I picked SotS II (and ther other games) up in the paradox bundle on for $12.50 but haven't gotten very far into it yet. It seems a bit rough, but at least it included all of the DLC.

 I know better than to buy any paradox game on release, as they are always disappointing. They usually make up for it with updates and patches, but their 1000 DLC per game strategy keeps me from buying any of their games outside of very deep discounts or a final "complete" bundle - usually at a deep discount as well.

You have to distinguish between in-house developed Paradox games and games where Paradox acts as a publisher. Paradox in-house games are actually quite stable and polished now (Crusader 2 being notable example), since their Clausewitz engine is very mature.

As for Paradox-published games, their quality varies a lot, but I think unlike EA, for example, Paradox is much more communicative and responsible towards customers, and if a release is a mess, they usually step in and try to find some sort of post-release solution (Majesty 2). 

http://topg.org/currency/Swtor  Gold Sellers  From who to buy cheap Stwor Gold fast and safe? Check seller top 100

Last update turn times are fast. Not sots 1 fast but people who are in long games are saying even they have big reductions in turn times. Getting there.

Multiplayer is faster now which is wonderful. Getting my ass kicked but I am learning. Research pd early! 

Yup PD will make or break your whole game combat wise.

Been having fun as I die. Such a vast difference from SoTS1. Im finding the whole WTF am I doing a game inside the game. LOL

The AI has a long way to go before the game is truly enjoyable in single player though.

I loaded up SotS ][ during some free time Last night and I can confirm that the load times are much improved. The game is also much more stable than before. Speaking as a SotS veteran, though, I'm still not pleased with the game. Mainly these have to do with the revamped or reimagined mechanics. 

The new mission system, while making sense in some ways and also more realistic in others, is problematic. It's a big departure from the freeform fleet management of the first game, constituting a shock for anyone who transitioning from one game to the other. You'd be better off, in fact, not having played SotS in the first place. Likewise, the supply and support mechanics are more complex and poorly explained, which will confuse and frustrate new players. 

Despite having been involved in the beta, I still don't understand what role prototypes really play. Mecron and co stated that prototypes would, for lack of a better term, jigger a class' stats. When you design a new Armour ship, for instance, you'll see the weapon stats, speed, structure, turning speed etc, and the prototype would alter these somewhat as an abstraction of unforeseen design flaws or unexpected synergies. But I've yet to see this actually play out. Or if it is going on, that information isn't conveyed to the player. 

This is a major theme: information is extremely poorly conveyed. Income derived from trade routes, for instance, is something I've yet to find in my 23 hours or so of playing. 

Pacing has also changed, and the game plays much slower. It's not a change I'm a fan of. 

I have more critisms, but that feels about as negative as I want to get towards a developer and series that I love so much. 

Yah, I agree with louist for the most part, though, I have never even played Sots][, just reading the forums at kerb and seeing some of the game mechanics just made me go 'why???'.

Well they made the game for them, not for me, so that's why, on the other hand, if I don't think I would particularly enjoy playing it, why would I give them my money for it?

Feel that way about a lot of games lately unfortunately, but hey, I'm saving quite a bit of money in the process I suppose

At some point I bought it on sale, and I think I'd have been better served wasting my money on Mountain Dew.

Good news we are almost there. Here are some links for ya.

A link to the latest update list link

AI is preforming better. So The all clear is just around the corner. Also big news coming out Monday. And now Mecron-

The penultimate update...

by Mecron » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:45 pm

Hey everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that tonight's update is the pre-all clear update. This does NOT mean support for sots2 is ending in any way, or that there are not a couple things like scenarios still outstanding. It simply means that the game is robust and playable and ready to be enjoyed if you should see fit to do so. Truth be told is it has been for sometime but we were not comfy waving folks in when it still needed updating a couple times a week. Now things are at the point where we have a nice optional beta update testing system in place and the vast majority of crashes and MP malfunctions are solved. And for the sneaky ones that are still lurking in this huge game, we will stomp them as soon as they are reported.
So for everyone who has kept the faith we thank you, enjoy the game this weekend. Please report anything crashy or super weird so we can tidy it up monday and send out the word. And then it will be off to a brave new world of quality of life issues, constant AI tweaking and lots of backed up user suggestions

And once again, please do not feel as if in any way this is about ending or even diminishing support for the game. In fact, come Monday, we will also be announcing other plans that hopefully will allow us to maintain and evolve our games indefinetly in the manner we have become known for.


A small change...(steamophobes may want to sit down)

by Mecron » Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:11 pm

Hear ye, hear ye...

...due to the fact that Gamespy will soon be closing the particular matchmaking system that SotS2 uses, (NOT all of Gamespy, just the pilot program part we were using - we were early test devs) we will be migrating over to Steam's MM service. Because of this and, in order to prepare for this system, as of this update, SotS2 will require steam to be active but NOT connected. Repeat, NOT CONNECTED. I realize just having it running at start up, even NOT connected to the internet, will cause some of you to freak out. And we regret that. But the world marches on and certainly this is preferable to any other mp option. Also for a few of you...this is NOT a form of copy protection as, like I said, you could have your computer in a vault of adamantium in your basement and play with scuba gear on in a Faraday cage. SotS2 will NOT be trying to check with a server in order to validate you every time.

Now for those of you less dramatically inclined, there are 2 MAJOR advantages to this change over. First you will be able to join games of sots2 in progress simply by clicking on someone in your friend list that is already playing in an MP session. And second, it means that in a future with expansions, we will be able to continue support not only for the expansion line but also the base game. Unlike in prime where the realities of the past forced us to only support whatever was the most current era of the game.

So thank you and hopefully all will see this for the good thing it is...if not, we now return you to your regularly scheduled freakout;p

Repeat Sots 2 has hit the all clear! I repeat Sots 2 is ready! 

Here is Kerb's little kickstarter game The Pit

Now for some more Mecron- Hey folks!

Sorry for the long wait but I am extremely happy and proud to give the all clear signal and invite you all back to a bright and shiny SotS2. While “all clear” in no way means support for the game has ended or that we have no plans for additions, it does mean that the game is in the shape we would have wished it to be upon release. From here we will be going on to a regularly scheduled set of updates that continue to fill out and flesh out the SotS2 universe as well as adding new maps, scenarios and plenty of quality of life suggestions.

We would like to thank Paradox for continuing to distribute Sword of the Stars/ Sword of the stars 2 and look forward to working with them on any future expansions. We also want to issue a heartfelt thanks to the players who stood by us in those dark early months and who believed us when we said this game would be fixed. We owe a great deal to the players who stuck it out through all the dozens of updates and fixes and kept reporting the bugs and posting their saves. Their input has made for a bigger and better SotS2 than could have been achieved at release even under the best of conditions. Everyone who enjoys playing this game from this date on, owes those impromptu testers a great deal of thanks. And finally for those of you who are reading this now and booting up the game, we would like to thank you for your patience and welcome you back. There is a great game waiting for you now and a big universe waiting to be explored.

The Future:
As said, this announcement does not mean the end of SotS2 support. In fact, should any of you be curious, feel free to come by our boards and see our plans to support SotS2 indefinitely. For now, you can look forward to your next SotS2 update in approximately 3 weeks and it should include such tasty treats as:
--Selectable Teams at startup
--Revised Empire economics screen
--Even more AI tuning
--SotSpedia tuning and more entries
--And a pack of new maps.

While too far down the line for particulars, I can tell you that the following update after that should see the return of scenarios and a treat or two for the holidays!


So once again, I would like to thank you all for your patience and understanding during the road back and hope you all enjoy this game as it was meant to be!

Martin E. Cirulis
CEO/Creative Director
Kerberos Productions

Knew it was getting close. Nice to see such companies such as Stardock/Ironclad and Kerberos still taking care of their products even after such messes. And *begrudgingly* thanks to Steam for making Updates so easy that allow this to happen.

Well looky there a sale for all of Sots http://www.impulsedriven.com/products/ESD-IMP-W3299 

Good timing and good deal!

Too bad their publisher can't help out one of their own in the wake of "Legends Of Pegasus" debacle....  

Or sots 2 for 10.49$ http://www.gamestop.com/pc/games/sword-of-the-stars-ii-lords-of-winter/97844