Expansion pack coming in February

[PLATO]

6:35 AM

Dec 29th, 2003


Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy


Altarian Prophecy

Release Date: February 2004
Price: $19.95 (requires Galactic Civilizations)

The Campaign
In the late 22nd century, humanity came into contact with 5 major alien civilizations. These civilizations were called, the Drengin Empire, the Torian Confederation, the Arcean Empire, the Yor Collective and the Altarian Republic. Of these 5, the Altarians were the most curious to us. Not for their cultural traits or their technology but because they happened to look human. How was this possible?

The "Altarian Prophecy" is a campaign that takes the player on a multi-game journey to solve the mystery alluded to in Galactic Civilizations. In doing so, it introduces two new civilizations: The Dominion of the Korx and the Drath. These two civilizations hold the secret to Altaria's past, but worse, they know the Altarian Prophecy that for tells the destruction of the galaxy that is connected to Altaria's past.

The Features
To create this campaign, Galactic Civilizations had to undergo a great deal of development. Development that also happened to add features to Galactic Civilizations itself that will add a great deal of renewed replay ability long after the campaign is complete.

The Map Editor
In Galactic Civilizations, maps are randomly generated each game. Expert players have made good use of the Ctrl-N keyboard combination to regenerate maps until they get one that suits them. Random maps are a must in any game of this kind for replay ability. But they can also be unsatisfying due to the inherent chance of unbalanced playing fields. This expansion pack introduces both a map editor to create maps and the ability to choose a pre-created map within the game itself. Stardock, who did the maps for the Starcraft add-on Retribution, has considerable experience in creating good strategic maps and that skill will be applied to generate several maps to be included.


Some examples of the Map Editor in use

The map editor allows the placement of not just stars and planets but of ships as well. Players can thus generate maps that start out with each side already having ships on the map. This combined with the Scenario Editor (we'll talk about that next) will allow for games that resemble Bungie's Myth but in space where each side has set units and must make due with just that.

The Scenario Editor
In Galactic Civilizations all games are "free for all". That is, you start the game on your own side and must fend for yourself. All technologies are on the table and the pace of research, influence, and other factors are hard coded into the game...

Not anymore. With the Scenario Editor, players can create their own environment for GalCiv to exist and and load them from within the game. For example, players can start their games with teams of 2 or 3 or 4 or their own custom teams.

Like maps, players will be able to save their scenarios as their own files and share them with others in GalCiv's Metaverse library. For long time strategy game players and scenario creators, the fact that scenarios are NOT tied to the maps is a major advantage.

The scenario editor also supports triggers. Stardock plans to continue to enhance the scenario editor after release with additional triggers. A trigger is a programmable condition that when met launches another condition.

Moreover, the scenario allows players to customize their starting conditions such as money, what technologies are available in the game, what technologies they start out with, and much more.

Galactic Civilizations itself has undergone a massive number of changes in order to make use of all these new setttings.



The Campaign Editor
For players who want to put together a campaign, the Campaign editor allows them to tie scenarios and maps together into a coherent group of missions. Any number of missions can be created in a campaign with each mission starting with a description and its own ending text.

Like scenarios and maps, Stardock is making the campaign editor such that campaigns can be shared with other users. The Metaverse will be enhanced to have the top players of a given campaign listed along with top empires of a given campaign (though at present Stardock only plans to provide Metaverse rankings to sanctioned campaigns whether created by Stardock or players).



Other features
In addition to the hundreds of features added to support the Campaign Editor, The Scenario Editor, The Map editor and the two new civilizations, Stardock is also adding a great deal of new content in other forms:

A host of new technologies, many of which make use of an upcoming new civilization ability called "Logistics".

New ships whose availability is based on your civilization's moral alignment

New events including new complex events (code based) to bring more of the GalCiv back story to light.

New Galactic Wonders

New, cleaner United Planets screen

And dozens of small tweaks and changes to enhance the game play further.

Availability
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy will be released in February 2004. Players may pre-order it today from GalCiv.com (see below). It is $19.95.

There are two pre-order options:

(1) Pre-order it and download it when available

(2) Pre-order it and have it shipped to you on CD (you will also be able to download it as well).


NEW: Expansion Pack (requires GalCiv)
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy
Pre-Order: $19.95 (DL when released)
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy
Pre-Order: $19.95 (CD-ROM version)
Note: Users who have Drengin.net will receive the expansion pack as part of their subscription.

Copyright 1995-2002 Stardock Corporation. All rights reservered.
Site created by Pixtudio and Stardock, designed by Pixtudio





Finally! An editor!

[LDiCesare]

Yes, an editor.
I've got the beta and here are my opinions (mind you it is the first beta drop I'm commenting, so it's definitely not what the pack will look like when finished).
It looks like it's not yet compatible with most machines though (I don't know what version of DirectX or what messes things, but they have time to fix that).
My problem is the 'scripted' events. It doesn't look like they are going to give as many events as what we had in civ2. And the only consequence now planned seems to be victory, which is a bit short.
The teams options also doesn't work well for me as it is now. You can team with partners who won't share their techs with you, and whose alliances aren't binding.

[ravagon]

Re: Expansion pack coming in February

Originally posted by PLATO

Some examples of the Map Editor in use

The map editor allows the placement of not just stars and planets but of ships as well. Players can thus generate maps that start out with each side already having ships on the map. This combined with the Scenario Editor (we'll talk about that next) will allow for games that resemble Bungie's Myth but in space where each side has set units and must make due with just that.

Although being able to place units/planets etc is a necessity really. ( @ Civ3).
Are there going to be any new 'terrain' features?
Nebulae, Spatial rifts/bubbles that are 'Impassable' to all but certain ship classes or unless a race has a certain tech for example?

The Scenario Editor

The scenario editor also supports triggers. Stardock plans to continue to enhance the scenario editor after release with additional triggers. A trigger is a programmable condition that when met launches another condition.

More info needed here. Much much more.
What can you use as triggers and what can you do with them?
If, for example, I happen to kill a Yor starbase (at co-ordinates XY - a trigger) within say 3 squares of the Yor homeworld (a conditional), can I create a few Yor units (3?) at XY+2, X+2Y, and XY-2 of the previously unavailable (and unresearchable) 'Megastarkillerbattleship' class, popup a little bit of text informing a player that a long-lost Yor splinter group has returned to assist their brethren, and enable this ship class (and perhaps another tech or two - all of which will not be traded by the AI under almost any circumstances?) buildable for the Yor race?
Furthermore, if one of these ships happens to be killed then the race shooting it down either gains the ship technology itself, the ability to research it, or some other tech.
What are the options for randomising some of these conditions? Can the destruction of one of the new ships have a 50% chance of enabling/giving the tech?
Could more of the ships have a chance of spawning at either completely random points (if a random map) or at certain fixed points (if scenario is based on a particular map)?
Can triggers create/destroy buildings/planets/suns as well as units?
ie: The lost Yor colony is suddenly 'visible', or 'drops the subspace envelope protecting it from discovery'.

I'm seriously hoping that LdiC's comments above just refer to the beta and that the final product will have scripting capabilities far in advance of civ2.

The Campaign Editor
For players who want to put together a campaign, the Campaign editor allows them to tie scenarios and maps together into a coherent group of missions. Any number of missions can be created in a campaign with each mission starting with a description and its own ending text.

Another
It might be nice though if starting conditions in later missions are affected by the outcome in earlier missions perhaps? Perhaps surviving player units can be added to a reinforcement pool or somesuch?
I can't even begin to imagine how complex this could become though ...

Availability
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy will be released in February 2004. Players may pre-order it today from GalCiv.com (see below). It is $19.95.

There are two pre-order options:

(1) Pre-order it and download it when available

(2) Pre-order it and have it shipped to you on CD (you will also be able to download it as well).

Uh oh. Does this mean it won't be available retail or does this just refer specifically to the 'pre-order' option?

[LDiCesare]

ravagon, you should check www.galciv.com and check there. It won't be availbale at retail as Strategy First doesn't want to publish it alone, so it will have to be downloaded or maybe will be available after a long while.

The available events are right now VERY limited. Worse is the actions you can do as a result of a trigger. I sent a lot of suggestions to the coder who does that, but it seems they are frightened that modders might make the game impossible to win. Considering most scenarios don't use events to provide victory conditions but new units/diplomatic states/money, it's a bit weird. Don't place too much hopes there.

[ravagon]

One problem I could forsee if they went too far in adding more advanced scripting has to do with the AI.
It has obviously been implemented and balanced pretty carefully and highly variable events could, potentially, upset it a bit.
It's a little odd they're concerned about someone making it too hard though, given that everything being implemented would be optional?

[PLATO]

11:34 AM

Jan 10th, 2004


Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy


Altarian Prophecy

Release Date: February 2004
Price: $19.95 (requires Galactic Civilizations)

Introduction
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy is an expansion pack to Stardock's award winning space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations. The expansion pack adds a host of new features, content, and other enhancements to the game to add depth and much greater replayability.

The main features of it are:

2 new alien civilizations: The Korx and the Drath

A full campaign called the Altarian Prophecy

10 built in scenarios

10 custom maps

4 new unique ships that are buildable based on the civilization's ethical alignment (good/evil)

The Map Editor - a new program that allows players to design their own galaxies

The Scenario Editor - a new program that lets players put together very specific game settings including teams, expansion rates, and tons of other specific changes

The Campaign editor - a new program that allows players to build their own campaigns

Metaverse Dimensions - an on-line network in which players can compete for the top positions in each scenario

New technologies that enhanced logistics and other civilization abilities

The Story: The Altarian Prophecy
In the late 22nd century, humanity came into contact with 5 major alien civilizations. These civilizations were called, the Drengin Empire, the Torian Confederation, the Arcean Empire, the Yor Collective and the Altarian Republic. Of these 5, the Altarians were the most curious to us. Not for their cultural traits or their technology but because they happened to look human. How was this possible?

The "Altarian Prophecy" is a campaign that takes the player on a multi-game journey to solve the mystery alluded to in Galactic Civilizations. In doing so, it introduces two new civilizations: The Dominion of the Korx and the Drath. These two civilizations hold the secret to Altaria's past, but worse, they know the Altarian Prophecy that for tells the destruction of the galaxy that is connected to Altaria's past.

The Features
To create this campaign, Galactic Civilizations had to undergo a great deal of development. Development that also happened to add features to Galactic Civilizations itself that will add a great deal of renewed replay ability long after the campaign is complete.

The Map Editor
In Galactic Civilizations, maps are randomly generated each game. Expert players have made good use of the Ctrl-N keyboard combination to regenerate maps until they get one that suits them. Random maps are a must in any game of this kind for replay ability. But they can also be unsatisfying due to the inherent chance of unbalanced playing fields. This expansion pack introduces both a map editor to create maps and the ability to choose a pre-created map within the game itself. Stardock, who did the maps for the Starcraft add-on Retribution, has considerable experience in creating good strategic maps and that skill will be applied to generate several maps to be included.


Some examples of the Map Editor in use

The map editor allows the placement of not just stars and planets but of ships as well. Players can thus generate maps that start out with each side already having ships on the map. This combined with the Scenario Editor (we'll talk about that next) will allow for games that resemble Bungie's Myth but in space where each side has set units and must make due with just that.

The Scenario Editor
In Galactic Civilizations all games are "free for all". That is, you start the game on your own side and must fend for yourself. All technologies are on the table and the pace of research, influence, and other factors are hard coded into the game...

Not anymore. With the Scenario Editor, players can create their own environment for GalCiv to exist and and load them from within the game. For example, players can start their games with teams of 2 or 3 or 4 or their own custom teams.

Like maps, players will be able to save their scenarios as their own files and share them with others in GalCiv's Metaverse library. For long time strategy game players and scenario creators, the fact that scenarios are NOT tied to the maps is a major advantage.

The scenario editor also supports triggers. Stardock plans to continue to enhance the scenario editor after release with additional triggers. A trigger is a programmable condition that when met launches another condition.

Moreover, the scenario allows players to customize their starting conditions such as money, what technologies are available in the game, what technologies they start out with, and much more.

Galactic Civilizations itself has undergone a massive number of changes in order to make use of all these new setttings.



The Campaign Editor
For players who want to put together a campaign, the Campaign editor allows them to tie scenarios and maps together into a coherent group of missions. Any number of missions can be created in a campaign with each mission starting with a description and its own ending text.

Like scenarios and maps, Stardock is making the campaign editor such that campaigns can be shared with other users. The Metaverse will be enhanced to have the top players of a given campaign listed along with top empires of a given campaign (though at present Stardock only plans to provide Metaverse rankings to sanctioned campaigns whether created by Stardock or players).



New Ships
There are 4 new star ships introduced in the new game that have special powers:

Paladin. Available only good good aligned civilizations, the Paladin in a fairly tough capital ship that has the added ability to restore the hit points of friendly ships in the same sector slightly faster.

Wraith. This evil-only ship causes all enemy ships to take a -1 -10% to their defense rating when in the same sector.

Vamp. This ship, only available to evil civilizations, is not terribly tough but in battle absorbs some of its opponent's shield energy and adds it to its own hit point level during battle.

Sovereign. This ship is the answer to the wraith. All friendly ships get +1 +10% to their defense rating when in the same sector.

Ship abilities don't stack but careful use can make a big difference when determining the fate of the galaxy.

The Ten Dimensions
The Metaverse will be enhanced to support 10 new scenarios. Players will be able to play these scenarios any way they wish in an effort to maximize their score (i.e. choose the galaxy size, which players, etc.). These 10 scenarios will put GalCiv players into a serious challenge.

Good vs. Evil. In this scenario all civilizations are teamed based on their moral alignment. Human players must pick a side or fall victim to one or both teams.

Altarian Alliance. The Humans and the Altarians are teamed up against multiple sets of teams for control of the galaxy.

Twilight of Humanity. Things look grim for the humans as it is everyone versus mankind. Can the humans take on all 7 major alien civilizations at once?

Attrition. No technology research in this scenario, players have equal weapons and technology and must duke it out.

Protection. The humans must win over the galaxy while ensuring the survival of the Altarians who are on your team. If they die, you die.

Diplomacy. The humans must survive a hostile galaxy either through winning via traditional means or somehow getting the Arceans to form an alliance.

Dark Earth. Take on the role as leader of an evil Earth united with the Drengin Empire. Ship costs are vastly reduced in this scenario allowing for the ultimate battle as the good races are united to put an end to the humans.

Acceleration. The technology rate, population growth, and speed of ships is greatly increased over normal levels while influence and ship costs are raised in this battle of logistics.

Influence. The power of influence has been greatly increased in this scenario but will it avail you against the alliance of evil powers?

Hyper Technology. Technology is vastly easier to require but the technology victory condition is disabled.

Other features
In addition to the hundreds of features added to support the Campaign Editor, The Scenario Editor, The Map editor and the two new civilizations, Stardock is also adding a great deal of new content in other forms:

A host of new technologies, many of which make use of an upcoming new civilization ability called "Logistics".

New Galactic Wonders

New, cleaner United Planets screen

And dozens of small tweaks and changes to enhance the game play further.

Availability
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy will be released in February 2004. Players may pre-order it today from GalCiv.com (see below). It is $19.95.

There are two pre-order options:

(1) Pre-order it and download it when available

(2) Pre-order it and have it shipped to you on CD (you will also be able to download it as well).


NEW: Expansion Pack (requires GalCiv)
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy
Pre-Order: $19.95 (DL when released)
Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy
Pre-Order: $19.95 (CD-ROM version)
Note: Users who have Drengin.net will receive the expansion pack as part of their subscription.









Copyright 1995-2002 Stardock Corporation. All rights reservered.
Site created by Pixtudio and Stardock, designed by Pixtudio



Some of the same stuff they released in my first post, but some cool new stuff to!