Galactic Civilisations 2

[screwtype]

Hmmm well you seem to have demolished most of my complaints froggie But thanks for those tips, I will try them out and see how I go with them.

BTW I did try dragging the screen and it didn't work. Maybe there's also an option you can set which allows you to do this. I probably should have fiddled more with the options before I posted, shouldn't I? But I'm afraid that when it comes to new games I'm prone to shoot first and ask questions later.

Oh, and have you noticed the lack of sound effects too? Or is this just a feature of the demo? I find the silence really off-putting. But I can't listen to in-game music, I find it totally distracting.

[Zenicetus]

Oh, and have you noticed the lack of sound effects too? Or is this just a feature of the demo? I find the silence really off-putting. But I can't listen to in-game music, I find it totally distracting.

I don't think the demo is any different from the full game; there's just background music. I don't mind the music, and the lack of constant audio feedback doesn't bother me that much. Games where every click on a unit has audio feedback (Yes Commander!!) can get annoying after I've heard it for the 1000th time, but that's just me. Anyway, it doesn't get any better in the full game.

GalCiv2 basically stands or falls on the strength of the turn-based strategy engine and AI. It's not as polished in audio effects or overall graphics as some other games (although the ship builder makes up for a lot).

[frogbeastegg]

Dragging the screen was on by default for me, so I don't know what has happened there.

I leave the music on; it's decent stuff, except for the angsty and threatening evil music. Those tracks get very wearing and stressful after not even a minute. Sound effects are ... inoffensive. There are not many, but they are all where I would expect them; there's no ambient sound in space. I like the lack of audio feedback on the units; I don't feel it would fit, and I do know it would send me quite derranged with the number of ships and orders I give. It's a quiet game in this regard, but I do not see how it could be otherwise, unless things like engine nosie were added for when the player zooms right in on a ship. At that kind of zoom, however, the game is not practical.

[screwtype]

Dragging the screen was on by default for me, so I don't know what has happened there.

I leave the music on; it's decent stuff, except for the angsty and threatening evil music. Those tracks get very wearing and stressful after not even a minute. Sound effects are ... inoffensive. There are not many, but they are all where I would expect them; there's no ambient sound in space. I like the lack of audio feedback on the units; I don't feel it would fit, and I do know it would send me quite derranged with the number of ships and orders I give. It's a quiet game in this regard, but I do not see how it could be otherwise, unless things like engine nosie were added for when the player zooms right in on a ship. At that kind of zoom, however, the game is not practical.

I just can't listen to in-game music, from any game. It distracts me. In fact, it infuriates me. Either I can listen to music, or I can play a game. I can't do both at once. I was tearing my hair out when I first started playing GalCiv because I couldn't find a way to turn it off!

The game really does need more sfx though. Without the music, there is almost nothing at all. The silence gets quite oppressive after a while.

A game like Imperialism II has it about right. You open the market screen and you hear the momentary murmur of a crowd. Open the transport screen and there's a little sfx of a sailing ship creaking in the waves. Little touches like that which can bring a game to life. It gives the impression of a living, breathing world. Without those little touches, you can end up feeling that rather than playing a game, you're just tweaking a spreadsheet.

[frogbeastegg]

While browsing that confusing mess of an official forum, I found one great little bit on how to get the best challenge out of the AI, according to the one who programmed it.

I suspect the AI plays best at medium sized galaxies with a reasonable amount of planets with 4 or 5 opponents playing.

Apparantly (according to another bit I couldn't find again) the number of planets is very important; more planets = more challenge. But for some reason I don't get this doesn't automatically mean the biggest map sizes are good for the AI.

[doc_bean]

While browsing that confusing mess of an official forum, I found one great little bit on how to get the best challenge out of the AI, according to the one who programmed it.



Apparantly (according to another bit I couldn't find again) the number of planets is very important; more planets = more challenge. But for some reason I don't get this doesn't automatically mean the biggest map sizes are good for the AI.

In my (limited) experience you can easily outperform the AI if you have lots of habitable planets, since this makes colony spamming more profitable.
I think the AI also isn't that focused on the speed of its vessels, making large galaxies better for humans.

[Crandaeolon]

I think the AI also isn't that focused on the speed of its vessels, making large galaxies better for humans.

That, and also range. In my last game (gigantic galaxy, clusters) some of the unoccupied star clusters were simply out of AI reach. I designed long-range ships that were able to bridge the distances, and ended up with a segmented empire. Made for a rather interesting game, actually.

That said, I'm giving up on Galciv2. Maybe it's the civilization-like gameplay, but the game just feels dull. Even though there was a plenty of time over the Easter I ended up playing XCom (yes, the old ) and MoO 2 instead of GC2. Maybe I'll return to GC2 later, one never knows... though Sword of the Stars sounds more like my kind of game. Here's to hoping that it's not a total flop.

[BDC]

I find focusing on trade techs, and giving them to neighbours, benefits you a lot. You get a lot of extra cash for it. Very useful.

[Butcher]

The 1.1 patch/upgrade will be out at the end of the week, featuring improved A.I (which looks very good, check out a few of the play-throughs), improved ship builder etc.

[NodachiSam]

The more I play this game, the more I like it. The more I read about the updates and see their frequency, the more I like. The more I see of the developers, the more I like. The more I play without the usual copy protection, the more I like. The more I play with an AI which does not rely on cheats, the more I like. Really, this whole package is something quite special in today's gaming world. I find myself with a lot of respect for Stardock. A lot. A damned good game and a damned good company and frequent updates which contain so much they truly are updates and not patches.

Anyone reading this thread who does not own a copy should go and buy one right now.
...

You're making it extremely hard to resist


I've been playing the demo for a few days now and it looks very promising. I love designing the ships and I just successfully climbed up the tech tree to get 3 large style ships which is very cool :) Unfortunately it was the last turn of the demo, lol.

How do you guys feel about it now that's its been almost a month? Are you still playing it a lot?

[BDC]

Yes, it's the best turn-based game I've played since Civ2.

First one I've ever managed to master combat in too. It's great.

[frogbeastegg]

Presently I'm playing HOMM5 for a change of scenery and style. I'll be back, possibilty when the final 1.2 is released.

I am liking what Stardock are doing with the updates, very much so. My flawless experience with the game continues, no crashes, no big bugs, no performance issues, nothing. Though I do hear that the present beta build is a little troubled with missing tooltip labels.

The AI run civs have a bit more personality to them now. Which enables me to say I hate the Korx. Really hate. With their nasty grey colour, their nasty background sounds when I call them on the diplo channel, their ugliness, their aggression, their evil alignment, and most especially their rush to colonise planets on my doorstep in every game they are in! Gggrrr.

[GoreBag]

The AI run civs have a bit more personality to them now. Which enables me to say I hate the Korx. Really hate. With their nasty grey colour, their nasty background sounds when I call them on the diplo channel, their ugliness, their aggression, their evil alignment, and most especially their rush to colonise planets on my doorstep in every game they are in! Gggrrr.

I always use the Korx...

[Boohugh]

I have to say, although I was hooked for a couple of games when I first got it, I haven't really played for a while so I can't say it has any long lasting appeal. However that may just down to the fact I've had a general feeling of apathy towards computer games recently and haven't been playing anything much. It's likely I'll come back to it at some point and enjoy it again.

[Martok]

Yes, it's the best turn-based game I've played since Civ2.

Well as I said a while back in a different thread, GalCiv 2 has replaced Medieval Total War as my favorite strategy game--and for me, that's saying a lot! At the moment I'm not playing GC2 that much, but that's because my ancient computer (8 years old now) doesn't meet even the minimum requirements necessary to run the game. I do play it as much as I can when I visit my buddy at his apartment, though.

As it is, I must content myself with playing more MTW for now--not that that's exactly a hardship for me. Once I can afford to replace my computer, though, I'lll be off conquering the galaxy once again!

Oh, and I second Froggy in saying I really hate the Korx; they like to steal nice juicy worlds from under me and colonize planets in my sphere of influence.... Grrr!!

[Keba]

Oh, and I second Froggy in saying I really hate the Korx; they like to steal nice juicy worlds from under me and colonize planets in my sphere of influence.... Grrr!!

Which is why you really should go for the culture/science combination.

Latest game with Terrans, I'm in the middle of the galaxy, surrounded on all sides, and all I have are 4 warships defending Earth itself, and I didn't even have that until recently.

Thing is, my research rating is around 400, economic 700, I control over half the votes in the Galactic Assembly, planets are converting to me constatnly, and I have exceptionally friendly relations with every single major power out there, even though they could take half my worlds from me before I could even get to making a navy to fight them off.

Although, I must admit, I was dissapointed with the Capmaign ... I have four massive dreadnaughts, top-of-the-line tech, and the next mission I start I have to reasearch the stuff all over again ... why can't I just transfer my flagship, the Vanguard, into the next mission?

[GoreBag]

I still say the game is great. My computer is an outdated piece of junk, so sometimes it can be a chore to play (I don't have enough ram, and my Radeon 8500 is nearing the end of its life-span),

Thursday's patch should help fix that.

[GoreBag]

Bump. The big 1-2 is out and ready to use. I'm hooked on the game again.

[BDC]

Anyone know how to access the example mod which came with the newest patch?