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[Knave]

Did a scan and didn't see a thread, so thought I would do a quick post! Feels like it would check a lot of DF player boxes.

"Shadow Empire is an immersive 4x game, putting players as leaders of small cities on random-generated planets, besieged by threats of all kind and forced to gather every imaginable natural resource in order to survive. Face the post-apocalypse, rebuild civilization and write your own destiny!"

Definitely has that mid-nineties feel. You start by generating your planet type including size, star type, rainfall, planetary age, atmosphere and then how badly it was blown up during the giant Galactic Republic civil war. One game you might be fighting over a barren, but mineral rich moon, and the next a poisonous jungle-world with 10 meter tall land squids.
You then have to work your city state up from Mad Max tech-level and rediscover all the old tech through conquest and Ruin-excavation. Next thing you know you have plasma guns, mechs and the occasional nuke.

Leans heavy on the wargame, so logistics and supply are king to keeping your army and people running smoothly. You also have to deal with your cabinet leaders who have a range of skills and stats from wizard to incompetent. The happier they are the more bonuses you will get, but if they're very unhappy they might try to rebel.

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1154840/Shadow_Empire/
Matrix:https://www.matrixgames.com/game/shadow-empire


EDIT: And here's a {NEW!} link to SET-UP series by Dastactic w/ new aircraft. Very good for learning the game and a lot of the under-the-hood mechanics:
(HERE)

[Trolldefender99]

I was thinking of making this, since the game looks amazing. Gives a Dune feel to it for me. But I didn't feel I'd do the game justice in the opening post so was hoping someone would make this thread for the game. Thanks

The cool part is you can even start on a Dune style desert planet. Though from reading, it doesn't seem water is needed except for farms. But the developer I believe plans to add water supply in the future in a free update. He also plans to add modding support down the line (though he isn't 100% on this). And naval/air stuff, but that is only depending how good the game sells. If the game sells poorly, don't think will be much developer support so I hope it does well. And if modding ever happens, there needs to be a Dune mod

[forsaken1111]

Thanks for making this, I wasn't even aware of the game. Picking it up now. Will post my thoughts

[Dostoevsky]

Thanks from me as well for sharing. A more 4X-like grognard wargame is something I've always been hoping for. Time-limited panzer generals and the like really get my goat for some reason (I know turn limits are realistic, just not my cup of tea for gaming).

Do you know what the victory conditions or diplomatic options are, by chance? Conquest-only would make sense, I suppose, but having more options would be lovely.

[ChairmanPoo]

At a glance reminds me of Emperor of the Fading suns... which if well implemented is a GOOD thing.

[Majestic7]

Did someone say Emperor of the Fading Suns? That is the best way to summon me and my interest. Though I must admit the ground war was the least interesting aspect in the game, I just appreciated the exploration and the general feel of the world.

[Yoink]

I usually suck at this kind of game, but for some reason this one really excites me. I like the sound of the setting a lot more than the usual historical (where I feel like I ought to be doing whatever really happened back then) or galaxy-spanning kinds (I just don't find watching/running an empire on that scale engaging).   

Sixty bucks seems a bit friggin' steep, but then I have some disposable income at the moment that isn't currently ear-marked for anything else.   
Also, I really dig the fact that they give you the option to buy a physical copy, complete with a printed manual. *swoon*   

[Majestic7]

Matrix prices their games too high, though. I can't help but think they'd make more money if the games cost 30 bucks, so more people would buy them. Maybe they count on being niche enough that people will buy them no matter the cost. *shrug* It is a shame though - I'm pretty sure Distant Worlds, for example, had been a lot more popular at cheaper price and despite being an excellent game, it was left with a small audience.

[dehimos]

Matrix prices their games too high, though. I can't help but think they'd make more money if the games cost 30 bucks, so more people would buy them. Maybe they count on being niche enough that people will buy them no matter the cost. *shrug* It is a shame though - I'm pretty sure Distant Worlds, for example, had been a lot more popular at cheaper price and despite being an excellent game, it was left with a small audience.

Until tomorrow, you can pay 30.39€ with this:

https://www.matrixgames.com/game/shadow-empire

currently 20% (UNTIL THE 8TH) with Wargamer20

[EuchreJack]

Looks interesting, but that price...
Eh, looks like it'll do a good job squashing free time, but I wouldn't blame anyone for waiting 1-2 years for its price to hopefully drop to the $20-30 range.

[Shooer]

It should be up on Steam later this year.

I would rather get it from Steam than deal with updating it through Matrix games.

Very interested to play though.  Been a fan of the devs previous games.  Just wish they had been more popular so the modding scene could have been bigger.

[Knave]

Do you know what the victory conditions or diplomatic options are, by chance? Conquest-only would make sense, I suppose, but having more options would be lovely.

I believe the victory conditions are conquest only at the moment. Controlling a certain % of hexes and population while ensuring none of the other major territories are close.

Looks interesting, but that price...
Eh, looks like it'll do a good job squashing free time, but I wouldn't blame anyone for waiting 1-2 years for its price to hopefully drop to the $20-30 range.

Yeah the matrix prices are always a bit steep, but the 20% off discount with promise of steam key made me pull the trigger as the setting really spoke to me. Once it hits steam Matrix have been pretty good about having sales recently.

Been having fun trying to hold my territory between bands of roving freemen, and giant squids. And a theocratic regime has rolled up on my border and doesn't seem to happy either. Think I'm going to have to recruit another brigade soon!

[EuchreJack]

It should be up on Steam later this year.

I would rather get it from Steam than deal with updating it through Matrix games.

Very interested to play though.  Been a fan of the devs previous games.  Just wish they had been more popular so the modding scene could have been bigger.

As Knave mentioned, they'll probably provide Steam Keys, so it should eventually be updating via Steam.

Also, the manual is 181 pages.  While Matrix does price their games high, they are good games.

[dehimos]

181 pages? Perhaps is a old version, actual manual is 349 pages, with lore: https://www.matrixgames.com/amazon/PDF/SE/Shadow_Empire_manual_EBOOK.pdf

[Dostoevsky]

Well, I ended up biting the bullet and picking it up.

The manual packaged with the game is the 181-page one, complete with self-mentions of 'fix this table for the final release' and things like that. Heh. So thanks for sharing the proper one.

I ended up playing it until about 4 AM last night, so here are a few initial observations:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

There's a decent amount of in-game help, so don't feel like you need to read the whole manual first, but you'll probably want to have it on hand for reference.

Planet generation is kind of wild, at least in that unlike most other sci-fi games set at a planetary scale goldilocks worlds are rare. Open-air farming and habitat-bubble farming are both options with their own mechanics, but open-air farming is more often than not just not possible at all. Large native fauna are pretty uncommon and whether or not the meat is useful is its own variable.

(Edit: I meant to mention - you may not want large fauna; apex predators are very much dangerous to an early military.)

Haven't gotten far enough to see if diplomacy among major powers is fleshed out, but allied victory is an option. Diplomacy with minor powers is relatively sparse, unfortunately. Thankfully, that's offset by internal dynamics.

There's more than enough internal drama to scratch the diplomacy itch, which is really great to see. Your governors, heads of departments, unit commanders, etc., all have preferences, loyalties, possible membership in factions, etc. They can make demands, they don't want their budget cut, etc. Heck, retiring a senior leader without potential blowback is a special ability. Nearly every turn there are new events with decisions you have to make.

There are also internal factions - early ones being the militia, cult(s), and corporations(s) with their own benefits and issues.

Militia v. standing forces is a nice dynamic, with militia being 'free' (politics aside, as they are a faction with their own expectations and demands) but generally weaker, while your own forces require sufficient logistics, equipment, etc. etc.

Further edit: in addition to the militia v. standing forces dynamic, there's public v. private infrastructure. You only get a fraction of the output from private enterprises, but they also invest on their own so less resource drain and whatnot required (though you can stimulate private enterprise).

Military combat seems fairly normal for a grognard game at first glance, for both good and ill. I like it, but don't expect a fleshed out TRPG or the like.