Potential to be a good game but needs some help.

Comments.

1, Stardock is not Paradox (size matters), and how woefully documented are the hugely complex Paradox games?   It's a question of where do you want to put your dollars and work-hours.   I also seriously hope the documentation gets better... the galactopedia is a great idea but it's bare bones now.   First  thing I tried was to look up a resource to see if I could figure out what it is used for.    Wasn't a great success, LoL.   Might also mention in the same vein the tutorial, which shouldn't be a puzzle but a guide.   I struggled to work on it for days.   It's getting better but that's not saying much.

2. I understand that galaxy set up is a trial and error thing when I would hope for a more intuitive procedure.  For example, I tried to set up a many sector galaxy with roughly one faction per sector.    I struggled.   To some extent a little experimentation might be required, but one should get the hang a bit more quickly.

3. I have always been able to manage diplomacy pretty well with the galactic civilization series.  I think it should be a bit harder to get a non aggression pact.   But if I work on it I can get it most of the time.

4. Can't comment because I never sell anything per month.  All upfront.

5. I have finished culture tracks in all the games I have played.  Don't know what the problem is here.  My current game I just finished individualism.   Those individual points do add up, for me.

6. AI suiciding is a problem.   It helps clean up a sector a lot faster, but really.   Are all aliens suicidal?  Stardock has been good with AI so I am hopeful here.  It's the hardest part of a strategy game, but they have had success in the past.

7.  Nazis vs.  Stalin was a total war.   US vs Japan was total war.   And here we have aliens vs humans etc.  I think it's about right.

8. Don't know about this.  Every game when I go after another faction, frequently they will sneak an invasion fleet through and grab a planet.  Most annoying.  I admit I haven't figured out the most efficient way to approach this.  The whole business about influence and invasion tactics is something they've been concerned with for a LONG time.   In Gal Civ 3 there were howls because it was difficult to build an invasion fleet, arbitrarily so.  I am sure there will be an evolution here, but I think even the current system is a big improvement.  Doesn't mean I am in love with it, though, and I  thing that they need to continue tinkering with it to find the right combination.  Frankly I don't know what that is.  Specifically about blockading.    Well, I think that's a very interesting topic.  The fact that fleets will now fire on enemies in range without player involvement is a step in the right direction, but I don't think at this stage that solves your main objection.

The thing about Stardock, good or bad, is that they are almost never done with a title.  They are still adapting GC3.  So its a process.

3. I have always been able to manage diplomacy pretty well with the galactic civilization series.  I think it should be a bit harder to get a non aggression pact.   But if I work on it I can get it most of the time.

Where is this at. I have played several games now and have never had the option to ask for a non-aggression treaty.

5. I have finished culture tracks in all the games I have played.  Don't know what the problem is here.  My current game I just finished individualism.   Those individual points do add up, for me.

I too have finished a SINGLE track. But have never had any chance to do any other tracks. So you get an event that gives +3 Progressive....unless you are doing that track it is wasted.

7.  Nazis vs.  Stalin was a total war.   US vs Japan was total war.   And here we have aliens vs humans etc.  I think it's about right.

Uhhhh.,...no.

So you are telling me that with the Nazis outside Moscow if the Nazis offered peace Stalin would have said, "Nah we will just die? You had 10 systems, you have lost 4, you are not going to get them back, the enemy is at your door but he offers peace. You think it is a good idea to just keep going? Why not take the peace and build up to attack?

The AI should understand when it is losing a war and not wait until it has lost nearly every planet to accept peace. In fact, it should sue for peace. The Nazi's and Japan would have surrendered earlier if the Allies had not has Unconditional Surrender. So I understand if the AI is winning it not offering peace, but when I am winning and want peace....the AI should accept and not just fall on their sword.

It is earlier on in this games life. I wrote all that I have in the hope that someone sees it and the game improves.

Ships heal 1 point per turn by themselves. The tech enables repair ships that heal faster, and a ship component that you can use in your own ship design. Ships also heal slightly faster when stationed at shipyards and starbases. When you select a ship or fleet there's also a button in the lower left that lets you put it into repair mode, which speeds up the repair but freezes the ship/fleet in place until it is repaired.

Tiles with +X bonuses apply that bonus to improvements of type X. So to take advantage of the +3 population bonus you'd have to build a Population type improvement, such as a housing sector to colonial clinic. Those tiles are also excellent candidates for colony capitals, as they increase the population cap by 1 pop per level.

Non agression and alliance treaties are in the tech tree, although apparently not soon enough for your taste.

What map you get to play is supposed to be a surprise. I know some 4x games let you see the map before you play, but this game does not. There are some settings you can control, but thats about it.

I'm fine with this by the way.

I agree.

It takes more than a bloody nose to get other civs to surrender. In my last game, it took destroying nearly everything the Festron had to force them to surrender, and they surrendered to someone else to spite me. For everyone else I had to take planets by force or by overwhelming influence. When at war, make sure you have the military forces ready to take planets otherwise you might get nothing. I recommend 6 siege ships or 2 troop transports.

Indeed. Let me do my part. Reports the thread to an ambulance and the local blacksmith.   

When invading:

Core planets - I use at least 4 transports.

Non-core planets - I use 2 transports so the invasions are instant.