GC vs SE

from Stardock Forums

Hi all been playing both the demo games and pretty much enojying both of them. Trying to decide which one to get. Also I have been reading some of these posts and have noticed some very disturbing BUGS mentioned especially with the entrechment add on and the download problems with buying the game online and licensing.

Now while the bugs are annoying one problem I have had in the demo version of GC2 is ship building. I know it takes tech to build but I should be able to build something better than a stinger right? Unless there is something I am missing on building the ships hopefully someone will mention how/what is needed to make some decent ships.

Ok as for my comparisons on the two. The opponents between the two games are not even remotely close. The tech trees seems to be a bit more indepth on GC than in SOSE. Graphics are pretty much the same overall but SOSE does have an edge here especially on the close ups of the planets. Map sizes dunno since demo is stuck at only on one size but I like large maps and dont mind playing long games on occassion. Which that seems to be a question on memory dumps. Its tough to decide especially since both games are so smiliar.

As for other games I have plyes the only one that would come close to the space side of it would be Master Of Orion ONE! As for turn base/real Time them Civilization 4 and Guild Wars would be the most recent two.

As for downloads I prefer hard copy games so I can put them on both my laptop and computer and whenever windoze crashes, its not a problem to reinstall and while GC says 59 when you click it is a more reasonable 44 (and counting the tax of the $40 game store bought it's pretty even at that point) so pricing is not an object on this.

I would like to hear from both sides of the fence on the two games but I am looking for long lasting enjoyment.

 

Thanks.

 

(note I posted this on both the GC and SOSE forums to try to gauge different viewpoints even if it is on the same forum)

8,317 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Buy both! :)

 

Really though, if you can only afford one, the biggest question would be if you prefer TBS or RTS games more.

 

very disturbing BUGS mentioned especially with the entrechment add on
End of quote

Entrenchment is in beta right now, so the beta reports being on the same forums may give a false impression.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

They both won Strategy game of the year awards...

 

With GC2, I would strongly recommend getting the Ulitmate edition bundle (with both expansion packs) and then updating (free but needing the expansions) to version 2.0.  Both expansions won IGNs expansion of the year award (DA beating Civ 4 Beyond the Sword, TA beating Warcraft Lich King)

 

As for SoaSE, Entrenchment is currently in beta, so you can discount those bug reports.  The vanilla game has almost never crashed while I've been playing it, and I've had it for nearly a year.

 

Your main decision is whether you prefer RTS or TBS, but as Kyro said, get both :-)

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I was facing the same problem.  But, I am picking GC because it has a single player compaign, all expansions have been released, and haven't played a good TBS game since CivIII.  When SE gets a single player compaign (I hope it does), and comes bundled with all expansions, I will get it.

I plan to pick up a GC Ultimate box when it is released around Feb. 10th.  Well, that is if it is at Best Buy (gift card there).  If not then I will just get it from Impulse for $44.  Anyone know for sure if Best Buy will care it?  I assume they will since they have the other versions of it.

Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I originally heard a lot of buzz about Sins and went and bought it; fell in love with it. It's easy to get into even without reading the manual. The tooltips are great and it's not hard to figure stuff out after a little trial and error and a few games. I had been an exclusively World of Warcraft player for three years and hardly played anything else, but when I finally left WoW and picked up Sins it filled the void. I was impressed with the design, lack of micro-management, zoom capabilities, immense battles, etc.

I started getting the bug to find other games by this Stardock company and something else space based and found GC2 (along with all of the great reviews). I bought GC2 along with the two expansions and have really enjoyed it as well although I will say that it has a bit steeper learning curve then Sins as do a lot of TBS games. Although in my opinion, GC2 is easier to learn than Civ4. It is a 'deeper' game than Sins in that you control many more things in your empire and there are many ways to win besides just warfare or making alliances.

A quick compare:

Visuals: Sins feels like Windows Vista with shiny graphics and buttons. The space and stars look amazing as well as the ships. GC2 feels like Windows XP with good visuals and a pleasing interface but nothing really 'stunning'.

Campaign: Sins doesn't have a campaign. GC2 does have a campaign.

Multiplayer: Sins has multiplayer (I've never played multi as I don't have the time). GC2 has no multiplayer.

User friendly: Sins is easy to get into without reading the manual. The tooltips are descriptive without being overly so. GC2's tooltips are not the greatest. I wish they would be but that's my preference. I enjoyed Civ4's tooltips that included helpful hints within them. GC2 doesn't have that. I was forced to read the manual which is fine but when I start a new game I usually try to rely on tutorials or the campaign without having to read the manual; again, just my preference.

Story: There is a story in Sins somewhere. We're given the 'setup' of how the three races came to where they are now but not much else. GC2 has a great story and along with the campaign you get a good feel for the races.

I currently alternate between the two games and while I ultimately find GC2 to be a 'deeper' game that I can lose myself in creating a story or playing the campaign, I enjoy Sins for its great visuals and immense space battles.

If I had to pick one I would probably go with GC2 mainly because I play pretty much single-player nowadays. But I would save my nickels, dimes, and pennies like mad to eventually buy Sins. But that's my preference.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Well Ty all for your responses.

It was a tough decision but GC does win out. Replayability was a MAJOR factor in this decision. GC seems to have it while SINS for now does not. Graphics is a difference but I am used to Civ 1-4, Master of Orion 1-2 and Alpha Centari and some text sports simulation games so graphics are not a huge factor with me. The campaign factor is also not that big of a deal with me as I mainly play random generated maps and set approiate ai's to battle with and go for it from there. What will really interest me (from what I have seen it can happen) is creating some races and have them go at it. Right now I am thinking of a strong mix of several space movies and one semi fantasy race. Something like the cylons from the ORIGINAL Battlestar Galatica (creating a death squad cylon ship that goes boom on anything it hits will be something if it can be done on here), Rebellion, Empire and maybe CIS, along with say a race of space penguins and in a real twist a planet of the apes race as well and have them all go at it in fact even add on a race from Galatic Convoy (a radio drama shop I have bene listening to on my satellite radio from timberwolf press) so I am looking for something like that in due time. 

Multiplayer is NOT a factor and if I want that I'll go back to Guild Wars but one comment I found interesting was Gal Civ was easier to learn than Civ 4 (and I found Civ 4 to be a breeze). 

I do appreciate all of the comments and when the sins gets their expansion add ons going I'll keep tabs on it for the graphics are really that good. Maybe edevntually I'll get it but entrenchment that boasts mines and starbases as their main points while GC and this latest expansion seems to be outpacing it for now. 

Oh I also figguered out what tecs I need to build ships but seeing how I can change tech trees will make this a bit more interesting.

Thanks for the comments.

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

one comment I found interesting was Gal Civ was easier to learn than Civ 4 (and I found Civ 4 to be a breeze)
End of quote

GC2 is easy to learn.  It's hard to master.

;)

And you can most certainly create almost any race your imagination can dream up in GC2, while race-modding is somewhat more difficult (albeit possible) in Sins.

While you can't technically create a ship with an instakill weapon, you can certainly give a particular weapon high enough attack that it may as well be instakill.

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Charvel1, reply 4
GC2 has a great story and along with the campaign you get a good feel for the races.
End of Charvel1's quote

hum... I don't agree on this one

while I find the races "fun", some poor tech descriptions +  very average videos + number of videos quite on the low side + average story, meant that I didn't really enter gc2 world in the campaigns

The best "stories" on gc2 were when some stardock members (probably frogboy) told us some elements behind draginol & such on this very website. (so not in game)

though on the + side, TA improved A LOT the atmosphere with those few specific story based techs.

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

well story line is like comparing Warcraft to Guild Wars two way different story lines but Guild Wars is way better IMHO on the story line. The story line in these "campaign" games are not that big of a deal for me for all I want is set something up and chew bubble gum and kick //// and I'm all out of bubble gum........ :w00t: