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More Twilight Improvements

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More Twilight Improvements

...Than you can shake something at.

from JoeUser Forums


Another fun week of Improvement creation! While I'm enjoying myself, making these race specific improvements is really starting to take it's creative toll on me. For GalCiv3 I'm going to fight for Improvements that are real-time 3D models and an 'Improvement Editor' where it's easy to crank them out (plus it'd open the door for more custom-created improvements).

But enough looking forward....let's dig through the past two weeks and see some new Twilight stuff!!!

(Starting at the upper left corner, going clockwise...)

Black Market: A fun way for Evil nations to bolster their planets economy.

Industrial Cluster: Thalans grow their factories. With a small seed, some building supplies, and a pinch of love, this mid-game improvement can adjust itself help the Thalans in multiple ways.

Flesh Incinerator: Yes, I know it looks like a BBQ grill, but what better way to combust the poor, sick, and useless than with a amped up foreman (that, may I add, it cuts fat in half)?

Diplomatic Brain Trust: I really just wanted an excuste to have an improvement that looked similar to a capitol building, but this Terran-specific wonder will boost their diplomatic ability.

Healing Pools: While under the rule of their Drengin overlords, one of the few pleasures Torian slavelings discovered was resting their whip-weary bodies in the non-lethal cooling pools of the Factories they worked in (unless they got caught....then it wasn't relaxing....cause they'd be dead). This practice became part of their culture, so Morale buildings for the Torians tend to reflect their hotspring-loving ways. The 'Healing Pools' is the first in this line of improvements.

So there's your sneak-peak at some of the improvements you'll be building on your planets once Twilight falls (ooh...going to have to send that Tagline over to marketing)!!!!!!! I hope they got you excited - but if not, here's a few more exclamaction points to seal the deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a fun weekend with 1.8a...cya on Thursday for Twilight: Beta 1!
103,618 views 74 replies
Reply #51 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Would it be fine just to stick it on the options screen?

Reply #52 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Would it be fine just to stick it on the options screen?



Umm... sure but the "kill-switch" serves the purpose better.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #53 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Would it be fine just to stick it on the options screen?



I would rather it next to the mini map or where the treasury is on the game screen.
Reply #54 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Would it be fine just to stick it on the options screen?




If it isn't an alarm clock, a more visible location would be better, imho. However... if it is an alarm clock... then just having it on the option screen would be fine with me.
Reply #55 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
All joking aside, wouldn't an "alarm clock" really be a complete waste of development time? No one really needs this, no matter how much they play. At best, it would be like putting a .mp3 player or something in the game...totally superfluous, an unnecessary novelty.


I mean, of course, if all other things were equal, and this list of features and fixes we'd all really like to see were done, then sure, why not. But things aren't equal, and these things aren't done. I trust I don't need to make a list of the things we'd like to see fixed in the game, or things we'd really like to see improved so much so that even an extra 5 minutes of development time should go to them.

If this part of the thread has all been some running joke, I apologize for being dense and not getting it. I can't believe anyone really wants this, and if they think they do, they haven't realized that clocks already exist on their computer and in other easily accessed locations in their life.

I definitely don't need this option, would never, ever, use it, and don't want it cluttering up my interface. And I play a lot of really long Gal civ games.


Thanks!

Reply #56 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

It's something where, if it's easy to do (development time <= 4 hours), then we'll do it. That's why I asked about clock placement, since (between UI and coding) that'll be the best I can give you for a 'non-gameplay' feature.

It's on our 'if time' list, so hopefully it'll squeek in

Reply #57 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
it would be like putting a .mp3 player or something in the game


Hey, I'd use it. It would be a lot faster than minimizing the game and then taking 5 minutes to play a song you want.
Reply #58 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

it would be like putting a .mp3 player or something in the game


Hey, I'd use it. It would be a lot faster than minimizing the game and then taking 5 minutes to play a song you want.


Do you not know how to use a computer? Just curious. It's the only explanation for that statement I can think of. Unless you're just exaggerating. Either way, it's not an accurate portrayal of the situation.

Reply #59 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

No, i hear ya Jub ... if your running full screen, you have to alt-tab out, bring up the player, find the music, then come back in (recreating textures on a large map can take a while) it feels kinda painful to go through the motions.

I've got in the habit of just putting on a playlist when i start a game and let it run.

Reply #60 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I would rather it next to the mini map or where the treasury is on the game screen.


Seconded

On the main screen would be cool please.
Reply #61 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think we're just being argumentitive now. Play the game in windowed mode, set to match your desktop res. Press the Windows key, bring up the taskbar(hey look, a clock!), press the tab for the player of choice you have running, the player comes up over your game, press the song track you want, press the tab again, your player goes away. It takes maybe 3 seconds, no problematic alt -tabbing.

Assuming you're not using bloat-ware to play your music, it takes no more system resources to play them externally than it would internally, or nothing significant enough than it would be worth taking dev time away from the actual game.

Point is, you poor devs have enough on your plate without pointless, redundant fluff like this...and I'm already worried about the Dev's sanity over the announced development schedule. I'd rather 4 extra hours be used for employee naps If, when TotA comes out, it's addressed all those persistent issues on the forums, got all it's individual tech trees balanced, runs even better than it does now, I'll be the first one cheering to add cupholders, ashtrays, and an internet search engine.
Reply #62 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think we're just being argumentitive now. Play the game in windowed mode, set to match your desktop res. Press the Windows key, bring up the taskbar(hey look, a clock!), press the tab for the player of choice you have running, the player comes up over your game, press the song track you want, press the tab again, your player goes away. It takes maybe 3 seconds, no problematic alt -tabbing.

Assuming you're not using bloat-ware to play your music, it takes no more system resources to play them externally than it would internally, or nothing significant enough than it would be worth taking dev time away from the actual game.

Point is, you poor devs have enough on your plate without pointless, redundant fluff like this...and I'm already worried about the Dev's sanity over the announced development schedule. I'd rather 4 extra hours be used for employee naps If when TotA comes out, it's addressed all those persistent issues on the forums, got all it's individual tech trees balanced, runs even better than it does now, I'll be the first one cheering to add cupholders, ashtrays, and an internet search engine.


You do know they had a media player in GalcivI? It couldn't be taht hard to just implement it into GalcivII should it? (Correct me if I'm wrong, which I might be)

I'm not saying we need these things, it would just be nice to have them. (for some of us atleast)
Reply #63 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
It couldn't be taht hard to just implement it into GalcivII should it? (Correct me if I'm wrong, which I might be)


If I recall it was dropped simply because it was a disproportionately large source of support tickets.
Reply #64 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If you guys have time to add the in-game clock that would be cool, if you don't it won't be a huge loss or anything. Having the clock just makes my life a little bit easier, as in I don't have to get my lazy butt off the chair to go into the next room to find the time, lol (I like playing in full screen).
Reply #65 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

... I don't have to get my lazy butt off the chair to go into the next room to find the time, lol (I like playing in full screen).


Playing in windowed mode with a screen resolution = to your desktop resolution differs from playing in "fullscreen" mode only in that you can effortlessly bring up the taskbar(which, btw, has a clock on it) without alt-tabbing out. Otherwise, the visual impression is the same (it fills your screen).

Just by the way of community edification.



Reply #66 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
i just keep an alarm clock next to my monitor. and it doesn't help me tear myself away when i come down with a case of onemoreturnitis.

if you use winamp as your media player, you can set global hotkeys to whatever you want. this wouldn't help all that much for the jump-to command, but for just about everything else it works wonderfully.

just offering my workarounds for these issues mentioned above.
Reply #67 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys should check out this thread: WWW Link

It would be a nice addition to TA and would deal with a lot of micromanagement.
Reply #68 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I also want to request the clock. Very excellent feature and easy to add. It has nothing to do with arrogance, the game really is THAT good!

Reply #69 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If we get a clock thats fine, i can take it or leave it. But if we do have one near the mini map would be ideal. There is already enough info on the left hand side of screen, so just above the map or something would be nice. I think an alarm is a bit overboard though.

For those that want an MP3 player, are you aware you can copy any songs you want into the games music folder and rename them the same as the game music files?

This way it plays them as random and no hassles with alt-tabbing out...

Food for thought.


Reply #70 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If we get a clock i think near the mini map would be ideal too

if we don`t get it that kool too.


Bingjack i find in window mode or full mode that once i tab out and go back in i have to restart the game so that is a pain too.

but i have 2 pc next to each other so i see a clock all the time if i look !!!
Reply #71 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Play the game in windowed mode, set to match your desktop res. Press the Windows key, bring up the taskbar(hey look, a clock!),


My game doesn't run in windowed mode. Even if I match resolution and set it to windowed mode and it still doesn't go windowed. I agree that an alarm is a bit over-board(sorry  ).

But its kinda nice to be one of the few priviledged souls whose ideas are considered even they don't make it in. If they take only 4 hours, thats a good thing!   

Why not between the galactic date and sector indicator? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the control bar tab a bit too graphic-ky to implement it there? Wouldn't you have to create new textures for the control tab?

=Fire
Reply #72 from GalCiv2 Forums Top


My game doesn't run in windowed mode. Even if I match resolution and set it to windowed mode and it still doesn't go windowed. I agree that an alarm is a bit over-board


It probably does though. This is what Im trying to say...running in windowed mode (you have to restart the game) at the same resolution as your desktop looks *exactly* the same as fullscreen mode...you wouldnt be able to tell the diiference , there is no border frame, you cant move it around (at least in winxp). The only difference is, you can bring up windows system elements and backround programs over top Galciv without alt-tabbing. In order to have galciv in a floating window, it must be running in windowed mode at a rez smaller than your desktop rez.

If you truly can't run in windowed mode for some reason on your system, this sounds like a much more important thing for SD to investigate than adding alarm clocks or media players.
Reply #73 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think we're just being argumentative now.


Not so! I personally would like to see one in the game, and if the devs say its not too hard then all the better for me If they do not add it then i have neither gained nor lost so i win both ways. I know that, like others, i lose all sense of time when playing the game so having a clock in the interface would be a handy thing. Handy, not imperative though.

Reply #74 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I think we're just being argumentative now.


Not so!


Foul! Out of context. That comment was made in response to to a remark stating that it took "5 minutes", or was somehow prohibitively difficult, to change a song on an external media player.

I don't think people who think they want alarm clocks in the game are being argumentative. I just think they have very odd priorities, considering the small, but significant, list of genuine game issues that still need addressed in the game, as well as the daunting list of new features on the table for the expansion. There comes a point where you would actually start resenting it if you get pointless fluff like alarm clocks and media players instead.