Closed/Open Boarders like in the Sid Meier's Civilization games

I doubt anyone outside of Stardock could make a mod like that since it would involve changing the AI and actually adding that option to the game. It's been asked about before and would be interesting, but the xml files wouldn't support a change of that scale.

I've been wishing for an open/closed borders option also  

The developers actually thought about that, but because of the different methods of harvesting resources they couldn't do it without it being a real wierd issue. In fact open/closed borders would gut a lot of spice from this game. See in civilizations the resources you harvest become part of your cities. In gc2 the resources are just basically everywhere, and you race to get them in the beginning of the game. If they are within range. Now a players space grows exponentially in the beginning depending on approval. If you own resources on a friendly civ's turf, and you close borders with them then you go to war with them. This would make for a lot more war, and a lot less diplomacy. You could only harvest stuff close to you. Let alone you couldn't have trade routes, and you couldn't you explore. You would have to gouge out the intricate influence engine they created for the AI in this game. There are a lot, and I mean a lot of good reasons to not have that. Just so you know though. Some of the CIV's get really really angry if you explore their territory, and take resources near them. If it's still a real big issue with you though... Post a request for it in the 2nd expansion pack thats coming out later this year.

An option for sid meyers CIV like borders is one of the best things that could happen to to GALCIV. I have played HUNDREDS of hours worth of the various Sid Meyers games and find them to be THE model for Stardock to emulate. When I played my 1st GALCIV game, I was actually quite shocked that the AI was crossing MY "borders". Of course you could have trade routes, its just a simple matter to make freighters "immune" to borders. Of course an otpion could be programmed in the diplomacy screen to demand tribute from frieghters in your territory at the expense of a notch of friendly relations. Mining starbases that were yours before someone's borders "closed in aound you" would be immune to the borders. Building a base inside someone's established borders should bring demands for tribute, the removal of the base, or start a war. Of course you could "explore" its called trading maps just like Sid Meyers Civilization lets its player do. The best thing Stardock could ever do is to poach (um,,, I mean "subcontract"  .....) some of Sid Meyers programmers.

Yea it cuts down on diplomacy and various options considerably, but an option other than "destroy the wave of colony ships and start a war" would be really nice

In this case I agree, I would love real borders in the sequel, but the Civ games are overrated IMO. I've played since the original on my Amiga, and then got the AGA version so the ocean would have cycling colours to make it look animated, lol. They were great fun back then.

Civ 2 came along, and it was great fun to be able to make maps and scenarios. Civ 3 came next and took a great step by adding strategic resources. Then Civ 4 came along, and the dumb combat system made it really boring. I've played GC2 at least 10 times longer than I played Civ 4, and will continue to play.

I don't think Open/Closed Borders really works in Space. The point with the CIV games is you have a limited land border that you can monitor and police with Border guards - whereas that's impractical in space because it's too big (and also possibly because of the nature of faster than light travel - ie. if it's jump based you're not going to stop at a border).

So, in Space whether your borders are violated or not should really be a function of Power- if you're strong either deter or destroy them with force, and if you're weak then you really wouldn't be able to do much about it.

The best way to simulate this would be to use the Border mechanism from Alpha Centauri (and, IIRC, Earlier CIV's) - that is, keep them open, but provide an option in diplomacy for

"You have violated our territory, Leave at once!"

Whether the AI agrees depends on diplomatic relations, power relations, its strategy and its objectives. If AI's wish to court your favour or avoid having their asses kicked they should avoid your territory (although perhaps not until after you've warned somebody off - so they know you actually mind, since some cultures may not) and clear out if asked when they are in your territory. If they don't care what you think because they're stronger than you or they want war with you then they should refuse. If they refuse you get "This means War!" choice.

I have to agree with Federator on this one. I have seen many posts regarding Borders and the general feeling is, it would be nice but just not practical. There are many good ideas within these forums dealing with borders and how Stardock could make them practical. I believe if done correctly it would make the game more interesting, and more difficult. How to represent this correctly however is anyone's best guess.

Ask Brad, but I do think it would be tough to program in.



There is a lot more to this game then war. You can set up tons more scenarios then Civ4. That game is too buggy. They don't take suggestions, and implement them. In fact I haven't EVER seen a programmer from Firaxis respond to any support issues. Civ4 is very much grow your own Chia Civ, and kill as many countries in the beggining as you can. You don't the protracted warfare later. Not too mention you need 2 gigs of Ram and 256 mgs of Vram in order run huge maps. I've found the AI in this game SOOOO much more in depth then any Civ game, including GC2 AI diplomacy. These AI's are political sharks. Besides no one has a right to put borders on space   

The reason I started playing GC2 is because I never once saw Firaxis address any issues.

Mat I have to agree with u---I've never seen a devoloper take a game and make it their baby like stardock has---take a look at any other game---one or two patches or updates and thats that---this game is always being worked on---can't wait to see what they come up with next  

Blizzard is pretty good about updating their games. New updates were comeing out for WCIII: TFT for several years after its release. But besides Stardock and Blizzard there aren't any others (that I can think of) that do this.

I also like Federator's idea. I like the way it works now, but being able to yell at them(the AI), like they can to us!, would be pretty awesome.

Tru dat

I'd love a "go away" option. IT'd also be interesting if you were in between a civ at war with another civ - they'd have to risk pissing you off to kill each other.

Speaking of good devs, Stardock rules!

Turbine's a damn good company too.
Blizzard's customer support went DOWN THE TUBES with WoW.

I don't think borders are possible. What if you and another race colonize a planet in the same system?

Sounds like a good pretext for war, in my opinion. There's not enough options like the ability to blockade the enemy anyways.

I'd like what Federator said, and you'd actually get to say something to them. Kinda gets annoying when they say something and you can't say anything back. All you can ever do is offer for trades and say "Very well."

The borders thing in civilisation is a bit hypocritical which is annoying.

Well except for China no one has been able to really considerably close their borders to anyone else. OF COURSE watch how hostile AI get's when your on their territory. Even when they can't kick your arse they get mad.

And in the lightyears and lightyears that make up space, it would be a little harder to protect a border in space than a border in anything on Civ. Really, you would be able to fly right through a space 'border' because maintaining such a thing would be astronomically difficult.

Tell that to the romulans! hehehe



Yea look at Iran for example. What would happen if Iranian sailers wandered into British territorial waters? A british patroll boat would advise them of their mistake and send them on their way. And even if they were detained, would the british people go and protest for them to be hanged? No of course not, because those Iranian soldiers never did anything to hurt the people of Britian just the same as those british sailors never did anything to hurt the people of iran. But those redneck assehole iranian people protest to hang them, it made me sick!

That's true, but when I see an unarmed unarmored colony ship with 500,000 people on it and a flimsy 1hp hull... a massive warship should most certainly have an option beyond "Attacking Terran Colony Ship-XX will declare war on the Terrans, do you wish to attack?". There is also the historical fact that during the cold war both the US and Russia used aircraft and satellites to spy on each other, but if detected both sides would do things to make the other side terminate their mission (i.e. launch fighters and have the fighters explain that their orders are to escort them out of US/Russian airspace and such.)