Let's Play: Galactic Civilizations 2

[Mr Thin]

That farm tile to the west is actually really good to utilize to bring in good money. Economy planets need farms to feed massive amounts of people to tax. So this one is pretty ideal for that. So this planet is pretty awesome for a cash planet. All it could use now is an entertainment bonus tile.

Damn paint. Anyone know how to take actual screenshots of the game?

I found this on google, maybe you can use one of those methods. [http://www.ehow.com/how_8540771_screenshots-galactic-civilizations-ii.html]

Ahem.

Alrighty, so, Basic Farming on the tile with the farming bonus then? I'll go with that.

Also, what's the yellow square? And the building that's already there, is that the colony? I promise I won't deluge you with questions, but I do need to know the basics.

 

[veloper]

That farm tile to the west is actually really good to utilize to bring in good money. Economy planets need farms to feed massive amounts of people to tax. So this one is pretty ideal for that. So this planet is pretty awesome for a cash planet. All it could use now is an entertainment bonus tile.

It's just about good enough for a tax farm planet. Class should preferably be a bit higher for that, but it will do, if nothing better comes up.
Class 11 is usually for factory specialization, unless you go 100% research economy.

Anyway, you shouldn't build anything on that planet for a long while.
Markets only become worthwhile when you got about 10 billion people and up. Any building now only substracts from your budget for colony ships.

 

[Blackpapa]

The game is pretty much decided after the recovery of the colonization phase really, when you make tiny pea-shooter ships and sensors, just in time to pick of unguarded enemy troop transports.
Then it usually becomes a matter of steamrolling the AI races one by one.

This kind of applies to most 4X games, doesn't it? Assuming you're playing on easy/medium you first go to cancer mode and colonize every piece of rock you can then use your huge industrial output to outresearch everybody else. At the point where you're having sufficiently advanced tech, which could be anything from equal tech to deathstars with black hole launchers on frigates throwing really pointy sticks out the airlock at you, it's just a matter of genociding everybody one by one.

I've always felt that this was the biggest flaw of 4X games. I simply don't get to build 2/3 of the military tech I research.

 

[Mr Thin]

That farm tile to the west is actually really good to utilize to bring in good money. Economy planets need farms to feed massive amounts of people to tax. So this one is pretty ideal for that. So this planet is pretty awesome for a cash planet. All it could use now is an entertainment bonus tile.

It's just about good enough for a tax farm planet. Class should preferably be a bit higher for that, but it will do, if nothing better comes up.
Class 11 is usually for factory specialization, unless you go 100% research economy.

Anyway, you shouldn't build anything on that planet for a long while.
Markets only become worthwhile when you got about 10 billion people and up. Any building now only substracts from your budget for colony ships.

Hey now, that's my planet your giving him orders for, boyo. It's a community game, not an advice forum. If we crash and burn, that's part of the experience. Besides, I doubt a farm or two is going to destroy any hope of success.

 

[veloper]

The game is pretty much decided after the recovery of the colonization phase really, when you make tiny pea-shooter ships and sensors, just in time to pick of unguarded enemy troop transports.
Then it usually becomes a matter of steamrolling the AI races one by one.

This kind of applies to most 4X games, doesn't it? Assuming you're playing on easy/medium you first go to cancer mode and colonize every piece of rock you can then use your huge industrial output to outresearch everybody else. At the point where you're having sufficiently advanced tech, which could be anything from equal tech to deathstars with black hole launchers on frigates throwing really pointy sticks out the airlock at you, it's just a matter of genociding everybody one by one.

I've always felt that this was the biggest flaw of 4X games. I simply don't get to build 2/3 of the military tech I research.

Most 4x games don't have it anywhere near as bad as GC2 though.

The best 4x ever made, Master of Orion 2, will threaten you with planety bombardment very early on. Even in peace time, the Antarians and space monsters can ruin your game.
So you need to balance economic and horizontal growth with defense. Not so in GC2.

The need for Planetary invasion to do any real damage to opponents at all and the AI not even prioritising it, is the weakest point of GC2.

Planetary invasion comes too late and doesn't even cut it against well established colonies. I research the entire tech line first before bothering.
It doesn't help that the AI rarely defends it's troop transports either, just aslong as you don't garrison your own ships on planets.

It's almost impossible to lose.

 

[veloper]

That farm tile to the west is actually really good to utilize to bring in good money. Economy planets need farms to feed massive amounts of people to tax. So this one is pretty ideal for that. So this planet is pretty awesome for a cash planet. All it could use now is an entertainment bonus tile.

It's just about good enough for a tax farm planet. Class should preferably be a bit higher for that, but it will do, if nothing better comes up.
Class 11 is usually for factory specialization, unless you go 100% research economy.

Anyway, you shouldn't build anything on that planet for a long while.
Markets only become worthwhile when you got about 10 billion people and up. Any building now only substracts from your budget for colony ships.

Hey now, that's my planet your giving him orders for, boyo. It's a community game, not an advice forum. If we crash and burn, that's part of the experience. Besides, I doubt a farm or two is going to destroy any hope of success.

A farm now, when you're still producing billions of food in excess on the colony is an utter waste, but suit yourself.

 

[Mr Thin]

A farm now, when you're still producing billions of food in excess on the colony is an utter waste, but suit yourself.

I shall.

My people will wallow in the excess bounty on their planet. They will feast, and feast, and grow fat and flaccid and useless. We will institute a planet-wide network of hover-chairs, and they shall eat, work, play and sleep in these automated transports.

Procreation will take place using artificial insemination, and education will be handled by the latest in educational AI technology.

All this will take place whilst I, thin as a twig, look down upon my planet and laugh like the megalomaniac that I am.

Mwahahahaha!

 

[Savagezion]

Also, what's the yellow square? And the building that's already there, is that the colony? I promise I won't deluge you with questions, but I do need to know the basics.

The bonus tile means it is worth 4 farms if you build a farm on it. (It is actually a 300% bonus to a farm on that tile) I think a farm normally adds 4.00b to the population cap. The building already there is the colony. The yellow square is an additional tile you can work once we research Soil enhancement. Your planet will gain an unknown amount of tiles as the game progresses.

The basics of running a planet are that you can emphasize military, social, or research production on each planet via the top boxes that are really hard to make out in the screenshot. They are labeled accordingly though. The tax rate will effect the standard amount of resources each produce as well. I will give you a run down on that soon too. You will need it to weigh in on economic matters. Right now, it is mostly important to know if you want a starport and/or any factories as we should probably build them first and get them out of the way.

 

[Mr Thin]

The basics of running a planet are that you can emphasize military, social, or research production on each planet via the top boxes that are really hard to make out in the screenshot. They are labeled accordingly though. The tax rate will effect the standard amount of resources each produce as well. I will give you a run down on that soon too. You will need it to weigh in on economic matters. Right now, it is mostly important to know if you want a starport and/or any factories as we should probably build them first and get them out of the way.

Nah, no starport. I'm happy being a market mogul.

 

[Savagezion]

-snip-

This Let's Play isn't about optimizing strategies. The reason I chose to use 40/20/40 on spending is because it is well rounded for anyone who starts up early and allows for more flexibility. As more economic and research players come in - this will shift. The strategies of grab and slam greatly reduce the ability to bring others input into the game short of just telling them what they will play and how they will play it. In which case, this whole plan goes out the window. This game is more about team coordination and player freedom. Kind of like factions inside the empire.

So far, everyone who has spoke up does have a planet.

Call it Eyrie and make it a military forge world, cos that's how I roll. We want a powerful military after all and the sooner we get one up and running the sooner we can start bullying lesser races.

You're in. Class 12 I think. Your planet is one of those weird ones. Like 3 entertainment boost tiles (100% each), 2 production tile boosts (100% each), and 1 or 2 influence tile boosts (100%) I started a factory on your 2 production boost tiles.

If we're bagsy-ing planets, I claim a research planet! Call it Bob!

You're in Class 8. You have a 300% research boost tile that I started making a research lab on.

When you find a planet suited for economy, I'd love to have it named after me. That way I don't need to have it do stuff while still being part of the game

You are in the game. I don't think your planet has any bonuses but you are a class 18 on the border of a neighboring civilization. I need to know if you want a starport. I highly suggest it being on the border.

A new update is coming soon. Plenty of planets still available. Escapitol is kicking out colony ships every 3 turns and they have 3 movement and good range. I have unclaimed colony ships on their way to new planets.

 

[Blackpapa]

One desert planet for me please. Name it Palestinia. Go with population/financial unless some special bonus tiles are available. The default choice later on as more tiles become available would be cultural but that depends on how deep inside the empire the planet will be at that point.

Also post location on starmap, neighboring planets and races.

 

[Savagezion]

A strange transmission had came in from the soapbox about Yahtzee claiming to have had a giant squirrel or badger approach him in space and tried to communicate to him. Furthermore, he had determined where their home planet was. He was ordered back to the capitol to recover from "space madness" but refused and replied "I am not making this up you twats! If I was, I would like to think I would have better material than talking squirrels." He was then declared 'rogue' and victim of space madness.

As Mr. Thin exited warp drive in his recently obtained ship at a nearby cluster of stars, a small unknown ship appears and a radio transmission is requested. He orders the crew to put bring up the transmission on the display monitor. A figure forms on the display that resembled an android made of a strange metal alloy. His eyes seemed to shift a few gears as if trying to focus and then a loud white noise came over the speakers. The crew grabbed their ears from pain and were forced to cut the transmission. A stalemate hung in space as the two ships stared at each other. Eventually, they passed by one another and the mysterious ship seemed to follow the colony vessel from a distance but showed no visible aggression.

As Mr. Thin approached the cluster of stars they began scanning the planets orbiting them. One showed strong electrical energy and movement across the surface. It's frequencies shared a remarkable resemblance to that of the mysterious ship. An alien planet had been found. Mr. Thin dispatched the news to the empire and settled on a nearby planet that had a few minor life forms of low intelligence on them. He claimed in the name of the Escapists and named it "Powerhouse".

A few weeks later the empire sent out 2 reinforcement ships to settle the other two life sustaining planets nearby. Hawke of Battle founded "Eyrie", a lush green planet he planned to exploit to the advantage of the empire's fleets. Blackstar, however, landed on the cold planet he thought would make a great Research facility and called it "Bob". Soon after being founded Bob and Eyrie began reporting siting of "space squirrel ships" and Yahtzee's name was redeemed and his finding lent much more credibility. These two alien races would come to be known as the Dark Yor and the Snathi.

Yahtzee had also sent coordinates following his "space madness" about a lush planet that was prime for settling. Colonel Houi had trusted Yahtzee's coordinates and judgement despite his "illness" resulting in many people calling him "mad" but it didn't deter him. He had already started out for the promise of a high grade planet for his own. Upon claiming it he named it "Houi" after himself. Soon after settling, planet Houi began detecting unnatural movement on deeper in the galaxy. Might there be other life out here? So the species we have met have not come close to rivaling our technology. While having warp drive themselves, It seems they have not been able to sustain life for extended periods of time in space.

[HEADING=3]Next Entry >>[/HEADING] [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/9.302535.12114404]​

 

[Savagezion]

One desert planet for me please. Name it Palestinia. Go with population/financial unless some special bonus tiles are available. The default choice later on as more tiles become available would be cultural but that depends on how deep inside the empire the planet will be at that point.

Also post location on starmap, neighboring planets and races.

I am going to look for a bigger planet for you if I can find one. Right now, I know of a 6 and an 8. Unless you want one of those.

For everyone: I am going to take a break and try and organize this thread a bit better now that it is rolling. Planet requests are still welcome but it will be a bit before updates. I will be taking another break later as I may be going to the movies later today at some point.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Good heavens, I just started playing this game myself this afternoon, but I can't make heads or tails of it. Why can't I build farms? Why can't I edit my taxes? Why can I only see Earth and not all the other planets like in the OP's picture?

Also, good heavens this game looks deep. Which is good, very good.

 

[Hawk of Battle]

How soon can I have Eyrie pumping out warships so we can begin the subjagation of the these foul xeno types? I'm wanting to target the Snathi first, because they look easy to bully and we need to clear out these aliens and take their planets as soon as possible.

 

[Houi]

Well then, a class 18. Thats a nice looking planet, even if it has no tile bonuses. Also, I agree with your suggestion of a starport, I seem to have been founded a fair way from our central territories and a starport will let us expand very fast in that area.

Plus, I might end up on the frontline of a war and I'd like to be able to defend myself.

 

[The Madman]

Excellent idea for a Let's Play. I've read a couple of them before on this game and they almost always turn out amazing. I'd offer to join in but I think I'm about GalCived 2 up for the moment after finishing up my own major campaign only last night.

Most 4x games don't have it anywhere near as bad as GC2 though.

The best 4x ever made, Master of Orion 2, will threaten you with planety bombardment very early on. Even in peace time, the Antarians and space monsters can ruin your game.
So you need to balance economic and horizontal growth with defense. Not so in GC2.

The need for Planetary invasion to do any real damage to opponents at all and the AI not even prioritising it, is the weakest point of GC2.

Planetary invasion comes too late and doesn't even cut it against well established colonies. I research the entire tech line first before bothering.
It doesn't help that the AI rarely defends it's troop transports either, just aslong as you don't garrison your own ships on planets.

It's almost impossible to lose.

I don't know, I find it much worse in games like Civilization where people will start a game, stop, and re-start till they're in the perfect position for making a settlement. From there it's just a matter of grabbing as much land as possible and you've already won. The Civ games try to prevent this slightly through the use of 'barbarians' to crush undefended settlements, but even then it's quite easy to counter as long as you're building in the right places and made sure not to get ahead of yourself.

GalCiv2 by default was a lot like that, but the expansions improved things considerably with initially inhospitable planets that require research to colonize, better overall AI, and randomized events to try and keep things interesting. Take for example my current campaign I was just playing the other day:

"A last alliance of men and elves marched against the armies of Mordor, and on the very slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle-Earth."

Only in this case replace Men and Elves with several Alien races, Mordor with myself playing as the Yor Collective, and in space, not Middle-Earth. Badass, suddenly things have just gotten interesting again! Wish the other 4x games would have similar events to try and spruce up the late game.

 

[veloper]

Excellent idea for a Let's Play. I've read a couple of them before on this game and they almost always turn out amazing. I'd offer to join in but I think I'm about GalCived 2 up for the moment after finishing up my own major campaign only last night.

Most 4x games don't have it anywhere near as bad as GC2 though.

The best 4x ever made, Master of Orion 2, will threaten you with planety bombardment very early on. Even in peace time, the Antarians and space monsters can ruin your game.
So you need to balance economic and horizontal growth with defense. Not so in GC2.

The need for Planetary invasion to do any real damage to opponents at all and the AI not even prioritising it, is the weakest point of GC2.

Planetary invasion comes too late and doesn't even cut it against well established colonies. I research the entire tech line first before bothering.
It doesn't help that the AI rarely defends it's troop transports either, just aslong as you don't garrison your own ships on planets.

It's almost impossible to lose.

I don't know, I find it much worse in games like Civilization where people will start a game, stop, and re-start till they're in the perfect position for making a settlement. From there it's just a matter of grabbing as much land as possible and you've already won. The Civ games try to prevent this slightly through the use of 'barbarians' to crush undefended settlements, but even then it's quite easy to counter as long as you're building in the right places and made sure not to get ahead of yourself.

Not just barbarians. The other civs can easily crush you at higher difficulty settings, if you expand like that and ignore your military.
A good starting position can make a bigger difference than moving the difficulty slider a notch down, but the breaks are still in place.
In civ 4 city maintenance each turn limits the amount of cities you can support until you get better tech. Overdo it and you may never recover from becoming too big too early.
The game isn't in the bag until you've crushed atleast every other civilization on your continent and come out with a tech lead.

So Civ does a much better job of challenging the player.

 

[The Madman]

Not just barbarians. The other civs can easily crush you at higher difficulty settings, if you expand like that and ignore your military.
A good starting position can make a bigger difference than moving the difficulty slider a notch down, but the breaks are still in place.
In civ 4 city maintenance each turn limits the amount of cities you can support until you get better tech. Overdo it and you may never recover from becoming too big too early.
The game isn't in the bag until you've crushed atleast every other civilization on your continent and come out with a tech lead.

So Civ does a much better job of challenging the player.

Over-expand too quickly strains the economy and makes trying to deal with that many people so quickly with so few supplies difficult. I know. I've owned every Civilization game since 2, believe me, I know. But Galactic Civilizations does that too so I don't really see your point. It's also very easily worked around in both games if you know what you're doing, that's why I pointed to the barbarians as more of an early attempt to check player expansion as that's less easily countered and more of a random element out of the players control.

Not bashing Civ by any stretch, I love the Civ series. Civ4 with the Fall from Heaven mod is easily one of my absolute favourite 4x experience out there. But I just don't understand your original point that 'GalCiv2 is impossible to lose'. Especially when GalCiv2 has so many more built-in checks, randomized events, and in many ways better AI as well to keep the experience interesting especially towards the late game. That's also why I like the Fall from Heaven mod for Civ4, since it alleviates the late-game grind by adding otherworldly invasions and catastrophe to spice up an otherwise bland sequence in the game where you just rollover the opponents after having reaching 'critical mass' so to speak.

 

[Mr Thin]

MOAR UPDATES!

I want my planet to flourish like a spring daisy.