Blair Fraser

Blair Fraser

Joined Last seen Member # 2601512
64 Posts 2,256 Replies 2,726 Reputation
Reply to Min Requirements / Performance Target in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

It really depends on what you want to see, the Iron Engine is quite scalable. You have the option to drop the video settings very very low and if your card doesn't support a certain feature, it uses fallbacks (cheap imitations of the real thing). Pixel shader 2 is not required, but the game will look much better with it. The actual requirements for the game are not yet set in stone so can't say much on that. The beta will certainly help narrow this down more accurately. H

21 Replies 53,731 Views
Reply to Gamespot's write up bothered me... in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

You can move ships in 3d if you like and they will travel pointing up or whatever is appropriate so you it is possible to have ships face in any direction. There are different combinations of camera modes and one of them allows you to rotate it 360 degrees around any object. Weapons and some special actions are directional. Typically, weapons exist in one of 4 banks that fire out in a 3d cone. For example, if the weapon is in the forward bank it can't hit things to the

55 Replies 109,932 Views
Reply to Planetary Management: How? in Strategy Sins Forums

Can spaceships target specific buildings? You can target all orbital structures directly, but you can't target specific ground structures. However, there are a few ways to target things by class. For example the Advent have special ways to target just the population, leaving the industrial stuff intact.

28 Replies 23,002 Views
Reply to Planetary Management: How? in Strategy Sins Forums

There is currently no hard limit to the number of things you can build in orbit (there is lot more space and one piece of space terrain is no more or less useable than another unlike the surface). However, you are limited by what you can afford.

28 Replies 23,002 Views
Reply to Pop Limits? in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

There is no hard cap on ship numbers. The limit is emergeant based on maitenence costs and fleet command capabilities. Depending on what you are doing, its possible it doesn't make sense economically to field a massive fleet.

22 Replies 54,353 Views
Reply to Planetary Management: How? in Strategy Sins Forums

So essentially there are 3 buildings, and you can have (for example) a max of 5 of any kind on a planet and only 10 total on the planet? That is the essentials of surface development. Note however, that Planet/Colony development is composed of both Surface and Orbit Development so there are plenty of interesting decisions and gamep

28 Replies 23,002 Views
Reply to Planetary Management: How? in Strategy Sins Forums

Sins used to have a tile based system with terrain but was removed for a number of reasons, not the least because it was too cumbersome for a real-time game and too disconnected from the 3d gameplay. This was explained in more detail in my old threads regarding the addition of the arbitrary orbital structure placement system. Surface development was simplified and orbital development was complexified <img src="http://images.stardock.com/gc2/T_DL/smiles/Wink.gif" border=0 ALIGN="absm

28 Replies 23,002 Views
Reply to Maps... in Technical Sins Forums

You can fly over the poles. The orbital well is a giant sphere.

3 Replies 5,700 Views
Reply to New Screenshots :) in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

Those are a LOT of fighters in that first shot! The capital ships are TEC battleships and they don't carry very many fighters but I'm pretty sure there are hangar defense platforms in orbit around the planet just outside right side of the shot.

10 Replies 37,824 Views
Reply to Distance finally becomes important! in Strategy Sins Forums

There is research, special abilities, and special structures that can increase speed. We still have plenty of balancing to do w/r to travel times. Hopefully you guys can help us out in the beta

25 Replies 17,559 Views
Reply to Gamespot's write up bothered me... in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

I'm not sure what the comment is in reference to but for the most part I think we have even more tactical control than Homeworld with options to automate things so it doesn't have to be as micromanaged. Yes, there is still 3d movement for advanced users. There is also a number of comments in the Gamespot "Comment" section just below the preview that are misinformed. There is ship customization, just not to the extent of a turned-based game like GalCiv2 as that isn't feasible for

55 Replies 109,932 Views
Reply to New Screenies at Gamespot in Graphics Design Sins Forums

You are seeing much of the HUD stuff. For example, the red lines are for attack orders, blue lines are for phase jump orders and green is for movement. The skin shown is for the TEC. I'll talk more about specific elements in the future. EDIT: the unit stat stuff that pops up is an optional toggle, or can be activated with a hotkey.

10 Replies 8,073 Views
Reply to Sins Press Roundup in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

Here are two great previews http://pc.ign.com/articles/738/738529p1.html http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/sinsofasolarempire/news.html?sid=6159660&mode=previews&tag=previews;title;2

12 Replies 46,102 Views
Reply to Greetings! in Sins of a Solar Empire Sins Forums

where is blair and them... i would really like to see their faces around again Oh we are all here, it is just a very busy day <img src="http://images.stardock.com/gc2/T_DL/smiles/Smile.gif" border=0 ALIGN="absmiddle"

15 Replies 46,003 Views
Reply to Welcome! in Sins News Sins Forums

I can testify that they understand our needs very well - if they didn't I wouldn't be here

72 Replies 97,455 Views
Reply to Welcome! in Sins News Sins Forums

Yeah! Thanks Frogboy! Welcome to all! I really feel we have something special going on here and with everyone's help, it's only going to get better. If you know us from the past, you know we really do listen to what everyone has to say and it does have an impact on the game. This will be my home away from home so expect to see me around often P.S If I know you from before and your nickname has ch

72 Replies 97,455 Views