Growing concern - but optimistic

[Major_SNAFU]

I have to say that in catching up on all of the postings on SEV I have a growing concern about it.

Oh, I'll probably still purchase it, but it may stay uninstalled until I see how people are reacting to it.

I'll purchase it to support Malfador, but if there are major issues being reported I won't play it (and become frustrated) until they are addressed.

I would like to see a sort of comprehensive review by one of the "lifers" that doesn't run the risk of dying the "death of a thousand qualifications".

I play mostly single-player. Multiplayer sounds good to me, but my work schedule always seems to torpedo my attemps, sooner or later.

I confidently plopped down my reservation money, and barring a real show-stopper being reported I will buy the game (to support the effort - I do this farily often) - but I would have to honestly say that it is shifting from a "gotta install it and play right now" to a "I'll get it and hold off installing until I seem how it goes."

I don't want to get a bad-tase in my mouth from the get-go. So we will see.

[Captain Kwok]

Although if you've noticed a lot of players who made the early posts are slowly being converted over to SE:V.

Of course that doesn't mean there are not some interface improvements and some bug-fixing that aren't needed. Just that some of the issues was getting used to the changes from SE:IV to SE:V and that a lot features in SE:V are pretty good for play.

[Major_SNAFU]

I have no real doubt about SEV. I just know myself and I can quickly ramp up on the exasperation meter. So it might be better for me to hold off a bit if there are any real clunkers at the get-go.

I also wanted to comment on a number of post where people seem to wish that SEV was really an even more complex SEIV. My general response to this would be, go check out VGA planets. They did exactly that in the last version and a number of people I know quit playing because the level of detail became too overwhelming. But if you really want to manage everything, and I mean nearly everything, then VGA planets4 allows you to do that.

I switched to SEIV from Stars! because Crisium could not develop the necessary $ to keep going. I still think that Stars! propulsion and race design are better than SEIVs, but that's my opinion.

[Q]

For me the decision is quite clear: I buy the game as soon as possible in spite of the imperfections and bugs. But I enjoy playing the demo therefore I am pretty sure I enjoy the full game. Until now I had almost no technical problems and I get more and more used to the interface and displays, which can and should certainly be improved.
However I am also quite sure that I will continue to play SE IV as it will take a long time for SE V to achieve a comparable level of perfection and variety.

[Caduceus]

The interface is growing on me as well, I'll have to see if I can get a topical spray to knock it back a bit.

I have pre-ordered at a local game store, so my money is where my mouth is.

I was frustrated with SE:IV's interface when we first had that, transitioning from SE:III. Unless you have a nearly-identical interface screen for a new version, it always takes a bit to get used to.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

I'm going to wait for the bug reports on the full game. I don't want to get fustrated over it either, so I'll wait till it's playable.

[Intimidator]

Nope, buying ASAP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RonGianti]

I'll buy it immediatly, even if its slightly buggy. Heck, the Demo is buggy, cripled and has a 100 turn limit, and I'm enjoying THAT.

I'd rather not hold off, then have to read here how much fun everyone is having, then have to run down to EBgames, find out that they are out, then order it on the web, have to wait another week for shipping... Then I'm futzing around with the Demo while everyone else is playing the real deal...

[arthurtuxedo]

A lot of people have posted a lot of negative sentiments that were way out of proportion to the actual problems, and as I predicted would happen a couple of times on this board, people were starting to listen to them and get bummed out on the game, even if those problems didn't bother them much before reading those posts. Thankfully, most have gotten used to the new interface and stopped complaining so much, so it looks like my point about SEV being smothered in the cradle by its own fans the way Fallout Tactics was will prove to be happily wrong.

[Major_SNAFU]

So I finally got the demo and installed it. After playing for a bit I will have to throw my hat into the UI needs improvement ring. I won't go into details, but I will say that I missed the clean, crisp SEIV interface. The only thing I didn't like about the SEIV interface is that you can't re-arrange the windows.

I found building a ship to be quite time and click consuming - but I will keep at it and see if it is a perception thing.

I do like the multi-deck thing, although I'm not quite sure I understand the reasons for it.