I've mostly been a lurker on these forums before upgrading my account during the steam sale. I like this game alot (then again, I like MOO3, so sue me).



In particular, I feel that there is a very solid chord struck with the combat. Balance issues are open and discussed in other threads, but between the offense/defense/support/chasis variations and the sequenced combat, I feel that I have strong influence over the combat without the sense of micromanaging. Even when I can escape from them, the consequences of bad decisions are apparent and significant. Moreon, you are rewarded for good decision making and tactical thinking. It isn't exactly the FM7-8 of space combat, but it is a simple and rewarding experience that has yet to get old for me. That is a big deal. Even back to back battles for turns on end - sure, I'll skip a few (on a semi-related note, it would be nice to have more insight on how auto-combat is resolved without having to mine the forums), but the experience doesn't strictly get stale quickly.



I think that, personally, the cinematic combat was exceptionally well done. The free camera could use some work, but a few wonky angles is totally worth it for those few times in each combat that certain little details draw me into the experience.

• I like how weapons seem to fire out of individual ports instead of just generically 'out of the ship' somewhere. This is BEAUTIFUL to see during the right closeups.
• Defense effects are SUPERB. The way missiles shatter in a cloud of flak before impact, the little rings and weird noise when lasers are absorbed, and the barriers that deflect munitions into the void. All well done.
• The munitions effects in general are great. Deserving a second mention. I actually sport munitions of some sort on all of my heavy cruisers just because of how beautiful it looks when they are spraying. If anyone hasn't seen the overhead shot of two cruisers unloading inn melee, it is worth it. It captures that feeling of sea battles in space. Especially since, in melee, the larger ships are practically on top of each other.
• I don't know if it's intended or a bug, but if you wreck a ship during the two free rounds before a retreat, you can see it veer off course and explode just as it hits warp. This is most distinguished when only a few ships of the retreating fleet are dropped in the final volley - they will diverge from the group and, in some cases, it looks like they wreck into the planet.
  
  

There is at least one little thing that I would like to see added, if it is even feasible. The only moments when I've felt slightly taken out of the experience is when the camera lingers on the destruction of a ship. The explosions, especially for the larger ships, are pretty underwhelming. They seem to glow and fuzz away with a little twinkling grid effect. I can see that for the smaller ships perhaps, but the bigger guys need something special for when they go critical - not just a scaled up version of what happens to everyone else.



Anyone else?

We all have lots of threads like this all over the place. No reason you shouldn't either. The combat hasn't grown old on me either, especially early on when every mistake is painful and every win is crucial.