Zonk84

Reply to 1.50x0.68 fog of war bug in Bug Reports GalCiv2 Forums

Looks like the only way to deal with this is a system restore. FWIW, I really think Stardock should take this patch down - I don't know what it improved, but it renders gigantic maps unplayable -- even when you start in the middle to lower right quadrant -- the far left and top quadrants remain hidden even when you explore them. Mistakes happen - and glad to hear it'll be fixed in the next patch - but I think you'll be saving customers some angst if you removed this patch.

Reply to 1.50x0.68 fog of war bug in Bug Reports GalCiv2 Forums

Never mind... It seemed to work the first time, but I reset the map and its back.... GRRRRR... Ruins gigantic maps

1.50x0.68 fog of war bug in Bug Reports GalCiv2 Forums

I know this is a known bug - and resolved at the developer end to be released in the next patch - But just thought I'd share a quick fix if anyone's having issues with it... Give yourself one of the "sensors" race ability and the problem seems to disappear. I edited the abilitybonus.xml file so it doesn't cost anything - but just thought I'd share in case anyone finds it helpful.

Reply to Grey background in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

FYI... I think I found a way around this... It's a bit of an exploit, but seems to clear up the problem. Give yourself a "sensors" race bonus - and the FOW problem seems to resolve itself. In order to even things out -- and NOT cost myself any race ability points, I changed the ability bonus cost to zero (Abilitybonus.xml file in the standard /data/english/ folder if you've never edited any of these files). Just so I don't get this (admittedly weak) advantage

Reply to Tech trading too extreme now? in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

I don't know... It's DEFINITELY more challenging -- but with some diplo wonders/goods -- you can still make good deals, especially with the lower diplo AIs. I have found that the AI holds onto the colonization techs like grim death - but they'll still deal (almost) everything else. I think it's a matter of knowing what you can get the AI will all but give you: research, industrial, defensive, and econ techs -- which they absolutely won't: colonization, planetary invasion, initial/fina

Reply to My first DA game. Please help in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

Good points already... I'll add mine, for whatever they're worth (and I certainly don't claim godlike status - so no supercool strategies, either.. I'm very workmanlike). The economy is MUCH harder to manage than it used to be - I would ALWAYS be swimming in cash (at least - up to the ~20K limit higher levels tossed at you). Now - I had my first game ever where I just got stuck... negative cash flow in debt, virtually no hope of getting out it. I agree with the econ bonus - didn't u

Reply to Grey background in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

Ditto.... Is there a way to uninstall the patch? Or - is a there a setting I can employ (on/off blind exploration maybe?)

Reply to Custom race pics in Modding GalCiv2 Forums

Thanks - I found this folder originally (/DA/gfx/...) -- but was thrown a bit by the fact that I only seemed to see a few races. Looking a little further, though -- I do DO see additional races in the GC2 folder. I'm guessing the DA expansion must use both folders (the GC and DA gfx) for its pool?

Custom race pics in Modding GalCiv2 Forums

Sorry for the really simpleton, probably asked a dozen times question (searched, but to no avail)... Can/how does one pop in a custom race pic? I was hoping I could simply find the location of the gfx in question, convert to the right size and format, add my new ones and go... but alas - can't seem to find the race pic files in any of the DA folders. I'm not looking to do anything fancy - just wondering if there's a quick, low maintenance way to pop my own race pics in

Reply to Can I turn space monsters back on? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Boooooo! Bring back the space shrimp

Reply to Colony Ship Designs in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

What level are you playing? At higher levels - colony rushes get intensive (the world types are a nice wrinkle, though... some opponents get truly hosed by this). My colony ships are always single module ships -- and I only build 1 model with extended range (and then - build only when necessary and then only 1 to extend range for my 'regular' colony ships). I'm fanatical about the slight engine/miniaturization upgrades - every new engine type or mini advance that all

Reply to Turn off diplomatic/influence victory? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

I play only 'Conquest' - no diplo, science, allied, etc victories... even though I'm a builder and nester rather than a military 'rusher' - I prefer to slug it out in the 'end game' with massive fleets of tech'ed out ships.

Reply to What are your ship naming schemes? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

BTW -- if it's 'inspiration' anyone's looking for... I'll toss a couple links your way from the ever-valuable, even in the most suprising of ways wikipedia.... When I'm feeling really ambitious in naming ship classes, I'll actually sketch on pad/paper or in Excel all the classes, types, and names - and invariably, spend 45 minutes cruising through wikipedia for names. Here's a list of all Star Trek ship classes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_class Or - a l

Can I turn space monsters back on? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

I know there was a long thread about the return of space monsters - and I know some folks have very strong feelings against them.... but is there a way to turn space monsters back on? I can see the entry in the Anomalies XML file - and it's not commented out, but I get none of the critters so I'm assuming there's another file I need to change?

Reply to Conquering Suicidal in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Personally i play suicidal, huge maps, but very few inhabitable planets. My strategy is to rush for sensors and get all the possible bonuses (and money) from anomalies, while i go out for exploration with 4-5 cargo-scouts (which i will soon upgrade in survey vessels), a couple of colony ships and some constructors I also play suicidal/huge maps (but with lots of planets - have habitable planets, resources, and anomalies all maxed). I definitely agree, though, that sensors are H

Reply to What are your ship naming schemes? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

I love the shipbuilder - naming and adding class descriptions is a great example of a relatively cheap feature that makes a good feature like the shipbuilder GREAT! Early in the game - I don't usually build many offensive ships - should a war arise, my ships are usually named after the race they'll be sent into battle against (Korx-busters, etc). Until I settle in military technology wise -- only colony, survey and constructor ships get class names. I don't do "class upgrades" that is

Reply to Favorite and worse super ability in your opinion? in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

Apologies... My question got buried in my post about SA's generally, so I'm repeating it... Does the "Super Organizer" allow other Civs to more or less declare war for me? I.e., with my custom races (one of whom is a super-organizer) - whenever a 3rd race DOW on them, I get the pop-up about whether I wish to go to war or not (we're ethically the same). Regardless of whether I select "yes" or "no" -- I ALWAYS, every time (about 12-15 now) end up at war with the

Reply to Super Pirates in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

Concerning pirates... It seems when they appear, they 'take the form of' the most powerful ship in the 'verse (at least -- weapons and defense-wise). Since I don't usually build ANY ships beyond colony, constructors, surveyers, and miners till I've run the tech tree (and this strategy usually also means I sprint way ahead in techs) -- I've found the pirates - even when their are a lot of them, aren't all that tough to deal with. For one thing, they focus exclusively on

Reply to How to create even MORE different opponents in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

I actually zeroed out ALL of the bonus ability costs in my race config file in order to build my custom races. Some of the bonuses -- I gave everyone (I hate worthless planets, so everyone has maximum PQ ability... so when I go a-conquerin' -- no planets I'd prefer to just blow up). This does indeed make my custom races a lot more fun... It took some trial and error to balance out (i.e., since everyone now had unlimited ability possibilities, I found I needed quite a bit of twe

Reply to Favorite and worse super ability in your opinion? in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

Super hive... hands down. I'm a nester/builder, so this is perfect for me. One question about the super-organizer (I think... the one that supposedly makes it easier to get others to aid you). I'm playing all custom races -- and my "good" race, the Asgard, were given this super-ability. Now - whenever someone DOW on them, I get the pop-up about intervention (like them, I'm ethically aligned 'good', too). I almost always select 'NO' -- but I end up DOW

Reply to Defining Race Personalities in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

Do the personalities actually influence AI gameplay? I, too, love custom races (having a ball with my stargate universe of wraith, go'oauld, free jaffa, replicators, lucian alliance, geni, ori, asgard, and tok'ra). But - it seemed me that the 'personality' was only used for the AI communication templates - and AI behavior was determined more by the ethics and agression sliders? For example - some of my stargate races were tailor made to use the standard AIs (wraith=dre

Reply to Tech Researching of AI in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

The colonization techs have added an... interesting twist. In both GC and GC2 vanilla- I was ALWAYS more of a builder (generally - all Wonders and Trade Goods get built by me) - and usually wouldn't even build any offensive ships until I had run through the entire tech tree (excepting the occasional need for defense when I couldn't beg, trade, or bribe my way out of war). The addition of the colonization techs was really tailor-made for my style of play... now - by the time I'v

Reply to Galactic Events, poss AI tweak? in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

I'm playing conquest-only games -- albeit with 9 custom races -- and I definitely haven't seen a lot of AI cooperation. This may well be because of the tendencies of my 9 custom races (5 REALLY evil, 2 kinda evil, 2 good) -- but my galaxy is in a near constant state of warefare almost from the get-go. In fact - I'd almost say it's too much warfare, and especially too early. For example - before anyone has even researched planetary invasion -- every single race is at war with someone.

Reply to Minor Race gripes in Beta Reports GalCiv2 Forums

Actually -- I saw my first minor race 2nd planet colonization last night.... I do agree, though, that -- if the minors aren't going to participate in the colonization rush and truly try invading, they shouldn't be spitting out the ships they do. I also agree it's bloody annoying when the pirates leave the minors starbases alone.

Any location to view all race ship models? in Dark Avatar GalCiv2 Forums

I'm wondering if there's a way to see all ship models for all races -- without playing with each model and advancing beyond cargo hulls, etc? I'd like to get a look at the new race's large and huge hulls in particular.