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Posted by: Karoline Sep 16 2010, 06:47 AM

So, I've had AI war basically since it first came out on steam, but only just got around to playing it recently because I figured it would be long and wasn't interested in that at the time.

But, like I said, finally got into it, and playing the game is a massive epoch of untold proportions. A standard game can easily take 10 hours, but is exceedingly fun. The AI is beyond amazing from what I've heard (It is understandably lackluster at the low difficulty I'm currently playing at). It is amazingly strategical, relying on actual tactics to win the battles instead of the ability to click quickly like many other RTS games.

The game takes forever, but is much more manageable by doing several much shorter sessions.

So, I know I've done a horrible pitch for an amazing game, but I highly suggest you check it out.

Also, the big reason I posted, if anyone out there has or gets the game and wants to do multiplayer, I'd love to hear from you.

Edit: P.S. The game is surprisingly easy to learn.

Posted by: Thanee Sep 16 2010, 08:48 AM

So, does this play somewhat like Sins of a Solar Empire?

Or is it more StarCraft like in gameplay (in a very general sense, of course).

i.e. would it appeal to someone who is more into strategic, turn-based games (like the venerable Master of Orion II) and not that much into the hectic clicking real-time tactical games ()?

This sounds like a good birthday present for a friend of mine, hence the questions.

Bye
Thanee

Posted by: Kagetenshi Sep 16 2010, 06:22 PM

Starcraft has a tactical element (more so for the more insane micromanagers than others), but base development and supply is a major concern—even rushing is mostly a strategic decision, though the details might turn on tactical considerations.

For real-time tactical, you want more Myth-style games. Almost no strategy (by which I mean not that there's no thinking, but that the thinking is all tactical; you don't build any buildings, and the only resources you have to manage strategically are your troops, who improve with kills up to a small cap—distributing kills and ensuring the survival of more-vetted units are your strategic concerns).

~J

Posted by: Karoline Sep 16 2010, 07:31 PM

Very similar to Sins actually. It has very little in similar with SC, except that they both fall under the heading of RTS, and, you know, you build stuff

It would appeal to strategic turn-based game players because things happen at a reasonably controlled pace. And for those who want a faster game you can double the speed that ships fire and move at (enemy's as well of course).

You can also adjust tons of other options to make it more fast paced or allow for plenty of time. For example, the AI progresses as time goes on, but you can adjust it so that it progresses very quickly over time, or not at all over time. It'll still progress based on other things, but you can put on or take off pressure from doing things real quickly.

It also has some tower defense aspects to it, because the main way to protect your own planets from the enemy is the use of turrets with a sprinkling of mobile ships to taste

Oh, and as for the hectic, in an assault I do well literally clicking like a dozen or two times for taking out an entire planet over the course of several minutes. I'm sure I could be a bit more effective by clicking a bit more, but it is far cries away from the click fest of SC.

The problem with SC for me is that there really isn't much to tactics in it. Everyone knows that you do X, then do Y at time Z, then when you see J, you start making T K's, and so on. One persons ability over another has little to do with overall strategy or tactics, and everything to do with how quickly they can respond to each of those things and how quickly they can micromanage their troops.

Posted by: Dumori Sep 16 2010, 07:34 PM

Is it the brand of RTS where thing happen slowly but but in such away once you engage your almost cetianly comited unless you have a retreat plan already set? Sins and Homeworld are liek that and can be mighty fun.

Posted by: Thanee Sep 16 2010, 07:46 PM

Sounds good. Thanks!

Bye
Thanee

Posted by: Kagetenshi Sep 16 2010, 07:53 PM

You're describing a mix of strategy (production in response to intelligence) and tactics (micromanaging the troops). I think the bigger problem is that the game simply isn't deep enough to have survived the over-one-decade since it came out without much of it having been solved, and consequently becoming either formulaic (as both sides play out the known strategies) or one-sided (as one player doesn't play a known strategy and almost certainly gets trounced).

~J

Posted by: nemafow Sep 16 2010, 11:42 PM

Sounds interesting, I think I remember looking at it on Steam (the page to buy it) but decided not too, but what you've said is defently a change of pace from what I currently play, so may be worth it. I'm not at home atm, is the game cheap (you know my weakness) ?

Posted by: Karoline Sep 16 2010, 11:58 PM

What you call strategy and tactics for SC I call 'paint by numbers' and 'the ability to click quickly'. You could be correct though, the first part is likely to do with the game's age and little having changed over that time.

@dumori - A little hard to say since I've only played one game so far (took almost 10 hours ) and I had it at a fairly low difficulty, so the AI wasn't very aggressive. It did revolve largely around sending out scouts to learn what was where, and thus where I needed to attack (Because the AI gets stronger the more planets you take), and preparing the right kinds of units based on what was in the various planets.

I do know at higher difficulty levels the AI will feint an attack to get you to divert forces. It will also attack your planets when you attack theirs so you have to divert forces back or risk taking serious damage to your planets. It's all very cool.

Heck, even at lower difficulties you have to decide between taking out the command center of a planet early or not. If you do, all the ships on the planet will attack you in one big wave or run off to do a counter attack, instead of being able to pick them off in small groups. On the other hand, if you leave it operational, then they'll summon larger numbers of reinforcements and rebuild defenses. And you can help counter that by building turrets to stop the counter-attack, or leaving back some ships, but since the number of turrets and ships you can build is limited....

Like I said, lots of strategy and tactics to consider, not just "drone drone drone drone overlord drone drone drone spawning pit drone extractor zergling zergling zergling drone drone zergling movement etc etc etc."

Posted by: nemafow Sep 20 2010, 02:40 AM

So I purchased this over the weekend, fun game, I can see why it takes so long to finish a game. Tried it multi with a friend, pretty interesting

Posted by: Karoline Sep 20 2010, 02:43 AM

If you want someone else to do some multiplayer games with, I'm.. umm... game

Posted by: nemafow Sep 20 2010, 02:48 AM

No worries, may be a bit difficult due to time zone differences (as when I post I'm at work) but if you are usually online around 7-10pm AEST I can give you a holla?

Posted by: Karoline Sep 20 2010, 03:15 AM

Lets see, that puts you 14 hours ahead of me Which would mean 5-8am for me. Afraid I tend to be waking up and then on my way to class at that time, so unlikely. Ah well.

Posted by: nemafow Sep 20 2010, 05:42 AM

Well if you change your mind, let me know

Posted by: nemafow Sep 20 2010, 05:42 AM

Godamnit, double post.