Released in 1996 by Microprose, Master of Orion 2 Battle at Antares is undoubtably considered the reference for 4x space strategy games. But what made this game so popular that after 13 years of game design innovation, better computer resources and way better available graphics no space strategy game seems to be able to surpass MOO2 success?I invite you to read my post about MOO2 success at SpaceSector.comPost your comments here or in the blog itself if you prefer.CheersAdam Solo
I agree. MOO2 is a classic, which I do not think has been surpassed in the 4x genre. However, I believe that the first MOO was even better and more groundbreaking, though not as visually appealing. MOO2, while it allowed for solar systems (and not just individual planets), hero units, and racial customization, had a few limitations that annoyed me. The biggest was the whole upkeep system which drastically reduced the size of your fleet as compared to MOO. I haven't played either game for years (maybe I'll break them out this weekend!), but I do remember having to continually sell off ships in MOO2 because I seemed to run out of resources so quickly. This was never a concern in the first game.
Anyhow, yes, 2 great games. I would love to see a MOO4 that is in the spirit of the first 2 games.
We're still pretending MoO3 didn't happen, aren't we?
what about Galciv 2?
MOO2 was really very special. In my opinion it had everything MOO1 had, plus the Antarans! Those guys were scary! Mysterious and terrifying though they were, the fact that you could direct your all species energies to capture one and learn their technology was game design brilliance. You never knew when they were coming for you, but when they did, and you were ready with your new troop shuttle carrier with pumped up marines, that was about the height of drama in any strategy game.
Nope. Galciv 2 was fun - even more so with the expansion packs - but not a patch on MOO2.
I know this sounds bad, but I have never played Master of Orion 2, I'm going to have to check into the game. GalCiv2 I do like
Well I don't think we can completely ignore MOO3... Without that disaster I would have never found GalCiv or Europa Universalis.
But yes, MOO2 was amazing I played that game from the moment it came out till around 2001. By far and away the best inveestment in terms of entertainment per dollar I ever made. As for memories of that game, probably the strongest memory, is being completely blown away by the size of the game... 60 Mb! At the time I only had a 100 Mb hard drive, I had to scrap every non-esential program out of my computer just to get the thing to work.
Additionally, this is the only game I enjoyed enough to play online, I'm strictly an off-line game player. However, MOO2 was the first, and so far, only time I've ever joined a gaming league, some Kali MOO2 league. I remember holding up everyone's game for thirty mins so I could download a 3 Mb patch to play online on some old dial up modem.
Great game, great memories
Emperor of the Fading Suns, once patched, imo, was better - but it was a very different space/strat game.
Moo2 was great.. but before that came....Reach for the Stars think there was an updated version of that that came out later.. but still. was a nice start for me to get into the 4X type games.
I think Dark Avatar is better - Twilight will definitely be better if it is ever patched to a playable game.
The problem with MOO2: plasma cannons.
Plasma cannons were unstoppable - and whoever got them first started to rock socks.
Other issues I remember where gigantanormous fleets.
Now, don't get me wrong, many an hour (day, week, month...) was spent with MOO2 and it was an awesome game - but I feel Dark Avatar is balanced a bit better. The only thing I would add to the Galciv series is some cooler aspects of spying (i.e. sabotage, framing etc.) and some diversity of weapons although that might make the balance factor too hard for the AI.
Good timing i just deleted MoO2 off my computer today after installing it last month for another go at it, I even have the manual still. Still a great game.
It is the game the hooked me forever into pc games and specially 4x space ones.
ps GalCiv etc has hooked me into a lifetime fan of Stardock. I love thier mindset and thier games.
MOO II is a SUPER game. My ranking of the best games ever:
1. CIV IV
2. MOO II share second with Total Annihilation.
Ohh. the memories...
The last patch for MOO2 fixed the plasma cannon problem and added initiative in the battles. Made it a much improved game. I think it was 1.97.
I know when MOO 2 was released because I played it in the delivery room on the laptop waiting for my first child to be born.
I think most people love moo and moo2 because they grew up with then, hence it is like that toy that no other toy has quite been able to surpass since it holds so many dear memories to many of us.
The aspect where I think that the moo series wins over galciv any day of the week is the underlaying story and the diversity of the races. For some reason then galciv races dont add something that make it special to play them. Remove pictires and spaceship designs... and then playing as drengin and human is exactly the same (I know with the expansion packs there was added some racial bonuses that where sorely needed but all in all it still just cant compete with moo's diversity). In moo then the entire game changed when you decided to play as a different species which I think is part of the reason why people can still find the game and enjoy it today.
Story wise then the background in mmo was belivable as scify stories go. In galciv then it just dont make sense... Who here in their right mind would give away star travel to all others before you have at least manifested yourself among the stars first.
But all this dont really matter for galciv.. because in the end it has a brilliant AI engine that makes you forget all of that once you get into the game, and thats where galciv really shines. And imo I hope that stardock will keep up that line of thinking of "lets not put effort into a good story, but rather focus on a brilliant fun gameplay and super AI".
Full disclosure, I grew up with MOO2. That said, I love it because it's a bloody good game. I think you underestimate the differences between MOO2 and Galciv. At least, I don't think 'storyline' when reflecting on their differences. MOO2 was more micromanagement-oriented and was bult around different mechanics -- tactical combat, the Antarans, heroes, and interstellar travel, to name a few. Obviously, whether these differences, along with Galciv's features which don't appear in MOO2, make it a better game than Galciv is an open question.
Frogboy, you are dangerous! But full disclosure, what race were you playing?
Sakkra, probably.
The best thing ever was the Guardian Rush strategy using that missile mod that targeted the engine directly. You could run around with the Avenger while the AIs still had fusion blasters and nuclear missiles. Good times.
The entire strategy game community shed a tear when they saw the result of MOO3. To this day, nobody knows how anyone could have screwed up that badly. Not even EA could ruin a franchise that badly.
Sword of the Stars came pretty close, IMO, to MOO2. I regard it as something of a spiritual successor.
In my opinion Sword of the Stars may be closer to the MOO1 original than MOO2 (some degree of dynamic research, no deep colony management besides moving around some sliders). GalCiv2 is perhaps much closer to MOO2 due to detailed colony building however you don't have tactical combat in GalCiv2 nor individual production allocation in a planet basis (the "focus" option came in a later stage .. but its just not the same thing).
I classify SOTS as being a more high-level 4x strategy experience (as MOO1 was), MOO2 as being the do-it-your-way full experience and GalCiv2 as something in between (no individual colony production management and no tactical combat).
By the way I'm running a poll in my blog regarding this micromanagement aspect of space strategy games, care to vote? SpaceSector.com
[blog]: Space Strategy Games Sector
Really? I love MMOII but I really can't get into SOTS, the game always seems to start with this large scale enemy invasion of all planets! Before I can even get acquainted with my planet and my stuff I already have to face some major crisis it feels like a turn-based... RTS (meaning dumb as a RTS and feeling as fake as a RTS, but I may be wrong)... What am I missing? Anyone who know that game has an answer?
Good ol Moo 2
Man these dudes always backstabbed me
Not entirely sure. I assume you've got the AI on Easy mode?
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