A modern version of "STARS!"

Distant Worlds is a vast, pausable real-time, 4X space strategy game which models a "living galaxy" with incredible options for replayability and customizability. Experience the full depth and detail of large turn-based strategy games, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. Now greatly enhanced with the new Universe release, which includes all four previous releases as well as the new Universe expansion!

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henri51
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A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by henri51 »

This great game reminds me of the (very) old game STARS!, which many of us older guys played for many days, weeks and maybe years. I don't remember if it was the first 4X games, but it was certainly one of the earliest and the one with the most micro-management until Master of Orion came out. As much as I remember, STARS! did not have the possibility of doing all the things this game does, after all it was played on 8-bit computers with VGA (or maybe less), and it did not have all of the information screens that are so helpful (and necessary) in this game.

for me DW passed under the horizon until this latest Shadow expansion, because I had had the impression that it was too much micro-management (or maybe because it came out at the same time as something else like WITE), but I think word-of-mouth is spreading the word and it may become the sleeper of the year - at least for serious strategy gamers.

Henri

Actually I checked and CIV (1991) and MOO (1995) came out before STARS! (1996).
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scotten_usa
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by scotten_usa »

I was more of a VGA Planets guy back in the day, but I remember Stars! having a pretty big following too. [:)]
erieelmer
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by erieelmer »

Stars! was the first 4X game I ever played.
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Darkspire
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by Darkspire »

ORIGINAL: henri51

This great game reminds me of the (very) old game STARS!, which many of us older guys played for many days, weeks and maybe years. I don't remember if it was the first 4X games, but it was certainly one of the earliest and the one with the most micro-management until Master of Orion came out. As much as I remember, STARS! did not have the possibility of doing all the things this game does, after all it was played on 8-bit computers with VGA (or maybe less), and it did not have all of the information screens that are so helpful (and necessary) in this game.

for me DW passed under the horizon until this latest Shadow expansion, because I had had the impression that it was too much micro-management (or maybe because it came out at the same time as something else like WITE), but I think word-of-mouth is spreading the word and it may become the sleeper of the year - at least for serious strategy gamers.

Henri

Actually I checked and CIV (1991) and MOO (1995) came out before STARS! (1996).

You needed the Stars! Notebook to give it full functions for data sorting for planets, I have had it installed on every PC I have had since 99. I love the way the freighters were done as regards transporting the resources, and trying to chase the trader to get the good tech. Awesome game. My first 4x would be Reach For The Stars on the Amiga, I had the board game but bought the Amiga to cut down on all the pencil work and counters.

Darkspire
Tiberiumkyle
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by Tiberiumkyle »

Dude! I still have my install of Stars! lurking on one of my hard drives. Fun times.
In your forums, lurking about!
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CyclopsSlayer
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by CyclopsSlayer »

Never played Stars! My first 4x was "Reach for the Stars 2" on an Apple ][. One of the old complex 4x's I loved, buggy as it was, was Ascendancy.
parkas3
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by parkas3 »

Well it was space 4x and scanner circles looked similar to influence in DW ;) It was great multiplayer game but sp experience wasnt good (stupid ai, heavy micro).
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Darkspire
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RE: A modern version of "STARS!"

Post by Darkspire »

Everything you need to know plus all the updates and tools (including the Notebook)

Stars!

Darkspire
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