Galactic Civilizations II: 1.3A Change log

A genuine bug fix version

from JoeUser Forums

Most of our updates are essentially about adding new features. This is a bug fix update. :(

We broke some of the selection code which affects the turn button turning green, keyboard control of ships, auto-select next ship, etc.  To say I'm disappointed in us for letting such a boo-boo get in is an understatement. 

So how did this happen?

It's convoluted but for aspiring developers worth the tale:

Several users on our forum have been asking that we make it so that when you click on a ship that is on guard or on sentry that it would not activate the ships (i.e. take them off guard or sentry).  It was decided to go ahead and make that change even though the behavior was working as intended.

That change in turn affected all kinds of other things that one would not have thought it would affect with regards to ship selection.  While not that severe of a problem, that isn't the point -- these updates are supposed to improve the game experience, not detract.  Anyway, the bug slipped through and went into release.

I felt that the problem was significant enough to roll the dice and put out this new update on a Friday night. We've been playing with it all evening and we like the results. Hopefully it will solve the problem. 

It's only available right now via Stardock Central. We'll get a stand alone installer going soon.

(it should be up by 2am EST 9/9/06).

45,663 views 26 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
np man, mistakes happen and sometimes we could trigger a cause and effect chain unintentionally.

Also, will this work with a saved game because I have one in progress or should I go and do a new one?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Wow, you guys deserve so much credit. You guys are by far my favorite game devs! Thanks!
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So you mean there will be a newer version than 1.30.41? that's the only one i see on SDC right now. OH wait, you mean it won't be on SDC until 2am est? N/M....


Any word on the PQ bonus not being applied to the homeworld bug?

THANX FOR THE LATENIGHT UPDATE!
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just yet another example of the unbelievable Stardock support. So something went through broken, big deal. Given the sheer volume of changes for each patch it was bound to happen. Anyway, it's fixed and you guys are still far, FAR above any other dev team out there.

So, here's a big Thank You to all the Stardock people.


Oh, and it's 2:04 AM and I don't see my update. Of course, GalCiv2 is what kept me up this late...

Ah, there it is at 2:05. Woo!
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys n gals are incredible. Thank you for working so hard on our behalf. So many people would say "Ah well, we goofed it but it's the weekend. Lets wait til Monday" but not you. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You rock.


THE END.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sweet indeed!

Am I missing something, but it seems my Turn button is always green with the new update. Hmm can´t be, gotta try to make a new game and test it out
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Everybody could make an mistake.

But your company is fast in Bugfixing.
A bugfixed Patch after one day is very fast.

Thanks.....!!!

How good it was, if other companys would be so fast, too.....

Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yes. Ty very much!

Patch 1.3 changed so much, and I appreciate it.

Also, this bug fix was definitely faster than one would imagine after such a big update ^_^.

So, thank you very much for each update getting uploaded (or whatever) "on time", earlier than expected and with an almost immediate change-log on your website.

You guys definitely get Many kudos in my book .

This game was Definitely worth the buy ^_^.

Thanks again ^_^.

-Joren
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top


You guys are great! Mistakes can happen but the speed in which you brought a new patch to fix it is awesome! Man, I wish every gamedeveloper had the speed, dedication and belief in their own product as you guys.

Stardock for President!
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
That you guys are willing to come out and say 'Hey guys, we kinda messed up on this thing. Here, this should fix it.' shows me why I love this company. I just want to say thank you one more time for being such a great group of programmers, developers, forum moderators and such wonderful and helpful people.

Now go enjoy your weekend!
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi Draginol,
Having played a pay per month MMO for a few years, I've seen all sorts of buggy releases. I've seen bugs introduced from folks trying to correct bugs. The speed of Stardock's response and the fact that you guys are posting about it here speak volumes to me about Stardock's commitment to quality.
Thanks. Mistakes happen. As long as there are humans somewhere in the process mistakes will occur. I think everyone understands that. In the grand scheme of things it's not a huge game-breaking bug, and I've had a fun time playing the past few nights on 1.3.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

You guys are very kind. 

I (we) still feel bad missing such obvious issues.  There will also be a 1.31 since there's a couple of expoits we want to nix too sooner rather than later.

Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My appologies for being so hard on all of you concerning this last round of updates.
You really did not deserve it. I'm sorry.

Nice job on the quick bug fix update. Did the farm bonus tile bug also get fixed in this one?
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Unreal - flurry of worry over a selection click, through the night code fixing and republish.

You guys never cease to amaze me, if the rest of the software industry took your example all our lives would be less hassle, minimal grief and more enjoyable.

Beyond Mortality ...... again

Thank You
Regards
Zy
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys are very kind.
I (we) still feel bad missing such obvious issues. There will also be a 1.31 since there's a couple of expoits we want to nix too sooner rather than later.


I didn't see the bug where the ships didn't autoselect a new one after the current ones moves are over during the beta and that bug is something that would be noticeable.

As far as the green turn button goes, I've never paid attention to it and so even if it had dissapeared during the beta, it's possible I just didn't notice it since I don't pay much attention to the color of the turn button.

Also, what are the exploits ya wanna fix? cause I want to well... exploit them, lol j/k sorta, but I am curious about it.
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The most obvious would be the farm bonus tiles.
Build a farm on a 100% bonus tile, when it upgrades it will be a 200% bonus, upgrade again to get it to 300%. Then replace the farm with any other building, but retain the food production.

You could get the planet to whatever food production, and hence population, you want, but with no farm present and the added production of the building now occupying the farm tile.
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top
test...
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The most obvious would be the farm bonus tiles.
Build a farm on a 100% bonus tile, when it upgrades it will be a 200% bonus, upgrade again to get it to 300%. Then replace the farm with any other building, but retain the food production.

You could get the planet to whatever food production, and hence population, you want, but with no farm present and the added production of the building now occupying the farm tile.


Cool, I am going to get the biggest metaverse score ever posted ever...

Nah...just kidding.  
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
So, the moral of the story is... when they say "freeze the code," they really mean it.

Thanks for the late-night fix! (Both the late night update *and* for *my* late night fix!)

Bill
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys never cease to amaze me, if the rest of the software industry took your example all our lives would be less hassle, minimal grief and more enjoyable.


Agreed. Most game companies and designers (there are a few exceptions out there) would have long since stopped the patch process and gone on to other things, and let GalCivII go to the dustbin.

Would that more game companies would follow your lead!

Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The most obvious would be the farm bonus tiles.
Build a farm on a 100% bonus tile, when it upgrades it will be a 200% bonus, upgrade again to get it to 300%. Then replace the farm with any other building, but retain the food production.

Yep.  I wonder how long that's been there though since I don't think that code has changed in a long long time.  But that's the exploit I was talking about that will require a 1.31.

Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

In the grand scheme of things it's not a huge game-breaking bug,

True, but one huge game-breaking bug has been found when using the 1.3 retail patch on non-english versions: CTD when attacking a ship. It has been spotted on french speaking forums and reported here https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=274&aid=129932 and here https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=274&aid=130029

Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yep. I wonder how long that's been there though since I don't think that code has changed in a long long time. But that's the exploit I was talking about that will require a 1.31.

Strange, that doesn't happen in my current game that I started with version 1.30
I very often use 100% farm-bonus tiles and I've never seen this. I always get the correct amount of food.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
True, but one huge game-breaking bug has been found when using the 1.3 retail patch on non-english versions: CTD when attacking a ship. It has been spotted on french speaking forums and reported here https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=274&aid=129932 and here https://forums.galciv2.com/?forumid=274&aid=130029


Adding my voice to the fact this bug should not exist and it broke every major combo mod in the metaverse library as well.