Stuff That's Gone Right
Accentuate the Positive
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GalCiv2 Forums
GalCiv2 Forums
Considering there's about a gazillion threads on bug reports and suggestions and whatnot (not that that's necessarily *all* bad, mind you), how about more threads on the stuff we *do* like? I'll start off with my own list.
1. The ship builder and combat viewer.
I know, I know, *everybody* likes these two things right? But there's even more to it than that, in my particular case.
Ya see, I'm the sort of gamer who generally hates combat. I find it to be boring at best and confusing at worst. Even in my role-playing group I'm known as the sort of gamer who prefers to concoct Rube-Goldbergian plans for indirectly dealing with enemies instead of just bashing heads in. I'd rather spend my time in diplomacy, tech, trade, etc.
Well, the nice part about GalCiv is that you can do non-combat stuff and it still feels like an integral part of the game, as opposed to an afterthought outside the main focus of combat. You can even fight wars themselves with backroom under-the-table deals and plans. But let's stay focused here.
The ship builder and combat viewer just makes combat completely and totally cool. Even a gaming pacifist like myself can't deny the utter wickedness of watching my custom-designed ships blow up (or get blown up by) the AI's custom designed ships. I find myself almost itching to get into battles, now!
2. The dialogue/backstory/flavor text, etc.
I'll admit, I'm not generally a strategy gamer. My first gaming loves are adventures and RPGs, which tend to be very story-heavy. So it's very fun to play a game outside those genres that has so many little atmospheric details, from different greetings depending on where you are the game, to whom you're talking, and why, to the tech and ship descriptions, to the names of stars, to the little "Person on the Street" comments in the Planet Details, etc. And of course there's also the entire backstory, which is IMHO very intriguing.
Oh, and the gratuitous references. I love gratuitous references.
3. All the little conveniences.
The way that everything that's remotely scrollable is, well, scrollable with a mouse wheel.
The way that the money and influence sliders on the Trade screen can be scrolled by both tens and ones and by dragging the slider. The way you can click through each different race without leaving the Trade screen is also nice.
The way tons of information is all nicely gathered into the various screens. I like the planet/starship list in particular, especially the way you can now keep track of AI-owned and unowned planets and ships as well.
The way you can click on the GNN "buttons" to go to the planet in question, or launch newly built ships by right-clicking on the button.
The trade route lines are very useful.
The way you get little tooltips on the planet screens explaining all the numbers.
4. The graphics.
Granted, I'm probably the only freak on the planet who liked the GalCiv1 graphics just fine, but I think the game is very pretty. I like getting to have graphics in a modern game that actually look like *art*. I especially like the way the alien race "head shot" videos show emotions. (Maybe I'm just easily impressed. )
5. No copy protection.
I know this has already been covered elsewhere, but really, it's nice to be able to just download and install a game after buying it without having to fuss with the CD.
That's just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head. The nutshell is that you've created a strategy game that hooked someone who usually doesn't play in that genre.
Other people's thoughts?
Peace & Luv, Liz
1. The ship builder and combat viewer.
I know, I know, *everybody* likes these two things right? But there's even more to it than that, in my particular case.
Ya see, I'm the sort of gamer who generally hates combat. I find it to be boring at best and confusing at worst. Even in my role-playing group I'm known as the sort of gamer who prefers to concoct Rube-Goldbergian plans for indirectly dealing with enemies instead of just bashing heads in. I'd rather spend my time in diplomacy, tech, trade, etc.
Well, the nice part about GalCiv is that you can do non-combat stuff and it still feels like an integral part of the game, as opposed to an afterthought outside the main focus of combat. You can even fight wars themselves with backroom under-the-table deals and plans. But let's stay focused here.
The ship builder and combat viewer just makes combat completely and totally cool. Even a gaming pacifist like myself can't deny the utter wickedness of watching my custom-designed ships blow up (or get blown up by) the AI's custom designed ships. I find myself almost itching to get into battles, now!
2. The dialogue/backstory/flavor text, etc.
I'll admit, I'm not generally a strategy gamer. My first gaming loves are adventures and RPGs, which tend to be very story-heavy. So it's very fun to play a game outside those genres that has so many little atmospheric details, from different greetings depending on where you are the game, to whom you're talking, and why, to the tech and ship descriptions, to the names of stars, to the little "Person on the Street" comments in the Planet Details, etc. And of course there's also the entire backstory, which is IMHO very intriguing.
Oh, and the gratuitous references. I love gratuitous references.
3. All the little conveniences.
The way that everything that's remotely scrollable is, well, scrollable with a mouse wheel.
The way that the money and influence sliders on the Trade screen can be scrolled by both tens and ones and by dragging the slider. The way you can click through each different race without leaving the Trade screen is also nice.
The way tons of information is all nicely gathered into the various screens. I like the planet/starship list in particular, especially the way you can now keep track of AI-owned and unowned planets and ships as well.
The way you can click on the GNN "buttons" to go to the planet in question, or launch newly built ships by right-clicking on the button.
The trade route lines are very useful.
The way you get little tooltips on the planet screens explaining all the numbers.
4. The graphics.
Granted, I'm probably the only freak on the planet who liked the GalCiv1 graphics just fine, but I think the game is very pretty. I like getting to have graphics in a modern game that actually look like *art*. I especially like the way the alien race "head shot" videos show emotions. (Maybe I'm just easily impressed.
)5. No copy protection.
I know this has already been covered elsewhere, but really, it's nice to be able to just download and install a game after buying it without having to fuss with the CD.
That's just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head. The nutshell is that you've created a strategy game that hooked someone who usually doesn't play in that genre.
Other people's thoughts?
Peace & Luv, Liz
