Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO

From: hermes@rtd.com (Robert Dejournett)

Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000

In article <4nqmna$ird@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>,
Alec Habig <ahabig@bigbang.astro.indiana.edu> wrote:
>Daz Gedye <DGedye@netlink.co.nz> wrote:
>>
>>>What is Moo?
>>
>>Master of Orion.  A single player fore-runner of VGA-Planets.  Still very
>>popular.

Not a forerunner.  Came after VGAP.  This game kicks ass, IMHO.
>
>Rather, MoO and VGAP are both directly descended from "Reach for the Stars".

If you want to twist it in that fashion, okay.  Planets was based on other
games on the genre, which *included* RFTS.  It was, however, one of the
first PBEM games that was successful in this genre.

>MoO took a lot from "Civilization", and VGAP explored the PBEM possibilities.

Hardly.  MOO has nothing to do with Civilization.  The diplomacy module
is similar in that both games use diplomacy, while in VGAP that diplomacy
is heavily implied.  Mainly because VGAP has no AI or Computer Players, while
MOO and Civ does.

In sum, comparisons always fall short, because, simply, games are not
horses.  Games have many features in common, and may follow a common theme,
but the approach to many many things is always variable.  I just wouldn't
want to compare MOO to VGAP.  Now I would like to compare Stars! to VGAP, as
Stars! is based heavily on VGAP (on some elements of VGAP).  Stars! adds
alot of features like real tech advances, a hell of a GUI, real AIs, etc.
while limiting the occurance of PBEM, multi-human games, different ship
designs (in stars there are only a few ship designs, in VGAP there are 80+),
Role Playing, Diplomacy, etc.

Is Stars! better than VGAP?  That's the $.0001 question.  Depends on how
you look at it.  Its alot funner to play single player Stars than VGAP.  Its
alot funnert to play multi-player VGAP than Stars!  I love the tech in Stars,
and I love its use of different items on the ships.  Stars! is a much more
robust game than VGAP, yet has no 3rd party market, no newsgroup, no flamers,
no flame wars, etc. (yet!).  In the future I predict that Stars will overcome
VGAP, but that's just my $.02.

-Rob

--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  Robert Dejournett       hermes@rtd.com     http://www.rtd.com/~hermes
"I do have a tag line, it's just plain and boring :-) " -- Jim Shen

References

Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
vfamily@interlaced.net (Bill)
Sat, 18 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
DGedye@netlink.co.nz (Daz Gedye)
Sun, 19 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
ahabig@bigbang.astro.indiana.edu (Alec Habig)
Mon, 20 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000

Referenced By

Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
vfamily@interlaced.net (Bill)
Sat, 18 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
DGedye@netlink.co.nz (Daz Gedye)
Sun, 19 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000
Re: VGAPLANETS v. MoO
ahabig@bigbang.astro.indiana.edu (Alec Habig)
Mon, 20 May 1996 00:00:00 +0000