Few thoughts about 0.98c

... just got this thingy, so -

from GalCiv2 Forums
Kay, i finally got to install TotA this afternoon and went on to give it ride without X-Worlds custom stuff by playing straight outa-the-box using Terran against 6 minors and five majors (AE-IR-AR-YC & KR)... and all i can say so far is that i'm quite pleased with the experience. Haven't really ditched into all it has to offer yet, but figured i would need to share a few comments before i forget -- not THAT much important and still the following puzzled me up a bit;

1- The events screen has lost its bottom row of clickable items. Clearing the list is really a useful option to me and i hope this situation is related only to beta status.

2- Map editor was real buggy all over. I suspect again that this is only temporary. Just trying to put up a single Star on the interface only gave me a huge blobby fireball from which i couldn't even zoom in or out from! Thus, probably a DX flaw from my own PC-side or maybe a simple transition state of the beta copy itself.

3- Revamping of the races with some negative abilities (took the liberty to compare xml files and clearly, it is a very smart balancing attempt) and the whole tech-trees scramble is, indeed, quite complex to handle. Not questioning developpers choices here, ya know. As i consider myself, by now, a relatively knowledgeable GC player... it still wrecked up my mind far more than i expected just staring at these numerous changes to the buildings names and images (could call it the XCom_Mod bad habits, also) and what else.
Given quality gameplay time and extensive testing, it will surely become obvious that the entire experience has been boosted to huge variables. Certainly a perfect design feature when one considers the target audience; TBS players. It's not a bug, in fact -- but rather a risky gamble that may turn off the more casual gang. I don't mind, but maybe some will.
Thus a sort of fits all Tech-Tree (ala DA or the default Minor version) option to distribute to all active races (instead of the init config) BEFORE any given game starts would be somehow, welcomed.

PS; I agree that the DarkYor are better off with_out us all, custom driven warriors of the galaxy! ;)

Yet, lotsa experimentation in the weeks ahead befofe i even begin to fathom about adapting X-Worlds to this tera-bytes-size like expansion. Nevertheless, i've always been the kind of person to take up a challenge head-on... and it's not today that i won't. :)

If i can find something else worth mentioning about this subject_forum (bug or not), i'll chime in this thread.

Now, back to modding AND playing the new stuff.
4,608 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Forget #2 above... duh, mouse-wheel-scroll or -/+ keys DO exactly what they're meant for: Zooming. As it is supposed to be guessed by dummies like me. I just hope that when the final release is out, others will simply get whatever help they may need straight off the usual_normal interface option.
:)
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The increase of base speed to 2 was a nice change in TA. It I think was a byproduct of them wanting to give a speed handicap to the Arceans (thus their -1 speed now).

I think someone may have brought up wanting to be able to use DA tech tree for all races and the only answer I remember being said (by a dev or not, I'm unsure) was to just manually change the xml files and copy/paste the Terran tech tree into each race....or just make all custom races to play with, using the Terran tree, since it's the closest to DA's tree.

This overhaul in TA really makes the espionage change, extreme worlds, super abilities and asteroids in DA seem like a bump in the road in comparison.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Soooo true, and in fact as a reference to #3 above i've been exploring the changes a bit further only to realize it won't be that much difficult (as i previously expected) to adapt anything for X-Worlds modding stuff(s).

- Plenty of techno costs were fiddle up, mostly higher overall impacts in a number of areas.
- A few 'none_groups' were inserted. Beats me how those do workout yet.
- Some tricky strange negative abilities! ;)
- Extra tags like 'willingnesstotrade' were also added.
- Basicly, it's all about a main "default_tech_reference_file" that gets enhanced by the variable race related appends from single extra-files.

I've also noticed a skins_folder at the ready for the editors; no direct effect could be seen (only plain XP frames and buttons) in the trial testing i did but i just wish the final release will enhance the interfaces to some GC_graphical_feel. Which, btw, isn't far off from a true sort of gameplay settings that would mimic the normal screens as designed in similar dxpacks framework. Here, i'm crossing fingers for the optional UI in editors too.

Based on your comment, i've been thinking about the regular DA technos as they could be reflected into an alternate TA (regular, but slightly edited) without missing the new features and i don't think the extensive or complex work should be worth the hassle; after all, the gameplay itself has been improved by the new pathways and their corresponding features. Although, modding the process itself can easily be done if anyone might be willing to tackle such a task; which is to say that SD_coders had some great forward-thinking-patterns when they planned these upgrades. Programming is one thing, designing simple addons another. I won't go into nightmare compiling debugs!

The GTeChnos utility i'm developping will certainly require a comprehensive overhaul though. Most of the colored_boxie_tags aren't located where they actually show on the variable trees and thus, some intuitive design steps will need to be taken.

Lotsa work ahead. :)
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So... the late tests go on;

4- Although this may be caused by my very-low-end PC hardware settings, there is a terrible delay before battles startup with their animations or numbers crunching routine. I doubt this has to do with the game itself. I noticed a few video options may just relief the cpu-stress effects simply by unticking stuff like a)enhanced ship rendering or even, b)vertex processing... heck a load of other options could fit in a c)_clause for all i know.
Gotta test these strange slow-downs a bit further, but if anyone has experienced similar issues or found a solution and better yet, the explanation - please, do share your thoughts.

5- Again, beta is just that. I sooooo did wish for a properly activated 'create new opponents' at first and figured, whatta-heck it's just another week of waiting worth to finally enjoy this essential feature for modding purposes.

6- Absolutely fantastic artwork on all & each of the brand new planetary improvements, btw. The 64_128 pixels barrier has been crossed for fairly good reasons as i think the surfaces really do benefit from those slick assets. Some of the planet surfaces images seemed a bit off contrast_wise (think White ice, here!), but this has more to do with how anybody might perceive the differently layered 'shadows'.
It's crazy to realize how much code was optimized though, just by matching simple raws with corresponding pre-drawn planets; as a bonus, it will be MUCH easier to create our own modded stuff in such development tasks. Many Tks for this.

And, the Terminator says -- i'll be back!
:)
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
4- Although this may be caused by my very-low-end PC hardware settings, there is a terrible delay before battles startup with their animations or numbers crunching routine.
End of quote


I would write this off as the Sensor Lock routine as you had in EVE before you could fire your weapons.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Bof, turned off some options and it runs much smoother now! ;)

Which, btw, may be a good idea for SD to **include** a sort of guide_help_descriptive_text to technicalities such as many or some people will, most probably, be stuck with.
;)