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Author Topic: Shadow Empire - what say you?  (Read 42501 times)

bbmike

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Reply #60 on: December 03, 2020, 06:35:31 PM
Yeah, I redeemed my Steam key and was thinking of maybe trying to learn how to play.

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TTC

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Reply #61 on: December 04, 2020, 02:25:53 PM
To be sure I understand what I'm possibly getting into...

It's a 4X game, in a sci-fi future, but on a single world, with a heavy military/wargame element. 

Is that the short of it?



Undercovergeek

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Reply #62 on: December 04, 2020, 02:34:33 PM
With a heavy take on logistics and supply

And research



Martok

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Reply #63 on: December 04, 2020, 05:45:44 PM
To be sure I understand what I'm possibly getting into...

It's a 4X game, in a sci-fi future, but on a single world, with a heavy military/wargame element. 

Is that the short of it?

Essentially correct, yes.  (Plus, what Undercovergeek said.)  :bigthumb: 



"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


ojsdad

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Reply #64 on: December 04, 2020, 09:04:33 PM
I'm going to use my Matrix anniversary coupon on this.

Here at ACD, we all pee the same color.


TTC

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Reply #65 on: December 04, 2020, 09:50:52 PM
To be sure I understand what I'm possibly getting into...

It's a 4X game, in a sci-fi future, but on a single world, with a heavy military/wargame element. 

Is that the short of it?

Essentially correct, yes.  (Plus, what Undercovergeek said.)  :bigthumb:

Well it's downloading onto Steam now...  :D



Martok

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Reply #66 on: December 05, 2020, 12:43:36 AM
^  Excellent.  Hope you enjoy it! 




I'm going to use my Matrix anniversary coupon on this.

A most excellent use for it, I'd say.  8) 



"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


bob48

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Reply #67 on: December 05, 2020, 06:38:02 AM
I've got this on my follow list - waiting to hear more about how it plays first though.

“O Lord God, let me not be disgraced in my old days.”

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Martok

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Reply #68 on: December 05, 2020, 11:36:41 AM
It might still be a bit for me, but I do want to fire it up in the near future.  It's definitely on my to-do list. 

I just gotta get through my current Stellaris campaign, and hopefully at least quick dip back into Warhammer 2 (now that the Wood Elves rework has dropped).  It's an embarrassment of riches!  :D 


"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


Martok

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Reply #69 on: December 07, 2020, 09:04:49 PM
For those interested, Explorminate is giving away three Steam keys for the game.  Sign up for the giveaway here


They also put up a massive review for Shadow Empire a few months ago...with Part 2 still pending.  (The author wanted to wait until the game was further patched and released to Steam before writing up the second part.) 



"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


Martok

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Reply #70 on: February 18, 2021, 03:00:22 PM
Part 2 of Explorminate's review is finally out.  It's quite apparent they like it -- a lot.  Only a tiny handful of games have ever received an "exemplary" rating from them. 


For myself, I remain both strongly attracted to Shadow Empires, yet also intimidated by its steep learning curve.  It's clearly not a game for sissies. 



"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


Martok

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Reply #71 on: February 24, 2021, 04:42:09 PM
A big new update (v1.08.01) was just released.  Along with the usual changes, fixes, & improvements (which make for a pretty significant list), the update also adds new content, including a couple new planet classes and Alien Natives. 

I'm starting to feel seriously tempted to dive (back) into this one now... 




Quote
We have released a new major update for Shadow Empire.

- You can now craft Stratagems. You do this by expanding Scrap Points you can earn by scrapping Stratagems you do not need. The crafted Stratagems are random and procedurally generated and thus always a surprise.

- AI turn speed has been increased

- Two new Planet Classes have been added. The Morgana Class and the Hydra Class.

- Sentient Alien life can now evolve on Planets. If this happens on the Planet you are playing on you'll very probably face some Alien natives during your game.


Check out the full changelog below. Asterix (*) at end of item means it requires a new game start to go into effect.

v1.08.01
• Fixed glitch in Alien Minor Report
• Reduced number of Asset Types eligible for usage in procedural Scrap Stratagems.
• Finetuned downwards the Charismatic Union Chief demands *
• Fixed that Open Contact could be played on Alien natives Minors. *
• Increased difficulty for making Alien natives join you a bit.*
• Fixed some glitches in the Militia growth algorithm.
• Fixed a turn processing crash (related to AI aircraft movement).
• Fixed an issue with Private Economy not seeing it was already producing enough Food. An optimization for speed didn’t work out. Removing it for v1.08, will try again with subsequent open beta’s.
• Added Hydra Class Planets, humid with plenty of swamps, rivers and seas. Almost always home to alien lifeforms.
• Added Morgana Class Planets, arid and dry, but with plenty of oasis areas dotted all over these planets.
• Added Minor Alien Regimes functionality for more variety. Native Aliens can now evolve during the Planet Biosphere phase, they’ll impact colonization and the aftermath of the Dissolution war as well. 5 Different types are present (like Cephaloids, Reptiloids) and they can use local wildlife as ‘cavalry’ as well. They’ll form their own Minor Regimes and a special kind of diplomacy will be allowed with the Xeno Diplomat Stratagem. They’ll also can contact you themselves, like other Minors.
• Fixed new organisation PP cost glitch if continuing from loading a saved game.
• Fixed some glitches with the Corporate story module (fixed some crime impact on corporation as well as better corporate spreading to other zones)
• Fixed bug with credits disappearing due to having only one zone and it being a unincorporated one.
• University production now increases with education tech
• Barracks production now increases with security tech
• Fixed construction cost for High Speed Rail
• Fixed an issue with renamed Unit name not being properly displayed for the Commanders job.
• Went back to speeded-up build mode, .06 should be faster turn processing than .05/.04 and equal to .03.
• Fixed a small glitch in the QOL score calculations which could cause small temporary decreases in them.
• Fixed model issue with Techs Launcher Optimization and Payload for SAM Launcher
• Fixed model issue with Conventional Guns Optimization and Flak Gun
• Plugged an exploit with scroll bar movement not updating button
• AI should construct tanks with HV guns as well now
• AI now tries to keep movement of Reserve Fronts to their targets more on roads (in order to benefit from potential Strategic Transfer)
• AI now makes use of Strategic Transfers Mode (limited number of units allowed to do this)
• AI now actually plays any Artifact Stratagems it has obtained during game *
• AI now also more interested in constructing Recycling Assets on top of Archeological Finds *
• AI now creates new Zones when they reach a size where if it was subject to administrative strain it would suffer penalties. *
• AI now also re-arranges its Zones.
• AI now has more difficulties in general to build roads and especially difficulties to build roads over mountains.
• Cards 31,32,104 now use 31.png, 32.png, 104.png instead of 1.png *
• Cards 546,547,548,549 now use newly added 546.png, 547,png, 548.png, 549.png *
• Added 8 new portrait part graphics (named groupXextrahair) for modders to have no double use between portrait groups. *
• Shared some help documentation for make graphics mod over on: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oDruMJbB6JBPvYaYlxeyCQMj5MWN46tjh6P4WOkN-4s/edit?usp=sharing
• Fixed big crash bug caused with 1.07.04
• The glitch corrupted some data and could take a few turns to surface to turn into a bug. Corrupted savefiles due to 1.07.04 play are cleaned up as well.
• Added Very Slow AI speed and made regular Slow mode less slow. See Prefs Tab.
• Fixed bug with Zones losing their SHQs ! Apologies. It was caused in a previous open beta.
• Fixed the missing Stratagem generation info
• Scrap Strats no longer give “Market” Asset (which is an asset still in development and not meant to be given yet)
• Scrap Strats no also can give some Private Mining and Private Farming Assets
• Alien Fauna now makes sound in combat
• Switched back the compilation mode to the one used in 1.07.02 to see if it fixes some weird calculation errors or not.
• Double Artifact Stratagem fixed and also the amount of Artifacts you’ll find should be lower due to this fix.
• Several Private Assets including Private Hospital have had their way too high Population need reduced by factor of ten *
• Made some relatively good speed improvements to turn speed. However this also made me change some compilation settings and might give some unwanted bugs, didn’t find any, but lets see. Stay aware this is an open BETA. capitals for emphasis.
• Minors with whom you have “unclear” relation can no longer take your locations.
• Fixed a crash when player gets more than 300 stratagems in stock (caused with 1.07.02)
• Nomads when losing a conquered city now are NOT removed from game anymore
• Added possibility to scrap Stratagems and craft new Stratagems (spending Scrap Points) to the game. You can find all new functionality in the Stratagem Tab when you flag “Scrap Mode” in the top-right corner. *
• Fixed propper average of attack and hitbonus skill % in Leader blocks in combat results window
• When tolerated equipment is switched for better equipment during replacement troops phase it keeps the soldiers (the xp, rdn, mor) where they are and only switches the equipment.
• MissileLauncher and RocketLauncher and other mechanized Launchers now use the Gun Tactics Skill (instead of Tank Tactics)
• Rail Stations now also profit from LogBonus *
• No longer very occasional n/a skill learning with Leader XP where Leader did not use any skill that turn
• Made fixes to the max logistical % settings for SHQ which were being overly optimistic (euphemism for not sticking to the limits)
• Fixed issue with Deception Skill being wrongly used in the combat mechanics.
• Fixed crash with older version savefiles and trying Strategic Transfer
• Automatic scrapping of most doubled Stratagems after you have more than 300 of them. To prevent too huge piles of Stratagems. *
• Fixed a nasty loss of Credits due to a bug to structural damage caused during battle code.




« Last Edit: February 24, 2021, 11:24:38 PM by Martok »

"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike


bbmike

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Reply #72 on: February 24, 2021, 04:43:05 PM
Nice!  :bigthumb:

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
-Sherlock Holmes

My Own Worst Enemy


Steelie

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Reply #73 on: February 24, 2021, 08:01:11 PM
Awesome!!! The patch before this one eased up on the logistics somewhat (or at least gave you the option to do so), making it a much more playable game. I'm enjoying it so far, I keep going back to it despite letting other eye candy steal my attention at times.

Somewhere, somehow, I woke up in the wrong timeline. I'm pretty sure this isn't even my dimension.


Martok

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Reply #74 on: February 24, 2021, 11:39:23 PM
Yeah, I'd noticed the easier logistic option on the previous update as well.  It almost made me pull the trigger right then. 


Any tips or other useful bits you'd offer to the rest of us newbies?  I've read that playing on one of the more habitable planet types (such as the new Hydra class) helps, along with playing on a lower difficulty, of course. 



"I like big maps and I cannot lie." - Barthheart

"I drastically overpaid for this existence." - bbmike