Medicine Man Medicine Man

Things you would like to see in a Galactic Civilization expansion set

Things you would like to see in a Galactic Civilization expansion set

I know that there already is one suggestion thread up but I decided to start a second one anyhow. Post any and all ideas that are too outlandish or broad in scope to implement in a commercial patch. Let's see if we can give the developers some evil ideas and maybe, just maybe, improve the chances that there will be a GC expansion pack. I'll try to get this one started.

Things I'd like to see implemented in an expansion:

1) More good and evil technologies
2) Race specific units, technologies and events
3) More events of all types
4) Morality triggered events
5) A new (hard) victory condition only attainable by neutral civilizations
6) Larger than gigantic maps
7) More customization options for maps (more neutral races, better than abundant planets, extra star clusters, more/less anomolies, etc.)
8) A second scenario
9) Two-tiered maps
10) A simple fleet combat system
11) More permenant galactic features (astroid belts, gas giants, ancient junkyards and ruins, etc.)
12) Some additional empire building tools (cosmetic and meaningful)

More technologies and events:
Any expansion to Galactic Civilizations would have to include more of what has already made this game the true, spiritual sucsessor to the Orion series. The event library in particular could be easily expanded to make every game unpredictable and different. Granted, this is already one of the stated goals of the patching process, but what can be done in patches can be 'overdone' in a retail release. :) Adding more technologies for the good and evil civs would also be a likely addition, but would require some compensation for neutrals.

Race specific technologies, units and events:
A familiar idea to an RTS player. An ideal way to introduce race-specific items into GC would be to create 1-3 units and techs for each race, including the humans, and then allowing each player to chose one of each at the start of a campaign. Only techs and units that the player picked at the start could be eventially researched and built.

Not allowing the usage of every racial unit in every game would be a good way to ensure that one race is not automatically 'the best' at any one thing. If the Torians chose their heavy combat vessel they will be able to hold their own against the Drengins. The best part is that the human player will not know what choices the AI races made until later in the game. Did the Drengins decide to activate their Warlord-class battleships (for space superiority) or did they instead chose to use Mutagen bombs (for mutating other species into Drengin hybrids during planetary assaults)?

Neutral victory condition:
Create a United League of Planets and conquer or dominate the galaxy. The catch: The League of Planets cannot have any of the other major races in it -- only minor races (and Independant League) led by the human race. You need at least 4-6 minor races (depending on map size) on-board to win this victory condition. They all must be alive at the end of the game.

It could work like this: Once a minor race is convinced to join the League it becomes an ally of the lead race and every other member race. All member races get military access, shared exploration, trade and diplomatic bonuses with one another. All member races benefit from each others starbases. All minor races belonging to the League give a tribute to the founder but recieve a hefty scientic grant in exchange. League races cannot culture bomb one another.

This would be a very cool victory path. It would be murder build and protect a League of Planets, but it could be a very rewarding endevor. If neutral technologies were to be implemented, perhaps they could be intended to allow this style of victory? The first neutral tech could be League Alliance (allowing member states) and subsequent techs could improve economic and scientic ties between the member races. A full formed League would be an unstable but very wealthy ediface.

Under the right circuimstances, the Arcean Empire may even attempt this. Perhaps one or more of their racial units/techs could be designed with this victory path in mind?

More ahead...
25,513 views 529 replies
Reply #376 Top
Better Metaverse Submission

The first couple games I won I was confused when I didn't see a metaverse submission screen. Thought I needed the most up-to-date version or something. Not until later when I read the full rules did I see that you have to be connected before winning.

I'm still with a dial-up modem connection, and can't be online all the time. I think you should save each game's victory conditions locally, then be able to upload them whenever. You could then choose what victories from your local list you want to send at your leisure.
Reply #377 Top
More Keyboard Shortcuts

Would really appreciate it if you could make Enter/Return analogous to "Done" in the game. That's the biggie, but other intuitive shortcuts to navigate the menus and windows. Don't remember if supported already, but arrow buttons and PageUp/PageDown for build menus and tech research selection. (A slider bar for tech, too.) Also Tab for UP and morality choices.
Reply #378 Top
Wormholes for Everyone

One game my Hero was very badly damaged in an early war with the Arceans and I could see two more Corvettes on the horizon. I was trapped--until I noticed the wormhole nearby and made the jump. Later on my freighter was very disappointed to find that it wasn't able to pull the same trick on the Drengin later on.

To spice up the game a bit, I propose that any type of ship could make use of a wormhole, not just the survey ships. It's an anomolie, yes, but why would a ship on the run need a mobile lab to make use of it? Freighters and Scouts could also find the holes useful.
Reply #379 Top
As for my suggestion about a colonize best known planet option--to be realistic such a command would require noting what planets already had colonizers heading for them. Otherwise you get exactly the problem you mentioned.
Reply #380 Top
Being good/bad should be seriously influenced by how we act: who we attack (espescially if there's no good reason), using very destructive attacks on planets, using very little destruction, backstabbing, having democracy...
Reply #381 Top
This is what i'd really like1. PRE GAME FREQUENCY SETTING FOR RANDOM EVENTS.2. PRE GAME FREQUENCY/BETTER ODDS SETTING FOR SPACE MONSTERS.3. MINOR ALIENS USING LOGOS 10-16 instead of the default image. (Good for when you make little alien race mods in place of the logos)4. TRADE EMBARGO5. HISTORY SUMMARY OF YOUR RACE much like in Civilization 1 -the end print out6. MAKE DESTABILIZATION and ESPECIALLY ESPIONAGE more flavorful. Have exciting things happen with advanced espionage! 7. HAVE 2 MORE MAJOR CIVS -Thus bringing the total to 7and you pick the 5 you want to use in the game.and8. A list of all the trade goods we reap benefits from...not just ones we can trade, would be nice.for example- if we trade our gravity accelerators for someone's ultra spices..it would be nice to go somewherewhere it saysTrade Goods Owned____________________Gravity Accelerators (our patent..available to trade)Ultra Spices (obtained from other race-not available to trade)and9. Also may be a list of what techs we have too
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:)
Reply #382 Top
I would like to be able to offer trade items to other civilizations and ask "What would you give me in exchange for ......"
And to ask for a technology they have by asking "What can I offer you in exchange for ....."
Reply #383 Top
Plz incorporate the battle simulator into GalCiv itself. Perhaps for the sake of rp, you could put a "your advisors say that..." with a +or- x% error :D

Make it coherent with the GalCiv world if you do this, like if it was reality :)
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Reply #384 Top
Um . . . you know when your given some ships out of the blue to 'assist you with your valiant stuggle against the (insert race name)', Well the whole going into stasis thing kinda put these ships at a disadvantage.

You see if your a few sectors away from free-movement space you can't attack anything on the way . . . i.e. you click on an enemy ship and the 'your not allowed to go there everyones asleep' message comes up. Inevitably this often leads to the demise of these poor ships . . . kinda seems a bit silly, don't you think?

I've just been selling the ships to anyone who'll take them if thier serverely out of range. Shouldn't this offend the race that gave the ships to me in the first place? In one game I sold three dreads continually back to the I-leauge over a dozen times, they just didn't seem to get the hint? :notsure:

And yes to the comment up there somewhere, destroying several collonies can seem to CTD the game . . . Knowing this I make a save just befor that event, this sometimes doesn't work however. A restart then a re-load usually mops up the problem (whatever it is) :)

[Message Edited]
Reply #385 Top
I SO forgot to say this (I hope its not too late!) But the expansion definately needs a gamma correction slider! Of all the games I've run it's tghe only one I've had serious issues with (Its so dam dark). I have to adjust the windows graphic properties brightness to play it. I've tried all those fancy eyewizard software gamma correction programs to little avail.

Its just another suggestion amongst the many . . . thanks :)
Reply #386 Top
Of all of the possible mods, here's an easy one:

On the main game screen, PLEASE add a counter showing the number of months left until the next election, AND the number of months left until the next Council meeting.

When you know you're getting close to an election, it's a pain having to go to the Domestic Policy screen just to check the counter. Don't know how many elections I've lost in the early game (before all of the Morale wonders, techs and buildings appear) because I forgot to drop my tax rate 2 percentage points to nudge me over 50% approval...
Reply #387 Top
I agree with Lone Locust on this one and also I would like to see new races in the new expansion pack.
Reply #388 Top
I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but we should be able to set economic allocation seperately for each governer. There are times when I am racing to build a trade good or wonder and have to to shift the allocation for the whole empire just to affect one planet. Furthermore, different planets get different bonuses I would like the ability to take full advantage of that. Have planets with research bonuses do research and planets with ship bonuses build ships, it only makes sense. It wouldn't even add that much micromanagement, just assign the planet a governer and then there are at most 5 governers to deal with.
Reply #389 Top
How about the ability to answer diplomatic messages with a variety of sarcastic comments, like:

"To assist you in your valiant battle against the Drengin, we grant you some of our finest starships."

"And so conveniently located IN THE MIDDLE OF FREAKING NOWHERE too. Spank you very much."

--

*insert demand for money and my subsequent refusal here*

"You are braver than you look."

"No, just poor."/"You know, we humans have a saying, 'you can't get blood from a stone'.

---

"Insert plea for help against an overwhelming alien onslaught here."

"Answer unclear, try again later."
[Message Edited]
Reply #390 Top
How about when I get the message about we want to offer you something, and if I accept then there is nothing for them to give me, I wish they would remove that message it makes no sense.
Reply #391 Top
Huh? That last message didn't make much sense either o_O.
Reply #392 Top
What happens is that sometimes in the middle of the game, one of the allien races comes on with a message like this
"We admire you, because you are so good, so peaceful, so handsome, blah, blah, blah, and we want to offer you this" I hit the accept buttom and there is nothing for them to give to me, then what do we need such a nonsense message?
Reply #393 Top
captain space:Unless you have a bug, there are icons for each of the capitals you can build.
End of quote


No zorven, I don't have a bug. I do get system icons after building a Economic or a Manufacturing Capital. Even after building a Technological Capital. I saw the icon. But the Political has no icon. You should build one yourself, there simply is no icon. Maybe there's season for it, but don't know what it is. :notsure: Thanks for your reply. :)

~SDC~
Reply #394 Top
Captain Space:

Gee, I just loaded my last game, and it looks like you are right - no icon for the political capital :SURPRISED:
Reply #395 Top
The season you are looking for is 'winter'.

~SDC~
Reply #398 Top
I probably missed this in the list somewhere, but something I'd like to see is an easier way to tell which planets are in the trade routes. Looking for and following those tiny trader ships is not my idea of fun. And of course the big star maps don't show this either. OK, just a wish, if anyone is still reading these pages. :d

Oh, just though of this: Rushing a build list. I've noticed that the cost of rushing a project (ship or social) is the same at all times. That is, on turn 1 of construction the cost is $450 (for example) but even if you're just two or three turns away from completing it yourself, the cost is still $450! I recommend reducing the price of completing the job in proportion to the work already completed/remaining. SMAC does this; why not GalCiv?
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Reply #399 Top
Currently, once an AI planet is scouted, details of the ships orbiting that planet remain visible to the human both in peace and war.

Our suggestion is to make such visibility a direct result of espionage.