Armchair Dragoons Forums

Wargaming => 4X Gaming => Topic started by: bbmike on July 28, 2019, 01:28:36 PM

Title: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on July 28, 2019, 01:28:36 PM
So I'm playing Interstellar Space Genesis and discover this star system. Anything you want to tell us, Martok?  :whistle:

(https://www.aarcentral.com/pics3/martok.png)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bayonetbrant on July 28, 2019, 01:42:37 PM
"want" to tell us?  probably not....

"should" tell us?  uh...  yeah
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: BanzaiCat on July 28, 2019, 02:24:29 PM
(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/956/638/5bc.gif)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on July 28, 2019, 08:40:38 PM
Heh.  To be honest, I didn't even realize they'd put me in the game.  Very cool!  :) 



As to *why* I have a star system named after me, the explanation is simple enough.  Nor is it really a secret at this point, especially now that the game has been released...  ;) 

I was a fairly regular poster over on the SpaceSector website, back before the guys who ran it decided to begin developing their own 4x title (Interstellar Space Genesis).  Given both my participation on their website, and my love & enthusiasm for 4x/grand-strategy games, I was invited to join the ISG forums, as well as beta-test the game later on. 

I've admittedly only been an occasional participant (with regards to both the forum discussions and beta-testing), but I've always been supportive of what the devs were trying to achieve.  (I was one of those nutty "early adopters" who purchased ISG even before it was available on Steam.)  While I've still not played the game very much yet, I like a lot of the mechanics and game design choices the devs have made. 


I've never viewed MOO2 with rose-colored lenses the way so many other 4x fans seem to, but I suspect it may have actually found a worthy successor in ISG. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on July 28, 2019, 09:29:20 PM
Cool!  :2thumbs:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on December 19, 2019, 07:15:17 PM
For anyone who has had an eye on this game, but hasn't yet picked it up, now might be a great time to do so! 


Why, do you ask? 

1.)  Praxis Games just released a huge update (patch notes here (https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/1711862846702266787)).  It includes a crap-load of improvements, with an emphasis on automation options to reduce that micromanagement we both love and hate in 4x games.  :P 

2.)  The game is currently on sale ($19.79 US), a 34% discount.  :)  Definitely worth getting at that price IMO! 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on December 19, 2019, 07:27:44 PM
ISG is the first space 4x in a while that holds my attention for more than two minutes.  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on December 19, 2019, 08:56:09 PM
Sigh.  Wishlisted it. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on April 09, 2020, 04:23:26 PM
Massive (2.3GB) update today. New graphics and a metric TON of other stuff.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on April 09, 2020, 08:32:58 PM
On sale for $19..79.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Huw the Poo on April 09, 2020, 08:34:43 PM
This has been on my wishlist for ages.  I guess I should pick it up...
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on April 10, 2020, 02:06:11 AM
Massive (2.3GB) update today. New graphics and a metric TON of other stuff.

Yeah, I was playing the new update on the beta branch when my computer died.  (Grr.)  It's a massive improvement on what was already a fun game. 

Looking forward to playing this some more once I get my machine fixed.  ISG may have become my go-to space 4x (finally displacing Stellaris)...at least until Distant Worlds 2 comes out.  :D 




This has been on my wishlist for ages.  I guess I should pick it up...

I truly do recommend it.  ISG manages to capture that "old-school" feel, while also managing to improve on the standard formula, plus avoiding some of the more traditional pitfalls of the genre.  If you enjoy space 4x games at all, then it's definitely worth checking out IMHO. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Huw the Poo on April 10, 2020, 04:26:41 AM
I bought it.  :biggrin:

Dunno when I'll get around to playing it because I've recently become hopelessly addicted to Destiny 2, but it is definitely somewhere near the top of the list.  I haven't played a decent space 4X in ages.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Huw the Poo on April 11, 2020, 11:00:54 AM
Actually I've started my first game.  Just getting to grips with it.

Anyone here who's played, can you give me some starting tips?  What do you wish you'd known when you first started playing?
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on April 12, 2020, 02:14:23 PM
What do you wish you'd known when you first started playing?

How to play.   >:D
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on April 21, 2020, 04:14:52 PM
Actually I've started my first game.  Just getting to grips with it.

Anyone here who's played, can you give me some starting tips?  What do you wish you'd known when you first started playing?

Play the tutorial campaign, as it's pretty useful for showing you the basics.  Barring that, I recommend Easy/Normal difficulty, with only 1-2 opponents, for your first couple games.  The AI in ISG is pretty good, so I would avoid the Hard setting or higher until you've become more familiar/comfortable with the game. 

Focus your homeworld on production in the beginning, as building stuff takes a while at first.  (This is a somewhat common complaint, that I believe will be addressed in a future update.)  Researching a Construction tech like Robotic Factory early helps a great deal with this as well. 

For new colonies, have them focus on developing infrastructure.  This will pay dividends towards improving their industrial production further down the line. 

Not all Leaders are created equal:  Some are more expensive than others, but you shouldn't automatically assume that means they're better than cheaper Leaders in your available "pool"; some are, some aren't, and some are a...mixed bag.  For all Leaders, look at their costs, their stats & abilities, and what your needs/wants are. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Huw the Poo on April 22, 2020, 03:29:31 AM
Yeah this game seems particularly slow in the early stages, even compared to other games in the genre.  It was putting me off a bit if I'm honest (also a "medium" sized galaxy seems disappointingly small).  I appreciate the tips, thank you - I'll keep trying for a while and see if it starts to click.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on April 22, 2020, 05:03:10 PM
Yeah this game seems particularly slow in the early stages, even compared to other games in the genre.  It was putting me off a bit if I'm honest (also a "medium" sized galaxy seems disappointingly small).  I appreciate the tips, thank you - I'll keep trying for a while and see if it starts to click.

Yes, I found the galaxy sizes a bit small for my tastes as well.  That was why I was happy the 1.1 update included the new "gigantic" map size, as I found it more to my liking.  I'd still prefer my galaxies to be larger, but I believe there's both some technical limitations to that; plus the developer's game design/philsophy favors relatively smaller maps, which I can respect. 


As for the slower start, I agree it's not ideal; it's probably my biggest single gripe with the game at this point.  I think colonies -- and your homeworld in particular -- need a bigger initial boost to production to improve pacing in the early game. 

Fortunately, that's just a balancing issue, which, while perhaps tricky, at least doesn't require major code-work to be done.  And the developers have been very responsive to player feedback since ISG's release, so I'm confident this issue is one that will be addressed, probably sooner rather than later (given it's a common criticism). 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 16, 2020, 07:02:36 AM
<Casts "Lesser Thread Resurrection">




Not sure how I missed this (it was up last week already), but the devs posted a preview regarding the game's next major update (1.2), along with future plans/progress.  Trying not to get too excited...  :silly:   


Quote

(https://i.imgur.com/ysf10oH.png)


Hello everyone!

We've been working hard to bring you a new free update very soon. This will be version 1.2 and will bring the following:


1.2 Preview

    - New Tactical Auto-Combat feature allows AI to take control of the player's ships. Control can be given and taken back at any time.
    - Faster tactical combat animation options.
    - Improved auto-resolve calculations to better account for ship designs and situations.
    - Random tech trees now allow hiding future technologies until you've unlocked access to them.
    - Tech trees are now easier to manipulate with available reset and reorder options.
    - Notification improvements allow grouping the most frequent and less critical notifications.
    - Graphical improvements to the galaxy map.
    - Numerous quality of life improvements to things such as save/load with double-click, ship rotation enhancements, and unique ability usage verification.
    - Balance changes, bug fixes, and more!

This free update! is almost finished and should be out in the next few weeks.


What's Next After 1.2?

We've been working hard on the new free update, and as we have announced in a previous post the team has also been working hard on the 1st expansion pack for the game! So, expect a major announcement about the expansion very soon.

We truly appreciate our fans. Thank you for buying the game, for playing, and for continuing to provide us with your feedback!

If you have played the game please consider leaving a review on Steam!

The Dev Team
Praxis Games




Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 16, 2020, 07:12:40 AM
(Could we get this thread moved to 4x Gaming, by the way?) 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bob48 on September 16, 2020, 07:21:06 AM
Moved, as requested :-)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on September 16, 2020, 08:09:10 AM
Oooh, nice! The time I spent with ISG when it first came out wasn't a bad experience at all. This kind of polishing could be just the thing it needs.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 16, 2020, 06:23:29 PM
Moved, as requested :-)

Thank you, good sir!  :) 




Oooh, nice! The time I spent with ISG when it first came out wasn't a bad experience at all. This kind of polishing could be just the thing it needs.

Yeah, ISG was already a pretty solid experience, so I'm definitely looking forward to this next update.  There's a lot of usability features and QoL improvements I'm especially pumped for, and the visual upgrades on the galaxy map should help with that all-important immersion. 


And of course, I'm really curious to see what's going to be in the expansion!  I think I read somewhere it's going to include a couple more playable races, which is always welcome.  Would love to see more/improved mechanics as well, however.  (Maybe an end-game threat?) 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on September 29, 2020, 06:08:58 AM
Yeah, two new factions is a good addition. It's a decent game and it's great that they continue to work on it. I am not a big fan of the colony management (not enough buildings and very slow production of ships and buildings) so i am not a huge fan of the game. Still better than Stellaris imho.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 29, 2020, 04:46:10 PM
Yeah, two new factions is a good addition. It's a decent game and it's great that they continue to work on it.

Yeah, the devs' responsiveness to the community is one of the game's greatest strengths IMO.  They're not always able to implement player suggestions, obviously, but they are genuinely interested in them, and welcome player feedback in general. 



I am not a big fan of the colony management (not enough buildings and very slow production of ships and buildings) so i am not a huge fan of the game.

Yeah, the overly-slow pace of the early game remains my biggest critique of ISG.  The devs are always good about offering useful tips & advice about how to counteract it, but since it's clear (from reading their forums) that this is a common complaint, I'm admittedly puzzled why they don't simply give colonies a bigger production boost to begin with.  I really hope this gets addressed at some point. 

 

Still better than Stellaris imho.

 :doh:

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 08, 2020, 12:30:52 AM
For anyone interested, the 1.2 update is now available for public testing on Steam's "unstable" beta branch.  It includes a bunch of new features, QoL improvements, and other changes, along with the usual bug-fixes (quite a few, actually).  I'm going to try and get some time in on this before it officially drops! 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on October 13, 2020, 04:02:41 AM
Did you have time to test it? I would like to wait for the new races before i launch a new game.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 13, 2020, 12:51:30 PM
To be honest, I've not tested it much, no. 


The truth is that I currently find myself so frustrated by the (too-slow) pace of the early game, that I just up and quit.  :-[  :buck2:  It's especially aggravating, since I know from experience that ISG gets much better later on; however, I'm realizing I simply don't have the patience to just sit around and click the End Turn button a bunch of times before getting to the "good stuff". 

It's especially ironic, given that the early game is usually the most fun part of 4x titles (with the exploration & discovery).  But it's a major problem in ISG, at least in my experience. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on October 14, 2020, 02:49:16 AM
The truth is that I currently find myself so frustrated by the (too-slow) pace of the early game, that I just up and quit.  :-[  :buck2:  It's especially aggravating, since I know from experience that ISG gets much better later on; however, I'm realizing I simply don't have the patience to just sit around and click the End Turn button a bunch of times before getting to the "good stuff". 

It's especially ironic, given that the early game is usually the most fun part of 4x titles (with the exploration & discovery).  But it's a major problem in ISG, at least in my experience.
I have the same problem with the game.  Everything takes too much time and everything is too expensive in the beginning. And there aren't enough buildings either.

The new update seems to be improving this which is good. We'll see.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 14, 2020, 06:39:02 AM
Well, damn.  I may have to eat my words... 

I just got around to trying version 2 of the beta branch (I didn't even realized it had dropped until now), and holy hell, what a difference!  The early game is actually fun to play now; who'da thunk it??  :D 



EDIT:  Here's a list of the balance changes.  With only a few exceptions, they're pretty much all geared towards improving the pace of the early game (and so far, I'd say they've delivered). 

Quote
BALANCE

    - Homeworlds now enjoy from an intrinsic +30 production bonus instead of previous +10. This should help speed up the very early game a little.
    - Logistics technologies range extended by +1 parsec each. Standard, Improved and Enhanced Logistics now provide 6/8/10 parsecs range where before it was 5/7/9. This should provide more to explore at the beginning.
    - Hurrying construction is now much cheaper than before. It was too costly before which caused little use for this important feature.
    - Hurrying construction cooldown reduced from 5 turns to 3, which is the amount of the turns where hurrying is not possible in that colony after the previous hurry was made.
    - Hurrying construction morale penalty reduced from -10% to -5% during the cooldown period.
    - Technological Capital building cost reduced by around 30%.
    - Economical Capital building cost reduced by around 35%.
    - Cultural Capital building cost reduced by 25%.
    - Supercomputer a bit cheaper to build now.
    - Orbital stations now also a bit cheaper to build.
    - Technological Capital is now a level 1 tech by default, was level 2 before.
    - Imperial Space Academy now a level 2 tech by default, was level 1 before.
    - Neutron Beams's stun effect chance lowered a bit. The stun effect happened too often before, especially with many neutron beam weapons installed.
    - Matter Streamer super kinetic weapon now does 150 damage, was 100 before. The cost per weapon installed was increased from 750 to 1000 and the space required per weapon is now 125 (was 250).

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 16, 2020, 02:49:43 AM
Sounds like the expansion will still be released this year, by the way.  Looking forward to getting my grubby paws on it! 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 20, 2020, 07:12:31 PM
At last! 

No release date announced yet, but the devs have stated it will be out before the end of the year still.  Huzzah! 




Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on October 21, 2020, 03:58:51 AM
Looking forward to this!
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on October 29, 2020, 05:46:38 PM
ISG is now on sale on Steam for $14.99.  50% off if you've been sitting on the fence like me.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 29, 2020, 09:00:42 PM
Well worth getting at that price -- even more so when considering the 1.2 update that should be dropping soon.  :bigthumb: 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on October 29, 2020, 10:17:12 PM
I snagged it. No idea when I'll actually play it but that can be said of much of my Steam collection.   8)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bayonetbrant on October 29, 2020, 11:02:32 PM
I snagged it. No idea when I'll actually play it but that can be said of much of my Steam collection.   8)

FTFY
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on October 29, 2020, 11:35:33 PM
The first dev diary (https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/isg-dev-diary-12-natural-law-the-palacean.1590/) for the Natural Law expansion is up.  They take a look at the Palacean, the nature-oriented race being added on.  Look like they should be fun.  (Although if these guys were a Batman villain, I'm pretty sure theyd be Poison Ivy. :P ) 





I snagged it. No idea when I'll actually play it but that can be said of much of my Steam collection.   8)

FTFY

I resemble that remark.  :kling: 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on November 16, 2020, 07:39:15 AM
More news & info... 



The release date for the Natural Law expansion and 1.2 update is this Wednesday, Nov. 18.  Details are here (https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/2916605554672884339). 


Next, the latest dev diary details the Cerixx, one of the new races introduced in the expansion.  These guys (https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/2916605554676133490) actually sound a little scary. 



I'll be honest:  Much as I'm looking forward to trying out the Cerixx and Palacean, I'm especially excited for the changes & improvements in the accompanying 1.2 update.  Just from playing around with the beta patch, there's a lot to like! 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on November 16, 2020, 08:24:08 AM
Ugg, those cutesy, gremlin looking aliens...  (http://www.aarcentral.com/emoti/new/facepalm2.gif)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bob48 on November 16, 2020, 08:48:20 AM
No, that's a photo of some ACD members.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on November 16, 2020, 08:54:45 AM
Hmm, then I can safely say none of them have made it to Origins yet.  :whistle:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on November 16, 2020, 02:32:34 PM
Origins? Origins? Is that another DLC???
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 16, 2020, 02:56:46 PM
Origins? Origins? Is that another DLC???

for you?  Yes, it's a "Destination / Life Challenge"  :whistle:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on November 16, 2020, 03:46:40 PM
Seems destined to sit on my Steam "unplayed games" list for awhile longer  ::)
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on November 16, 2020, 05:22:13 PM
More news & info... 



The release date for the Natural Law expansion and 1.2 update is this Wednesday, Nov. 18.  Details are here (https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/2916605554672884339). 


Next, the latest dev diary details the Cerixx, one of the new races introduced in the expansion.  These guys (https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/2916605554676133490) actually sound a little scary. 



I'll be honest:  Much as I'm looking forward to trying out the Cerixx and Palacean, I'm especially excited for the changes & improvements in the accompanying 1.2 update.  Just from playing around with the beta patch, there's a lot to like!
Didn't think it would come out so soon. It will a welcome distraction to my current situation...
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on December 22, 2020, 04:43:44 PM
Update 1.2.3 has just dropped!  Looks like they finally heeded players' pleas to spiff up the galaxy map a bit, along with adding a bunch of much-appreciated QoL improvements. 


https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/984680/view/2924490582250334898


Spoiler: ShowHide
Quote

Update 1.2.3 improves the galaxy map graphics and more


Hello everyone!

We're happy to bring you another Interstellar Space: Genesis update! This is mainly a graphics and polish update with major improvements done to the galaxy map graphics as for other QoL improvements and a few bug fixes.

Compatibility: Saves from 1.2.2 should be compatible with this new version, but it's advisable to start new games to benefit from the new improvements fully and to avoid any unexpected issues. If for any reason you wish to continue with the previous version, please use the Steam betas feature ("old_version" branch) to go back to that version.

Thanks to all who have bought the game so far and for everyone who provided feedback. You're awesome!

As you know, we're doing all we can to keep improving the game and to win your support. If you have a few minutes to spare, and have been enjoying what we do, please leave us a review on Steam! ❤️


Version 1.2.3

NEW


    Dark nebula has new graphics. These nebulae are now darker and have a slight glow effect around them making them easier to spot and more pleasing to look at.

    New 'Colonizers' special ability available when creating custom races. Races with this ability start the game with 2 colony ships instead of 1.

    Many new hints added. Hints are displayed at game start and when loading a game. Also, several revisions made to the existing hints.

    Now possible to change the color of all empires during a game session. Particularly useful to help with color-blindness but also interesting to change colors if they are too close other empires' colors or just for fun. Colors can be changed in the Empire Overview panel for the human player and in the AI Empire Status screen for the AI empires (info icon in the diplomacy status screen).

    Now possible to (de-)select the races shown in the graphs in the empire overview panel. So, you can compare empires more directly now.



GAMEPLAY

    When a leader levels up, and two skill options are provided, if one option is a spy skill, the other one now is not.



SOUND & MUSIC

    Ruins search sounds toned down (were too loud before).
    Sound effects added to the tech type selection dropdown in the research screen (when selecting all 'Achievements', 'Wonders' etc).
    The reset tech queue option in the research screen also has a sound effect now.



UI / GRAPHICS

    Galaxy map UI improved across the board. Examples: empire info panel in the top left (e.g. more space between the information and easier to read, new buttons for increasing/decreasing taxes, research and culture); game systems' menu in the top right improvements, map layers in the bottom left; turn button on the bottom right. All those panels now look a bit cleaner and crisper.
    System labels revamped. The labels' background now have a gradient color effect, a new border which makes them easier to see and distinguish from outposts, the text in the label is not uppercase now and font improvements make labels more crisp and easier to read.
    The galaxy map background nebula graphics were improved to add more color and presence, with more background stars now and more of them twinkling. As a result, we think the galaxy map is now more pleasing to look at and provides a better sense of being in space without being distracting.
    The Planetary and Supernova Remnant nebulae now have an animation effect that provides a bit more of life and also a bit more of color to them.
    Stars of the same color now have slightly different sizes. This helps in giving the galaxy an additional sense of depth.
    Icon improvements for the fire arc, extra maneuverability, shield facings, and most of the weapon modifications in the ship design screen. They are cleaner and crisper now.
    Added function-key shortcuts to open all the various options in the upper, right-hand panel (e.g. Remote Exploration, Research, Leaders, etc). Function keys F1 to F8 available to open all the options. When one of the screens is open, pressing the key again will close that screen.
    Next item in the production queue is now displayed in the 'construction just finished' notifications. Now it shows the project or ship just constructed and the next one, if any is in the queue.
    Fleet icon is now slightly bigger both when stationed (a shield) and when the fleet is traveling (little ship icon). The stationed shield icon was improved to make it easier to spot and also more appealing.
    The ruins searching process can now be skipped to accelerate the search text being displayed, if desired.
    When Trade Goods are on a colony production queue and a new project is added to the queue, this construction project is added before the trade goods and not after, as was previously the case.
    The stationed fleet icon now blinks when the game starts. This is particularly helpful for new players, so they can identify their initial fleet more easily.
    Zoom scrolling is now a bit faster.
    The initiative tooltip in the combat encounter screen now clarifies that a space monster always has the initiative (always attacks first).
    The close button in the system view and leader desires screen now displays the correct "close button" graphic (was displaying an older style UI button). This makes it particularly helpful in the system view as it's more clear when the player wishes to decline an attack when combat is possible in the system view.
    Improved the research choice buttons' looks (in the research decision screens - e.g. Helium-3 tech choice). They now have better contrast when hovering and clicking on the buttons (previously, it could be hard to tell they were buttons that needed to be clicked).
    Subsurface Vault's description revised to clarify that it doesn't offer an ideal environment to the extra population it can hold in the planet but only enough new space to hold more people.
    The 'Deep Cover' spy skill description now clarifies that on top of revealing information on a rival's outposts and colonies, it also reveals all the rival empire's explored systems.
    Improved the toggle checkboxes in the race customization and new game screen, which makes it easier to grasp if an option is or not selected.
    Fleet panel close button now slightly bigger.
    Planetary Prospectors' culture perk description now clarifies that a settlement is either a colony or an outpost.
    The race rulers are now fully displayed in ultra-wide resolutions to take advantage of the extra space available on these wider resolutions.



BUG FIXES

    Fixed an issue that was causing the ship model to reset the animation and zoom level in the ship design every time the fire arc option was changed.
    Fixed an issue that was not allowing orbital stations and space mirror arrays to be seen in the colony view of Lava and Barren worlds (now they can always be seen in these worlds).
    Fixed an issue in the remote exploration screen where the 'Brown dwarfs' and 'White Dwarfs' graphics were missing when inspecting the panel of what could be revealed in a specific sector.
    Fixed a glitch that was allowing getting back to the main menu after starting a game, resulting in a corrupted UI state.
    Fixed a glitch in the colony screen on the triangle allocation icons (infrastructure, construction, planetary engineering), the hovering color would persist if the colony screen was closed when hovering those icons.
    Fixed an issue where the effect that greys options in the background was not covering the full screen in ultra-wide resolutions.







In addition, Interstellar Space Genesis is participating in the holiday sale that just launched:  The base game is currently available for $14.99 USD, and the bundle package (which includes the recent Natural Law expansion) is currently $22.48 USD. 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/984680/Interstellar_Space_Genesis/




Oh, and just to give an idea of what the "new" map looks like (shamelessly stealing it from Steam's store page): 


(https://i.imgur.com/mvSL8bq.jpg)


 8)


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on December 23, 2020, 04:19:21 AM
Nice!
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on December 24, 2020, 12:56:26 PM
I had to laugh when I saw this... 

In my current game (as the Palacean Assembly), I am literally at the ass-end of nowhere.  How appropriate.  ;D 


(https://i.imgur.com/973w7dz.jpg)


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on December 28, 2020, 03:53:32 AM
Ah....you're really on the outer rim! I like that kind of starting position. Let's you grow in peace for a while.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on January 11, 2021, 06:13:33 PM
For those who prefer to avoid Steam, ISG and its expansion, Natural Law, are now both available for purchase on GOG.  The base game is 50% off in celebration of its launch on the platform! 


Interstellar Space: Genesis (https://www.gog.com/game/interstellar_space_genesis)


Natural Law (https://www.gog.com/game/interstellar_space_genesis_natural_law_dlc)


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: judgedredd on January 12, 2021, 02:42:12 AM
That just looks like Stellaris or Sins of a Solar Empire to me
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on January 12, 2021, 04:01:48 PM
That just looks like Stellaris or Sins of a Solar Empire to me

I'd say that's a fairly common observation.  But then, I think you could argue that most space 4x games look rather similar, to a greater or lesser degree. 



I find that what sets ISG apart is that it deliberately follows the "traditional" MOO2-style 4x design philosophy, whilst seeking to avoid some of the genre's biggest pitfalls (such as excessive colony micromanagement).  It also adds some unique features (such as the remote exploration mechanic, and Leaders with their own desires) that keep things interesting throughout the game. 

It's not perfect, by any stretch, but at least the developers are actually trying something a bit different, and genuinely listen (and respond) to player feedback.  That goes a long way with me. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on January 13, 2021, 02:38:29 AM
That just looks like Stellaris or Sins of a Solar Empire to me

The two games you mention happen in real-time. Interstellar is turn-based and this is big difference. I also never managed to finish a game of Stellaris while i have completed many games of Interstellar. As Martok said, it's a good game, not perfect but they keep working on it.

I think i'll also get the GOG edition.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on January 13, 2021, 03:07:56 PM
I have to admit that with the advent of games like Distant Worlds and Stellaris, whether or not a 4x game is turn-based vs. real-time has begun to matter somewhat less to me the last several years.  I still have a preference for turn-based games overall, but the gap between the two types has narrowed (in my eyes). 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on January 14, 2021, 03:44:05 AM
I have to admit that with the advent of games like Distant Worlds and Stellaris, whether or not a 4x game is turn-based vs. real-time has begun to matter somewhat less to me the last several years.  I still have a preference for turn-based games overall, but the gap between the two types has narrowed (in my eyes).
Both games have made it easier. Stellaris can be very very slow and Distant Worlds has a lot of automation options (almost too many).
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: judgedredd on January 14, 2021, 06:51:30 AM
I just watched a video of it - honestly, the factions shown on the video seem to be very, very familiar to me...like from one of the games I mentioned. I could be wrong

Even the ship landing on the planet
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on January 14, 2021, 12:22:00 PM
I just watched a video of it - honestly, the factions shown on the video seem to be very, very familiar to me...like from one of the games I mentioned. I could be wrong

Even the ship landing on the planet
It's clearly inspired by MOO2.

There isn't any ship landing in Stellaris nor Sins of a Solar Empire. There are many games who do have it (Horizon, Master of Orion 1-2 and 4, Endless Space 2). Frankly, if you're not a space 4x addict like me or Martok, i would say that any of these games would do and be enough for a casual player. There aren't really any reasons to have more than one.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on January 14, 2021, 06:31:56 PM
Frankly, if you're not a space 4x addict

Nonsense.  We can quit anytime we want!  :biggrin: 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 25, 2021, 03:37:12 PM
Sounds like the next major update is coming this summer, with the next DLC due out later this year. 


https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/984680/view/3004437795933393172




The main game is also currently on sale for 50% off (all available storefronts), with the Natural Law expansion being 20% off.  8) 


https://www.interstellarspacegame.com/buy-now/


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on March 25, 2021, 05:24:02 PM
Good news.

I must say that i've never had any fleet battles in the game so far. Only against monsters or the like. I never manage to have more than a couple of ships.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 25, 2021, 06:48:52 PM
Yeah, the game does seem to be lacking in that department.  I think my "biggest" battle thus far has involved 2 destroyers & 3 frigates vs. 4 enemy frigates, which admittedly feels a bit underwhelming. 

I get that war & battles aren't going to be on the same scale or scope as what we see in Distant Worlds or Stellaris, but I feel like ISG could -- and should -- still do better in this regard.  The game has decent ship design and combat systems; it would be nice if we got to take advantage of and/or show that off a bit more. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on March 25, 2021, 06:52:53 PM
Ehhhh. I've never been a fan of huge, hundreds of ship battles. Maybe it's the old school Trek in me, but I like the idea of 12-20 "capital ships" that have names and some support ships with them. It feels more immersive to me.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on March 26, 2021, 01:11:29 AM
Ehhhh. I've never been a fan of huge, hundreds of ship battles. Maybe it's the old school Trek in me, but I like the idea of 12-20 "capital ships" that have names and some support ships with them. It feels more immersive to me.
This would be more than enough for me but i never get that far. Ships take just too long to produce. Maybe i do something wrong. And anyway, i never face any threats from other nations in normal difficulty.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 26, 2021, 02:53:27 AM
Ehhhh. I've never been a fan of huge, hundreds of ship battles. Maybe it's the old school Trek in me, but I like the idea of 12-20 "capital ships" that have names and some support ships with them. It feels more immersive to me.

That would be plenty sufficient for me as well, and would "feel" about right for ISG's scale.  However, the game seems to be designed so that even battles of that size aren't possible, or at least worthwhile. 

As Anguille pointed out, ships take longer to build than they (probably) should.  And if you *are* able to build a fleet that large (and in a reasonable amount of time), then odds are very small that anyone else is capable of challenging you anyway. 



As a point of comparison/contrast:  If you look at how fleets & battles scale in Birth of the Federation (which has even smaller map sizes, unless you're playing with mods), they're consistently -- and satisfyingly -- bigger.  Larger battles often involve 50-100 ships, with exceptionally large battles involving more than 200 (although these are rare in my experience).  Granted, those really big battles can be a pain (if only  because of the turn times and frame-rates), but at least they "feel" like proper battles, generally speaking. 

Heck, even most smaller battles in BOTF are equivalent to "large" battles in ISG -- and they're often fun, too.  Can your under-strength squadron of 6-7 destroyers drive off or destroy the enemy's 2-3 cruisers?  Those skirmishes can be wonderfully tense (and a real test of opposing tactics), with the outcome often riding on a knife's edge until the last couple turns. 


I'm not getting any of that with ISG's combat, and it's frustrating.  And a big reason why -- as I've come to realize -- is that in its current iteration, the game just doesn't seem to be designed for even moderately-sized battles.  By the time those would be possible, you've probably won (or lost) already. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on March 26, 2021, 05:13:33 AM
I'm not getting any of that with ISG's combat, and it's frustrating.  And a big reason why -- as I've come to realize -- is that in its current iteration, the game just doesn't seem to be designed for even moderately-sized battles.  By the time those would be possible, you've probably won (or lost) already.
My thoughts exactly.

But i think it's a problem i usually have when there's only one line of production in a game at the level of a city/colony (Civilization, MOO2). This is why i usually prefer to have more than one line of production (MOO1, Armda 2525, Horizon) where i can produce ships at the same time as i improve my colony/planet.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on March 26, 2021, 09:19:35 AM
The production in ISG is painful overall to me. It’s like watching grass grow.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 26, 2021, 08:38:08 PM
But i think it's a problem i usually have when there's only one line of production in a game at the level of a city/colony (Civilization, MOO2). This is why i usually prefer to have more than one line of production (MOO1, Armda 2525, Horizon) where i can produce ships at the same time as i improve my colony/planet.

Also a very good point, yes.  I've never been a fan of that mechanic either. 

Granted, it *can* work with certain strategy games -- if it fits the design.  I think with a majority of games, however, it merely ends up being a hindrance. 




The production in ISG is painful overall to me. It’s like watching grass grow.

You're not wrong.  ISG's pacing remains the game's biggest issue for me, and production is probably the single biggest reason for that.  It simply takes too long to build stuff: buildings, ships, etc.  The devs have made some definite improvements in this regard (especially in the 1.1 update), but it's still not enough IMO. 


It's a pity, because I like so much of what they're doing with ISG.  I like the developer's philosophy behind it (and how it's driven the game's design), I like how they engage with -- and respond to -- the community, and I like how they've added some genuinely interesting twists & features to an old (and often tired) formula. 

But good lord, it takes too dang long for things to develop in this game.  :-\ 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on March 26, 2021, 09:02:54 PM
I like the Stellaris approach in that your building fleets.  Yes, they are built as individual ships, and yes you can build individual ships, but to me it makes more sense to design and build a fleet. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 26, 2021, 10:14:47 PM
I like that system as well.  It's not the only "right" approach, of course, but it's definitely one that can work well. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on March 27, 2021, 02:35:00 AM
I like the Stellaris approach in that your building fleets.  Yes, they are built as individual ships, and yes you can build individual ships, but to me it makes more sense to design and build a fleet.
That was one of the best parts of Master of Orion 3.  You built fleets around Task Forces with individuals ships having different roles...
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on March 27, 2021, 03:19:20 PM
I like the Stellaris approach in that your building fleets.  Yes, they are built as individual ships, and yes you can build individual ships, but to me it makes more sense to design and build a fleet.
That was one of the best parts of Master of Orion 3.  You built fleets around Task Forces with individuals ships having different roles...

Yes. I had forgotten about that but it was great. Forced players to build ships of different sizes and roles.

 I remember MOO2, all you had to do was build 32k of the smallest ships and you were set. Not very realistic.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 27, 2021, 04:16:39 PM
MOO3 was definitely ahead of its time, with quite a few interesting concepts and mechanics.  A pity it failed in the implementation (not to mention some dodgy AI). 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on March 29, 2021, 04:49:25 AM
MOO3 was definitely ahead of its time, with quite a few interesting concepts and mechanics.  A pity it failed in the implementation (not to mention some dodgy AI).
The AI isn't bad once patched with the Bhruic patches. A major problem was that the AI was disbanding troop transports if the travel was longer than one turn.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on March 29, 2021, 08:36:34 PM
I see that were was another new MOO released a few years ago. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on March 29, 2021, 10:02:19 PM
I see that were was another new MOO released a few years ago.

Yes, Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars came out in 2016.  It's disappointing as a MOO sequel, but it's a decent 4x game overall, though. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 03, 2021, 03:28:47 AM
1.3 Beta Update available on unstable Steam branch: 


https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/3038221134329964611




This one looks nice & beefy.  Alongside the usual bug-fixes, balance changes, QoL improvements, etc., features include (but are not limited to):

*  AI empires can now surrender to you (they essentially become vassals); you no longer have to completely destroy them.
*  Alliance victory has (finally!) been added.
*  UI-scale slider option
*  Improved performance, especially for turn times, loading times, and combat lag. 
*  A crap-ton of AI improvements, especially with regards to how it handles fleets (on both the strategic and tactical levels). 



A lot of good stuff in this update.  I still wish they'd do something about the pacing, though! 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on June 03, 2021, 04:47:45 AM
Looking good. Can't wait to try it.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 10, 2021, 06:30:55 PM
The 1.3 update has officially dropped!  (Full list of changes at the link.) 


https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/3038221134351198109



Quote

Interstellar Space: Genesis free 1.3 update released!



Hello everyone!

We are thrilled to announce that the new major and free! 1.3 update for Interstellar Space: Genesis is now available to all players!

This update has been on the unstable branch for beta testing to make sure there were no major unforeseen issues for the smoothest official release possible. We're happy to report that testing went very well, so we believe we're in very good shape. Thanks to everyone who played the unstable build and provided feedback!



Free 1.3 Update - Features and Improvements

Surrender Pact
The 1.3 highlights include the brand new Surrender Pact feature! With this new diplomacy treaty, you can now subjugate a rival into a surrender pact, and obtain benefits from it, instead of having to completely wipe it out of the game. Subjects vote for their overlord and contribute to all victory types. 56 new lines of dialog were added to accommodate the surrender pact diplomacy interactions. Check the release note below for all the details!

Alliance Victory
Also in 1.3 we now have the new Alliance Victory condition, where allies win together. When an empire wins, all its allies share victory. It can be enabled or disabled in the new game set up screen.

Steam Achievements
Steam Achievements were also added to the game! There are 57 achievements, which include 3 hidden ones and 7 for the first expansion pack, Natural Law. The achievements are also displayed in-game in a dedicated 'Achievements' screen.

AI Aggressiveness Level
The new 'AI Aggressiveness' option in the 'New Game' screen allows tweaking the desired aggression level for the AI. With higher aggressiveness, the AI will tend to be more hostile, attack more and declare war more often. It will also be more reluctant to sign diplomatic deals. The opposite effect for lower aggression than normal.

New Diplomacy Screen
The diplomacy UI was revamped! The diplomacy dialog screen is now displayed in full screen and the ambassador character is presented much larger, allowing for much more of the character to be seen and the different animations depending on their mood.

And, much more!
There's also a ton of major AI improvements
, performance improvements, a new UI-scale slider option
, QoL improvements and bug fixes, many of which in response to player feedback, and much more!

You can find the full change log for this update at the end of this post.


Compatibility and finishing an ongoing game

Saves from previous versions are not compatible with version 1.3. To everyone who helped beta test this update, please revert to the main branch by choosing 'None' in Steam's Betas tab. You can then resume playing with the official version now.

If you want to finish your current game with the previous version (1.2.4), please go to the Steam client -> Games -> View Games Library -> Right-Click on Interstellar Space: Genesis -> Choose Betas tab -> Select the "old_version" branch.

Important note: Custom races designed with previous versions will not work with the old version if you run the game once with the new version (after running 1.3 once, the custom races are updated to work with the new version). So, if you wish to finish a game with the previous version, please delete all your current custom races first, by deleting them in the folder C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\LocalLow\Praxis Games\ISG\Races, otherwise the game will not launch properly. This is only required if you wish to finish a game with the previous version.


Thanks

We want to thank everyone who has helped test this update. Big thanks to everyone who has bought the game so far. A big thank you also to our artist Camilo Abelayras for creating such beautiful icons for the Steam Achievements. Thank you.

We hope you like the free 1.3 update! As you know, we're doing all we can to keep improving the game and to win your support. If you have a few minutes to spare, and have been enjoying what we do, please leave us a review on Steam! ❤️

Have fun!
Praxis Games




Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on June 10, 2021, 06:57:06 PM
Nice, beefy update! I need to give it another go.  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on June 11, 2021, 03:03:08 AM
I must say that i mostly look forward to the achievements. Gives me new goals to achieve.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 20, 2021, 09:34:30 PM
The devs posted a short dev blog regarding their progress on the 2nd expansion and accompanying update.  Looks like they're still looking at releasing later this year.  8) 


https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/isg-dev-diary-14-towards-expansion-2.1732/


Quote
We know you're probably curious about what expansion 2 entails. While it's a bit too soon to get into all the details, what we can share is this expansion will present a variety of new content and gameplay features which aim to promote new playstyles as well as improve replayability. It's exciting stuff, and we can't wait to start sharing more info about it with you in the near future. We promise it's going to be worth the wait!


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on September 23, 2021, 05:36:03 AM
I am ready!
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on September 24, 2021, 12:57:17 AM
Cheers, Anguille!  :rockon:  Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to this expansion as well.  The two races from the first expansion were nice, but I've really wanted to see ISG get fleshed out with new features & content.  Improving the pacing of the early game would be wonderful as well. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on April 28, 2022, 05:57:13 PM
2nd expansion announced at last:  Evolving Empires... 


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1974170/Interstellar_Space_Genesis__Evolving_Empires/





The two big new features are Evolutions and Minor Civilizations.  Looks pretty good. 

*This* is the DLC I've really wanted to see.  Personally, I wish Praxis would have come out with this one first before Natural Law, but better late than never! 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: bbmike on April 28, 2022, 06:16:42 PM
Interesting. I remember liking this game, I'll have to give it a go again when this drops.  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Yskonyn on April 29, 2022, 10:16:38 AM
Looks great!
The glacial pace of the base game turned me off, but perhaps things are (optionally) more speedy by now.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on April 30, 2022, 05:31:50 AM
Praxis put out a dev diary giving us an overview of the Evolutions in the new DLC: 


https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/isg-dev-diary-15-evolving-empires-evolutions.1778/



Similar to the game's existing "Space Culture" perks, choosing Evolution perks are mutually exclusive for the most part -- you can choose one path or the other, but not both.  More specifically, you choose 1 of 2 Evolution "paths", which automatically cuts off the player from the other path not chosen for the remainder of the game.  Evolution perks are also more powerful than the normal Space Culture perks, so you can't pick new ones as often (your empire will need to "level up" multiple times before taking another Evolution perk). 

Seems like an interesting mechanic.  Sounds like it should be fun, as long as it's (more or less) balanced.  I also like the divergent and mutually exclusive paths, as it means more replayability. 




Looks great!
The glacial pace of the base game turned me off, but perhaps things are (optionally) more speedy by now.

The slow pace remains ISG's biggest weakness for me as well.  I'm curious (and hopeful) that this will addressed/improved in the free update accompanying the new DLC. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on May 01, 2022, 08:44:11 AM
The slow pace remains ISG's biggest weakness for me as well.  I'm curious (and hopeful) that this will addressed/improved in the free update accompanying the new DLC.
I think the slow pace is intended and is, imho, unlikely going to change. My main problem is the slow production of ships and the single line of production (ships/buidlings) unlike in Armada 2526. Still, i think i'll get that DLC as well. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 01, 2022, 03:12:50 PM
Agreed, the single build queues combined with long construction times is definitely the biggest issue as far as I'm concerned. 

I suspect you're also correct that this is deliberate on the part of the devs, but I'm a bit baffled as to why.  Given the game's pacing remains one of its single biggest critiques, you'd think they'd do more to address it. 


Ah, well.  For all its flaws, ISG is still a good game, and I'm looking forward to this DLC. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Huw the Poo on May 01, 2022, 04:46:55 PM
The glacial pace is the reason I didn't persist with it, which is a shame because I liked what I saw otherwise. I keep meaning to go back to it but I keep thinking about how long it would take to get a good game going...
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 02, 2022, 05:05:12 AM
Yeah, ISG does a pretty decent job of sticking to the standard 4x game design, whilst mixing things up enough by adding elements (such as Space Culture and the extended exploration mechanics) to keep traditionalists happy, while keeping the game from just being a tired retread of the same old formula.  It's mainly in the pacing and (to a lesser extent) the visual presentation where ISG is lacking. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 06, 2022, 01:32:30 AM
Rob & Drexy from Explorminate sit down and interview Adam Solo & Kieth Turner, ISG's two lead/primary developers, to talk about the upcoming expansion, Evolving Empires: 


https://anchor.fm/explorminate/episodes/Episode-41-Praxis-Games-Interview-on-ISG-Evolving-Empires-e1i3fk2




I'm normally not a big podcast guy, but I actually listened to most of this one.  I always like what these guys have to say.  You can tell that Adam & Kieth genuinely put a great deal of thought into the game's design, and 4x design in general. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Yskonyn on May 06, 2022, 03:05:17 AM
Yeah I listened to it in the car on the way back home.
If one thing became clear its that I definitely haven’t given the game the time it deserves at all.
They talked about so many fun little ways things interact with eachother in the game and I’ve always approached it as a relic; a MOO clone that tries to capture the old school gameplay of 4x.
Boy, was I wrong!

Still, the slow pacing of gameplay truely tests my patience. That is fact.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on May 06, 2022, 07:51:48 AM
Yeah I listened to it in the car on the way back home.
If one thing became clear its that I definitely haven’t given the game the time it deserves at all.
They talked about so many fun little ways things interact with eachother in the game and I’ve always approached it as a relic; a MOO clone that tries to capture the old school gameplay of 4x.
Boy, was I wrong!

Still, the slow pacing of gameplay truely tests my patience. That is fact.

I haven't tried yet either, because I thought it was just an attempt to relive MOO.  But looking again, I may have to give it a try.

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 07, 2022, 03:34:30 AM
For those interested, Praxis has made the 1.4 update (which will be accompanying the release of Evolving Empires) available as a beta: 


https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/3194751677684829622




I’ve always approached it as a relic; a MOO clone that tries to capture the old school gameplay of 4x.
Boy, was I wrong!

I haven't tried yet either, because I thought it was just an attempt to relive MOO.  But looking again, I may have to give it a try.

I too had initially made the same (erroneous) assumption, that IS:G was just another MOO clone (in a genre already over-saturated with them).  It wasn't until I started seeing some surprisingly positive feedback and subsequently sitting down to play the game myself, that I realized it only *looks* like a MOO clone -- it actually plays out rather differently. 


Yskonyn is still correct in saying ISG's pacing remains overly slow, especially/at least in the early game.  But it does genuinely try to do things a bit differently, and not simply retread the same old formula. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 17, 2022, 05:15:06 AM
This week's dev diary looks at the specific Evolution Perks for each of the main (non-DLC) races: 


https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/isg-dev-diary-16-evolving-empires-evolution-perks.1782/

https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/4459137986482941797




I will say, I'm pretty impressed by the amount of thought they've put into these.  Each race has a pretty strong & unique "theme" when it comes to their Evolution Perks, with each "branch/fork" offering genuinely interesting choices.  I can already see how will deepen & enrich each play-through. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 18, 2022, 03:43:53 PM
Evolving Empires releases May 25.  (Dang, this is going to be an expensive month for me. ;D ) 


https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/interstellar-space-genesis-evolving-empires-release-date-announced.1783/


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on May 19, 2022, 12:12:41 AM
But well worth it  :groovy:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 19, 2022, 03:00:55 AM
^  Preach it, brother! 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 24, 2022, 12:00:24 AM
Dev Diary #17 talks about the new Minor Civilizations feature in Evolving Empires.  Sounds pretty neat. 


https://www.interstellarspacegame.com/isg-dev-diary-17-evolving-empires-minor-civilizations/




Dev Diary #18 looks at the Evolution perks for the two Natural Law empires.  (Hope you like space monsters! :D ) 


https://www.interstellarspacegame.com/isg-dev-diary-18-evolving-empires-natural-law-evolutions/


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 25, 2022, 02:23:36 PM
Evolving Empires has been released into the wild!  Now I just gotta find time to play it alongside Old World and Stellaris (first world problems)...  :P 


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1974170/Interstellar_Space_Genesis__Evolving_Empires/




The accompanying free 1.4 update has also dropped as well.  It includes improvements to Leaders, AI, gameplay, UI, and a ton of bug-fixes. 


https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/1-4-free-update-patch-notes.1788/


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on May 25, 2022, 03:04:47 PM
And just went on sale.  $9.89 for base game, $13.39 with the first expansion, Natural Law. 

And Evolving Empires is $14.99
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 25, 2022, 05:47:59 PM
And just went on sale.  $9.89 for base game, $13.39 with the first expansion, Natural Law. 

Nice catch; I didn't even notice the bundle package.  Definitely worth getting at that price! 




And Evolving Empires is $14.99

...Or for free, if you were an early/VIP backer of the original game.  (Not that that's why I backed them, but it's admittedly a nice perk.)  :biggrin: 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: vyshka on May 28, 2022, 05:16:52 PM
I'm finally getting around to playing this. Is there a way to refit ships to newer designs?

Edit: It shows up on the colony screen once there is a star base.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 30, 2022, 05:29:53 AM
Was struggling a bit with Old World, so I dipped back into IS:G for a bit.  Not gonna lie, I'm having more fun with the latter than the former. 


It's nice to just enjoy a bit of "old school" space 4x, yet manages to not be slavish to the same, tired formula.  I also forgot how much I like looking at a visually "clean" map, that's not too busy.  The UI is relatively simple but functional; everything is generally pretty easy to find. 

I never cease marveling at the brilliant remote exploration system; I still think it might IS:G's single best feature.  I like how Outposts work, and how they can help expand/develop your empire without having to found a colony.  Colony management isn't fancy, but it also means it's not complicated, and keeps down the micromanagement. 

I've always really enjoyed the space culture perks, and I'm digging the new Evolution perks so far -- they're pretty powerful, and they genuinely feel like they're helping guide your empire/species in a certain direction.  The new Minor Civilizations add some nice flavor, though I do wish they functioned a bit more like the minor races in Birth of the Federation.  I'm also not wild about the fact that, currently, when I want to colonize a planet -- typically the only planets I *can* colonize at the time -- I'll automatically destroy any minor civs there, when I have no way of knowing yet whether any exist on said planet.  It sounds like I'm not the only person who's complained about this, however, and the devs are looking at solutions to address it. 

Critiques...  The game's slow pacing in the beginning still bothers me, but it's admittedly not as bad as I remember it.  Even with the tech tree set to Random, you're still probably going to get either Robotic Factories or Space Elevators available as an early technology (or both) -- either one of which provides a decent boost to your homeworld's industrial production, including shipbuilding speed.  I could also really go for a larger map size of 400 stars or so (current largest is 280 stars, with close to half of them needing to be revealed via remote exploration), but it's not a deal-breaker. 


I don't know that IS:G is ever going to be my "ultimate" space 4x game, but I'd certainly say it's a good one.  And from what I've seen so far, the Evolving Empires expansion has only made it better.  The Evolution perks in particular are fun to play with, and I think the Minor Civilizations will be a fun addition as well (or least, more so) once they're balanced properly. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Undercovergeek on May 30, 2022, 06:33:36 AM
Was struggling a bit with Old World, so I dipped back into IS:G for a bit.  Not gonna lie, I'm having more fun with the latter than the latter

Yikes - is it bad or just deep and brain taxing - and n verge of purchase for old world
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 31, 2022, 05:49:15 AM
A minor edit/update to my first impressions on Evolving Empires: 

Minor civilizations are great conceptually, but are rather anemic in their current implementation.  I still like them, and am glad they've (finally!) been added to the game, but I'm realizing they need to be more useful and/or interesting than they currently are. 


Still enjoying IS:G overall.  It's pretty much the only game I've been playing the last few days. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on May 31, 2022, 10:50:06 PM
One of the main developers just posted over on Explorminate that a new patch is coming soon.  Sounds like it will address many of the issues players currently have with the Minor Civilizations introduced in the Evolving Empires DLC. 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on June 01, 2022, 02:59:38 AM
One of the main developers just posted over on Explorminate that a new patch is coming soon.  Sounds like it will address many of the issues players currently have with the Minor Civilizations introduced in the Evolving Empires DLC.
Excellent how reactive they are....
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 02, 2022, 05:05:41 AM
The devs have put out the 1.4.2 update on the beta branch. 


https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/3360261485247347513




The patch focuses on the Minor Civilizations, which is good.  There are some important changes to gameplay and balance that are nice to see. 

However, it doesn't appear that minors have been tweaked to actually be more impactful and/or interesting, which was one of the major criticisms regarding them.  I'll hold off on my skepticism for now, though, until I can dive back into the game (which probably won't be until Friday). 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Anguille on June 02, 2022, 06:04:16 AM
The patch focuses on the Minor Civilizations, which is good.  There are some important changes to gameplay and balance that are nice to see. 

However, it doesn't appear that minors have been tweaked to actually be more impactful and/or interesting, which was one of the major criticisms regarding them.  I'll hold off on my skepticism for now, though, until I can dive back into the game (which probably won't be until Friday).
Such a change will need more time if they consider it.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 04, 2022, 03:41:47 PM
Update 1.4.2 is now officially live: 


https://steamcommunity.com/games/984680/announcements/detail/3360261485258300775




Such a change will need more time if they consider it.

Fair point, Anguille.  I do still hope they beef them up in the next update, however (whenever that is). 

Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Yskonyn on June 07, 2022, 12:41:08 PM
Sooo, how are things? Should I buy the expansions and start playing again?
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 08, 2022, 03:34:14 AM
Sooo, how are things? Should I buy the expansions and start playing again?

Short answer?  Yes, you should. 


Longer answer...  If you liked IS:G before, but felt it was still a bit lacking, and/or wasn't *quite* yet where it needed to be, then Evolving Empires is probably the DLC you've been waiting for.  (In all honesty, I wish this one had come out before the Natural Law expansion.)  With Minor Civs and (especially) the Evolution Perks, the game finally feels like it's come into its own, and found its identity. 

The flip side is that if you weren't enthralled with IS:G to begin with, then the Evolving Empires DLC isn't going to do anything to change your mind.  It doesn't radically alter anything, but rather builds on the game's existing design -- a mix of the "tried & true", combined with some interesting twists on the old formula. 


For myself, I've been playing IS:G almost every day for the past 10 days, and it's been with increasing reluctance that I find myself exiting back to the desktop so I can go to bed.  As I've said before, I don't know that I'll ever "love" the game (like i do Stellaris or BOTF), but it has definitely been growing on me.  :) 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Yskonyn on June 08, 2022, 07:20:06 AM
Cheers! Sounds like a solid endorsement.
Is Natural Law not required in your opinion?
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 08, 2022, 07:26:17 PM
Yeah, it's definitely got that "one more turn" quality to it.  Like Stellaris, getting past the very early game is key, as I find the pacing improves markedly after that. 


As for the Natural Law DLC, it's certainly not necessary, no; though I do appreciate the additional play-styles the Palacean and Cerixx bring to the game.  My recommendation is to pick it up when it's on sale again. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on June 08, 2022, 09:49:34 PM
I've got this with both expansions, but haven't had time to play.  Is there a good tutorial for how to play with the expansions. 
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on June 08, 2022, 10:19:31 PM
Heh, fired it up last night and it's been all I've played since! Took me a couple (or five) restarts to get my space legs, but my latest Solarian Union is off to a good start and ready to exploit....

the Martok System!!!

Because of course!!!
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 09, 2022, 02:54:41 AM
I've got this with both expansions, but haven't had time to play.  Is there a good tutorial for how to play with the expansions.

Not that I've come across so far, unfortunately.  Rob from Explorminate and DasTsctic have both started a new Let's Play series, but I don't know that either one is great as a "how-to" for new players. 




Heh, fired it up last night and it's been all I've played since! Took me a couple (or five) restarts to get my space legs, but my latest Solarian Union is off to a good start and ready to exploit....

the Martok System!!!

Because of course!!!

Marvelous!  (It's always fun to come across the occasional system name, and realize it's a shout-out to an early backer like myself.)  :bigthumb: 

The bit about 4-5 restarts definitely resonates as well; though in my case, that tends to have more to do with how ISG's map generation algorithms can be a bit...unforgiving at times.  (If the devs were to ever add MP -- which is extremely unlikely -- the map generator would need to overhauled for balance first!)  :whistle:  Fortunately, you'll typically know within just a handful of turns whether you have a decent starting position or not, so it's not a big deal to just start over again. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on June 09, 2022, 08:30:24 AM
Yeah, I've had a couple of poor initial maps, but it takes very little time to restart a game. I have a great setup now except...it's in the middle of the damn galaxy. We will see how my "Belgium Space Empire" fares once things get nasty.
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 10, 2022, 04:18:20 PM
I always mentally refer to it as the "Poland" starting position, but "Belgium" works too.  ;D 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Steelie on June 11, 2022, 04:04:07 PM
Fair point. And like the aforementioned nations, I got overrun pretty quickly once discovered!   ;D

New game started with a nice corner position.   :bigthumb:
Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 11, 2022, 09:30:12 PM
Another thing with Minor Civilizations is that I wish we could incorporate them directly into our territory in some fashion.  I get that colonizing their planet "destroys" them, but it would be really nice if we could at least build an Outpost in their system or something. 




Fair point. And like the aforementioned nations, I got overrun pretty quickly once discovered!   ;D

New game started with a nice corner position.   :bigthumb:

Nice!  Gotta love it when you can corner-camp.  :biggrin: 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on June 24, 2022, 05:06:12 AM
Update 1.4.3 just dropped.  Man, I love Praxis just releasing all these follow-up patches lately!  :D 

https://interstellarspacegame.com/forums/index.php?threads/1-4-3-update-released.1803/#post-17005




And of course, the game is part of Steam's summer sale.  Get it while it's hot! 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/984680/Interstellar_Space_Genesis/


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: Martok on July 30, 2022, 03:16:02 AM
Version 1.4.4 is out.  Revamped space monsters, improved visuals & UI (including better ship sorting), and a good number of bug-fixes: 


https://www.interstellarspacegame.com/1-4-4-space-monsters-revamped-update-released/




It's been great to have the devs putting out patches more frequently these past couple months.  I don't know if that's a reflection of decent sales, community engagement, or both, but I'm glad to see it either way. 


Title: Re: Interstellar Space Genesis
Post by: ojsdad on November 30, 2022, 07:37:52 PM
https://twitter.com/interstellarsg/status/1598045108921769984