First Impressions of the game.
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 9:58 am
5 min - The game looked good so far, easy install and setup, some good settings options. (Windowed fullscreen I always appreciate due to my alt-tabbing habits) Took a look at some of the leaders, and of course went with the scientific one.
30 min - Killed a couple aliens, I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to be killing them at this point or not since all they did was wander around aimlessly. Soon found out that there were two rival factions on the continent near to my main base, one that loved me and one that inexplicably hated me right off the bat. I wasn't sure if this was because of background info I didn't read too thoroughly or something else that I simply didn't know about.
1 hr - Found out a bit too late that I should have been building many more cities, as an angry faction and the aliens start attacking at the same time. I found out about how the colonists equalize between the cities about this time, though it was pretty much game over already. It helped my next new game a lot, but that was later on.
On my second game, I expanded out quicker and found out the research tree was randomized, which was interesting. Quickly built out a few cities and defensive units, and then for some reason everyone I met in this game absolutely loved my faction. Most of them, save for one, would randomly offer me money and trade agreements and such. It wasn't long before they all signed non-aggression pacts. Turns out it was because most of them had been ravaged by aliens and had no military strength left.
It seems fun so far, but there are a few somewhat clunky bits I'd like to see addressed. One thing that's really annoying is if I'm moving a stack of units somewhere, occasionally they'll split off in different directions to get to the same place. (mainly if a faster unit is in there) I'd like some way to make sure they stick together, perhaps a way to create a group of them.
Another thing about movement, which is one of the most annoying I found, is that while units usually find the quickest way to their destination they often take the most dangerous and damaging ways. Through the water, instead of roads, marching through tons of fungus instead of taking a slightly longer route around it and such. The water part is most infuriating though, nothing like having a newly built high level unit deciding to embark on an ocean voyage for a few tiles, just to get killed by the weakest flying unit around.
30 min - Killed a couple aliens, I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to be killing them at this point or not since all they did was wander around aimlessly. Soon found out that there were two rival factions on the continent near to my main base, one that loved me and one that inexplicably hated me right off the bat. I wasn't sure if this was because of background info I didn't read too thoroughly or something else that I simply didn't know about.
1 hr - Found out a bit too late that I should have been building many more cities, as an angry faction and the aliens start attacking at the same time. I found out about how the colonists equalize between the cities about this time, though it was pretty much game over already. It helped my next new game a lot, but that was later on.
On my second game, I expanded out quicker and found out the research tree was randomized, which was interesting. Quickly built out a few cities and defensive units, and then for some reason everyone I met in this game absolutely loved my faction. Most of them, save for one, would randomly offer me money and trade agreements and such. It wasn't long before they all signed non-aggression pacts. Turns out it was because most of them had been ravaged by aliens and had no military strength left.
It seems fun so far, but there are a few somewhat clunky bits I'd like to see addressed. One thing that's really annoying is if I'm moving a stack of units somewhere, occasionally they'll split off in different directions to get to the same place. (mainly if a faster unit is in there) I'd like some way to make sure they stick together, perhaps a way to create a group of them.
Another thing about movement, which is one of the most annoying I found, is that while units usually find the quickest way to their destination they often take the most dangerous and damaging ways. Through the water, instead of roads, marching through tons of fungus instead of taking a slightly longer route around it and such. The water part is most infuriating though, nothing like having a newly built high level unit deciding to embark on an ocean voyage for a few tiles, just to get killed by the weakest flying unit around.