Do Not Buy From Matrix Games

[ms_sunlight]

If you want to get really crazy about it, there's this game called Anacreon that had all of the hallmarks of the genre, and came out in 1987. It's old enough (and complex enough for the time) that the "graphics" are entirely ascii based. The user interface was a bit different from the one in Civilization, which is what all the modern ones copy, but it was definitely an early example of the genre.

You can find the latest version of the original game <link=http://neurohack.com/anacreon/index.html>here, along with a modern open source remake. And when I say "latest version," I mean "latest version"; the current build was made sometime last decade at the absolute latest. The guy who owns the original source code likes to keep it maintained and freely available.

That sounds fantastic actually. I'm a long-term Angband obsessive so none of what you said puts me off. I like pretty games as much as the next person but I can live without the pretty if the gameplay's meaty. I've bookmarked the link and I'm damn well going to play the hell out of that!

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

I hadn't heard of 4X either. The X rating is often attributed to beer strenghth as well, and 4X is a beer local to where I live, which is stronger than 2X, but not as strong as 6X.

Anyway, game wise, I have no experience with this kind of game, but I will check out the link posted and have a try! I may have found a new niche!

 

[SidingWithTheEnemy]

[...] Angband obsessive [...]

Uuuuuh, just had a memory flashback... Thanks for reminding me...

[hr]
I think the Original Poster got his Banhammer-scolding and all the adults and those who want to be one should move on now.

Oh and my two pennies:

4X Games are really a very underrated genre and some of the games like Masters of Orion II are better than Porn (especially if you compare their respective age) Is someone interested in a long term eMail-Savegame Multiplayer game of Master of Orion II?

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

If you want to get really crazy about it, there's this game called Anacreon that had all of the hallmarks of the genre, and came out in 1987. It's old enough (and complex enough for the time) that the "graphics" are entirely ascii based. The user interface was a bit different from the one in Civilization, which is what all the modern ones copy, but it was definitely an early example of the genre.

You can find the latest version of the original game <link=http://neurohack.com/anacreon/index.html>here, along with a modern open source remake. And when I say "latest version," I mean "latest version"; the current build was made sometime last decade at the absolute latest. The guy who owns the original source code likes to keep it maintained and freely available.

That sounds fantastic actually. I'm a long-term Angband obsessive so none of what you said puts me off. I like pretty games as much as the next person but I can live without the pretty if the gameplay's meaty. I've bookmarked the link and I'm damn well going to play the hell out of that!

If you enjoy the difficulty and complexity of Roguelikes, you'll love this. You know how most space based 4X games treat each planet the way Civ does cities? This one takes you to a planetary siege screen, where you have to get through the planetary defenses and then take the surface, usually either by bombarding it or sending in the marines. It's kind of unique in the genre; I've never played anything quite like it.

Edit: Oh, also, you can do things like send out probes to explore deep space, rather than using your fleet. It fits into the genre, but the mechanics are a lot deeper and more complicated than any other example I've seen. This compared to Civilization is like Checkers compared to Chess -- or maybe even to Warhammer.

 

[Esotera]

I Frustrated I tired to decompile the .bin file and just manually create directories for the game on my PC instead of using the install wizard. I also lacked authorization for that. Again no reason given. It didn't even say I needed admin privileges, I simply said I was not allowed to take that action.

Yeah, I'm fairly sure that that is considered reverse engineering and is illegal, so they probably didn't need to give a reason for that. Sucks the game was that ridiculous to install though.

 

[Da Orky Man]

I recently got a copy of a game published by them called Distant Worlds. I was really excited when I learn of this game because I feel the 4x genre is very under served in the current market. The fact the Gold standard for the genre is still the 15yo MOO2 speaks volumes on the issue. On top of the SotS2 fiasco it made me decided to look else where for my space based 4x fix (having long become bored of GalCiv2, the original SotS and Starships Unlimited 3, etc.) so I got this game. What a huge fucking mistake.

First the disk will not autorun so I try to launch it manually and I get a message saying I do not have authorization. I am running as administrator and already have many other hidden restrictions windows 7 puts on users disabled. These get in the way of me modding games fairly often so I need them disabled. Frustrated I tired to decompile the .bin file and just manually create directories for the game on my PC instead of using the install wizard. I also lacked authorization for that. Again no reason given. It didn't even say I needed admin privileges, I simply said I was not allowed to take that action.

I go to the Matrix Games website and fill out a help ticket (I hate that type of system btw) and the only response they give me is to deny the problem was even possible, despite screen shots of the error message and included proof I have a legit copy of the game. They would similarly not give a refund. I tired posting about the issue on their forums and the thread was deleted almost instantly.

Try Sins of a Solar Empire. Very good 4X space game. Small games last a couple of hours, large one can last days. And although Homeworld isn't 4X, it's still worth trying.

 

[Rawker]

Well I'm not seeing a question in the OP. So instead I'm going to suggest a good 4X game I've had for a while that me and my dad play together. Sins of a Solar Empire. It's hella cheap and you can sink ages into a single game.

actually, My friend hooked me up with a copy of that, I got it for like $10 and it's pretty damn good!

 

[Bluntman1138]

Hmm, never heard the term 4x before. And i have played MoO 1 and 2. Civilization 1-4, Master of Magic, Birth of the Federation...etc..etc. (I prefer turn based games)

Perhaps the better term is Turn Based Strategy. or TBS if you like to be an elitist and abbreviate everything.

 

[teebeeohh]

............I don't understand any of those acronyms............

Quick primer:
4x - "explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate", aka Empire building genre of strategy games usually set in Space.
MOO - Master of Orion
SotS - Sword of the Stars (?)
GalCiv - Galactic Civilizations

Hope that helps a bit...

What is 4x? Is it better than triple x, XXX ?

Depends if you're talking about Vin Diesel or the Ice Cube one. Though really it's only going to decide to answer by 'Yes' or 'HEEEEELL Yes' playing MOO is better.

But is it better than porn?

if you ever thought that your porn did not have enough numbers in it and was way too short than yes, otherwise no.

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

Ah MOO2 is still one of my favourite games ever, was an actual gameplay improvement over MOO... Also GalCiv2 will eat entire days if you aren't careful.

 

[MirkoP]

I'm 32

This explains everything.

??

What do you mean?

I cannot see any other explanation then that the poor fellow has mistaken you and the original poster.Your names do resemble a bit,at least when you're skimming down through the posts.

But lol'd.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Perhaps the better term is Turn Based Strategy. or TBS if you like to be an elitist and abbreviate everything.

Nope, 4X games don't have to be turn-based, and turn-based strategy games don't have to be 4X games.

 

[CrystalShadow]

Sounds unnervingly like the problem I had with Atari and their digital downloads.
Although that was entirely due to bad/incompetent customer service.
... And the fact that apparently the people 'selling' stuff on Atari's website aren't, in fact, Atari themselves. (Which is fun...)

I got Locomotion (an almost unknown sequel to Transport Tycoon) off of Atari's digital download service - which is apparently a company called Skyfire behind the scenes.

OK, so they give me an install code, and a download package which creates a directory mirroring what you would see on a CD. (the game is almost 10 years old).

Problem is, the game then starts an installer that looks every bit like what you would expect from a game from 2001... And which, surprise! Asks for a CD key.

All well and good right? They gave me a code after all...
But... What they gave me isn't a CD key. It doesn't look like one. And based on some basic research, it has completely the wrong format to be a CD key for the game I bought.

So... I contact sales... They apologise and give me a code... The same code they already gave me! Which I pointed out to them didn't work.

I emailed them again, they told me ask technical support.
Technical support... Is run by Atari itself or something, and is a different company to the sales people.
I contact technical support, and they at least understand the problem, but unfortunately because it's me not having been given a CD key, it is the responsibility of the company that sold the game to me...
Which, despite superficial appearances is a separate company.

So... Email sales again... Explain what the technical support people said... And they... Tell me to contact technical support. >_<

Anyways... Somewhere along the lines I got fed up with this and found a CD code on the dubious parts of the internet.
Which... worked flawlessly.
But then I discovered what the other code was for. Securom online activation.

And... Of course, it was somehow cross-checking against the CD code I had used, and since the two codes didn't match... This other code they'd given me didn't work either at this point.

I can consider myself lucky that there is a trivial patch to this particular game (because there was once a copy sold without all this stupid DRM)

But when a company firstly doesn't give you what you need to deal with their DRM after you pay them, then seems completely ignorant of what you're even talking about when you point this out to them...
Their customer service then plays an indefinite game of 'pass the buck',
and the only way you can get the game working at all is to bypass all this DRM of theirs...
(You have to wonder why they even bother with that, considering it's a game that's over 10 years old).

Let's just say that didn't leave me with a whole heap of goodwill towards the companies involved.

Pirating the game in question? Trivial.
Getting the legitimately purchased copy working through legal means? Nearly impossible.
Getting a legitimately purchased copy working at all? requires legally questionable means.

Somewhere along the lines something here has gone horribly wrong...
It literally seems like a punishment for doing the right thing.
And I don't think that's the message that should be sent here...

 

[The Madman]

I feel very sad at how many people have never heard of this genre as it's easily one of my absolute favourites. Really is a pity, but then I guess it is sort of a 'hardcore PC' thing as off the top of my head I can't think of a single console 4x game, which is a shame because I'd love for everyone to be able to enjoy these sorts of games.

Ah well!

Can't really help with the Matrix Games problem but I *can* suggest an extremely good indie title that might be of interest to you.

Solium Infernum. A turn based strategy game in which the player is one of multiple lords of Hell fighting for control in good ol' Lucifers absence. Sounds simple up-front, but there are a couple things that make it extremely unique and fun and I highly recommend it.

 

[Lunar Templar]

wow ... one bad experience and your already condemning them, stay classy the OP

you do know that's what patches are for, and chances are it'll be fixed shortly, no sense getting to awful butthurt about it.

 

[faefrost]

I feel very sad at how many people have never heard of this genre as it's easily one of my absolute favourites. Really is a pity, but then I guess it is sort of a 'hardcore PC' thing as off the top of my head I can't think of a single console 4x game, which is a shame because I'd love for everyone to be able to enjoy these sorts of games.

Ah well!

Can't really help with the Matrix Games problem but I *can* suggest an extremely good indie title that might be of interest to you.

Solium Infernum. A turn based strategy game in which the player is one of multiple lords of Hell fighting for control in good ol' Lucifers absence. Sounds simple up-front, but there are a couple things that make it extremely unique and fun and I highly recommend it.

To jump on the bandwagon, I'm 46. Been playing these sorts of games since I was 14 or so. I have never before heard them described as "4x".

There actually were a number of these released on consoles during the late 8 bit early 16 bit era. The Sega Genesis had a couple of titles. And I'm not sure how much it counts, but there is a version of Civilization out there for PS3.

 

[Josue Rodriguez]

it's like a foreign language he speaks!

 

[Sylveria]

And developers wonder why piracy is so rampant. It's reaching a point where the purchased games are so broken and full of draconian DRM that the game's aren't even playable. Then toss in completely incompetent customer service workers to further compound the problems.

Seriously, companies need to start getting the pirates on the payroll instead of antagonizing them. They're clearly more skilled at this stuff than the "professional" developers.