Why isn't this game generating much buzz?

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Science Fiction] >> Starships Unlimited v3 >> Why isn't this game generating much buzz?

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Why isn't this game generating much buzz? - 12/11/2002 2:05:13 AM

dtx

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From: Pennsylvania
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Why does UV forum have much dicussion, while little occurs regarding Divided Galaxies? Having purchased Divided Galaxies a few weeks ago and still having made almost no progress figuring the game out, I'm guessing many others have faced a similar problem. Here are few thoughts & suggestions:

The game is very difficult to "get into." The interface and game play aren't intutively obvious (speaking as a gamer with decades of experience) and the lack of a manual exacerbates this. A single sheet of paper included in the CD with some basic strategy and getting started advice would have been immensely helpful. For example, Imperialism tells the player about the initial the need for wood, UV could have helped players by telling the Americans to initially focus on defending Port Moresby & playing a defensive game, etc. Even just a few sentences would have helped greatly (initial technologies to research, initial game focus).

Lack of manual: Not including a printed manual was an understandable cost saving measure. However, Matrix could have greatly helped purchasers by making the manual a reasonable size (no one wants to burn a printer cartrige on a single manual - I wasted a ton of paper on the UV manual and then realized that most pages had little info - I then threw most of it in the trash - I'm not going to repeat this with Divided Galaxies). If Matrix was faced with the costs of having the manual printed, my guess they would have slimmed down the manual (160 pages!!!!!!).

Post #: 1

- 12/11/2002 4:25:12 AM

Andrew Ewanchyna

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If other games you bought are buzzing then it may be a problem with your computer. :D

Seriously, the Matrix Games forums have a very hardcore wargamer's following and UV is a wargame while SUDG is not. From my following of these forums over the year, alot of wargamers find non-wargames to be really toxic. Go figure.

The game feeds you tips as you play. I suggest you start with one starship and learn how to configure it. The pdf file is searchable and the html format hyper-linked. If you really want a printed version of the pdf then your local kinkos can print up the manual for next to nothing. There's a link to that on the Matrix website.
[URL=https://docstore.kinkos.com/matrixgames/Splash.jsp]https://docstore.kinkos.com/matrixgames/Splash.jsp[/URL]

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Comments... - 12/14/2002 1:16:47 PM

Erik Rutins

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From: Vermont, USA
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As Andrew suggested, please do check the DocCenter link from our main page to see a very affordable way to get a nicely printed SUDG manual. I have a sample here and it's very well done at a very low price by Kinko's. Hope that helps.

Certainly, our focus as a company is on wargames but we've been doing our best to advertise and market SUDG through reviews, online ads, magazine ads, etc. Our staff and the gamers who've posted here to date find it just as addicting (or more) as anything else on the market in its genre. Hopefully, the new retail channels we've been able to open will help this title and our other upcoming Sci-Fi titles (Titans of Steel and Fading Suns:Noble Armada).

Regards,

- Erik

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- 12/14/2002 1:26:42 PM

Grotius

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Well, this thread persuaded me to give the game a try, and I'm glad I did. Very addictive! One question: I can't download the tech-tree file from this website. The server seems to be down. It would be nice to have a tech tree to look at...

Nice game, in any case!

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Post #: 4

- 12/14/2002 9:47:11 PM

Marc von Martial

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Grotius, drop me an email at [email]marcs@matrixgames.com[/email] and I�ll email it to you. It�s really a small file.

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Post #: 5

- 12/14/2002 9:48:15 PM

Marc von Martial

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Well, I�m stupid sometimes :rolleyes: . Just grab it from the link below ;)

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 6

- 12/14/2002 11:38:50 PM

Grotius

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Hi Marc,

Thanks for the attachment; it worked. The tech tree is quite helpful, and quite pretty too!

This game is terrific. I was up until 1:30 last night playing. I like the emphasis on decision-making instead of brute force. You can't build 100 ships and invade your neighbors; you can only build a handful. And I've expanded mostly through diplomatic means, which is cool.

Back to it. I have a quarrel with the Malchicks to settle.

-- Grotius.

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Post #: 7

- 12/18/2002 2:18:41 PM

startrekdork

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Joined: 11/2/2002
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i think this game is generating a buzz now. just not much. like five people post on here everday. the same five people. but our numbers will grow! muahahaha.

i had three our four random events today in a game i cant remember. i figured id set it to a two player me and the other guy game, with fifty stars. about 100 years in i experience all at once, a plague, in which twenty percent of my population on all my planets die and a huge philosophical change in which my people have flipped and now any allies i would normally have are now my enemies. it was funny because then the only other race in the universe asked me if i wanted peace so we signed a peace treaty. and a non aggression treaty and i was like eh this cant go far if theres just two of us. then a minute later it says the end game has begun and there are two powers left in the universe and your now at war. so i start to thoroughly kick my enemies butt with two gunboats and a cruiser.

i had built two scouts in the beginning of the game and they both found upsize things so they both became gunboats and then one found a create ship and i got a cruiser. so ya i was kicking butt. then my stock market crashed and i lost twenty percent of my money!

nice job with the random events. better than i expected. i mean the plague one, thats a pretty typical one. i think they have that in botf and imperium galactica, but the philosphy change one they have in botf sorta. but the stock market crash. god. that sucked. i had twenty thousand dollars or something then i dropped to sixteen. still thats a lot but ****. i wonder what other horrific things i have coming my way......

too bad i have to write an essay on ray bradbury right now. :eek:

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Post #: 8

- 12/18/2002 9:19:20 PM

Grotius

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Hey startrekdork, your post reminded me to ask: can we transfer artifacts from one ship to another? It seems that the ships transfer only "planet-usable" artifacts back to their home planets, and that they keep "ship-usable" artifacts on board. I've often wondered whether I could save an "upgrade ship size" artifact for use by some other ship. Is that possible?

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Post #: 9

- 12/19/2002 1:44:25 AM

LordGek

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Hey Grotius,

I don't think you can transfer things ship to ship (if you can I wish I knew how as I several times have had a stranded ship laden with valuable artifacts), but you can dump ALL of your artifacts to a planet and have any other ship in your fleet pick them up.

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Post #: 10

- 12/19/2002 4:48:06 AM

Vern Shurtz

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[QUOTE]Originally posted by startrekdork
[B]i think this game is generating a buzz now. just not much. like five people post on here everday. the same five people. but our numbers will grow! muahahaha.[/B][/QUOTE]

I guess I would be Number 6. I am plying around with the Demo and I am hooked. Now if I could just find a store that carries it....

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Post #: 11

- 12/19/2002 9:00:56 AM

startrekdork

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electronic boutique has it. its just not like they have a big display or anything its just sitting there on the shelf. the demo is nothing compared to the real game, if only we could get working mods for it.

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Post #: 12

- 12/19/2002 10:18:05 AM

Grotius

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Thanks, LordGek. I'll hunt for that transfer-artifacts-to-planet button next time.

Vern, I found it at my local EB. They had several copies. Or you could order it direct from this website, which gives Matrix more money...

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Post #: 13

- 1/6/2003 8:12:45 AM

Snigbert

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From: Worcester, MA. USA
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You all convinced me, I'm ordering a copy too.

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Post #: 14

Thanks - 1/6/2003 11:56:54 PM

EricLarsen

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Joined: 7/9/2002
From: Salinas, CA Raider Nation
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Thanks to all of you for putting up some intereting buzz regarding the game. While the game has a small following now hopefully more people will see positive posts about fun gameplay and decide to take the plunge. I'm looking for a copy at my local EB and hopefully will find one today. Maybe then I can join in on the fun.
Eric Larsen

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Post #: 15

- 1/8/2003 9:39:29 AM

Grizpin

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Picked my copy up at EB a few hours ago. I played the demo and was hooked. Great gameplay does still exist :D

I also found an amusing statement in one of the articles I read prior to purchasing the game. It stated that the game plays more like Star Trek than any Star Trek game ever made.

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Post #: 16

- 1/8/2003 12:31:44 PM

Maxfreeboard

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Unless you like commanding a starship, then ST Bridge Commander is real good. :)

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Post #: 17

I bought it two weeks ago - 1/10/2003 6:08:45 AM

KaiMaster_pressl

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Joined: 12/19/2002
From: Minneapolis, MN
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I had 40 bucks just burning a hole in my pocket after cancelling my pre-order for MOO3 at the local GameStop...

I was lurking here and disappointed about the demo issues, I wouldn't even download it just because of them (there's a note for the PR folks) but I took a leap of faith and bought it.

Any game set in space and having empire-building can't be that bad, right? heh

It is definitely different. I have not had an opportunity to play much due to buying a house, etc. but I could really get into it. And with MOO3 being pushed into late Feb. now that means more SG for me :D

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Post #: 18

- 1/10/2003 12:05:21 PM

Grizpin

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Matrix should use this time to get the game out to the public before MOO3 does ship. I personally won't play MOO3 (too much micromanagement) but people like yourself will be itching to play something.

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Post #: 19