Something I keep hearing about Planetfall

[TimTheWizard]

I keep hearing that Planetfall is really similar to AOW3 and doesn’t change much. I’ve played both, granted I have less than 20 hours in both of them so I’m not really an expert in the franchise, and at least from what I can tell they seem different. Why do people say they’re similar?

 

[Xadie]

Is AoW: Planetfall recognizable as a Age of Wonders-Franchichse game? Yes! All the game play pieces that made the core of an Age Of Wonders game are here again.
Does Planetfall doesn't change the Age Of Wonders formula much? I beg to differ. The way colonies develop has been changed a lot. Basically not only owning hexes just around the city but full on provinces comes with some strong strategical implications. The whole unit mod system is a big game changer; the differentiation between tactical / strategic / doctrine operations as replacement to your casting limit; the higher emphasis on ranged combat; the Introduction of Cosmite and Influence as new resources...

The question is: are those changes enough for YOU, personally?

 

[TimTheWizard]

I enjoy the fact that there are more ranged options. And the sector system at least for me is simpler. Unit mods are very fun.

 

[Jean-Luc]

Why do people say they’re similar?

Well, they are similar but they're not too similar or just reskins of each other. It's basically intellectual laziness and lack of desire to analyze beyond a superficial glance or at least acknowledge that a superficial glance doesn't not make for an informed opinion.

 

[Elgareth]

Honestly I find AoW: Planetfall very different from AoW3. IMHO it has way more differences than for example CIV: Beyond Earth compared to other CIV games. The introduction of hit chances for one vastly Change the way battles Play out for one. City development is much more streamlined/simplified (honestly I'm not sure if I like how much they are simplified yet...), the way all new Units have to be researched, influence, cosmite, etc. etc.

The very start of the game offers a really different experience, so I can't understand how People can come to the conclusion that those games are "too similar"...

 

[Dreepa]

As to the topic: PF is AOW3 heavily modded, reskinned, new features added, some features changed etc.
But of course it is build on the same technology. So yeah, the games have a similar feel to them when t is about handling, core mechanics etc.
It is still a totally different game though.

 

[Garresh]

I keep hearing that Planetfall is really similar to AOW3 and doesn’t change much. I’ve played both, granted I have less than 20 hours in both of them so I’m not really an expert in the franchise, and at least from what I can tell they seem different. Why do people say they’re similar?

Back on point, this game is vastly different than the rest of the series. They're breaking new ground here and a lot of the systems are unusual for an Age of Wonders game. It's definitely an AOW game at heart, but saying it's just AOW3 in space is far off base.

Speaking from personal experience, I slid into age of wonders 3 like pancake fetishist slides into bathtub full of batter. I found this game a lot harder to click with and fully understand. Not because it's bad, but because its different. So yeah, people are wrong. But I do love this game series, and this new one remains excellent. I don't think Triumph has ever made a bad game.

 

[Xadie]

I found this game a lot harder to click with and fully understand.

I can remember after finishing both vanguard and Kir'Ko campaign I gazed at the screen for like an hour or two during the first dvar mission checking what sectors really bring to the table.
It was like 'Heureka! So that can i expect out of them!'. I love when that happens in games

 

[Ericridge]

Similarities would be..

There's cities. Armies is limited to 6 units per stack and number of units that can be brought into battle. And how combat initates. There is landmarks aka dungeons.

Then there is factions in place of races. And there is dwelling species. And Celestians is alot alike to theocrats.

But if you only play 20 hours in aow3/planetfall then you are doomed to not see all the similarities and differences. Time investment would be needed and you need actual gameplay experience.

Major difference if you are looking for them.. would be.. AOW3 is Medieval Fantasy while Planetfall is Scifi.

 

[Sifer2]

There are more similarities than differences. It's more similar to AOW3 than any other game on the market people who have not played AOW3 keep comparing it to like Civ or Endless Legend. But I do agree that this game feels like a true sequel in the sense that enough mechanics have been changed/improved to warrant it's existence as something other than just a clone with Sci-Fi skin. It makes me more excited for AOW4 since just mechanics like the NPC factions would make it interesting. Yet were probably going to get a lot more by the time that game rolls around.

 

[AndrewT]

Political commentary removed.

Take it to the OT forum if you must.

First and last warning for this thread.

 

[Garresh]

Political commentary removed.

Take it to the OT forum if you must.

First and last warning for this thread.

Appreciated! =)

 

[Zenicetus]

For me, it feels different enough not to call it a re-skin in any meaningful way.

It has a touch of XCOM vibe now with ranged units and overwatch. Sectors vs. city hexes is a big change on the strategy layer. The AoW3 problem of steadily moving towards an all-Tier IV army has been solved, by making lower tier units useful later in the game with mods. That's a very welcome change.

 

[The Founder]

Why do people say they’re similar?

Honestly, I have no idea.

The setting.
The sector system (including garission)
The unit mod system
the powercurve of earlygame units (with the mods)
important parts of the combat
the tech tree
Global/Strategic "spells"
introduction of cosmite
And of course a AI capable of working with it.

All these things are utterly new or fully reworked. And those are dang fundamental systems in a 4X game!
I am hard pressed to find similarities.
And if anyone dares to call it a "reskin", he is just plain instulting the devs. Way to much work went into improoving the base formula.
Personally I never quite could play AoW 3. But I could instantly play AoW PF. It is plain the better developed game for me.

 

[Hallucinated]

I read a review that listed not having things like religion and culture as significant and notable weaknesses of the game; I think that offers some insight into the kind of people who say that it doesn't change the AoW formula much. AoW has always been very much a fast-paced game about war and tactical combat, and in broad strokes, and if you're used to 'combat' in your 4X games meaning a little stack of flavourless statistics moves onto another and hearing some sound effects, I suppose you might consider them all quite similar that way. The details are very, very much more refined than in AoW3, but the broad gist of 'build armies, plunder dungeons, crush enemies' isn't all too different; if you rank things like religion and trade and other such nonsense above good old fashioned killing people in your strategy games, you probably won't enjoy it.

The more enlightened among us recognise that there are many new and interesting ways to shoot, stab, electrocute, incinerate and otherwise slaughter your foes that this is indeed its own game and very much different from the previous AoW games, and that's not even counting a lot of little changes and improvements that make it feel so much smoother to play than AoW3. Alas, not everyone has the refinement to perceive all these details, so I suppose to them the games must seem rather similar.