Topic: Space Empires V  (Read 2036 times)

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Offline Dracho

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Space Empires V
« on: September 25, 2006, 06:44:46 pm »
SEV has gone gold!

A 100 turn demo is available here:

http://www.strategyfirst.com/en/games/SpaceEmpiresV/downloads/
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Offline Sirgod

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2006, 10:18:15 am »
Nice.

Stephen
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Offline Musashi NCC-BR549

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2006, 07:18:12 pm »
The UPSGuy showed up with this one, today.  I loaded it up and tinkered with it.

It's, like, complicated.

Cool.

I'll tinker some more and report back when I know more. .......... It's, like, complicated.
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Offline Musashi NCC-BR549

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2006, 10:06:49 pm »
VERY complicated.
"America is all about speed.  Hot, nasty, bad a** speed." - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

Offline TheJudge

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2006, 10:50:42 pm »
How did you get it?  the Web site doesn't list it as for sale?  I've been playing since the very first version came out and I've tried the 5 demo a couple of times over the last year with glee...
He who can master the data controls the world.

Offline Musashi NCC-BR549

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2006, 11:16:49 pm »
I pre-ordered it a couple of days before it shipped.  It shipped the 5th, iirc.  EBGames. 

lemme look....  here ya go

http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1&product%5Fid=646776&affid=2500&source=1003

Cool game.


Hey!  Good to hear from ya, theJudge.   Take care.
"America is all about speed.  Hot, nasty, bad a** speed." - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

Offline TheJudge

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2006, 02:14:23 pm »
Oh, I'm still around...I just asked for the H&S access to be removed so I'm not even tempted to go into that hive pit...:)


Hmm, looks like I need to scrape up the $40 again...this is one game I've always enjoyed.  :)
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Offline Musashi NCC-BR549

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2006, 12:05:39 pm »
Oh, I'm still around...I just asked for the H&S access to be removed so I'm not even tempted to go into that hive pit...:)


Hmm, looks like I need to scrape up the $40 again...this is one game I've always enjoyed.  :)

Hey, this is a fun little game!   I put all of the settings on "Huge" and just jumped in.  (Instruction books are for sissies.)  I'm staked out in about a dozen systems and I haven't run into any of the opposition, yet.  LOL ... I expect the game to get "un-fun" fast when I run into one of the neighbors.  I am weak...... big, but spread pretty thin.

You haven't missed much in H&S.    There's the usual "Outrage of the Day"..... oh, and Bear bought a bar  :thumbsup: ..... I think.

That's about it.   ;D
"America is all about speed.  Hot, nasty, bad a** speed." - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936

Offline TheJudge

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2006, 12:55:00 pm »
Huge games are fun.  We'll have to hook up a PBEM game once I get the program (have to check with my partner to see if I can afford it).  A couple of hints from my experiences...HUGE settings delay your contact with the enemy.  That's good because you have time to explore and to build your research/technology tree.  In HUGE games I go for massive amounts of research points OVER material production.  That allows me to build a LOT more tech very fast. 

When I do encounter the enemy, I then recycle the research centers on mineral-rich planets...and re-build mineral processors there.  That gives me a big boost in resources while reducing my research to more normal levels (balancing act there).  Also, I manually control the recycling so I only get rid of one research center each turn a new mineral facility is built.

As far as ship construction/design, I go with a mixed approach.  I use a 'balanced' design with decent engines, decent shields, decent firepower as my stand-alone units.  These ships go into combat with individual or small groups of enemies and are designed to 'slug it out' enough that they at least heavily damage an enemy before blowing up.  If I'm caught flat-footed without fleets ready to go, I push these puppies out to buy me time to build a real fleet.

When I have plenty of time to prepare because my 'balanced' ships are holding the line, I start designing and pushing out 'fleets'.  These are ships designed to ONLY be fought together. If one of them gets caught alone or without ships of another type, they're usually dead meat.  First off, the biggest ship I can build is designed to go as fast as possible (maximum engines, etc.) - this also gives it a better supply rating.  Next they have the heaviest of armaments available with only the most basic of defenses (one shield generator, etc).  They are the 'heavy punchers' designed to knock out enemy ships one by one until they are all gone.  For every 'heavy punch' ship,  I build two balanced ships of the next smaller hull size.  They can take more of a beating and are used to stand between the heavy punchers and the enemy.  If I started with a Battle Cruiser for heavy punch ship, the balanced ships will be the Cruiser size.  Next, for every heavy punch ship built, I build three 'defensive' ships.  These ships have minimal offensive armament, massive shields, and maximum defensive weapons (like point defense cannons).  In this example they would be on a light-cruiser hull.  They're meant to soak up as much enemy fire as possible, destroy incoming plasma torps or capital ship missiles, and take damage from the enemy while the bigger boys blow up the enemy. 

Sometimes I'll also include frigates or destroyers with a few nice powerful offensive weapons to act as 'cleanup'...sneak in and finish off damaged enemy ships so the big boys can go after another target. 

All fleets get at least one, but preferably two 'repair ships'.  These are ships equipped with repair bays (best available) whose sole purpose is to FIX damaged ships after a battle.  During battle, if a ship gets heavily damaged, I pull it off the front line and use other ships to try and save it.  If the ship can survive the battle, the repair ships will patch it up and I have to spend less time re-building my fleets. 

I'll have to see what the difference are between IV and V regarding shipbuilding, but in four I only put shipyards on planets capable of holding a population of 2 billion or more.  Big planets holding 8 billion are best since the shipyards build faster with bigger population bases.  Also, if they use the asteroid mining, don't hesitate to build asteroid miners.  Now, don't deploy them until you need them (because they reduce the value of planet's asteroids as they mine).  Wait until you're building a huge fleet and your resource collection is going negative...then deploy the fleet of miners you've built to every nearby asteroid/uninhabited planet with a high rating of resources.  When you're done building or you've expanded enough, send the miners back to your nearest spaceport and mothball them (I usually keep 5-10 of these mothballed until  I need them).
He who can master the data controls the world.

Offline Musashi NCC-BR549

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2006, 11:11:10 am »
Ok.  That did it.  I'm reading the instructions.  Thanks for the Strategery Lesson, theJudge.

Take your time.  There's a patch coming out the 16th.  I'm getting locked up on the end-of-turn "Processing" screen every 3rd or 4th turn.  "Auto-Save Every Turn" prevents any lost moves ..... but it's a real pain in the ass.  Ya gotta "Control-Alt-Delete", kill it, fire it right back up, and then load the last saved game.

[sigh]

It's still a great game.  Let me tinker with it a while and I'll probably be good for a PBEM. 



Mush the "Mt. Learning Curve" Scaler ...uh .... Upper
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Offline TheJudge

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2006, 12:51:31 pm »
If you want a really sharp learning curve...set it for maximum number of computer players, set them for the most difficult level, give them a 'low' to 'medium' tech bonus, set the universe for 'small', and have at it!

I love those settings when playing AI...half the time I lose them whereas if I set for huge I usually win (gives me time to boost my tech above the ai's). 
He who can master the data controls the world.

Offline IAF Lyrkiller

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Re: Space Empires V
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2006, 10:15:30 pm »
I saw the game in the store, I did not get it though. ;)

I got something else instead. ;D




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