Homeworld

[Gorgon]

I much prefer recourcing, building and unit production to be easily managable, which is why I am such a fan of the homeworld series. The notion of strategic points seems a little too unrealisitc to me, and I find most of these standard RTS games where you lead your army of green selection markers to destroy the enemy's bulidings to be somewhat tedious, but the DOW series isen't bad for what it is, the best of a genre I don't really like, and I have played it online some.

[Walsingham]

I like strategic points as used in Panzer General. But when one is having build things all the bloody time it is annoying.

[metadigital]

I much prefer recourcing, building and unit production to be easily managable, which is why I am such a fan of the homeworld series. The notion  of strategic points seems a little too unrealisitc to me, and I find most of these  standard RTS games where you lead your army of green selection markers to destroy the enemy's bulidings to be somewhat tedious, but the DOW series isen't bad for what it is, the best of a genre I don't really like, and I have played it online some.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How does Homeworld do it? Just a constant multifarious production process?

[Walsingham]

No. You get mineral resources from asteroids, and also from capturing and scarpping enemy ships. In fact that's where most true HW players get theirs. There really isn't anything quite so much fun as seeing a battlecruiser get ambushed by the little devils.

[metadigital]

So the little miner ships teem all over a big battlecruiser? Sort of like formicating ants? Don't the battleships resist? What's the point of having fighters, then?

[Diamond]

Salvage Corvettes are used to capture enemy ships, but they need certain time to perform the penetration and they are vulnerable to other ships during that time.

[metadigital]

What we need is a bunch of little mineral-based saprophytes (like those in the Lost in Space film).

[Gorgon]

It's not easy capturing a battlecruiser, but it's immensely satisfying, as is having a full compliment of heavy corvettes kill a battlecruiser with only light figther support.

 

These are some of the same game mechanics to standard RTS, but they are immensely more satisfying. The tide of the battle can be affected by the first few waves of fighters to get to the crunch point, or motherloade of resources. I also like the fact that with a large number of players, the battle really isen't over untill your last carrier is gone. A comeback is entirely possible as the more mighty focus their attention on eachther.

Edited December 31, 2006 by Gorgon

[metadigital]

You are making a good case for me to try X2 (again) or X3 (for the first time); if I can configure my Rumblepad for it, then I shouldn't have the keyboard issues that prevented me from enjoying X2 the first time.

 

After all, I quite enjoyed playing Warcraft III, even if I uninstalled The Frozen Throne without finishing the introduction, so I do enjoy an RTS.

[Walsingham]

We're talking about Homeworld. X2 I'm still struggling with.

[metadigital]

Well, Homeworld was the one I found the controls so awkward as to make the game unplayable.

 

Relic released the source code to Homeworld in late 2003, which allowed unofficial ports of the game to other platforms, such as Linux and Mac OS X.

 

So I must be confused about X2 ... was ist das?

[Tale]

X2 and X3 are action space sims (or something like that, lots of trading, good amount of shooting), they're not RTS games.

Edited December 31, 2006 by Tale

[metadigital]

Ah, I haven't played it, then. *goes to game site*

Mankind's exploration of the stars has not been without incident. It has been fraught with dangers. Conflicts have ensued across a hundred sectors of space. New races have been discovered. Treaties of commerce signed - declarations of war enforced.

 

It is a universe of smugglers and businessmen, of bounty hunters and travellers, from countless worlds. All striving to make their mark on a universe in constant flux. It is a dangerous place, with threats both from within and beyond. After years of conflict, an uneasy peace has settled across the many worlds, as humans and aliens strive to live together in harmony.

 

This is the galaxy in which you belong - A galaxy in turmoil. Your destiny and that of the universe is in your hands.

 

Though staying true to its predecessor, what makes X2: THE THREAT so unique is the game's freedom of exploration and uninhibited style of game play. A first person space experience, X2: THE THREAT immerses the player in a dynamic, living, breathing universe, where every event and action has 'cause and effect' upon the entire gaming universe. Discover new worlds and life forms across countless sectors of space, players can become either a trader, bounty hunter, pirate, miner or a strategic combination of them all. The choice of how the player experiences the X2 universe is up to them.

 

As the player 'lives out' their life in the X2 universe, they will become embroiled in a story of adventure - of great battles and heroic deeds, of pain and sacrifice, pitted against a terrible foe set upon universal annihilation. Players are free to pursue the story missions or alternately attempt the multitude of smaller missions that do not affect the main storyline. Via a bulletin board system, the player is assigned all manner of tasks, from passenger / freight cargo runs to 'search and destroy' missions that involve tracking a fugitive across many sectors.

 

Space is littered with factories producing all manner of goods. Each factory requires one or more resource and they will send their own freight ships to acquire them, calculating the best possible price, distance and quantity. Prices fluctuate according to local availably and demand, just as they do in real life. This provides further strategic depth. To really become the intergalactic business mogul, players can acquire their very own factories and deploy these wherever they see fit. These will then automatically fetch resource and manufacture goods. Gone are the days of long haul freight runs, which reward the gamer with just a handful of credits.

 

It is possible to capture other ships, if the pilot can be convinced to bail out. These ships then become another vessel within the player's roster and can be sold if extra capital is required. However, more 'combatant' orientated commanders will often take advantage of the extra hardware for more aggressive means.

 

A fleet of ships at the player's disposal can be issued a variety of commands. With over 70 interactive ships, players may own as many as they like at any one time. Some types may be better suited for certain missions than others; there are cargo ships, fighter ships of varying size, large transports, passenger liners, corvettes, battleships and carriers. Some ships even have the ability to carry smaller ships within them. With a vessel at over two kilometres in length to command, players can soon become a force to be reckoned with.

 

Taking advantage of the latest graphics cards capabilities, EGOSOFT has pushed the game's graphical boundaries to the limit in order to create the most visually detailed universe ever seen. Utilising the latest DirectX coding, the 3D engine features many spectacular visual effects including volumetric Nebulae (gas clouds) that have real game play impact (players can hide from pursuing enemies within these dense clouds). Dynamic DP3 bump mapping provides unprecedented levels of detail, whilst objects cast real dynamic 3D shadows. The built-in Automatic Quality Control (AQC) system adjusts the visual quality, to achieve the highest possible frame rates on any supported system. So eye catching are the graphics, players might think they are watching the latest CGI sci-fi epic from Hollywood!

 

X2: THE THREAT provides game players a brand new dimension to the space trading / combat sim genre. Not only will the graphical splendour of the game blow them away, but also after even a short period of play, they will realise that they have truly entered a 'real' universe, in which to 'live' their space faring life, however they choose.

• Trade commodities between space stations, become a bounty hunter closing in for the next highly profitable kill, prey on other traders as a pirate by stealing cargo or even whole ships, mine asteroids for profit, or build your empire on the back of all these trades.
   
   
  
• Large, dynamic universe in which to interact and explore. Comprising a heart thumping freeform storyline, interspersed with dozens of interlinked missions and multiple smaller stand-alone paying jobs.
   
   
  
• State of the art graphics engine, utilising the latest DirectX features such as vertexshading, DP3 bump mapping & volumetric shadows & fog effects.
   
   
  
• Trade in raw materials or finished manufactured goods, all within a dynamic evolving economy. Fly the freighters themselves, or their support combat craft, or just sit back and tell them what to do, the choice is yours.
   
   
  
• Over 70 ships to buy and fly, including fighters, cargo ships, transports, passenger liners, corvettes, battleships and carriers (one is over a mile long)! Own and upgrade as many as you like, or can afford, even create an armada of ships and command each either from the helm or from afar.
   
   
  
• Employ a myriad of offensive weaponry, including lasers, missiles, mines, & remote droids. But don't forget the array of defensive options available, including shields, self-repairing hulls, & intercept rockets!
  

 

It sounds good, especially as I like Space Rangers 2! I might have to get this, now. And there is a sequel, too?

[Tale]

There's a sequel. Though it plays more like an expansion (sans visible cοckpits).

[LostStraw]

You can download a visible cοckpit mod for X3 as well as user created scripts that help get rid of some of the annoyances in the game.

 

The game's campaign mode really sucks.. but if you like a free form game flying around in a ship building a massive trading empire, it might be your cup of tea.

Edited December 31, 2006 by LostStraw

[Tale]

I really enjoyed the campaign. It ended too early.

[Gorgon]

The first game, Homeworld, did have poor selection and interface, but it was fixed to satisfaction in the sequals.

[Walsingham]

Personally I just loved the immersion by story and presentation in Homeworld.

[Tale]

Personally I just loved the immersion by story and presentation in Homeworld.

Would you recommend Homeworld 2 on those same criteria?

[Gorgon]

Homeworld two suffers a from the supposed inovation of adaptive AI. It punishes you for playing well and rewards you for playing like ****. That would be fine if it was adjusted inbetween missions, but knowing that if you manage to kill those enemy wings fast, another two are just going to show up - it just kinda ruins the whole single player experience.

 

Multiplayer is good though.

 

Have you played homeworld cataclysm ?

Edited January 1, 2007 by Gorgon

[Plano Skywalker]

It sounds good, especially as I like Space Rangers 2! I might have to get this, now. And there is a sequel, too?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

didn't Space Rangers 2 have that horrific copy protection program on it?

[Walsingham]

Personally I just loved the immersion by story and presentation in Homeworld.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would you recommend Homeworld 2 on those same criteria?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was just thinking we'd got a bit off topic. :"> ) I haven't played HW2 yet, but I certainly will when I get through my current games.

[metadigital]

It sounds good, especially as I like Space Rangers 2! I might have to get this, now. And there is a sequel, too?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

didn't Space Rangers 2 have that horrific copy protection program on it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. And it ultimately prevented me from playing it, because I was having a lot of problems with various parts of my OS, like the printer and scanner drivers were losing all semblance of cogent process ... then I realized (belatedly) that it was the anti-virus and hacker-prevention applications.

 

 

Then again, I might try loading it again (after NwN2).

I was just thinking we'd got a bit off topic.  :"> 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not any more, thanks to my handy-dandy super topic splitter and reply-mover!

[Big Bottom]

Homeworld 2 really didn't grab me while playing it's SP missions...I only finished a few of them, and I'm a HUGE fan of Homeworld. It seemed more about the combat and less about the story. I'm sure the MP side of things is probably better though.