January 19, 2003, 18:17
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#1
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Emperor
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First impressions of Galciv
Please not that this is not a full review. I don't have the time to do one, and I'm not even sure if I'm not under some kind of implicit NDA.
Anyway...here goes:
For starters: Definately buy this game. It is Strategy with a capitol S. A sh*tload of techs, custumizable everything, and a great political/diplomatic model. I am already in love
On my machine it does play a bit slow, but my machine isn't exactly high-end, what with an AMD K2 450 CPU. Slower CPU's than this one would probably make for a very slow game, as the system requirements are likely to be somewhere around 500 MHz.
The game really feels and plays like a finished game, allthough it is still in beta. I have played release versions of game that were more unfinished than this one...not to mention that Stardock has promised that the finished game will include even more multimedia.
Asmodean
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Im not sure what Baruk Khazad is , but if they speak Judeo-Dwarvish, that would be "blessed are the dwarves" - lord of the mark
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January 19, 2003, 19:16
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#2
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Apolyton CS Co-Founder
Local Time: 16:46
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Quote:
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I'm not even sure if I'm not under some kind of implicit NDA.
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AFAIK you're not
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January 19, 2003, 19:58
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#3
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Warlord
Local Time: 10:46
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Re: First impressions of Galciv
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not to mention that Stardock has promised that the finished game will include even more multimedia.
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Pros:
Ooh, more fun multimedia
Cons:
Downloading another 160+mb file on my dial-up modem. :sarcasm: joy... :/sarcasm: Hopoefully this can be split up into smaller files this time.
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January 20, 2003, 15:32
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#4
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Emperor
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Really: You downloaded Galciv on a dial-up modem. Hats off to you, Edan...hats off.
Asmodean
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Im not sure what Baruk Khazad is , but if they speak Judeo-Dwarvish, that would be "blessed are the dwarves" - lord of the mark
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January 21, 2003, 23:22
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#5
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Deity
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Is it going to be in stores?
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January 21, 2003, 23:52
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#6
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Warlord
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Quote:
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Originally posted by notyoueither
Is it going to be in stores?
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Yes, it'll be in stores. The download was for the beta version (although I believe it will still be available to by online after it's out).
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January 21, 2003, 23:55
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#7
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Warlord
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Quote:
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Originally posted by Asmodean
Really: You downloaded Galciv on a dial-up modem. Hats off to you, Edan...hats off.
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Broadband? Who needs it!
Help me. I'm trapped in dialup and need broadband. AAAAAAAHHHHHH!
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January 22, 2003, 01:18
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#8
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Deity
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Quote:
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Originally posted by Edan
Yes, it'll be in stores. The download was for the beta version (although I believe it will still be available to by online after it's out).
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I was going to join the beta, but there was only a week left, and then I would not have been given the super-beta (or whatever) versions.
I decided to wait a bit.
Good to know it will be in stores. I will have to bug some of the bigger retailers around me to get it.
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January 22, 2003, 01:36
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#9
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Warlord
Local Time: 10:46
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Quote:
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Originally posted by notyoueither
I was going to join the beta, but there was only a week left, and then I would not have been given the super-beta (or whatever) versions.
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Hmm? AFAIK, the beta testers will be getting all the versions (including the final one).
Gamestop and EBworld already have the game listed for preorder, so they should have them in stock when in comes out.
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January 22, 2003, 02:55
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#10
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Deity
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Quote:
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Originally posted by Edan
Hmm? AFAIK, the beta testers will be getting all the versions (including the final one).
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Wednesday, January 15, 2003 - GalCiv Beta closes this Friday
After this Friday the GalCiv beta is closing to new users. So if you want to get into the beta, now's the time to do it.
However, be aware that when the GAMMA become available, we will be closing updates to all but a handful of beta testers for security purposes. You'll be able to continue playing the beta but subsequent builds won't be available until release at which time you'll get the CD-ROM version sent to you.
It is the 'gamma' that is closed off, apparently. I figured I may as well wait for it in stores.
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January 22, 2003, 09:23
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#11
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Warlord
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My bad.
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January 22, 2003, 18:44
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#12
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Emperor
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A new build has been put up, that slightly changes the look and feel of the game. I haven't played it long enough to notice any gameplay changes, allthough Brad says there are some.
Asmodean
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Im not sure what Baruk Khazad is , but if they speak Judeo-Dwarvish, that would be "blessed are the dwarves" - lord of the mark
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January 26, 2003, 21:40
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#13
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Local Time: 14:46
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There will probably be another public build this next week. Lot of work put on AI and other polish things.
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January 27, 2003, 15:14
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#14
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Emperor
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Great, Brad...thanks for the heads up.
Asmodean
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Im not sure what Baruk Khazad is , but if they speak Judeo-Dwarvish, that would be "blessed are the dwarves" - lord of the mark
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February 1, 2003, 19:14
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#15
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King
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Asmo, could you tell us about the AI, i've read an example from Brad, about what the AI did, but he hada debugger, and could see what the AI was doing from the inside.
Does the AI appear to make any interesting decisions from the outside? You know, decisions that you really wouldn't expect from a computer.
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<Kassiopeia> you don't keep the virgins in your lair at a sodomising distance from your beasts or male prisoners. If you devirginised them yourself, though, that's another story. If they devirginised each other, then, I hope you had that webcam running.
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February 2, 2003, 17:37
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#16
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Warlord
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AI question
Brad said the AI thinks also during your turn.
Does it mean the longer it takes for you to play, the better its strategy?
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February 2, 2003, 18:23
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#17
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King
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No, as i understand it, the AI will need a certain amount of time, when it's done, it's done. Even if you're still in your turn.
If you're done before the AI, you'll probably get a "Please wait..." message or something..
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<Kassiopeia> you don't keep the virgins in your lair at a sodomising distance from your beasts or male prisoners. If you devirginised them yourself, though, that's another story. If they devirginised each other, then, I hope you had that webcam running.
Play Bumps! No, wait, play Slings!
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February 3, 2003, 00:39
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#18
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Precisely. What happens is that you press teh turn button and a little hour glass shows up on the turn button. You can still interact with the UI (to various degrees depending on your machine) so you're never stuck looking at a "please wait.." dialog.
There are times pretty regularly when the AI will seem to do something unexpected. It's usually when a condition is met that the human players don't normally expect an AI to be looking for.
The AI spends a lot (most) of its CPU time LOOKING at the galactic map seeing what players are doing. It doesn't make a distinction between human and other AI players (they're all from the same base class).
Here's an example of where you can be at war with someone you have decent relations with:
I'm allied with the Altarians. The Altarians are preparing to go to war with the evil Drengin who I don't like either. But the Drengin are allied with the Torians who I have a good relationship with. The Drengin project that the Altarians are about to attack because it notes the number of transports and attack level ships that are in sectors that are no where near its own planets. the Drengin send out fighters to hang out near the transports. At some point the Drengin sneak attack the Altarians to destroy those transports. This in turn causes you to be at war with the Drengin due to your treaty which activates the alliance with the Torians.
That's one of the more unexpected things players have reported. Personally, I think people just have too low expectations for computer players. Who here would allow another player to put in invasion ships righ their planets and not take preemptive action? But people are so used to computer players being stupid about letting humans just put a bunch of ships around their planets and letting them get away with it.
But I've gotten a lot of email about this over the last couple of months. there are lots of other examples lke that which are much more subtle. Unfortunately it's subtle to the point where we're going to have to put up warning dialogs to help players. A player will complain that morale is dropping and they don't know why when in fact it's because other players are quietly destabilizing them. So we have to put in something so that you get warnings even if you're not putting any espionage into those players.
I love multiplayer games. I was pretty high up in the Warcraft III ladder and was the top ranked player in total Annihliation boneyards. So i try to make sure that the computer players play with some of the kinds of skills you'd see in multiplayer.
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February 3, 2003, 05:43
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#19
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King
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Quote:
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The AI spends a lot (most) of its CPU time LOOKING at the galactic map seeing what players are doing. It doesn't make a distinction between human and other AI players (they're all from the same base class).
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Does that mean it can see the entire galaxy, or it just looks at what it can see?
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...there are lots of other examples lke that which are much more subtle.
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That's something i was sort of worried about, that there is this great AI, but that the player won't even notice much of it. But it seems it will certainly be noticed
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<Kassiopeia> you don't keep the virgins in your lair at a sodomising distance from your beasts or male prisoners. If you devirginised them yourself, though, that's another story. If they devirginised each other, then, I hope you had that webcam running.
Play Bumps! No, wait, play Slings!
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February 3, 2003, 18:57
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#20
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Chieftain
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Part of the Story of Galactic Civilizations is that the other Empires spent ages mapping out the various parts of this area and as a result know where everything is.....
.....But there is a fog of war and I do believe it applies to them.....so I don't think they can see everything.....they have to send out scouts and what not.......or freighters......There is also espionage where they can get information about you that way too.....
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February 3, 2003, 18:58
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#21
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Chieftain
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Boy that sure sounds confusing doesn't it? I mean they know where all of the planets are.....but not what you are CURRENTLY doing with ships and what-not...........
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February 3, 2003, 23:00
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#22
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Planets are somewhat larger than ships.
Realisticaly, it's not much of an advantage to an experienced player because the player knows where all the stars are and the stars are distributed in clusters, not evently spread out.
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February 4, 2003, 00:10
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#23
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Prince
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Here's a question. If the AI is busy thinking and strategising while you're having your turn, does this mean that the longer you take to have a turn, the cleverer the AI will be with its turn; that is to say, the longer you take each turn, the more you could be "punished" because the AI has had more time to "think"?
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February 4, 2003, 06:15
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#24
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King
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Quote:
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Originally posted by Lemmy
No, as i understand it, the AI will need a certain amount of time, when it's done, it's done. Even if you're still in your turn.
If you're done before the AI, you'll probably get a "Please wait..." message or something..
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i feel so ignored
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<Kassiopeia> you don't keep the virgins in your lair at a sodomising distance from your beasts or male prisoners. If you devirginised them yourself, though, that's another story. If they devirginised each other, then, I hope you had that webcam running.
Play Bumps! No, wait, play Slings!
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February 4, 2003, 06:46
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#25
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Deity
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Quote:
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Originally posted by Lemmy
i feel so ignored
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Did someone post?
-Jam
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