Awakening: An Update

ATFGriff

Newcomer

1 300g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 26, 2019, 2:35:56 AM

Science/Trade agreements are useless now because of the upkeep cost.

Suis3i

Voyager

There were endless Endless and then there were limited Endless

Suis3i

Voyager

51 300g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 21, 2019, 1:27:43 AM

gwfwshoker wrote:
A number of you have been disappointed with Awakening—not the premise of the expansion itself, but the state it came out in.
For me, it's quite the opposite. I didn't encounter any major bugs so far. Probably I haven't played enough. I started a game with the Nakalim but it just felt uninteristing. The new relic mechanic is a nice idea but feels more like something that every faction should have access to (like the hacking system, that is special but not exclusive to the UC). Beside that the science head start is the only special trait remaining for the Nakalim. And that's not really something that makes them feel different compared to lumeris, sophons or others.

In my opinion the faction doesn't fulfill the fantasy of rebuilding an ancient empire. Here are just a few things that could have easily been added:
- Start with all colonizable planets in your Home system already colonized.
- Give them the ability to reclaim old systems (maybe every system in their constellation, or those with a relic, ...) by instantly turning them into an outpost (or a full colony but with some penality for a number of turns) for a price in dust or strategic resources (basically like the lumeris can).
- Have special curiosities that allow unique system projects to wake up additional pop from hibernation (could also be done by events, maybe with the choice to get a science boost instead).
- Start with some more ships (where are all the ships we see in their opening cinematic?). Maybe colonizers, maybe warships. Could be balanced by making them slow and not changeable.

Yah I haven't encountered any gamebreaking bugs, it's just, the expansion doesn't appear to fulfill the promise of having an ancient empire in decline. It's not a bad expansion it just seems quite lackluster in content.

All of these ideas seem great, and I'd like to add that maybe have 2 nearby systems colonized already with a larger overall starting pop for the home system and maybe one major and one minor pop per the two colonies. That way you're truly starting with an empire rising out of hiberantion but beginning to fall into decline.

And thanks Amplitude for the hardwork, understanding and continued communication with the community on the various issues they bring up.

Updated 5 years ago.

Belleg7

Titanium Guardian

Marc Scheffler

Belleg7

Titanium Guardian

34 500g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 21, 2019, 3:37:25 AM

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen.

pgunn

Mirror

pgunn

Mirror

23 600g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 21, 2019, 5:49:43 PM

A bumpy launch isn't a mistake. It's just something to iterate on.

DayStalker

Lost in Disguise

morgwrwrwrwrwrwrwr....

DayStalker

Lost in Disguise

35 600g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 22, 2019, 2:11:32 AM

Zayne wrote:
18 hours gametime.
7 trys.
6 games unable to play, after 120-150 rounds.
Only 1 succesfull play through
I was never able to complete the Nakalim’s questline. Your hotfix wasn't helpfull.

I had never experienced such a bad DLC-launch like this.
This was the last Amplitude DLC I have bought in the release month.

Thanks for wasting my time.

Same. I will never buy another DLC or game brfore few months after the release and maybe just on sale. The bug are so easy to spot, it's like no one even try the game before the release...

cossin

Red Five

The outcome justifies the deed! Your worlds shall burn in plasma bombardement! I need a place to test my new toys :-P

cossin

Red Five

16 300g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 22, 2019, 11:50:20 AM

In all honesty:

I appreciate this post SO VERY MUCH! It has become VERY rare that game developers admit mistakes, although I haven't even encountered any so far - sadly I did not have the opportunity to play as much as I'd like, the last couple of weeks and months...

I'd wish all companies would work like you do... with the community and their wishes...

obviously, you cannot go with everything, but to me as consumer it appears that you actually read, consider and care about us. That is the kind of relation many companies have lost... and to be frank I personally value you and (if it is allowed to say that) CD Projekt as prime examples of good company morales and relations with the consumers!

Amplitude, thank you very much! Some apprently do not get the point that you actually apologized and what that means and says about you as a company!

Please, do not be discouraged by this set-back in light of your awesome Endless games that I still play and keep enjoying years after their initial release:

E-Dungeons, E-Space 1, E-Space 2, E-Legend....

There are so many companies and publishers (that force some developers) to throw garbage on the market, just to meet some deadline...

You aren't one of those... be proud of that. Mistakes happen, it's not like those complaining are perfect themselves.... no one is.

As long as this doesn't mark the start of a decline in overall standards and testing, I'll be a happy customer for years to come (if you'd just let me put my heroes into carrier sized ships :-P)

With best regards and no hard feelings,

cossin

Updated 5 years ago.

Keimpe

Winter

All generalizations are wrong... ;)

Keimpe

Winter

5 years ago

Sep 22, 2019, 4:38:03 PM

cossin wrote:
In all honesty:

I appreciate this post SO VERY MUCH! It has become VERY rare that game developers admit mistakes, although I haven't even encountered any so far - sadly I did not have the opportunity to play as much as I'd like, the last couple of weeks and months...
I'd wish all companies would work like you do... with the community and their wishes...
obviously, you cannot go with everything, but to me as consumer it appears that you actually read, consider and care about us. That is the kind of relation many companies have lost... and to be frank I personally value you and (if it is allowed to say that) CD Projekt as prime examples of good company morales and relations with the consumers!

Amplitude, thank you very much! Some apprently do not get the point that you actually apologized and what that means and says about you as a company!
Please, do not be discouraged by this set-back in light of your awesome Endless games that I still play and keep enjoying years after their initial release:
E-Dungeons, E-Space 1, E-Space 2, E-Legend....
There are so many companies and publishers (that force some developers) to throw garbage on the market, just to meet some deadline...
You aren't one of those... be proud of that. Mistakes happen, it's not like those complaining are perfect themselves.... no one is.
As long as this doesn't mark the start of a decline in overall standards and testing, I'll be a happy customer for years to come (if you'd just let me put my heroes into carrier sized ships :-P)

With best regards and no hard feelings,
cossin

Amen bro, i feel exactly the same!

Ioulos

Sentient Empire

Peace? no peace

Ioulos

Sentient Empire

21 700g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 23, 2019, 2:27:34 PM

Maybe a balance for nakalim, They are almost unplayable actualy.

Keimpe

Winter

All generalizations are wrong... ;)

Keimpe

Winter

5 years ago

Sep 23, 2019, 4:22:11 PM

Ioulos wrote:
Maybe a balance for nakalim, They are almost unplayable actualy.

And why would that be

darqleonov

Broken

darqleonov

Broken

30 700g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 24, 2019, 12:07:58 AM

I hope these apologies are real and SEGA hasn't turned you guys into an EA Subsidiary. I will accept it when the DLC fixes come, game fixes come, and somewhat of the last balance patch is reworked.

Until these aren't fulfilled you have only my attention and my money that I've already given.

PatrickCharles

Library Worm

For the Sophonity!

PatrickCharles

Library Worm

29 100g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 24, 2019, 7:32:29 PM

I very rarely post in the G2G forums , but I think the situation warrants it.

I was very excited to play the Nakalim, I even pre-bought the Expansion. Having finally been able to properly play them, though, it feels a bit underwhelming, especially about one of their main features, which is the Academy Conversion.

When the Expansion was announced, I initially thought you could gift *any* planet under your influence to the Academy, which felt powerful, but good, especially for a Conquest-Victory-geared strategy. However, it turns out that it works like peaceful conversion to your empire, which means that you can only gift to the Academy systems belonging to your competitors, and only if you're in Peace or Cold WAr with them.

And my experience with that is not good at all. Since the Nakalim have a very big handicap on their research capabilities, you have to choose carefully which techs you want. Since I wanted to experience the conversion mechanic, I dumped a lot of resources (research, hero skills, relics) on Influence in order to grow my bubble fast as possible... And the very moment my bubble touched a competitior empire (an AI one), tehy delcared war on me, Thus, negating my power to convert them. And since they weren't crippled in their scientific research, they have better ship hulls and probably weapon modules than I do, meaning they can probably kick my behind. In this particular gameplay I have a couple of Military Behemoths, but I don't know if they will be able to hold the enemy's armies, especially because their weapon modules are not impressive either.

So, all the effort dumped into using the main feature of the Nakalim Empire... Was neutralized by a simple declaration of war. Pay a little influence and that's it. I won't lie, this feels a bit annoying. If even an AI can counterplay me that easily, imagine a human player.

I realize having the Nakalim Conversion work even during war could be umbalanced, since, if the Nakalim *really* gets it going, the other empires would have no way of counterplaying that other than nuking the system(s) which is(are) expanding the bubble, but... Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Maybe, since resources are not easy to come by for the Nakalim, owing to their Science handicap, they *could* have this overpowered Influence zone? Because the alternative is frustrating.

I'll eventually get back to that match and see if I can survivier the war/truce long enough for the Conversion to be useable, but... I think this really needs a deeper look.

SpaceHoboJoe

Space Pilgrim

This is my boxcar.

SpaceHoboJoe

Space Pilgrim

28 300g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 20, 2019, 11:59:37 PM

I hope this initial negative experience can be turned into a showing how responsive Amplitude is. Other developers may try the same then.

Blandersnatching

Finder

'Auriga theme playing softly in the distant background'

Blandersnatching

Finder

24 000g2g pts

5 years ago

Sep 26, 2019, 11:46:54 PM

The preview patch definitely has some good stuff in it, and I'm glad that every at Amplitude is continuing to work on the expansion to make its implementation closer in line with what players expected/desired. The visual changes for the Nakalim homeworld, the changes to relic acquisition through their questline, and the changes to how Temples to the Lost work are all very needed and very welcome.

I will say though that I am disappointed by the lack of diplomatic interaction with the Academy, despite the many changes to its functionality. I expected something more than a mere competition to see who can snag the time-limited, ridiculously powerful fleet... it would be a definite improvement if we could at least trade with the Academy outside of its 20-turn fundraising drives. How about changing the rate at which heroes are recruited, and their starting level? Information regarding the whereabouts of previously undiscovered curiosities? More quests to complete? I made an Idea a while ago which provides a barebones description of some of what I'm talking about.

Seeing more options to interact with the Academy diplomatically would help make this into a great expansion, and changing the effects of the Academy fundraising drive so that the fleet is not nearly as OP - and the other options not nearly so bad - would fix problems that are already apparent with it. But with that all said - again, thanks for the work you've done to fix Awakening's most glaring issues.

Keimpe

Winter

All generalizations are wrong... ;)

Keimpe

Winter

5 years ago

Sep 27, 2019, 10:51:49 AM

Blandersnatching wrote:
The preview patch definitely has some good stuff in it, and I'm glad that every at Amplitude is continuing to work on the expansion to make its implementation closer in line with what players expected/desired. The visual changes for the Nakalim homeworld, the changes to relic acquisition through their questline, and the changes to how Temples to the Lost work are all very needed and very welcome.

I will say though that I am disappointed by the lack of diplomatic interaction with the Academy, despite the many changes to its functionality. I expected something more than a mere competition to see who can snag the time-limited, ridiculously powerful fleet... it would be a definite improvement if we could at least trade with the Academy outside of its 20-turn fundraising drives. How about changing the rate at which heroes are recruited, and their starting level? Information regarding the whereabouts of previously undiscovered curiosities? More quests to complete? I made an Idea a while ago which provides a barebones description of some of what I'm talking about.

Seeing more options to interact with the Academy diplomatically would help make this into a great expansion, and changing the effects of the Academy fundraising drive so that the fleet is not nearly as OP - and the other options not nearly so bad - would fix problems that are already apparent with it. But with that all said - again, thanks for the work you've done to fix Awakening's most glaring issues.

I agree, the Academy for what it is, is just a resource-sink. And what you get for it is interesting in the beginning. Lately i simply ignore the options altogether.

Let the Academy be an Academy, not just some building C on the Academy grounds.

Xeryx

Senior Thinker

Don't forget to vote for the post with G2G points! XERYX

Xeryx

Senior Thinker

21 200g2g pts

5 years ago

Oct 1, 2019, 2:34:40 AM

I just wanted to thank you again Amplitude. Admitting mistakes is not easy for most, but it should be as we are all human. I have been away for awhile starting a business and I decided to mod one of my favorite games Battletech. OHH talk about frustration with Developers they are even worse than Creative Assembly as far as I am concerned. I didn't come here to rant about them at all but I wanted to let you guys know that if you keep on the path you are on and do not let Sega get over-involved with the game making process, I think you guys will always find success. Money is important to keep the project going, but you always need to ask yourself this question!

1) Does this project bring true value to the game?

Whether it be DLC or even just adding mechanics to a game. A concern should always go out to the modding community as well, as to whether or not you are going to break everyone's mod by changing a large mechanic of the game. So far I think you guys have done an incredible job with this and you should be proud.

I think it is also VERY important that the forums never be allowed to become "TOXIC" and you guys have done a pretty good job of that too!

I enjoy your game very much although I really would love for a B5 version of it as I really would love to have a true Shadow war, and that is really what I think many here were expecting with the Ancient race.

The one thing you can improve on though is modder accessibility to files, I like modding AI, but I am not a c++ programmer.

Thanks again for a wonderful community and your hard work, it is appreciated from an old-time gamer that is finding it ever increasingly difficult to find games that I can enjoy.

Xeryx

P.S.

So when is that patch coming out?

Updated 5 years ago.

ZortPointNarf

Confirmed Heretic

Are you pondering what I'm pondering? Uh, I think so Brain, but how are we gonna teach a goat to dance with flippers on?"

ZortPointNarf

Confirmed Heretic

34 400g2g pts

5 years ago

Oct 16, 2019, 7:25:43 AM

I did not encounter any bugs except for that one sciecne building (just ended up building only one, once I noticed it).
This for me was a better release than Umbral Choir as in the initial releaseI found the eplenation of new features to be very vague (you fixed that later)

Did try a multiplayer game with a friend over the weekend and that died on us at turn 33, and even going back to previous auto saves could not breathe life into it.

Any chance you guys can look into your multiplayer, it will be an absolute must for Humanity if you wish to topple civ 6.

Aside, Humanity is a no brainer pre-order for me, including beta testing if you want, you are literrally the only studio I am willing to beta test for as I do not view beta's as a reward, but more as crowd sourced testing.

Keep up the good work.

p.s. Any chance we can raise resource cap to 9999 instead of 999 as part of the core game, with suficient spacing for it in the ui, and maybe even show luxury resources on the galaxy view as an option.

Updated 5 years ago.

Keimpe

Winter

All generalizations are wrong... ;)

Keimpe

Winter