Help! A few questions for a GCII addict...

from GalCiv2 Forums
Ok, after having having the music from GCII haunt my dreams the past two nights from playing so much, I have a couple of questions:

1. Does Stellar Cartography actually do anything? I've zoomed in and out and looked, and looked, but I just cannot see any difference in the minimap regarding planet qualities. I thought it was supposed to help you see which planets were habitable in the minimap so you don't have to explore the whole universe, but they all look the same to me..

2. Influence starbases don't seem to need to be around planets to be usefull, do they indeed affect a planets influence rating as well(such as a economic starbase helps a planets economy), or do they just add to that areas' influence?

3. Just how many ships do I need to be considered a threat so I can extort money from the minor races? I've had 4 medium size ships and 4 transports sitting just outside a Minors planet after having eliminated thier entire fleet, and still they only see me as a "potential" threat.

4. What tech do I need to be able to start building survey vessels? In one game, I could build "core" survey ships, but in all the other games, even if I have the ability to add the the survey module and large hulls, I cannot build core survey ships. What gives?

5. After reading about approval ratings and what not, I have this question: Is 50% taxes and 100% spending with small populations actually better than huge populations at 21% tax and 50% spending?

6. Why are the people on my homeworld allways seem to be the ones pulling down my approval rating?(They allways seem to have the lowest approval)

7. Is there a way to turn off the grid in the minimap, and is there anyway to turn off the sector grid completely in the main screen?

Thanks in advance, and stay away from my starbases!
9,330 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
1.Stellar Cartography lets you see planets on the mini-map.

2. I think they just add influence to their surrounding area, planet or no planet. I use them to help keep borders intact.

3. When threatening someone look at the overall military rating. It doesn't really matter how many ships you have as long as they are more powerful than your opponent. If you have a rating of 250 and they have a rating of 50, they'll probably be very polite. If you both are close in rating then they won't be so receptive.

4. I forget, but it is along the sensor line in the tech tree, "Senors Mk. IV" maybe?

5. I always spend 100% if possible and tax until approval starts to fall below 60%.

6. I don't know about this. My homeworld is usually 100% approval. Lowering taxes, adding recreation facilities, or reducing population can raise approval.

7. I'm pretty sure you can turn the grid off with the min-map controls.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
3. Just how many ships do I need to be considered a threat so I can extort money from the minor races? I've had 4 medium size ships and 4 transports sitting just outside a Minors planet after having eliminated thier entire fleet, and still they only see me as a "potential" threat.

... just take over the Minor races instead? Faster that way. Enlighten them with your rule.

5. After reading about approval ratings and what not, I have this question: Is 50% taxes and 100% spending with small populations actually better than huge populations at 21% tax and 50% spending?

Depends on the situation and which one gives more money. As long as you can extract the most money. What would matter more should be approval rating vs revenue. The populace can be taxed 100% and still be happy.

but seeing how economic structures give percentage bonuses, a large population would probably be better.

6. Probably because you built too many farms, homeworld being the first you get to build on..


Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
1. Stellar cartography is useless in anything but rare planets, I think. it allows you to save a turn guessing where the planets are. It's definitely not as useful as it's Galciv1 equivalent.

3. The AI is usually too stupid to realise it's getting smacked around, especially if your fleet is better but smaller. Just take the planets. No use trying to bully them.

4. It's usually better just to build your own survey ships. You just need the sensor tech, I think.

5. You're taking this from the wrong end. Your spending should ideally always be 100%. Economy should be high enough to support this. Approval rate should always be over 60. It's rather easy if you always build one approval building for every farm you build. If you have some high class world, you can turn it in a real economy pumper by building a few farms and approval buildings and the rest economy buildings. You should try to have 10 billion people on most worlds above class 9, for a myriad of reasons : defense, increased income, increased influence, if you build transport ships, etc...

6. Because the capital allows for more people then the initial colony buildings of your subsequent planets. Build an approval building on it and you should be ok.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
5. You're taking this from the wrong end. Your spending should ideally always be 100%


Blink......why didn't I think of that? Good idea...

Thanks all! Some good info in these answers!

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
4. What tech do I need to be able to start building survey vessels? In one game, I could build "core" survey ships, but in all the other games, even if I have the ability to add the the survey module and large hulls, I cannot build core survey ships. What gives?


It takes medium hulls, impulse drive, and sensors I or II, I can't remember, to make the standard survey vessel.

5. After reading about approval ratings and what not, I have this question: Is 50% taxes and 100% spending with small populations actually better than huge populations at 21% tax and 50% spending?


Unlike GC1, in GC2 the production/research capacity of your empire has nothing to do with your population, only what developments you've built and such. Therefore, 100% spending is better than 50% spending. However, 100% spending for both cases will be the same amount, assuming population is the only thing that's different. So, with a higher population, you might be able to fund 100% spending at a 21% tax rate.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
It takes medium hulls, impulse drive, and sensors I or II, I can't remember, to make the standard survey vessel.

Mine says it requires Sensors V, which doesn't even exist.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
3. There have been some good comments on military rating...but I'd add that minors usually start on PQ15 worlds and they usually build each of the "xxx capital" wonders. Ie, they have an ultra juicy planet. I usually try to conquer any nearby minors ASAP since they have better worlds than I do. The AIs take them out early too. So forget extortion - the world itself if far more valuable! After you get that juicy planet, populate it a bit, and it's cranking out capital warships every few turns - then you can extort from the majors.

Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Mine says it requires Sensors V, which doesn't even exist.


Doesn't exist at this time, though it used to. Maybe they accidentally left a high-level sensor in the design when they removed the upper two sensor techs.

At any rate, the tech that should be required is the one that gives you a survey module, which should be the first or second tech in the Sensors line.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
I've found a way to extort money from the Minors, but it's a bit of an exploit:

Once you are sure that you can take the Minor's planet ON THAT TURN, i.e., make sure they have no ships left, and you have enough troops to take it, talk to them and sell them all your techs, etc. for all the money they have. You get thier money, and you don't have to worry about them selling your techs to anyone else, because they are wiped out at the end of this turn and don't have a chance to sell to anyone.

I say it's an exploit, because you really shouldn't be able to make deals like this when you are at war with someone.

And I still cannot find a way to turn off the grid in the minimap, or turn off the grid completly in the main map. I just don't see any buttons, options etc. to turn these off. And I'm not talking about the ctrl-g grid, either.