GalCiv II: v1.1 preview

Here's what's in store..

from GalCiv2 Forums

Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords v1.1 is in development.  We've got a lot of new features planned.  The list below is by no means comprehensive. It's just some of the things we're focusing on:

  • The ability to set a given planet as a technology, research, ship building or balanced planet, . NOT like the overall focus. It would literally add a 9% boost to a given type (or 3%, 3%, 3%).
  • Color coded the hammers/etc. based on whether they are bonus or not. Then on mouse over, which by then should be very nice, we can display where these numbers come from.
  • On game setup, have an option to simply set up how many players you want to play against and have it randomly pick who you’re playing with.
  • On game setup, have a checkbox that says "Randomize intelligence". The result would be that the game difficulty would be used to distribute the intelligence points. Example: I could select "Tough" and then have this checkbox selected and it would look at the # of players and the total number of intelligent points it takes to have tough and then distribute it out so that some are smarter than others (up to a 30% difference between intelligences).
  • Lots of tweaks to the context window UIs which we’ll be discussing how best to do it.
  • Fleet Manager screen.
  • An option to show auto pilot ships destinations on map with a very very faint line (dotted preferably if possible) where they are going. Ala the trade routes.
  • When selecting a constructor, have a very very faint circle that shows the area of effect a starbase would have.
  • MAJORLY updated AI (not to make it tougher, to make it smarter at higher levels and dumber -- i.e. poor strategies -- at lower levels)
  • Additional ship extras for more ship options
  • Bug fixes of various kinds
  • Approval Rating > 75% gives you a 5% boost to production. Approval rating < 40% has a -5% affect on production. Players won't be charged for this bonus production.
  • Ability to rotate ship components in the Ship Designer
  • Dynamic logo components - brand your ships with your insignia
  • Enhanced context menus for managing stacked ships and fleets
  • Starbase modules pruned/tweaked
  • Unused Social Spending routed to military spending (or back to treasury if nothing is being used)
  • New ship components
  • UI for selecting MODS/Total Conversions
  • Updated Scoring System
  • No Tech Trading option
  • New maps and scenarios
  • Various tweaks to economics, costs, etc.

Update: Free-form ship component rotation and resizing after being placed added. Very cool in action!

We expect to have this out by the end of the month. It'll be free for all customers of Galactic Civilizations II -- now at a store near you.

115,230 views 223 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please, Please, Please, Fix the Main Window Scroll work when you push the Mouse into the corners of the screen.

Also, please consider making the Arrow Keys so they can be remapped for window movement.

Thank you
CursorFX - Customize your Windows cursor
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
toothless just click and drag its faster.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
These all sound like great changes and updates. Especially those dealing with economic changes (unused social production; bonus for high morale; etc.) Any update that makes ship building easier is also aces in my book. Designing your own ships is a load of fun, and making it easier to do so is gold.

I think we all appreciate how much you (stardock) take into account player feedback when designing your updates (and core software for that matter). And of course, I think we also all really love how you continue to support your games - these updates are awesome and will ensure that folks keep the game on their HDD long past the "flavor of the month."
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Unused Social Spending routed to military spending (or back to treasury if nothing is being used)


Thank you, this is the biggest improvement of all.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hmm wont let me edit my post but all those are nice changes. especially the ship designer stuff...only thing i would ask if it is possible to scroll around the window in ship designer be added.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Must have. Now. Drool.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"Unused Social Spending routed to military spending (or back to treasury if nothing is being used)"

tasty =D cant wait.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Stardock I think I love you. If I wasn't already married I'd be shopping for a ring.

GalCiv2 is the most addicting, wonderful space empire game I've played in nearly forever, and you just keep making it better.

Stop making me stay up until 4am!!!!!
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
These changes/fixes sound great!
Any idea if/when AI might become even more adjustable ? In other words selecting how smart the AI is one place and then setting econ handicap another? Esp. if econ could be set to whole numbers instead of preset numbers.

For example full scripts and 92% econ or most scripts and 110% econ.

That sure would make it easier to adjust play to ones level.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wonderful! another update jam-packed with useful updates
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
only change missing that i would like is to be able to subsituite option to middle mouse, i cant rotate camera as middle mouse dont seem to work with this game (tho does work with almost any other game)
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
cant edit post, server exception 4; so ill just ask in another post.

"Unused Social Spending routed to military spending (or back to treasury if nothing is being used)"
does this mean that globally unused social spending is rerouted to military spending or that it applies only for that planet which has no social production?
also any ideas why my medals arnt showing?
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great stuff!
Looks to me you've done what the MOO3 team managed to botch (I did some beta testing for them).
You deserve all the money ur making, and it sounds like you are earning it churning and burning hard on these fixes.
Good work!
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yes!! Looking really good!

Seems like all the annoying stuff will be handled, thank you SD
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
good patch, but it's not yet enabled NO TECH TRADE OPTION.Please devs hear the cry of people which don't like tech whoring (we are a lot) !!!!
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can't wait for this

Can't remember when I had a game that was update so frequently WITH added content to boot..
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Excellent! I'm particularly interested in the random opponent feature. Knowing who's out there takes away from the fun of exploring and first contact.

I've recently bought the limited edition from a local store. I love the tin - very cool. The game has been well worth the money I've invested so far.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You know, if more companies were as good to its customers as Stardock, there would probably be a lot less piracy and emotion eating in the world.
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please include some options for handling AI tech trading, or redo the algorithms to the AI values its unique techs a lot more?
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Social spending update is a big plus. That will kill lots of complaints. I can see why you would want to make the AI smarter on harder leves, but it doesn't make any sense to make it dumber on lower ones. Now there will just be a huge gap between leves. And the AI doesn't need to be dumber.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As mentioned in #16, there doesn't seem to be any sort of bone thrown to those who consider the tech trading out of control.

What is the offical word/opinion of the Dev's on this?
Is this going to looked at in 1.1X or later?
Is it in 1.1 but just not on the list?

(Seriously, how difficult would it be to have a 'No Technology Trading' option? Does this break the AI or the Diplomacy Screen?)
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How about a new line on each ships option where we can add a captain's name on that particular ship. And maybe an admiral option where we can add an admiral's name on a fleet.

I don't know about everyone else, but i do like to personalize my own ships. Sure, naming the ships is good enough for some, but being able to name a captain for that particular ship would be even better.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Unused Social Spending routed to military spending (or back to treasury if nothing is being used)

I would like the Starbases tech tree to add Starbase Movement (!) so that we can, eventually, very slowly if necessary, move them to more appropriate locations. The offshoot branch could have 4-5 techs to ramp up the speed of movement.

Congrats on this great game and keep up the good work!