BATTLEMODE: I was WRONG about Space Empires 4!

[@dnoordink]

This, Stars! and MoO2 were my favourite 4x games of the time. Still play them all now :)

[@Lyze]

I loved this game series because you able to do so much stuff. Asteroid mining, laying minefields, terraforming, eventually igniting (and more importantly destroying) stars. My only complaint was that the weapon tech seemed a bit redundant. Something like six different types of energy beams and yeah, they have some small differences in range and such but they were very similar. My best tip in playing the game is to defend every warp point with mines and satellites. Even though the mines can be swept that's resources the enemy has to spend on minesweeper ships. Also building fighters on every colony world to pool them together as a warp point defender. Fighters are damn effective.

[@explorminate]

Great stuff, thank you!

[@chupo4putin]

even better if you install a system sheild that prevent enemy to enter randomly..... i have it setup in all systems and all warp points conneted is series so to get into my space they have to go thru one warp point.... defense at that warp point is killing my budget😂.... nuke warheads on mines, satelites, battle base armed and armored, a few dreadnouts, fighters, repair ships, a few build ships and a star destroyer on route

[@PsychoticSorcerer666]

Just a tip, there's an option in "Empire Status" where you can have each planet display Space Yards, Resupply Depots, and Space Ports that way you don't need to investigate each planet for them. Also you want to keep on top of ship supply, espionage defenses, and system defenses on top of research and ship numbers. In my experience, the AI performs really well or shockingly bad depending on what hand the game deals them from the start. Some games the Drushocka become the Mega Evil empire steamrolling the whole board, sometimes they are a joke. I strongly recommend downloading the Space Empires IV mod launcher so you can download mods for SE4 and put them in the SE4 main folder so you can play them. I created a mod by creating a folder in SE4, naming it what I wanted it to be called, and downloading some custom empires from the PBW2 website and adding the custom empires to the /pictures/races/ folder. Have fun!

[@explorminate]

Great stuff, thanks for the tips and info!

[@Timstone101]

Together with X-COM TFTD this game is the best game I've ever played. Literally played it to bits. Really, the CD has developed cracks. Anyway, this game didn't age well and the possibilities are very limited, but other than that it is a masterpiece. I can only wish for a remake.

[@GalaxyCat001]

This game does not need the CD in the PC to play it.

[@Timstone101]

@@GalaxyCat001Indeed, but I installed it so many times on sooo many computers (viruses corrupted my HDD many, many times...). :-)

[@florinadrian5174]

Same here. You don't need a remake, you just need to play the mods. TDM has much better AI and Eclipse has a deluge of technologies and many other changes.

[@gordonlipford2516]

I personally prefer SE V over IV, but neither is complete without the brilliant community mods -- if you aren't playing with Capt. Kwok's balance mod, you aren't really getting the full experience. Some people hated the 3d-ish map of V, but IMHO the combat of V is over 9000 times better than IV. I always play with tactical combat off and set up fleets and battlegroups to do what I want, and if I need to re-watch a battle in the battle viewer I can pause/replay at my leisure watching exactly how well or badly things went.

[@explorminate]

I have both games, I heard this one was the better game but I'll have a look at V too, thanks!

[@johnrankin9944]

Missed this play thru gald you came back to it. Try SEV using the balance mod.

[@balvsmalvs5425]

The AI of Space Empire IV was one of the best I've ever face - in its modded version. It was simply tough. I never got the critique. Vanilla? Sure. Modded? Nuh-huh. The mofos adapt. Using a ton of mines? They'll get 'em mine sweepers and ruin your day. Missiles? They'll get whatever the shishmabob anti missile guns were called, and they will get you. Space Empires IV is just a brilliant game. Too bad I have literally 0 time nowadays to play it.

[@battlemode]

That sounds wonderful, which AI mod would you recommend?

[@uncletimo6059]

write the name of the mod, doofus

[@EdKolis]

@@battlemode TDM is good if you like the stock tech tree; Carrier Battles if you want something completely different.

[@balvsmalvs5425]

@@battlemode Good question. I played SE:IV years ago. Devnull? Adamant? AI something mod? Don't really recall. I might have used 2 at the same time. I remember that the components were changed and you could load different modules (for bigger Vs smaller ship designs) and mount the weapons and components on those different mounts. Don't quote me on saying that *that* was the harder difficulties mod. I remember those two names (TDM as well - I remember playing with that one.. sorry, long time ago) and remember as well that there were some mods specifically aiming at changing the AI. Sorry I can't be of more help. Cheers

[@explorminate]

I heard Carrier Battles is the one to play, although it does seem to change the base game a bit much for my liking right now. Gonna play through the vanilla game a bit and see if I can't make it challenging as it is, and then find a mod if not.

[@EdKolis]

You should try the keyboard shortcuts, such as L to load cargo and D to drop cargo!

[@battlemode]

I'm learning them as we speak! I saw your mod is included in the Steam version of SE4 Deluxe!

[@craigh1790]

I'm on the fence with this one too. It seems to have a lot of elements that would make for a superb 4X, but it always seemed lifeless and dull to me. Maybe I'll give it another look too.

[@explorminate]

Initially I played for several hours and many turns, maybe 3 or 4, and the AI didn't seem to have moved. Now I realise there are factions that do stick to their own systems, maybe Neutral factions? Or some that are programmed not to rapidly expand. But the AI does expand if you let it, and I think giving it some bonuses would make for a reasonably challenging game until you have the meta figured. There are also lots of mods for it too, some of which are there to improve AI.

[@EdKolis]

@@explorminate Yes, the neutral factions will not leave their home system (short of weird things like spatial anomalies teleporting their ships). You can recognize them they're always a specific set of races; if you don't know which those are yet, you can right-click an empire and view its report. If the race folder is "Neutral" followed by some numbers, it's a neutral race.

[@cav1stlt922]

Even after so many years and countless plays, I still go back to SP IV for a dose of 4X treat. My complain would be that there were too few options to choose when interacting with other races nor could I understand why they react. For example, I could have some sort of trade agreements with a race, stayed out of their systems and yet they would declare war on me on the next turn. Why!!!? Simply so unpredictable and with no hints or explanations! I learned to design special ships just to create or destroy planets while another to do the same with warp points, thus preventing others to colonize planets or systems that were useless to me. Even with so many new 4X games in my Stream collection, I still find myself being drawn back to this classic and readily recommend same to anyone.

[@explorminate]

Great to hear from a veteran of the game. I really want to play it more, it's just finding the time!

[@grymdark5439]

Thanks for this! Really would have overlooked this game otherwise. I never saw the need to play it because Moo2. I'm going to give this a proper chance now. On the other hand, you where absolutely right about Endless Space 2. I am waiting for the newly announced patch before I touch that one again.

[@Bill_Garthright]

Wow, this was a long time ago, and I don't remember it at all. But my notes say "Not bad, but it was actually too easy." And for me, that's saying something, because I don't normally like particularly hard games. I guess I'm more into playing strategy games as role-playing games, rather than caring that much about pure strategy. In the original Masters of Orion, I just enjoyed building up my planets (terraforming them, especially). Actually, that's a lot like how I played Civilization, too. The combat was necessary, but not why I was enthused by them.

[@battlemode]

I heard that once you've learned the game, you really need to give the AI some big bonuses, but if you do, it can be quite challenging.

[@paulkenny5052]

@@battlemode The stock races are ok, but there are some fan developed Modded races with good A.I. that can really kick butt and take names. There is a Star Trek group of modded races that is very tough, and so are the Babylon5 races, particularly the Earth Alliance and Narn A.I. And there is one from the Manicore Empire, I think based on Honor Harrington that has challenging A.I.

[@paulkenny5052]

@@battlemode Of course, you can always set the game AI vs. Humans. Good fun on a large universe with many empires. Its like surfing during a hurricane.

[@dunkoh44]

The Devnull gold mod really made this game shine. Unfortunately, it is a hard mod to find these days.

[@6StimuL84]

I have DevNull 1.7.0, 1.7.1 and 1.80 Gold if you need them......

[@GalaxyCat001]

This is a great game, plays best on Win98, ships move too fast or too slow otherwise. I had some very tense early to mid games with this where the AI kept me under pressure the whole time. Late game is not much of a challenge but early on its great & you can follow so many different tactics & strategies & do lots of different things. Ship design is great, you have a lot of freedom. SEV is also pretty good.

[@paulkenny5052]

What I liked about this game is that it ran on my computer when I was using Windows95, and still ran on my computer through Win98, XP, Windows7, and Windows10. Not very demanding on hardware, and didn't go obsolete when I upgraded my operating system the way many other games did.

[@paulkenny5052]

I have Windows10 and it works fine.

[@Njordin2010]

​@@RGBredgreenbluewhich mods do you play else? What does tdm change?

[@GalaxyCat001]

@@paulkenny5052 Ships move slowly on non Win98 systems as compared to Win98

[@paulkenny5052]

@@Njordin2010 Mostly adds "new" races. Some of the races and scenarios is for the Star Trek universe and (I think) the Babylon5 Universe.

[@gieweh1136]

Maybe do a LP on it? :D

[@explorminate]

I need to learn it better first, but that might be fun!

[@gieweh1136]

@@explorminate That is great then you can teach us :D

[@uncletimo6059]

4:18 click on DIPLOMACY, pick option NON INTERCOURSE quick!!! go with that option!!! for the love of gaaaaaaawd!!!!!!!!!

[@explorminate]

Haha I'm learning, don't worry!

[@Lyze]

Yes, avoid intercourse with the aliens. :D

[@chupo4putin]

been playing this game for 20 years now... SE5 is even better with in-depth complexity like ordnance being depleted but kinda like 4 betzer coz of old school graphics... 5 is actually in 3d

[@Godwinsname]

Cool

[@EdKolis]

Space Empires IV uses 3D graphics... but they're rendered as static images, so you don't get any of the advantages of 3D graphics. 🤦🏻‍♂

[@JoeKundlak]

You finally matured into puberty! Congrats! B-)

[@battlemode]

Lol it's about time

[@jacksmith-vs4ct]

It needs multiplayer to truly shine but yeah it's a good game even without.

[@paulkenny5052]

You can play this multiplayer. I play it hot seat with my sons, but you can also email your turns with your gaming friends.

[@kevinkheroux3438]

It's gonna take decades for you to fix that dodgy tier list.

[@87Julius]

Oof

[@explorminate]

That tier list is S-Tier, we're just on a higher plane of existence to mere mortal understanding ;)