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Space 4x Blues

Started by Jarhead0331, January 20, 2018, 11:15:37 PM

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OJsDad

Steve is working a completely revamped Aurora, written in C#.  He's been providing updates with screenshots, and has been making design changes.

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=234.0
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

OJsDad

JH,

   Have you looked at Starfire, it's a tabletop game.  Looks like it could be pretty deep.  I've been tempted to purchase at different times, but figured I wouldn't find anyone to play with.  I did notice a few months ago one of the new members said he plays.  Perhaps we could get a game going here.
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

Yskonyn

OJ could you link StarFire please? There seem to be lots of games called that. :)

AdAstra Games has a very interesting space game.
www.adastragames.com

Not really 4x, more like a super detailed capitalship/combat simulator.

Space Empires boardgame looks nice too. Seem well suited for play by forum!
"Pilots do not get paid for what they do daily, but they get paid for what they are capable of doing.
However, if pilots would need to do daily what they are capable of doing, nobody would dare to fly anymore."

Jarhead0331

#18
Quote from: OJsDad on January 21, 2018, 01:57:16 PM
Steve is working a completely revamped Aurora, written in C#.  He's been providing updates with screenshots, and has been making design changes.

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=234.0

Aurora 2 has been in the works for years. Development is at a slow crawl, if not on hold for the moment. No telling when it will be finished. I wish Steve would make this a paid project and quit his day job, but I know his preference is to keep it as a hobby, instead of work. He's made no promises to anybody because he has accepted no money and I believe he likes it that way.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


OJsDad

#19
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 21, 2018, 02:52:03 PM
Quote from: OJsDad on January 21, 2018, 01:57:16 PM
Steve is working a completely revamped Aurora, written in C#.  He's been providing updates with screenshots, and has been making design changes.

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php?board=234.0

Aurora 2 has been in the works for years. Development is at a slow crawl, if not on hold for the moment. No telling when it will be finished. I wish Steve would snake this a paid project and quit his day job, but I know his preference is to keep it as a hobby, instead of work. He's made no promises to anybody because he has accepted no money and I believe he likes it that way.

I haven't looked closely at star fire, but I know it's Steve's primary inspiration for Aurora.

Aurora 2 was never a Steve project, it was a community project.  The C# project is all Steve.  He started it last year and seems to be making steady progress on it. 

Apologies JH, you are correct, Aurora 2 was something that Steve started discussing in 2010. 

The C# section I linked earlier is a totally new topic that was started in 2016.  But there are lots of posts from Steve, including from this year. 
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

OJsDad

Quote from: Yskonyn on January 21, 2018, 02:31:45 PM
OJ could you link StarFire please? There seem to be lots of games called that. :)

http://www.starfiredesign.com/starfire/

There are a few different verions.  I would lean more toward Ultra, which seems to be a combo of 4x and tactical game.
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

Yskonyn

Thanks OJ!
I'll take a look.
Do you think it would work well as Play by Forum? Or is there an electronic version around (VASSAL or such)?
"Pilots do not get paid for what they do daily, but they get paid for what they are capable of doing.
However, if pilots would need to do daily what they are capable of doing, nobody would dare to fly anymore."

OJsDad

I'm not seeing a Vassal module for Ultra, but there may be one out there.
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

OJsDad

Aurora 2 was never a Steve project, it was a community project.  The C# project is all Steve.  He started it last year and seems to be making steady progress on it. 

Apologies JH, you are correct, Aurora 2 was something that Steve started discussing in 2010. 

The C# section I linked earlier is a totally new topic that was started in 2016.  But there are lots of posts from Steve, including from this year. 
'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

bbmike

Isn't that the old Task Force Games StarFire?
"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
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-The Doctor

"Before Man goes to the stars he should learn how to live on Earth."
-Clifford D. Simak

bbmike

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 21, 2018, 10:32:45 AM
Quote from: bbmike on January 21, 2018, 09:43:38 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 21, 2018, 07:31:53 AM
^thanks for the suggestion, phantom. In fact, I have considered board games. Just this week I posted a question in the tabletop wargaming forum about Twilight Imperium 4th edition. The biggest problem with board games for me is a lack of willing players. There really are no other gamers in my life or social circles. It's a big limiting factor. :(

Space empires looks like a nice solo option, but might be a bit dry for me...it's affordable though, so maybe I'll take a closer look.

Also consider playing Space Empire IV Deluxe solo (hotseat) if you have it.

Got it. Although it has many details and options lacking in other games...it always struck me as "hollow" or soulless, if that makes sense. It never grabbed me.

Agree, but if you play it solo you can make it more interesting. Also, Armada 2526 allows solo hotseat play.
"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
-Sherlock Holmes

"You know, just once I'd like to meet an alien menace that wasn't immune to bullets."
-Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart

"There's a horror movie called Alien? That's really offensive. No wonder everyone keeps invading you!"
-The Doctor

"Before Man goes to the stars he should learn how to live on Earth."
-Clifford D. Simak

Yskonyn

Re: StarFire
The free QuickStart Rules can be obtained here: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/213075/Quick-Start-Rules

The QSR do not cover campaign play.
According to the official forums StarFire Solar (the latest and a rework of Ultra with a focus less on tournament play and more on narrative) is the recommended version if you want to create big sweeping campaigns.
It definately looks like this game hardly knows any bounds. You can truely craft your own endless fully featured space 4x, but the rulebook is over 400 pages!

It comes down to wether we can / want to put in the effort to learn this, cause I am sure it wont be the game that's limiting; fully modelled ships, fleet combat, exploration. Its mind boggling deep. 😳
"Pilots do not get paid for what they do daily, but they get paid for what they are capable of doing.
However, if pilots would need to do daily what they are capable of doing, nobody would dare to fly anymore."

OJsDad

'Here at NASA we all pee the same color.'  Al Harrison from the movie Hidden Figures.

solops

I played the heck out of SE3 and 4. I did not play 5 much. My favorite was 3. The series weakness was ai. SE4 and 5 had really poor AIs. The games have so much content that learning them took enough time to justify the price.
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Jarhead0331

I spent most of the latter half of the weekend playing Aurora. With Quill's assistance, I've managed to set up an automated mining operation on Venus, send colonists to Mars, where more than 2,000,000 humans presently reside, and set up three civilian shipping lines who have established at least 6 mining operations on various dwarf planets and asteroids in the Milky Way. The next big step will be successfully researching jump theory. Its at that time, that I will be able to construct gravitational surveyors in order to really open up the galaxy.

I've designed and built small geo survey vessels, large cargo haulers and a colony vessel class to bring men and supplies to nearby worlds. It won't be long before the focus shifts to the Navy and military pursuits. I'm sure humanity is not alone...

As spartan as the game is in terms of production value, its a strikingly rewarding game and very enjoyable, even if it is a just a glorified spreadsheet. I'm not sure its the "ultimate" space 4x, but it certainly scratches many of the itches.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18