Just got Entrenchment today,anyone up for a game or 2?

I'm always ready. Doubt you will get any other takers...

Nice,i'll call you through Steam when im free and the net is stable.

Didnt fuj also got Entrenchment?

Nice,i'll call you through Steam when im free and the net is stable.

Didnt fuj also got Entrenchment?

By the way,did you add me in Impulse?

I saw a invitation from fraggie or something?

The big-'n-splashy reveal should happen at Penny Arcade Expo, but Stardock's already teasing a new expansion for its gi-normous real-time strategy game Sins of a Solar Empire. It's dubbed Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy, and Stardock prez Brad Wardell calls it a "micro-expansion pack" that will "vastly increase the amount of diplomatic options available to players in the game and help make forging good relations with other empires a major option for would-be galactic conquerors."

Reportedly the expansion adds a new diplomatic tech tree that'll let you bolster your deal-brokering skills, adds diplomatic envoy ships (presumably to help craft treaties or facilitate dialogue during hostilities), and allows you to craft trade treaties with other factions.

The beta kicks off this fall, and it'll be a lengthy beta--the general release isn't due until winter 2010 (winter on the frontside, that is). I guess we should be grateful it's only half a year in testing, considering how long real diplomacy can take.

The fellow in the shot above (from the teaser post) looks a bit unhappy. Perhaps that's because he has no eyes. Or maybe it's the fact that he's chewing on plasteel (i.e. plastic-plus-steel, ain't sci-fi futurists clever?). Maybe he's feeling despondent in that pseudo-Grecian helmet. Or maybe he's secretly Iggy Pop.

Never played Sins of a Solar Empire? Oh dear. Read this, go stand in the corner for exactly 4-point-X minutes, then off with you to snatch down a copy. $30 is embarrassingly cheap.

Ironclad Games and Stardock Entertainment are pleased to announce pre-orders for the upcoming Sins of a Solar Empire micro-expansion, Diplomacy. After 25 years of war, some elements of the TEC, Vasari and Advent have grown weary of conflict and desperately seek a respite. The decision is made to attempt peaceful negotiations to end the wars, but others view this new effort at diplomacy as the perfect means to destroy their enemies from within.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy will add a new Diplomacy tech tree, new envoy cruisers, the ability to issue missions to other players, trade pacts, an entirely new relationship system, deadlier pirates and more.

Pre-orders for Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy are available now for $9.95. This micro-expansion will require the full versions of Sins of a Solar Empire and Sins of a Solar Empire: Entrenchment to play. To pre-order, just head over to the Store.

So...

Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy.  What's the idea here?

The idea is to have a secondary way to win the game other through sheer conquest.  In the current diplomatic system, AI players give "missions" to players.  Human players can't do the same back. 

With Diplomacy, this system is being heavily revamped with a new technology tree. The technology tree could be views as a diplomatic arms race because diplomacy includes espionage and counter-espionage in there. How far it goes will depend largely on the beta testers and their preferences.

Then there's the balance and new game modes. We'll be putting our head together this week to see what can reasonably be put into a $9.95 micro expansion.  But balance and tweaks you guys would like to see in Diplomacy you can freely post them here and we'll make sure to look at them.

There's also a whole new diplomacy system that lets players have a much more tactical view of why your relations are what with a given player. If you've ever played Civilization IV you can see some of the inspiration. The idea though is that relations shouldn't involve excessive guess work.

The official season has now officially started though for Diplomacy. 

New details have been revealed about the upcoming standalone expansion, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, which will expand the original game in several directions, thanks to a GameSpy interview with Stardock producer Brian Clair.

The biggest change will be the fact that each of the three factions, the TEC, the Advent, and the Vasari, will be divided further into Loyalist and Rebel factions. According to Clair, each subfaction has their own unique strategy and gameplay.

"The Vasari Loyalists... I don't want to give too much away, but they're offensive. They've gone back to their original roots, if you will, whereas the Vasari Rebels have decided to go down that diplomatic route. I don't want to say they're more of a peacenik faction, because that's not true of any Vasari, but they want to get along as much as they can," Clair gave as an example.

Each subfaction has a unique Titan ship, a sort of super-capital ship, that will reflect that subfaction's theme. "The TEC, of all three races, are probably the least technologically developed overall. Their Titans tend to be utilitarian, they're very militaristic-looking, they're not very elegant to look at. But they're powerful, they get the job done, based on whether you're a Rebel or a Loyalist," explained Clair. "The Advent are very culture-based, so their Titans have nice curves, not sharp angles, and they use their psionic abilities to the utmost. "

How powerful are Titans? Clair warned, "Well, if it's a low-level Titan, bring a fleet, or try to get your upgraded starbase. If it's a Titan that's already gone up a few levels, you're probably going to want to bring your own Titan to the party."

While Titans are expensive and require a lot of research, players will still be able to get them fairly early in the game, because "we wanted to be able to give players this pretty hardcore ship sooner rather than later. We're trying to balance it in that way" In other words, Titans require a lot of care to make them truly badass. "Early on it's still very, very good, but the longer you can keep it around, level it up and improve it, the nastier it gets," Clair stated.

Not to be overlooked, Clair also described the new Corvette class. "They're meant to be harassment ships," he described, "They're quick, they're meant to be used flexibly against a wide variety of targets. They're there to harass the enemy, not to specifically counter any one type of craft."

The game will also have a few new game modes, including two multiplayer modes intended to speed up the game. Last Homeworld Standing basically sets it up that if you lose your home planet, you lose. Last Flagship Standing is the same type of game, only with the player's capital ship instead of homeworld. A new victory condition for the single player mode is the Science victory, in which the player wins if they research 50 techs then engage in a long, arduous tech research to win the game.

Clair also almost stated that Sins of a Solar Empire 2 was in the works, when he described Rebellion as a midway point between the original game and a full-blown sequel. Stardock clarified that Clair was only referring to a hypothetical sequel - but one can dream.

rofl, whats the f***ing point on vicious AI? i built my first capital ship, straight away enemy has built a titan!!!! then 1 of my neighbor planet got rushed, max tactical slots, mine field SPAM, and max logistics broadcast center. GG WELL PLAYED LOL

and srsly no one playing despite lol steam sales? >.>

This game has a niche community, don't expect mainstreamers to pick it up any time soon.

Unless it's extremely easy to pick up and play, you won't find anyone that plays something like MW3, SC2 or even WoW to play this.

I have my own set of friends to play this game with on occasions and with around 60+ people on my friend list for steam, only 6 of those 60 own this game.

such is sadness lol.

so have yo beaten vicious AI? lol