General Criticism - Information in Game??

from GalCiv2 Forums
I hesitate to play this game at this time anymore. someone has started a thread about the lack of info on the tech tree in terms of what EXACTLY you get with a given research goal. But the same is questionable for planetary structures and ship modules.

Thing is, I am playing against an A.I. that knows everything. You know, sometimes I get a trade request and I can't recall if I have it already or if I have a more advanved version . . . without exiting the trade request and possibly killing the opportunity.

Many things in the game have a small explanation of what it does, but I sincerely feel handicapped (esp. new to this company and game) like the computer ALWAYS knows more than I. I am happy to read what things are, but I am simply overwhelmed and when I can't reference anything it is quite difficult to win . . for me.

Am I the only one who feels this?
7,067 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The more you play, the more you learn about the tech. Before long, you don't wonder what anything is anymore.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The more you play, the more you learn about the tech. Before long, you don't wonder what anything is anymore.


Not true! I always forget the weapons and defences tech tree. The problem i encounter is with trading techs as well, if the AI has photonic torpedoes i will forget if it is better than positronic torpedoes etc etc and it is always a pain in the ass no matter how well you know the game.

In Alpha Centauri they gave a tech level number with each tech so you would always know it's research value, now that would have been nice in galciv!
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have a print out of all the tech in a pdf format. I refer to it on a regular basis when I trade. I always get what I bargain for.

I suggest you all do the same, for those of you who find it a bit overwhelming like I use to.




Can I be evil... PLEASE?????
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You see Frogboy,

The issue is comming up again!
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Can't you r-click on techs in the trade screen to see what they do? Or is that not possible on the trade screen when AI makes you an offer?

I must agree with the OP though. Lack of accurate tech information in some screens is bad, especialy with the current beta build which seems to like to crash after alt+tabs.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You can right-click on technologies in the trade screen. This is, I believe, in the manual.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
while researching diplomacy part, trade other technologies from aliens and be the techno superior ... this game is very very very simple...
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
while researching diplomacy part, trade other technologies from aliens and be the techno superior ... this game is very very very simple...


It,s not always so simple. The game is not without flaws, but in it's defence, it can be very exiting to play as long as you don't play it on the easy settings. Those are for beginners.

I admit to playing some good games that take a couple of days to finish.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
While I am becoming quite addicted to this game, I share some of the same consternation as the first poster. When I started playing Civ4, the game design was intitially intuitive - especially to those who had played previous versions; however, the manual and built in civ-pedia were extremely helpful in understanding PRECISELY what each improvement did, how each tile upgrade operated, what each tech gives, which buildings come with which techs, etc. Now if we examine DA, the manual is really pretty useless after you have played the game maybe twice. Like when I get an resource starbase on an econ node, I get an econ bonus. WHOOPI! that means I get more money, but how does is really work? Is the bonus number a percentage to the aggregate taxes I get? That is my guess, but I can't really say since I have no idea where that is written. When I get a morale +10 from a tech, what does that do? I mean, what exactly determines how happy my people are? In Civ series, keeping my citizens happy and working is pretty easy - because I actually know how to do it! In DA, on my commerce planets, I build farms to get citizens, and entertainment facilities, but I cannot say that I actually know how many entertainment facilities will get the job done with the various morale boni I have accumlated, so each game I have to take a heuristic approach. I mean, I can play the game, and intuitively understand that this is beneficial to get, but I dont know what it exactly does. In regards to this in game information, I would have to say that the Civ series has DA beat by a huge margin. When I started playing that game, I can say that I would end up looking up facts in the manual after pretty much each game, and each time refined my strategy or tested out new ones. In fact, the preface to their game manual says that this is how they intended it to be in the first place. Now, in my opinion galciv is just as good a game, but not being able to learn how the game works from the in game documentation is probably going to make me switch back to Civ4 as soon as the Beyond the Sword expansion pack is released.