Speaking of Master of Orion means to rewind the tape of memory until the early nineties, when the forges of the never sufficiently pitted MicroProse released titles that would have radically changed the way of making video games.
Xcom, Grand Prix, Falcon: all titles passed to history. Among these, the most important and long-lived was Civilization, a masterpiece by Sid Meier whose impatiently we await the sixth incarnation. Using the same engine, the defunct Simtex made two variants of the most famous management software ever: one set in a fantasy universe (Master of Magic), left without offspring, and the other set in the universe and that’s it, or Master of Orion.
The first two episodes was best master of orion game,a huge success and represented real life experiences for many teenagers of the time, including Victor Kislyi, the founder of Wargaming.net.
The magnate of the company of World of Tanks acquired intellectual property from Atari in 2013 to bring it back to the glory it deserves: ce l ‘ will he have done? The answer is essentially affirmative, but not completely: reboot works, is engaging and has all the credentials to attract the attention of the public, but can not be as overwhelming as the illustrious progeny.
BUT HOW MUCH TIME, AND AGAIN …
Starting the first game of Master Of Orion is like meeting an old friend after years: the physiognomy may be a bit ‘changed, but the sensations are the same as in 1993. Before starting you have to set the parameters, selecting the size of the universe, the number of opponents, the conditions for victory, possibly also changing details such as the maximum number of shifts (set by default to 500), any blockage in technological progress and so on.
There are eleven races (for the deluxe version, which also includes the first three chapters, the soundtrack and the artbook, of course in digital format) to choose from, all respecting the lesson of the progenitor. At the beginning of the game the player has only the main planet. From here it is necessary to decide how to balance the workforce by dividing it between agriculture, production and research.
The first serves to increase the population, the second to build buildings and spaceships and the third one makes progress in the skill tree. It should be noted that these characteristic traits apply to all breeds without distinction, including for example robotic ones that conceptually should not need food. Naturally, it is possible to assign to the assistants the task of choosing, but at least in the initial stages it is strongly preferable to take the command in the first person.
The first units, just like in Civilization, will be those of recognition, just to understand in which solar system we find ourselves; then the colonization ships will come. In this caseyou have to carefully choose which planet to dock, because some may be unsuitable for cultivation but more suitable for production.
In the meantime you will be in contact with the other players (up to a maximum of seven on a large map) and you will have to decide how to approach them, just like in the management of Sid Meier. So you can make trade alliances rather than close cultural exchanges, as well as obviously move war. In fact, the diplomatic side is one of the most successful aspects.
Bibliography
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master of orion 1
- Developer(s):Simtex
- Publisher(s):MicroProse
- Producer(s):Jeff Johannigman
- Designer(s):Steve Barcia
- Programmer(s):Maria Barcia, Steve Barcia, Ken Burd
- Artist(s):Maria Barcia, Jeff Dee, George Edward Purdy, Frank Vivirito, Bill Willingham
- Composer(s):David Govett
- Series:Master of Orion
- Platform(s):MS-DOS, Macintosh
- Release:September 6, 1993
- Genre(s):Turn-based strategy
Mode(s):Single player
master of orion 2
- Developer(s):Simtex
- Publisher(s):MicroProse (PC), MacSoft(Mac)
- Series:Master of Orion
- Platform(s):MS-DOS, Windows 95, Apple Macintosh
- Release:NA: November 22, 1996
EU: December 16, 1996 - Genre(s):4X, turn-based strategy
- Mode(s):Single player, multiplayer
master of orion 3
- Developer(s):Quicksilver Software
- Publisher(s):Infogrames
- Composer(s):Lustmord
- Series:Master of Orion
- Platform(s):Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
- Release:February 25, 2003
- Genre(s):Turn-based strategy
- Mode(s):Single player, Multiplayer
master of orion 4
- Developer(s):NGD Studios
- Publisher(s):Wargaming
- Composer(s):David Govett,Dan Schiopucie
- Series:Master of Orion
- Platform(s):Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux
- Release:WW: August 25, 2016
- Genre(s):4X, turn-based strategy
- Mode(s):Single-player, Multiplayer
- Demo Dict Mod
Comment We have just updated this mod where we try to help the demo and dict races with earlier morale techs (Unification is far too strong in our MP-games). ALEXD and I came to the conclusion that a small mod with just few changes would be fine. This mod contains better map balance, earlier morale techs (holo sim 400, vnet in supercomps field, psionics 650 sociology), telepathic training and neural scanners were swapped and the racepicks are identical to the next mod: - Difficult Choice Mod
Comment Additionally to the DD Mod many changes in the techtree – In any techfield you should have a difficult choice – therefore, the absolutely must haves like auto factories or research labs are singletons and a lot of underpowered techs are improved. See also the DC thread in LBs forum.
- Decent Rocks
Comment This mod is called DecentRocks since the tiny and small rocks (i.e. Barren, Radiated, Toxic etc.) have now a decent size. - Orange Mod and GoodMap Mods
Comment This is 1.40b23 with modded maps. - INver Mod
by INver
Comment Subt and Warlord for free. Small fine mod of the racestuf.lbx for MP games. - 1.32 Mod
by 4381 et al.
Comment Autofacts and Research Labs for free. Techtree, Racepick costs and Leader changes. Tiny frigates. - Mictian Mod v0.53
by Mictian
Comment win version mod – Just backup the orion95.exe and techname.lbx
Some techs are in new techfields – large RP increases for endgame techfields - Defensive “AntiBlitz” Mod
by Jukka Mikkonen
win version mod – Just backup the orion95.exe, help.lbx and techname.lbx
Major changes: Missile Base has 800 (instead of 300) space units – An upgrade to ship hit points, and even larger for star bases – Strong ground installation with 10x the hit points – Severely upgraded space monsters & Guardian of Orion, damagewise – Antarans should prove to be a threat once again – A few automatic techs, such as Auto-Factory, Fighter Bays, Fighter Garrison, Reinforced Hull and Heavy Armor. - Extreme Shield Mod
by Die Noob Die
Comment Extremely strong shields and torpedoes - You need the OCL v0.21 to implement the files of the following mods into your exe:
Moomod
by mooncalf
Comment by mooncalf: It’s mostly an attempt to more balance the weapons, buildings, ship systems and armor (to my understanding, anyway.) For example, significantly improved weapons include: torpedoes of all types, pulson and zeon missiles, maulers, and particle beams. Gauss cannon, phasors and disruptors have been toned down a bit. There are lots of other little tweaks that are documented in the included readme file. - Smiloid Mod
by Arc.Smiloid
Master of Orion Strategy,Tips, Tricks, & Exploits
A. Galaxy Type
Circle and Spiral galaxies offer very different play experiences.
Circle galaxies have wormholes. There will be two star systems which are wormholes and are connected to each other, allowing you to travel from one to the other.
Circle galaxies are open and you can freely travel anywhere. Empires will encounter each other much more quickly than in a Spiral galaxy. This leads to more trading opportunities, earlier conflicts, and a much earlier Galactic Council.
Spiral galaxies have unstable (red) warp points, which cannot be traversed until you discover the Multistate Insulator [Electromagnetic Refraction, Tier 6].
The structure of the spiral galaxy is a central area with quadrants ringing around it. There is only a single warp lane (unstable/red) connecting each quadrant to the center and only a single warp lane (unstable/red) connecting each quadrant to the adjacent quadrant on each side. There will generally be 2 Empires in each quadrant.
Since each Empire is stuck in its quadrant for the first half of the game, you will have limited diplomatic contact with other Empires. The first Empire to discover Multistate Insulators can freely traverse the center and meet the other Empires in the remaining quadrants. It can be a long time before the Galactic Council is formed because some Empires may get hemmed in within their quadrant.
B. Starting System
For a given Big bang seed map, your starting system will be the same.
Your racial traits will determine the size, biome, and mineral richness of your homeworld. (The default is Medium, Terran, Abundant).
Every player (including the AI) only has a single habitable planet in their home system and has either a Gas Giant or Asteroid Belt in that same system. (Generally, the Asteroid Belt is slightly better because it generates more credits, can be used for research, and can be turned into a planet with Normal gravity).
On some maps, some starting planets will have a special resource. Alkari Empires automatically have Artifacts on their homeworld, which might replace a special that it would otherwise have.
C. Starting Position
For a given Big bang seed map, the starting system of the second, third, etc. players will also be the same.
For example, say you are playing as the Bulrathi. Suppose the start up screen displays:
- 1. Bulrathi
- 2. Alkari
- 3. Human
- 4. Mrrshan
- 5. Psilon
- 6. Sakkra
Let’s say that for a given Big bang seed, the Alkari and Humans are right next to you.
If you start a different game with the same Big bang seed, but with:
- 1. Terran
- 2. Meklar
- 3. Klackon
- 4. Alkari
- 5. Bulrathi
- 6. Human
It will now be the Meklar and Klackon who are right next to you (as Terran).
