FreeOrion Project

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/?p=275
from GalCiv2 Forums

While doing some research on the latest news about space strategy games under development I came across with the FreeOrion project.

FreeOrion is an open-source project which goal is to build a turn based 4x space strategy game. The entire project is community-centered were people that share the common motivation are invited to contribute to build the game in many ways, some as programmers, others as conceptual designers, others as opinion makers.

As stated in the project vision the game is inspired in the Master of Orion series and it will be a turn-based strategy game built in the classic 4x model style.

I submitted an article in my blog about this exciting project. You can read it here.

What you think about this project and future game?

38,505 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Thanks greenpower, the link to your blog alone was worth the post! Very nice blog, excellent! Bookmarked it and will check in weekly or so.

Think this project got started shortly after the Master of Orion III disappointment, but I had not looked at it since. Now, it is looking rather good!

I will download it and try it out later today.

My first MoO was Master of Orion 2, Battle at Antares. FreeOrion has much better graphics, much much better. Can't wait to try the gameplay. MoO 2 was addictive back then, and even now.

Don't know if they have kept it, but just to end on a note of flame bait and heresy, I really like the system of showing you a galaxy of stars, but then clicking on a star to see its solar system.

It is a blasphemous thing to say in This Holy Place given that the infinite zoom is preferred by most players, but I still liked the absolute differentiation between interstellar and solar system view. And I liked clicking on a planet to see the improvements, with old Civ style icons.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I'l very pleased you liked my blog wilebill :)

Yes, the time frame you mention for this project start (right after the MOO3 release) seems to match with the first sign of activity I can tell by their forums. Let's hope they make it to the end! (I have a good feeling about it) I've talked with many people regarding space strategy gaming lately and what many seem to really want next is to be able to play MOO2 ... but with better graphics and better AI :)

I really like the system of showing you a galaxy of stars, but then clicking on a star to see its solar system. It is a blasphemous thing to say in This Holy Place given that the infinite zoom is preferred by most players, but I still liked the absolute differentiation between interstellar and solar system view. And I liked clicking on a planet to see the improvements, with old Civ style icons.
End of quote

The current GalCiv galaxy map works for me. The only thing I can point out is for some lacking of galaxy costumization which many times leads to players distribution imbalance which forces me to turn the map visibility on in the beggining (which I hate) just to make sure that there are not players stuck with just 1 star system and no close planets nearby (this immediatly excludes those players from even have a chance). I wish they could do something about that.

Regarding improvements I also like to see the building miniatures on the planet. I don't know, I guess they transmit us the feeling that we really building something. More types of icons (skins) for buildings would be much welcome also, although each race sometimes gets their own skin of buildings I would like that those could be even diverse in a per planet basis depending on the type of planet you're on.

[blog]: Space Strategy Games: What's Next?

WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Looks interesting.  But if it started around the time of MOO3 , and is just now at v 0.3.13, it doesnt look like I should be holding  my breath for the game any time soon.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Freeciv was FAR more quickly developed than this. I can expect a "finished" product to never really arrive.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

I always thought Sword of the Stars was a great successor to Master of Orion.

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I didn't played yet Sword of the Stars. Do you recommend it? Any revolutionary concepts?

How about AI, Graphics, Combat (ground and space), Tech trees ...

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I read a review a few hours ago. It got like 51%...

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

In gamepot they give it 7.4. From what I catched from the review the game has less micromanagement than more recent games, simple economy sliders like in Master of Orion I, real time combat with some user control (with some glitches), good AI and good 3D graphics.

Gamespot review

The Good:

  • Sleek, streamlined space strategy 
  • surprising amount of depth with little micromanagement 
  • cinematic space battles between fleets of warships 
  • cool 3D interface and art style.

The Bad:

  • Combat can kill the pace of the game at times 
  • not possible to exit out of combat early 
  • some stability issues, as game can lock up at times.

 

[blog]: Space Strategy Games Sector

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

It also has one of the more frustrating UI out there. I played it for a day and then uninstalled it. It's not as fun as the games it's supposed to replace.

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

http://www.kerberos-productions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8117 is a page with links to a set of instructional videos on Sword of the Stars. These are very well done, and were non-trivial to make as I think you will see further down the page where details of the production are given.

Don't we wish that Sins of a Solar Empire had some similar instructional videos for new players and people considering the game? Yes, we can wish that. Wish wish wish, wish wish wish.

That being said, I've walked around this game a lot, kicked the tires, played at the demo. Read the forums, watched videos. It is a very complex game with some interesting concepts. But to me, anyway, it does not seem very much like Master of Orion. On the whole there is not enough to draw me in, and some things that I wouldn't like. I don't like the idea of having to take tankers along to give your fleets range, for instance. That might be the neatest thing since sliced bread, but to me it looks like a needless complication.

Their forums seem very active, so there are enthusiastic players out there.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

Acutally not that I am wishing how sins work like FreeOrion, but the way they how the star work and the jjumping makes more sense than the way Sins is working

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top

Free Orion may never arrive, I agree. It is a multiheaded hydra. You can tell there is no common concept otehr than a wishlist of features.  If it does arrive it will be after my own game arrives!

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

You paint such a pessimistic picture just because it is open source doesn't mean it will fail

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

Where did I say that ?Lot of open source projects succeed.

Perhaps I rather it failed actually, because looking at it it becomes more and more like Moo3 instead of Moo2.

Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

haha

Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Sword of the Stars vanilla had a bunch of frustrating issues.  But with three expansions under its belt (the most recent is Argos Naval Yard), the game is definitely worth playing (review).  Personally, I am constantly cycling between GalCiv II, Sins and SotS.  Each has something to make it stand out from the others. 

Now, if only someone could figure out a way to merge all three together.... :D

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

RTS made using SotS's game engine.  How's that for combining Sins and SotS?