Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar 1.5X released

The first update has arrived!

from GalCiv2 Forums

Stardock is pleased to announce that the first of many free updates to the award-winning expansion pack to Galactic Civilizations II has arrived.

Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar gets its AI updated, new play balancing tweaks, memory reduction and more.

In terms of the AI, we read through strategies posted on the forums and took notes as to how the top players were playing the game and then updated the AI to take advantage or thwart some of those strategies to various degrees.  Players should find the game significantly more challenging at higher levels (tough on up).

We reduced the memory use of the game by implementing a "garbage collection" feature in which obsolete ship designs the AI creates are removed from memory. This can reduce memory usage significantly in long games which in turn improves performance.

We also made changes to defense in that they're cheaper and use less space to encourage more usage of defense modules on ships. 

Many other minor tweaks were made based on player feedback.

If you don't already have Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar, you can get it here at GalCiv2.com or at retail in the form of Galactic Civilizations II: Gold Edition which includes (until April) a $10 rebate for people who have Galactic Civilizations II already inside the box.

To update, use Stardock Central which you can get in the downloads area here. This will update both Dark Avatar expansion pack users and users who have purchased the Gold Edition.

We hope you enjoy the updates and look forward to reading your feedback on the forums. Thanks for posting your ideas, suggestions, and requests, we hope we've been able to translate some of your AI and gameplay requests into action in this first update.

The full change log can be read here.

37,184 views 39 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Three words: You Guys Rock

I do have to ask the perennial question, though: How will it affect pre-existing save games? I'm in the midst of a huge map (on the metaverse, no less, my first incidentally). Should I wait to download this until that game is finished?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow! Hopefully we won't lose power (ice storm) so I can play all night!   
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
"We also made changes to defense in that they're cheaper and use less space to encourage more usage of defense modules on ships. "


Great Idea, i never hardly used defense modules because i needed the weapons more, but now... that will make it alot more tempting to put defense on my ships.


A+ to stardock on another fine patch release
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for the update! I'll be starting up a new game later tonight.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I never could get into DL for some reason. Not sure why.

But I haven't been able to stop playing DA, even without a patch. Think I'm really in trouble now.

Thanks to all the Stardock crew, especially the devs. As someone who also works in software development, I know the negative feedback always outweighs the positive.

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks guys Hopefully the darn PQ bug is now rectified
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I do have to ask the perennial question, though: How will it affect pre-existing save games? I'm in the midst of a huge map (on the metaverse, no less, my first incidentally). Should I wait to download this until that game is finished?

They will work fine. I made special effort when I added new AI variables to make sure they wouldn't affect saved games.

Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So where the hell is the file to download like I used to be able to? My computer isn't connected to the internet and I'm using a public system to go online, so installing Stardock is not an option. In vanilla GalCiv2 there used to be a standalone file here that I could download, and then activate the game after through email. But there's no link at all now. I'm feeling a bit ripped off here after having to purchase the original game again just to play the expansion.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Has RaceConfig.xml been modified in any way? I've modified that file for use in my RangeFix mod.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Is the patch going to be available as a separate download? Although Gal Civ 2 Gold seems to install SDC, given my past bad experiences with it from the GalCiv 1 day, I have no desire to ever use it.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Dark Avatar updates will be through Stardock Central.

While I fully confess that Stardock Central was rough when it first came out in 2003, it's come a long way in 4 years.

Stardock Central can download a file and archive it to be moved to a non-Internet based connection.

While there may be stand-alone updates to Dark Avatar, they would likely come when we are near the end of the update cycle since they require substantial more effort.

Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
trance... Considering how long ago that was - and the fact sdcentral has continually improved you might want to give it a try. Honestly, I couldn't imagine not using sdcentral myself.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I do have to ask the perennial question, though: How will it affect pre-existing save games? I'm in the midst of a huge map (on the metaverse, no less, my first incidentally). Should I wait to download this until that game is finished?


They will work fine. I made special effort when I added new AI variables to make sure they wouldn't affect saved games.




Awesome, thanks!
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

They will work fine. I made special effort when I added new AI variables to make sure they wouldn't affect saved games.


Awesome - I'm in the middle of a game as well.

-HM
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Having a blast!
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Is it just me, or is tech trading completely nerfed? I can't seem to trade anything for anything - I usually trade "medium" techs for cash and a few low-level techs. Now I can't get _anything_ for less than 5 or so medium techs. I know they AI is evaluating them - but they don't want trade? Miniturization? Research centers? I can see not paying much for the colonization techs, no worries there. Confused - makes it pretty tough to end a war as well - no value to techs. Maybe a decimal point slipped?

Cheers
Scott
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I do have to ask the perennial question, though: How will it affect pre-existing save games? I'm in the midst of a huge map (on the metaverse, no less, my first incidentally). Should I wait to download this until that game is finished?


They will work fine. I made special effort when I added new AI variables to make sure they wouldn't affect saved games.




I can't say for certain that it's because of the update, but the game keeps crashing with that save game now. I've got a full write-up in the bug reports forum.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
BTW gamespot gave it 9.1. The most I've seen given to any expansion pack.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I updated through StarDock Central - in addition to the DA update there were also an DL update dated February 4. Can't remember the exact version numbers except it went from ...90 to ...94.

Why haven't I seen this before (considering the date) ? Did anyone else get it?

Also it installed the DA update and then the DL update. Could that be a problem (some core file from an older version overwriting a file from the newer version) ?


Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Also it installed the DA update and then the DL update. Could that be a problem (some core file from an older version overwriting a file from the newer version) ?


So long as both are updated, the order shouldn't matter AFAIK.
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

They will work fine. I made special effort when I added new AI variables to make sure they wouldn't affect saved games.




And this is exactly why I love to support Stardock.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Dark Avatar updates will be through Stardock Central.



Stardock Central can download a file and archive it to be moved to a non-Internet based connection.




Since I can't install Stardock Central on this public system, that doesn't do me alot of good. Does anyone have the file that they could email me?

Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well, shoot, I wish I had known SDC was mandatory before I had bought Galciv II Gold. No offense, but it caused some nightmarish problems for me in the GalCiv 1 days, but I had to use it because that's how I bought the expansion pack for it. It me a while to straighten my computer out. I really don't want to have to go through that ever again.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hey Stardock, you should quit referring to these as "Updates" and start saying "Upgrades", because that's what it is.

Every release of the game that you guys push out FEELS like a slightly different game.

While I know this may piss off some users (metaverse addicts) I love it. Keeps me on my toes all the time, keeps the game fresh.

I'm hard pressed to think of any other game company that packs so much NEW things into what you guys consider regular update patches.

Thanks! I'm looking forward to playing my first game with the new AI