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The big 4X thread (also unofficial patches + mods, also questions about these)

smaug

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This was from a long time ago, I'm pretty sure someone answered this a while ago.

Did you succeed in getting into 4x games?
Haven't played one yet, after my Kingmaker playthrough I'm going to try AoW3 which is a pseudo-4X if I understand.

Maybe afterward I will try Civ4, which I own.
 

Theodora

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Age of Wonders isn't a "pseudo 4X", it's just a 4X with tactics combat. But yeah, it, Civ, and Endless Legends/Space-2 are all good ways to get into the genre.
 

Lagi

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so Age of Wonders is not consider 4x ?! because you cannot build a cities, and you have tactical combat??

  • Explore means players send scouts across a map to reveal surrounding territories.
  • Expand means players claim new territory by creating new settlements, or sometimes by extending the influence of existing settlements.
  • Exploit means players gather and use resources in areas they control, and improve the efficiency of that usage.
  • Exterminate means attacking and eliminating rival players. Since in some games all territory is eventually claimed, eliminating a rival's presence may be the only way to achieve further expansion.
ah... ok

quite coherent definition must say
 

Citizen

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so Age of Wonders is not consider 4x ?! because you cannot build a cities, and you have tactical combat??

You can build cities since AoW2, in AoW1 you could only rebuild abandoned cities scattered across the map or grab enemy ones. Age of Wonders 2, Shadow Magic and 3 are most definetly 4x games, even if pretty simple and mostly focused on tactical combat. They have very limited diplomacy options though, and no economic/science/population victory, the only way to win is to eleminate everyone who's not in your alliance
 

Alex

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so Age of Wonders is not consider 4x ?! because you cannot build a cities, and you have tactical combat??

You can build cities since AoW2, in AoW1 you could only rebuild abandoned cities scattered across the map or grab enemy ones. Age of Wonders 2, Shadow Magic and 3 are most definetly 4x games, even if pretty simple and mostly focused on tactical combat. They have very limited diplomacy options though, and no economic/science/population victory, the only way to win is to eleminate everyone who's not in your alliance

I would argue their gameplay is more similar to HoMM than a normal 4X (even with city building), but I haven't played them much.

I think you misclicked 1 and M, let me fix it
I highly recommend the ones from Simtex (Remnants of Precursors, Master of Orion 2 and Caster of Magic).

I haven't played either of these, actually.
 

Lagi

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https://rayfowler.itch.io/remnants-of-the-precursors
better UI, graphic with an old game.

https://af.gog.com/game/master_of_magic_caster_of_magic?as=1649904300
CoM, is a MoM patch really. lot more dynamic from the start (2x starting troop, faster movement 2tile instead 1, buildings grant bigger bonus=faster development), AI is smarter/more aggressive (and i think it have more rationale diplomatic message?). The UI is dated, i always get tired from all the work to just get the basic info or give troops command (but its MoM flaw from the start).
 
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Citizen

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I would argue their gameplay is more similar to HoMM than a normal 4X (even with city building), but I haven't played them much.

Not even close. Most defining parts of HoMM gameplay for me are: focus on heroes as the only ways to move armies around, the roster of units available for purchase replenishes once a week, units and buildings are produced instantly, no unit/building upkeep. AoW is much closer to civ series (I mean AoW is basically a Master of Magic clone), it has unit/building upkeep, building stuff and recruiting units takes time, every unit can move individually on a global map, magic research, etc. Fantasy themes and combat focus are the only similar things between HoMM and AoW
 

ValeVelKal

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Where to start with 4X Genre:
I have ($60) in steam money, and I have the choice of (at least that I know of):
  • Hearts of Iron 2-4
  • HoMM 3 (HD Edition)/5-7
  • Crusader Kings 2
  • Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition/Age of Empires 3 Complete edition.
  • Total Warhammer II/I
Please let me know of good starting points, or other games.

Not a single one of these games is a 4x
I would say that HOMM3 and MAYBE TW are 4X
- Explore => Yes for HOMM3, that's the maybe for TW
- Expand => Yes
- Exploit => Yes, though weak
- Exterminate => Yes
 

JarlFrank

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Where to start with 4X Genre:
I have ($60) in steam money, and I have the choice of (at least that I know of):
  • Hearts of Iron 2-4
  • HoMM 3 (HD Edition)/5-7
  • Crusader Kings 2
  • Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition/Age of Empires 3 Complete edition.
  • Total Warhammer II/I
Please let me know of good starting points, or other games.

Not a single one of these games is a 4x
I would say that HOMM3 and MAYBE TW are 4X
- Explore => Yes for HOMM3, that's the maybe for TW
- Expand => Yes
- Exploit => Yes, though weak
- Exterminate => Yes

Nah TW is more akin to grand strategy than 4x.

4x games usually allow you to found your own colonies, which you can't do in TW. Also resource exploitation isn't that advanced in them either.
 

ValeVelKal

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Where to start with 4X Genre:
I have ($60) in steam money, and I have the choice of (at least that I know of):
  • Hearts of Iron 2-4
  • HoMM 3 (HD Edition)/5-7
  • Crusader Kings 2
  • Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition/Age of Empires 3 Complete edition.
  • Total Warhammer II/I
Please let me know of good starting points, or other games.

Not a single one of these games is a 4x
I would say that HOMM3 and MAYBE TW are 4X
- Explore => Yes for HOMM3, that's the maybe for TW
- Expand => Yes
- Exploit => Yes, though weak
- Exterminate => Yes

Nah TW is more akin to grand strategy than 4x.

4x games usually allow you to found your own colonies, which you can't do in TW. Also resource exploitation isn't that advanced in them either.
Point taken. So AOW is 4X and HOMM is not, with each of them being at the border :)
 

flyingjohn

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Sword of the stars 1 mods and stuff:

Link to steam guide containing most recommended mods(thanks to Xamenos)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=483178120

Forum recommended mods that work with the 1.8.0:
Affecting gameplay (in alphabetical order)
- ACM
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6835
- Bastard Sword of the Stars
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=58122
Here is a link for the modified mod with some fixes:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/9p219icubl5pk18/B*st*rd_Sword_of_the_Stars_4.0.2_REDHELLION.7z/file
- Combined Mod
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=21763&hilit=combined
- Grand Campaign mod
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=34012
- Phoenix Mod
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6945
- Weapons Liberation Mod
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=34808

Future mods
- TCM
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=57976&start=45
https://discord.com/channels/309811598606991362/737750736628219924

Visual enhancement mods (these should work even with previous SotS versions and some of these are included into one or
more of the previous mods)
- SkyBoxMod (high res skysphere images)
- Shield Candy (high res shield bubbles)
- RaceMod (high res vanilla textures)
- PlanetMod (new high res planet textures)
- Eye Candy mod series (beta)

Patch
- 4 GB patch (increases the limit of total memory in a x86 based program to 4 GB)
https://ntcore.com/?page_id=371

Some mods that look interesting:
-Gameplay:
Blue Templar balance(guy that made weapon liberation mod)
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=56443#p553416

Sword of the stars 2:

-Gameplay
Reforged:
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=54589
Extended campaign mod:
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=37074
Pocket leviathan
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=52246
remastered:
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=54315

-Technical fixes
Save our sots:
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=58002
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14u-3hg5HDwbyTlYcaiSIzk1ojVu-Zrhb

-Graphics
32 millions colors for ships
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=43570
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1c18gLwP9KPtHPJCPCsfnRlJ7dWxdfDgD

Unfinished mods:
-Project Hiver
http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=36327
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Dxjl5h8EWUDwUJjdXKHfY-hbpN46xYty

Rec mods are:Reforged and Leviathan.
 

Arrowgrab

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Jan 20, 2016
Messages
603
Sword of the stars 1 mods and stuff:

[...]


Sword of the stars 2:

While you're on topic, are there any mods that you personally recommend above the others, and why?

And also, is SotS 2 good now? As I recall, there was a great outcry about how broken and unplayable it was when it came out. What's the deal today?
 

AgentFransis

Cipher
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Joined
Jun 4, 2014
Messages
979
Sword of the stars 1 mods and stuff:

[...]


Sword of the stars 2:

While you're on topic, are there any mods that you personally recommend above the others, and why?

And also, is SotS 2 good now? As I recall, there was a great outcry about how broken and unplayable it was when it came out. What's the deal today?
It's playable, sort of. The UI is shit but you get used to it. The AI is retarded. I had fun exploring all the great systems and combat model but I have no desire to play anymore since there's no challenge once you know what you're doing.
 

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