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Questions - 2/14/2010 11:09:45 AM

Hetulik

Posts: 51
Joined: 8/3/2009
Status: offline

I have a few questions which I don't believe were covered in the other forum postings. My apologies if they have been asked before.

1) I like the aspect of the galaxy having a backstory. I saw mention to secrets and a troubled history for the galaxy. From the standpoint of replayability - once the galaxies secrets have been discovered in the first few games how replayable will the game be? Is there some randomness involved in the backstory, which will aid replayability?

2) I'm curious if there is any variation in the quality of planets? For example lets take "continential planets: are all "continental" planets the same except for having different resources? Or are there different sizes or different habitabilities for continential planets?

3) I saw a reference to resource rarity. I definitely think this is a good thing. Having a number of rare resources will make the exploration aspect more interesting, and will definitely foster conflict. Extreme rarity of some resources and limited number of high-quality habitable planets is a good thing in my mind. Is this the case in Distant Worlds? Also, are there any options when customizing a galaxy that can affect resource rarity?

4) Do ships just cost credits to build, or do they require resources as well?

I'm very impressed with what i've seen and read thus far and greatly look forward to the game being released.

Thanks and regards,
Hetulik

< Message edited by Hetulik -- 2/14/2010 2:57:59 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: Questions - 2/14/2010 8:22:47 PM

elliotg

Posts: 3597
Joined: 9/10/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Hetulik
1) I like the aspect of the galaxy having a backstory. I saw mention to secrets and a troubled history for the galaxy. From the standpoint of replayability - once the galaxies secrets have been discovered in the first few games how replayable will the game be? Is there some randomness involved in the backstory, which will aid replayability?

The backstory is completely optional, you don't have to follow it. It simply explains the background of some of the game elements. The replayability of the game is in the uniquely generated galaxies, not the backstory. The backstory does change with each game, in that the location of discoverable items is different in each galaxy.

quote:

2) I'm curious if there is any variation in the quality of planets? For example lets take "continential planets: are all "continental" planets the same except for having different resources? Or are there different sizes or different habitabilities for continential planets?

Each planet and moon has a size, so that is another factor in the maximum population it will hold - larger planets and moons hold more people and thus can produce more tax income for your empire.

quote:

3) I saw a reference to resource rarity. I definitely think this is a good thing. Having a number of rare resources will make the exploration aspect more interesting, and will definitely foster conflict. Extreme rarity of some resources and limited number of high-quality habitable planets is a good thing in my mind. Is this the case in Distant Worlds? Also, are there any options when customizing a galaxy that can affect resource rarity?

Yes, each resource has a typical prevalence - some resources are fairly common, others are rarer. Some resources are extremely rare and can be monopolized, turning trade of these valuable resources on or off for each empire.

quote:

4) Do ships just cost credits to build, or do they require resources as well?

Yes, ships and bases have a purchase cost, but also require specific resources to build the components that make up their design. The purchase cost is basically to buy the resources required to build the ship, and is determined by the current galaxy-wide price of these resources.

(in reply to Hetulik)

Post #: 2

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 4:18:05 AM

Footslogger

Posts: 1232
Joined: 10/9/2008
From: Washington USA
Status: offline

Will there be any Planetary sheilds? Will there be any Biological weapons?

(in reply to elliotg)

Post #: 3

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 5:17:02 AM

Hetulik

Posts: 51
Joined: 8/3/2009
Status: offline

Sounds great, thanks for the quick and detailed response elliotg.

Regards,
Hetulik

(in reply to Footslogger)

Post #: 4

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:16:56 AM

CV Zuikaku

Posts: 442
Joined: 12/18/2008
From: Legrad, Croatia
Status: offline

There's just one thing I've missed in earlier answers. There are no carriers. But are there small fighters? Cheap to build and usefull in great numbers...

(in reply to elliotg)

Post #: 5

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 2:48:34 PM

ypsylon

Posts: 114
Joined: 7/15/2007
Status: offline

No carriers. It was answered already in different thread. There are also no plans to add them, but who knows if we beg Devs long enough and deliver enough of beer. There is always a hope!

Anyway, questions above and playing Supreme Ruler 2020 forged another question about DW.

Are these very rare minerals/resources/substances needed at some stage to build ships/facilities/etc or can you survive just fine without them?

My question is based on SR2020 game-play. Uranium is pretty rare on Earth and always in demand (and ridiculously expensive most of the time even if you are superpower with tons of cash). If you playing nation without Uranium source inside your borders you are pretty much screwed in case of war. And because of that first thing I do if when playing such country is to replace all Nuclear based power plants/units with conventional power plants/units. All uranium lying in stock waiting only for nuclear warheads deployment.

(in reply to CV Zuikaku)

Post #: 6

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 5:42:09 PM

Sarissofoi

Posts: 329
Joined: 2/1/2010
Status: offline

No carriers. Uch-ach.
Carriers are always fun.
No carriers. That mean no assalut shutles, no fighters, no strike wings. Uch-ach*2.
Fighters are even moar fun than carriers.
But we can survive this.
Actualy what bothers me it is lack of crew experience and lack of admiral(capitans)/governors characters.
THAT will be fun.
Imagine that any system or region have named governor with characteristic and character. If it is wealthy populated region you can add him some advisors to help him take care of things. Remote regions can be used to send not wanted characters some far away from place of powers. Imagine that all of them have their own agenda and political sympaties. Imagine that in political systems that you as ruler dont have full control on your empire- governors are chosen autonousmy by planet or by parlament or senat.
Imagine all that political plots and fight within empire or federation.
Imagine that all ships have named caqpitan and fleet admiral with his own traits and history. Imagine that you can take interest in some young captian as he done something heroic and observe(or somethimes push him up) his carier.
That will be awesome.
Yeah, sure whatewer.
Stop dreaming.
Uch-och.
Something like that propably need to be some cross breed with some of old KOEI games like Chyngis Khan or Romancee of Three Kingdoms but in space. Mixed with EU3. In space. And Master of Orion. Obviusly in space. And Starship Unlimited. Yeah you guess right - in space.
Ok. Ok.
Backing to real world from the world of dreams and fantasy.

About resource. Most of them are propably easy to mine or aquire. Rest - propably can boost your planet ability or can unlock some special ship components. They propably very are worthy to have but if you dont have it you can still manage to do it all right.

BTW My friend asking about planets and moons?
If all planets and moons are colonizable? I mean with fully colony.
Or some objects are only limited to mining/fuel/military outpost facility?

_____________________________

(in reply to ypsylon)

Post #: 7

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:08:41 PM

Erik Rutins

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline

Some good expansion ideas here.

DW is already quite immersive, but there's always room for improvement.

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC

For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to Sarissofoi)

Post #: 8

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:16:46 PM

Tycow

Posts: 284
Joined: 7/3/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

Some good expansion ideas here.

Indeed there are! However, to facilitate expansions, we require DW. Any new information coming our way regarding it?

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 9

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:20:10 PM

Deto

Posts: 105
Joined: 2/15/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

No carriers. Uch-ach.
Carriers are always fun.
No carriers. That mean no assalut shutles, no fighters, no strike wings. Uch-ach*2.
Fighters are even moar fun than carriers.
But we can survive this.
Actualy what bothers me it is lack of crew experience and lack of admiral(capitans)/governors characters.
THAT will be fun.
Imagine that any system or region have named governor with characteristic and character. If it is wealthy populated region you can add him some advisors to help him take care of things. Remote regions can be used to send not wanted characters some far away from place of powers. Imagine that all of them have their own agenda and political sympaties. Imagine that in political systems that you as ruler dont have full control on your empire- governors are chosen autonousmy by planet or by parlament or senat.
Imagine all that political plots and fight within empire or federation.
Imagine that all ships have named caqpitan and fleet admiral with his own traits and history. Imagine that you can take interest in some young captian as he done something heroic and observe(or somethimes push him up) his carier.
That will be awesome.
Yeah, sure whatewer.
Stop dreaming.
Uch-och.
Something like that propably need to be some cross breed with some of old KOEI games like Chyngis Khan or Romancee of Three Kingdoms but in space. Mixed with EU3. In space. And Master of Orion. Obviusly in space. And Starship Unlimited. Yeah you guess right - in space.
Ok. Ok.
Backing to real world from the world of dreams and fantasy.

About resource. Most of them are propably easy to mine or aquire. Rest - propably can boost your planet ability or can unlock some special ship components. They propably very are worthy to have but if you dont have it you can still manage to do it all right.

BTW My friend asking about planets and moons?
If all planets and moons are colonizable? I mean with fully colony.
Or some objects are only limited to mining/fuel/military outpost facility?

Oh I just had to register to reply.

When I first heard and read about the Distant Worlds I thought of actual corporations. As in you couldn't control the 'population' itself, but you could create your own corporations/companies/etc in game that would handle things you either suggest to them or force them to handle. Of course depending on how you play yourself. Dictator could force for example uranium mining to be handled only by corporation X and outlaw any other corporation from uranium mining at penalty of death. You could donate funding or materials to the corporation, or even ships, but your control wouldn't be much more. You could of course forcefully disband corporation but it would have penalties (morale? Public opinion?) depending on the corporations standing.

You could of course watch them live their lives and grow depending on what they're allowed to do and what they can do, like in real life :) And there would be statistics etc influence maps you could view and see how your favourite corporation fares, what kind of resources they have and where they're most active and who's their competitors.

But you get the point :)

I guess the wording 'Private Enterprise' in features list invoked this pre-emptive thought so to say.. Before I read the feature itself of course :D Always wanted this from space operas, but haven't really seen much :<

(in reply to Sarissofoi)

Post #: 10

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:20:56 PM

ASHBERY76

Posts: 2136
Joined: 10/10/2001
From: England
Status: offline

Carriers and fighters in 4X space games are always poorly done.Fighters end up Kamakazi pilots who always get killed.You either base of the game on carrier warfare which dominate space or do not have them at all.

I am happy the game is about battleships.

_____________________________

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 11

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 7:34:48 PM

dingbat911

Posts: 35
Joined: 2/2/2010
Status: offline

EP! lets get the game out first Eric, lest you cause the immediate outpour from hundreds of impatient gamers and terrorise code force!

I have to admit I would love more RTS games to take the approach of ROTK (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) approach with generals, and give them a bit more than statistics, bonuses and abilities. it makes the war have a lot more depth and value and makes the things going on a lot more connected to the player then 'SIDE A BEATS SIDE B - ALL ROBOT GENERALS DEACTIVATE!'.

I am currently playing one in ROTK X where my in-game son is a general in the enemy army thanks to circumstance! which triggers off a small dicussion at the start of a battle they are both involved in of them apologising to each other for what they are about to do for duty. it also adjusts gives morale penalty as well as it effecting how much motivation each force has to fight each other! a general who doesn't want to fight makes the troops somewhat less willed as well...

TBH though that mainly works thanks to the RTS/RPG merging that ROTK X does so brilliantly, as focusing on the ruler as a character rather than a figurehead means that the intermingling of relation takes a pride of place in the game, as you have to generally deal with the officer as your ruler to help get things done, not just order him off on a menu screen that would disillusion the connections.

I do thing a slightly improved idea of the total war series system for generals with a bit more focus on the characters life than his skills would be a good feature to implement in the future for DW, as I think that system would fit in much easier and better than the ROTK system.

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 12

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 8:13:52 PM

drillerman

Posts: 455
Joined: 2/11/2010
From: Blighty
Status: offline

I have just been watching a video and have a question. I don't think it has been answered before.
It looks like the planets are moving, so I assume the planets move around the sun and the moons etc. move around the planets. Is this correct?

(in reply to Hetulik)

Post #: 13

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 8:56:21 PM

Tycow

Posts: 284
Joined: 7/3/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: drillerman

I have just been watching a video and have a question. I don't think it has been answered before.
It looks like the planets are moving, so I assume the planets move around the sun and the moons etc. move around the planets. Is this correct?

Good question, but it has been answered (don't blame you for not seeing it, there's a lot of info on this forum!)

Elliot has confirmed that planets and moons move around in their respective orbits. :-)

(in reply to drillerman)

Post #: 14

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 9:04:13 PM

Footslogger

Posts: 1232
Joined: 10/9/2008
From: Washington USA
Status: offline

Will there be any pulsars, black holes and worm holes?

(in reply to Tycow)

Post #: 15

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 10:02:05 PM

Erik Rutins

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline

Another video should be out this week and we are moving as fast as we can in other respects to wrap things up and get DW out to you all, but everything also has to be done right, not just fast. Hang in there, folks, we are very close and getting closer.

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC

For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to Footslogger)

Post #: 16

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 10:21:03 PM

dingbat911

Posts: 35
Joined: 2/2/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins
Another video should be out this week and we are moving as fast as we can in other respects to wrap things up and get DW out to you all, but everything also has to be done right, not just fast. Hang in there, folks, we are very close and getting closer.

NEW VIDEO O.O

though this destroys my sweepstake date....

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 17

RE: Questions - 2/15/2010 10:42:11 PM

Webbco

Posts: 682
Joined: 2/6/2010
Status: offline

That little bit of news is sheer liquid wonderment to my ears.

(in reply to dingbat911)

Post #: 18

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 1:08:10 AM

elliotg

Posts: 3597
Joined: 9/10/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi
Actualy what bothers me it is lack of crew experience and lack of admiral(capitans)/governors characters.
THAT will be fun.
Imagine that any system or region have named governor with characteristic and character. If it is wealthy populated region you can add him some advisors to help him take care of things. Remote regions can be used to send not wanted characters some far away from place of powers. Imagine that all of them have their own agenda and political sympaties. Imagine that in political systems that you as ruler dont have full control on your empire- governors are chosen autonousmy by planet or by parlament or senat.
Imagine all that political plots and fight within empire or federation.
Imagine that all ships have named caqpitan and fleet admiral with his own traits and history. Imagine that you can take interest in some young captian as he done something heroic and observe(or somethimes push him up) his carier.
That will be awesome.
Yeah, sure whatewer.
Stop dreaming.
Uch-och.
Something like that propably need to be some cross breed with some of old KOEI games like Chyngis Khan or Romancee of Three Kingdoms but in space. Mixed with EU3. In space. And Master of Orion. Obviusly in space. And Starship Unlimited. Yeah you guess right - in space.
Ok. Ok.
Backing to real world from the world of dreams and fantasy.

Those are some great ideas Sarissofoi! I'll add them to my list, though it's a pretty long list already

I would really like to head in the direction of having individual characters like ship captains, planetary governors, etc. But I think it needs a bit of work to do properly, so hopefully in the future...

quote:

BTW My friend asking about planets and moons?
If all planets and moons are colonizable? I mean with fully colony.
Or some objects are only limited to mining/fuel/military outpost facility?

You can progressively colonize more planet types as your tech level increases, starting with hospitable types and moving towards less hospitable types. But there are some types that can never be colonized, e.g. barren rock planets and moons.

However, you can build bases at any location, even in deep space.

(in reply to Sarissofoi)

Post #: 19

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 1:11:25 AM

elliotg

Posts: 3597
Joined: 9/10/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ypsylon
Are these very rare minerals/resources/substances needed at some stage to build ships/facilities/etc or can you survive just fine without them?

Higher tech components require resources that are somewhat rarer than others, but you should usually find those resources ok.

The super-rare resources are actually luxury resources that raise colony development, not strategic resources used for building things. Controlling the supply of these resources is a big bonus.

(in reply to ypsylon)

Post #: 20

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 3:14:52 AM

Hetulik

Posts: 51
Joined: 8/3/2009
Status: offline

Question: How does the research system work? Is it like Civilization where you research one technology at a time, or is it like games where you assign research points to multiple different areas in with various amounts/priorities and after awhile the technologies gets researched?

(in reply to elliotg)

Post #: 21

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 8:04:40 AM

ypsylon

Posts: 114
Joined: 7/15/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: elliotg

quote:

ORIGINAL: ypsylon
Are these very rare minerals/resources/substances needed at some stage to build ships/facilities/etc or can you survive just fine without them?

Higher tech components require resources that are somewhat rarer than others, but you should usually find those resources ok.

Great. I was hoping for that.

BTW: While carriers are interesting, and I would gladly welcome CVs, nothing works better than a huge & glorious battleship. To quote Orks from Warhammer 40K: Big IS best! And I wholeheartedly I agree with that - there is no such thing as too small battleship!

Lets have some of that:

(in reply to elliotg)

Post #: 22

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 12:48:59 PM

Gertjan

Posts: 698
Joined: 12/9/2009
Status: offline

Wow a new video, can we already know the focus of the video?

(in reply to ypsylon)

Post #: 23

RE: Questions - 2/16/2010 2:15:26 PM

Tycow

Posts: 284
Joined: 7/3/2004
Status: offline

DW is the only game I'm looking forward to in the near future for the PC. It's even killed my wanting of the new AVP game!

/chants "roll on release day" continuously

(in reply to Gertjan)

Post #: 24

RE: Questions - 2/17/2010 1:43:18 AM

Erik Rutins

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline

The subject of the new video is "Expansion" and it should be released tonight, with any luck.

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC

For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to Tycow)

Post #: 25

RE: Questions - 2/17/2010 1:45:07 AM

dingbat911

Posts: 35
Joined: 2/2/2010
Status: offline

Tis out Erik!

Beat you guys to it! Do I get a prize?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

The subject of the new video is "Expansion" and it should be released tonight, with any luck.

(in reply to Erik Rutins)

Post #: 26

RE: Questions - 2/18/2010 8:06:10 PM

ASHBERY76

Posts: 2136
Joined: 10/10/2001
From: England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

No carriers. Uch-ach.
Carriers are always fun.
THAT will be fun.
Imagine that any system or region have named governor with characteristic and character. If it is wealthy populated region you can add him some advisors to help him take care of things. Remote regions can be used to send not wanted characters some far away from place of powers. Imagine that all of them have their own agenda and political sympaties. Imagine that in political systems that you as ruler dont have full control on your empire- governors are chosen autonousmy by planet or by parlament or senat.
Imagine all that political plots and fight within empire or federation.

I take it you played the leaked MOO3 demo.It had a full system of characters from planetary,system,diplomatic,military and each character had an agenda,ethos,ect before it was cut out of the full version before release.I would love a system like this.

_____________________________

(in reply to Sarissofoi)

Post #: 27

RE: Questions - 2/18/2010 9:14:55 PM

Sarissofoi

Posts: 329
Joined: 2/1/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi

No carriers. Uch-ach.
Carriers are always fun.
THAT will be fun.
Imagine that any system or region have named governor with characteristic and character. If it is wealthy populated region you can add him some advisors to help him take care of things. Remote regions can be used to send not wanted characters some far away from place of powers. Imagine that all of them have their own agenda and political sympaties. Imagine that in political systems that you as ruler dont have full control on your empire- governors are chosen autonousmy by planet or by parlament or senat.
Imagine all that political plots and fight within empire or federation.

I take it you played the leaked MOO3 demo.It had a full system of characters from planetary,system,diplomatic,military and each character had an agenda,ethos,ect before it was cut out of the full version before release.I would love a system like this.

OMG!
It its first time when I hear about this. Are you serius about that???
OMG.
OMG.
Shock.

_____________________________

(in reply to ASHBERY76)

Post #: 28

RE: Questions - 2/21/2010 2:47:11 AM

Mad Russian

Posts: 13256
Joined: 3/16/2008
From: Texas
Status: offline

Now here is a really dumb question....what the heck is a 4x space game?

I like the looks of this game for a few reasons. Just don't know all the nomenclatures for this genre of games.

Good Hunting.

MR

_____________________________

The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Founder of HSG scenario design group for Combat Mission.
Panzer Command Ostfront Development Team.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm Development Team.

(in reply to Sarissofoi)

Post #: 29

RE: Questions - 2/21/2010 2:54:33 AM

JosEPhII

Posts: 173
Joined: 1/17/2010
From: Cornfields of Western IL. USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mad Russian

Now here is a really dumb question....what the heck is a 4x space game?

I like the looks of this game for a few reasons. Just don't know all the nomenclatures for this genre of games.

Good Hunting.

MR

The 4 X's are: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate. Then set this foundation in a Galaxy full of alien races and you have the basis for a 4X Space game. Most of the Early ones were/are TBS (Turn Based Strategy), while newer ones, like DW, are RTS (Real Time Strategy). I'm and Old Old TBS'er, but can handle RTS if there is a "pause" button.

Well I hope this helps. :)

JosEPh

< Message edited by JosEPh_II -- 2/21/2010 2:55:04 AM >

_____________________________

"old and slow.....Watch out!"

(in reply to Mad Russian)

Post #: 30