Preliminary scans have detected a potential Virr presence in the Malroute system. We are shutting down all Trans Warp Gates at this very moment - severing all links to the system for years to come. As you probably have guessed, we have a challenging mission for you again!
* Clicking 'Cut flow' to sever flows doesn't seem to work at times (clicking a lot helps at times) * Multiple dialogs on top of eachother become unreadable
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Tips & Tricks:
* Click on the 'Help' button for UI/usage info! * Start 'attacking' closer planets, they are conquered faster * You can conquer moons too! They have less population so easier to get diplomatically * Start a new transfer after you conquer something, to funnel resources to one planet
HELP messages as available from inside the game: --------------------
Lets keep this short. Because it will be.
You control all areas in circled in green. You have four resources. Diplomacy converts neutral planets to your cause. Military defeats other military and then conquers their planets. Science lets you scan other planets for information. Goods feed your population, other uses are [REDACTED].
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You use your resources against others by clicking on one or more of the resource buttons in the top right, and then dragging from one of your locations to another location you don't control. You can remove ongoing transfers by using 'Cut flow' and then clicking on the transfer.
You can transfer resources between your locations in the same way.
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The Virr have infiltrated this system and are hiding in the population of one of the planets, taking over host entities. They will make themselves known soon enough. Virr do not use much tact, they rush, and then land one infected on your planet. That is enough. Keep your military high!
Virr controlled planets are in Purple.
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You can click on planets to follow them. Hold the mouse button to look around. The scrollwheel controls zoom.
Keyboard shortcuts: Space = Pause '-' = slower time '+' = faster time Tab = Browse through planets
I liked the gameplay, but the UI was too confusing. Near the end I got about 5 different messages on top of each other and I couldn't read what any of them said. Also, I couldn't figure out how to break resource connections.
The controls felt a little imprecise at times - maybe some visual feedback when you mouse-over things would be nice. On the plus side - this is a very detailed strategy game! There's a lot of depth in there for a 48hr game (although you may want to force people through the Help text on first playthrough, because without it you'll be very confused.) Nice one!
And all of this was made in 48h? Phew. Super complex mechanics implemented for that short amount of time. Cool stuff. Only "complain": As some others mentioned as well, the UI is a bit confusing.
That was pretty impressive! I got the concept fairly quickly and I like the simplicity of it (despite it looking fairly complex). I'm amazed how someone can make a sim game in a 48 hour jam!
Okay, wow. Impressively large scale game to get done in 48 hours. I like how the solar system is randomly generated, but you don't make a big deal about it.
I lost my first game, won my second game by just claiming as many planets as I could as quickly as I could on the slowest setting.
Then my third game seems to have got stuck like so: http://i.imgur.com/7oXBh09.png . I've got a bunch of planets sending military and various other resources to the only Virr planet, but nothing seems to be happening, the Virr don't seem to be expanding either.
@Norgg Awesome to hear someone played it to completion! :) Game balance with the Virr and the player was indeed the bit that got the least attention as I rushed the game. Quite dependent on the type of galaxy generated, planet the Virr started on, etc.
The bug in your last game is new for me. Might have something to do with the game considering the planet both Virr and controlled, and not letting either do things with it.
4X games fascinate me, this is a really nice implementation with some nice interlocking systems (game, and planetary). I read the text quite closely but still struggled to make huge headway though. Perhaps a more effective tutorial would be to get the player to perform the first few actions to order?
Seems solid, but it's still unclear how everything works.
G
GaTechGrad25 Dec 2013, 07:20
I definitely like the visuals and animations. Even though there are help pages, I felt like I was being thrown in on the deep end at the beginning. It would have been nice if each element (diplomacy/military/science/goods) was gradually introduced into the game instead of all at once.
Wasnt sure exactly how this game works but I included it in my Ludum Dare compilation video series, if you'd like to take a look :) http://youtu.be/mm02WUCsrPg
I also got the bug with one Virr planet that is/was already controlled and not doing anything. Converted the whole galaxy otherwise. I think food needs balancing as it doesn't seem at all useful and max pop just gets reached and then food doesn't help. Since the pop doesnt affect production, I don't see any use or it. Or the redacted use needs explaining; I didn't find it at all. Planets are really hard to click on when zoomed way out so its hard to send flows across the galaxy. Music got a little annoying after a while. Altogether though, nice concept and fun game!
Very innovative but way too complicated. I read all the instructions and played for about 20 minutes but I'm still not sure I understand all the aspects of gameplay.
Nothing besides military conquest seemed to do anything, and I had to do that nonstop to keep up with those annoying virr.
I think there's more to this game than I can fathom, and I'm very impressed that you finished it in 48 hours! The pictures of the alien races was a nice touch.
Comments25
I lost my first game, won my second game by just claiming as many planets as I could as quickly as I could on the slowest setting.
Then my third game seems to have got stuck like so: http://i.imgur.com/7oXBh09.png . I've got a bunch of planets sending military and various other resources to the only Virr planet, but nothing seems to be happening, the Virr don't seem to be expanding either.
The bug in your last game is new for me. Might have something to do with the game considering the planet both Virr and controlled, and not letting either do things with it.
Nothing besides military conquest seemed to do anything, and I had to do that nonstop to keep up with those annoying virr.
I think there's more to this game than I can fathom, and I'm very impressed that you finished it in 48 hours! The pictures of the alien races was a nice touch.