Galactic Civilizations II v1.2 Betas targeting this week...

And the features are...

from GalCiv2 Forums

We're nearly done with Galactic Civilizations II v1.2.  The new version of the game is free for everyone who has purchased the game already.

We are also pleased to report that our sales last week at retail were actually higher than the week before which is likely due to the release of 1.1 and 1.11.  Thank you for supporting the game!

Anyway, the features in v1.2 are:

  1. Modding UI. Players will be able to select distinct UIs. This is the main thing we're still working on -- an example mod that has some meat.
  2. Updated UI. There are a ton of minor but important UI improvements as suggested by players.
  3. New battle system.  Ships fire at the same time in battle.
  4. AI Improvements. Lots of tweaks that we think will make the game more fun, especially for veteran players.
  5. Memory usage/performance improvements. Lots of DirectX-techno stuff that as a non-DirectX guy I can't explain but memory use is noticeably less and performance on lower end systems should be significantly even better thanks to new techniques.

Our goal is to have this out this week in Beta form so people can play it over Memorial Day weekend.

53,643 views 98 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Something was mentioned an update ago or so. Something to the effect of there being a new option to configure the AI to spend more time taking its' turn or running in the background? What ever happened with that? Or am I confused, which happens

Thanks
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It is in v1.11 already. Not much AI uses it currently but it gets enhanced over time.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ah well thats another weekend gone lol , how dare you lot keep me so engrossed in a game . Bring it on i cant wait to get stuck in again . Well done Brad and co .
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please, please let the attacker have some advantage - they normally do, at least during the first exchange, at least.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I remember it being mentioned that the AI only designs ships every year; has that been changed? I know it takes a lot of CPU time to do so maybe making it an option instead? Unless it's already included in the 1.11 update that allows the AI to take more time.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Will 1.11 savegames be compatible with 1.2 beta?
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Do we have to apply to get the beta version..or will it be available for all that want it?
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Will 1.11 savegames be compatible with 1.2 beta?



Well demo games were compatable with the real game so I would think so, i hope...

And Thanks for all of these updates you guys keep pouring out, they really improve this already awesome game!
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You people @ stardock Pown

Thankx for all the hard work, just gets better and better
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
sounds cool, and I wonder if Kryo's mod will be updated to 1.2 by my B-day coming next friday.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
will there be a first strike capability for the attacker?
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
will there be a first strike capability for the attacker?


actually, that could be something important to consider stragetically. I don't know how they could code it so that it gives a first strike if a certain situation happens since its in space, but it would be another bit of strategy added into the game because some units in the Civ series (most notably archer type units) have first strike. However, the coding between Civ4 and Galciv2 is very different and the way combat occurs is different. Its something to consider however.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sound good! Being able to Mod the UI is a welcomed addition to the game IMO.
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Actually, I rather like that idea of making first strike a really hard-to-research tech. I could see it being more interesting still if it only had, say, an 80% chance of working - but then that might lead many people to Save / Load until they get the first strike advantage.

Pity there's not much you can do about that, GC2 isn't the kind of game that can penalise players for rapid save / loads... the only way I could see around that would be to restrict saving to every X many turns - so you have to make a few more strategic moves before you are allowed to try again... but that'd probably just annoy people :/
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
by dthought Monday, May 22, 2006 7:42 PM :

" [...T]he only way I could see around that would be to restrict saving to every X many turns [...]


Well, don't reload if YOU don't want to...but don't make your personal ethical code a totalitarian Order for all players.

Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Frogboy said: It is in v1.11 already. Not much AI uses it currently but it gets enhanced over time.


Is this on all the time and you have to update AI code to utilize this slowly through updates? I was waiting eagerly for this option! Also, I thought this was going to be an option that we would turn on or off to force it to use extra CPU cycles. I would not mind turns taking longer if the AI was... well all the things you said. Larger fleets, better use of ships, upgrading ships quicker (every month or 3 months (4 or 12 turns)).

For example, I got lucky with two 300 % researches. So when I research military, at 100% spending, at 100% research, I get laser I, II, and III, in one turn. So I am far outstripping the AI. I put up a starbase with all three defenses at +5 and +10 and just the beam 7 attack + starbase attack +1. I goto war with the idiot that put up an influence starbase near me. He procedes to THROW his ships (1 or 3 attack, no defense) at my starbase. Like 5 or 6 ships + a couple of fleets. Starbase has lost 1 hp at the end of it.

So, I guess I'd like the AI to just realize that it was not going to win a specific battle and not fight it. Regroup, rearrange, sue for peace, then attack when strong enough. Realize that AI will not be strong enough, ever, and sue for alliance to win that way (if enabled).

Also, on my wish list is: 1) I wish there was a way to force someone to break up their alliance through diplomacy. Once allied, always allied (but for events) it seems the computer is. 2) Giving the computer a warning about being in my territory with their (scout) ships. Remove or we goto war type of diplomacy. 3) (This is already mentioned) Ability to cancel a move order when a pop-up appears from an auto-pilot/auto-explore/auto-survey.

-Thefinkster
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Great, excellent, superb!
You rule, you rock, you are the men (and woman)!

Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You rule, you rock, you are the men (and woman)!


lol we live in a great age were we actually have to say that cari elf ur the best!
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I cannot wait for 1.2.

I strongly recommand the "remove from territory or go to war" type of diplomay.

This feature is really missing.

I

Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Alternately the first strike thing could be a ship component. Call it 'Tactical Computers' or something.

Have it be a five tier research off of Advanced Computing, each level lets you add a module called Tactical Computer I-V (obviously) to the ship. The modules themselves could be (5% x module level) chance for first strike. So four max level modules would guarantee a first strike from that ship. If the opponent has computers you deduct the lesser amount from the smaller which would also add value to having more than four maxed units.

Hell, they could even be applied universally so you could have first strike capable defenders as well.
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Alternately the first strike thing could be a ship component. Call it 'Tactical Computers' or something.


or "Cloaking": it doesn't hide where you are on the map (they can tell that somebody is our there, to within a parsec or so), but it does let you get close enough without them getting a lock on you... enough that you can get a strike in before they can figure out where you are...

make it an offshoot of the Scanners tree, maybe?

on the subject of diplomacy upgrades, i'd be happy if i could just tell the AI players "I know what you are up to..."
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top


#19 by ManOWar2
Monday, May 22, 2006 10:30 PM






I cannot wait for 1.2.

I strongly recommand the "remove from territory or go to war" type of diplomay.

This feature is really missing.

I



I agree. Also the ability to zoom in and out on the tech tree would be a nice added feature.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have one highly annoying problem. I can't see the constructor blue human circle circle on the black background. Please make the constructor circles more visible. Maybe less transparency or add a border on the edge.
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
To all those crying about the removal of first strike I have to wonder if you actually read any of the posts on this forum. First strike was unbalancing because the AI doesn't use it properly, and it makes the game trivial once war starts. Adding it in as part of another tech tree would NOT solve this problem, if anything it would only make it worse because then you'd have it and the ai wouldn't....EVEN IF THEY RESEARCHED IT TOO.

Let me ask you this....out of 100 battles you fight: How many battles do you win because of first strike before this patch vs. how many does the ai win? If your answer is less than 95% I send you my apology, apparently you didn't know how to attack first any more than the ai does, and if that's the case, why would you want it back?
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top


It is in v1.11 already. Not much AI uses it currently but it gets enhanced over time.


Is it an option somewhere as you mentioned a while back? Sorry if I'm missing something, but i looked through the option and setup screens of 1.11 and couldn't see it.