First of all, sorry for my English...
GalCiv 2 is a great game (thanks to Stardock team) and is really time consuming (one more turn)...
I would like to propose some ideas to improve the user interface and to reduce micromanagement.
As my English is bad, I will illustrate my post to improve comprehension, by advance, sorry for the poverty of the comments...
All these remarks are based on DL v1.4x (French version), I doubt that a new patch is proposed for DL, so all the suggestions are valid for DA...
So let's go...
1) Principal screen - (picture 01).
(1) Currently, the number in green indicates the global approval rating, add in red (and yellow) the approval rating of the planet which has smallest...
Currently what occurs...
Go to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the smallest approval...
Go to the Finance Management screen (Economy), change the Tax Rate
Go back to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the change (too short)...
Return to the Finance Management screen (Economy), adjust the Tax Rate
Return to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the change (too long)...
Return to the Finance Management screen (Economy), adjust the Tax Rate
Go back to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the change (almost)...
Go back to the Finance Management screen (Economy), adjust the Tax Rate
Go back to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the change (not enough)...
Return to the Finance Management screen (Economy), adjust the Tax Rate
Return to Civilization Manager screen (Colonies), look at the change (still a little)...
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By adding the second number...
Open the Finance Management screen (Economy), change the Tax Rate, the two numbers change "in live"... ...so less micromanagement.
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(2) Sometimes, it's difficult to locate "low morale" planets and "revolt warning" planets. These icons indicate if at least one planet is about to rebel, and if at least one planet has low morale.
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(3) With these two buttons, you can easily pass from planet to planet, the principal window positions on selected planet.
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(4) It's not possible to obtain information on the ships in orbit. So, add the small button "i" (information) when a ship is selected, that which opens "Ship Details window" (and "Starship Intelligence Report window" for the ships in orbit of other civilizations).
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(5) Add information on speed (all ships) and ship capacity (colony ship, troop ship) when the cursor is positioned over the ship icon.
Very very useful when one has ships in orbit with different speed and capacity.
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(6) With this button, you can launch all the ships in orbit with only one click. Thanks.
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(7) With this button you can stop temporarily the construction of the ship in progress, and quickly take again the construction of the same ship after a few times.
And this, much faster than launching the Quick Build List window (with the Build Ship button), select "Nothing" in the list, validate... ...after a few times, start again the Quick Build List window, remember the type of the ship, select it, validate...
Less micromanagement, especially with a great number of planets.
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2) Civilization Manager (Colonies) - (picture 02).
(1) The icons are here too. One can see quickly which planets are "sick". In DA, it's possible to add the spy icon with their number on planet.
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(2) Shield with color code.
Blue, there are ships in orbit (they have weapons, ...attack ship).
Red, there are ships in orbit, but they don't have attack capacity (they don't have weapons, ...colonization, troops transport, etc...).
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(3) The number beside the shield indicates the number of ships in orbit.
There is a color code.
Red (10), the Starport is full.
Yellow (9), it remains only one place.
Green, that goes for the moment.
With the color code, one can quickly see the full Starports or almost full Starports and make decisions.
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(4) The cursor over the shield shows information on the ships in orbit (Name, Pv, Speed, Capacity).
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(5) Two buttons.
"Date" button, arrange planets by "arrival date" in the civilization (and push-down list).
There is often more work on "last arrived" planets.
"Shield" button, there are four adjustments,
One press...
Lists planets according to the color of the shield (blue in first by taking account of the number of ships in orbit).
Blue shield, 10 ships
Blue shield, 9 ships
Blue shield, 1 ship
Red shield, 5 ships
Red shield, 2 ships
Another press...
Push-down list.
Red shield, 2 ships
Red shield, 5 ships
Blue shield, 1 ship
Blue shield, 9 ships
Blue shield, 10 ships
Another press...
Lists planets according to the number of ships in orbit.
Blue shield, 10 ships
Blue shield, 9 ships
Red shield, 5 ships
Red shield, 2 ships
Blue shield, 1 ship
Another press...
Push-down list.
Blue shield, 1 ship
Red shield, 2 ships
Red shield, 5 ships
Blue shield, 9 ships
Blue shield, 10 ships
With these buttons, it's easier to see which planets are well defended, and which Starports are full.
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(6) There is a color code for population growth.
Red: population decreases 10% per turn (approval from 1% to 20% - planet's approval modifier: 0).
Yellow: population is static (approval from 21% to 40% - planet's approval modifier: 0).
Green: population increases (approval from 41% to 99 % - planet's approval modifier: 1 (41% to 75%) and 1.25 (76% to 99%)).
Blue: population increases (double population growth) (approval 100% - planet's approval modifier: 2).
Purple: the maximum capacity of planet's growth was reached, you must "ferry" people to increase the population. (Maximum Population per Planet quality: PQ 4 limit is ~2.5b, PQ 5 limit is ~4.3b, ...).
White (not in example): the planet is full.
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(7) Add a "work in progress" bar for the improvements under construction (Building) and the ships under construction (Starport).
It's possible to launch the Quick Build List (for ships) by clicking on the ships under construction. It would be nice to be able to do the same, by clicking on the improvements under construction and launching a new "Quick Build Queue" window to change the construction list for each planet.
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(8) Starport column: with this button you can stop temporarily the construction of the ship in progress, and quickly take again the construction of the same ship after a few times (the same button as item 7, picture 01).
Building column: with this button you can stop temporarily the construction of the project in progress, and quickly take again the construction of the same project after a few times.
It's the same effect that remove all the projects from Build Queue in Colony Management window, but all the list is preserved. Much more practical and much less micromanagement.
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3) Colony Management - (picture 03).
(1) This button switchs display between "Orbital Construction" and "Ships in Orbit", thus you can see the ships in orbit and you can have information on the ships (cursor over), but you cannot launch them.
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(2) The two check boxes "Auto Upgrade" and "Automatically Terraform" (Governor window) directly accessible...
These two check boxes (Colony Management window (for each planet)) have priority on the two check boxes (adjustment general). (see continuation - [ 5) Options - (picture 06) ])
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(3) With these buttons, you can stop temporarily the construction of the ship in progress, and you can stop temporarily the construction of the project in progress (the same buttons as item 8, picture 02).
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4) Colony Management - (picture 04).
(1) With these buttons, you can choose which projects are displayed in the Available Projects list.
From left to right: all, standard, trade good, super project, galactic achievement.
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5) Colony Management - (picture 05).
(1) Small but effective. With this button, you can deploy the Build Queue list, thus you can reorganize the list much more effectively. The list remains deployed when you pass from planet to planet.
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6) Options - (picture 06).
(1) Planet Governor (adjustment general). With this option, you can regulate quickly "Auto Upgrade" and "Automatically Terraform" for all the planets. However, the two check boxes in Colony Management window for each planet have priority. (see above - [ item 3, 3) Colony Management - (picture 03) ])
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(2) Alarms can warn you when a Technology, a Trade Good, a Galactic Achievement starts, or is close to being accomplished, according to one given duration (in weeks).
For example, when a Technology reaches 10 weeks (or passes directly to a lower value without passing by 10 weeks (12 weeks to 8 weeks), alarm indicates the duration, and gives precise details on planet and civilization.
Once an alarm is given (example 10 weeks), the player can modify the adjustment in the options window (to regulate with 5 weeks), alarm will start again when the 5 weeks are reached.
All this information can already be seen in Planet/Ship List window (for Trade Goods and Galactic Achievements) and in Foreign Policy window (Foreign Policy - Stats - Misc - Now Researching/Weeks Remaining) (for Technology), but that takes much time (especially with 9 civilizations to consult each turn), the computer can do the job for me.
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7) Trade - (picture 07).
(1) Indicate Planet Quality, with the constructible tiles.
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(2) A "right click" on the Trade Goods shows a window with information (brought bonus, description, name of the planet where it is built), for planets, a more complete window is shown. (see continuation - [ 8) Trade - (picture 08) ])
Comments: I often used of the "right click" (as one can do on Technologies) on Trades Goods to know what they bring (on Planets too), but that does not work...
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(3) Show the Technology sought by the civilization, with time remaining, (that would avoid much of "go to and come from" in my case).
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(4) Replace the drop-down list by direction arrows (in the same way that to change civilization), much more effective in my opinion, and memorize the choice, when one changes from civilization to civilization.
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8) Trade - (picture 08).
(1) A "right click" on a planet shows a window with information (Name, Planet Quality (with the constructible tiles), Population, Approval, Influence, Revenue, Spending, Bonus on tiles, Value (see continuation - [ 9) Trade - (picture 09) ])), and the Galaxy Map.
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(2) On the Galaxy Map, a symbol indicates the planet position.
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9) Trade - (picture 09).
(1) A "right click" on a ship shows a window with information (the same as currently) and indicate the planet if the ship is in orbit, and the Galaxy Map.
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(2) On the Galaxy Map, a symbol indicates the ship position.
This would be really very very appreciated, because this is really tedious, to index all the ships, to seek their positions, before and during the trading.
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(3) Cursor over Trade Goods, Planets, Technologies, Starships, shows some information.
Trade Good: brought bonus, value.
Planet: Planet Quality (with the constructible tiles), value.
Technology: research points, value.
Starship: name, pv, speed, capacity, value.
The value gives an evaluation for trading. How is it calculated, I don't know, but the devs, them, know it...
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10) Trade - (picture 10).
(1) A color code system for the "goods".
At the beginning of the negotiation, when there is no yet proposal, the colors indicate the level of interest about the various "goods".
On the right, the civilization proposes its goods.
Green: easy to trade.
Yellow: rather easy to trade.
Red: delicate, but possible to trade.
Purple: practically impossible to trade.
On the left, the civilization is interested by the goods.
Green: great interest to trade.
Yellow: average interest to trade.
Red: not too much interest to trade.
Purple: not of interest, (or for free).
At each proposal, the color code is updated (revalued). In this way, the player can have a good idea of the possibilities.
In example, the player can see that Harpoon and Harpoon II technologies do not interest the civilization, because Harpoon III technology is the only one which interests the civilization. In this way, he knows that he can remove them.
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(2) Indicates Influence points and bc in treasury for each civilization. For the opposite civilization, the first number indicates the maximum amount that the civilization is ready to spend.
In example, the civilization has 4625 bc in treasury, and is ready to spend 1632 bc.
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11) Civilization Manager (Timeline) - (picture 11).
(1) Sometimes, it's difficult to see, "which is where", then, presses on the coloured button, and the curve will pass on the top of the others. The buttons also recall which curve represents which civilization, and cursor over each button shows the civilization name.
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12) Foreign Policy (Stats) - (picture 12).
(1) Keep the selected button memorized, so that it is always the same one activated, when the civilization is changed.
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(2) A color code system for "Now Researching".
Orange (as it is currently in example): no civilization research, or has this technology.
Red : at least one civilization has this technology.
Yellow : at least one civilization research this technology.
Green : we have this technology.
Cursor over "Now Researching", shows the civilization name who research (with weeks remaining) or has this technology.
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13) Finance Management (Economy) - (picture 13).
(1) These two additional buttons make it possible to regulate research, week per week, instead of percent per percent. Very very useful.
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14) Purchase Ship window - (picture 14).
(1) Add, credit charges, and the total cost, a computer is also a calculator.
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15) Planet Details - (picture 15).
Move the "Back" button near the "Done" button. Thanks for my "Carpal Tunnel".
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16) Quick Build List window and Ship Yard - (picture 16).
Add the tabs "attack" and "others" in these windows. "Attack" tab list only the ships with attack capacity (those with weapons), "others" tab list all other ships (those with no weapons).
These tabs operates, in coordination with the other tabs (all, core, user), thus you can list only, per example, user attack ships.
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17) GNN Breaking News window - (picture 17).
(1) When a resource is again available, that is announced in the GNN News window, (with the name of the last civilisation owner and the sector where the resource is located).
"Influence resource, previously owned by Altariane Republic again available in the sector 06-03."
During, the intense wars periods, it's tedious to scan all the map to find the available resources. The computer can easily do the job.
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18) Fleet Manager window - (picture 18).
(1) Allow the multiple selection to upgrade the ships. Very useful.
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(2) Add information on the speed of the ships.
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(3) Add the number of ships in the fleet.
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19) Ship Loading window - (picture 19).
(1) These two additional buttons, make it possible to directly regulate the minimum and the maximum of passengers in the ship. The minimum is regulated on 1.
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(2) By default, the minimal quantity is regulated on 1.
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20) Principal screen (Upgrade ship symbol) - (picture 20).
(1) When a ship is in upgrade, a symbol is visible in closer sight (zoom in), but in distant sight (zoom out - "strategic sight") nothing makes it possible to locate the ships in upgrade. It would be necessary to add a symbol for the ships in upgrade.
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21) Principal screen (Ships with Survey Module) - (picture 21).
(1) Ships equipped with Survey Module, can analyze habitable and not yet colonized planets located in the sensor radius (Survey Module and Sensors). When a planet can be analyzed (located in the sensor radius), a symbol (red triangle) appears close to the planet. A double click on the planet displays the Details Planet window (map with the tiles) and the bonus on the planet.
When a planet was analyzed, a symbol (green triangle) appears close to the planet, and that even if the planet is not located any more in the sensor radius of a ship with Survey Module.
(2) When a planet was analyzed (green triangle) (it is or is not located any more in the sensor radius of a ship with Survey Module), a click on the planet, displays information in the bottom of the screen (as it is the case for the other planets), and a double click, displays the Details Planet window.
Ships equipped with Survey Module, can also analyze planets colonized by other civilizations. A symbol announces it (green triangle). (Useful when the espionage level did not yet reach the "HIGH" level). A double click on the planet displays the Details Planet window (map with the tiles, bonus and built projects).
However, the ship equipped with Survey Module must obligatory remain close to the planet (the planet must be located in the sensor radius of the ship) to obtain information. That can be also extremely practical in the case of minor civilizations, to obtain information on their planets. As in the case for the major civilizations, the ship must remain close to the planet (the planet must be located in the sensor radius of the ship).
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22) Principal screen (Strategic sight (zoom out) and symbols) - (picture 22).
In the strategic sight (zoom out), when there are many symbols, it's sometimes difficult to analyze the map (I use really much, the strategic sight). A system to show and hide the symbols would be very useful. Click on the symbol. Red the symbols are hidden, green the symbols are shown. Similar for the civilizations, red, they are hidden, green, they are shown. The button "All" shows all the symbols of all civilizations, and the button "None" hides all the symbols of all civilizations. A similar system with that of the Minimap.
In the example, all the symbols in green are shown, but only for the civilizations with a green square (Terran, Altarian, Arcean, Torian, Drath, Iconian).
The minor civilizations are added when they are present (not in example).
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23) Principal screen - Sensor range mistake - (picture 23).
When a ship move at the same place where there is ship with sensors, the radius of sensors is decreased. It's not updated the following turns. To make it go back to normal, the ship with sensors must be selected.
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24) Colony Management screen - Planet Quality bug - (pictures 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d).
The planet class does not correspond to the tiles number.
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25) Colony Management (Summary - Improvement Summary window) - (pictures 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d).
(1) It does not matter which project is built on the bonus tile, the bonus is taken into account (Approval bonus and Influence bonus).
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26) Principal screen - Malicious blocus tactic - (picture 26).
(1) You can make much things with this tactic (cheating ?!?), protect a minor civilization, reserve a uncolonized planet, block the development of a starbase, etc...
I tested it sometimes to see whether the various AI reacted. But the various AI don't react (thus it's not interesting). But it would be well if, the various AI can use it (I doubt of that), or, at least, that the diplomatic relations are very largely modified towards the human player.
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27) Suggestion - Trade Goods.
When the human player bought a trade good, it's not possible to know which civilization has it (or it's necessary to look at all the planets of the various civilizations). It would be nice to show it, for example, in the Foreign Policy - Stats window, (and specify on witch planet).
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28) Suggestion - (Civilization Manager - Government & Ethics - Change Government).
When the human player wants to change government (from Imperial to Republic, from Republic to Imperial, etc...), the description indicates the bonus:
Republic --> Economic Bonus: +10%
Imperial --> Economic Bonus: 0%
It would be nice to show the change involved on the incomes:
Net Income before change: 3200 bc
Net Income after change: 2800 bc
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29) Suggestion - Buy Troops Transport Ship (and Colony Ship).
When the human player buys Troops Transport Ship (in orbit) to other civilizations, Troops Transport Ship is full. This isn't good for the AI. Perhaps, Troops Transport Ship should be sold with the minimum of people.
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30) Suggestion - Blitz for AI.
For the AI civilizations, ships in orbit should attack Troops Transport Ships if they have enough movement points to attack and go back in orbit.
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31) Suggestion - Diplomatic Relations must go down.
The Drengins are at war with the Torians for some time. The Drengins destroy all the ships in orbit around the Torians planets. The Terrans (human player) declare war with the Torians and take some planets "under the nose" of the Drengins. This must degrade the diplomatic relations between the Drengins and the Terrans.
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32) Suggestion - Trade Routes Limitation.
The number of Trade Routes is limited to 12. However, with the starting options, some technologies, and the United Planets laws, it's theoretically possible to have much more Trade Routes... ...it would be necessary to arrange that...
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33) Suggestion - Ethic Choice after choosing Ethical Alignment.
Before choosing ethical alignment, sometimes, when a planet is colonized, an ethic choice is proposed. This is well, that gives a certain environment to the play. But after having chosen ethical alignment, these choices are not proposed any more. They should still be proposed after the choice of ethical alignment, but with penalties if one chooses an different option from the choice of alignment.
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34) Suggestion - "Right click" (press the right mouse button) in windows.
The right click is almost not used in GalCiv 2. It would be really practical to use the right click, in the windows (apart from the active zones), to close the window in progress (similar to press the "Done" button).
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35) Suggestion - Adjustements for Trade.
If there remain 12 weeks to a civilization to achieve research on a technology, and you sell this technology to the civilization, it offers, by example, 500 bc.
If there remain only 2 weeks to this civilization to achieve research and you sell the technology, it offers the same amount, 500 bc.
The weeks remaining to achieve research should be taken into account in the price which civilization offers.
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36) Mistake - Galactic Privateer (Your freighters cannot be attacked).
The AI ships attacks obstinately the freighters, even if they are protected by the Galactic Privateer.
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End.
I hope that the suggestions will remain comprehensible.
Support your preferred suggestions...
