Heightmaps for dial-up users?

from GalCiv2 Forums
This isn't about a bug, but I couldn't find any better place to post it.

I would like to get the heightmaps, but being on dial-up makes it impossible to get the 250 megabytes of heightmaps via Stardock Central.

Is there any chance of Stardock providing the heightmaps as multiple smaller downloads accessible by direct download links? Please please please?
2,893 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I wouldn't be too concerned about not being able to get the heightmap module, really. If you're having memory issues, the most important thing to do is update DA to 1.61, which fixes (we hope) the last leak. And you can still turn down the surface variety slider in the options even without the heightmaps to save more memory. With that all the way down, the effect of having to generate the heightmaps rather than using premade ones should be pretty small.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Still... I actually sat there on dialup for 25-ish hours and let it do its thing, only to get that same damn validation error everyone else is getting. Frustrating to say the least. SDC is very dialup unfriendly... there's not even any way of backing up the patches you manage to get (not the same as backing up the old version...) which is incredibly annoying if you have to reinstall. Cant even say, download them at work and transport them home somehow.

Definitely the worst part about dealing with Stardock for me. Love the games, but the delivery system makes no allowances for those in rural areas with no access to high speed internet (or those without any, for that matter.)
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Cant even say, download them at work and transport them home somehow.


You can pack up the downloads and take them home, you just have to download the whole thing (probably not a problem since I'd imagine you've got broadband at work). Just right click on the item in SDC, pick 'Archive Application'->'Download and Archive'. Then once it's done grab the resulting .sdc packages from C:\Program Files\Stardock\Stardock Central\BACKUP, take them home, and double-click them in explorer to have SDC unpack and install them.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, the only problem with that approach is not only installing the game on a work computer (a definite no-no), but also inputting my cd keys in a non-secure location 8P

Thanks for the tip anyhow, maybe I can get it done at a friend's.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

but also inputting my cd keys in a non-secure location 8P

Well, once your game is activated, only your e-mail can be used with your serial id. And that info is stocked on Stardock servers. So I don't see the problem about CD keys and non-secure location.