About The Expansion Pack

The Aerain · June 13, 2003, 16:29

I thought of some features that id appreciate to see in the next anticipated expansion pack including: ability to gain ability pts by assimilating minor race, ability to enhance ship stats by buying parts, ability to gain starbase bonuses with alliance and ability to improve ur charisma further by having more contacts with other race.

bonscott · June 13, 2003, 16:35

Go post it on the Expansion sticky thread on galciv.com forums. Stardock does read all the suggestions and you never know.

Harry Seldon · June 15, 2003, 22:57

Has anyone seen the release date for it? I thought it was mid-June but haven't seen anything about it around SDC.

The Aerain · June 16, 2003, 10:03

maybe they didn't expect that the developpement process of the expansion pack could be extended further, due to the lack of testers in their departement. Anyway, we can be sure that there will be less patches than if they decided to releash it today.

Harry Seldon · June 16, 2003, 10:56

Patches are fine with me. Each patch just makes it that much better. I don't understand how releasing the expansion pack sooner would mean less patches, though.

bonscott · June 16, 2003, 13:47

Expansion pack isn't in beta yet, they just released 1.05 to fix metaverse issues and it actually has some of the expansion pack "enhanced" governor code in it so thye are working on it. I believe it has been posted a few times on the Gal Civ site that the beta will start sometime in June and run through the whole summer. I would expect release of the Exansion Pack maybe August/Sept at the earliest. Plus it's free. There is an expansion sticky on the Gal Civ forum with tons of info.

Harry Seldon · June 16, 2003, 15:29

I haven't been over there in awhile. Between you and Ellestar I can see most everything important over here.

The Aerain · June 16, 2003, 19:06

I wonder if they are working on to make gal civ 2, a better 3d engine with an active 3d animated background would be awesome and welcomed

bonscott · June 16, 2003, 23:35

Quote:

Originally posted by The Aerain
I wonder if they are working on to make gal civ 2, a better 3d engine with an active 3d animated background would be awesome and welcomed

Maybe in 2 or 3 years if Gal Civ does well enough.

The Aerain · June 17, 2003, 13:16

Yeah, i hope so because a 3d engine with a dynamic 3d background with layers and a extremely well done zoming program is extremely difficult to make. Anyway with the $ they made with Gal Civ already i am pretty sure they would consider on making a sequel.

The Aerain · June 18, 2003, 16:08

Btw i wonder why everyone has the same tech and units and why a minor race from another galaxy would only bring out a colony ship with some cash.

The Aerain · June 19, 2003, 10:04

I just thought of some change that could be added for a further improved gameplay

- New Ship Stat : stealth.
- New Configurations : [] space ship genre : stealth based, fire power
based, speed based, resistance based.
[] technologie genre : war based, economy based, morale based, influence
based.
- New Galactic Features : nebulas, asteroid belts, worm holes, star gates,
comets (moving).
- Graphic Enhancements : ship in orbit, ship upgrade, starbase type, layers
perspective.
- Unit Technologies : alloy, fire power, reactor, shield, special (piercing
projectile, reflecting shield).
- Spy Options : steal technologies, steal money, sabotage, corrupt senat,
kill leader (expensive).
- Trade Blockades
- Mining Colonies
- Event Preference Configuration
- Planetary Immigration
- Space Pirates
- Technology Based Events
- Make Unique Technology Untradable
- Technology Gain Based on Events (unique ship or improvement)
- Plagues (stop trading with the affected race to avoid this)

DarkCloud · July 2, 2003, 21:04

Well, here's a few other suggestions

-Map Editor (With Scenario Builder Capabilities [the ability to set objectives])
-Campaign Game

This way there would be more of a sense of accomplishment and replayability about the game

Harry Seldon · July 3, 2003, 10:53

Campaigns would definitely be a nice addition. It kept AoE2 going for me long after I would have moved it to the dustbin.

DarkCloud · July 3, 2003, 11:49

And it would really create a modding community

because we all know how many talented CTP2 and Civ II/III Modders we have here

it might persuade some of them to buy another 'space civ' game... once that, unlike alpha centauri... would be EASY to create a scenario for

Harry Seldon · July 3, 2003, 13:46

Where's Brad when you need him? I know he lurks around here every once in awhile.

DarkCloud · July 8, 2003, 16:25

I'll certainly purchase the expansion pack if it has a map editor.

please read this Draginol!!!

thanks!

peterfharris · July 8, 2003, 23:09

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkCloud
And it would really create a modding community

because we all know how many talented CTP2 and Civ II/III Modders we have here

......

I hope you are right. GalCiv is a game with tremendous potential but without modding it becomes boring. A skilled modder could turn GalCiv into something special.

GalCiv just needs some tweaking so there can be some thought and some strategy around panetary improvements.

Harry Seldon · July 9, 2003, 08:51

Modding needs to be supported by SD so modded games can be uploaded to the metaverse, too.

Draginol · July 10, 2003, 23:12

Modded games can be uploaded to th emetaverse. The only gotchas are mods that completely alter the game (like mods that give you huge planet quality bonuses and such).

GalCiv's about as easy to mod as you can get. We have a moding forum, you can make your own ships, a ship creator, etc. The techs, ships, etc. are all text files that. And there's a place to upload your mods.

DarkCloud · July 11, 2003, 08:07

Oh I understand that certain aspects can be modded- it's just that I think a scenario editor/ campaign would really add a lot to the game

I enjoy it- but it really has limited replay value.

Draginol · July 12, 2003, 00:15

Since the expansion pack is free, and a scenario editor would be expensive to do, that probably won't happen.

There already is a pretty good third party event writer which handles more than just events.

But really adding stuff in the game requires only notepad. You don't ahve to be a coder. Want a new planetary improvement? just copy and paste from one that is similar, chagne the values and save it with the same extension and the game will pick it up and the AI will pick it up.

If users aren't willing to modify a text file, what makes you think they'd be willing to go through a GUI scenario editor which might be harder to use?

Harry Seldon · July 13, 2003, 15:35

Quote:

If users aren't willing to modify a text file, what makes you think they'd be willing to go through a GUI scenario editor which might be harder to use?

I don't know; notepad can be pretty tricky...

LDiCesare · July 25, 2003, 15:34

Quote:

Since the expansion pack is free, and a scenario editor would be expensive to do, that probably won't happen.

Draginol, in that condition, could you provide us (or someone, like HawaiiFiveO) with the format of the star maps so the maps could be edited? Right now it's not really feasible.

Plus, I'm sorry to say, but Galciv is not as moddable as, f.e., CallToPower II (CtP2 ai mods made the game worth playing - we don't need that with galciv, though).

I'd really like it if the ai could, sometimes, use a different research path than what it always repeatedly takes. It's like playing chess against someone who always uses the same defense. Gets boring after a while, and once you learned the moves and he can't adapt, well, game over.

DarkCloud · July 26, 2003, 16:08

Quote:

Since the expansion pack is free,

didn't know that. that does change the issue. But if you ever made a retail one, a scenario editor would be a good bonus

I make a point to buy games with scenario editors

and free internet content.

Quote:

If users aren't willing to modify a text file, what makes you think they'd be willing to go through a GUI scenario editor which might be harder to use?

Hmm... I understand that, but some users would rather have the ability to create a map than create objects, etc.

And I have always found that GUIs are easier to use than notepad... Civilization Fantastic Worlds was much easier to modify than just regular Civilization. CFW had tools, Civilization had to be hardcoded modified. Oh it could be done, but it was clunky. GUIs just make everything easier

Quote:

But really adding stuff in the game requires only notepad. You don't ahve to be a coder. Want a new planetary improvement? just copy and paste from one that is similar, chagne the values and save it with the same extension and the game will pick it up and the AI will pick it up.

Also. This doesn't really add too much replay value. I mean... how many Stardocks can you have in one game? I suppose you can have different types coming from different technologies- but it would be much more fun if players could craft elaborate scenarios where sections of the galactic rim have access to certain technologies that others do not- and they build different types of structures in their bases,etc. as it is- in the game- everything just seems to happen. It's always more or less the same old same old. It's a good game, but it just seems a little repetitive. (sort of like what LDiCaesar proposes above)

But I do have to thank you for the notepad text editing abilities

and hosting the downloads on your site!

anofalye · July 29, 2003, 03:39

- Some races should have more then 1 "power" and they may share some planet and sector while exclude each other in some other area (for exemple, on Earth, there could be a "US" power with it strenght and weakness(maybe able to partially adapt most aliens tech advantages), some more, I don`t know, Europeen should have diplomatic edge if a little tech backward compare to US while for the Russians colonizing a new planet should be a lot better then conquering whatever they left behind(no facilities left ever, civil war, wastes, propaganda, all the nice little things that make you want to do anything else then conquering them(even destroying them should be better then trying to conquer and control whatever they have, even if awesome troubles to rebuild all from wastes and hinderance situation, lot better then trying to quell them), another exemple, a race like the "Menbari" from Bab5 have religious and warrior casts, each can build on every of the other planet as well, yet, they are very different cast, and a different power (kinda ally at start). It is more then unlikely that Earth is under 1 power, yet, it is very understandable that only a few power go colonize the world and will they allow to share the new systems with other humans factions? I see advantage in both sharing and not sharing. Would a faction that lose in the space bring war on the home planet of the race? What happen there then? How react the others factions that may not even be in space, they remain neutral or help 1 side or the other? To what extend did the other factions of that race will support each other beyond protecting the capital planet? Will they even war among themselves, or just be allies?

- Cultural conquest should take longer and be harder.

- More races, especially include any sci-fi that agree to be put in the game, it is fun to see stuff we know(be it the Empire or the federation in Star Wars, the Borgs, the Shadows or anything that agree, the more, the better, also, you could make a game with all those you like, you can have a very dark or kind galaxy with a huge choice, been surrounded by the Klingon, the Borg, the Shadows and Empire would certainly mean: I don`t wanna be there! :P Cloaking, computers "jamming/unlockable systems", uber shields, regen armoring, weapons that ignore "shield/armor" and attack life system...all are easy ideas to define a lot of fun.

- Balance the game so we don`t know who win after the initial spread.

- We wanna do our fights a little like we use in MOO2 and in Heroes, nothing that complex and boring, just a fun turn by turn "I hit, your turn" concept.

- Put some type of circle oriented "power" A beat B, B beat C, but C beat A system(can be more complex), this make fun calculation and working for everyone (in a multiple power per race, the Europeen Union would try to find the right ally while US oriented would try to copy the right alien tech(even if partial copy) to face most threats).

- Maybe change the building system to a simple form like Medieval Total War, no % change, simply differents topics, maybe a planet can build many ships at once, but require the appropriate upgrade in social building.

- Earth should be for the human always as productive as the rest of their planets all togheter, maybe not as rich or tech oriented, but with all the already presents stuff, it should be 1 awfull leading step ahead and mean: "This is your core production planet for the whole game". Same goes for all other races, no planet should ever equal your starting planet or even come close to equalling it...the ramifications are to many to change that fact in a few years only. This is like a "capital" that must be protected concept, especially with many power for same race, it became very interesting as they may try to take over your side of the capital(althought should never be equal to their side for them) or just help defend it, for exemple, you could be beaten in space, yet, other of your race protect home planet and this make you remain in the game, yet having to change approach...the other of your race can protect you to some extend, but they have some limit...it is easy to go to war with a whole race after the action of 1 faction of that race only.

- More protectorate/federation/economic alliance/tech alliance/tech protectorate and the like ideas. (a protectorate on any aspect mean complete submission to another power while usually gaining a little support from the "master" power.)

Anyway, later.

PS: Yes, I really love of the concept of many powers of the same race, some could be minor powers, some majors.

DarkCloud · July 29, 2003, 18:42

Quote:

We wanna do our fights a little like we use in MOO2 and in Heroes, nothing that complex and boring, just a fun turn by turn "I hit, your turn" concept.

I don't know about this- try STAR GENERAL and see if you like it... I know I didn't- and that's how they conducted their 'fleet battles'

GalCiv seems to me to be more of an administrative game than a military game.

and frankly, I sort of enjoy their military simulation- it's very 'civ-esque'

It's one of the strong points of the game (at least I think so) [Even though game reviews by CGM and CGW say otherwise

]

LDiCesare · August 1, 2003, 14:49

Quote:

Put some type of circle oriented "power" A beat B, B beat C, but C beat A system

Yes, that could be interesting, but note that Antimatter missiles are a bit like that (AMM neat anything, anything beats AMM), and bombers should be in the XPack so that may provide some variety.

Apart from that, anofalye, I just disagree with all your points.

In particular, I don't know who will win after the initial spread. Particularly when playing maso, and I doubt you can deduce the Yor will win from a good Yor starting spread.

shmily_dana · August 3, 2003, 01:07

How big will the expansion be? If it is huge, I hope they make a disk available for purchase.