Hi all
re: Sword of the Stars
innovative= random tech trees...useful 3-D star map and all the strategic implications thereof...races with different strategic movement tech...real time combat resolved in 5 minute combat rounds between strategic turns...the ability to spy on other players combat also in real time in order to learn about their tech and tactics...the ability to mix and match entire ship sections and loadouts to create everything a fleet needs from a point defence destroyer to a standoff cruiser to a refinery ship and almost everything in between...the fact you do NOT have to click through 150 turns in order to get a ship thats capable of hurting anyone.
Are these innovations on the originality scale of inventing fire or sliced bread to toast on said fire? No. Are they innovations combined in such a way to create a 4X game that is NOT a spreadsheet in disguise. Yes.
For the record, the game is closer to 6 months than a year. As for its not looking as good as HW? Well having worked on both HW and HW:Cat I can pretty much vouch SOTS is at least as pretty in the ways that count. Will we ever have 40 klick engine trails or skyboxes that take a month to make? Probably not. On the other hand if you are interested in being able to see your shield generators come back on line or be able to tell when a turret has been blown off then you might like what SOTS has to offer when it comes to graphics.
If there is anything you are curious about SOTS or its design philosophy, just post your questions here and I would be glad to pop back in and answer 'em when I am not cruising my favourite old games or working on my new favourite
--Martin E. Cirulis,
Lead Designer/CEO,
Kerberos Productions