Single Player Story Campaign

Dude, that's 4X games, not just TBS. I don't remember when Civ or MoO has a story campaign. Amplitude already made more story for them than anyone (quests).

The 4X genre of strategy games shouldn't be defined by the common lack of Story modes. Many recent 4X games seem to lack Campaigns and some people think that is the norm, but there are others who prefer a more detailed lore experience along with their custom matches and multiplayer.  One person looking for a more story-driven 4X game boiled common gameplay down to: "Single player is multiplayer with bots. You get a map. Your job is to beat the AI. Well done."  Which is what I experienced with Sins of a Solar Empire and Endless Space:  Cool faction ideas but no way to really interact with the storyline and have a satisfying end to each match.  They pretty much gave you basic lore and you kinda have to make up your own story and conclusion.  Which can be fun, but a true Story Campaign along side that would make a more satisfying and complete game.  Browse over the list of 4X games on wikipedia and you can see that many of them do have interesting missions and scenarios.

Endless Legend really improved on the lack of story from ES1 by including Faction Quests, and I am glad they are including the idea in ES2.  But most of the lore is in the writing, and the actual actions of the quests can be quite generic as well as similar to other regular quests / faction quests.  Explore Ruins, Assimilate/Destroy/Pacify a village, Learn this many technologies, Give this resource to whoever, Equip this on that guy, etc.  While not perfect, this was a great step toward a better gameplay experience and really adds to the Endless lore.  I think combining the ideas of these Faction Quests with specifically designed Campaign maps in a Story mode will provide a more detailed, challenging adventure for the player, as well as a more distinct ending for each faction.  I know many Amplitude fans would thoroughly enjoy such a feature.

Again, Master of Orion And Civilization are cult games and paragons of 4X genre. And they don't have story campaign.

And why? Because I rule an Empire! I have all the galaxy and I want to chose how/in what order conquer it by myself. As a supreme leaders I don't need commanders (even Kane ) to give me missions. I don't want baseless restrictions placed by plot. And without campaign/preset map I playing really new game each time. It's just genres basics.

Just answer, who will give us missions in such campaign? Leader? I play 4X to be leader myself. Advisor? He can't understand my genius plans! Сircumstances, created for plots sake? It's better to make AI which can create intresting circumstances.

I think we both have valid points on how we prefer our strategy games.  I dont disagree with your wanting to control all features of a game, I also enjoy the ability to do that.  I have another Idea post up suggesting that ES2 come with a far superior Custom Faction editor so everyone can put their amazing designs into the Endless universe and create unique civilizations.  Perhaps you have some positive comments on that?  But on the other end of the spectrum, not including a Campaign mode just doesn't feel like a complete game to me.  Even if this was included, you wouldn't be obliged to play it, so I am not sure why you are so against it.  I think including a Story mode alongside the custom matches and multiplayer would give all types of 4X fans something to enjoy.  

But on the other end of the spectrum, not including a Campaign mode just doesn't feel like a complete game to me.

I think the same! But only in case of FPS, RPG or strategy with another scale. In case of global space strategy I think it's too difficult to make a satisfactory campaign. I played "Star wars: Empire at war" - there were interesting ground battles (unsuitable for ES2) but most of galaxy map blocked at start was very dumb

Even if this was included, you wouldn't be obliged to play it, so I am not sure why you are so against it.  I think including a Story mode alongside the custom matches and multiplayer would give all types of 4X fans something to enjoy.

I understand that it will be optional, but anyway it likely will spend too much developer's resources, sorry

iDrunk wrote:

But on the other end of the spectrum, not including a Campaign mode just doesn't feel like a complete game to me.

I think the same! But only in case of FPS, RPG or strategy with another scale. In case of global space strategy I think it's too difficult to make a satisfactory campaign. I played "Star wars: Empire at war" - there were interesting ground battles (unsuitable for ES2) but most of galaxy map blocked at start was very dumb

Even if this was included, you wouldn't be obliged to play it, so I am not sure why you are so against it.  I think including a Story mode alongside the custom matches and multiplayer would give all types of 4X fans something to enjoy.

I understand that it will be optional, but anyway it likely will spend too much developer's resources, sorry

Could they not add it in as a story pack dlc? So in return they get paid for it.

I was thinking the exact same thing  I would say both my ideas would be good DLC content.  I'm just tired of many newer games not having any single player scenarios.  I've read lots of posts complaining about the same thing, so I know many people would enjoy it.  Amplitude really improved the lack of lore with EL but I think they can expand upon that and improve it with each Endless game.  It would be nice if Sega buying the company factored into a more fulfilling, complete game in that aspect.  

iDrunk wrote:

But on the other end of the spectrum, not including a Campaign mode just doesn't feel like a complete game to me.

I think the same! But only in case of FPS, RPG or strategy with another scale. In case of global space strategy I think it's too difficult to make a satisfactory campaign. I played "Star wars: Empire at war" - there were interesting ground battles (unsuitable for ES2) but most of galaxy map blocked at start was very dumb

Even if this was included, you wouldn't be obliged to play it, so I am not sure why you are so against it.  I think including a Story mode alongside the custom matches and multiplayer would give all types of 4X fans something to enjoy.

I understand that it will be optional, but anyway it likely will spend too much developer's resources, sorry

To play devil's advocate, Age of Wonders is a respected 4X Franchise that implemented a story mode very well. It's possible, though your point about it taking up too many resources is still understandable.

yes! that's exactly what my issue was with Endless Legend.

I would have loved to love that game, but I felt like I had no reason to play it, because it lacked "a long-term goal". I either won the map, or didn't. so what? somehow it seemed so empty for me. some kind of single player story campaign would have meant so much for me in that game too.

if it's possible to implement it into ES2, that would be awesome.

Thanks for the support guys!

a campaign could also serve as a kind of very detailed tutorial for the game.

you could start with a limited access to technologies in a small galaxy with one opponent, this would be a great map to teach the basics, and to let you know more about how that other race behaves. then on the next map you would have to start again in a new galaxy, as i don't know, a distant colony of the same empire, who have to discover everything for themselves, but this time you would have more time to reach a higher era, and you would have two enemies, giving you time and chance to study how those new guys behave.

there could be a map about one of your fleets that got lost in an unfriendly corner of the galaxy with limited access to resources, here you would start with a bigger fleet, this would give you a good chance to learn the details of the workings of ships and tactics of warfare.

the current solo play experience could be the thing you reach by the end of the campaign, with the player being the emperor in a brand new galaxy with many enemies, being left entirely to your own devices and noone to tell you what to do.

Great ideas guys!  Its good to read that others have excellent additions to this suggestion.  

A campains could be great because it told a story.

But it's not a real need here.

What I like, it's already a story like 4x. 

Maybe, i would be more happy this become more dense, with more random possibility about story of a standard game.

I like the idea, sure 4X games are famous for their customization and you are supposed to make your own history, but the ES saga is maybe the 4x game with the richest lore but their state as 4 x game makes it a bit i dont know... inespecifif maybe? so yes a campaign would be great. 

Agreed!  I do enjoy the lore of each faction, but how they interact and what exactly should be considered canon is quite vague.  A solid campaign for each race would help flesh this out.

How bout some input, Amplitude?  

X . X

That sucks.  But hey, scenario editor would be cool.