Info about Planetary Annihilation: TITANS:

Official game description:
Kickstarter Backers From September 2012
=======================================
Founding Kickstarter backers from September 2012 were gifted TITANS for free.  
All other owners of classic PA can upgrade to TITANS at a permanent discount of 90% off.  
About the Game
==============
RTS JUST GOT BIGGER  
TITANS is the huge stand-alone expansion to the already massive-scale RTS Planetary Annihilation, which includes the base game and adds tons of new features:  
Devastate your enemies with 5 massive TITAN-class super units like the earth-shaking Atlas bot and lightning-wielding Zeus airship! Expand your strategic arsenal with 19 new units such as versatile Hover Tanks, indomitable Orbital Battleships, and voracious Nanobot Swarms!  
Elevate your game with new planets that feature multi-level terrain available in both single and multiplayer. Get up to speed faster with a new, streamlined tutorial experience, then take your game to the next level with the new Bounty Mode option for AI skirmish and multiplayer,
Including everything you loved about Planetary Annihilation:
------------------------------------------------------------
*   **Epic Scale** - Command armies with numbers in the thousands across multiple planets on land, sea, air, and even in orbit.  
*   **Epic Multiplayer** - Play with up to ten friends (or enemies) in massive free-for-all and team-based matches. Or, compete in the 1v1 ranked ladder.  
*   **Epic Single-Player** - Galactic War is a twist on traditional real-time strategy campaigns that has players battling across a dynamic galaxy filled with procedurally-generated content.  
*   **Smash Planets** - End games by destroying entire planets with giant lasers, asteroid collisions, and the new planet-splitting Ragnarok Titan!  
*   **Advanced Command And Control** - Automate your armies with intuitive controls and features, allowing you to create and manage massive armies and production lines with ease across multiple fronts on multiple planets at once!  
*   **Instant Replays** - View in-match recordings in real-time while matches are in progress. See when a battle turned by rewinding the game to any point, and use Play From Here to turn it back in your favor.  
*   **In-Game Mods** - Modding support included directly in-game via Community Mods on the main menu:  
*   **Local Server** - Host LAN games with up to 32 players using the included DRM free local server:  
    \*Must meet **Minimum System Requirements** for offline play

Release date: Aug 18, 2015

Categories: RTS, Real-time Strategy, Multiplayer, Single-player, Mod Support, Large-Scale Combat, Destruction Mechanics, Strategy

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The user reviews highlight significant concerns regarding the monetization practices of the game, particularly focusing on the perception of Day-1 DLC and aggressive monetization strategies. Users feel that essential content is being withheld from the base game and sold separately as DLC, which is seen as a cash grab. Additionally, there is a strong sentiment that the DLC/expansions are overpriced and do not offer good value for money. These practices have led to a negative user experience and a sense of frustration among players.
- Proton/Linux: score 90; verdict: Broken / Unsupported; summary: The game exhibits significant issues with launch reliability and native Linux port quality. Multiple users report that the game does not work on Linux, either natively or via Proton. There are also mixed reports about Proton compatibility, with some users experiencing issues after the latest update. Overall, the Linux compatibility experience for this game is poor, with many users unable to get the game to run at all.
- Steam Deck: score 90; verdict: Broken; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with the game's compatibility on Linux, despite its supposed support. Users report that the game does not work on various Linux distributions, both natively and via Proton. Additionally, there is frustration with the always-online requirement, particularly for single-player modes. Recent updates have also introduced stability issues, making the game unplayable with Proton. These issues collectively indicate a poor user experience on Linux platforms.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game worth purchasing when it is on sale, with specific mentions of prices around $5, $13, $15, and $30. The recurring theme is that the game is considered a good value at discounted prices, typically below $30. This indicates that the fair base-game price range, as perceived by the community, is between $5 and $30.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 140.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided gives a range of playtime metrics. The first quote indicates a very high total playtime, suggesting a deep and long-term engagement with the game, which supports a high value for game completion time. The second quote mentions 140 hours, which further supports the idea that the game can be played extensively, indicating a high playtime for game completion. The third quote suggests that individual sessions or matches can be relatively short, often decided in the first minutes and usually not lasting longer than 30 minutes. This supports a shorter session length. The fourth quote implies that the player has spent a significant amount of time and money on the game, indicating a high total playtime.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and underwhelming single-player experience but becomes significantly more enjoyable in multiplayer, especially with friends.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Multiplayer with friends
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Steep learning curve; Poor tutorial; Tedious micromanagement; Confusing gameplay; Underwhelming single-player campaign
  - Unlock drivers: Playing with friends; Multiplayer experience
  - Conditions: Multiplayer; Playing with friends; Customizable worlds; Modding support
- Player Archetypes:
  - Competitive Social Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Competitive play and social interaction
    - Playstyle: Strategic and competitive, enjoys playing with friends and climbing the ranked ladder.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: RTS fan; competitive player
    - Reference games: Total Annihilation; Supreme Commander
  - Newcomer Community Explorer (sale)
    - Motivation: Learning and community engagement
    - Playstyle: Exploratory and social, enjoys community content and multiplayer.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: new player; community contributor
    - Reference games: Supreme Commander
  - Nostalgic RTS Enthusiast (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and genre appreciation
    - Playstyle: Reflective and critical, enjoys the game for its nostalgic value and explosive moments.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: RTS veteran; fan of classic games
    - Reference games: Total Annihilation; Supreme Commander


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Highly praised RTS gameplay (weight 0.59): Players consistently describe the game as a great and fun real-time strategy (RTS) experience. It is noted for its solid and entertaining gameplay, good graphics, and sound design.
- Unique and enjoyable mechanics (weight 0.39): The game offers unique gameplay mechanics, such as spherical maps and the ability to destroy entire planets. These features add a distinct and enjoyable experience.
- Fun and engaging gameplay (weight 0.39): Many players find the game extremely fun and enjoyable, whether playing alone or with friends. The chaotic and intuitive gameplay adds to the overall enjoyment.
- Large-scale battles (weight 0.26): The game features massive, large-scale battles across multiple planets, which is a standout feature for many players. These battles are described as impressive and spectacular.
- Variety of units and strategies (weight 0.22): Players appreciate the wide variety of units and strategies available in the game. This includes diverse unit types with different pros and cons, adding depth to the gameplay.
- No unit cap (weight 0.19): The absence of a unit cap allows players to create massive armies, which is a unique and appreciated feature in the game.
- Potential and improvements (weight 0.16): Players see a lot of potential in the game and its concept. There are also mentions of regular updates and active development, which contribute to the game's ongoing improvement.
- Multiplayer and community support (weight 0.16): The game has good integration with multiplayer features, including a map and campaign editor, and chat. It also has an active modding community, which enhances its replayability and longevity.
- Challenging and complex (weight 0.12): The game is noted for its challenging and complex gameplay, which adds to its appeal for players looking for a more demanding RTS experience.
- Worth the price (weight 0.09): Many players feel that the game is worth the price, especially when purchased on sale or at a discount.
- Language support (weight 0.08): The game offers official Chinese language support, which is appreciated by players who prefer or require this language option.
- Special discounts for previous owners (weight 0.07): There are special discounts available for owners of previous games in the series, which is a nice incentive for loyal players.

Common complaints:
- Frequent crashes and errors (weight 0.3): The game experiences constant crashes and errors, which significantly disrupt the gameplay experience.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.24): Players report poor optimization, leading to performance issues and lower graphics quality.
- Minor bugs present (weight 0.19): There are several minor bugs that, while not game-breaking, can be annoying and detract from the overall experience.
- Multiplayer issues (weight 0.19): Multiplayer functionality is reported as not working or being unplayable, which is a significant issue for those looking to play with friends.
- Poor AI behavior (weight 0.16): The AI is criticized for being unintelligent and not very threatening, which affects the game's challenge and enjoyment.
- Underwhelming campaign (weight 0.12): The single-player campaign is criticized for being monotonous, underwhelming, and repetitive.
- Confusing and difficult gameplay (weight 0.12): Players find the gameplay confusing and difficult, with flaws in controls and overall mechanics.
- Lack of lore and story (weight 0.09): The game is noted for its lack of lore and story, which may disappoint players looking for a rich narrative experience.
- Excessive micromanagement (weight 0.09): Players report that the game involves tedious and excessive micromanagement, which can be frustrating.
- Unit pathfinding issues (weight 0.09): There are issues with unit pathfinding, leading to glitchy and poor movement of units.
- Small planet sizes (weight 0.09): Some players feel that the planets in the game are too small, which limits the gameplay experience.
- Poor Chinese localization (weight 0.08): The Chinese localization is reported to be poor and incomplete, with many typos.

Gameplay feedback:
- Multiplanetary RTS battles (weight 0.38): The game focuses on real-time strategy with a strong emphasis on planetary battles and multiplanetary conquest. Players engage in battles across various planets within small solar systems.
- Multiplayer and single-player modes (weight 0.35): The game includes both multiplayer and single-player modes, providing options for solo campaigns, classic mode, and playing with friends.
- Diverse unit types (weight 0.28): The game offers a wide variety of units, including ground, air, naval, orbital, and titans. This diversity allows for various tactics and strategies.
- Japanese language feedback (weight 0.21): Some feedback is in Japanese, indicating a diverse player base and unique gameplay experiences shared by Japanese players.
- Titans as powerful units (weight 0.18): Titans are significant super-units in the game, possessing substantial power and influence on the battlefield.
- Planet destruction mechanics (weight 0.14): The game includes mechanics for planet destruction, such as planet collision and launching planets as projectiles.
- Modding support (weight 0.09): The game supports modding, allowing players to create and use mods easily.
- Resource management (weight 0.09): Players manage two types of resources: energy and alloys (or power and construction materials), simplifying the resource system.
- Death Star feature (weight 0.08): Players can build and activate a Death Star, adding a unique and powerful element to the gameplay.

Performance notes:
- Game freezing and crashing (weight 0.32): The game frequently freezes on launch and during gameplay. Players report that the game often crashes, making it difficult to play for extended periods.
- General performance issues (weight 0.2): Players report various performance issues, including slowdowns and poor overall performance. These issues affect the gameplay experience negatively.
- Server and network issues (weight 0.14): Players experience server instability and network problems, leading to increased ping and connectivity issues.
- Slow loading times (weight 0.13): The game has slow loading times and often hangs on the loading screen. This can be frustrating for players trying to start or continue their games.
- Optimization needed (weight 0.12): The game requires better optimization to run smoothly on various hardware configurations. Players have noted that the game is not well-optimized.
- UI issues (weight 0.12): The user interface is reported to be glitchy and unresponsive. Players have noted that the UI will freeze while the game continues to run in the background.
- Hardware compatibility issues (weight 0.12): There are various hardware compatibility issues, particularly with Intel Arc and Proton on Linux. The game may not run well on certain hardware configurations.
- High system requirements (weight 0.11): The game has high system requirements, needing a good PC with at least 8GB of RAM to run smoothly. This can be a barrier for players with older or less powerful hardware.
- Minor bugs and glitches (weight 0.11): Players have reported various minor bugs and glitches, including texture glitches and silly bugs that do not significantly impact gameplay but are noticeable.
- Late-game performance issues (weight 0.1): Performance issues become more pronounced in the late game, with slowdowns and lag affecting the gameplay experience.
- Game update issues (weight 0.06): Some players have reported issues with game updates preventing them from playing. This can be frustrating for players eager to play the latest version of the game.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for strategy and RTS fans (weight 0.3): The game is highly recommended for fans of strategy games, RTS veterans, and those who enjoy large-scale battles and planetary destruction.
- Unique features and gameplay (weight 0.17): The game is praised for its unique features, including spherical maps, strategic zoom, and Titan units.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.15): Many reviewers suggest waiting for a sale or purchasing the game if it is already discounted.
- Positive recommendations (weight 0.12): Several reviewers provide clear recommendations for the game, highlighting its entertainment value and unique mechanics.
- Consider Supreme Commander (weight 0.09): Some reviewers recommend playing Supreme Commander instead of this game.
- Advice for specific groups (weight 0.08): The game is recommended for new users and those who did not trust early access, but some suggest steering clear for KS and EA backers.
- Multiplayer and customization (weight 0.06): Reviewers appreciate the inclusion of a 2v2 ranked mode and more complex, customizable upgrade paths for units.
- Mod recommendations (weight 0.06): Reviewers suggest trying specific mods like the Queller AI and a Chinese localization mod.
- Specific audience recommendations (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for specific audiences such as children for brain exercise and robot lovers.
- Try for large battles (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for those interested in large battles with minimal resource gathering.
- Not for everyone (weight 0.04): The game may not be suitable for those with performance issues or those who prefer short matches.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are primarily frustrated due to technical issues such as game crashes, bugs, and performance problems. Additional causes include difficulties with multiplayer setup, poor AI behavior, and issues with game mechanics like pathfinding and camera controls.
- Excitement (weight 0.22): Players are excited about the game's unique and large-scale gameplay mechanics, including intense battles and strategic depth. The ability to play with friends and the variety of game modes also contribute to this excitement.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Disappointment stems from the game's technical issues, such as crashes and bugs, as well as the feeling that the game is incomplete or abandoned. Players also express dissatisfaction with the lack of features, poor AI, and multiplayer issues.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Enjoyment is derived from the game's fun and engaging gameplay, including its unique mechanics and strategic depth. Players appreciate the variety of units and the ability to play with friends.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Satisfaction comes from the enjoyable gameplay experience, including the ability to destroy entire planets and the game's performance on old hardware. Players also appreciate the wide choice of troops and mod support.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is primarily caused by the game's technical issues, such as not working on Linux and poor optimization. Players also express anger over perceived unfair mechanics and the company's pricing and content policies.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the game's unique gameplay mechanics and the ability to play with friends. Players also enjoy the chaotic and fun gameplay, as well as the ability to create many large units.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the game being a spiritual successor to Supreme Commander and the fun, large scale of the game. The innovative gameplay and simple controls also contribute to this excitement.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is felt by players who have played the game for many years and wish for it to be revived. Players reminisce about the original game and its classic RTS gameplay.
- Nostalgic (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic comparing the game to classic RTS games like Total Annihilation. The historical context and similarities to older games evoke this emotion.
- Enthusiastic (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's unique and engaging gameplay mechanics. Players enjoy the game and recommend it to others, appreciating its features and strategic depth.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the base game and the availability of mods. Players feel the game is worth the price, especially at a discount, and enjoy the fast-paced gameplay and variety of units.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's strategy and community support. Players enjoy describing various gameplay scenarios and features, appreciating the game's depth and complexity.
- Mixed (weight 0.01): Players have mixed feelings due to a combination of enjoyable gameplay and specific issues. While they appreciate certain aspects of the game, they also encounter problems that affect their overall experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation comes from the game's complexity and depth, as well as its status as a classic strategy title. Players value the game's intricate mechanics and strategic gameplay.
- Grateful (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed for the community's support and coaching. Players appreciate the game's companionship and the help they receive from the community.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Hopefulness is driven by the game's potential for improvement and future updates. Players are optimistic about the game's future and the possibility of increased player base and enhancements.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment arises from the feeling that the game did not receive the attention and follow-up it deserved. Players feel the game has good ideas but is not well-developed, leading to dissatisfaction.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Frustration is caused by server issues, lack of multiplayer experience, and performance issues. Players are also frustrated with the game's constant crashing and bugs, as well as negative reviews and perceptions of the developers.
- Discomfort (weight 0): Discomfort is caused by a nauseating experience while building on a planet. This specific issue leads to a negative physical reaction and discomfort for the player.}