PS - off topic, but how does one get the little icons at the end of their message?

U need to enable them. There is a icon to the right of yr metaverse character. Read the stickys under metaverse talk for more exact info.

PS - off topic, but how does one get the little icons at the end of their message?

You go into My Account and select My Characters and the press the blue Default button on the character whose medals you want displayed.

You obviously have to be logged in, but for some reason you also have to be at the GalCiv2 home page to do this. If you're in the forums the only option under My Account is to view your profile.

I used to play an online TBS game years ago that did work well in that environment. The way it worked is you got a certain number of turns you could play each day. It was independant of what others were doing and they would regenerate hourly. The pace was set by the host of the game. It would get really interesting when two or more players were playing out their turns at the same time, especially during battles. If GC2 was set up to operate that way, I could see where it would work. Though it would run at a much slower pace than a single player game.

Ya, without MP this game just dosen't feel right. Its cool to design ships but if no one but me gets to see my custom designs crushing the enemy whats the point? I'd almost just rather have a counter that displayed attack, defense, and speed. Also the combat system almost seems like it was simplified for MP (you attack, I attack, you attack, ect... ). The AI was fun for a while but I'd rather face a human player. But I didn't make the same mistake twice, when I heard that DA came out and it did not have MP, so I decided to buy Sword of the Stars. DA may have new content but if I can't tell the AI to withdraw influence bases, force trades, or co-ordinate battle plans like I could with a human player then its just not worth it.

I know I'm going to take flak for this, but to be honest, I think online multiplayer for this game would be really boring. Especially on large maps, it can take a long time for you to do your turn, and what am I doing while you're talking to other races, outlining your development of several colonies, designing new ship types and setting waypoints for your ships? I'm sitting around staring at my non-moving screen. Do I even get to watch you do your thing? Of course I don't, 'cause that would give me an unfair advantage of knowing your tactical situation. So I get to sit. And stare. What fun!(?)


At least I'll know that in ten minutes when you're done, it's my turn, and since YOU took so long, I don't see any reason that I shouldn't take 15 minutes for MY turn as well. Maybe you'll get bored and leave, and I'll win by default!

I know I'm going to take flak for this, but to be honest, I think online multiplayer for this game would be really boring.

Then don't play it, no one will be forcing you.

I agree with pretty much all that's been said. It's a long game. There may be compromises made in the single player game to support multiplayer. The developers have better things to do.

I doubt I would use multiplayer often, but if I wish to make a long game even longer by playing a multiplayer game, then that's my choice. There should be no compromise in the single player game, any compromise required should be made in multiplayer. As I said before, my understanding was that GCII *will* eventually have multiplayer support which will be developed in conjunction with a future game then back fit into GCII. No one will hold a gun to your head and say that you must play multiplayer. How can anyone object to this?

Just my £ 0.02.

I'd like to make the distinction between multiplayer and MMO. It seems to me that multiplayer could be fun (LAN party type multiplayer), but MMO probably wouldn't be, for the reasons a lot of folks have already given.

I'm (really) old school: I used to play tabletop strategy games (and I remember 1st edition D & D). One objection to multiplayer in CG2 has been "What do I do when it's your turn?" When you're face to face (or talking over those new-ish head sets) you kibitz, you talk, you joke, you bounce ideas for moves off each other (depending on how social you want to be)--it's what we did "back in the day." It can be fun, just not in the same way the single player is fun. (I also think that multiplayer is a lower priority feature. The new features I've heard about in DA are much cooler.)

I've tried play-by-email games, and I don't think it works out well (at least it didn't for me).

I'd like to see multiplayer where a bunch of people can directly connect to each other over the LAN or Internet, and play the regular turn based game (with or without AI). I don't think StarDock should try to build some kind of centralized "move clearinghouse" (a la LSN) or some such, because I don't think it'd ever be profitable.

Don't forget to take this message with some salt.

I don't wanna play MP. I can beat the AI. I'd get my butt handed to me by you hotshots.

I think LAN play is what people are most interested in. I can totally understand the desire for that, you know, a few buddies get together for a night of GC2. Internet MP would be something totally different.

I don't wanna play MP. I can beat the AI. I'd get my butt handed to me by you hotshots.

You know that's not necessarily true. Also, how can you improve if you never get beat?

I think LAN play is what people are most interested in. I can totally understand the desire for that, you know, a few buddies get together for a night of GC2. Internet MP would be something totally different.

Why even bother with the LAN? Why not make a hot seat game mode?

And Diem, you're talking like the developers have nothing else to do besides put in multiplayer. They aren't sitting around watching TV and occasionally talking about maybe putting it in later. The time that's spent developing multiplayer could be used to develop other things.

Also I never said I didn't WANT multiplayer added, all I ever said was that I don't see why people are so hot on the idea of it. But then again, I get bored very easily when something shiny isn't jingling in front of me.

Speaking of which, I'm off to play with my keys! Wee!

Here are some problems that I see when you make this game MP.

1. If you play on anything larger than a Medium sized map, you will be waiting forever for your turn while other players take their turns. (CIV III and IV did a pretty good job overcoming this.) Next time you get to mid-game or end-game, time yourself and see how long it takes to complete 1 turn. Now multiply that by 2 or more players. There is a lot of down time until your turn comes back around.

2. What is going to happen if you start to lose? I have played TBS MP games before. When I or another opponent gets down to their last few planets (or cities) and recovery looks like a lost cause, there is no point in playing. Usually what happens next is the losing player quits and looks for a new game to join. Unless you are a group that plans on sticking together, once someone begins to dominate, the game is pretty much over.

As I have mentioned, CIV did a pretty good job at addressing these issues, but because GAL CIV has been pretty much completed and Dark Avatar on the way, it would take a major re-work of the programming to make in MP compatible. If you want Gal Civ to be a MP game, you will have to wait for another expansion.