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Things you would like to see in a Galactic Civilization expansion set

Things you would like to see in a Galactic Civilization expansion set

I know that there already is one suggestion thread up but I decided to start a second one anyhow. Post any and all ideas that are too outlandish or broad in scope to implement in a commercial patch. Let's see if we can give the developers some evil ideas and maybe, just maybe, improve the chances that there will be a GC expansion pack. I'll try to get this one started.

Things I'd like to see implemented in an expansion:

1) More good and evil technologies
2) Race specific units, technologies and events
3) More events of all types
4) Morality triggered events
5) A new (hard) victory condition only attainable by neutral civilizations
6) Larger than gigantic maps
7) More customization options for maps (more neutral races, better than abundant planets, extra star clusters, more/less anomolies, etc.)
8) A second scenario
9) Two-tiered maps
10) A simple fleet combat system
11) More permenant galactic features (astroid belts, gas giants, ancient junkyards and ruins, etc.)
12) Some additional empire building tools (cosmetic and meaningful)

More technologies and events:
Any expansion to Galactic Civilizations would have to include more of what has already made this game the true, spiritual sucsessor to the Orion series. The event library in particular could be easily expanded to make every game unpredictable and different. Granted, this is already one of the stated goals of the patching process, but what can be done in patches can be 'overdone' in a retail release. :) Adding more technologies for the good and evil civs would also be a likely addition, but would require some compensation for neutrals.

Race specific technologies, units and events:
A familiar idea to an RTS player. An ideal way to introduce race-specific items into GC would be to create 1-3 units and techs for each race, including the humans, and then allowing each player to chose one of each at the start of a campaign. Only techs and units that the player picked at the start could be eventially researched and built.

Not allowing the usage of every racial unit in every game would be a good way to ensure that one race is not automatically 'the best' at any one thing. If the Torians chose their heavy combat vessel they will be able to hold their own against the Drengins. The best part is that the human player will not know what choices the AI races made until later in the game. Did the Drengins decide to activate their Warlord-class battleships (for space superiority) or did they instead chose to use Mutagen bombs (for mutating other species into Drengin hybrids during planetary assaults)?

Neutral victory condition:
Create a United League of Planets and conquer or dominate the galaxy. The catch: The League of Planets cannot have any of the other major races in it -- only minor races (and Independant League) led by the human race. You need at least 4-6 minor races (depending on map size) on-board to win this victory condition. They all must be alive at the end of the game.

It could work like this: Once a minor race is convinced to join the League it becomes an ally of the lead race and every other member race. All member races get military access, shared exploration, trade and diplomatic bonuses with one another. All member races benefit from each others starbases. All minor races belonging to the League give a tribute to the founder but recieve a hefty scientic grant in exchange. League races cannot culture bomb one another.

This would be a very cool victory path. It would be murder build and protect a League of Planets, but it could be a very rewarding endevor. If neutral technologies were to be implemented, perhaps they could be intended to allow this style of victory? The first neutral tech could be League Alliance (allowing member states) and subsequent techs could improve economic and scientic ties between the member races. A full formed League would be an unstable but very wealthy ediface.

Under the right circuimstances, the Arcean Empire may even attempt this. Perhaps one or more of their racial units/techs could be designed with this victory path in mind?

More ahead...
21,924 views 529 replies
Reply #251 Top
I agree about the Hall of Fame on the Main Menu. I always liked that about games that saved your scores from your empires

~SDC~
Reply #252 Top
It would be nice in addition to the various info screens along the right side of the screen if there were also right-click context menu navigation system that would pop up when you click on an empty section of space. The menu would cascade into various things for example all your planets listed in ascending or descending scale in terms of distance from the point clicked and be able to switch or see current building projects and perhaps launch ships as well; another example for ships by class and see them listed in cascading menus also in order of distance from the point and one would be able to assemble a fleet at the point clicked from the ships selected in the context menu.

The info screens are nice but sometimes I just want an even quicker and more efficient way to get at all my stuff. Lets say a ship or starbase is under attack. I simply right click on it or near it and can get a list of all my nearest planets and ships in a context menu, then I should be able to multiselect ships and tell them to assemble and attack and the point I clicked to get the menu in the first place.

Michael

~SDC~
Reply #253 Top
maybe a little frivolous, but a couple of cosmetic things:
1) the ability to choose your color/icon/logo.
2) the ability to choose your spriteset (for ships).
Reply #254 Top
A global propaganda slider that sends money from the empire budget to wherever it is needed to shore up morale would be great (ala Civ3 entertainment spending) as opposed to the individual per-planet propaganda settings that are in place now (and aren't really very useful).
Reply #255 Top
I just started playing, but here is what I would really like to see in the Diplomacy/Trade screen for dealing with other civilizations:

The ability to "shop" an item for trade with another civilization. Example: I have a technology (say Alliance) and I want to know what the Altarans would give for it so that I don't have to waste a lot of time trying to get things from them that they would never give. Press the button and they tell you if they are interested or not and if they are, they put out some items they would be willing to trade. They may even "low-ball" you, doesn't matter as long as it gives you some indication of whether or not they are even interested.

By the same token you should be able to pick some of their items and hit the button and have them give you a list of what you would have to give up to get it. This of course could just be the start of a haggling process like above.

This change would really make dealing with negotiations less about the frustration of trial and error and more about negotiation. It would also require another button for when you just want to demand something rather than ask what they want for it or would give for it.

-Kiernan.

~SDC~
Reply #256 Top
A pull-down menu for the planetlist sort criteria... It's quite nasty to cycle through em by clicking that small triangle 10 times before you get where you want.
Reply #257 Top
Not sure if it has been suggested, but how about using commas in numbers? It would sure make it easier to read the numbers.
Reply #258 Top
Option on frequency of

1. random events
2. colonization events

3. Space Monsters

-Doug
Reply #259 Top
I'd like to see the implementation of an advisor panel, similar to the old sim cities, where there are different people for each topic that give advice on how your empire is doing and how to make it do better.

~SDC~
Reply #260 Top
I'd like another major race to be involved. Maybe another neutral. Also I'd like a FOLLOW/AUTO-DEFEND command for protecting freighter trade routes.
Reply #261 Top
I'd like it so you couldn't tell from the race descriptions what alignment your "random" set AI's had chosen... "No Concrete info available" would be fine, make it an option if needed... (do people pick random and then filter?)

Thanks,

Rabe

~SDC~
Reply #262 Top
Replace the generic symbols of the minor races with pictures of the species (it would add alot of character to the races. It doesnt feel right threatening an emblem with violence)

Replace the Geometric Shape Resources with space objects which add to your abilities. eg: instead of a green globe use an asteroid rich in mineral content.

thats it till i think of more

thanks for a great game and an even greater user feedback system (very impressive) :)

~SDC~
Reply #263 Top
Expansion Pack Wishlist

Starships
-units need more options / functions (attack,defend, kamikaze, repair etc)
-rally points and patrol points
-the fleet/ship list is akward with so many ships (make it larger? pull-down menus?)
-do older units get upgraded aside from experience? how about an option to upgrade
one unit to an improved version
-I thought we're dealing with hyperspace travel, shouldnt units move at warp speed?
Might be interesting to make travel so that system/planet travel time is one move, and then
travel within each sector is the same/normal (confusing?)
-Recycle destroyed vessels for production credit, maybe using Survey ships?
-how about a luxury/cruise ship (adds to morale,influence, and economy)
-how about a super construction ship thats re-usable?

Planets/systems
-mining potential like asteroids
-starbase/artificial colonies when theres few habitable planets (although they probably will need pop. controls)
-more planetary details like population capacity, resources?
-better display for planet list (pull-down menus?)
-ability to share / adopt a minor race (culture+, influence+)

Projects
-resort projects, like disney world and six flags
-UPC building project of course!
-Genesis project, that turns desolate planets into paradise (or erases former society)

Relations/control
-United Planets Council needs more options, your civ should be able to bring issues
up as well as cast votes (sector passage/ mining, trade routes, letting allied civs share systems etc).
-there should be a War Stat screen for each civ, with detailed military and strategic info
-Advisors (like Simcity and Civ3) for each category
-Trade should extend or be open to domestic planets and systems, and even starbases
(if you can modify them with trading posts, then why not Trade with your own posts?)
If you leave the UP, you should still be able to trade, perhaps with certain restrictions
-house or minor races or some policy dealing with them

GalCiv is awesome - and I thought starting a new job this summer would keep me from gaming - Ha!
I spent nearly this much time on RTS games like Total Annihilation. Would it be possible to make a game that
is a cross between both (RT battles)? That would be a dream come true!

Thanks Stardock crew



Reply #264 Top
A idea i came up with:

LinkWarp ships, ships that costs alot and got poor sensor range, no attack and poor defence and is VERY fast.
The special thing about this ship should be that you can deploy it, after you deployed on you need to deploy another one in another place.
When you deploy LinkWarp ship 2 both ships transforms into a wormhole that makes it able to go from point A to B, the bad thing about this should be that it only lasts for 1-2 maybe 3 or even 4 years and after the time both wormholes collapse.
Deploying a LinkWarp ship in a sector owned by another race which you are not a ally with should anger them GREATLY and it should be possible to "overload" wormholes for a price.
[Message Edited]
Reply #265 Top
Few things do I would like is the 100 X 100 galaxy.
Not all machines could handle a 100 X 100 galaxy but I would love to try it on my computers.

I know that you can change graphics and movies by overwriting the original files "I use some customer graphics". A graphic selector would be great for preview and managing your download. The graphic selector should show what current graphic you are using. You hit the browse button select the graphic or MP3 you want to use.


Reply #266 Top
I know that I have said quite a bit about what I would like to see, well here is a little more! If we could switch between a galaxy map and a system map: we could explore other galaxies and encounter unknown civs, some hostile while others are not, and some that even at war with one another and would stop because their would have scaned our ship which is from another galaxy. Civs that we would have to designate names for - expecially if we encounter then in a prelude to their invasion of our galaxy.
By clicking on the galaxy map we could enter every galaxy we have or are in the process of exploring. If there could be about 40 galaxieis (all different shapes) and about 50 systems within each of the galaxies - it would probably enhance the gamers excitement.
It would be nice if before we could explore other galaxies, the present galaxies would have to develop the UPC to bring order to the civs within the known galaxy. Order could involve a multiplicity of must do things such as... stamping out rebellions and pirate uprising,etc. Then the UPC (under the authority and power of the hegemony civ) could begin the exploration of other galaxies and encountering these unknown civs. Of-course earth would have to be the hegemony civ!If the galaxy could be made to feel and look mysterious (without change the turn base play) within the game, it may not only heighten the excitement of play, especially with unknown civs in other galxacies that are yet to be explored, but also a sense of mystery and cautiousness when exploring. I'm figuring that if what I'm talking about is considered as an option - we would probaby have to pay for the enhancement (but I'm most certainly willing to - Just don't take the turn base away) Anyway -
If we were able to establish remote minning areas, out posts on planetoids or planets - Massives fleets (I mean the works), Sheilds that can be seen and registered when damaged or destroyed. Science vessels and explorer ships. Knew metals and mineral, organized pirate attacks, invasions, and even mysterious situations (that pose a threat to the intire galaxy) of which the UPC must investigate. Mysterious events that if not investigated and stopped could lead to GALACTIC WAR, and not just interstellar war. If the game could be more intelligent and much more vast and have depth, with good reason (or what would be consiered as good reason) for war and invasions, it would not cause a person frustration, but excitement! If there were information sent by fleet commanders concerning combat and other impotant matters (would certainly beaf-up the game!
This kind of expansion - along with whatever else your doing, may develop the most enjoyable space 4x game ever concieved. To those of us who already know and enjoy Galciv,would be overwhelmed with interest if there were Galaxies and Unknow but powerful civ that may and may not equal the power of the UPC. The development of supply lines and other interesting factors would give realism to the game, but what's not needed is the frustration of micro managagement and ship fittings and so forth. TO expand this game (with the same basic concept it has now) to the exploration of unknow galaxies and systems within those galaxies, unknown civs, and alliances, fleet managements and all the rest - would excite galCiv gamers to the limit (especially me!)
Reply #267 Top
What about being able to switch between a galaxtic map and system map! we could be able to explore other galxicies that contain unknow civs! Civs we know nothing about until encountered. If there were a sense of mystery concerning the encountering BOTH unknown civs galaxies -it would provide a sence of danger, excitement and thrill to explorations. Again, instead of the UPC already being develop - It would be nice if it could be developed during the pocess of play by earth once it becomes the hegemony civ, after which - order should be brought to our own galaxy, before exploration of other galaxies begin.Order could involve a multiplicity of factors such as ... stamping out rebellions, pirates - etc. This would require a force powerful enough to police the galaxy before discovering resourses that gives the UPC the power to travel to other galacies. THEN LET THE FUN AND MYSTERY REALLY BEGIN! The establishing of supply lines and other factors (between the galaxies would become vital to out posts that has been established on planets and plantoids, or even within ateriod belts. Explorer ships would be sent to explore, but science vessls would be sent to accumulate information concerning things found by the explore.
Concerning these mysterious and unknown civs, some should be far far below the UPC tech, and Others equal to UPC but neither should Know just how powerful.
We could even encounter Civs at war with one another but they cease there conflict when they have scanned our ship (which they know is from an entirely different galaxy)These Unknow civs should be completely different than the civ known! The civs we now know should be assimulated within then hegemony of earth and completely loyal. Long range communications from ships task-forces, fleets and armads should be made available, Gigantic supply ships which are VITAL to armadas and fleets, and must be protected at all cost, especially when at war with another civ in a different galaxy.
Minning would be vital to the accumulation of riches (etc) without having to populate every planet, could suffer sneak attacks or complete destruction (which force UPC into a war) or investigation of the cause for the minning instalations destruction. Alien ships should be alien looking, and customs of which the UPC would never agree with! Zooming on the minnie map is nice, but being able to zoom in and out for a closer look at a fleet, sector, or system would be absolutely great. Traveling from Galaxy to galaxy should take months and even years (based upon the game turns) until new tech is discovered, and some galaxies should be much to far to reach until tech is reached that rival the tech now known. Again, a ship, fleet or armada that has jumped to warp could be seen in warp by a warp tunnel that surrounds the ship indicating it to be in warp driven speeds. Mysterious cries for help from systems within other galaxies could be pickedup and investigated by the UPC, Communication chatter between civs that hostile to the UPC could by pickep and show in a list as a means of discovering any alien civ that would unit and threaten the UPC. Shield could be seen around ships and its strength registered. Conquest should also involve slavery, or simply the destruction of all life on an enemy planet,we could even assimulate cultures into the UPC that are stone agaed compared to the UPC.
I'm think that if all this and the other ideas posted, (including what you guys are already doing in the expansion) we would have to pay for it - but hey It would be well worth it! A sense of mystery, dangerous encounters with unknown civs, GALACTIC WAR, after interstellar war is no more within our own galaxy, fleet information - Information that pops up, or shown by a flshing red dot - concerning the discovery of new civs, and warring civs. Fleet mangament, supply lines, minning operations for vital resource and riches that would even cause the UPC to steal or invade a galaxy in order to gain control of it.
Hey guys - its just a thought!
Reply #268 Top
Sorry about saying the same thing over guys, I thought it did post, that's why its up twice ( sorry about that).
Reply #269 Top
After playing a Colossal map to the end, I sent constructors to potential starbase sites only to find I had to wait until I could destroy and existing base. Constructors had to wait until a Ranger showed up. It would be nice to set the Constructors to Guard instead of sector sweep for the wait. Its not the first time I had wished for Constructors to have the ability to Guard. The sector sweep seems to be forgotten after one sweep and must be reset.
Reply #270 Top
Disclaimer: I am a n00b. If some of these are in the game and I haven't figured it out, sorry. Some are repeated from previous posters, I'm just adding my comments to them. I understand things like tactical combat and ship design aren't going to happen, so I'll try and remember that.

My biggest gripe is with the sliders, but I'm thinking up something else for that - I'll get back to ya.


Planet types - I like slave planets and tech planets. It'd be nice to have planet-fixed bonuses like "mineral rich" for these. Especially if you could see these bonuses on your opponent's planets. If you do get a good/evil bonus, it should be made clear (have it listed on top of the % stats in the planet description, then include its influence in the % stats so you can see the best planet for whatever. I'm not worried about this for PQ, since that's easily visible, but I am worried about things like tech and industry bonuses.


Fleet:
An auto-explore function, that instead of patrolling a sector, would spiral out and map out unseen parts of space. Like auto-survey, but it would just concentrate on mapping, to get local space mapped faster.

Starbase upgrade - If I want to build a super-starbase, I have to send one constructor out to build the core, then build another ship for each
module and send it out. (Btw, I really love how you can send a fleet there and have it add a bunch of related modules at once.) What I suggest is that
once you've built the core, you can tag the modules you want installed - either the same way you add modules now, or through a build queue. With
build queues, it'd be like the planet ones, except that a module you couldn't add (cause it's parent isn't in the queue) would be greyed out. So, then
you've got a bunch of assigned slots, just waiting for ships. Have a new mission option for constructors: "auto-improve". It finds the nearest starbase with a waiting build queue, and adds the next one on the list. Imagine you've got 5 mining starbases with all the tech you've got installed. You get a new
tech for mining - so, you update the build queue for that type of starbase. Your mining bases stick up a flag for constructors. Then, just build 5 constructors, and send them on their way (don't send them to bases that already have a constructor inbound)

Ship support costs - they should cost slightly less when parked near/at a friendly starbase or planet, and a fair bit more when invading a hostile sector.

Wait until end of turn option for ships

Mil rating - take attack and defense into account. Maybe have them weighted slightly differently based on why the AI's wondering. e.g. an AI nervous
about being attacked wouldn't worry much about defenders, but lots about missiles. An AI considering invasion might give a bit more weight to the defense rating of its target (a bit of first-strike logic). Both should always be considered, I'm just talking about weighting here. Other factors (cost, hp) could be tied in as well.


User Interface

An in-game encyclopaedia with links, ala civ.

Going through long lists like the research archive is pretty slow. Either add a scroll bar, or make a hold-click down cause a scroll down, not just a 1-step down.


Diplomacy

UP - Two things. First, manipulating votes. This is a rip from SMAC, but it's too cool to ignore. The way it is now, you can't see what AIs will vote for, or buy their vote. A high level of espionage should give you a
chance to see their vote in advance. Also, you should have the opportunity to buy their votes. When buying it, the AI would never admit if it would vote that way anyway (unless you're friends or allied). If would charge a price, based on the cost to it if the bill was passed. If it has lots of distant starbases, it would never support a starbase tax. If its mortal enemy does, it would. In between - its vote is for sale. Hell, if the AI could gain a lot from a bill, it could try to buy your vote. With this, influence points
could only be traded during voting for a bill, as it should be. Buying votes from an evil empire and then using them to ban trade with evil empires is messed up. Even if they're evil :-p

Another thing would be proposing bills. Some of the more powerful bills shouldn't be proposable(e.g. "everyone give me 1000 bcs"), that'd be too open to abuse. But some of the general ones(increase/decrease trade, speed, research, trade federation) should be available.


other:

Trading ships - either give them a "for sale" sign, or put a map in the trading screen so we can see exactly where USS Battleship 529 is. The trading tag sounds easier.

Border control - enforcing borders planet by planet, or sector by sector, could be a real pain. So, how about a few new treaties (sequential):

Civilian travel -> both types of freighters (necessary to have trade)
Military travel -> all ships can pass through, but they can't do anything else
Colonization -> starbases can be built, planets colonised

If you do something you shouldn't, the reaction could be lowered relations, or simply war.

You'd need a "remove" warning if the sector ownership suddenly changed. And if you're allied to send military into A's territory, but you give those ships
to B, his enemy, A should be really pissed off at you.

The catch is, what to do in contested sectors? My personal opinion is keep it a free-for-all, and just make people angrier and angrier as more unwanted
stuff moves through until someone starts shooting.


Internal trade routes - I heard that mentioned somewhere, just jack up the economy value a bit for every trade route available and assume it's from
some invisible freighters doing your own trade.

Good & evil - more techs for each tech tree. A few neutral techs and improvements (UN anyone?) could work, I'm not sure. We need some good thoughts on the differences between good and neutral - maybe they could
get a strong diplo bonus, but less of the "you're a good bloke, i'll help you out" from other civs. They might even get more of a trade bonus from good civs - after all, good and evil would have a hard time trading with each other, but neutrals should be able to trade with everyone.

Also, another way to change alignment than the random events. Have some sort of "good/evil" policy that gradually has the same effect as the choices. If
it's set to evil, you get a tiny economy bonus, but your relations gradually get worse. Good policy, opposite. The events should still make the most difference, since they're what the civvies would remember the most, but there should be a better way for a civ to prove its cruelty than waiting for some more worms to kill.

Spying on minor civs - maybe stealing techs from them?

Startup options - custom event frequencies

Senate elections - instead of it based on the morale at election time, have it based on the average morale over the last term in office. Obviously, the
morale at election time is gonna be valued much more, but it shouldn't be just that. With the other parties' votes, are they randomly split from the "not-my-party"
voting bloc, or are they representative of the people (e.g. big technologist showing means my people want more tech, war party means they want war, etc.)?
That'd be cool if it worked even slightly like that - it wouldn't have to be very accurate, just enough to get an idea.

Empire-wide propoganda fund - instead of having to manage it on every plenet, have one big fund, used to bump up morale on whichever planets have the worst.
It should be less efficient to run than having the morale improvements in place (it's kinda like sub-contracting the secret police), but with enough money
it should do the job.

Well, I'm gonna think about the sliders thing for a while - let me know if anything I've said here is brain dead, mmkay? :)
Reply #271 Top
End of quote


Is it a buy Expansion or is it free like the bonus pack? Also what is in it.

~SDC~
Reply #272 Top
I would really like to see a change to the diplomacy screen where I could tell if I was likely to get a deal by threatening the other player. Right now I never threaten, since I have no idea whether it will work, and that closes off several styles of game play.
Reply #273 Top
I'd *love* it if we weren't tied to the arrows and ****could change the final digit when offering bc/influence during trades***.....

(is this a windows 98 issue, does no one else have this problem?)

Rabe

P.S. also (this is a biggie) an option to unlink the econ sliders, since their logical connection is apparently unnecessary and therefore bizarre. :notsure:
Reply #274 Top
how about having the option to conquer a planet or liberate the planet (if the planet is a conquered planet). This would really help in situations when your running short on trading partners. Especially if the liberated planet or minor race was very friendly with you for your benevolence.

~SDC~
Reply #275 Top
All of the starting picks affect the whole race. How about a few that don't but do enhance your setup?
New starting picks:

Make Sol size 20, 26 or greater.
Start with an additional Explorer
Start with an additional Colony ship
Start with a random Resource in the Sol sector.