Color blindness and problems with some windows

from GalCiv2 Forums

I'm sure I'm not the only person around with some color blindness.  I've been staring at the treaties tab of the foreign policy window for a while now trying to figure out what color all those lines are.  The timeline is usually also impossible for me to tell which line is which race.  I try to make my own color stand out and I only use it to see how I rank to the AI.

Is there another way to tell what races have treaties, alliances, trade, etc?  Especially since the lines are so skinny, it makes it even harder for me to distinguish.  In my current game, most of the lines are probably trade, but heck if I can tell the difference.  Sometimes I can't even distinguish the bright red War line.

I usually don't even bother looking at this screen, because I can't use it.  I vaguely remember some of the lines have arrows on the end?  Does that mean alliance or does it mean treaties?  Those two colors look about the same to me.

In Civilization 4, you can toggle races and relationship types, so that gives me a way to figure out what the lines are.  But I don't see an option like that in this game.

4,295 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm not color blind, but I have often wanted the option to toggle what races are shown (maybe clicking them in the legend) on the time line graph. I think it would be handy to toggle some other displays as well.

To answer your questions:

I believe treaties such as economic and research have arrows showing which way the resource is flowing.

I don't recall if any other versions have it, but the TA beta shows information as to each race's relations with the others. While this won't tell you what races have trade agreements, it will tell you if they are at war, allied, etc.

I think you can see their trade agreements in the diplomacy screen with the race using the viewscreen options. If nothing else, you can probably work out that the lines without arrows that are not described in the top right are trade.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As a colorblind person I've gotten pretty used to just making my own civ standout and letting the rest be a mash of color. Biggest trouble for me is the ZOC on the minimap. Terrans/Thalans, Arcean/Torians or Korx/Iconians will usually look like one big civ If beside each other.
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I usually have to limit the number of races in a game because otherwise every screen is a mishmash of randomness. I try to reassign colors as very distinct primary colors. Bright yellow, bright red, bright blue, etc. That helps a lot, especially on the minimap.

I always play in tactical view, even for small and tiny games, so having identifiable colors is even more important. Minor races can screw me up, but they rarely have ships flying around, so it isn't too bad.

Until recently I played easy difficulties, so it didn't matter if AI had alliances. Multiple AI could simultaneously declare war on me and it wouldn't matter. But now I'm playing difficulties where I really have to pay attention. Being able to use the treaties window and the timeline charts would be really helpful. Oh well.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As stated above:

Trade has no arrow, just a line between the civs.
Economic and research treaties do have arrows (the arrow points to the civilization that benefits).
I am not sure about alliances, as I rarely ally these days, I'll see if I can find it in one of my old games.

Edit: Alliance is also a single line (with no arrow). However, finding out if two races are allied is quite easy in the same screen, clicking a race in the treaties tab will instantly provide a list with opinions it has of other races, that list will also reveal if it is allied to any other race...
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yup, now that I'm really paying attention to the Treaties window, I can usually figured out what is going on.

Out of curiosity, is the trade line green? That would explain why I can't distinguish it from the RED war line.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Out of curiosity, is the trade line green? That would explain why I can't distinguish it from the RED war line.
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Trade is tannish brown, economic treaty is green, research treaty is purple. And the last two have arrow ends to see who's getting the benefit.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Heh, it's a wonder that I can dress myself in the morning and not shock everyone with clashing colors. I guess that's why I normally stick to one color and the rest neutrals. Might be boring, but at least I don't look silly.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Heh, it's a wonder that I can dress myself in the morning and not shock everyone with clashing colors. I guess that's why I normally stick to one color and the rest neutrals. Might be boring, but at least I don't look silly.
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I don't think I ever give it much thought. Good thing my wife dresses me.