Cash Exploit

from GalCiv2 Forums
I found this back in 1.1, pissed off at seeing it FIXED for 1.2

This one time I was playing along, trying to keep a low profile and go for a culture victory, I was constructing a key Super Project (Eyes of the Universe or something), but then found out that the A.I. was also constructing the same thing, AND it was closer to completing it. So I had a choice, a) pay for it through one of the four 'corporations' or b) lose the project (along with all those acumulated turns). But here's the thing, I hate having my income diminished for X weeks, yet the 'full payment' company's option was gonna be like, 6000 bc when I only had 100 bc and my income around 30bc/turn (economics aren't my thing). So I figure, what the hell, pay for it and just hit 'turn' 20 times. But what happens? I go from +100bc to -5900bc, then the next turn SURPRISE! I have -2000 bc.

Lucky me, from then on, it was like having this magical credit card that could make debt go away, it opened the door for all sorts of exploits. A good one in particular would be cranking out a dozen Huge ship 'shells' (not even engines), then upgrading them to the MAX (ultimate weapons and armor), even if it meant paying 300k bc, since by the next turn, it would be only -2000 bc in my treasury. It also allowed me to have any (every) Super Project I wanted!

But what do I find out the other day after installing 1.2? Stardock's fixed something that wasn't broken! (yeah it's cheating, but so is giving the AI bonuses in the higher difficulties IMO)

That's it, you can stop reading now.
4,154 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
It was a feature which just broke the game in so many ways...
...you should be ashamed of exploiting it.

(P.s. the 1.2 beta allowed you to upgrade 100 ships for the cost of one... but they counted that as a bug too. )
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
This exploit doesn't work on the higher difficulty levels.

The auto-set to -2000 BC was a design feature to prevent you from accidentally going too far into debt and ruining your empire. I know at tough (and probably some easier than tough) this "feature" is turned off.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
Kanil - IIRC in the very first release it applied even on Suicidal...
but that is such a long time ago I may have got it wrong.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
the bonuses beyond tough are not cheats, they are handicaps, and completly voluntary. if your playing chess with someone who has to give you a pawn for you to have a chance does that make YOU a cheater? go play UT and when that rocket hits you in the head as soon as you step into that crossroad on rankin, now THAT is cheating
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As has been noted, the -2000BC cap was intended to help newbies stay in the black. It is now limited to the lower difficulties as intended, so if you're playing above normal you had better be ready to pay your debts.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That has got to be the first post I have ever seen where someone complains that a company fixed an exploit on higher levels. amazing... Perhaps you should simplly play at the lower levels or use the cheat keys so your game can be flagged correctly.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You're ranting because they fixed a bug? Hmm...


Don't be so hard on him. I'm enjoying this thread. It's not every day that someone gives an "OMG GAME TOO EASY?!!!1!!9!!!" thread while playing Sub-Normal difficulty...
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hey, what are you saying? I don't cheat, and I don't play in sub-normal (don't play in Suicidal either...), I'm just posting because I hadn't seen any thread about this. I didn't know it was something for newbies, as I said, I took my chances with going in debt and that's all.

But I'm happy to report that with the right choices, I can still allow myself to go -40k in debt and still keep up (and later beat) a bunch of intelligent/bright opponents.