GalCiv3 is now released

[JTsyo]

GalCiv3 on Steam

I haven't played any of the beta so the game is going to be all new to me. I actually bought it by mistake thinking it was Imperium Galactica 3. Reading up on it though should be very civ like.

 

[geforce255]

GalCiv3 on Steam

I haven't played any of the beta so the game is going to be all new to me. I actually bought it by mistake thinking it was Imperium Galactica 3. Reading up on it though should be very civ like.

I did play the beta.

If you've played GalCiv2

You've played GalCiv3... :whiste:

 

[XavierMace]

I did play the beta.

If you've played GalCiv2

You've played GalCiv3... :whiste:

In a lot of ways yes. But in many ways, no. Plus 3 is WAY shinier than 2. Some people may not care but if you're a ship builder, the new editor is freaking awesome.

 

[shortylickens]

:happydance:

 

[preslove]

I've been looking for a sci fi or fantasy 4x game. Is this the one to get? I've read that the space battles aren't all that. Anyone care to comment?

 

[brandonb]

Space battles are completely automated. You can watch the ship fights but you have no control over them and the results are calculated before the fight even starts. After watching a few you just skip it.

My impressions is while its a pretty fun 4x game, it's very basic. Too basic. It's not very deep at all. It's for those 4x who first enter the genre. For comparison, it's less complex than Moo2 was, and the gameplay is fairly similar to Moo2. But without freighters, assigning people who farm/industry/science, no spying, no tactical combat control, no space trolls like the Antarans.

They need to add complexity and more strategy. I guess it suffers from the same problem as Elite: Dangerous. What they have is good, but it needs more.

 

[Vivendi]

The space battles look pretty boring in this game based a couple vids I saw on youtube. And the game overall looks basically like the previous one. I'm gonna wait to get it until it's cheaper and expansions have come out, etc.

I always liked the space battle concept in MoO 3, although it does extend the time taken per turn by a bit, it's so much more fun! Wish they'd adopted something similar for this game.

Another game you guys might like is Star ruler 2. Released last month I believe. Steam

 

[TeknoBug]

I think Star Wars Empire at War is a bit more fun. lol

 

[XavierMace]

My impressions is while its a pretty fun 4x game, it's very basic. Too basic. It's not very deep at all. It's for those 4x who first enter the genre. For comparison, it's less complex than Moo2 was, and the gameplay is fairly similar to Moo2. But without freighters, assigning people who farm/industry/science, no spying, no tactical combat control, no space trolls like the Antarans.

They need to add complexity and more strategy. I guess it suffers from the same problem as Elite: Dangerous. What they have is good, but it needs more.

Moo2's greatest strength was it's greatest weakness. It was too complicated and drawn out for the masses. Everyone holds up Moo2 as the golden standard of turn based strategy games, yet I couldn't tell you the last time I saw anyone actually playing it.

Tactical combat specifically is something that was discussed more than once on the forums during Alpha/Beta. The hardcore 4X crowd would have liked to have seen. The "casual" (aka CivV players) 4X crowd would not it due to complexity, time, or both. I'm not sure if you've see a "Huge" map in GalCiv 3, but "huge" is an understatement. It makes the largest maps on CivV, Endless Legend, AoW3, etc look like a joke. A map that size with 20+ players would be impossible to complete with tactical combat. I had a small Endless Legend LAN party last weekend and introduced a few new people to the game. The first time they saw combat, the first thing they said was "this game is going to take forever. There's a reason you don't see tactical combat on games of this scale anymore.

Unfortunately the casual crowd out numbers the hardcore crowd by a massive margin and for a business, it makes no sense to deliberately design your product for a smaller market. It's a shame, but the dumbing down of gaming has all but killed off the deep strategy game segment.

 

[Sulaco]

Space battles are completely automated. You can watch the ship fights but you have no control over them and the results are calculated before the fight even starts. After watching a few you just skip it.

My impressions is while its a pretty fun 4x game, it's very basic. Too basic. It's not very deep at all. It's for those 4x who first enter the genre. For comparison, it's less complex than Moo2 was, and the gameplay is fairly similar to Moo2. But without freighters, assigning people who farm/industry/science, no spying, no tactical combat control, no space trolls like the Antarans.

They need to add complexity and more strategy. I guess it suffers from the same problem as Elite: Dangerous. What they have is good, but it needs more.

It looks like espionage has been pushed back until the first DLC/expansion, where it, and several other aspects, will be included.

Lame.

But, it means I'll be waiting until that happens, and a price drop, to buy the actual complete game.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

The space battles look pretty boring in this game based a couple vids I saw on youtube. And the game overall looks basically like the previous one. I'm gonna wait to get it until it's cheaper and expansions have come out, etc.

I always liked the space battle concept in MoO 3, although it does extend the time taken per turn by a bit, it's so much more fun! Wish they'd adopted something similar for this game.

Another game you guys might like is Star ruler 2. Released last month I believe. Steam

I picked up Star Ruler 2 last night - it's pretty good. :thumbsup:

 

[JTsyo]

I have Vista and the game does load at all. They are pretty strict with the requirements.

 

[TeknoBug]

I have Vista and the game does load at all. They are pretty strict with the requirements.

Good lord, Vista?

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I have Vista and the game does load at all. They are pretty strict with the requirements.

I had vista too until 2 years ago. MS offered a $40 upgrade to windows 8 Professional. They may still offer it.
Honestly vista wasn't bad.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

How tabletized is this game?

 

[norseamd]

I've been looking for a sci fi or fantasy 4x game. Is this the one to get? I've read that the space battles aren't all that. Anyone care to comment?

There is SOTS or SOTS 2 which are some good space 4X games available.

 

[norseamd]

Moo2's greatest strength was it's greatest weakness. It was too complicated and drawn out for the masses. Everyone holds up Moo2 as the golden standard of turn based strategy games, yet I couldn't tell you the last time I saw anyone actually playing it.

Tactical combat specifically is something that was discussed more than once on the forums during Alpha/Beta. The hardcore 4X crowd would have liked to have seen. The "casual" (aka CivV players) 4X crowd would not it due to complexity, time, or both. I'm not sure if you've see a "Huge" map in GalCiv 3, but "huge" is an understatement. It makes the largest maps on CivV, Endless Legend, AoW3, etc look like a joke. A map that size with 20+ players would be impossible to complete with tactical combat. I had a small Endless Legend LAN party last weekend and introduced a few new people to the game. The first time they saw combat, the first thing they said was "this game is going to take forever. There's a reason you don't see tactical combat on games of this scale anymore.

Unfortunately the casual crowd out numbers the hardcore crowd by a massive margin and for a business, it makes no sense to deliberately design your product for a smaller market. It's a shame, but the dumbing down of gaming has all but killed off the deep strategy game segment.

So then what do yo think about SOTS 2 with all current patches?

 

[Anteaus]

So then what do yo think about SOTS 2 with all current patches?

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2012/12/sword-of-the-stars-2-enhanced-edition-review/

 

[norseamd]

http://www.spacesector.com/blog/2012/12/sword-of-the-stars-2-enhanced-edition-review/

Seems accurate to me.

The research, ship designing, RTT, and space stations are all quite good. The lack of good tutorials and the UI are problems however.

What the game needs more than anything is some more expansions. But I doubt fat cat Paradox is willing to fund anymore expansions if not any more games for Kerberos. The diplomacy and espionage need more work like was said but also the planetary management mechanics need far more expansion. There is not a lot you can do with your colonies right now.

 

[shortylickens]

I play MOO2 all the time.

With the original disc.

 

[local]

Loved SOTS, hated SOTS 2. Not necessarily because SOTS 2 is bad but because of what it could have been.

Research, good.
Ship design, good.
Star systems instead of planets, good.
Star bases, good.
Leviathans, awesome.
Removing destroyers, bad.
Limited fleet size, bad
The entire order system, DIAF.

They should have left the free movement from SOTS 1 and combine it with the star bases having a supply radius. If fleet inside radius, then a certain number of freighters are required for supply. Outside of radius, then limited supply comes into effect.

That simple change would have eliminated 90% of the complaints and added depth over the original. And may have reduced the complete fail of a launch as well. I still believe the AI cannot handle the order system either.

As for the topic at hand I did not care for GalCiv 2. It was too simple with its rock/paper/scissor system. I dislike all games with that as a design focus. As such I will pass on GalCiv 3.

 

[shortylickens]

Loved SOTS, hated SOTS 2. Not necessarily because SOTS 2 is bad but because of what it could have been.

Research, good.
Ship design, good.
Star systems instead of planets, good.
Star bases, good.
Leviathans, awesome.
Removing destroyers, bad.
Limited fleet size, bad
The entire order system, DIAF.

They should have left the free movement from SOTS 1 and combine it with the star bases having a supply radius. If fleet inside radius, then a certain number of freighters are required for supply. Outside of radius, then limited supply comes into effect.

That simple change would have eliminated 90% of the complaints and added depth over the original. And may have reduced the complete fail of a launch as well. I still believe the AI cannot handle the order system either.

As for the topic at hand I did not care for GalCiv 2. It was too simple with its rock/paper/scissor system. I dislike all games with that as a design focus. As such I will pass on GalCiv 3.

Umm, ok. Could you please tell me what the rock was, what the paper was, and what the scissor was? Cuz I honestly dont know.

 

[Anteaus]

Umm, ok. Could you please tell me what the rock was, what the paper was, and what the scissor was? Cuz I honestly dont know.

He just means it had symmetric game play. As in, every possible advantage you might create for yourself had a way to be nullified on the other side.

Asymmetric game play is starting to become more common and I for one am happy about that.

If your remark was meant be sarcastic, then just ignore what I wrote.

 

[shortylickens]

OK, so what is one great advantage and what is the one guaranteed method to counter it?

Cuz I never noticed anything so perfect in all the rounds I've played of GalCiv 2.

 

[Martimus]

OK, so what is one great advantage and what is the one guaranteed method to counter it?

Cuz I never noticed anything so perfect in all the rounds I've played of GalCiv 2.

Each weapon type had a specific defense type that would defend it. GC3 goes into more depth in that each weapon type has unique advantages beyond the fact that each defense is specific for each Weapon type (missiles are slow with long range, mass drivers are short range with high rate of fire, lasers have long range and slow rate of fire, but have a higher accuracy)

As with all Gal Civ games the AI is what sets it apart. Best AI in any game. Also the game does have freighters, and separation of industry and science and culture.