Shagnak
Shagadelic
Okay, just bought it and it is preloading.
w00t-tastic!!!
w00t-tastic!!!
-
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Galactic Civilisations II has gone Gold!!
- Thread starter Shagnak
- Start date
Jason
chasing a bee
You still can't play it until Tuesday. Ha Ha!
Jason
chasing a bee
Apolyton just put up the second part of Brad Wardell's "Reinventing Galactic Civilizations". It's basically the history of Stardock and its flowering into the nubile princesss you see today etc.
Astromarine
Erudite
The advantage of preloading is that you get all the tutorial movies on the hard drive. I've watched them all, which gives me quite a good idea on how the game will be. Plus the manual is also readable.
To watch the movies, you need to go to redtools.com and download their Bink tools. The files have a .bik extension. They're somewhere in the GFX directory.
To watch the movies, you need to go to redtools.com and download their Bink tools. The files have a .bik extension. They're somewhere in the GFX directory.
Jason
chasing a bee
Levski 1912
Scholar
Nerd porn? Methinks I had a nerdgasm.
Shagnak
Shagadelic
Well, it' doing the final update so that I can play it, but unfortunately I have to go to work in a minute :evil:
Astromarine
Erudite
Just finished installing. Cover me, I'm going in
Jason
chasing a bee
Don't take any shit from those fag aliens.
Astromarine
Erudite
Oh sweet mother of Chuck Norris on a stick.
Levski 1912
Scholar
Ship creation is like crack cocaine. Scratch that, the whole game is like sweet sweet addiction.
Greatatlantic
Erudite
Details people details. Is it actually good or just addictive? How much micromanaging is involved, how does it play? Is the emphasis on diplomacy or expansion? Etc.
Astromarine
Erudite
I'm currently playing the first level of the campaign. I haven't tried the "sandbox" yet. I'm getting my ass handed to me on a golden platter :D
The game has EXTREMELY little Micromanagement. The planetary improvements work like this: each planet has a number of "slots" equal to it's class. In these slots, at the beginning of the game, you can deploy one of a few basic improvements. Farms, factories, markets, research labs, etc. You can put all the slots in a queue, and they'll be built in order. When you research a new structure (like an advanced factory) the game will automatically put on the queue the upgrade of all existing basic structures. So, if you have 3 slots with factories, as soon as you research advanced factories all three will get their upgrade on the queue. This makes planetary management a breeze.
Ship management is also quite easy. First of all, you can combine ships in "fleets" (which are more than the sum of their parts. Fleets = good). These are limited by your "Logistics" ability, and each size of hull has a different logistics value. So at the start you can make a fleet with 3 "Small" ships, or 5 "Tiny".
Also, "explorer" ships (scouts and survey ships) can be put on "auto-explore" and "auto-survey". This means that at any given point your civ will have a small number of ships scouring the galaxy automatically for planets and anomalies, and a very small number of fleets doing specific tasks, like attacking a planet or defending against an invasion.
As for "ship tech" micro, that's also taken care of. First of all, custom designs are saved so they can be used in future games. Also, ship deigns are divided into "core" and "custom". I advise you to ALWAYS use custom designs, for micro reasons. Why? Because core designs can't be upgraded.
So, what's a custom design upgrade? you can go into the ship design UI, pick a design, open it, change it at will (keeping the same hull) and save it. You will then be prompted to upgrade ALL your existing ships to the new design.
Also, each ship can be upgraded at any time to any other design of the same hull type. So, don't disband your scouts only because the whole galaxy is explored, upgrade them to fighters.
So, that's micromanagement taken care of. Now, is the game fun? Oh, HELL yes.
You're free to really think aout the general "strategy" of your civ, and act on the "macro" level. There's still PLENTY to do, though. Diplomacy is hard, war is much harder, and you're dead if you don't build and upgraded starbases. I was surprised just how much of a difference they make. Trust me, keep your core planets covered by AT LEAST one military and one economic starbase. And if you find a resource that can be mined, kill whoever you have to to get it. It's that important.
Also, you have to be careful with expansion. At the moment, I have two planets fully developed, and I'm ahead in research (though I'm a bit spread around, making the AI better than me in specific areas) However, my economy is a shambles. The problem is that both planets are SO overpopulated that it gives me a -80% penalty to morale. The only way I can keep the rabble from revolting is by having like 5% taxes, so unless I can do something about it, I'm dead in a few years, the AI will simply overwhelm me. I'm focussing on planet quality and morale upgrades ATM, but I have to build at least a few ships (of a new class I just made that uses a "medium" hull, the first in the galaxy) to act as a deterrent to invason. If I don't, it's just a matter of time before the AI discovers "Planetary Invasion" and kills me.
Bottom Line: Why the HELL didn't you buy this game yet, you bunch of retards? :D
The game has EXTREMELY little Micromanagement. The planetary improvements work like this: each planet has a number of "slots" equal to it's class. In these slots, at the beginning of the game, you can deploy one of a few basic improvements. Farms, factories, markets, research labs, etc. You can put all the slots in a queue, and they'll be built in order. When you research a new structure (like an advanced factory) the game will automatically put on the queue the upgrade of all existing basic structures. So, if you have 3 slots with factories, as soon as you research advanced factories all three will get their upgrade on the queue. This makes planetary management a breeze.
Ship management is also quite easy. First of all, you can combine ships in "fleets" (which are more than the sum of their parts. Fleets = good). These are limited by your "Logistics" ability, and each size of hull has a different logistics value. So at the start you can make a fleet with 3 "Small" ships, or 5 "Tiny".
Also, "explorer" ships (scouts and survey ships) can be put on "auto-explore" and "auto-survey". This means that at any given point your civ will have a small number of ships scouring the galaxy automatically for planets and anomalies, and a very small number of fleets doing specific tasks, like attacking a planet or defending against an invasion.
As for "ship tech" micro, that's also taken care of. First of all, custom designs are saved so they can be used in future games. Also, ship deigns are divided into "core" and "custom". I advise you to ALWAYS use custom designs, for micro reasons. Why? Because core designs can't be upgraded.
So, what's a custom design upgrade? you can go into the ship design UI, pick a design, open it, change it at will (keeping the same hull) and save it. You will then be prompted to upgrade ALL your existing ships to the new design.
Also, each ship can be upgraded at any time to any other design of the same hull type. So, don't disband your scouts only because the whole galaxy is explored, upgrade them to fighters.
So, that's micromanagement taken care of. Now, is the game fun? Oh, HELL yes.
You're free to really think aout the general "strategy" of your civ, and act on the "macro" level. There's still PLENTY to do, though. Diplomacy is hard, war is much harder, and you're dead if you don't build and upgraded starbases. I was surprised just how much of a difference they make. Trust me, keep your core planets covered by AT LEAST one military and one economic starbase. And if you find a resource that can be mined, kill whoever you have to to get it. It's that important.Also, you have to be careful with expansion. At the moment, I have two planets fully developed, and I'm ahead in research (though I'm a bit spread around, making the AI better than me in specific areas) However, my economy is a shambles. The problem is that both planets are SO overpopulated that it gives me a -80% penalty to morale. The only way I can keep the rabble from revolting is by having like 5% taxes, so unless I can do something about it, I'm dead in a few years, the AI will simply overwhelm me. I'm focussing on planet quality and morale upgrades ATM, but I have to build at least a few ships (of a new class I just made that uses a "medium" hull, the first in the galaxy) to act as a deterrent to invason. If I don't, it's just a matter of time before the AI discovers "Planetary Invasion" and kills me.
Bottom Line: Why the HELL didn't you buy this game yet, you bunch of retards? :D
Do you just play 1on1 or are there multiple AIs? And if there are, do they act like bitches to each other or just with you? In other word, is the diplomacy part and relations with AI like in the Civilization games? Do you feel like part of a huge world, a huge war involving the whole galaxy or is it more like a duel?
There's a review at PCGameWorld. :aiee:
Astromarine
Erudite
The map I'm playing has 2 AIs, but since it's a campaign it's a special situation: one starts at war with you and won't quit, the other starts on your "team" so it's basically allied from the start.
The AIs are at the moment at each other's throats, which is basically what is keepin me alive. I'm feeding my ally with tech and taking whatever he has that I don't. He sometimes comes to me for trade as well.
In the normal game, alliances will happen naturally. Each race has an "alinment" and historical sympathies to do with the storyline, so the galaxy will *usually* be divided among two alliances. However, this may not happen due to the random way the game is set up. If an AI is in the way of another's only path of expansion... :D
About that population issue that I mentioned in my last post: I've just learned that the Farms are what sets the population limit, so in principle destroying one of the farms I have in my planets should lower the population and therefore ease my morale issues. I'll check it out when I get home.
The AIs are at the moment at each other's throats, which is basically what is keepin me alive. I'm feeding my ally with tech and taking whatever he has that I don't. He sometimes comes to me for trade as well.
In the normal game, alliances will happen naturally. Each race has an "alinment" and historical sympathies to do with the storyline, so the galaxy will *usually* be divided among two alliances. However, this may not happen due to the random way the game is set up. If an AI is in the way of another's only path of expansion... :D
About that population issue that I mentioned in my last post: I've just learned that the Farms are what sets the population limit, so in principle destroying one of the farms I have in my planets should lower the population and therefore ease my morale issues. I'll check it out when I get home.
Shagnak
Shagadelic
Dammit dammit dammit.
Got home from work last night to play it. Got rung up by parents - forgot that I was meant to be putting together a computer for them. Night ruined.
Went to bed afterwards. Now I'm off to work again...
My only first impressions are worthless shallow ones like "geee, pretty good production values". I hope to get stuck into it tonight.
Thanx for review link, Nic.
Got home from work last night to play it. Got rung up by parents - forgot that I was meant to be putting together a computer for them. Night ruined.
Went to bed afterwards. Now I'm off to work again...
My only first impressions are worthless shallow ones like "geee, pretty good production values". I hope to get stuck into it tonight.
Thanx for review link, Nic.
Greatatlantic
Erudite
S4ur0n27 said:
Hey, they made a sitcom out of that very thing and it went for nine seasons, or something like that (Everybody Loves Raymond). I know I can relate.
Back on topic, I'm definitely interested in this game now. I might go out and see if EBgames has a copy this weekend, being the box collector I am a download only copy just isn't an option compared to the real thing. Please, post more impressions when you get the chance.
Astromarine
Erudite
buy direct from stardock. they can mail you a serial number and they send you the CD as well
Levski 1912
Scholar
Anyone else have issues with CTDs? My game will run fine for 100-150 turns, then it crashes at a specific turn. I don't think it's a driver issue, since all my drivers are updated.
Jason
chasing a bee
Is it during ship creation? Stardock knows there's a bug that causes crashes when you make a ship with a certain combination of parts. They're hoping to have a patch this week or the next.
Levski 1912
Scholar
Well, it crashes when I hit the "turn" button, and reloading before the crash and getting to that same turn crashes again.
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