Astro Wars claims that it is a “Free Online Space Strategy Game Real Time – Web Based – Massive Multiplayer Game”.
I have been playing Astro Wars for almost 2 years now and this round they decided to do something different extending the game length from an average of 2.75 months to 4 months. The game is somewhat but not nearly similar to Master of Orion which itself was somewhat but not similar to Reach for the Stars which itself was somewhat but not similar to Stellar Conquest. Each player starts on one planet in a stellar system comprised of 3 to normally 12 planets. There are a couple thousand (probably only 1000 real) players from all around the globe. One issue with the game going so long is that the ‘real’ travel times between systems has decreased from days to around an hour and with people playing from around the globe one is left with a choice between a life or being on-line all of the time to guard ones empire.
I am in an alliance and we were doing fairly well near the end which meant that we were a target (get Dave, he’s winning) and so we are being attacked. While I spent time doing things I like in real life, we lost a bunch of battles that I could have stopped had I been on-line. While I slept last night, we were attacked some more. While was in a meeting this morning, we were attacked some more. Personally, because of defensive play, I have only lost one battle in the last couple days. However the alliance as a whole has lost countless numbers of battles due to poor defense and lethargy caused by a long and boring time up till now. I do not think I will be able to hold out till the end, which could come in 7 days, unless my alliance as a whole turns around and fights back because I am still not going to give up spending time with my girlfriend or sleeping to play a game.
22 January 2008 at 12:25 pm
words i thought i would never here, I am so proud
4 February 2008 at 11:28 am
After a couple days of being beaten down my alliance was able to make a diplomatic turn-around and sign a cease fire. Still, damaged from countless attacks, the alliance rank had fallen from near the top to average level. I weathered the storm and ended up higher than I had been during the rest of the round. In fact higher than I had ever finished a round before. While I enjoyed the game and am proud of my final rank, I am glad that it is all over with now.