Master of Orion

Master of Orion description

In the role of longtime ruler you have to lead your race to dominate the galaxy. Survival of the fittest.

First you have to choose one of ten races, each of which has its advantages and, respectively, disadvantages.

You start with only one planet. A lot or a little? In Civilization this purpose (of owning the entire planet) you tried to reach the entire game. But in the world of Master of Orion is just the beginning of a long journey. You are surrounded by many unknown stars of different colors indicating the age of the star. The older the star, the less it resource, but the better it climate. In order to know the suitability of the star (equal to planet) for the colonists, send any ship from your fleet. If it is suitable, feel free to send a colony ship and call your first colony sonorous name. Each planet is inhabited by several tens of millions of colonists.

With the help of five "rubber" charts that will be later used in Master of Magic, you adjust the allocation of resources to various sectors. How to increase one graph, so reduce the rest. Graphics are responsible for the ship building, planetary defense industrial system, the environment and scientific research. It's nice that all values are relative, so if population growth is not necessary to change the values of the graphs. For example, at first, to the increase of population, it is recommended to take care of the environment. Gradually the population of the planet reaches a maximum, and then the computer automatically allocates part of the resources to build factories, thus avoiding many unnecessary actions and making the planet to achieve maximum performance.

Planets also vary on environmental conditions, of which there are thirteen species, since it is earth and ending with radioactive and toxic wastes. Initially, you will be able to only settle on planets with conditions similar to earth, but thanks to scientific developments any planet to make habitable. The only exceptions are stone-like Silicide that can live in any climate. The planet also has a level of saturation with minerals, which greatly helps the industry, and the possibility of finding her alien artifacts that give you new ideas for research.

All the planets are randomly generated, but one planet never changes - Orion. In the story there was once the centre of the galactic Empire. But the Empire fell. So now it's just a huge, fertile, rich in minerals and artifacts planet. It has only one drawback. It has its own "Guardian" - a huge spaceship with an extremely powerful weapon. Only defeating him, you will be able to master the planet.

Important and very interesting part of the game is the diplomatic system. There are several ways of interaction with computer opponents. You can share technology and establish trade routes between different races, can you sign a non-aggression Pact or even an Alliance. But remember that computer opponents never forget. Even if you are at peace with your neighbors, but mass forces at their borders, they do not miss a chance to point you to this and asks to withdraw in order to avoid various "misunderstandings". Having a certain superiority, you can give technology, strengthening their allies and relations with them, and threaten their rivals. For example, it is possible to request a race to break the Alliance with its ally, and in return offer her some useful technological invention. All those diplomatic tricks are widely used by computer, making it a tough opponent. Your attitude towards other races is shown using an intuitive color graphics. So you are not going to offer an Alliance with your sworn enemy.

Espionage is also part of the diplomatic system. Using those same graphs, you assign the desired level of intelligence and counterintelligence. In the case of your spies you can assign them as a simple theft of valuable technology and to sabotage or even in the sedition on a global scale... the Player, in one move, lost control of the three planets because of the insurgency on them, is in a very unenviable position.

The combat system is divided into ground and space. To capture the world should send a space fleet. If the orbit of planets are the ships of her race, or she has an orbital defense that will inevitably start up a fight.

The entire field is divided into squares, and the battle takes place in steps. There is some freedom for the tactical ideas, but the key to success is the superiority in terms of technology. Ships have four standard sizes and a multitude of external forms, does not affect the technical specifications. You have to install the engines, the system aiming on-Board tools, weapons, different protective fields and many more exotic accessories. So you may create a unique fleet, no ship is different, but all are equally deadly.

When the orbit of the planet is captured, you are offered a choice of two options. You can either burn the planet with an orbital bombardment, or send in the assault force, hoping to capture part of the population and technology. Control of ground combat is impossible, the outcome of it is decided by summing the characteristics of the races, their weapons and number of soldiers on each side, and you just put before the fact of victory or defeat.

Science in Master of Orion allotted no less and perhaps even more important than diplomacy. As in the management of the planet, you can distribute existing scientific resources in six areas: computers, construction, force fields, planetology, propulsion system and armament. Without technological superiority to win is almost impossible. This is especially pronounced in space battles. One "high-tech" space ship capable of destroying hundreds of "primitive". But how do you get these technologies - research, espionage, exchange, or capture - is entirely a matter of play style.

The interface is very intuitive, and indeed it is visible concern for the player. For example, when developing a new improved planetary atmosphere you will automatically prompt to apply to all your planets. Same menu, not so much, and they try to be as informative as possible.

To complete the game can be in many ways, but animated endings just two. You can destroy all of its rivals and thus become ruler of the entire galaxy. Or, if the game involves more than two races, from time to time elections will be held for the post of Head of the Council, and you can win them victory. The leader of each race has a number of votes proportional to the population of his race and has the right to give it to one of the two major candidates. When one of the candidates gaining more than two-thirds of all the votes, he is automatically elected head of the Council. If the choice fell not upon you, it is always possible to disagree and declare a galactic war...

It's an amazing game, the best representative of the genre, only surpassed by its "child" - Master of Orion 2. My star is always with me...

Enjoy playing Master of Orion online, it can be played on your browser and is free.

Source: Archive.org, Mobygames.com