To the Developers

from Sins Forums

Alright, here it goes...

 

Ironclad Games is now, essentially, the leading developers in this new genre of RT4X. You have set up a new platform for real-time strategy gamers that replicates the depth of grand strategy games, while preserving the action, combat, and "feel" of an RTS game. In time, Sins of a Solar Empire will be considered a milestone accomplishment in the evolution of RTS gaming. So, congratulations!

 

Now for the "mushy" part. I want to see Ironclad on the leading edge of this new genre, just as Westwood Studios was for RTS, and Micropose and Firaxis were for TBS. Your team might be small in comparison to behemoths such as EA, but you have the creativity and vision to continue innovating where they cannot. Push the boundaries and see where you can take this genre; it has enormous potential.  I've put countless hours into all three versions of Sins, and I am over 100 for the Rebellion beta.  I want to see Ironclad Games succeed in this business. 

 

I visit these forums a lot but never post. I read a lot of what people say on here, and some of it can be rather personal and degrading (although rare). Don't ever let this criticism bring you down; you have an excellent product to be proud of. However, do not let the irrational criticism and hate of a few desensitize you to the legitimate complaints of your most loyal and respectful fans. It is all-too-common in the gaming industry for developers (and/or publishers) to push aside advice and go ahead with a flawed game. Don't ever let this happen. 

 

In conclusion: keep doing what you're doing. Ironclad has the right bearing and is steaming full ahead. Don't lose your momentum by staying in a safe spot where there isn't any risk; you won't sink, but it will allow others to catch up to you.

 

-MasterofTofu

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Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Don't lose your momentum by staying in a safe spot where there isn't any risk; you won't sink, but it will allow others to catch up to you.
End of quote

That is a huge danger I don't think they see coming. It could just happen later this year too. This is the primary reason I leveled complaints about Rebellion not being different enough from Trinity. Games like Endless Space (TBS) and another unannounced game (RTS) are hot on Ironclad's heels. I'd rather they not go from leader to follower, although I suppose some healthy competition is in order to push this genre forward.

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I agree with this whole post.

In fact, I was thinking about making a post of this sort after Rebellion came out, giving some examples of game play improvements I would like to see in Sins 2. I have huge respect for Ironclad and Stardock and hope that they can make Sins 2 the awesome game I wish it to be.

You seem like an intelligent person, MasterofTofu, and I will make sure to read your posts in the future. You expressed very effectively the holes that Sins 2 could fall into as well as the ruts it could stay in. Job well done.

Groupy 2 - Organize multiple applications into grouped tabs on your Windows desktop
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Nice to see a positive post on here for a change, I am 100% with you on this. Have some Karma good sir. k1

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

People keep mentioning Endless Space as competition "hot on the heels" of Rebellion, But ES is just 4X - no real time elements - so I don't see how it's relevant to what Stardock and Ironclad have done with Rebellion.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Ironclad is already working of an innovative new project, Sins of a Dark Age. Its just a different strategy niche, but I wouldn't say they're standing still. Rebellion if anything is the game they wanted Sins 1 to be, not anything supposed to be very different.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Don't let Sareth and the modders get to you starclad! SINS FTW!

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Dont forget that Endless is still in alpha phase, there's a massive potential for it to suck terribly, since the internet that pays gets to have a say in the game...and how did that work out with that one movie, Snakes on a Plane was it? It looks nice enough, but still, its going for the "Civilization in space/wasnt MoO cool back in the day?" approach from what I've been able to gather, though I'm fairly ignorant towards it, not a fan of turn based.

 

Rebellion is nice enough though, granted it kinda invalidates new people getting Trinity since Rebellion has all that content, but I still happily recommend getting all of it to friends...so I can brutalize them slowly, start with Sins, then work up through the expansions.

 

Thanks for the game though Ironclad, I've happily played since the original release. Though I do admit that to begin with, I pirated the game...for about twenty minutes then decided "the hell with this, its time to pay" and have bought every single release.

The only pause there was for Rebellion as soon as I saw it released, was due to my credit card being a lil iffy, but now, now I am a happy and proud owner of your games Ironclad and Stardock.

 

And if you can 64bit the next game...£$@# yes baby!

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

The developers are big boys (and girls?).  If they take forums personal they should ignore them in general because that will distract from their ability to create fine works.  If they maintain the appropriate perspective they can find a great many useful conversations in all of these threads. 

 

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

I'm glad my post got nice responses! Especially with the rather limited resources Stardock and Ironclad have, it is even more impressive that they were able to create this game. I plan on posting a little bit more on these forums. A lot of good discussion happens here, and I want to post some instead of just reading. 

 

And yeah, my only major complaint about this amazing game is the lack of 64-bit programming. I understand why the developers didn't do it and why they still don't do it. There is a lot of time (and money) involved in making sure a stable 64-bit version is released. That is money they didn't have when they started developing, and time they don't have now. I can't blame them for not doing it, but I just wish it was there. All the more reason to look forward to Sins of s Solar Empire 2!

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

progress for endless space :) do not think they will be done for a bit

http://endless-space.amplitude-studios.com/Progress

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

<3

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

U guys r da bes i like game mucho gracias senor

Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Yarlen, reply 11
<3
End of Yarlen's quote

 

<3 we love you too

Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting upsurper, reply 10
progress for endless space do not think they will be done for a bit

End of upsurper's quote
">http://endless-space.amplitude-studios.com/Progress[/quote]

 

Did you even look at that page? You seem to have taken away the opposite of what it suggests. Yes, they're still officially alpha, but in the development breakdown they claim to be pretty much done with every aspect of the game with the bulk of the remaing work being debugging and balancing. Granted, those two things can take quite a bit of time, but not necessarily. Either way, the game is quite far along at this point and really, they could be "done" at any time.

Regardless, I agree with the other poster that mentioned it, I don't see how Endless Space can be considered competition. I like the game, but it's still a traditional 4x game, similar to any number of other games both new and old already in existance. It's a few unique traits and, in my opinion a very nice UI, but it's still the same old thing, fitting snugly into a genre well defined before Sins ever came along, 

 

Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting davidabc66, reply 15
Quoting upsurper, reply 10progress for endless space do not think they will be done for a bit

http://endless-space.amplitude-studios.com/Progress

 

Did you even look at that page? You seem to have taken away the opposite of what it suggests. Yes, they're still officially alpha, but in the development breakdown they claim to be pretty much done with every aspect of the game with the bulk of the remaing work being debugging and balancing. Granted, those two things can take quite a bit of time, but not necessarily. Either way, the game is quite far along at this point and really, they could be "done" at any time.

 
End of davidabc66's quote

I dont know what i have read of the progress it seems they got bogged down at a major error with startup of endless spaces system resources

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting davidabc66, reply 15

Did you even look at that page? You seem to have taken away the opposite of what it suggests. Yes, they're still officially alpha, but in the development breakdown they claim to be pretty much done with every aspect of the game with the bulk of the remaing work being debugging and balancing. Granted, those two things can take quite a bit of time, but not necessarily. Either way, the game is quite far along at this point and really, they could be "done" at any time.
End of davidabc66's quote

So they're done with everything, except the hard part. :)

Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top

Are there any other 4x-RTS games in existence besides Sins?

Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting DirtySanchezz, reply 20
Are there any other 4x-RTS games in existence besides Sins?
End of DirtySanchezz's quote
I believe Legends of Pegasus is a plausibly good alternative. Haven't played it though. And you risk encountering the infamous JCD-Bionictroll there. In all likelyhood he remains there until everyone has forgotten about him, and he will attempt to get on everyones nerves here again ones the time is right.

Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting DirtySanchezz, reply 20
Are there any other 4x-RTS games in existence besides Sins?
End of DirtySanchezz's quote

 

Dirty? what happen? dont u belive Blair?

 

there are 4 major competitors: Geminiwars , Legends of Pegasus , novusaeterno and endless space.

 

Reply #23 from Sins Forums Top

I don't think endless space is RTS, but they're fooling themselves if they don't think that's competition (not that they care about competition)...Gemini wars and legends of pegasus are both RTs...Novus aeterno I believe is a MMO RTS, which has it's advantages and drawbacks...

The fundamental problem is this...

Sins has far more potential to be a MP game than an SP game...this is because its gameplay (in concept, at least), its UI, and its strategic elements are far ahead of its depth, immersion, and lore development...

However, the devs (SD, at least) make SP games and really are only good at that...game balance and all the nice MP implementations are either not their expertise or not of their concern....

So, Sins is the product of unfortunate contradiction...

Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top

There is no RTS MP competition for Sins right now - which is funny, considering how underdeveloped and small a community Sins MP is. Of them all, Endless Space looks the best to me but it is strictly 4X. Legends of Pegasus is also 4X mainly with some RTS elements like Total War has. Gemini Wars is SP campaign and skirmish and they are "intending" to add MP in but overall that game looks like crap. Unless by some miracle, Relic makes a Homeworld 3 in the next few years, I don't know of any competition for RTS MP space game like Sins.