lol it is a beta, it is more about making sure the core system works, than adding depth.

grasspuddle wrote:
hoping the alpha will add more depth as it continues. Everything looks like a solid, but unfinished product. Combat, Democracy, Ships, UI, and Heroes need more added.



With that said, I'm shocked by how complete this alpha build is. It only crashed on the infinite fleet bug so far after a few play throughs.

hoping the alpha will add more depth as it continues. Everything looks like a solid, but unfinished product. Combat, Democracy, Ships, UI, and Heroes need more added.



With that said, I'm shocked by how complete this alpha build is. It only crashed on the infinite fleet bug so far after a few play throughs.

Tactical combat people, tactical combat is a must. Look at the good old MOO. Add planetary defenses, maybe also surface combat and most of all get rid of the overly simplistic "card playing" nonsense that nobody wants. You won't sell a 1000 copies this way and those will be angry customers like me that expected tactical combat.

AngleWyrm wrote:
Some areas need growing.



For instance, the Trade Routes system has tech in the tech tree, and buildable modules for planets, and heroes have skills in it. But the trade system is simulated. There's no game play. I would like to set up trade routes between planets, and examine what is the most profitable routes to choose.

And this. Would love it if we could see the possible returns of different or risky trade routes.

Loth wrote:
While the audio sound tracks are quite good, more random events, space chatter, etc would liven up the mundane rotine parts of the game system mechanics. I enjoy getting those random notes of exploration, we need more stuff like that!

This, definitely this.

I feel that there is potential to have a good game, but I also don't feel that it's there yet.



As far as those that want more to ship design, remember that there isn't any real tactical combat, and without that, a whole lot of ship design options would be fairly meaningless, except to fill in statistical gaps, or to make different movies to watch (Because honestly, combat feels more like I'm watching a movie than engaging in combat). That's why I'm suggesting a total opposite approach, to streamline combat a lot more. The battle cards idea is ok, but I feel that the design is confused -- the main advantage of the battle cards approach is that its fast. But having to then watch a slow-moving film after every combat is initiated, becomes kind of pointless after the first time seeing it. So as long as we're going the quick combat way, let's drop the pretense of tactical combat (because it's not there and never will be), and simply select the cards then resolve the combat quickly.

Areas that need growing;



More technologies, which can be rectified by adding more weapons, defenses, planetary buildings (and building slots per planet type&size), more diplomacy options, orbital space stations, deeps space stations, governments, etc... New stuff along with improvements in other words.

Its a very good game, and I think it looks to be a healthy alpha. But some things, such as the tech tree, diplomatic relationships with AIs and planetary invasion could use some filling out. I'd like to see a little more to invasion than sitting in system with a fleet and waiting, even if its just another rock paper scissors style battle. You have ground attack modifier units for ships, but I have tried using 'barge' or troop ship equipped ships which focus on nothing else. They don't actually seem to be worth being defenseless in space as a large space focused fleet captures ground just as fast.



Also please add a 4th type of damage/defense for space combat. I think its nearly there but it just needs one extra option to be really good. Fighter/strike craft or space mines, or some creative seldom used damage type would be nice to see.

I agree with most, the game has a nice core. but needs to grow.

you've been waiting ages for this type of game? have you not been paying attention to the 4x market?

PolytheistGoat wrote:
Some of us have been waiting ages for a game that looks as if it'll focus more on strategy and exploration than combat - which, in my personal opinion, is the same in every game ever created; whomever gets there with the fastest and the mostest wins. You can dress it up all you want, but if I'm playing a game, I'd rather have new things to think about and act on every turn... Not spend an increasing amount of time and processing power dealing with something that - regardless of weapon type, manner of engagement, etc - basically boils down to whose rock is bigger.

It seems you haven't played SotS 1 much. Your research/design choices and the way you fight are often more important than the firepower you bring, sometimes dramatically so : it's not that uncommon to have a situation where the automatic combat means crushing defeat while you get a flawless victory by playing the combat yourself...



The thing that worries me about Endless Space is that once you've discovered all the ways you can build up your empire, there will be only the combat left to entertain you, and this part seems quite shallow (though to be fair I haven't been to the endgame yet...)

I would like diversity in the way races behave:



1) Hive minded races obey the leadership and do not deviate from policy

2) Races like humans relish freedom and even military units will do what suits them from time to time starting wars, colonial uprisings, corruption etc.

3) Mixes in between. For example a military that never disobeys orders but a mercantile class that

4) Multiculturalism and assimilation aka MOO2,

5) Immigration and emigration with people leaving your empire and joining others and vice versa.

The game needs more cards, a bit more weapons specializations. Nothing that would force you to resolve manually the battle that are already won.

PolytheistGoat wrote:
Let me rephrase then - I don't look down, I just feel (like everyone here, I suppose) a rare gem, and as such am terrified of the thought if it becoming - to my eyes, and my eyesight is notoriously poor - another click-based game that involves a lot of time spent 'optimizing' and little time spent 'playing'. I love strategy in combat, and I understand very much how it can enhance a game; perhaps it would be better to say that I just don't want it to expand to the point where it is an unavoidable part of gameplay; where it becomes something so monolithic, that the player is forced to spend large chunks of time optimizing, or suffer for it. Better?

Yup, albeit im sure that you can have both diversity and not time consuming play.

Well, you will love end of nations when it gets released. Even tho im an alpha tester there, i will probably spend my time on ES.

I think there are still some areas that need growing, for example diplomacy. I would really appreciate more options to outplay enemies diplomatically (more than just peace/war/open border).



Especially the reasoning why the AI is sometimes declining diplomacy needs better explanations. They really seem to dislike cease fires once they started a war (even if it would be to their advantage).



Otherwise i really enjoy the game

While the game is great for an alpha version so far. It needs to be heavily expanded i think.



But the three main points of me would be:



1. Improve the battle mechanics. (no, or at least less, rock-paper-scissor, more cards to play, ability to play more cards than three and so on ... there have been many suggestions)



2. More diversity in the tech tree, which would, perhaps, require more complex mechanics in some areas, because right now, its just construction building I - IV, laser I - IV, building, weapon or shield I - IV ... which is boring if everything obsoletes the old one ever, or is just to be build mindless on top of the old buildings ...



3. and perhaps more mechanics which limit expansion more effectiv? right now i had the feeling that one has to pump out colony ships from turn 4 on, until one reaches the AI borders ... and then an endless war is to begin which becomes boring because the battle system is right now endlessly repetitive and utterly unchalanging ....

I like th eminimalist approach, but for me, the combat mechanics shoud have more depth.

I believe the game could do with some more in-depth features, I like complex games like those by Paradox and wish this game was a bit more like them.

But for an Alpha game it's excellent, I just hope the dev team will add more to the game and not just polish it off and be done.

Combat is too shallow and needs more different weapon types. You could for example add an expensive "special power" slot to ships which can be filled with special reseachable weapon/support modules. Theses can then be triggered manually via a card during battle.

Hopefully as the game gets closer to release will see a lot more depth added in