Total lack of a campaign mode. You get multiplayer and skirmishes. And belive me, skirmishes get boring FAST.

4. Games take long. If you play on smaller maps, then you don't get to play with the fun toys. If you want the advanced techs you need bigger maps (which take longer), or you need to play longer. Duration isn't normally an issue in turn-based games, but to me playing SoaSE always felt like a bit of a chore and the game's pacing is bad.

It's an interesting experiment and is innovative, but I can't help but feel that it falls short of the mark.

 

[Vigormortis]

I would start out with Warcraft 3... Best RTS to date, It is simple enough for newcomers to the genre to understand, and it is old enough so it is dirt cheap... If you like it and want somthing more in depth then go for Sins of a Solar Empire.

I've played plenty of RTS to date, it was the 4X that worried me.

Very well then, I shall buy this game.

Thanks guys.

I'm not sure I'd say WC3 is the best RTS to date. It's a fine game, but I'm not sure it's the best. Homeworld, on the other hand, was and still is one of the finest games ever developed. In my opinion anyway. Sins is basically a 4X-ified version of it, without true 3D movement and an amazing narrative. For anyone that's played Homeworld, that's reason enough to get Sins. Also, if you're looking to get into 4X games, also try X3. It's the best in the X series and it offers pretty much everything you'd expect in a 4X game.

 

[SilentHunter7]

Honestly, after awhile, it gets kinda...eehhhh. Mostly due to the lack of a real campaign On longer games, it definitly seems to drag a bit, and the AI Pirate Raid bid-sniping WILL get on your nerves. But other than that, it was pretty deep, and in spite of the massive scale some of my empires got, I never seemed over-whelmed, which is a testament to the UI designers.

Might I also suggest Civ 4? I dont care what genre you're a fan of, that game makes entire days noticeable chunks of your life disappear.

 

[hippieshopper]

It kinda reminds me of the old days of M.O.O.

I was thinking of getting it too just because when I saw my buddy play it, I got a bit of nostalgia.

 

[Fire Daemon]

Snip.

I don't have that great of a graphics card so I'll be playing on low graphic quality anyway.

I am looking to get into 4X games but I also want to play SoaSE, I'll look into those games.

The lack of a campaign does sound kind of lame. Are there any mods that add one?

I don't mind games taking a long time. You can walk away and come back at any time. Playing a huge skirmish sounds rather fun in my opinion.

I have to wait a few days until I have enough money to get this game. I should be picking it up on Friday. If anyone knows of any good mods or maps that would be great.

 

[SilentHunter7]

Snip.

I have to wait a few days until I have enough money to get this game. I should be picking it up on Friday. If anyone knows of any good mods or maps that would be great.

I cant remember the name of it, but there was a map of a pretty decent representation of the local stars, including Sol, and Alpha Centauri A and B. I also remember a while back where someone was trying to map the majority of the major stars in the night sky.