GalCiv2 > / = / < SoaSE?

[Dirty Apple]

I really enjoy Galactic Civilizations 2. Everything from the combat and ship building to the minutia of trading and tech research. With that in mind, would I have fun with Sins of a Solar Empire? I saw it on sale at EB games the other day, but I couldn't pull the trigger. Is it comparable, better, or worse?

 

[Aidanadv]

Apple to Oranges, SoSE and GalCivII are two very different kinds of games. I play and enjoy both and I recommend that you try Sins, it has good vanilla gameplay and tons of awesome mods.

They aren't really comparable because of the genre difference. Sins seem to focus more on actual combat and less on Civ management. Trade and Diplomacy are still there, but they are much less prominent in gameplay. This might be addressed in one of the next two micro expansions (SoSE: Entrenchment, focused on improvements on defenses came out in the spring).

 

[Azhrarn-101]

The difference between turn-based and Real-Time is also quite a big one, the Sins Empire Tree is awesome for that reason alone, as it allows you to manage as much as you do while never having to pause. But as the previous poster said, the civilisation management side is made considerably lighter in exchange for more combat and military strategy. Both are good games, not sure if there's a Sins demo out or not, if there is, give it a spin before buying. =)

 

[Dirty Apple]

Ok, I thought they were quite similar. So, would Sins be more in the Homeworld end of the simulation specrum?

 

[Emphraim]

As previous posters have said, you can't compare them. I have both galCiv2 ultimate edition and SOASE and I play them for different reasons. GalCiv is more indepth and focused on management, with trade, that huge tech tree, and peaceful victory options. SOASE is an RTS and like almost any other RTS, it is strictly war-based. There is no peaceful victory, managing trade goods and routes, or managing resource gathering on planets. Instead you have a very beautiful and deep strategy game. The one thing that raises SOASE above GalCiv for me are the graphic improvement mods and 7Deadly Sins.

Ok, I thought they were quite similar. So, would Sins be more in the Homeworld end of the simulation specrum?

yeah, more like Homeworld, minus the emphasis on the z axis. It is in the game, but there isn't even a hotkey assigned by default to it and no one really uses it.

 

[feather240]

Wait is GalacCiv2 Like Civ, but in space? Like Sid Meir?

 

[Captain Pancake]

It's quite a marathon of a game, even a match on a small map can take up to and over 4 hours. But if you've got the time, then the real time space battles will blow you away.

 

[Pipotchi]

I love Galciv2 but i can never get into Sins, its pretty good but just feels like it has no soul y'know. I like the setting and the units/combat but it just doesnt draw me in

 

[Azhrarn-101]

Wait is GalacCiv2 Like Civ, but in space? Like Sid Meir?

Similar level of depth, different execution.
Also, it's made by Stardock, not Firaxis. ^^

Civ is very focused on diplomacy, GalCiv2 is less so, peaceful endings are certainly possible, but less likely in my opinion.

 

[Azhrarn-101]

Ok, I thought they were quite similar. So, would Sins be more in the Homeworld end of the simulation specrum?

I'd say a bit more sim-esque than Homeworld, but the focus on strategy is similar.
With Sins you're working with a far larger theatre of war though, across multiple planetary gravity wells (which are the buildable locations, connected by jump-lanes).
You also have some planetary development, although nowhere near as detailed as GalCiv2 does. It's mostly upgrades to income, planetary hitpoints (for bombardment resistance) and slots for support structures and defensive orbitals.
Managing construction on such a large scale can be difficult in an RTS, which is where the Empire Tree comes in, it gives you an "at-a-glance" overview of every world you hold, it's orbital structures and vessels present in its gravity well. Probably one of the best features of the game, given it's scope.

With the "entrenchment" micro-expansion you also add a massive battlestation to that list, which is great for holding choke-points, as it can keep entire fleets busy on its own, especially supported by the normal defensive infrastructure.