Hey guys,

Was lucky enough to play little time before public alpha and the least I can say after playing couple games on this public version is that it's much harder !

While I could cope vs 5 AI is endless difficulty on a medium galaxy in normal speed during pre alpha (playing Lumeris), I got severely rapped when trying to do it again in the public alpha.

And despite lowering the difficulty level to normal, it is still pretty hard to survive.. AI is much more aggressive and something I don't understand is ground battles now occur verry fast (I was pretty sure u needed the survival suits tech to perform them in the pre alpha but Cravers stole my second system turn 27 in the public version and there's nothing I can do about that excepts maybe rushing N-Way fusion which I didn't try yet).

Was just eager to know if you guys felt the same (huge difficulty increase compared with pre alpha) or if I am just missing something (or just bad at this game maybe also =)

Thx for your feedback / impressions.

Maybe I just need to go back to sandbox and learn more about it.. 

I wouldn't mind having planetary invasions locked by a technology if it were an era 1 tech and the Cravers started with it unlocked.

I think survival suits could work better if:

1. They were an Era I tech

2. Were only required in invasions of planets your race still finds inhospitable.

vahouth wrote:

I think survival suits could work better if:

1. They were an Era I tech

2. Were only required in invasions of planets your race still finds inhospitable.

I like this, but make it era 2. Cravers start with it. 

AmpliMath wrote:

Hi Julot,

Yes we have made ground battle possible even though you do not have survival suits researched. It did not make sense to have aggressive factions wait until era 2 until they could even systems.

I got owned like you and lost one of my key systems, now my fleets are always guarding :)

Cheers,

Amplimath

EDIT: someone told me I used a naughty word so I removed it

The AI can bypass guard. Lost an Ark during a craver ground invasion even with a fleet guarding it

PANCZASU wrote:

I vote against any changes. I like invasion mechanics of this patch - sure, you can invade without the tech if you're a desperate, evil warmonger. But you really won't be able to get much done. So you kinda need the tech but, if necessary, can still skip it. I like that, it allows you to make a choice. Moreover I really hate the idea that, in order for anyone to conquer anyone, you need an extra technology. Please don't discriminate warmongers, we're people too!

As for the difficulty - I feel like it's lower than it was in pre-alpha. Before release I could control ~3 systems at maximum before having my entire empire rebel. Now disapproval is a problem but not one that I can't deal with.

AI is more aggressive, yes, but a decent enough fleet will crush any amount of AIs even on Endless difficulty.

What do you mean you won't be able to get much done?  I've found so far that the easiest way to invade is just let your fleet blockade until you've got 2-1 odds or better and just go to town.  I've never even bothered with survival suits.