Why are you putting GalCiv aside?

[MichaeltheGreat]

I play large and huge galaxies, where for the most part exploration and later interaction are more important.

There's actually a lot of tweaking and changes in the game that result from the galaxy size, star clustering and habitable planet frequency, and from the choice of minor abilities you get to customize the human player.

The changes in AI behavior in the expansion are interesting in a lot of ways. One of my two games I have currently, large universe, lots of habitable planets, punishing difficulty, I found myself in the center of the galaxy, with three minor race neighbors in adjacent sectors.

Not that many planets overall, compared to everyone else, but a good enough start, and the combination of distance and minor races that annoyed the other AI and left me alone allowed me to grow like crazy. I kept the minor races happy by selling them techs so they could get ornery with their neighbors, and I used the money to buy wonders and rush constructors to get all the distant resources in the empty spots of the galaxy. My military power consisted of two found corvettes and three up-junked survey ships while everyone else had battleship tech and frigates out the wazoo.

I had the productive ability, but never built the ships. When the Arceans decided to teach me a lesson, I had Eyes of the Universe, Tri-Strontium, and Gravity Accelerators (got them all very early) and all the speed techs. Between harvesting anomolies and the military resources, my whopping new fleet of half a dozen battle cruisers are dreadnaught strength, with more speed, and nothing close to the production or maintenance costs. Meanwhile, my research keeps going, and everybody but the Arceans loves me and my trade.

Another game under the same conditions is virtually the opposite - but I started with the Drengin close by, and caught them with their pants down and overwhelmed their planets before they got more than the occasional defender.

The feel of the game is totally different from the tiny or small galaxy, scare or average habitable planet frequency setup.

[vee4473]

Originally posted by Asmodean


On the contrary. It delivers everything it offers. I think the problem is that many find it too hard. People want to take on GalCiv the same way they take on most strategy games, but they find that that is just not possible. They need to rethink, and then it is easier to revert back to SMAC, MOO or whatever.

Asmodean

Excellent point. Many seem not to like Galciv because of the need to learn new strategies based on the game's rules.

It took me the longest time to realize the importance of starbases before I stopped getting my ass beat.

Galciv has some micro problems (but I am sure they are handled well with the governers once I truly learn how to use them), but overall it is fun.

[Harry Seldon]

It took me the longest time to realize the importance of starbases before I stopped getting my ass beat.

I learned quickly. I usually only have to lose one starbase to toast my chances at galactic supremecy. It's amazing what a difference a SB can make.

[Egbert]

Umh, I put the game aside thinking I might not play it anymore. For some reason I suddenly felt like giving it another try and enjoyed the game, then I enjoyed a second game of GalCiv. I think I will be playing this game, on and off, for quite a while.

[Chronus]

I played like gang-busters the first few months, took a couple of months off, and then went back to playing it the last couple of months. Like many fun things, you just need to take a break now and then.

The more I play it, the better it gets.

[Dr Strangelove]

I have tried the demo, and I'm now convinced that I will not buy this game. It is hideously unbalanced. You start out with an ability to explore the whole map and make contact with other civs, but you have no ability to trade or fight for a long time. Compared to the speed with which you explore research and construction proceeds at a snail's pace. There are other features which aren't well thought out. When a ship explores new solar syems you can see a picture of the planet, but get no readout of the atmosphere or minerals so you have to guess whether its worth settling. I could go on, but what's the point? It's not worht wasting time on. This game isn't even up to the standards I'd have expected 15 years ago.

[vee4473]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I have tried the demo, and I'm now convinced that I will not buy this game. It is hideously unbalanced. You start out with an ability to explore the whole map and make contact with other civs, but you have no ability to trade or fight for a long time. Compared to the speed with which you explore research and construction proceeds at a snail's pace. There are other features which aren't well thought out. When a ship explores new solar syems you can see a picture of the planet, but get no readout of the atmosphere or minerals so you have to guess whether its worth settling. I could go on, but what's the point? It's not worht wasting time on. This game isn't even up to the standards I'd have expected 15 years ago.

Well, you can only explore the whole map on small maps. On the large maps, you need to research range enhancing techs.

Admittedly, the planet class system is simple, but hardly a game of guessing.

Anything 15 or higher is worth settling. Later in the game, when you research more of the habitat improving techs, then you can settle lower class planets.

kinda harsh criticism that really is kinda baseless. I mean, the 2 things that you point out aren't even correct.

[Egbert]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
I have tried the demo, and I'm now convinced that I will not buy this game. It is hideously unbalanced. You start out with an ability to explore the whole map and make contact with other civs, but you have no ability to trade or fight for a long time. Compared to the speed with which you explore research and construction proceeds at a snail's pace. There are other features which aren't well thought out. When a ship explores new solar syems you can see a picture of the planet, but get no readout of the atmosphere or minerals so you have to guess whether its worth settling. I could go on, but what's the point? It's not worht wasting time on. This game isn't even up to the standards I'd have expected 15 years ago.

I find that trade comes fairly early, at about the time I am ready to build a trade freighter (and after I have built my first colony ships and a few starfighters for defence).

You can start fighting very very early. Just research a few techs to get starfighters and troop transports.

Only the smallest maps can be completely explored without first building more colonies or starbases to extend range. Gigantic maps take ages to explore.

With planets, the bigger the better, no guessing needed.

If you are finding research takes forever you probably need to review how you use your budget sliders. If you start off with say 70% of your income devoted to military and 30% to science you can science at a decent rate and churn out those colony ships. Also consider deficit spending at the start of the game.

Hope this helps.

[Dr Strangelove]

The demo is restricted to a small map. It may be that they shouldn't have put all 6 races on one small map, as it pushes too far forward the time when you begin to encounter other races, and it gives each one too little room to expand. In the past four tries another race has beat me to the nearest habitable solar system, in fact I haven't been able to settle outside my own system because the adjacent systems get grabbed before I get to them.

Demos should be designed to sell the product, not bore the potential customer away.

[vee4473]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
The demo is restricted to a small map. It may be that they shouldn't have put all 6 races on one small map, as it pushes too far forward the time when you begin to encounter other races, and it gives each one too little room to expand. In the past four tries another race has beat me to the nearest habitable solar system, in fact I haven't been able to settle outside my own system because the adjacent systems get grabbed before I get to them.

Demos should be designed to sell the product, not bore the potential customer away.

I have not played the demo, so I can't comment on it, but i apologize for snapping at ya.

Anyway, the initial blitz to colonize is indeed a valid criticism. It does get old fast. Some have compared it to the "settler diarrhea" in civ 3.

But, it sounds like the demo could have done a better job of selling the game.

[Dr Strangelove]

I tried the demo after deleting two of the major races and it played much better. Maybe I'll buy the full game after all.

[uglyduck]

Good man!

Yep - it took me a while before I found that the Major Races could be simply turned off! ...

Does anyone know if this is counted as "cheating" and prevents the finished game being given a score when uploading to Metaverse?

[Kloreep]

Originally posted by uglyduck
Does anyone know if this is counted as "cheating" and prevents the finished game being given a score when uploading to Metaverse?

No, it's not cheating. However, the number of civs and each's intelligence level affects what your difficulty rating is, and deleting races and/or lowering their intelligence means a lower difficulty rating. And while I don't know the exact score formula, low difficulty rating=low score.

[Draginol]

How do people feel about GalCiv 1.12?

[Main_Brain]

Dunno. The Patches dont do exactly do good to my German Version. I get a two-language hybrid that crashes when someone enters the New Event-in-Space's.
No German PAtches availible. bah!