Age of Decadence vs Colony Ship

[Shizmoo]

To me AoD is one of the best games I have ever played with close competition of Alpha Protocol. I played nearly every combination and outcome, truly phenomenal game. Is colony ship a sci fi version of AoD or different?

[skaudus]

Yes it is! Some of the details are different, but the soul of the game is the same.

[madh]

While they are pretty distinct games mechanically, they share a lot of overlaps in terms of aim and direction. CS will scratch the same itch that AoD did.

My suspicion is also that the stories are linked. I'm betting the ship you find in the AoD desert is somehow related to the general storyline of Colony Ship. No idea if the more supernatural "god" seeming elements of the AoD storyline will have some connection.

[wizard1200]

Originally posted by Shizmoo:

Is colony ship a sci fi version of AoD or different?

I think that it is really strange that Colony Ship is developed by the same people who created Age of Decadence. In the latter every fight was memorable and unique, but in the former most fights and even the weapons are very similar. The story is also only mediocre in my opinion: it could also take place in a vault or in a city, because it hardly matters that everyone is living on a space ship. Dialogue choices neither matter, because you just select the answer which meets the required skill level and the result is in most cases the same.

Originally posted by skaudus:

..., but the soul of the game is the same.

This is exactly the difference between Age of Decadence and Colony Ship in my opinion, because every aspect of Colony Ship just feels generic.

[Vince]

Not tired of patrolling the forums and telling everyone it's a bad game? You've been at it for nearly a year.

[wizard1200]

Originally posted by Vince:

Not tired of patrolling the forums and telling everyone it's a bad game? You've been at it for nearly a year.

It is interesting that you have confronted me with such a question, but not for example skaudus, who is telling everyone it's a great game ...

[Vince]

He merely said the soul of the game is the same. Still, it's much easier to understand someone who enjoys the game and stays active on the forums than someone who dislikes the game yet keeps patrolling the forums as if it were a second job.

[wizard1200]

Originally posted by Vince:

He merely said the soul of the game is the same ...

In this thread, yes, but ...

... he enjoys every game of your studio:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/648410/discussions/0/3723945543100502908/?ctp=2#c3723945543100863325

... he dismisses valid criticism of Colony Ship:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/648410/discussions/0/3723945543100502908/#c3723945543100513233

... he praises Colony Ship:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/648410/discussions/0/3720566504399899069/#c3720566504399927671

Originally posted by Vince:

Still, it's much easier to understand someone who enjoys the game and stays active on the forums than someone who dislikes the game yet keeps patrolling the forums as if it were a second job.

More convenient for you, but certainly not easier to understand! Nice try, though!

[Vince]

Originally posted by wizard1200:

... he enjoys every game of your studio

Yeah, I should have definitely called him out on it.

More convenient for you, but certainly not easier to understand!

Most people who dislike a game simply move on. Maybe they express their disappointment first by posting on the forums or writing a negative review, but they aren't invested enough to patrol the forums for a year.

I saw this thread and knew you'd post here today because heaven forbid the OP walks away thinking it's a good game. Not on your watch, eh?

[LDiCesare]

I wouldn't want to derail the Nth petty fight on the forums, but, to try and answer the OP:

The main difference, to me, is in the available paths.
AoD has different starts which makes the early game very different and enjoyable to restart as a new character. On the other hand, it kind of funnels the game into a certain direction.
CS has a start game which is always the same. You can make choices about who you side with, and in this sense, wizard1200 straight out lies when he says dialogue choices never matter, as they can cause you to lose a companion, and you still decide to side with this or that person. Not all dialogues are skill checks.

[Vince]

Originally posted by Shizmoo:

To me AoD is one of the best games I have ever played with close competition of Alpha Protocol. I played nearly every combination and outcome, truly phenomenal game. Is colony ship a sci fi version of AoD or different?

We'll update the combat demo before release, so you'll be able to play and see for yourself. Hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Edit: I meant turn the combat demo into a full demo.

[wizard1200]

Originally posted by LDiCesare:

... wizard1200 straight out lies when he says dialogue choices never matter, ...

Really? So you are saying that for example selecting "Streetwise 2" instead of "Persuasion 2" during the conversation with McNeil results in a different outcome of the corresponding quest?

[Vince]

Originally posted by wizard1200:

Originally posted by LDiCesare:

... wizard1200 straight out lies when he says dialogue choices never matter, ...

Really? So you are saying that for example selecting "Streetwise 2" instead of "Persuasion 2" during the conversation with McNeil results in a different outcome of the corresponding quest?

There are 3 types of dialogue options in the game:

1. multiple solutions leading the same outcome to support build flexibility, i.e. if you don't have Persuasion, you can use Streetwise.
2. quest solutions leading to different outcomes or consequences down the road.
3. big decisions that alter the story.

So first, using an example of choice #1 while pretending that choices #2 and 3 don't exist is disingenuous. Second, this design is identical to AoD's design. The game had plenty of skill lines leading to the same outcome and plenty of choices that didn't.

[Torpex]

Originally posted by Shizmoo:

To me AoD is one of the best games I have ever played with close competition of Alpha Protocol. I played nearly every combination and outcome, truly phenomenal game. Is colony ship a sci fi version of AoD or different?

It is not a version per se. Spiritual successor.

I enjoyed AoD immensely, and liked Dungeon Rats. Colony Ships is more polished and have a bit different mechanics. I like it very much so I bought it twice, on steam and GOG.

There are some problems with balancing IMO. Like underdog is genuinely difficult with lots of reloads, and hero is just too easy.

But for newcomers, Hero should be a default difficulty. Going into a game on underdog without knowing how mechanics work will be a super frustrating experience.

[Iluvcheezcake]

AoD will always have a special place in my heard for destroying my ass utterly until i git gud :D

[wizard1200]

Originally posted by Vince:

There are 3 types of dialogue options in the game:

1. multiple solutions leading the same outcome to support build flexibility, i.e. if you don't have Persuasion, you can use Streetwise.
2. quest solutions leading to different outcomes or consequences down the road.
3. big decisions that alter the story.

So first, using an example of choice #1 while pretending that choices #2 and 3 don't exist is disingenuous.

Posting such a list without mentioning that there is a significant difference how often these options occur in the game is actually disingenuous. Option #1 occurs more often than option #2 and especially option #3. You 'forgot' to mention option #4, which occurs also often in Colony Ship and affects most dialogues with your companions: multiple solutions without any associated skill leading to the same outcome to create the illusion of choice.