Latest Beta is buggy as all get-out...need to go back to drawing board

from GalCiv2 Forums
You've had a good run, but I think somewhere along the line you forgot to regression test. I just played my first game on the new beta and I found:

1. When selecting "build" in the small planet window, and select a ship, the queue remains empty. You have to go to large planet screen and select build from there to get it to work (later in the game, it started working??)

2. Early in the game I had a balance of 600bc, I was making 134bc a month and the next turn I had -279 with no reason (no starbases, etc being built, didn't buy anything).

3. Enemy AI ships are hiding under my stabases

4. When drengi planet was culturally overthrown, they had a "upgrade" in the queue to replace a starport with a factory. I removed it, but at "small" planet view, it says I have no starport. When I go to planet, it shows the starport, and I can try to select something to build, but it doesn't take (had to remove it altogether & then rebuild it).

5. Terran alliance had one planet left (mars) and was cranking out 5 ships a turn. They were pathetic ships - 1 armor, no weapons. I noticed the same thing with the drengi...they had a lot more planets, but all they were cranking out was these ships with a variety of defense - but no offensive capability??

6. Drengi had mil & econ starbases right on top of each other (well, right next to each other -way too close)

7. What happened to the feature where the the constructors would show you their diameter in a brighter glow before you built a SB?? It seems like it's back to the fairly faint barely can see it anymore.

Overall, the new beta seems like it's WAY TOO EASY to make money. Normally I have to really watch the first few years but in this game, I was raking it in. I've never made so much bc every before. Also, something seems fishy about the research. It seems like it's a lot easier to crank through the tech tree on this new beta.

FWIW - but I think this latest drop needs some serious shake-out guys. Really appreciate the
15,486 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I agree with all the actual bugs the above poster has mentioned with the new beta (Beta 3). I've been able to reproduce them as well.

I would like to clarify bug #1: This only happens when I attempt to redesign a Custom ship. For example, in previous betas, I used a lot of Mass Drivers and Shields...now it seems the AI has adjusted and I have switched to Beams and ECM IIIs... so I decide I'm gonna modify my previous "Dallisian Frigate" design...I make the desired changes and upgrade OR I totally redesign the ship and give it the same name, and replace the previous design (or so I think). All seems to go well, until I try to build it, then as the above poster said, it never appears in the queue if I enter it into the main map or the governor screen, and I have to go to the planet screen itself, and manually add it into the queue. Then when the thing is built a frigate of my old design pops up, even though my new design is graphically represented in the shipyard and "preview" window while building! This is completely reproducable, just upgrade a ship design and/or design a new ship with the same name, and VOILA!

Though, I would like to say that I love the way you've reworked the tech tree. I thought it was much more balanced this time around with the adjustments you guys did...also money does seem a lot easier to come by...but I'm not complaining about that--the AI seems to take advantage of it too, and my games have been much more intense as a result.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Something I've noticed in the beta is that it will say that I'm making negative money, but I lookt as the actual total being made and it's posotive. Then the next turn it's back to green. Kinda annoying to see.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
6. Drengi had mil & econ starbases right on top of each other (well, right next to each other -way too close)


actualy, this now a part of the game. the new limit is 4 per sector, not 3 parsecs away, like it was before. apparently th AI handles it better.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

1. When selecting "build" in the small planet window, and select a ship, the queue remains empty. You have to go to large planet screen and select build from there to get it to work (later in the game, it started working??)

2. Early in the game I had a balance of 600bc, I was making 134bc a month and the next turn I had -279 with no reason (no starbases, etc being built, didn't buy anything).

3. Enemy AI ships are hiding under my stabases

4. When drengi planet was culturally overthrown, they had a "upgrade" in the queue to replace a starport with a factory. I removed it, but at "small" planet view, it says I have no starport. When I go to planet, it shows the starport, and I can try to select something to build, but it doesn't take (had to remove it altogether & then rebuild it).

5. Terran alliance had one planet left (mars) and was cranking out 5 ships a turn. They were pathetic ships - 1 armor, no weapons. I noticed the same thing with the drengi...they had a lot more planets, but all they were cranking out was these ships with a variety of defense - but no offensive capability??

6. Drengi had mil & econ starbases right on top of each other (well, right next to each other -way too close)

7. What happened to the feature where the the constructors would show you their diameter in a brighter glow before you built a SB?? It seems like it's back to the fairly faint barely can see it anymore.

One general note: Virtually everything you mentioned isn't due to anything in beta 3.

1. I have not seen this.

2. I have no idea what would cause that. That hasn't happened to me and I've been playing pretty non-stop. There's nothing in beta 3 that would hvae changed that.

3. Same as above.

4. Same as above.

5. They were apparently using those as defenders. What were the crummy ships called?

6. That's not a bug. You can put starbases next to each other.

7. It's still in there, but it is fainter. I can put in a request to make is slightly brighter. I felt it was too bright before.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just like to add, i have played every version released, had no major problems, game has run fine. I had maybe one CTD with the first beta, but since then no probs at all. Fantastic game, Great support. You guys at Stardock, Keep up the great work
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It's still in there, but it is fainter. I can put in a request to make is slightly brighter. I felt it was too bright before.


Would be great if you could make the constructor radius as bright as the starbase was in beta 2 or perhaps add an adjustable option so people can choose.

Certain stars are invisible in beta 3 def seen someone else post this hope its fixed in the next patch.

Lenius.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hey this beta is way better. No crashs for me at all. The AI seems much stronger, actually lost a game on painfull.....

Only bad thing has been multiple starports bug by the AI.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My game is still broken. No text. Multiple reports, spoke in person to tech, still nothing..... I sit and wait patiently, I hate seeing all the fun everyone else is having.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just like to add, i have played every version released, had no major problems, game has run fine. I had maybe one CTD with the first beta, but since then no probs at all. Fantastic game, Great support. You guys at Stardock, Keep up the great work


Ditto
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Frogboy - when you say you haven't seen it, what can I do to help you out? Eg, if I see it, should I immediately save the game and send it to you? Typically I think that the result is hard to debug when you are seeing the result and not the turn preceding it.

I just keep a notepad next to me while playing & these are the things that I saw. The strangest by far was the AI ship being right under my SB...so if I select the starbase, both the starbase & the ship show up. The only reason I noticed this is because I was trying to upgrade the SB and I noted that I wasn't asked to upgrade and the constructor sat off to the side of the SB.

FYI - This was a really weird game in that I literally had a very little army, but was so culturally powerful, my borders just kept on growing & growing. I got the message that "if things don't change, victory will be in 10 turns" and it was about 8 turns or so into this after the message that I get a message that Alan Bradley was assasinated and someone overthrew him and he declared war against me. I probably wouldn't have even noted the enemy ship designs, the ship under the SB, or the Terran cranking out 5 ships a turn on pitiful mars if he had never declared war. I would have left it at a cultural victory and that would have been it.

As for the worthless defense ships (looked at autosave's to get these), here they are:

Terran
-> MO-1 (no defense, no offense at all)
-> M2-7 (single armor, no offense)
-> M3-1 (single armor, no offense)

Drengi
-> M2-7 (1 shield, 2 armor, no offense)
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
Frogboy - when you say you haven't seen it, what can I do to help you out? Eg, if I see it, should I immediately save the game and send it to you? Typically I think that the result is hard to debug when you are seeing the result and not the turn preceding it.

Well, even if it is only the result, it is better than nothing And it will show what you have experienced
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
#5. Isn't it pointless to have armor on a ship with no weapons. Seems a waste of money.