Master of Orion-Reboot

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:55 am

Wow, I'm pretty impressed. I figured that EA for this title was more for minor tweaks and was more of a marketing ploy rather than a real tool for significant feedback. Instead it sounds like they are really listening to people. Now they are not going to make a major change like going from RT to TB for combat (which some people really want), but otherwise, sounds like they are doing their best to really listen and react.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:24 am

If they can strike a balance between following their development roadmap and gleaning useful feedback from the EA playerbase to make necessary adjustments, I think this will end up as a decent game. It is never going to be super-deep like Stellaris is likely to be, but I think there is room in the market for a faster-playing 4X more toward the beer-and-pretzels end of the complexity spectrum.

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 2:56 pm

First big patch is due out tomorrow:

Here’s what was already planned and will be going live with the patch:
Three new races: Klackon, Meklar and Terran Khanate
New victory condition: Technological
New feature: Custom Races
New operating system: Mac OS X
New language support for text localization: German, French, Polish, Czech, Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Japanese
That would be a pretty awesome patch on its own, but it doesn’t address most of the core concerns you’ve had. We’re also making a lot of changes that are entirely driven by your feedback. Here are some of the highlights; we’ll have the full patch notes available tomorrow along with the release:

Game Setup
Difficulty settings have been expanded from Average to: Easy, Normal, Hard and Very Hard
Galaxy generation has been altered so that biomes, richness and gravity are more consistent with the star systems they are found in (i.e. Red, Orange, Yellow stars, etc.)

Balance
Initial pass on race traits to improve diversity; this will be ongoing for the remainder of Early Access
Tech tree progression has been adjusted, particularly for technologies in the mid and late game; on average it should take longer to progress through the tech tree

AI
Significant improvements to AI behavior, particularly when it comes to diplomacy, colony management and expansion
AI now does a better job utilizing ship upgrades—not just hulls, but systems and weapons as well

Ship Design
Blueprint upgrade logic has been improved and will receive further improvements in future patches
Ships will no longer be scrapped if you decide to scrap a blueprint

Colony Management
A structures list has been introduced that includes by-type filters (i.e. Food, Research, Production, etc.); this list can be accessed by clicking the “View” button to the right of Manage Structures
Auto-build logic has been improved

Tactical Combat
An option to start battles paused has been added to the Gameplay section of Options
An option to disable AI by default has been added to the Gameplay section of Options
An option to start battles in the Cinematic camera mode has been added to the Gameplay section of Options
We’ve improved the design of the pre-combat UI
We’ve changed the names of the combat buttons in pre-combat to:
Tactical -> Take Command
Simulate -> Auto-Resolve
A ship speed slider has been added, allowing you to adjust the speeds (in percentage) for ships
A “match speed” button has been added that when selected will match the speeds of all of your ships
A range-to-target slider has been added that will allow you to specify minimum and maximum ranges for your ships’ weapons; no more in-your-face combat unless you want that
A retreat button has been added; ships must reach the edge of the map and then spend a few seconds warping out before they can retreat successfully
Formation bonuses have been introduced that provide unique bonuses based on the formation(s) your ships are flying in

Invasions/Bombardment
We’ve added a visual display for marines in the pre-invasion UI
It is now possible to specify the number of troop transports you want to commit to an invasion

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 5:09 pm

Espionage overview (coming in the next development phase).

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 5:41 pm

Max Peck wrote:Espionage overview (coming in the next development phase).

Sweet! I've been holding off playing for espionage to get added.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Apr 22, 2016 4:32 pm

Independent Planets Overview

When exploring during the next phase of Early Access, you might discover that not all worlds are inhabited by species looking to take command of the galaxy for their own desires. In some cases you will come across a new feature being introduced to Master of Orion: Independent Planets.

Independent Planets (IP) are non-spacefaring, non-fleet building races that can be discovered as you explore the galaxy. When encountered they tend to be located on desirable worlds but the player must make the decision to invade or work to make them an ally over time. Making an IP into an ally can bring long term benefits that far exceed conquering the planet itself.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Apr 22, 2016 7:16 pm

Version 43.4 Patch Notes (Early Access 3)

Highlights:
New playable races: Silicoid and Darlok

Espionage: Train spies and assign them to offensive and defensive missions

Minor Civilizations: interact with non-starfaring races to gain rewards, including influencing your diplomatic and economic victory paths

New Victory condition: Fill your coffers and claim economic supremacy by controlling the Galactic Monetary Fund

Weapon Miniaturization: Improve your legacy weapons by making them smaller and cheaper

Support for Linux and SteamOS

New galaxy size: HUGE

More AI improvements

Improved Multiplayer

Improved Tactical Battles

Improved overall balance: Better suited for both tall and wide empires and with a smoother progression in the late game

Improved performance (faster turn processing and less hickups when zooming in and out of the galaxy)

New and improved GNN gags

By popular demand, we added the option to mute your advisors while still retaining other voiceover audio

Over 400 bug fixes

Economic Victory Primer

As we roll into a new phase of Early Access, we’re releasing a new victory condition: Economic. This is easily the most complex victory condition in the game, so we wanted to make sure to provide an explanation to how you achieve it.

That said, it’s also a fun new way to approach the game for players that enjoy building large, sprawling empires (not just wide, tall is probably more important here) and aren’t as interested in combat or diplomacy. The new minor civilizations feature works quite nicely when taking this path, as some of them will periodically gift research and credits, and once ally, will contribute their GDP (more on that below) to yours.

When you first hear “economic” you might think that piles of BC are the key to success. While they do help, that is not the only thing you will need to focus on to accomplish economic dominance.

There are three prerequisites that must be met before being deemed winner by economic victory:

The Interstellar Stock Exchange must have been active for at least 10 turns

You must control at least 50% of the active shares in the Galactic Monetary Fund

You must control at least 50% of the Galactic Gross Domestic Product for 10 turns

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Fri Apr 22, 2016 7:18 pm

Is this a buy yet?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Fri Apr 22, 2016 9:50 pm

This is starting to look surprisingly good.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:34 am

Kraken wrote:This is starting to look surprisingly good.

Are you playing the beta or is your opinion based on reading comments? Or videos?

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:54 am

GreenGoo wrote:
Kraken wrote:This is starting to look surprisingly good.
Are you playing the beta or is your opinion based on reading comments? Or videos?

Based purely on dipping into this thread. I was among the skeptics at first, but the last several posts have piqued my interest. I don't buy early access or betas, though, so I'll patiently wait until it's done.

Biyobi · Post by **Biyobi** » Sat Apr 23, 2016 6:21 pm

Kraken wrote:
GreenGoo wrote:
Kraken wrote:This is starting to look surprisingly good.
Are you playing the beta or is your opinion based on reading comments? Or videos?
Based purely on dipping into this thread. I was among the skeptics at first, but the last several posts have piqued my interest. I don't buy early access or betas, though, so I'll patiently wait until it's done.

+1

I've watched a bit of gameplay on youtube and I'm liking what I've seen so far. I will wait for the complete package though.

KDH · Post by **KDH** » Sun Apr 24, 2016 8:19 pm

slightly off-topic

GOG has an article on reclaiming your BOXED retail copies of the original \ previous games ---> HERE

the gist:

Reclaim your Game: Master of Orion 1, 2 & 3
Are you one of the lucky people who still own a boxed version of Master of Orion 1, 2, or 3? Do you ever get the craving to revisit those legendary classics that made gaming history? Of course you do. And now you can, just by following these steps:

1. Write down your GOG.com registration email on a piece of paper

2. Take a photo of the game box and/or the CDs together with the email address. Please note that the game and your GOG.com registration email need to be clearly visible in the picture.

3. Send the photo to ...

Owners of the boxed versions of Master of Orion 1, 2, or both, will receive Master of Orion 1+2. Owners of the boxed version of Master of Orion 3 will get Master of Orion 3.

Keep in mind that after you send the email it might take up to a week to complete the process, so please be patient. For any problems, feel free to contact our support team.

Enjoy the wonderful digital counterparts of those boxed Master of Orion copies you've been keeping around for all these years and be sure to try the new, constantly updated Master of Orion to witness another classic in the making.

... and now back to our regularly scheduled programming

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:05 pm

KDH wrote:Owners of the boxed version of Master of Orion 3 will get Master of Orion 3.

What a horrible threat. It's not enough that you already have that miserable piece of crap, they are going double-down for you?

Scoop20906 · Post by **Scoop20906** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 12:07 pm

Yeah, that can't be a very long list of people. I'm sure I threw my copy into a volcano.

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Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Apr 26, 2016 6:27 pm

I just noticed that the technology victory requires that you build the following facilities:

Transponder Control Plant;
Hyperplanar Transfer Tracking Premises; and
Ultraplanar Dimorphic Prospector.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Wed Apr 27, 2016 2:58 am

Max Peck wrote:I just noticed that the technology victory requires that you build the following facilities:
Transponder Control Plant;

Hyperplanar Transfer Tracking Premises; and

Ultraplanar Dimorphic Prospector.

That's awesome!

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 11:34 pm

Jeff V wrote:
KDH wrote:Owners of the boxed version of Master of Orion 3 will get Master of Orion 3.
What a horrible threat. It's not enough that you already have that miserable piece of crap, they are going double-down for you?

One GOGer was definitely traumatized by the offer:

Erfinverse wrote:Well then.. isn't this situation just akin to repeatedly stabbing all my orifices - and all those extra orifices that didn't previously exist - with a futuristic high-tech iron maiden containing 15-inch tungsten carbide nails that have been heated to 2000 °C, with an automatic wireless-enabled door, blasting Meshuggah - Bleed from state-of-the-art direct skull-contact speakers that force you to hear the music at a painful volume even when your eardrums have already been thoroughly perforated and charred? Well... no, actually the complete opposite of it. This is actually just slow death due to plain old no-tech boredom that never stops.

Why? Why would I say that?

Because.
I.
only.
have.
... the irredeemable TURD of the MoO series left in my possession.

It's not even an exciting turd. It's not particularly dangerous or infectious turd, not something that would get you on edge or make you jump and get really disgusted and afraid, like following a trail of droppings from an animal that look.. very wrong and then finding a raccoon with full-blown rabies at the end of that trail. THAT would make things fairly exciting in a hurry. But this turd, it doesn't even have any funny pareidolia no matter what angle you look at it. At most you can see a bland trollface from some angle. As a matter of fact, I'm sure there's a trollface somewhere in it, but even that is a particularly bored one. It's just... there, half-decomposed already, not even smelling like anything anymore. Even the bacteria in it left and died due to boredom.

Indeed, Master of Orion 3: the turd. The game that makes spreadsheets, e-mail programs and the most boring observe-the-paint-as-it-dries jobs look heart-poundingly exciting and interesting in comparison. It's staring me down with disinterest from that shelf. It just couldn't possibly be Master of Orion 2 instead, that almost perfect game I once had, lost ages ago somewhere in another galaxy. Noooo, the turd is the one I actually have with all of those retail materials intact and in fairly good condition too, because it's not like it has seen a lot of use! The turd, that throbbing remnant scab of un-fucking-believably retarded naivety on my part that I kept as a warning to myself of the worst money I have ever spent on anything, after having been fanboyishly brainwashed into believing that it's going to be good "'cause it's Master of Orion 3, it just can't be bad!" Paid full price for it at the time, of course. The damage done has spread far beyond the wallet.. still slowly and very boringly though.

Sigh. Can't I just photograph that "game" and get the second- No. NO, AAAAH, what am I even suggesting! Out of the question to even think that. That would be something that even a staunch non-believer of anything would consider heresy, blasphemy and treason of the highest order!

Well, this is what I kept it for I suppose, a torturous reminder telling me "never again". And speaking of lucky, aren't I just that. Hopefully you can see the dark humor in this, darker than a black hole with a Schwarzschild radius larger than the local group of galaxies. I can laugh at that. NO OTHER CHOICE. AAAHAHAHAHA, HHAHAHA, HAHHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!?!?!

...and thanks for the heads-up, KDH.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed May 25, 2016 7:04 pm

Early Access Phase IV hits the ground.
Overview:

Spoiler:

V44.4Patch notes

Grifman · Post by **Grifman** » Wed May 25, 2016 8:53 pm

Uh, did you mean to use the quote tags instead of the spoiler tags?

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed May 25, 2016 9:13 pm

Grifman wrote:Uh, did you mean to use the quote tags instead of the spoiler tags?

Nope, that is a big ol' bunch of fugly text that I was too lazy to format properly, so I just spoilered it so that it doesn't bloat out the post so much.

Although, it could happen that someone really wants to be surprised by Phase IV, in which case I was being super considerate.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Fri May 27, 2016 6:25 am

Dumb question but how do you build ground forces? I have a barracks but can't find a menu selection anywhere.

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:27 am

tgb wrote:Dumb question but how do you build ground forces? I have a barracks but can't find a menu selection anywhere.

IIRC Once you have a barracks, troops will slowly build up on the planet over time (similar to MOO2).

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Fri May 27, 2016 10:43 am

Sepiche wrote:
tgb wrote:Dumb question but how do you build ground forces? I have a barracks but can't find a menu selection anywhere.
IIRC Once you have a barracks, troops will slowly build up on the planet over time (similar to MOO2).

And stardrive 2 (which is a nearly identical mooII clone except for combat).

But that was only for defense. You could build as many troop transports as your production allowed, and they were all filled with ground troops.

DD* · Post by DD* » Mon Aug 22, 2016 8:09 am

Release date announced: August 25th

Now you boys get on those impressions so I can rationalize this purchase, which I have absolutely no business doing at this point...

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 10:31 am

I...I thought this game was out already.

IceBear · Post by **IceBear** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:10 pm

GreenGoo wrote:I...I thought this game was out already.

It was in Early Access. They were supposedly going to take feedback from the EA and improve the game. I guess that's what the question is...is it better now and worth spending money on with all the other similar games

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:36 pm

Will it replace my addiction to Stellaris failure?

Some who's eventually played both let me know where I should stand, please.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:58 pm

WHO WILL TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM???

I've been holding off on GC3 until it's finished (because nobody's been able to explain why it's better than GC2, which I still play). NewMOO could preempt that decision because tactical combat.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 4:27 pm

What was the buzz like during early access?

ColdSteel · Post by **ColdSteel** » Mon Aug 22, 2016 4:42 pm

El Guapo wrote:What was the buzz like during early access?

Kind of 'meh'. High production values but kind of lacking in some important areas (like tactical combat). The overall AI was also criticized.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Tue Aug 23, 2016 8:09 am

Kraken wrote:WHO WILL TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM???

I've been holding off on GC3 until it's finished (because nobody's been able to explain why it's better than GC2, which I still play).

It's like you're passing on a good double-IPA because you have some Miller Lite in the fridge. GC3 is richer game -- more variety, more things in the game, a richer experience.

The timing on MOO just isn't working in its favor. I'm still enjoying GC3, and Civ 6 will be out soon. IF it's favorably reviewed, then I'll probably pick it up on the cheap some day, where it can languish in my Steam library with all of the other games similarly purchased and gone unplayed.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:29 am

I bought it a couple of months back on sale and have been checking in on the progress from time to time. At this point from what I've seen I'd call it an above-average space 4X game. I would rather they had stayed with MOO-like combat, and minor races have to be patched in at some point, but if you can find it for $30 or less and you enjoy the genre, it's worth it, imo.

That said, I have to fault the developers for the most deceptive launch-day trailer ever.

I get that pre-Alpha previews often diverge wildly from the final product, but I have never seen a launch trailer that worked so hard to convince people the game is something it isn't.

Shamefoo dispray!

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 10:36 am

tgb wrote:I bought it a couple of months back on sale and have been checking in on the progress from time to time. At this point from what I've seen I'd call it an above-average space 4X game. I would rather they had stayed with MOO-like combat, and minor races have to be patched in at some point, but if you can find it for $30 or less and you enjoy the genre, it's worth it, imo.

Yeah, that's pretty much my opinion. It's a good game with some great production values that hopefully get some more updates to make it better. I don't even mind the new real time combat, although last time I played it was still needing some balancing.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 1:43 pm

Sepiche wrote:I don't even mind the new real time combat

Real time combat? That's a deal-breaker right there. My son has a tendency to rush into my office grab my arm and pull until I get up -- sometimes I can't even manage to hit the "turn" button to advance to the next turn as I get pulled away for an indeterminate span of time. Real time anything requires undivided attention, and those days have long passed.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:36 pm

Jeff V wrote:
Sepiche wrote:I don't even mind the new real time combat
Real time combat? That's a deal-breaker right there. My son has a tendency to rush into my office grab my arm and pull until I get up -- sometimes I can't even manage to hit the "turn" button to advance to the next turn as I get pulled away for an indeterminate span of time. Real time anything requires undivided attention, and those days have long passed.

My son Guinness does the same thing, except he pokes me in the back with his nose.

GreenGoo · Post by **GreenGoo** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:46 pm

If only someone would invent some sort of interface option that allows for breaks in play.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:58 pm

tgb wrote:but if you can find it for $30 or less and you enjoy the genre, it's worth it, imo.

That's the actual price for just the game, without the CE add-ons, isn't it? It's showing up as CAD$32.99, so I'd guess it can't be more than USD$30.

tgb · Post by **tgb** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 3:26 pm

I guess that is the release price. I think I paid $20 during the Summer sale for the Deluxe edition, which came with 1, 2, and 3.

For those who care about such things, Steam reviews are a little on the harsh side.

Ouch.

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Thu Aug 25, 2016 4:02 pm

tgb wrote:For those who care about such things, Steam reviews are a little on the harsh side.

Meh. It's 3 - 1 good reviews at the moment, and if you ignore the reviews that rate it down despite playing for hundreds of hours and the ones that are just upset the combat isn't turn based it's pretty positive.

Seems like the most common legit complaints are still combat balance and some bugs, but on the whole seems like lots of positive reviews.