Endless Space Free DLC

Amplitude Studios celebrates having sold 300,000 copies of Endless Space, their 4X strategy game (which happens to currently be on sale on Steam) with the release of a new update that includes the game's fourth free DLC. Steam News has all the details on the new version, and here's the big picture:
The new add-on will bring new content designed or voted by the community such as mysterious heroes, gameplay elements gravitating around asteroids and gas giants, new escalating random events, AI improvements, and several other additions.
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28.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 16:53
mag
28.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 16:53
Mar 12, 2013, 16:53
mag
 
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 03:38:
mag wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 02:14:
wonkawonka wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 01:57:
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:35:
jdreyer wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:18:
If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.

You'll certainly get 8 hours out of it. I got out 20 before getting fed-up. Not a bad deal really... there are a lot worse games.

Exactly my thoughts. And similarly, as eRe4s3r so eloquently stated, my biggest issues with the game are that:

  • The challenges remain the same through a game (from exploration to extermination)
  • War is uninteresting because military advances are simply more of the same
  • The challenges remain the same across races

So basically, you've played it once you've played it all.

I guess the question I care about is: How does it compare to Galactic Civilizations 2, or Master of Orion 2?

It has worse problems than those 2 The real question is, did you enjoy MOO2? Then you will enjoy Endless Space for a few hours. Until you discover what's beneath. If you enjoyed GalCiv 2 a lot more than MOO2 you might not like this at all. Gal Civ 2 is more like civilization and has plenty of things to discover. This is not what Endless Space is. As streamlined as it is, Endless Space was sand-blasted to total streamlined'ness in such a way that NOTHING is new after you played through once at most twice. You would have it worse than we who own it now for a year since we got some "DLC" content that added more stuff. But you will discover ALL of it in at best 2 playthroughs. Endless Space never surprised you with clever ideas or a game mechanic that is ground breaking. It is the same.

Heck, we should make a new rating system for 4x games with only 2 ratings. FRESH and SAME and Endless Space is a 100% SAME rating.

Well, imo of course... there are plenty people who like Endless Space but I doubt they would like Gal Civ 2 or Space Empires 4.. or MOO2 or even MOO3 (which isn't as terribad as people claim..)

Thanks for the comparisons.

I liked MOO2 just fine back in the day--and I liked being able to control the combat. I like GalCiv 2 too, obviously.

People may be interested in this one. It's gotten some, but very little, press here. Dunno how it'll turn out, but it's on my radar. I hear the alpha is pretty playable.

http://starlords-game.com/main/
27.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 13:22
27.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 13:22
Mar 12, 2013, 13:22
 
Whiskers wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 08:50:
Has anyone tried that new 4x Stardrive?
Enjoying it. It's less 'streamlined to hell' than Endless Space is, despite being realtime. On the other hand, I'm still not sure how much staying power it'll have, and I have the vague (still uncomfirmed) feeling that every game is going to more-or-less play out of the same way. There's still a month or so of polish and balancing to go until release though.
26.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 10:45
26.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 10:45
Mar 12, 2013, 10:45
 
Endless Space is decent enough for what it does. It doesn't break much new ground but when 4xs do try something different, they get complaints as well.

I find complaints about weapon variety to be amusing since the same people are holding up Gal Civ 2 as a stellar example of a 4x. Gal Civ has the most boring tech tree I've come across in ages. And the battles are a snoozefest bordering on dosing yourself with Valium.

I'm going to see what the announced expansion brings, because I still do find the game fun to play in short bursts.

On the other hand SotS2 has been getting better and better with each patch. It's finally at the point where the AI is actually a real challenge. The changes to the mission system work pretty well(you can now send fleets on additional missions after they have completed one provided they have the endurance). So the AI now chains multiple strike missions and launches multi-pronged attacks.
25.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 10:44
25.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 10:44
Mar 12, 2013, 10:44
 
Flatline wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 04:00:
I found the AI to be annoying and potentially cheating. Last game I played I conquered like half the galaxy, had three opponents left, one declared war on me and I was forced to turn my entire empire towards creating fleets because the enemy went from like tier 2 ship fleets to top tier (4 I think?) in like 4 turns, and my defenses weren't enough.

And I created them like crazy. All the way up to top tier ships bristling with weaponry that should have outclassed the two enemies, who had maybe half the number of worlds I did, combined.

But over the course of a few hours it became clear that the game was rubber banding the AI fleets. Simply put, they were building at about 3 times the rate I was. I'd assemble massive fleets, and only get *maybe* one world into their empire, having defeated their gargantuan fleet, and then like 1 turn later an even larger fleet would be "built", and come clean the living bejeebus out of my remainder fleet and start their way towards conquering my empire. I'd then crush their fleet, but it was always a stalemate, and eventually I got bored and quit the game, uninstalled it, and never went back.

Edit: Oh yeah I forgot, there's a general firepower rating to compare fleets. My fleets would have firepower in the 7000 range or something like that and the enemy fleets would be sub-1000, but still manage to generate a billion ships and wear my fleets down by attrition every 2 turns or so.

Yeah, that sounds fucking terrible.

/pass.

Creston
Avatar 15604
24.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 10:41
24.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 10:41
Mar 12, 2013, 10:41
 
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:17:
Because nothing you do has any effect on the world you play in. It is a sandbox with no content, no narrative, no scaling challenges (except pirates.. BLEH!). Every game is at the basic level the same. Even if you play different races. You still do the same things over and over again. And I don't find that entertaining.

It's part of why I think space 4x games this decade ALL sucked. Although Endless Space sucked less, it still had issues that would not make me recommend buying it. And I did buy it. I am regretting it

I could write you a 2 page essay on why I think space 4x games lately all sucked... but I am hungry and going to watch the Walking dead s03e13 instead... is more productive Nothing will change if I explain....

Interesting. I've been on the fence about getting it, but I think I'll wait for awhile. Thanks!

Creston
Avatar 15604
23.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 09:21
23.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 09:21
Mar 12, 2013, 09:21
 
I wanted to like Endless Space but I felt...meh about it after a few hours of play. There's no hook for me, or as other have said, no soul that draws you in and charms you.

In fact, I find it very hard to give a damn about any particular race in the entire game. In the end, they all play the same.
"Just take a look around you, what do you see? Pain, suffering, and misery." -Black Sabbath, Killing Yourself to Live.

“Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Avatar 21247
22.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 09:02
22.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 09:02
Mar 12, 2013, 09:02
 
Whiskers wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 08:50:
Has anyone tried that new 4x Stardrive?

I've been playing Stardrive for the last few days. I am liking it better than Endless Space, but it's still quirky and in beta.

Endless Space is far more polished and balanced for now.

To me, Stardrive is more like Sins of a Solar Empire meets Galactic Civilizations 2. Endless Space is more like Sword of the Stars.
Avatar 55028
21.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 08:50
21.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 08:50
Mar 12, 2013, 08:50
 
Has anyone tried that new 4x Stardrive?
20.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 08:36
20.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 08:36
Mar 12, 2013, 08:36
 
Yeah I found that about 3-4 hours into every game the AI starts cheating like a motherfucker. It was an ok game but I was wrong before, it's not even on the same level as MOO2.
Avatar 51617
19.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 07:21
Dev
19.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 07:21
Mar 12, 2013, 07:21
Dev
 
InBlack wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 06:25:
I wish someone would do a proper sequel to MOO2. MOO3 was meh at best...

Go for it, I'd back it.
18.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 06:25
18.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 06:25
Mar 12, 2013, 06:25
 
I wish someone would do a proper sequel to MOO2. MOO3 was meh at best...
I have a nifty blue line!
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17.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 04:00
17.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 04:00
Mar 12, 2013, 04:00
 
I found the AI to be annoying and potentially cheating. Last game I played I conquered like half the galaxy, had three opponents left, one declared war on me and I was forced to turn my entire empire towards creating fleets because the enemy went from like tier 2 ship fleets to top tier (4 I think?) in like 4 turns, and my defenses weren't enough.

And I created them like crazy. All the way up to top tier ships bristling with weaponry that should have outclassed the two enemies, who had maybe half the number of worlds I did, combined.

But over the course of a few hours it became clear that the game was rubber banding the AI fleets. Simply put, they were building at about 3 times the rate I was. I'd assemble massive fleets, and only get *maybe* one world into their empire, having defeated their gargantuan fleet, and then like 1 turn later an even larger fleet would be "built", and come clean the living bejeebus out of my remainder fleet and start their way towards conquering my empire. I'd then crush their fleet, but it was always a stalemate, and eventually I got bored and quit the game, uninstalled it, and never went back.

Edit: Oh yeah I forgot, there's a general firepower rating to compare fleets. My fleets would have firepower in the 7000 range or something like that and the enemy fleets would be sub-1000, but still manage to generate a billion ships and wear my fleets down by attrition every 2 turns or so.
16.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 03:38
16.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 03:38
Mar 12, 2013, 03:38
 
mag wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 02:14:
wonkawonka wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 01:57:
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:35:
jdreyer wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:18:
If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.

You'll certainly get 8 hours out of it. I got out 20 before getting fed-up. Not a bad deal really... there are a lot worse games.

Exactly my thoughts. And similarly, as eRe4s3r so eloquently stated, my biggest issues with the game are that:

  • The challenges remain the same through a game (from exploration to extermination)
  • War is uninteresting because military advances are simply more of the same
  • The challenges remain the same across races

So basically, you've played it once you've played it all.

I guess the question I care about is: How does it compare to Galactic Civilizations 2, or Master of Orion 2?

It has worse problems than those 2 The real question is, did you enjoy MOO2? Then you will enjoy Endless Space for a few hours. Until you discover what's beneath. If you enjoyed GalCiv 2 a lot more than MOO2 you might not like this at all. Gal Civ 2 is more like civilization and has plenty of things to discover. This is not what Endless Space is. As streamlined as it is, Endless Space was sand-blasted to total streamlined'ness in such a way that NOTHING is new after you played through once at most twice. You would have it worse than we who own it now for a year since we got some "DLC" content that added more stuff. But you will discover ALL of it in at best 2 playthroughs. Endless Space never surprised you with clever ideas or a game mechanic that is ground breaking. It is the same.

Heck, we should make a new rating system for 4x games with only 2 ratings. FRESH and SAME and Endless Space is a 100% SAME rating.

Well, imo of course... there are plenty people who like Endless Space but I doubt they would like Gal Civ 2 or Space Empires 4.. or MOO2 or even MOO3 (which isn't as terribad as people claim..)
Avatar 54727
15.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 02:14
mag
15.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 02:14
Mar 12, 2013, 02:14
mag
 
wonkawonka wrote on Mar 12, 2013, 01:57:
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:35:
jdreyer wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:18:
If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.

You'll certainly get 8 hours out of it. I got out 20 before getting fed-up. Not a bad deal really... there are a lot worse games.

Exactly my thoughts. And similarly, as eRe4s3r so eloquently stated, my biggest issues with the game are that:

  • The challenges remain the same through a game (from exploration to extermination)
  • War is uninteresting because military advances are simply more of the same
  • The challenges remain the same across races

So basically, you've played it once you've played it all.

I guess the question I care about is: How does it compare to Galactic Civilizations 2, or Master of Orion 2?
14.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 12, 2013, 01:57
14.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 12, 2013, 01:57
Mar 12, 2013, 01:57
 
eRe4s3r wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:35:
jdreyer wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:18:
If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.

You'll certainly get 8 hours out of it. I got out 20 before getting fed-up. Not a bad deal really... there are a lot worse games.

Exactly my thoughts. And similarly, as eRe4s3r so eloquently stated, my biggest issues with the game are that:

  • The challenges remain the same through a game (from exploration to extermination)
  • War is uninteresting because military advances are simply more of the same
  • The challenges remain the same across races

So basically, you've played it once you've played it all.
13.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 11, 2013, 23:35
13.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 11, 2013, 23:35
Mar 11, 2013, 23:35
 
jdreyer wrote on Mar 11, 2013, 23:18:
Which reminds me this is sitting in my steam queue unplayed.

I heard this game is better played Coop. Confirm?

If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.

You'll certainly get 8 hours out of it. I got out 20 before getting fed-up. Not a bad deal really... there are a lot worse games.
Avatar 54727
12.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 11, 2013, 23:34
12.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 11, 2013, 23:34
Mar 11, 2013, 23:34
 
4x game? Civilization 4 with mods... By far. Followed by Alpha Centauri.

Space 4x game... I think the game I hate the least is Space Empires 4 with some serious modding. 2nd game would be SOTS 1 - not 2, that is god awful. And SOTS1 only with mods. And third (Retro one)is Ascendancy...

But If you'd ask me I could list you some flaws about Space Empires 4 I absolutely hate too.... There is always something with these games. Most of the standard complaints are "No dynamic narrative" no "on-scale challenges" (Meaning challenges that grow with your empire growth but not just more ships, different challenges for different sizes..) and lastly, a lack of gradual abstraction layers. That abstract MORE or LESS depending on the size of your empire.

These 3 things are my main gripes with the space 4x genre.

And of course, Alpha Centauri showed how a dynamic narrative and scaling challenge can work in a 4x game. IN fact, in some ways I consider Alpha Centauri a superb 4x game, But it's also got some questionable design decisions.. like GRID movement

I wish someone would make make Alpha Centauri 2, hex map, graphics like CIV5 and simply add more depth and challenge. More narrative, more everything

Ok, that is not a space 4x game then... Oh well...

This comment was edited on Mar 11, 2013, 23:40.
Avatar 54727
11.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 11, 2013, 23:20
11.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 11, 2013, 23:20
Mar 11, 2013, 23:20
 
Hey eraser, what's your favorite 4x game?
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
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10.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
10.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
 
Which reminds me this is sitting in my steam queue unplayed.

I heard this game is better played Coop. Confirm?

If I get 8 hours out of it I will have gotten my money back. Think I paid $10 for it.
If Russia stops fighting, the war ends. If Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine ends. Slava Ukraini!
Avatar 22024
9.
 
Re: Endless Space Free DLC
Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
9.
Re: Endless Space Free DLC Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
Mar 11, 2013, 23:18
 
When is this game not on sale on Steam?
"The horse I bet on was so slow, the jockey kept a diary of the trip." - Henny Youngman
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