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Best non-Master of Orion 1&2 Space 4X poll

Best non-Master of Orion 1&2 Space 4X

  • Armada 2526

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Falling Stars: War of Empires

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Galactic Civilizations I

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Galactic Inheritors

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Gates of Horizon

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Horizon

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Imperium Galactum

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Legends of Pegasus

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lords of the Black Sun

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Reach for the Stars

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Star Ruler

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Star Ruler 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Star Traders: 4X Empires

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Stars in shadow

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sword of the Stars II: The Lords of Winter

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Predestination

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • StarDrive 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Spaceward Ho!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sid Meier's Starships

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .

majorsoccer

Prospernaut
Shitposter
Joined
Mar 10, 2019
Messages
175
...
 

ZeniBot

Cipher
Joined
Nov 1, 2011
Messages
823
Location
Todd Howard's Sex Dungeon - Send Help
Emperor Of The Fading Suns = Probably the most complex TB 4X title there is, Multiple planets in a Civilisation style map with fleet management on top of that.

Space Empires up to 4 = (I had actually forgotten this was a TB game, my mistake its been a while) Modernised Masters of Orion, I actually think its more complex than MoO because of the sheer number of options you have. Its famous for bringing the MoO like experience to Windows.

Star Wars Rebellion = One of the few Character based GSG games and easily one of the best, it just has shit combat but if you let the AI do most of the work its actually pretty fun despite a horrendous UI for Battles.

Star Trek Birth of the Federation = A fairly basic GSG which is Turn Based, its a lot of fun because of the sheer amount of content they put into it, the tech tree is surprisingly big and the minor races are easily the best part about it I also like that its one of the most simple GSGs that ever came out without being shallow.

Honorable Mention:
Aurora 4x = Most complex GSG ever made. Too complex in fact. As much as I want to love this game its UI is atrocious. If you want the same experience but with a much easier to use UI play Space Empires 4 instead. I think Aurora is the Dwarf Fortress of 4x GSG.
 

Malakal

Arcane
Glory to Ukraine
Joined
Nov 14, 2009
Messages
10,266
Location
Poland
Emperor of the Fading Suns was amazing but unfortunately the AI could not handle its awesomeness and MP was hard to pull off. So yea, hard to work with that.

Stars in Shadow is very good but that is a MoO clone as are several other titles on the list. I don't know if you can consider it a new game if it literally copies MoO mechanics but has better graphics and often some cut content.

SW Rebellion is decent but rather simplistic. Runs mainly on SW IP.

I think I played almost all titles on this list and have to say they are very different types of games. I'd go with Stars in Shadows for a solid MoO2 clone.
 

tindrli

Arcane
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4,465
Location
Dragodol
obvious answer is space empires iv. still, V is like 4 just with more things so i voted V
 

Darth Roxor

Royal Dongsmith
Staff Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,878,404
Location
Djibouti
I only played Rebellion from this list so I voted that +M

also it's a cool game
 

oldmanpaco

Master of Siestas
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
13,609
Location
Winter
I remember playing a ton of SE:IV back in the day. Had to order the CD online. Did enjoy GC:II for a while. ES:I also kept my attention for a bit.
 

Space Satan

Arcane
Vatnik
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
6,216
Location
Space Hell
It grieves me to say but Stellaris. ES2 is not that exciting and you play the same way once you know the build orders. Stellaris is THE 4x now, with all its problems and shitty developement cycles it expands in the right direction. Just like CK2 now it the most thorough medieval strategy\sim. Stellaris moves in the same way - with all this degenerate DLC policy of Paradox it grows and becomes better and better, even while being broken after each major patch

Emperor Of The Fading Suns = Probably the most complex TB 4X title there is, Multiple planets in a Civilisation style map with fleet management on top of that.
It was great but alas, have been released in an era of no patches. AI posed no threat but it was perfect toroleplay Space Feudalism. But it was not a 4x. It was Colonization+.
Also fleet management was super-primitive and if you used Universal Storehouse(and everyone did), then once you reached singularities you can assemble a fleet large enough to beat off The Church and conquer Stigmata.
 

tindrli

Arcane
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4,465
Location
Dragodol
It grieves me to say but Stellaris. ES2 is not that exciting and you play the same way once you know the build orders. Stellaris is THE 4x now, with all its problems and shitty developement cycles it expands in the right direction. Just like CK2 now it the most thorough medieval strategy\sim. Stellaris moves in the same way - with all this degenerate DLC policy of Paradox it grows and becomes better and better, even while being broken after each major patch

Emperor Of The Fading Suns = Probably the most complex TB 4X title there is, Multiple planets in a Civilisation style map with fleet management on top of that.
It was great but alas, have been released in an era of no patches. AI posed no threat but it was perfect toroleplay Space Feudalism. But it was not a 4x. It was Colonization+.
Also fleet management was super-primitive and if you used Universal Storehouse(and everyone did), then once you reached singularities you can assemble a fleet large enough to beat off The Church and conquer Stigmata.

to be honest it has everything except interesting combat. there are always room for improvement but sadly they seems to ignore combat completely. Also i think they fucked up badly when they turned off alll but hyperlane travel.
i understand why they did it. but they should have tried harder.
Anyway Space empires IV and V are way to go with MODS of course. Balance mode is essential. Also BotF was great if you like star trek. and if you hate everything and not graphic fag and aurora 4x seems too complex then Distant world Universe with all patches and couple of MODS is Great choice. Its not Turn based but its very very well made. Also Stars in shadows is not bad at least imo
 

Nutria

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
2,252
Location
한양
Strap Yourselves In
It's sad to look at that list and see so many games like Emperor of the Fading Suns, Birth of the Federation, Ascendancy, that would have been classics if they had just spent another 6-12 months getting them balanced and making the AI work adequately.
 

tindrli

Arcane
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4,465
Location
Dragodol
It's sad to look at that list and see so many games like Emperor of the Fading Suns, Birth of the Federation, Ascendancy, that would have been classics if they had just spent another 6-12 months getting them balanced and making the AI work adequately.
yep. some great games just didnt aged well..
 

DDZ

Red blood, white skin, blue collar
Patron
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
1,829
Location
Under the Gods
Codex 2013 Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015
Distant World Universe.

I enjoyed Endless Space 2 for the shallow but good looking polished romp it was, same with MoO 2016, with 5x mod.

Stellaris is fucking boring as shit. Wannabe 4x that is just as boring as their goddamn lame as shit grand strategy games.

Thanks.
 

Raapys

Arcane
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
4,960
For me it would have to be MoO3 and Distant Worlds. There's a lot of honorable mentions, most of them on this list, but they're also usually flawed in some major way.

I think of all the genres though, this one is the one with the most "could have used another year in development to fix bugs/AI/balance/mechanics"-type games.
 

Incantatar

Cipher
Joined
Jan 9, 2012
Messages
453
Aurora4x is the best (and the worst after it becomes unplayable slow much too soon).
 

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