Master of Orion 3 or Civilization 3

[Zapp$ter]

Hi I've been lurking for a while and decided to join today, got a bit bored really.

Anyway I was wondering if any of you guys have bought and played MOO3? From what I heard it was not well received by the fans. Anyway I was going to buy the game when it was released but due to the negative feedback I decided to hold off and see if any future patches alleviated some of the problems that the fans had with the game. Apparently a large patch was released that corrected a fair few bugs and gameplay issues. My questions are to those of you who own the game already. Does the patch improve the gameplay significantly? Is it worth buying MOO3?

Also what do you guys think of Civilization3 is it any good?

I have played Civ2 and loved it, however I have yet to play a game in the master of orion series.

Thanks!

 

[Vault Dweller]

I bought MOO3 despite all the negative reviews for in my arrogance I though that other people must be too stupid to figure out overly complicated things and that I shall succeed where many others have failed. Boy, was I ever so wrong.

In my opinion, the game does a good job of puting you into the chair of a galactic president. Kudos to whoever did that ultimate macro-management simulator, but the thing is its fucking boring: your job is to sign occasional papers and watch the show on your monitor. You wanna know what gameplay is like? Watch CNN for a few hours.

I heard about the patch, but judging by the gameplay mechanics I don't see how it could change anything drastically. Sure it may increase your actual control over your empire from 5% to 10 or even 20% but it's not enough to make it fun and produce "just one more turn" addiction that made the original game so popular. So, if you never played a MOO game, get the first one. I played all of them, and the first one is definitely the best.

As for Civ III, in its core it's still an updated version of same old Civ with reasonable tweaks here and there and some additions, but it's definitely a fun, addictive game with great graphics (another quality missing in MOO3), polished gameplay and new (in Civ games) things like borders, culture, resource dependancy, etc. It could have been better, but it's still a "must have" for any Civ fan.

 

[Psilon]

Civ 3 or GalCiv. Either will keep you entertained, unlike MOO3. I bought MOO3, played it for two weeks, and deinstalled it after that. The game is, in addition to being terribly boring, almost completely undocumented--even with the strategy guide.

 

[Walks with the Snails]

I didn't get Civ 3 or MOO 3 because of bad word of mouth. Galactic Civilizations is supposed to be good, though, at least from what I hear. In the Civilization vein, Alpha Centauri and Civilization: Call to Power 2 are also both good. Both are bargain bin titles by now, too.

 

[Araanor]

Does the patch improve the gameplay significantly?

Seeing as the game was virtually unplayable pre-patch, yes.

Master of Orion 2 is the most Civ-like in the series, I had tons of fun with it back then but don't find it very rewarding nowadays. Only tried Civ3 out briefly, it was the same old type of gameplay with some annoying additions. There are better Civ-games out there.

If strategy is your craving, get Europa Universalis 2 (patched)!

(Yes, I pimp that game all the time, can't help it when so few have played it!)

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

Does the patch improve the gameplay significantly?

Seeing as the game was virtually unplayable pre-patch, yes.

Master of Orion 2 is the most Civ-like in the series, I had tons of fun with it back then but don't find it very rewarding nowadays. Only tried Civ3 out briefly, it was the same old type of gameplay with some annoying additions. There are better Civ-games out there.

If strategy is your craving, get Europa Universalis 2 (patched)!

(Yes, I pimp that game all the time, can't help it when so few have played it!)

EU2 is uber complex though, I bet it is a very good strategy game once you understand it all but it went over my head.

 

[Araanor]

Steep learning curve, yes. You can't give up that quick.

 

[Astromarine]

if you're at all curious about GalCiv ( and there is NO reason you shouldn't be) then you can just go to www.galciv.com and download the demo. The game is absolutely great^, and the company support is second to NONE. three words: Free Expansion Pack

 

[Binary]

GalCiv is indeed very good. I'd also suggest another one, much more complex: Aaron Hall's Space Empires 4 Gold.

They are both about 300% better than MOO3 !

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I'd give the nod to Aaron Hall's Space Empires IV Gold as well. I didn't like Civ3 too much and returned to playing Civ2:Test of Time. I didn't like Test of Time when I first got it, but Civ3 was so disheartenning, Test of Time looked that much better to me.

 

[Zetor]

Yeah, SE4 is a pretty damn good game, I've been playing it a'la PBEM for more than a year and still haven't burnt out on it [not to mention I still have yet to try a myriad of tactics and am still not an 'expert' in any sense]. It's very flexible and supportive of user-made mods. [in fact, I recommend using a mod if you play SE4... the stock game has some rather severe balance problems, also known as "PPB 0wnz j00r 4zz" ] The 'intelligence' / diplomatic aspect is sadly lacking [intel is either useless or just another bully stick... and there aren't nearly enough diplomatic options], but it's still pretty much the best game you can get.


-- Z.

 

[Psilon]

Never played Test of Time, but I spent many a weekend in multiplayer mode with Civ II. Civ 3 is admittedly not that great, but at least in my case it took several games for me to realize it. I just wish they hadn't nerfed all the air units in favor of the ICBM.

 

[chrisbeddoes]

GalCiv is the game you want.

 

[Zapp$ter]

Thanks for the replies guys. NOw I have two more candidates to consider for my parent's hard-earned cash :D

Anyway is there a demo for Space Empires 4? and could someone provide me with some links. Currently downloading the GalCiv demo. I'll have to see how it turns out.

Does anyone know if GalCiv has been released in the UK? 'cos I haven't seen it in shops and I pop into the stores almos every weekend just to have a look around.

Cheers, your feedback is very much appreciated on my part.

 

[Astromarine]

it has, but since it's not a hugely high-profile title the exposure is not too big

But you can buy online directy from stardock, and start downloading the full game immediately.

OR, you could subscribe to Drengin.net and have access to all games Stardock has published and will publish in the next year.

 

[Constipated Craprunner]

Europa Universalis.
But then again, it really only reaches worshipable status for those who derive sexual satisfaction in converting Mekka, Medina and all of the Mughal Empire to Byzantine Orthodoxy.
Hearts of Iron is now not only playable, but quite a bit of fun. I get a kick out of modding the scenario file to give me claims on the Macedonian Byzantine borders, and start expanding faster than all the drunken cowboys my country could ever dream of. Can you say puppeting Italy and Nationalist Spain as Greece?
I would never buy Civ3. I have not touched it in about a year. I hear good things about GalCiv all over the place, so if Guistani and Konstantinos XIV fighting Kenyans is not for you, go for it.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Try this:

http://www.malfador.com/se4.html

That's a link to the Space Empires IV site. Be warned, it's complex. Very complex. It's also very, very good.

Aaron Hall is also currently working on a CRPG set in the Space Empires universe, which should be out any day now.

 

[Binary]

Aaron Hall is also currently working on a CRPG set in the Space Empires universe, which should be out any day now.

I wasn't too impressed with his previous attempt at making an RPG (Dungeon Odyssey) but after playing SE4Gold for quite some time, I'm very optimistic about Space Empires: Starfury

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Dungeon Odysessy was just a really, really bad idea. Making an action CRPG with really outdated, non-animating graphics will end up making it a zero market game. Action CRPGers won't play it because of the graphics, they like graphics too much. Old School CRPGers won't mind the graphics, but they won't like the lack of the tactical prowess in the action portion. If DO had combat that was turn based, roughly like Avernum, I would have bought it happily.

 

[wizard]

They are both about 300% better than MOO3 !

I disagree with you; after the patches Moo3 is much, much more better than Space Empires 4 or even GalCiv!

 

[Vault Dweller]

Can you be a bit more specific?

 

[wizard]

Can you be a bit more specific?

Well thanks to the patch the AI is now much better; also it is now easier to go to planets were you want to go. Overall there are many improvements in the code patch; if you want to know more of it go to Moo3 forums; there is big thread where QSI posted improvements of the code patch