Can't See The Wood For The Trees

Hello there Spacefarers

I'm arriving late to the GalCiv 2 party despite owning the game for a number of years... praps I'd better qualify that. I bought "GalCiv 2 Ultimate Edition" I don't know how many years back, installed it, liked what I was seeing and then promptly got distracted by something else shiny which had come out and completely forgot about "GalCiv2"!

Fast forward to now and finding myself unsatisfied by "SotS2" (Nothing to do with the code, it seems playable to me, there was just ....something missing.) I suddenly remembered my copy of "GalCiv2" nestled safely away in my games box. Reinstalled it and have hardly switched it off since!

But I have to admit that I'm having some problems navigating the tech tree, in as much as I can't seem to find some of what I want to do and this despite internet serches, manual reading and even the use of an intercative tech tree thingie I found. So I thought, where better to ask the question than right here amoung the experts!

The first thing is shields. I've researched the primer which tells me that I can now go down the road toward developing armour and shields, but all I can find is tech for armour. What path do I need to follow to get those deflectors?

Secondly (and more frustratingly if I'm honest) is Trade Modules so that I can build freighters and start a trade route. According to that interactive tech tree device I mentioned, I have already researched all I need to in order to see these modules appear, but they are nowhere to be seen!

I'm actually playing the dreadlords campaign and I'm on the very first scenario (I'm also playing it on a fairly easy setting, in order to learn the ropes without getting my stripy behind kicked too badly.) and I wondered whether perhaps Trade Routes are disabled this early in the campaign?

If not, then can some helpful person tell me the path for this as well?

Many thanks all

Badger

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1. Shield Defense Theory (this should be unlocked the same time as armour tech) but see below.

2. Yes, Trade modules are disabled during certain stages of the campaign. You need to start a sandbox game with 'New Game' to have unrestricted tech tree access.

3. Basically you have certain objectives in the campaign, and not all the technologies will be available to you or be functional, just the ones you actually need.

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Thank you for the quick reply Marvin. I still can't see those shields, but it could be that they to are not enabled at this point in the campaign. Or.. I could just be going senile. Either is a viable possibility.

All the best

Badger

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Some of the other techs are disabled in the campaigns. I remember there is at least one scenario where only armour defences are available.

Hover the cursor over the tech tree in the research screen, then you can zoom in and out on it, and move it around by holding down the mouse button.

I had to get more GalCivII experience from sandbox games before I could get throught the Dread Lords campaign (without the luck of starting with large bonus tiles or the luck of spotting those fast DL transports in time ).

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Thanks Zarnick. I think I might turn to the sandbox mode as you suggest and come back to the Campaign later. I also need to up the difficulty I suspect. I might have made a rookie error in setting it low to learn the game without too much threat. What's happening instead is it's seeming a little dull.

Also working against my progress is <looks around to make sure no-one else is listening> that I am being held hostage by "Elemental War of Magic"! I'm having such a fun campaign that it drags me back every time I thiknk about firing up something else.

Thanks for the advice fellas, I'll put it to good use shortly once I get back to my sci-fi fix.

All the best

Badger

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