Usual galaxy size you play?

[Freysgodi]

If you play MOO2, take time to answer our poll here[www.strawpoll.me]. Multiple options are selectable!

We were discussing the future of 1.50 patch but we'd like to hear from players of classic game too.

[Talithmara]

As this pertains to future patches, I feel like a vote alone doesn't explain my choice, so here's a post to explain it:



My "level" as a player of MoO2: Casual (I play a bit of every genre but 4x games are admittedly one of my least-played, so I can't even PRETEND to be a veteran of the genre.)

My Vote: Huge (Usually with 8 players)

My reasoning: There's more to do. You have more time to build up before wars break out. In a small galaxy, losing a system can potentially be catastrophic, but in a huge galaxy, it's not a huge deal since you have so much more. You actually get to enjoy endgame stuff (like Stellar Converters, Doom Stars, and have enough time to colonize the HELL out of Orion) since you're not competing as directly over planets immediately, and you also have more planets to build fleets, train spies, or serve as farming worlds.

My thoughts on smaller galaxies: They present their own challenges, like knowing the optimal Scout/Destroyer configurations to dominate the early game, and there's a place for them. I just don't personally have that know-how or experience.

[Freysgodi]

The question that started this poll: does anyone use cluster galaxy? Turned out that considerable number of people do. Cluster was inherited by 1.50 from an older 1.40 fan patch, and there were talks of removing it.

A lot of people agree with you about huge, I am actually surprised how many. It's only fitting for a new/casual player to try a smaller subset of the game, knowing broken tactics is more of a spoiler IMO. Besides with huge it's a common complaint that management of the empire becomes tiresome towards the end.

[Talithmara]

That's a very true criticism of huge galaxies, for sure. It's not so bad for the most part when you can have entire worlds set to trade and the like, but constantly gathering ships from 15+ systems into a single fleet as you build them does get a tad grating after you've fought a few wars. As for the size of some of the battles... holy cow, I've just clicked autobattle and reached for my 3DS; both sides had hundreds of ships.

Cluster is admittedly one I want to like but never got into since I just pick huge out of habit sometimes.

[K1D 1C4RU5]

I've played thousands of hours of MOO2 since it's original release. Except for the very beginning when I was learning, I have always played huge. Just how I sparked my first game with a large galaxy, and as a busy person with a full time job and a family, large makes the game more playable, time-wise. I started a game with 8 players on large, there is barely enough room to start expanding, conflicts happenearly and fast, which is good for people who can't spend hours and hours playing. Just a tip for anyone else who loves this game but finds it too long.

[Garvs1066]

I have played MOO2 pretty much since it came out. Whilst not the subject of the question directly on the larger map settings (I normal play 8 players, huge universe) I agree that empire management in the end game can be tiresome. The main issue for me is that new population seems to go in to food production even when running a sizeable surplus. For my money change the defaullt to idustry or better yet nominate for each planet as I am sure we all have our own playing styles.

Without a doubt my favourite game of all time!

[Fulano]

Personally I like getting to the end of the tech tree, usually that only happens on a huge galaxy, but at the same time late game huge galaxies get so tedious...

Originally posted by Garvs1066:

The main issue for me is that new population seems to go in to food production even when running a sizeable surplus.

It would be so nice if the new population went to the most populated job if there is a surplus of food...

[Joliet Jake]

I've been playing countless of hours and the size of galaxy depends on what kind of game I want to have.
For a more relaxed game where I want to reach the end of tech tree and try more powerful weapons etc, I go for large galaxy so I have the time and resources to do it.
When I want a more challenging game, I go for tiny galaxy and 8 players. So each race has only one or 2 planets and the game is on full war mode all the time. If you are unlucky with initial planet, you lose pretty quickly. If the initial setp is ok, then you can have a proper fight and a chance to win. Small galaxy and many players is in general more difficult.
In any case, I always play at Impossible level.

[ZenMonkey]

You can;t go wrong with giving players a choice to play how they want. I'm not a fan of removing features.

[mpnorman10]

Huge... but huge is not all that huge.

Other sizes can present borderline challenges, like between fast versus slow but eventually more powerful developing races.

[Dire Wolf]

Tiny and Small seem too random. You get a great homeworld or planet right next door and it's like an auto win, and if not it's really, really hard. Medium is fairly well balanced for a shorter game if you keep the race count low like 3-5. Huge is for long games but fun, but you must have 6+ races or there's too much empty space. But I prefer cluster. I dislike researching fuel cell tech. Cluster alleviates that issue for the most part.

The only thing kind of bad about huge is if Orion is literally on the other side of the galaxy. You have to put up a lot of outposts or get some advanced fuel tech to reach it. Or make alliances but I'm typically repulsive.

[Docsprock]

I play on Actual size.

[Red Earth]

I play on small. A long time ago I learned the only way to have tolerable micro management is to just not have a lot to manage.

[Mike Haggar]

These days, huge. Probably because I've been spoiled by the map sizes from modern day 4X games.

[Beldr]

Huge, anything smaller is just braindead RHW uni aqua teleblitz faceroll.

[Quincy_Morris]

I always go with the smallest galaxy size for quicker games. When 4x games get too big it becomes too time consuming and often involves too much cleanup for my tastes to win. I always liked the smallest planet sizes in MOO 2 as it seemed just right. I also played with max players so you're never really fighting over uninhabited space but are always butting heads with someone.

Colonizing empty space and building buildings is boring to me. Fighting aliens over already colonized planets is interesting to me.