NationStates Jolt Archive


Master of Orion II!

The Parkus Empire
05-05-2007, 14:34
Well, I just won my first game as the Klackons. Tutor level. I bought it a bit ago at Big Lots for 3 bucks, anyone else here like the game?
Neu Leonstein
05-05-2007, 14:36
I much preferred the second part. I spent so much time on there...

MoO3 just seemed overly complicated and didn't get me involved as much as it should have. The thing about MoO2 was that I could always imagine all the cool stuff going on in my civilisation, and somehow the third part drowned that in a sea of texts, buttons and sliders.
Yossarian Lives
05-05-2007, 15:15
Well, I just won my first game as the Klackons. Tutor level. I bought it a bit ago at Big Lots for 3 bucks, anyone else here like the game?
MOO2 is without any exaggeration my favourite game of all time. I just love the different stuff you can do on it; design your own races, design your own ships, it has a good tech tree that actually requires you to make decisions. My only slight disappointment,at least from my experience, with it is that the game is slightly unbalanced towards scientific research. Oh and plasma cannons. For some reason plasma cannons seem a lot more powerful than anything else in the game. But that's from playing the game literally dozens of times.
Carbandia
05-05-2007, 15:20
MOO2 is without any exaggeration my favourite game of all time. I just love the different stuff you can do on it; design your own races, design your own ships, it has a good tech tree that actually requires you to make decisions. My only slight disappointment,at least from my experience, with it is that the game is slightly unbalanced towards scientific research. Oh and plasma cannons. For some reason plasma cannons seem a lot more powerful than anything else in the game. But that's from playing the game literally dozens of times.
More than slightly, it is very unbalanced towards scientific research.

If you do not keep ahead of the other races in that area, you will die, simple as that..And the Antarans are almost always at least three steps ahead of everyone else.
Northern Borders
05-05-2007, 15:20
I recomend Gallactic Civilizations 2.

Awesome game. Its RTS4x too.
Space Shuttle Columbia
05-05-2007, 15:21
Is this orbiter space sim?
Mikesburg
05-05-2007, 15:23
Master or Orion, and the MOO II were both fantastic games. I liked playing my own races in II, and would often use telepathic and unification government styles. You don't have to worry about taking a long time to culterized conquered population when you can simply crush their tiny little minds. Ah, such fun.

MOO III, as Neu L said, a disapointment. Too much substance, not enough fun.
Kanes Brotherhood
05-05-2007, 15:30
I recommend playing as silicoids, building colony bases first thing, then bagging auto factories, biospheres, cloning centres and colony ship tech and spreading as far and wide as you can. sure, the other races do tech up faster than you, and you may lose one or two fringe colonies, but if you play it right, you can then turn over your empire to research and have 15-20 systems teching you up over the enemy's 4 or 5, you CANNOT lose, plus the universal antidote removes their racial downgrade of -50% pop growth instantly, and lithovore and tolerant are insane picks for a race, no pollution, no farming :P
Mikesburg
05-05-2007, 15:32
I recommend playing as silicoids, building colony bases first thing, then bagging auto factories, biospheres, cloning centres and colony ship tech and spreading as far and wide as you can. sure, the other races do tech up faster than you, and you may lose one or two fringe colonies, but if you play it right, you can then turn over your empire to research and have 15-20 systems teching you up over the enemy's 4 or 5, you CANNOT lose, plus the universal antidote removes their racial downgrade of -50% pop growth instantly, and lithovore and tolerant are insane picks for a race, no pollution, no farming :P

I loooove the silicoids - as targets of my imperialism. Everyone else hates them, and no one cares if you turn them into the industrial sector of your empire. Pollute away little silicoid workers! The Empire needs more capital ships!
Non Aligned States
05-05-2007, 15:52
More than slightly, it is very unbalanced towards scientific research.

Heh, I remember mid stage when I had android workers, I would shunt production and agricultural concerns entirely to androids. The rest of the population was stuffed into research.


If you do not keep ahead of the other races in that area, you will die, simple as that..And the Antarans are almost always at least three steps ahead of everyone else.

At least things get a little easier once you get doom stars and stellar converters.
Ralina
05-05-2007, 16:17
Steller Converters were only fun for all the crappy little planets you didnt want to have to micromange if were to caputre.

I remeber having my titans and doomstars filled up with...ooh, I think it was gravaton beams? Its been a long while since I played, but I remeber you could upgrade them with the right tech do do massive amounts of structural damage and bypass all shields. One of your titans could take out a massive number of any type of ship (and once you start shrinking your weapons, you could have a single ship which can obliterate the Antarians with no help.)
The Alma Mater
05-05-2007, 16:20
If you do not keep ahead of the other races in that area, you will die, simple as that..And the Antarans are almost always at least three steps ahead of everyone else.

But isn't it wonderful to capture those ships and strip them for technology ?

A little tip for TS: the newest type of weapon you just discovered often is not the best. Chances are that the weapon you discovered a few levels lower on the techtree now has upgrades available for it, as well as taking up far less space than before.
Deus Malum
05-05-2007, 18:20
From what everyone's saying, I really need to try this game out. Is it a turn-based strategy game or RTS?
Non Aligned States
05-05-2007, 18:28
Turn based.
The Alma Mater
05-05-2007, 18:28
From what everyone's saying, I really need to try this game out. Is it a turn-based strategy game or RTS?

Turn based. And over 10 years old ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II
Deus Malum
05-05-2007, 18:29
Turn based. And over 10 years old ;)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Orion_II

Ah, danke. And a copy of it should be readily available online then.
Kanabia
05-05-2007, 18:57
One of my favourite games ever. Pretty much flawless. My CD seems to have gone walkabout, however. :(

Ah, danke. And a copy of it should be readily available online then.

Expect a bit of hunting around. It's too famous to be readily listed on popular abandonware sites without drawing threatening letters from publishers, but paradoxically not very well known amongst the current generation of p2p kids. You might be lucky and find a torrent with a couple of active seeds, but don't expect a fast download. The original is somewhat easier to find and almost as good, however.
Deus Malum
05-05-2007, 19:05
One of my favourite games ever. Pretty much flawless. My CD seems to have gone walkabout, however. :(



Expect a bit of hunting around. It's too famous to be readily listed on popular abandonware sites without drawing threatening letters from publishers, but paradoxically not very well known amongst the current generation of p2p kids. You might be lucky and find a torrent with a couple of active seeds, but don't expect a fast download. The original is somewhat easier to find and almost as good, however.

Yeah I've got about a 2-3 day ETA on it, but I've got finals to study for, so it more or less works out.
Siempreciego
05-05-2007, 19:14
Well, I just won my first game as the Klackons. Tutor level. I bought it a bit ago at Big Lots for 3 bucks, anyone else here like the game?

A definite classic. I mean what game allows you to conquer a planet and then genocide the population? Stellar converters so that you can have you very on DEATH STAR. Oh a hint when ever you find an ennemy planet that has poor/ultra poor minerals destroy it. Conquer the other planets in the system then have one of them to the asteroid field back into a planet and now its up to normal mineral levels;)
My favourite races were the darlok, psilon and trilarians (Cthulhu anyone?)


I still play MOO3. There are some great mods out there that have made the game a more fun experience.

I and galciv2 is pants in comparison.
Siempreciego
05-05-2007, 19:15
One of my favourite games ever. Pretty much flawless. My CD seems to have gone walkabout, however. :(



Expect a bit of hunting around. It's too famous to be readily listed on popular abandonware sites without drawing threatening letters from publishers, but paradoxically not very well known amongst the current generation of p2p kids. You might be lucky and find a torrent with a couple of active seeds, but don't expect a fast download. The original is somewhat easier to find and almost as good, however.

1/2 day max for MOO2... so i've heard
Kanabia
05-05-2007, 19:20
1/2 day max for MOO2... so i've heard

Well well. The ISO is apparently 200mb; with the right seeds and an average DSL connection you could have it in a little over an hour.

And since i've lost my CD... >.>
The Black Forrest
05-05-2007, 19:35
I much preferred the second part. I spent so much time on there...

MoO3 just seemed overly complicated and didn't get me involved as much as it should have. The thing about MoO2 was that I could always imagine all the cool stuff going on in my civilisation, and somehow the third part drowned that in a sea of texts, buttons and sliders.

MoO3 is crap. Don't even other with it. One of my buddies played it for hours and couldn't get it sorted out.
Deus Malum
05-05-2007, 19:37
Well well. The ISO is apparently 200mb; with the right seeds and an average DSL connection you could have it in a little over an hour.

And since i've lost my CD... >.>

If you find good seeds, throw me a link. I've got it down to a 20 hour ETA.
Soleichunn
05-05-2007, 20:05
A definite classic. I mean what game allows you to conquer a planet and then genocide the population?

Bah, you can turn stars into blackholes in Space Empires (4/5, not sure about 3)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Empires

Are there many mods to MOO2?
Greater Trostia
05-05-2007, 21:07
MOO3 isn't so bad with various modifications. But it's definitely a long-ass paced game with a lot of management going on. I can tolerate it just fine - I'm in accounting - but at the same time it just isn't the same experience as it's predecessors. Though I do like the ship design and space combat aspect. Nothing quite like watching gazillions of missiles fly out and slaughter the enemy fleets in pseudo-3d.

But I never got MOO2 for some reason, never played it and unlike MOO it isn't freely available anywhere. I imagine it's pretty good. MOO original is quite fun.
The Alma Mater
05-05-2007, 21:24
A definite classic. I mean what game allows you to conquer a planet and then genocide the population? Stellar converters so that you can have you very on DEATH STAR.

Ah yes - building famous ships was fun :) B5's Victory class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_class_destroyer) was quite a nice exercise.

And did you ever bother to research physics far enough to put stellar converters on battle-cruisers ?
South Lorenya
05-05-2007, 22:23
I'vre had no trouble beating it on the hardest level -- the triple whammy of Creative + Telepathic + Omniscient is just TOO good!
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 15:15
Bah, you can turn stars into blackholes in Space Empires (4/5, not sure about 3)!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Empires

Are there many mods to MOO2?

Blackholes? cool, but not much good for re-colonising...

MOO2?
http://www.moo3.at/moo2/files.php
this is about it
Deus Malum
07-05-2007, 15:21
Blackholes? cool, but not much good for re-colonising...

MOO2?
http://www.moo3.at/moo2/files.php
this is about it

I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work on XP.
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 15:42
Ah yes - building famous ships was fun :) B5's Victory class (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_class_destroyer) was quite a nice exercise.

And did you ever bother to research physics far enough to put stellar converters on battle-cruisers ?

yeah. I also liked reaching the point where you could build fighter with particle cannons.
But the Titan ships could takes such a beating...
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 15:44
I can't seem to figure out how to get it to work on XP.

?
explain please.

I've got XP profesional and all I have to do is:
Just download which file and unzip to where it tells you
Risottia
07-05-2007, 15:48
Well, I just won my first game as the Klackons. Tutor level. I bought it a bit ago at Big Lots for 3 bucks, anyone else here like the game?

MoO2:fluffle:

I finished it for the first time in a 3 players + 3 AI game. I used a subterranean/lucky race. I rolled over the stupid final enemies with only 5 large cruisers armed with destabilizers and assault troops. Neato!
H N Fiddlebottoms VIII
07-05-2007, 15:57
Ah, MoO2 how fondly dost my heart remember thee. The Psilons were the best, you could rush the development of Stellar Converters and then proceed to destroy every planet that another civilization had set foot on.
The only thing I didn't like about it was the trading system. You could only swap technologies or give them away, you couldn't sell them.
Taredas
07-05-2007, 16:00
MOO3 isn't so bad with various modifications. But it's definitely a long-ass paced game with a lot of management going on. I can tolerate it just fine - I'm in accounting - but at the same time it just isn't the same experience as it's predecessors. Though I do like the ship design and space combat aspect. Nothing quite like watching gazillions of missiles fly out and slaughter the enemy fleets in pseudo-3d.

But I never got MOO2 for some reason, never played it and unlike MOO it isn't freely available anywhere. I imagine it's pretty good. MOO original is quite fun.

MoO3 suffers from much the same problems that Ascendancy did 8 years before: it's an innovative game with great potential, but its time got cut short due to its incredibly crappy AI. Honestly, half the learning curve for MoO3 is just figuring out how to make the planetary viceroy AI your bitch (easier said than done), as the alternative (micromanaging every last planet) makes for very poor gameplay.
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 16:11
Blackholes? cool, but not much good for re-colonising...

Well you could always choose to blow up the star, making all the planets in the system becoming asteroid fields then later on 'restart' the star and make the asteroid fields become planets again.

Of course that is FAR into the tech tree. It is most definately a micromanaging game and its strength is in its mods.

I only played MOO2 (or was it a demo?) for a while (and about 3 years ago) and it seemed alright to me. Better graphics by far than Space Empires 4, though not as many mods.
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 16:24
Well you could always choose to blow up the star, making all the planets in the system becoming asteroid fields then later on 'restart' the star and make the asteroid fields become planets again.

Of course that is FAR into the tech tree. It is most definately a micromanaging game and its strength is in its mods.

I only played MOO2 (or was it a demo?) for a while (and about 3 years ago) and it seemed alright to me. Better graphics by far than Space Empires 4, though not as many mods.

really...

just found this pick drools..... (http://www.spaceempires.net/home/gallery-photo_sevscreenshots-se5screen_32.html)

i might have to get space empires V
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 16:48
I'll warn you: SE5 doesn't have that many mods right now.

The AI isn't that good either it doesn't have a very good economy or diplomatic model and doesn't use the advanced tech, like stellar manipulation and doesn't use the non combat racial techs (like planet facillities). Nor does it design its ships well. However you can do it all.

There is a demo (100 turn limit) of it you can try:
http://www.strategyfirst.ca/downloads/demos/se5demo_v125.exe (128mb, 2nd latest patch version)

There has been about 3-4 patches (long turns for AI and some memmory leak issues remain) out since release for the game and 2-3 complete-ish (includes AI) mods being made and updated.

SE4 has a LOT more mods, complete AI, etc. Only problem is that it is much lower graphics.
Similization
07-05-2007, 17:11
i might have to get space empires VWait a year. Or at least wait a couple of months. The game isn't finished yet. If you can stand looking at 2D, check out SEIV instead. It's the same game. V just has prettier wrapping, but as I said, it's more of a working beta than an actual game at this point.
Fair warning though; if you do try out IV (and especially III), SEV and every other 4X game will forever frustrate the living hell out of you, because they'll all feel like their UIs were made by an aborted blind retard.
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 17:16
Yeah, SE4's interface was much more compact.
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 17:48
thanks for the info guys.

I'm still tempted to get SEV though. But i'll probably wait the year.

MOO3 is by far one of my favourite games of all times. I enjoy the backstory and its races/species. The addition of magnates (non-empire species) and how they can benefit your empire. How different species require different planet types, the parasitical ithkul that can slowly consume your population, etc...

I found that there are very few quality 4X strategy games.

Outside of these I really enjoy M2TW and RTW.
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 17:57
Outside of these I really enjoy M2TW and RTW.

M2TW? RTW?

Btw you can always try the demo then buy it later.
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 18:04
M2TW? RTW?

Btw you can always try the demo then buy it later.

sorry bad habit
Rome Total War
and
Medieval 2 Total War
Dobbsworld
07-05-2007, 18:07
Well, I just won my first game as the Klackons. Tutor level. I bought it a bit ago at Big Lots for 3 bucks, anyone else here like the game?

MOO and MOO2 were both great games - MOO3 was just awful. These days I've been getting my kicks with Galactic Civilizations, though.
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 18:16
Ahhh, k.
Taredas
07-05-2007, 19:20
Wait a year. Or at least wait a couple of months. The game isn't finished yet. If you can stand looking at 2D, check out SEIV instead. It's the same game. V just has prettier wrapping, but as I said, it's more of a working beta than an actual game at this point.
Fair warning though; if you do try out IV (and especially III), SEV and every other 4X game will forever frustrate the living hell out of you, because they'll all feel like their UIs were made by an aborted blind retard.

Hmm... that sounds like a common sentiment I heard regarding a poorly-received sequel in another 4X game franchise.

Its name was... Master of Orion III! :p
Kilobugya
07-05-2007, 19:31
MooII was quite good, and it works nicely with dosbox (DOS emulator for GNU/Linux).

Not as good as Civilization itself and its clone, but quite close, IMHO.
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 19:41
The difference is that SE5 will not only be constantly patched which not only includes bug fixes and improved AI but also shoves in more capabilities for the modders with almost every patch.

That and the modder community is much larger and can produce some pretty good stuff.

In order to enjoy the SE series you have to be willing to allow thing to happen and to check for updates.
Siempreciego
07-05-2007, 20:26
The difference is that SE5 will not only be constantly patched which not only includes bug fixes and improved AI but also shoves in more capabilities for the modders with almost every patch.

That and the modder community is much larger and can produce some pretty good stuff.

In order to enjoy the SE series you have to be willing to allow thing to happen and to check for updates.

been looking around at some websites. I've actually got SEIV.:rolleyes:

I was'nt actually that impressed. I like my games to contain plenty of civ. building. I found SEIV to be lacking in this. I mean you can only colonise 1 planet type at the start and have to research the tech to go for the others....
Soleichunn
07-05-2007, 20:36
been looking around at some websites. I've actually got SEIV.:rolleyes:

I was'nt actually that impressed. I like my games to contain plenty of civ. building. I found SEIV to be lacking in this. I mean you can only colonise 1 planet type at the start and have to research the tech to go for the others....

Yeah it is more a standard 4x empire game
Russian Reversal
07-05-2007, 21:11
MooII was quite good, and it works nicely with dosbox (DOS emulator for GNU/Linux).

Not as good as Civilization itself and its clone, but quite close, IMHO.

DosBox also works for windows. I use it to play things like X-Com.
The Parkus Empire
07-05-2007, 21:13
Y'know, with all this chatting, sometime we have to organize a NS MOO II game! I claim Klackons!
Khadgar
09-05-2007, 15:49
DosBox also works for windows. I use it to play things like X-Com.

Dosbox may be the best program ever. Been playing Master of Orion 1 the last couple days. Neat enough game, but research is so overpowered. First game my tech outstripped my opponent so far that a single one of my ships could obliterate a dozen or more of theirs.
The Alma Mater
10-05-2007, 16:09
Y'know, with all this chatting, sometime we have to organize a NS MOO II game! I claim Klackons!

Hmm.. unsure about this, but wouldn't being uncreative be a big drawback against other humans ? If you cannot get things like merculite missiles and heavy armour while your direct neighbour can you are after all quite screwed...
The Parkus Empire
11-05-2007, 15:40
Hmm.. unsure about this, but wouldn't being uncreative be a big drawback against other humans ? If you cannot get things like merculite missiles and heavy armour while your direct neighbour can you are after all quite screwed...

Eh? Perhaps you're right. Would should probably regulate reace choice/creation.
South Lorenya
11-05-2007, 15:47
Sadly, I have too much on my plate to join in. If I did, however, I'd be a custom race with those damn-cool Trilarians for the graphics.
Dobbsworld
11-05-2007, 21:27
I wanna be a weak-kneed Psilon. I'll research you all into the grave...
Compulsive Depression
11-05-2007, 22:54
Moo2 is ace. Best space 4X game I've ever played.

It's brilliant multiplayer, but takes ages. You can do amusing/annoying tricks like loads of really small ships which turn up, fire both their volleys of missiles, then bugger off - all in the first turn. Brilliant fun for you - but your opponent will hate your tiny, cheap, disposable frigates that're destroying ships worth a dozen times more than them :)
Until you roll up to a fleet that's fitted with ECM devices and things. Bum! :D

And later game you have to ban Time Warp Facilitator + Phasing Cloak. It's 20 turns of invincibility for your ships.
If you combine that with tricked-out Phasers (so they can cut through shields and armour) and the capacitors that let you fire twice with a one-turn recharge (that would be the turn you do nothing to recloak, then ;) ) you can literally wipe out entire fleets with one ship. Often in a single turn. It's sick and wrong. And absolutely hilarious.

As for race... Custom, Creative plus either Democracy (yay science!) or Unification (Yay doom-stars!). You can afford loads of combat penalties (especially ground attack... That's what orbital bombardment is for) because your toys will be so much shinier than theirs, and you'll have so many more of them, that a few percent here or there won't hurt at all.

Gah, I want to play it now, and I can't find my CD... I think my sister's stolen it again. I'd even made copies for this eventuality and can't find them either. Hmph!
The Alma Mater
12-05-2007, 07:36
Gah, I want to play it now, and I can't find my CD... I think my sister's stolen it again. I'd even made copies for this eventuality and can't find them either. Hmph!

When you find it, just copy the entire CD to your (external) harddrive. The space is dead cheap nowadays.

BTW- does anyone here actually like "lucky" ? I always want the Antarans to attack midgame, so I can strip their ships for tech...
Iansisle
12-05-2007, 08:02
MoOII was one of my favorite games of all time. And, though it seems to be anathema around here, I quite enjoyed MoOIII as well. Of course, I liked Victoria too. >.>
The Parkus Empire
12-05-2007, 12:46
MoOII was one of my favorite games of all time. And, though it seems to be anathema around here, I quite enjoyed MoOIII as well. Of course, I liked Victoria too. >.>

That a fact? I bought Victoria at Big Lots for 3 bucks too...
Iansisle
13-05-2007, 01:50
That a fact? I bought Victoria at Big Lots for 3 bucks too...

Yeah, Victoria's fun. Best game so far was playing as France in the Grand Campaign. Spent my time preparing for a European war, making nice to Britain and Austria. Come 1870, crushed the Prussians and kept Germany from unifying. Good times, good times.