Octopus Overlords

it's almost as if you've played Oxygen Not Included and then this game.

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:03 pm it's almost as if you've played Oxygen Not Included and then this game.

I have played ONI (not recently though). I'm making the comparison because they are on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of needing hand-holding/research, and someone asked about that.

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:05 pm

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:03 pm it's almost as if you've played Oxygen Not Included and then this game.

I have played ONI (not recently though). I'm making the comparison because they are on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of needing hand-holding/research, and someone asked about that.

Yeah, I'm only teasing you because you made the ONI comparison twice. (and the game couldn't be more unlike this one in just about every way - including but not limited to the distinction you pointed out)

I'm just having fun with you and didn't mean it as a jab.

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:10 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:05 pm

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:03 pm it's almost as if you've played Oxygen Not Included and then this game.

I have played ONI (not recently though). I'm making the comparison because they are on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of needing hand-holding/research, and someone asked about that.

Yeah, I'm only teasing you because you made the ONI comparison twice. (and the game couldn't be more unlike this one in just about every way - including but not limited to the distinction you pointed out)

I'm just having fun with you and didn't mean it as a jab.

Oh I didn't take it as a jab at all. And don't mind jabs for that matter, even when intended!

But I disagree completely that the two games couldn't be more unlike. They are both builders, they both have deep R&D and developmental tech trees, and they both have a shit ton of different "systems" to manage, with high degrees of complexity. I'll concede that the settings couldn't be more different, but I'm referring to gameplay here and underlying structure.

Have you played Manor Lords?

Quick update:

15 hours in according to Gamepass, with 27% achievements unlocked (I have no idea what those are, and I almost never am interested in achievements, but thought it might give an idea of "progress").

Still have not felt the need to dive into any deep videos, and still successful, even surviving the raid without having to look anything up about how to prep for it. I have also now made claim to a neighboring region, and started a completely new town which I can now barter with. Trade was possible before this, but I had to pay (dearly!) to set up a trade route, and it was/is very slow, because the trader apparently travels all over the world map. Hopefully the mechanism for bartering between my two towns is quick and easy (just needed to buy a mule and build a small building in both locations).

Still loving it, but I can see where the EA is starting to creep in, which is making me want to let it bake some more before I go TOO much further (although I also can easily see this being quite replayable just given how many options you have).

My first bug, but kind of my fault: I had an existing charcoal kiln at the bottom of the hill where I decided to build my manor (castle in a way). As you can see in the screens below, for some reason I just ignored my kiln location, and set my manor perimeter around it. I can now no longer access that kiln at all, and I do believe it stopped producing as well (even though smoke still comes out of the stacks). Interestingly, the burgage plots that were also inside the manor perimeter are accessible and functioning, so I am assuming it's a bug.

Unfortunately, the poor peasant who also got trapped in this time warp, appears to have been mid-shit when it happened, because his face is frozen in a constant constipated state (my fault, I don't have enough variety of food on offer, sue me!), as well as in the squat position, even with his lord right next to him!! Someone needs to teach these plebs some manners.

Horrible timing for a visit from the lord, as William found himself unable to move from his squatting position of defecating, which he found himself frozen in for the past several weeks.


Here's the bird's eye view. You can see the manor perimeter delineation (dotted line), and the charcoal kiln inside (as well as poor, "Squatting William"). "Manor" in background (it's smaller than some of my level three houses!), garrison tower forward.

Carpet_pissr wrote: Thu Sep 05, 2024 9:53 am

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:10 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:05 pm

Unagi wrote: Wed Sep 04, 2024 2:03 pm it's almost as if you've played Oxygen Not Included and then this game.

I have played ONI (not recently though). I'm making the comparison because they are on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of needing hand-holding/research, and someone asked about that.

Yeah, I'm only teasing you because you made the ONI comparison twice. (and the game couldn't be more unlike this one in just about every way - including but not limited to the distinction you pointed out)

I'm just having fun with you and didn't mean it as a jab.

Oh I didn't take it as a jab at all. And don't mind jabs for that matter, even when intended!

But I disagree completely that the two games couldn't be more unlike. They are both builders, they both have deep R&D and developmental tech trees, and they both have a shit ton of different "systems" to manage, with high degrees of complexity. I'll concede that the settings couldn't be more different, but I'm referring to gameplay here and underlying structure.

Have you played Manor Lords?

Yeah. 24.8 hours, but not since June 12th.
But I take your point.

And perhaps I’m splitting hairs.

For me NOI (308 hrs) had elaborate systems where you needed to actually understand how they implemented thermo and fluid dynamics and keep a small group of duplicates alive and prosper. So that was why I felt the comparison sounded funny. Had you compared it to a Cities Skylines, Frostpunk, Surviving Mars, Tropico, type ‘builder’ without such specific puzzles as NOI, I wouldn’t have blinked. NOI isn’t billed as a builder, it’s a simulation survival game.


Yes, there is overlap in game mechanics like tech trees and layout design choices and ramifications , etc. so. Again. Perhaps I’m just splitting hairs.

But I will say - that I think what you were saying (and the point that I glossed over, and focused on something else) - but what you were saying could have used really almost any game as an example - as the point you were comparing was basically if one needed to watch a lot of things to figure out how to enjoy one's self. Not that the games themselves had anything specific in common (other than one could indeed find youtube tutorial videos for both, of course).

PC Gamer's Best City Builder of 2024 has sold over 2.5 million, but here's the big news: Now it has bridges

Publisher Hooded Horse has announced that Manor Lords has sold over 2.5 million copies, which makes PC Gamer's best city builder of 2024 an undeniable smash hit. Speaking in a recent interview with the BBC, Hooded Horse co-founder Snow Rui says that, even though the publisher realised there was interest in the game's pre-release trailers and marketing, the sheer scale of the game's popularity was a surprise: "It would almost be arrogant not to be taken aback by how successful it turned out to be."

I find it somehow discouraging that PC Gamer's best city builder of 2024 is something in early access . I'm still waiting for full release

Bridges are only in the beta. The release with that, the new maps and all the other cool stuff is not part of the main branch yet. I guess I could update from the beta branch though.

I took a break after playing for about 20 hours as I wanted to wait on more additions. I may give it a whirl with the new maps though.