Game needs better documentation!

from GalCiv2 Forums
The documentation is VERY lacking. I am completely new to this game and it is overwhelming. Did the developers even put this game through UAT? If so, did you use a wide variety of players - from new to old? I doubt it, because I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about gaming (been playing them since my Commadore PET days). It just boggles my mind when companies can just release, what on the surface, appears to be a fantastic game, but has no real documentation on how to play. No tutorial. No information starship design. Oh well, maybe SOMEDAY these guys will wake up and fix this oversight. (:(
6,406 views 15 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please, search the damn forums before posting again.
Link

That's plenty of documentation, that's constantly updated. If you had looked at the forum, you would have found it, as it is stickied at the top.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The game is kinda complicated but nothing overwhelming. A cursory scan of the manual that comes with the game should give you enough of an idea to figure the rest out. If not there is always the databanks on this site. I mean really how much documentation do you want? Play the game and figure it out.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Its complicated for the first two hours, learn as you play. If your still in such a state of confusion after two hours consult the video tutorials, even then if your still boggled consult the manual. If your still dazed after that bitch on the forums without searching for topics that may help, oh youve already got that one covered.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I don't know, Marcathonas...that might have been a little harsh. The least you could do is print out the entire Galactopedia and offer to deliver it as well.

I'm not usually that sarcastic off the bat, but I've been playing computer strategy games since Dos 2.0 when they came on 5.25 disks and my old dried up brain was more than up to the task of figuring out how to play without reading a thing. Granted, there were a few features that took a while to learn (3 games before I knew how to make a non-resource starbase), but I was able to keep from getting stomped (on sub-normal difficulty.....great setting to learn on).

I will say that it might be nice if there was some mention of the Galactipedia in a readme file, or something. A link next to the "manual" button on the launch screen would be really nice. Of course, having already stated that I haven't read any documentation, if the Wiki page IS mentioned somewhere in the new game material, my appologies to Stardock and rasberries to the OP.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There are tutorials in the game which are movie based. And show you how to play. Did you not notice the button on the main menu saying tutorials!!!
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Heh. You haven't seen poor documentation until you've played Dominions 2. Errata as long as your arm, 80% wasted on lists of spells, and and whole aspects of the game are glossed over. THAT is bad documentation. I found GC2 easy to pick up and play.

However, I have begun to notice that I'd like to have tech stats instead of just names on the tech tree. For instance, instead of 'allows hyperdrive' I'd like 'allows hyperdrive spd1 siz11'. Instead of 'allows Bank' I'd like 'allows Bank 2500RU, 30% econ'. Many games I have foolishly upgraded a tech before my industry can handle the build costs, and you can't build less-advanced versions.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ok, I have to respond in defense, of a sort, of this guy. Ok, he missed the tutorial. But I agree that there should be more than 'Oh, go to this site to get more information.' That's an Activision type response, which is why I'll never buy an Activision game again. I may be anal retentive, but I like to know 'Why?' things work, not just learn as you play. I understand that I will not play a perfect game on my first outing, but I still like to make a good showing. I am not someone who has nothing better to do than play the game and figure it out, which very likely puts me in the minority I've learned quite a bit scanning the forums, but only because I like the damned game so much I'll continue playing and learning tricks and tactics both in-game and via the boards, but I do wish that the documentation had been a little beefier.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
drakhan200 & Cuismanse RTFM VTFT (View The Effing Tutorials) and one other Acronym which i won't post.

Everything you need is there if my 58 year old father can learn to play this game having only played FPS before i'm pretty sure intelligent people like yourselves can find the online manual.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Two bad trolls in one thread.

Ouch.

Just in case though, make sure you go through all the tutorials, those are a huge help, then play a few small games with an easy difficulty setting. it took me a few days to get the hang of the game, and im still learning some of the smaller details, but all the info is there for you.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As much as I love this game, I think some of you are ignoring the fact that relative to most strategy games with in-game tutorials (apples and oranges perhaps, but perhaps that's the fault of the devs), GalCiv II has very poor introductory material. The video tutorials do indeed gloss over many important game mechanics, and if someone isn't familiar with TBS game conventions, then the manual and tutorials alone might not provide the information they need to get up to speed as quick as they may like.

However, I do agree that the online material is very extensive, and should be able to answer most, if not all of the average gamer’s questions.

Of course, I'm one of those people that the almighty Frogboy disagrees with concerning game mechanic transparency. I like it complicated, but I also like to know the who, what, where, when, and how of every little detail in the game. That being the case I really wish I could find more info on the guts of this game. Maybe I need to spend a few days looking through the Galactopedia.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I've never watched the video tutorials - I didn't even know they were videos until I read the forums. I never use tutorials, because I can read.

I guess my attitude is one of an experienced gamer, however. All it took was long enough for me to acclimatise, and I had no problems. Someone fresh from Sonic The Hedgehog might have more problems.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Since Com PET days? Wow... you must be old... no wonder you dont understand this game! All us young hoodlums with our loud music and wild partying/ moral degenerate ways. When you were a youngin children showed respect to their elders!

Why, back in your day, you didnt have fancy computers companies, kids had to make their own games, in the snow!

In fact you rember the days when gaming wasnt cool. Back in those days kids got laughed at and couldnt get dates if they mentioned video games. Now us young punks with our "cyber athletes" and "modding". Which reminds you, when you were our age if you didnt like a game, there was no modding, all you could do was vent to your nerd friends and wait for another company to make a better game!

Lousy rock n roll punk kids!
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sorry, I just had a birthday yesterday so I've been getting the old thing alot so I figured I would share the love
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm not usually one to jump out with RTFM but hey the OP sounds like a troll.
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
@ Shalkto - I'd like to say thanks for your insightful response, but since you didn't give one, sorry, I can't. I do wish that people would learn to read the entire post, not just give canned answers. I spoke up because I felt that the initial responses were rather abrupt, and put the statements a little differently. I really do enjoy the game, but people like that are one good argument against multi-player I guess