Scale

I think the idea of the events are just to let you pick alignment by then... and I'm sure that they'll put in some late game events that can really screw you up...

Wyrenn,

In that case do you know if there is a post/info anywhere that talks about the advantages and disadvantages of good and evil alignment - other than screen colour changes?

I think there was a thread about the advantages of being a good empire... but I think the basics are that it opens/closes certain technologies to you and dictates how the AIs will react to you... there may be more bonuses that I'm not aware of...

There's some stuff in this thread about specific tech stuff:
http://www.galciv.com/forum.asp?id=9803

I think we've had more conversations about why become good or bad rather than conversations about what the real difference is.

Probably because there is no real difference, except for screen color and that being Good screws you hard in exchange for some late game techs. Also determines who you can ally with.
I remember playing the Gaians in SMAC. Ally with UoP and PK, fight Miriam, Santiogo, Hive. Try to remain friends with Morgan, but he usually gives up on me after I go green. Same kinda deal.

There are significant differences between good and evil. But neither is "better" than the other in GalCiv.

Good guys tend to band together easier. There are also unique techs available for each side.

The choices are really meant to allow you to pursue different strategies in the game.

Here are the good civ tech
http://webpages.charter.net/trevorpowdrell/goodcivtech.htm

Here the evil civ tech
http://webpages.charter.net/trevorpowdrell/evilcivtech.htm

Another advantage of being good is that your friends will give you ships while you are at war with the bad guys. I got a few battleships this way.

lol those evil ones look far to familiar