I just played about three hours worth of a Terran game (large map, challenging to start with) and I am quite happy with it. I don't have time to go into much detail, but I had a great experience. If I had to say right off what was my favorite thing, I would go with the Ascension Victory condition, if only because at this point I have three of the crystals and am set to win in about 250 turns.

I like to the different tech trees, and how I can make my own (with the support of the editors). I'm currently more focused on making my custom civ, and trying to see what breaks the editors than playing the actual game.

Yea, Paul Boyer really went to down on the textures. We've gotten so much better with the engine and plus we wanted the graphics to look like a 2008 edition game.

The tech trees, and the resultant improvements and ship components, are probably the single most major new feature IMO. Then again, no feature is worth much of anything if there's not a kick ass AI to play the game with...

The tech trees (by a vast margin) and the more efficient use of system resources. I've not played enough to notice the new AI improvements yet. I will mention that it's still quite susceptible to an attack in the first 12-13 turns in tiny galaxies, but if you program it to guard against blitz tactics it would probably hurt it against normal approaches I suppose. Great game btw. Thank you.

So far its the new tech trees. The races always played differently, especially since DA, but now I am re-learning how to play the Altarians all over again. And that re-learning is an opportunity to try all of the races in a new light, too.

There's a heaping scoop of replay value right there.

I can sum it my favorite thing in TA in one word: YES.

I haven't delved into the editors much at all, but in time I will. The rest of the improvements/changes just are THAT much to not have gotten completely moved enough for me to start looking for ways to change the game or make new things.

Trying to relearn all the races since Beta 1 and I'm still reeling. That is a fairly high-content expansion IMHO if...what 7-8 months later I still and trying to wrap my head around the changes?

If you can win that easily already then it's not a very good game or very challenging. Yet, another loser because of crappy AI.

Played two games so far, three main things I like are tech trees, ai and ascension.


Tech trees seem to make the races play genuinelly differently, played as the Drengin and Altarians so far .

AI, not sure exactly how different it is but seemed to be playing pretty nice and human, seemed to keep upto pace ok and, best of all, the *spoilers* 'we are going to give you a tech for being such a good friend..... Not really!' *spoilers* message was hilarious first time . Also seemed to deal reasonably with the race-specific techs and new features, which was good.

Finally the ascension crystals really spurred me into being more agressive, hardly ever go for conquest normally, was just happily building defenses while turtling then suddenly the Torians caught several crystals.... ended up getting a conquest victory!

Had the odd crash i've reported but nothing that can't be patched i hope.
So, overall, a big thumbs up .

I wouldn't be so hasty. First of all, I'm only playing on challenging. Secondly, just because I grabbed a few crystals early on doesn't mean a lot. After I made the above post the Thalans decided my ascension wouldn't be a good thing and attacked me. That brought the Yor in on my side, but I've been pretty focused on economy so the Thalans are winning at the moment.
I would hesitate to call the AI crappy just yet.

Zy, as an aside, and to add to the awesomeness of Stardock, the community at Dawn of War has been waiting for a hotfix to fix some game breaking bugs for Soulstorm, the third expansion pack, identified from its release date in March. That's two months now...



You can say that again.

Definitely the AI and the boost it received between Beta and release.

Tech trees and animated parts rate second.

Did you notice that some default colony ships now have rotating parts? You can see that in the preview when choosing your race style!