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Post by shrike on Dec 4, 2016 17:09:41 GMT -5
Hi Trese Brothers or Fans of the ST Empires 4x game,
I was wondering if there was a thread(s) about where future versions of the game might lead?
I have to admit that I did not like this game too much.
After playing for a while, I could see that it had the typical Trese Brothers quality and support that I had seen in all their previous titles - it was just that the mechanics were not in line with my particular taste for 4x games.
Playing in the rich Star Traders RPG universe, I had visions of playing as one of the great Houses or Syndicates and engaging in trade wars, duels of assassins, forming alliances, sponsoring privateers etc -in more of a Master of Orion style execution. (not shepherding all of them as a confederation)
Rather than playing as either the Templars or the Xenos ... I thought perhaps it would be interesting to set them as forces not controlled by the players but as independent powers that could intervene or be seen as a common threat ( sort of an Antaran element - or as the Church in Emperor of the Fading Suns)
I don't begrudge the current system to anyone that is enjoying it now - but as a supporter, I'd just like to say that I would have definite interest in seeing another style 4x game from your company in the future - using the good IP / fiction that you've established for your universe.
Best regards ... Shrike
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Post by Cory Trese on Dec 4, 2016 17:29:43 GMT -5
We certainly went out of a limb and made something unique in ST 4X. As you play the game, you'll engage in Duels of Assassins, manage Alliances and Trade Routes. However, you won't do it against AI, you'll do it by managing the Faction AI on your side.
That was a unique design that ended up not working as well as we had hoped.
Part of the problem is that it is very hard, it turns out, to make money on 4X games compared to RPG, tactics or trading games.
Empire building games are less popular and their is a high bar for complexity, scope and competition is fierce.
If we ever had a budget and desire to make another 4X game, I think we would build something more traditional -- like you describe, the more static Master of Orion style execution.
That might have helped ST 4X be more successful if we had gone that route instead of pushing the envelope with the design.
I really like 4X games myself, and would love another opportunity to make one.
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Post by shrike on Dec 4, 2016 19:46:42 GMT -5
Despite the game not matching my particular preferences, I am sorry that it did not work out as well as you had hoped commercially. It's hard with gaming entertainment, music and even TV shows to try something truly different, have it appreciated and make a good profit. I salute you for having the bravery to try. Also - I second your sentiment and truly hope you guys get a chance to make a second 4x game so I can take charge of House Thulan and guide it into being the dominant power in the Star Traders universe  |
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Post by Cory Trese on Dec 5, 2016 10:11:15 GMT -5
I honestly don't know if I'd want to make another 4X in the Star Trader's universe.
I might honestly prefer to use a generic space empires and talking aliens setting.
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Post by fallen on Dec 5, 2016 10:39:10 GMT -5
Is this is an opportune moment for slayernz to share cat-alien pics? |
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Post by tenbsmith on Dec 5, 2016 13:38:56 GMT -5
My love of ST4X is well known. IMHO, it is the best turn-based 4X game available on Google Play. Reviewing the roadmap for an unlikely trip can be fun. I've dreamed of a zombie apocalypse 4X game. The mechanics could be similar to ST4X, but systems/colonies are replaced with villages, etc... That's been bouncing around my head for a while, good to post it. :-) Come on slayernz, make with the cat stuff. :-) |
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Post by Cory Trese on Dec 5, 2016 14:00:56 GMT -5
We actually started making a zombie survival 4X game called "Zombie Road" back in the day.
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Post by hissrad on Dec 5, 2016 14:55:33 GMT -5
I honestly don't know if I'd want to make another 4X in the Star Trader's universe. I might honestly prefer to use a generic space empires and talking aliens setting. Mind if I ask why? ST4X is one of my favorite games I've seen on mobile. If not another Star Traders 4x....maybe one set in the World of Steel? |
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Post by fallen on Dec 5, 2016 16:01:54 GMT -5
hissrad - some of my favorite 4X experiences have been in designing and playing / encountering odd alien races. It just isn't something that will ever be in the Star Traders universe, so to achieve that we'd need another universe.
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Post by Cory Trese on Dec 5, 2016 16:27:50 GMT -5
I honestly don't know if I'd want to make another 4X in the Star Trader's universe. I might honestly prefer to use a generic space empires and talking aliens setting. Mind if I ask why? ST4X is one of my favorite games I've seen on mobile. If not another Star Traders 4x....maybe one set in the World of Steel? I agree with fallen here. If you look at games like Gal Civ, Stars! and Pax Imperia -- 4X games I really loved, you'll find that an important setting is non-hostile life beyond humans, which isn't a feature of the ST universe. In Star Traders, it is humans and things that wish to kill / enslave / eat humans. Those are the two groups. Diplomacy between them is impossible. I'd rather make a whole new 4X setting than break Star Trader's continuity and establish alien races capable or willing to participate in a diplomatic setting. |
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Post by Brutus Aurelius on Dec 5, 2016 17:21:26 GMT -5
Mind if I ask why? ST4X is one of my favorite games I've seen on mobile. If not another Star Traders 4x....maybe one set in the World of Steel? I agree with fallen here. If you look at games like Gal Civ, Stars! and Pax Imperia -- 4X games I really loved, you'll find that an important setting is non-hostile life beyond humans, which isn't a feature of the ST universe. In Star Traders, it is humans and things that wish to kill / enslave / eat humans. Those are the two groups. Diplomacy between them is impossible. I'd rather make a whole new 4X setting than break Star Trader's continuity and establish alien races capable or willing to participate in a diplomatic setting. It would be awesome if/when you decide to design this new setting, there would be input from Patrons during the world building process. |
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Post by Cory Trese on Dec 5, 2016 17:30:49 GMT -5
Definitely a good place to collect input from. We've got existing non-ST sci-fi world building stuff we'd probably use as a base, and expand from there.
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Post by tenbsmith on Dec 6, 2016 16:25:44 GMT -5
We actually started making a zombie survival 4X game called "Zombie Road" back in the day. I feel like the zombie phenomena has peaked and we're on the down-slope now. I just don't hear about it as much in the media as I did a couple of years ago when it was on fire. The peak was so high, that there is still considerable interest in zombies. The Walking Dead is still the most watched show in the USA among key demographic groups. variety.com/2016/tv/news/amc-the-walking-dead-top-series-in-young-adults-fourth-straight-season-1201749093/The only zombie 4X game of which I'm aware is Rebuild/Rebuild3, cool games, fairly different from traditional 4X games and pretty successful too. It might make a good case study. I think it hit during height of zombie popularity. A TB game would be much different. In the unlikely event you circle back to "Zombie Road", I'm in for the Kickstarter. |
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Post by Brutus Aurelius on Dec 6, 2016 20:12:43 GMT -5
I've always thought a HoS 4x would be pretty cool, either in the time period before the Shattering, or in the time when humans colonized the Underdeep.
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Post by fallen on Dec 7, 2016 8:27:04 GMT -5
I've always thought a HoS 4x would be pretty cool, either in the time period before the Shattering, or in the time when humans colonized the Underdeep. Yeah, we've discussed something similar. We talk about a lot of ideas, but most of them go in the bin. For HoS series, we'll be sticking to the RPG format. |
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