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[DarkMatter]

Don't even need to PM anyone, it's included with all the reference material you should have downloaded with the game, if you got it from Abandonia... [/b]

Its not actually with the reference material, its in amoungst the game files of the zip, called: ships_1b.gif
But you are correct all the same.
Regards,
DarkMatter

This is easily my favorite game right now, and likely one of my favorites of all time. I'm SUPER happy there's still an active community at civfanatics.com. I just figured out how to get the sound effects to work, before I could only get MIDI music. Sounds are SO nice . I especially love hearing the ships warp out, when they retreat.

Anyway, as far as favorite races go, I <3 the Meklars, and Bulrathi. Meks are excellent in computer tech, and make great spies. I'd say comperable to the Darloks, when you play for it. Their bonus to production helps them take more of a tech lead than the darlocks, and everyone doesn't hate you. They also don't HAVE to be spies, as they are perfectly capable of getting high production, and out researching almost anyone. This gives you more options on how to approach any given situation. Having high level computers also helps your ships do more damage, when you mount high lvl battle computers on them. The extra expense of the computers is countered by Meklar increased production.

As for the bears, they don't have any need to build missile bases or a fleet for a LONG time. It's very hard for someone to take one of your planets, especially since they are 'good' with construction tech, and weapons tech. This not only gives them great bonuses to ground attacks, but also makes their fleets MUCH more impressive, when it comes time to build one. Higher construction tech means you can fit more weapons on each ship. Higher weapon tech means that you can put better weapons on each ship. The downside is that they are poor at comp tech, which means they won't do as much damage with their ships, unless you can steal a good battle computer, and they make crappy spies, . As long as you take planets with factories intact, you can steal enemy tech that way. Overall, they are a military powerhouse, since they can fight well with ships, and amazingly on the ground.

In the most recent patch version, the 32,000 ship bug was fixed, as were a few crashes. At least according to the raedme for the patch. I've only seen screen shots, and read about it. The most recent 'supported' version is 1.31.

Originally Posted by Aladar

Wasn't sure where to put this, but here goes anyway. I found a way to run MoO under XP If the game window displays an error then closes immediatly, watch it. It SHOULD say something like it needs "at least 1024kb of expanded memory". What you do, is go to Properties, then Memory, and change Expanded(EMS) memory to 1024. This allows it to run under XP And if something else is wrong, then sorry. That's the only error I got, and now I can run it normally.

OK, where to start? One of my all time fav games, but haven't played it in 10 years. A flood took the game disk years ago, but I still have the stuck-together water damaged manual. Anyway, I am ready to SCREAM frustration at the world. I have a Dell, run 'XP'... so EAGER to play for so long, now more than p*ssed off! I also, get that damned 'needs @ least 1024kb of expanded (extended) memory.

I am no cpu guru. Anyway one of you, who can understand the frustration, PLEASE take pity on me, talk/explain how I can get this game to work in XP? The download 'help' printouts are a bit beyond me.
Help? Please? E-mail Removed

[Eagle of Fire]

The answer is extremely simple: use DOSBox. If you are willing to spare one hour of your gaming time, you'll be able to read and understand the helpfile which is bundled with it and you'll know how to make any DOS game work in XP in the future.

If you still don't understand how it works, just ask us in the troubleshooting forum. You can find a link to DOSBox on this site, but you could just as easily find it with your favored search engine. It's very popular.

[Cosmonaut_Roger]

I loved MOO but I just lost the desire to play it after MOO2 came out. It's great, but it seems to me, IIRC, that MOO2 just did everything a bit better. I remember loving the first one, but the second just stole me away from it and I never went back. Are there people out there that still prefer the first to the second?

[DarkMatter]

I have all three Master of Orion originals, and I prefered Moo 1. Second came Moo 2, and more than lastly, Moo 3. Moo 3 was the biggest disappointment of any game. Too complex, and took forever to gain technology. Worst game ever. :vomit:
Regards,
DarkMatter

Originally Posted by Eagle of Fire

The answer is extremely simple: use DOSBox. If you are willing to spare one hour of your gaming time, you'll be able to read and understand the helpfile which is bundled with it and you'll know how to make any DOS game work in XP in the future.

If you still don't understand how it works, just ask us in the troubleshooting forum. You can find a link to DOSBox on this site, but you could just as easily find it with your favored search engine. It's very popular.

Thanks, Eagle, I shall try. I spent about 3-4 hours last night with the instructions printed out and in my hands. I made the files, DOSBox, Downloads, Files, & Cdrive. I then pasted the (apparently) CDrom version (of Orion) from an old MPS file into 'Cdrive', under DOSBox. I then backe dout, opened the DOSBoc autoexec.bat file, per the instructions, even typed the stuff such as:

mount c c:\DOS\CDrive
mount d D:\ -t cdrom
C:
CLS

Anyway, somethings not right, it still kicked off as 'Z' drive. Played around all night till exhaustion. Finally got DOSBox to open under 'C:' , but cannot access the game. When I CAN get the file up (i.e. C:\ORION), when I then type in ORION (again) or even orion.exe.... I get some message like (SOMETHING like) 'cannot find CD.

I loved this game, and also 'Master of Magic' as a kid (older brothers stuff and computer). I have the 'of Magic' CD and hope to also get IT to work. But want to get Orion to work, first. (I have a Dell Dimension CPU (2300?2400? model) with a flat monitor. 'XP' operatinf system. When I try to change memory (i.e. properties) to 1024kb, it still doesn't work (actually tried that before 'finding' it on this site.

At this point, with the above system info (DOSBox, CDrive, Files and Download files generated)... what EXACTLY do I need to type in/for the autoexec.bat file? Obviously, typing it EXACT doesn't work... hope the
'-t' doesn't stand for some code.

Failing that, while I am IN the DOSbox, and screen shows C:\ORION ... how do I get the game to start? My guess at this point (besides me being all hosed up) is that I am not doing SOMETHING RIGHT at the autoexec.bat file.

Sigh.

If I hadn't BELIEVED that I could finally get to play these older games again, I never would have been this FRUSTRATED!
Anyway, I'll try to find the link you speak of, and check it out. Shall check back here, too, later. TIA ~Gary

OK, here's what's up. I was attempting to use the (old) existing game (in DOSBox). Dead wrong. Finally used the DOWNLOAD version, and everything is working great (after some mods to the config's autoexec file.

DUH! on myself.
I figured it'd be something simple, obvious, etc.

Again, Duh! on me...
Lord, how great to re-visit these old masterpieces!

[Avelardo]

Anybody with Darlok-winning strategies? I try playing diplomatically at the start and even then my opponents' initial reaction is negative (they just attack me a little later, rather than right away). Help, please?

[DarkMatter]

I try playing diplomatically at the start and even then my opponents' initial reaction is negative (they just attack me a little later, rather than right away).

That's pretty much par for the course in the game. Even if you were playing the "Humans", who have a natural diplomatic trait, you'll still get attacked without warning.
You always need to prepare for sneak attacks early in the game, regardless how good your relations with a race/s is. Their usual excuse for attacking you is that they need to expand.
Regards,
DarkMatter