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Author Topic: Not enough spreadsheets in your diet? Bored at work? Play Astro Empires!  (Read 8614 times)
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


on: December 28, 2008, 03:36:35 PM

Astro Empires is a free* browser-based online space empire building game. You might be interested in trying it out if you...

* Have too much time at work and an internet connection you can use to play games
* Have an OCD-like addition to hitting your browser's refresh button
* Looking for a game you're able to play for hours or as little as 10 minutes a day
* Like the idea of real-time instead of time-based turns
* Enjoy knocking down virtual sandcastles and bathing in delicious space tears
* Enjoy online Multiplayer Excel

* Free accounts are fully playable but have some size restrictions on the number of planets you can colonize and the number of buildings you can construct on your planets. This can slow you down mid to late game, but as the game is ultimately about efficiency in combat, you can be pretty much as powerful as a paying customer, it'll just take you longer to get there.

Basically, it's functionally similar to Solar Realms elite, only with additional travel time. You construct buildings, build ships, and research new techs for better and more effective ship combat. Everything happens in realtime; it's not turn based. Unlike some games, however, if you play intelligently, you can store your fleet in a fairly safe location so that you aren't going to wake up one morning and get totally fucked out of the game.

This is the build menu:


And here's the galaxy map:

The yellow squares are the planets where I have bases, the circles are where my fleets are (mostly scouting so I can see what's going on in those regions). Red are friendly jumpgates. I know it's a bit confusing but it makes sense. When you click on a star on the galaxy map, you get a planet list:


As you can see, I own that planet. And I have a few neighbors.

Of course, you aren't alone. You'll have friends. There are a bunch of Eve players who also play this game, and if you play eve, you've already admitted your spreadsheet love so you might as well play this while you're spinning in station! (Note: spies and people with no posts need not apply). There's a goonrush that's going on right now on a new server that opened recently, so if you want to join and start out on a level playing field, just click HERE to make a new account and start. Start in galaxy F39, or F40. You want to take the highest of the 2 that's currently open.

Once you start, just follow this guide for now. Request the join the goon guild and send an in-game message to the leader and tell him that you're a F13 guy and want to join.

You'll check in once every few hours to start, and every time you create a new planet, but after about a week build times start being measured in hours. Since there's a queue, if you check in once a day or so, you'll advance as fast as the most catass poopsocker. Give it a shot.

When you create, if you're on a planet with 0-2 solar or 1-2 metal, you might as well just delete your account and try again. If you want to munchkin it, optimally, you want a Rocky moon with 4 solar - that's the best planet in the game, followed closely by a rocky moon with 3 solar. If you delete your account and recreate and get stuck on the same planet, use fakeaccount1@mailinator.com to fill the slot and leapfrog over it. This is really just to get around the unfortunate fact that if you have a shitty starting location, you pretty much gimp yourself for the next 2 weeks.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2008, 11:31:09 AM by bhodi »
Rendakor
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Posts: 10131


Reply #1 on: December 28, 2008, 11:05:11 PM

Signed up (like 15 times to get a decent starting area), following the guide as I can.

"i can't be a star citizen. they won't even give me a star green card"
Ironwood
Terracotta Army
Posts: 28240


Reply #2 on: December 29, 2008, 02:28:49 AM

Played this a while ago and it was fun, but far too limited for the freebies.

"Mr Soft Owl has Seen Some Shit." - Sun Tzu
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #3 on: December 29, 2008, 06:58:18 AM

Played this a while ago and it was fun, but far too limited for the freebies.
My first account (that the screenshots are on) is a free one; I found it fun to try and see how far I could progress on just a free account. Some people save up a bit of money and, once they are established a few months in, upgrade their account for one month (I think it's $5 or so) and then do a big push for more planets and the restricted buildings.

I'm not too worried, I guess to me it's worth what, $15 for for an upgraded account for a whole year. I'm definitely getting more fun out of the game than I am with some random bargain bin title for the same price. It's *really* convenient to play at work and check once every few hours to min-max my buildings for my super poopsocked space empire. It helps the day go faster.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2008, 07:22:51 AM by bhodi »
Quinton
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Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #4 on: December 29, 2008, 08:32:17 PM

Damn you!

Holiday break 'tis the season for web games.

I tried out Nile Online (cute but didn't keep me involved longterm), Travian (ugh, not for me), was reminded about KoL (and have played a bit -- it's been years!), and now this.

I got a nice rocky moon to start with and am having fun tinkering with it.  I'm glad they give you at least a limited build queue.  I'm waaaay over in F38 because F00 was full.  Can I still join the GoonSpaceEmpire?
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #5 on: December 29, 2008, 10:31:22 PM

Damn you!

Holiday break 'tis the season for web games.

I tried out Nile Online (cute but didn't keep me involved longterm), Travian (ugh, not for me), was reminded about KoL (and have played a bit -- it's been years!), and now this.

I got a nice rocky moon to start with and am having fun tinkering with it.  I'm glad they give you at least a limited build queue.  I'm waaaay over in F38 because F00 was full.  Can I still join the GoonSpaceEmpire?
Yes! In fact, we're ALL in F38/F39. You want to be in F38, F39, or F40 when it opens. You want to take the highest of the 3 that's currently open. We started late to avoid the 00 rush of the complete no-sleep poopsockers and those who play with bots and autobuilder programs. I'll add that to the OP, as joining the slipstream isn't obvious and eventually it will pass people by.

Another thing I should mention; After you get in the guild, the "General" board is occasionally and spectacularly NS4W. The other boards (trade and announcements) are safe.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2008, 10:39:37 PM by bhodi »
Quinton
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Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #6 on: December 30, 2008, 12:03:03 AM

I went and re-rolled on F39 because somebody on the SA thread suggested it and I wasn't that happy with how I started off my original base in F38.  Still Quinton, still waiting on a guild app.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2008, 03:04:25 AM by Quinton »
Quinton
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Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #7 on: December 30, 2008, 03:37:32 AM

Some of the rules they have are pretty bizarro:

Quote
What can I do if I'm caught using a shared IP?

If this happens you will need either to find a way to use an unique IP address or you'll have to request a special shared IP permission, indicating the reason why you are using a shared IP with other account(s) and comply with the following rules:

1) Your account must be upgraded (the first 7 days trial period doesn't count)
2) You are forbidden to attack, occupy bases or take debris from players with the same IP
3) You are forbidden to make joint attacks on bases with accounts with the same IP (one or more accounts attacking and another occupying the base or collecting the debris)
4) You are forbidden to transfer occupied bases to other players with the same IP

If you agree to comply with this 4 rules, you must then request a special IP permission by filling out this Form.

but

Quote
Can I know which accounts are sharing the same IP as me?

Due to privacy laws we can't share that information with anyone. The person(s) in question may not want you to know they are also playing at the same location as you.

Not an issue for me at home, but if one of my several thousand local coworkers happen to also play, it may be a bit of a headache for checking in on the game at work ^^
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #8 on: December 30, 2008, 06:19:49 AM

Some of the rules they have are pretty bizarro:

Not an issue for me at home, but if one of my several thousand local coworkers happen to also play, it may be a bit of a headache for checking in on the game at work ^^
They'll give you a warning along with the offending other player's name so you can chat about it. Their filters must be FAIRLY dense, otherwise there would be thousands of people in the same situation of you for them to deal with. I think they watch for log in log out log back in on second account during a specific time frame, but of course, they aren't telling.

To give you an idea of their sophistication, however, their "bot detection" consists of a secret planet on the planet screen that is only in the code that you can't click on but any sort of link traverser will hit. You go to that hidden planet once, your account gets suspended for a few days. Go there a few more times and you're banned. One of the dirty tricks some people used to do (before they started watching for it) was to spend people a link to this hidden planet. They would click on it, and get suspended.


If you're not in the guild yet, say so - everyone's using different names so I don't know who is who to watch for you. I'm "Whatcha!?"
« Last Edit: December 30, 2008, 06:22:52 AM by bhodi »
Quinton
Terracotta Army
Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #9 on: December 30, 2008, 06:46:11 AM

If you're not in the guild yet, say so - everyone's using different names so I don't know who is who to watch for you. I'm "Whatcha!?"

Not in the guild yet.  I'm Quinton in the game.  Creative, I know.
Aez
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Posts: 1369


Reply #10 on: December 30, 2008, 07:06:30 AM

We started late to avoid the 00 rush of the complete no-sleep poopsockers and those who play with bots and autobuilder programs.
Haha.  Have fun.  swamp poop
Rendakor
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Posts: 10131


Reply #11 on: December 30, 2008, 07:07:42 AM

I'm also not in guild yet, as "Rendakor". I'm out in F38, working my way through the newbie guide.

"i can't be a star citizen. they won't even give me a star green card"
Quinton
Terracotta Army
Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #12 on: December 30, 2008, 07:09:59 AM

Adjusting build queues in AE while shooting at POS guns in EVE crew checking in.

Wow, this is like double-secret-spreadsheet dorktacular. ^^
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #13 on: December 30, 2008, 11:06:20 AM

Who is Wasted? If you want in, post here.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2008, 11:29:40 AM by bhodi »
Wasted
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Posts: 848


Reply #14 on: December 30, 2008, 11:34:35 AM

Wasted is Wasted
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #15 on: December 30, 2008, 11:41:54 AM

O hai.
Slyfeind
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2037


Reply #16 on: December 30, 2008, 01:40:52 PM

Oh crap oh crap there goes my productivity at work.

"Role playing in an MMO is more like an open orchestra with no conductor, anyone of any skill level can walk in at any time, and everyone brings their own instrument and plays whatever song they want.  Then toss PvP into the mix and things REALLY get ugly!" -Count Nerfedalot
Simond
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Posts: 6742


Reply #17 on: December 30, 2008, 02:01:22 PM

Does this have...stellar converters?  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

"You're really a good person, aren't you? So, there's no path for you to take here. Go home. This isn't a place for someone like you."
Quinton
Terracotta Army
Posts: 3332

is saving up his raid points for a fancy board title


Reply #18 on: December 30, 2008, 03:41:38 PM

Okay, the queues don't seem to work right.  I was out of credits and had both structures and research queued up, crashed out, and when I woke up hours later, my credits had built up again but neither queue was moving.  Bah!

Not the end of the world, but I thought it was supposed to restart the queues once it had the necessary resources.
bhodi
Moderator
Posts: 6817

No lie.


Reply #19 on: December 30, 2008, 08:17:07 PM

It was, but there was an unusual outage today and all the queues were messed up. It should be pretty rare, this is the first time I've seen it happen.

It doesn't have stellar converters :(
Chinchilla
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Posts: 573


Reply #20 on: February 21, 2009, 09:07:19 AM

You guys still playing this?  I'm curious to try it out.

Chinchila - LaRoche Server, APB
Drahcir - 50 Captain/GM Weaponsmith, LoTRO Silverlode (Retired)
St Drahcir - 7xMage, UO Chesapeake (Retired)
Chinchilla Dakilla - Barbarian R50, Shadowbane (Retired)
Lantyssa
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Posts: 20848


Reply #21 on: February 21, 2009, 12:52:13 PM

I've got a little empire going in Fenix 33, but I'm not doing much with it.

Some guy thought he'd use two of my fledling planets to farm easy credits.  I kicked him off and haven't seen any activity since.  He had a great "I'm a peaceful player, but if you attack me I'll wipe out your civilization" spiel in his bio.  I'm building up my tech, then I think I'm going to show up on his planets and mention how he interrupted the Queen's birthday festivities and she's a bit vindictive, especially against hypocrites.  Hope you enjoy permanent occupation, biatch.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
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