Favorite Classic 4X

maceman

Newcomer

200g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 3:26:40 PM

OK. Endless has got me all needing to scratch my space itch. I'm hankering to go back and revisit some good 4X in the name of research and to refresh my memory on what they actually brought new to the genre.

I've played some current titles and their expansions plenty but, are they really innovative? -- Sword of the Stars, Sins of the Solar Empire, Armada 2526, Gratuitous Space Battles (ok that one is 1X), Distant Worlds, Galactic Civ and... Star Wars:Empire at War... and I'm sure there others i've forgotten (probably not a stellar ringing endorsement then!)

My question from such an able body of obvious Megalomanic, galaxy scale control freaks is what were their favorite classics? And why?

A few of my memories...

MOO -- Gold standard 4x Deus Ex Machina (II good, III not so much)

Ascendancy -- ancient vague memory

Emperor of the Fading Suns -- Loved the volume and variety of units, space and ground combat, biological units w psionics, character positive negative traits, psycho church faction ... with a subpar AI. I even remember the music.

Imperium Galactica Real time 4x?

Pax Imperia actually i can't remember which was pax and which was imperium anymore but i liked one of them.

... i know i'm forgetting some other good ones

so any other good classic options that were innovators rather than clones to recommend? I'm not afraid of DosBoxing oldies.

maceman

Newcomer

maceman

Newcomer

200g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:08:38 PM

actually nmind...

just found an interesting list on space sector

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/games/

Raptor

Newcomer

Raptor

Newcomer

1 700g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:11:55 PM

MoO 2, 3

GCII

Homeworld 2

SoaSE

But ES will rule them all anyways

maceman

Newcomer

maceman

Newcomer

200g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:12:48 PM

of that there is already no doubt!

licker

Newcomer

licker

Newcomer

11 400g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:13:45 PM

Sword of the Stars became my favorite.

Sadly SotS2 kinda failed it's launch, but we'll see where they get to with it in time.

VIPSharidann

Newcomer

VIPSharidann

Newcomer

16 500g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:26:10 PM

MOO2... still, after all those years.

MODVieuxChat

Chameleon

Truth is a chameleon. Herbert

MODVieuxChat

Chameleon

25 400g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 4:37:03 PM

I really loved Ascendancy and Imperium Galactica (mostly due to the very atmospheric music. Don't underestimate the power of a very very good music).

VIPznork

Ninja

i were a ninja once

VIPznork

Ninja

19 800g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 6:26:33 PM

i must admit i still play moo2 one of the best game ever

MODNosferatiel

Informer

"God's in his heaven, all's right with the world." Nerv Motto, Neon Genesis Evangelion

MODNosferatiel

Informer

47 300g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 7:44:01 PM

Moo2 is still no. 1 in my opinion. I sincerely hope that endless space will finally manage to replace it.

Becks

Newcomer

Becks

Newcomer

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 8:06:06 PM

MOO2! Never reached. ;-) ...yet...

Raptor

Newcomer

Raptor

Newcomer

1 700g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 8:10:27 PM

Becks wrote:
MOO2! Never reached. ;-) ...yet...

Soon... soon

reynanuy

Newcomer

reynanuy

Newcomer

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 8:52:46 PM

There are quite lot of 4x games I've played, but to this date there are none who can surpass MOO2 and CIV IV. Sadly where CIV got better and better with each installment(this stopped with V, but let's not get into that), the folks at Quicksilver practically killed the IP with MOO3. Now this would have been cathastrophic it wasn't for games like Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain, Space Empires IV and Galactic Civilization 2 coming out in the years that followed. These IMO are the only space based grand scale 4x games worth playing after MOO2. Games like SOASE and SOTS are IMHO more RTS games than 4X games, they are definitively not grand scale as traditional 4x games are. It's kind of funny because SOASE is fond of boasting of it's "epic scale", but the maps don't even model a proper star system right; a small MOO map is bigger than any SOASE equivalent. In any case there are not many space based grand scale 4x games out there, so let's try our best to make ES enter that golden hall reserved for the best and maybe(I really wish this comes to pass) replaces MOO2 as the defining game in the genre. On a side note, it's said that a heavily modded MOO3 game is at least bearable if not enjoyable; so if anyone has instructions and/or suggestions on how to achieve this experience I would be happy to read them, since I've never been able to get into the game really.

Ashbery76

United

Ashbery76

United

36 100g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 9:36:42 PM

I like MOO2 and have it in my HD but when I play a 4x it tends to be SOTS,DistantWorlds and Armada2526 with all the games expansions.

I am not stuck on MOO nostagia at all.ES is not following MOO2 much either.With a less micro extensive whole system building mechanic and phased quicker real time phased battles.

SABA

Newcomer

SABA

Newcomer

300g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 30, 2012, 11:38:40 PM

For me SoaSE is No.1 . It may not have the grand scale in maps like some of the others, but the amount of units that can be in battle and the size of the battles has it hands down. Also the mod-ability and support from the Dev's and community is a real plus & really extended the customize ability and re-play ability.

2nd is Civ IV & V There were a few things in V that I missed from IV but V was easier to mod and the graphics where nicer. A little slow paced at times.

3rd is Galactic Civ II. The ship building mechanic of the game was fantastic and really loved the art work. It was even more slow paced though IMO.

Harsh

Newcomer

Harsh

Newcomer

300g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 9:35:12 AM

It has had a lot of negativity towards it, but i've always enjoyed ST:Birth of the Federation. Despite it's flaws (and there were many), i've been going back to it since i first bought it on release day.

Alpha Centauri is another i always find myself going back to on a semi-regular basis.

SomeGuy

Newcomer

SomeGuy

Newcomer

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 5:06:09 PM

There have been dozens of good 4x games over the years. I think my favorite classic was Pax Imperia, the first Pax Imperia (though Eminent Domain was good, too).

It came out in '92 and was awesome for its time. The game ran in real time (which I've always preferred over turn based), and paused for space battles (since the time measurements would be different). There were no wormholes, so you could send your ships wherever you wanted. The galactic map could be quite large, and the game utilized a window system to account for how big the universe is. You clicked on a star which brought up a window showing the system with all the planets. Clicking on the planet brought up another window showing the planet and any moons it may have. The planets orbited around their stars, too. You could design your own ships (like any good 4x game) but you could also design your own components for your ships. It was a good little game, perhaps way ahead of its time. Too bad it doesn't work on my computer.

Oh, and for the records, I've never played any of the Master of Orion Games.

Xervitus

Newcomer

Xervitus

Newcomer

19 000g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 6:47:17 PM

Moo2, SoaSE, and...SW: Rebellion (it had so much potential!)

Harsh

Newcomer

Harsh

Newcomer

300g2g pts

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 9:12:36 PM

Xervitus wrote:
.SW: Rebellion (it had so much potential!)

Ah, had forgotten about this gem, was called Supremecy in the UK.

jjhappel

Newcomer

jjhappel

Newcomer

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 9:22:29 PM

I loved MOO 2. still my favorite space 4x game,

reynanuy

Newcomer

reynanuy

Newcomer

13 years ago

Mar 31, 2012, 10:41:46 PM

Harsh wrote:
Ah, had forgotten about this gem, was called Supremecy in the UK.

SW:R is hardly ever uninstalled on my PC. At least once a year I finish it a couple of times with both sides, often enough in the hardest difficulty and with largest galaxy. Nevertheless the AI is pretty stupid and I get bored eventually, much more quicker than I'd wish. Awesome game for a remake and no, SWEAW doesn't count