Lord KiRon

[B]Cikomyr[/B] +1 agree with every word.

I like Creativity , sometimes it makes 25+ turns research just in one turn ...

Same here

It's really hard to judge, I remember when I was young :) I used to download games (meaning pirate them) quite a lot simply because I had no money for them. After I finished high school and started to work then I started to buy everything but then I encountered another negative experience - most of the games are crap and you can't return them. So I still do "pirate" games if they have no demo, give it a trial for a day or two and then either delete it forever or buy it. Legally speaking

[quote] I don't think you understand the type of future DRM I am describing. Individualized DRM can be cracked in a few days. But the scenario I discuss is where every program in the eco system checks every other program in the ecosystem whenever it's run and if a program doesn't respond, it disables it. So you would end up having to crack every single thing on your system to bypass it. And while some people would still do that, it's unlikely most would. I don't want to run around lo

Release demo version this will reduce piracy by factor. And about "DRM going to win" ... I did not saw even one game with DRM that was not cracked in day or two. So the people who not going to buy not going to buy anyway and people that do do buy.

[quote]my colony ships disappear and then reappear on a save reload[/quote] Actually currently at this stage ALL my ships started to disappear including once even starbase (after a fight). Also for some reason there are some specific starbases that can't be repaired with "starbase repair pack" - computer just says "no modules to install" even when starbase has health 4/48 , while other starbase with 42/48 can be repaired just fine.

[quote]The graphics for transports are now disappearing randomly just a fyi. Keep up the good work![/quote] +1 . Also the game crashes to desktop from time to time. Another thing I noticed is that it become a bit harder to play using anything that not human.

About Totalgaming distribution ... There is a game http://www.sfcaptains.com/ that feels "right" to TGN distribution, it still buggy like hell and need a lot of work to get it fixed but the idea is right basically it's HoMM 3 in space :) Look very nice, the company behind is very small and the game is very buggy but I think you might check with them , if they fix the bugs and add few more tweaks that could be major hit.

About time. StarDock have one of the slowest forums I know.

Interesting comment on "Sins" - I installed it and deleted 3 times :) On the 3rd install I somehow got into the GalCiv set of mind instead of RTS and the game is great. Waiting to preorder new Fantasy game , hope it will be Master of Magic with better graphic and new unit/races/spells . No real need for tactical batles.

[quote] no story, no campaign. Which was advertised as being that way for a long time. Actually one of the selling points in my opinion. Honestly, do you play GC2 for the campaigns? I don't. Sandbox / Metaverse exclusively, and that Ironclad forewent putting in the time for a campaign and chose to include a very good sandbox mode is a big plus for the game. [/quote] Read my post again , I addresse

Just actually deleted it, Game is almost perfect with one exception that kills all the fun for me - no story, no compain. I mean I liked everything - the UI , the tech , everything but playing such game without story is not fun for me, I am not multiplayer fun and playing maps here against computer without any story sci-fi behind somehow brings up the term "onanism" into my mind (sorry for the strong word). It's not like GalCiv(1/2) where you build your own world and story and c

[quote]Any news on retail availablity outside of the US? would love to pick-up a copy in the UK really. [/quote] Buy online downloadable copy - do you really have to have a box ?

Personally I buy all my software but too often I get "burned" , the latest example is "SunAge" here :( so as much I dislike downloading it lately it's what I do - if game has no demo I download it from torrents give it a "test drive" for a day or two and then either delete or buy. It's a sad world we live in :(

The game just made to all major torrent sites ... And it seems like final version , at least people played beta 3 say its bigger and different. Since StarDock did not bothered to make a Demo chances are that I will have to d/l this one before I decide to buy it or not.

I believe the best solution would be to modify unique tech prices by let's say x20 so you finally will be able to perches them if you wish but a VERY high cost.

Why can't I preorder with tokens ?

Hm.... $29 for SP that requires to buy another SP first ... I probably will buy anyway (so far I have it all since GC1) but Stardoc becoming greedy ...

What sales ? Not sales , playing decline. Even new EA "chief" said that they recycling same uninteresting crap for same $40 for years. I think piracy even decreased lately and besides 2-3 good games in a year there is nothing to play.

Sorry, what I meant "new developer" . Anyway I think you got the idea

No demo - no try - no buy. I mean I pre-ordered : GalCiv Altarian Prophecy , GalCiv II and Dark Avatar BUT there I knew what to expect. "Sins" are new game from new publisher and while pictures are nice ... until I try demo I will not even consider to buy not to mention pre-order.

Well I wouldn't say American SciFi is that bad, people just stooped to "check" after 60th I think. Try for example the "Leaden Universe series" by Sharon Lee and Steve (Sasha) Miller http://www.korval.com/ - one of the best things I read. From older generation there is Andre Norton , Isaac Asimov etc... Russian SciFi is also quite good but of course unknown to non-russian speakers.

Speaking of books (and no intent to try and co-opt this thread) you might wanna check out this other thread for a lot of good suggestions of sci-fi books to read, if you are interested in such. -> Sci-Fi Books - Shaped my perceptions I recommend anyone begin with READING "Starship Troopers" [Robert A. Heinlein](the movie is crap-0-la) Are you tellin

For me it depends, if you talk about same thing (like an movie made by the book versus book itself) then I prefer the book since rarely movie made of good book is as good as book itself. But in other cases I like movies, the problem with them however that I like SciFi and there are not many of good SciFi available and that is present sometimes primitive or childish or unfinished.