taldirath

Join Date 03/2005

Just a Few Words

I have GalCiv and have struggled with it, but am convinced that it is a worthy turn based title. GalCiv II looks even better, but only has the original to compete with. If someone didn't find any major defects with the first one, what is the hook to get me to purchase the second? My other concern is bugs. Computer games are quickly becoming a relic and bugs are a major issue. I hope that the developers take as much time as necessary to flesh out the game to their satisfaction, not just to try to appease all of the Beta testers. I also hope that it isn't rushed out the door and several patches later we will get a playable and stable game. More later.

Locked Post

Advanced Search

Watch this post

Do not email me updates for this post Email me updates for this post

Successfully updated karma reason!

Yarlen

Join Date 01/2005

+369

Well, bugs in PC games are a fact of life, but Stardock isn't known for pushing games out before they're ready for prime time. We also support the games we develop far after their initial release with bug fixes and expansion packs.

As for a hook to buy GalCiv II, look at the feature list, the various previews that have been posted online by any number of gaming magazines, etc. GalCiv II's feature set and playability is much higher than the original. It's not going to be a GalCiv 1.5.

Successfully updated karma reason!

If someone didn't find any major defects with the first one, what is the hook to get me to purchase the second?

In a nutshell:
3D game engine - it zooms, rotates, has light sourcing, better animation (current beta has no textures etc) and the planets are much better looking
Ship building - design your own ship configurations (big laser or more shields?) and customise your ship models
New planet management system - completely new and improved colony management which makes even your little planets worthwhile
More gubbins - new races, custom races, asteroid fields, new tech tree and, as the marketing people say, MORE!

That lot off the top of my head. Although Beta 1 has only the most basic level of features put in, no music, sounds, textures, only the first few techs, no diplomacy....and so on.... I'm impressed with the potential I see so far. Beta 1 and 2 are simply technology tests of the game engine and core features, so don't judge the final product off it. As stardock say, most companies would call this an alpha test and be doing it behind closed doors. With GCII we the customers are getting the chance to give input before its all set in stone.

To answer a few other points:

Bugs - So far Beta 1 hasn't crashed on me once. The only thing I've actually noticed that looks buggy is a few graphical glitches on the ship design screen. In the soon to be released Beta 2 that screen is being redesigned anyway, so hopefully the problem will be nailed by then. (sometimes when I'm moving a module I get an image of it just floating over the ship model, but it doesn't actually effect anything. Odd but minor, and the only problem I've noticed.)

Appeasing Beta testers - Eh? I want a great finished game, don't we all? Not sure what you meant there.

Rushing out the door - I think the game still has a full year of scheduled development to go yet, and I've yet to hear of Stardock releasing games before they're ready. I've even read comments from developers saying that the game is currently further down the line than GC1 was at the same point in its development cycle, if that's not encouraging I don't know what is.

The biggest reassurance I feel is that stardock is independent, so doesn't have a big bad publisher pressurising them to release before they are ready. And that's why I pre-ordered the game over a year before its release. Support the little guy, especially when it looks like they're working on something good!

Successfully updated karma reason!

Why should you get GC2 if you like GC1? Because GC2 has more of the features in it that everyone wanted in GC1! You know, build your own ships, play as other races, individualized worlds that can be focused to do just what you want it to do, yadda yadda blah.

Honestly, its going to be a better galaxy conquest game. At least, it looks like it will be, once Star Dock gets it to Beta 4.

As for bugs... this is Star Dock we are talking about. They have a track record of supporting their products and their customers well past anyone else in the computer game making sector even thinks about. They aren't going to rush GC2 out, just to make some Christmas buying sales date. They don't need to, after all. They got the money they earn from their other products, and from their game subscription service. Their subscribers have access to GC2 while its under development! People can look at it, play it, and give them feed back. And, incidentally, help them drive out the bugs.

Star Dock isn't going to leave us high and dry. That's why I pre-ordered my GC2 as soon as they had the links up for it. I know that SD is going to make a game they will enjoy playing, and that they will listen to us, the customers, and take that into account. They aren't going to pop off some half finished product that has a bunch of updated art in it.

SD looks after its products, and its customers.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Well, I agree with the others posting so far, and I couldnt reakky say it better

I Beta tested the first one (I think I was one of the first 100 people to order it, cant remember for sure but it was something like that) so I for one Adore the way stardock develope games.

you cant really get a much better developer. Im not quite sure what you mean by appeasing beta testers either. at the end of the day, we pay to put in our say, and can play it anyway so why would we rush it out?

The only people who would try to rush it out of developement faster than it should be are people who wont pre-order it, everyone who pre-ordered wants it to be as good as possible before it gets launched.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Stardock is the best company I've ever purchased software from. Few bugs, great games, and stable software, not to mention a top-of-the-line support staff.

You'll be fine, believe me

Successfully updated karma reason!

Stardock is the best company I've ever purchased software from. Few bugs, great games, and stable software, not to mention a top-of-the-line support staff.

Couldnt have said it better myslelf

Successfully updated karma reason!

Sounds good to me. I only wish I had been able to sign up as a beta tester. One word for those who are working on it. Release it when it's ready.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Sounds good to me. I only wish I had been able to sign up as a beta tester. One word for those who are working on it. Release it when it's ready.

It's not too late to get in on the Beta, if you pre-order you can download it. Beta 2 starts soon.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Plus, if we buy it we keep CariElf employed.

Successfully updated karma reason!

Plus, if we buy it we keep CariElf employed.

Which is very very important to the guys moral...Well it is!

Successfully updated karma reason!