How do I get back default settings?

I don't have UE but just go to where the save games for each version are kept which are probably under "My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2" for Dread Lords, "My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar" for Dark Avatar and "My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor" for Twilight of the Arnor.

In all three cases the primary file that sets up and saves your current game configuration is the Prefs.ini file. This file contains al of your latest selections as to galaxy size, frequency of planet types, victory conditions, number of opponents, your opponent races and difficulty levels and everything about the game except for how the races are configured in terms of how their ability points are spent, their political party, etc. For Dread Lords there are a set of *.raceconfig files that specify your own race and your opponent race configurations. In the case of Dark Avatar and Twilight there are a set of *.customracexml files that perform the same function.

So if you want to reset *everything* then simply delete the Prefs.ini file along with all the *.customracexml or *.raceconfig under a specific directory and then when you next play that game new files will be generated that at least start with the default "factory" settings.

There are other differences between the Dread Lords *.raceconfig files and DA/TA *customracexml files. Specifically the raceconfig files in DL get generated for your *own* race only. However if you leave these files in place and later come along and play the next game as a different race and select a race for which a *.raceconfig file exists as an opponent then the game will in fact use that *.raceconfig file to define your opponent. In essence you select what you feel to be the best configuration for your own race and the game will in fact use that same configuration against you in a later game. For DA/TA you have a lot more control from inside the Useer Interface into how the *.customracexml files get generated and used however that's a different and much more extensive topic.

thanks mumblefratz!  while i'm not adverse to manipulating files i was hoping for a one size fits all solution, like a button most games have that allow you to reset to "factory defaults".  i'll poke around those files but it "sounds" easier and less dangerous to just change each setting each time to what i want rather than run the risk of removing a critical file.

I personally don't like to delete a configuration that I've worked on and gotten to the point that I like to play. Instead what I do is actually save the Prefs.ini and the *.customracexml file to a different directory and then I have multiple directories each with a different starting setup that I go back and forth between. Anyway by just moving the files not only can you get back to a "default" configuration but by moving your customized files back to the directory they came from you can always go back to the identical setup that you played before. 

This is less important in Dread Lords than in Dark Avatar where there is a lot of opportunity for customization of your opponents. I can be a lot of work to do this and get them just they way you want them and it's a good idea to have a "backup" of your preferred configuration just in case you mess it up.

i just got the game so i'm nowhere near having a configuration i want to keep.  right now i'm just diddling around so wanted to "reset" each time thru.  thanks again for you're help but let me ask you one other thing if you don't mind.  i bought the ultimate edition after having played the dread lords demo.  as you know, ultimate has all 3 games on it.  if you had to pick just one, which one would you recommend i try?  playing all 3 may be a bit too much for me (men or war assault squad comes out later this year) so if i were going to play just one for a while, which one would you suggest i pick?  dread lords, twilight, or dark avatar?  i was also thinking of playing the campaign starting with dread lords but that might be too much.  

I've never been a fan of campaigns in general.

As far as which game I might not be the best person to ask. With a limited amount of time to dedicate perhaps the best to go for is right to Twilight. It's a lot more complicated with separate Tech trees for each race but to the best of my knowledge Twilight has the fewest bugs and has reasonable gameplay. My problem is that I really haven't played Twilight myself and so my knowledge of it is limited.

Between Dread Lords and Dark Avatar I would probably have to go with Dread Lords. There was a huge nerfage of ship speed done in Dark Avatar based on the mistaken assumption that ship speed was being exploited to overrun the AI making the game easier than it should have been. And although to some extent ship speed can be used to that effect it's by no means the only way that a human can roll over the AI and the speed nerfage in Dark Avatar really just boils down to an annoyance that is substantially greater to those that prefer larger galaxy sizes.

But Dark Avatar has it's redeeming features as well. Certainly as far as "the big game" goes you get far more planets in a DA game versus a DL game.

All in all I really don't think you can make a bad choice as any version of the game that you choose to play is both immersive and highly addictive.

"All in all I really don't think you can make a bad choice as any version of the game that you choose to play is both immersive and highly addictive."

i think i'm coming to that conclusion as well...thanks my friend

Actually, in my experience, TOA has the most bugs by far.

Just out of curiosity, and only tangentially related to the thread - do you know why starting funds in TOA were reduced to 3000 bcs (instead of 5000 in the other two games)? It's a major annoyance that's almost harder to adjust my playing style to then the unique tech trees (except for the radically altered ones such as the Thalan and Yor) and discourages me from playing TOA in much the same way you seem to dislike the DA 'speed nerfage'. Was it added for any similiar reason? 

However I was under the impression that TOA has in fact fixed some pretty major bugs that had existed for very long periods of time that had pretty major impact to play style. For example fixing the function of the Mind Control Center after at least 3 years. Also doesn't TOA fix the ability to buy and produce stuff while bankrupt? In DA you're supposed to be prohibited from talking to the AI for 8 weeks after a trade (and 16 weeks after war) but you can speak to an AI the next turn if you simply save and reload for all AI's except for the AI in the 1st position on your diplomamtic screen, I was under the impression that TOA fixed this as well. While TOA may have also introduced it's own set of bugs I think that fixing some of these long term issues outweighs them, but then like I said I have no real experience playing TOA, however I do expect to eventually begin to play it at some point, however I'm still trying to master DA.

As far as the starting funds, I have no clue as to why they were reduced. The speed nerfage in DA was discussed quite a bit both prior to and immediately afterwards but I don't really recall there being any discussion about TOA's starting funds.