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Frogboy
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Absolutely Awesome Game Diary

PC Gamer blogs a 20-day game of Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

May 23, 2007 4:36:24 PM from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums

Tom Francis at PC Gamer has just completed a 20-day game of Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar. Started back in April, Tom chronicles the rise of his interstellar empire and how he interacted with the often hostile aliens of the galaxy controlled by the GalCiv artificial intelligence engine.

It's an absolute must read.

[View PC Gamer Blog]

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Frogboy
Starstriker1
Join Date 03/2006
+5
Reply #1 May 23, 2007 5:46:02 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
1) His writeup was HILARIOUS
2) He's ascribing a lot of things to the AI that it simply doesn't do... a good sign that you guys have done the smoke and mirrors thing that game AI needs PERFECTLY...
3) I want to see them do the things he thought they were doing.
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Frogboy
RichardGaywood
Join Date 04/2006
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Reply #2 May 23, 2007 6:06:33 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Have you seen any upswing in sales since PC Gamer started publishing that diary? I've seen it very widely linked to across the net -- done my own fair share of that linking, in fact -- and it paints such a positive view of the game I wouldn't be surpised if your site is noticeably busier as a side-effect.

I agree, it's fanastically written and has certain made me polish off my dusty copy of GalCiv2. I'll probably end up buying Dark Avatar now!
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Frogboy
Feud
Join Date 02/2006
+2
Reply #3 May 23, 2007 6:13:12 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
It was, quite simpley, the best AAR I have ever read (sorry Frogboy, his was much funnier!).

The best part of it was that it was filled with moments of "oh no! what are you doing!?!", "I can't believe he pulled that off", and "He is so screwed".

My brother and I would read the blog, then get together to discuss what he was doing right, what he was doing wrong, and what he needed to do to win. Since it was an ongoing game there was a great sense of "what's going to happen" that you just don't get with a report on an already finished game.

Not to mention his utterly reckless arrogence, enthusiasim, and commitment to roleplaying his race made for an excellent read, and a hillarious example of what the game was meant to be.
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Frogboy
dystopic
Join Date 10/2005
+41
Reply #4 May 23, 2007 6:48:00 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
that was totally awesome. in fact, it makes me want to drop the game i have in progress in favor of revamping my own RP style.
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Frogboy
bunny4444
Join Date 05/2006
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Reply #5 May 23, 2007 8:09:13 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
The moral of the story is? somehow there has to be a way of making others break their alliances. This will be done by somehow upgrading the existing espionage system in avatar to a point where we can have spies influence other civs or frame other civs to eventually break alliances. I know that there is a super ability called "master manipulator" but I haven't heard anyone to use it to a point where he was able to make a civ go to war with another allied civ? or maybe it's impossible at this point....
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rgb_unicorn
Join Date 07/2006
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Reply #6 May 23, 2007 9:38:14 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
That was awesome. I love really close games like that. His roleplay was so fun.
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MarshallONeil
Join Date 03/2006
+7
Reply #7 May 23, 2007 11:12:32 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
How the frak did that game go on so long without one of the AI factions going for the tech victory? Do they not do that at lower difficulty levels? Last time I accidentally left tech victory on I almost lost that way.



Spore. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every motherfrakker in the galaxy. Accept no substitutes.
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Ostsol
Join Date 02/2006
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Reply #8 May 23, 2007 11:28:29 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums

The moral of the story is? somehow there has to be a way of making others break their alliances. This will be done by somehow upgrading the existing espionage system in avatar to a point where we can have spies influence other civs or frame other civs to eventually break alliances. I know that there is a super ability called "master manipulator" but I haven't heard anyone to use it to a point where he was able to make a civ go to war with another allied civ? or maybe it's impossible at this point....


Yeah, some way to cause that assassination random event would be cool. . .
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Frogboy
pndrev
Join Date 05/2007
+30
Reply #9 May 24, 2007 3:02:35 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Simply the best AAR I have read to date. Informative, funny, captivating...

Also like Starstriker said, a testament to Stardocks AI programming. Kudos!
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Frogboy
geminisama
Join Date 04/2007
0
Reply #10 May 24, 2007 3:45:22 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
(I would have spat in his face and punched his wife, by the way).


HAHAH!   

What a long, but funny AAR. I loved it.
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Aircool
Join Date 10/2006
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Reply #11 May 24, 2007 10:18:08 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
heh, it's the best thing to appear on the UK PCG website since it was created (well, tagged onto the CVG site).

The best thing about it is that it's encouraged people to buy the game who wouldn't have considered it before, even after reading a review.

The AI is great, and it frightens me sometimes, even at normal levels. Also like the Galactic events that really screw things up. I had a cosy alliance with the Yor and had and influence victory in the bag when one of my Diplomats commited some faux pas causing them to go to war with me! Can't remember what the event was, I was too busy crying to remember  
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apoc527
Join Date 03/2003
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Reply #12 May 24, 2007 6:41:27 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
That was the best AAR ever...time to get back to my own GalCiv2 games.
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apoc527
Join Date 03/2003
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Reply #13 May 24, 2007 6:41:46 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Weird, I've never had a double post before. I didn't even click twice.
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drakonfire
Join Date 05/2006
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Reply #14 May 25, 2007 12:19:17 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
really some great laugh out loud moments in that blog

so what I want to know from the devs -- is his final analysis of the Drengin's behavior even remotely accurate or were they incompetent because he played on a low difficulty level?
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Starstriker1
Join Date 03/2006
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Reply #15 May 25, 2007 1:34:31 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
I can answer that... the AI wasn't doing anything of the sort he ascribed to them (hence, my smoke and mirrors comment), and in fact, he was avoiding playing on the tough level. I believe he was at the third difficulty level. As far as I am aware, there are no provisions in the AI to allow for breaking alliances, and the AI doesn't really seem (in my experience) to comprehend political consequences as simple as "attacking this guy will cause his allies to declare war", let alone the complicated scenario he described.

I'd really love it if they did, though!
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Frogboy
Evil Muppet
Join Date 03/2006
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Reply #16 May 25, 2007 8:31:07 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
That guy has the same taste in ship names as I do.

I really enjoyed that. I know some people want to know all the numbers and stats and stuff like that, but it was easy to read, and the hummour was great.
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Tepshen
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #17 May 25, 2007 12:42:30 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
I found this post from another site and it is what motivated me to buy this game.
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Frogboy
Qourth
Join Date 10/2003
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Reply #18 May 25, 2007 5:43:14 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
This is a must read, I am glad our game is getting such good coverage!
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Frogboy
GeneralEtrius
Join Date 04/2007
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Reply #19 May 25, 2007 7:53:15 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Funny, intense. Great AAR.

Galciv 2 is simply amazing. And the amounts of awards and praise it gets...WOW!

Dread Lords was awesome. Dark Avatar was amazing. Can't wait 'till the next expansion! Keep up the good work devs!  

Etrius

(BTW, if you need more ideas, visit my post in the ideas section. Its called 'Ideas for next GCII expansion. It includes a campaign idea.  )
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Astax
Join Date 04/2003
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Reply #20 May 25, 2007 9:05:33 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
***********SPOILER ALERT********





My god that was the greatest story ever told. I love the twist at the end, where all the pieces come together, and he is finally enlightened! Almost as if he was getting so close to transcedance, that everything became crystal clear in an instant! However, I believe that towards the end the Terrans and Drengin realized what he was up to.

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TheTurnipKing
Join Date 09/2003
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Reply #21 May 26, 2007 3:10:49 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
There were two things that made me buy Galciv 2 - that blog, and the knowledge that the game wouldn't fill my PC with spyware.

OK - 3 things, the demo helped a lot too.

Anyway, good show all 'round.
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WilfredOwen
Join Date 11/2006
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Reply #22 May 26, 2007 4:43:49 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
I loved the Iain. M. Banks reference: "Outside Context Problem".
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Hugou
Join Date 03/2006
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Reply #23 May 26, 2007 12:04:21 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
It indeed was a very nice and entertaining story.

One should remember, though, that this blog is only based on analyzes and conclusions based on what the blogger personally believed was what the A.I was doing.
There is no other fact pointing toward what the blogger was reporting.

I myself do not agree with the conclusions regarding the A.I.
My experience based on MANY games played is that the lack of invading is just plain moronic behavior and nothing else. (please, please someone prove me wrong!!)

To me it seems like if the A.I most of the time is even unable to differentiate between a warship and a transport (putting weapons on transport and using them as assault ships and the like)
How could such an A.I be an effective attacker?

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hardcampa
Join Date 03/2007
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Reply #24 May 26, 2007 4:30:16 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
I wonder. If you look at the AI developer video/logs/discussions and such online. There's probably a "lot" more to the AI than what appears on the surface.

I would love to read some comments about it from the developers though .



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The Missing Link
Join Date 05/2007
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Reply #25 May 26, 2007 8:06:08 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Ive been at CVG since PCGF was transferred there. I read the blog and bought the game the next day. Ive been playing for about a week now and am onto my second map. Great game. Its reassuring to see that in, *checks watch* 2007, there are still innovative people making PC games who enjoy doing it. Yeah, its a job but you can tell these people still like PC gaming and arent just chasing the $$$$$.
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