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Pop up mania! - 12/4/2011 11:29:48 PM

GaryChildress

Posts: 6830
Joined: 7/17/2005
From: The Divided Nations of Earth
Status: offline

Blew the dust off my original copy of Distant Worlds. Now I remember why it's been gathering dust all this time to begin with. Basically the game is nothing but popup screens. I click on one just to see what is going on and then another one pops up. So I click on it and go to that location, then another one pops up. Then a series of messages asking me if I want to build a ship or colonize a particular planet, etc. I go ahead and click yes to about 6 of them in a row. No time to sit there and read all of them. So I just click "yes". Then more event screens. I really feel like this game plays itself and that I am just sort of a bystander watching it.

1. Too much is happening all over the place at once to really sit down and get a grasp on what is going on.

2. The map is large and difficult to find things on. I have no idea where my space fleets are congregating.

A pop up asks me if I want to declare war on some race. I say "yes" but have no idea what to do other than let the game run itself. Should I send a fleet over to attack them? In the time it takes for me to find a fleet and then find the location to send it about 15 event pop up screens have gone by.

How the heck do I play this game???? Am I missing something??

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RE: Pop up mania! - 12/4/2011 11:37:24 PM

HectorOfTroy

Posts: 312
Joined: 1/9/2011
Status: offline

Time to buy expansion packs I think.

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Post #: 2

RE: Pop up mania! - 12/4/2011 11:46:35 PM

GaryChildress

Posts: 6830
Joined: 7/17/2005
From: The Divided Nations of Earth
Status: offline

Are there fewer pop ups in the expansion packs? Also, how do others play this game? Should I ignore the popups? Is there a way to turn them off?

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RE: Pop up mania! - 12/4/2011 11:53:46 PM

ToastySandwich

Posts: 21
Joined: 11/27/2011
From: Montreal, Canada
Status: offline

In the otpions menu you'll find checkboxes for all the different types off pop-ups, just turn them off. On this same page you can turn automation on and off for different areas of the game, so you won't get suggestions all the time, like declaring war, colonisation and such.

(in reply to GaryChildress)

Post #: 4

RE: Pop up mania! - 12/5/2011 12:05:58 AM

Grotius

Posts: 5798
Joined: 10/18/2002
From: The Imperial Palace.
Status: offline

I had a similar reaction the first time I played. The answer is: don't let the game play itself. Take manual control of everything, put the game on pause, and make all your own decisions. I didn't start enjoying the game until I did that. Once you've done that, you have a series of interesting decisions before you. These include:

(1) Which new colony to establish first. Rather than just clicking "yes" to a series of suggestions, decide for yourself which colony locations look most promising, which have best resources, which are best placed strategically, etc. (2) Where to send your exploration ships. (3) Which strategic resources or fuel resources to mine. Check to see the items that might be low in stock: steel, caslon, hydrogen, polymer, and gold often seem to trouble me. (4) Which (if any) new ships to build. (5) What to research. If you're near a marshy planet with rich resources, maybe marsh-colonization should be a research priority. (6) Where/whether to build resort bases or research stations. (7) How to handle pirates -- diplomatically or militarily? How to deal with your first diplomatic partner. (In Legends, this decision becomes more interesting, as you have to decide whether to send your first Ambassador there, when you may be uncertain of your Ambassador's diplomatic skills.)

I know some say to leave all but one thing on auto, and learn about that one thing. For me, as a WITP/AE fan, I found it more satisfying to jump in the deep end. I suspect you might prefer the latter approach too.

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RE: Pop up mania! - 12/5/2011 12:54:22 AM

Erik Rutins

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

Hi Gary,

Even in the original game, you could turn off most of the pop-up messages in the options screen. In the Legends expansion, you can turn off all the pop-ups if you wish.

As far as how to play the game, everyone needs to find their own playstyle. Distant Worlds supports just about everything between a "hands off" playstyle where you just make a few key decisions all the way to a "micromanager's dream". Have you already played the in-game tutorials? You might also want to take a look at Das123's Return of the Shakturi Let's Play to see how another player does it.

Regards,

- Erik

< Message edited by Erik Rutins -- 12/5/2011 12:56:14 AM >

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Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC

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

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RE: Pop up mania! - 12/5/2011 1:25:35 AM

DrApostle

Posts: 59
Joined: 12/8/2010
Status: offline

Gary, you also have the ability to control game speed and there is a pause button.

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RE: Pop up mania! - 12/5/2011 9:00:09 AM

w1p

Posts: 135
Joined: 11/23/2011
Status: offline

Start off in a big galaxy lots of stars lots of enemy empires.

turn everything automated off, learn how the game works, then do everything your self first, then slowly as your empire gets bigger let the computer take control of the bits you find boring and then you can concentrate on the bits you like

thats what I did and I'm hooked!

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Post #: 8

RE: Pop up mania! - 12/5/2011 11:51:14 PM

Sithuk

Posts: 431
Joined: 12/17/2010
Status: offline

Quite a few of the players have been hoping for more options on the attack pop-ups. For example, the ability to differentiate between creature attacks, pirate attacks and attacks from an AI empire would be welcome when selecting pop-up options.

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Post #: 9

RE: Pop up mania! - 12/6/2011 12:26:48 AM

Cauldyth

Posts: 752
Joined: 6/27/2010
Status: offline

I will say the barrier to getting into this game is significant, which is why only now, 1.5 years later, am I getting into it in a serious way. I will also say that it's worth it, especially with the expansions.

I'd recommend turning down the Pirates and Space Creatures frequency in game setup, or even turn them off entirely. That constant barrage of attack popups in the early game was too much for me. I felt like a line order cook with all the orders coming in at once and no clue where to begin.

Then, with those turned down or off, you can use the peace and quiet to watch how your empire operates, how its expansion unfolds, and what the consequences are of making various decisions.

< Message edited by Cauldyth -- 12/6/2011 12:27:35 AM >

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Post #: 10

RE: Pop up mania! - 12/6/2011 2:23:41 AM

Ares106

Posts: 86
Joined: 1/29/2011
Status: offline

For some people like me it helps to play on a smaller map. In fact i always play on the smallest map with around 10 other empires and slowest tech.

This allows you to micromanage everything and not get bogged down with too many screens and spreadsheets, (i only leave a few patrol ships on auto)

I also like it because its a quality over quantity approach, when i find an amazing world or build a huge ship it feels unique and special.

Another thing I do is play on slowest speed most of the time and tactically micromanage battles which i find very fun. IF you play on slower speed its unlikely to get assaulted by too many popups.

(in reply to GaryChildress)

Post #: 11