# Anyone playing Sins of a Solar Empire yet? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 4, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268 "2008-02-04T20:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/61 "2008-02-10T04:53:02Z")
[QUOTE=Kinthalis] The 9200 you have posted above is below the minimum specs a 9600 or above is what you need. The X1650 is probably the best AGP card for under $100 (~$65). If you had a PCI Express slot I’d mail you a left over Radeon HD2600 I have lying around. [/QUOTE] Thanks, but just PCI. It’s running slowly on the laptop, God knows how. ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/62 "2008-02-10T04:55:58Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Thanks, but just PCI. It’s running slowly on the laptop, God knows how. [/QUOTE] You have the latest drivers, have you lowered the video to the bare minimum in the game? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/63 "2008-02-10T04:56:01Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] I’m running it very slowly on the laptop and haven’t figured out how to move ships in the tutorial. My lunch money is toast. [/QUOTE] ☹ Have you tried turning down all the video settings to the base level? I got the game to play on my old Toshiba laptop that way…though it doesn’t look nearly as good as on the main system. [QUOTE=Hirka T’Bawa] If anyone is into starting tonight, (Saturday night/ Sunday Morning Eastern Time) post a message or PM me. Lets start a game to play. [/QUOTE] Next weekend (being a holiday weekend) would be better for me personally. Besides, I’m sitting here in my 3rd retry with the Advent and I still haven’t figured out even how to start. I’ve tried building no ships at all (not even a scout ship) and putting every dime into simply building the civilian infrastructure…and I haven’t been able to amass enough resources to even build a single lab before the pirates swoop in and wipe me out. I don’t know how these guys are even playable…the other two races don’t work this way. -XT ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/64 "2008-02-10T05:00:48Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Next weekend (being a holiday weekend) would be better for me personally. [/QUOTE] Me, too. What with hardware issues and Pilot Error. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/65 "2008-02-10T05:12:35Z")
BTW, if anyone is interested, [GameSpy](http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/sins-of-a-solar-empire/850906p1.html) has their formal review out. They gave it a 4.5 (which is high for them). > [@](#): > > Salvation awaits strategy gamers in an awesome title that mixes low-level spaceship combat and high-level universal conquest. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/66 "2008-02-10T05:48:17Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Next weekend (being a holiday weekend) [/QUOTE] Wait, next weekend is a holiday weekend? What holiday? I don’t normally consider Valentine’s Day a day with a whole weekend (unless that weekend is with my wife). ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/67 "2008-02-10T05:49:34Z")
I’m in for a game anytime sunday! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/68 "2008-02-10T05:53:49Z")
[QUOTE=Hirka T’Bawa] Wait, next weekend is a holiday weekend? What holiday? I don’t normally consider Valentine’s Day a day with a whole weekend (unless that weekend is with my wife). [/QUOTE] Presidents day. I have it off at least. MMV. 🙂 Well, afaiac the Advent are unplayable…or I’m a complete idiot. I can either build one capital ship right off the bat…and nothing else because I’m in negative money and can’t rebuild it, or I can upgrade my planet to level 4 (which means I’m in positive money) build 2 labs and 3 fixed defenses (no ships) and then get wiped out by pirates. If you take a planet you go into negative money because you can’t upgrade it. I just can’t see how you can amass enough resources to do anything with these guys. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/69 "2008-02-10T05:59:37Z")
[QUOTE=Hirka T’Bawa] Wait, next weekend is a holiday weekend? What holiday? I don’t normally consider Valentine’s Day a day with a whole weekend (unless that weekend is with my wife). [/QUOTE] Presiden’t day on monday. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/70 "2008-02-10T06:17:14Z")
Seems like a terrific game. I dunno, though, is there a demo version? It’s been forever since I’ve entered the RTS-game-fray-or-whatever… ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/71 "2008-02-10T06:25:44Z")
There might be a demo on StarDocks site…not sure. It’s not really an RTS game in the traditional sense of the word. No Tank Rush™ in this game. -XT ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/72 "2008-02-10T06:46:56Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] There might be a demo on StarDocks site…not sure. It’s not really an RTS game in the traditional sense of the word. No Tank Rush™ in this game. -XT [/QUOTE] Enlighten me. What’s a “Tank Rush ™”? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/73 "2008-02-10T06:51:41Z")
In most RTS games one of the big strategies is to simply build a lot of cheap units and rush your opponents base attempting to either wipe them out or cripple them early so you can finish them off in a subsequent strike. ‘Tank Rush’ (from my own memory) comes from using that exact tactic in Command and Conquer because what you would do is basically build a bunch of the first tier tanks and rush em. This isn’t that kind of twitch RTS kind of game. It has a very stately pace…in fact I’m playing the game atm while typing this and also checking my email and doing a couple of things for work remotely from home. -XT ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/74 "2008-02-10T06:59:39Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] In most RTS games one of the big strategies is to simply build a lot of cheap units and rush your opponents base attempting to either wipe them out or cripple them early so you can finish them off in a subsequent strike. ‘Tank Rush’ (from my own memory) comes from using that exact tactic in Command and Conquer because what you would do is basically build a bunch of the first tier tanks and rush em. This isn’t that kind of twitch RTS kind of game. It has a very stately pace…in fact I’m playing the game atm while typing this and also checking my email and doing a couple of things for work remotely from home. -XT [/QUOTE] Thanks! My (very limited) experience with RTS games stems from bouts with the original Civilization (not multiple player, obviously), World of Warcraft (not online) and Starcraft. So I’m… hesitant to re-enter the online world of RTS. I’m tempted to try out this game, though. I’ll look at the demo presentations of the game on StarDocks. It looks very good, and I’ll confess I’m tempted to jump into the game. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/75 "2008-02-10T10:52:27Z")
[QUOTE=xtisme] Well, afaiac the Advent are unplayable…or I’m a complete idiot. I can either build one capital ship right off the bat…and nothing else because I’m in negative money and can’t rebuild it, or I can upgrade my planet to level 4 (which means I’m in positive money) build 2 labs and 3 fixed defenses (no ships) and then get wiped out by pirates. If you take a planet you go into negative money because you can’t upgrade it. I just can’t see how you can amass enough resources to do anything with these guys. -XT [/QUOTE] The first game I completed was playing the advent - seemed okay to me. Admittedly it was on easy but I don’t remember it being a complete struggle for resources. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/76 "2008-02-10T17:31:20Z")
It must be that at the higher settings resources are much harder to get. I just need to work out an early game strategy to get the game rolling I guess. I don’t remember having this problem with the other two races on the normal setting. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/77 "2008-02-10T23:30:06Z")
I managed to squeeze some free time tonight. If anyone wants to join up for a game say around 8:00pm EST, give me a shoutout here or at: [johngwebdev@hotmail.com](mailto:johngwebdev@hotmail.com) ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/78 "2008-02-11T01:19:57Z")
If your still up for that game, let me know. I just finished (for now) my homework. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/79 "2008-02-11T02:46:49Z")
I’m running on the laptop and getting my ass handed to me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268/80 "2008-02-11T02:52:50Z")
For my part I finally figured out what was happening. It was the map I was playing…had nothing to do with the Advent. On the map I was playing the home world started off as poor quality. No idea how the other race expanded at all…or even if they did as I never saw them. Pirates kept wiping me out. When I tried Normal on other maps with the Advent it worked fine. Managed 2 wins today and am working on a 3rd. If 6 Degrees To Change The World wasn’t on tonight I’d try another game after this. I’ll definitely be up for a game next weekend some time…wife and RL permitting. -XT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-playing-sins-of-a-solar-empire-yet/436268.md?page=5)