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GalCiv II: Twilight of the Arnor Beta 5

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GalCiv II: Twilight of the Arnor Beta 5

Change Log

from JoeUser Forums
Beta 5 is now here! LOTS of changes.

+ NEW: Ascension Victory is now enabled!
+ To win by Ascension Victory, build starbases on the Ascension Crystals scattered throughout the galaxy to absorb their aura.
+ Each starbase on an Ascension Crystal will give you 1 point per turn towards the necessary 1000 points to win
+ AI will use specific ascension-based flavor text to describe why they are going to war with you if that is the reason.
+ AI will now list ascension as one of the reasons why its relations with you are lower
+ AI will lower relations with you if you start to collect ascension crystals
+ Drengin AI will attempt to pick up ascension crystals if it is powerful enough (the others won’t yet)
+ When a civ is within 100 turns of winning by Ascension Victory, a notification window will appear in the upper left hand corner of the screen

+ NEW: AI Designed ships for player - optional
+ With the changes to the tech tree, most of the core ship desgins are either inaccessible or not useful to the player by the time that the user can build them -- this should help with that.
+ When the option is ON, you can set the weapon focus by clicking on the focus button on the shipyard, and the AI will try to design ships using those values.
+ As soon as you research a tech that unlocks a ship component or increases miniaturization, the AI will attempt to design ships for you. After that, it will re-design them once a game year (about 48 turns)
+ AI designed ships now use specific ship templates based on their weapons, and ships designed for the player use the name of the template for the ship name
+ The AI will only obsolete the player's ships if the previous design of the same focus is inferior to the new design (this does not affect designs you create yourself)
+ Players can now create their own ship styles for the race they are playing
+ In the ship styles, the first template is for ships that primarily have beam weapons, the second for missiles and the third for mass drivers
+ Added descriptions to the default templates to give more helpful info on the Custom Ship Style screen

+ NEW: Added AutoLaunch options
+ These options are for people who may not always use rallypoints but want their ships to automatically launch from the planet so that they can immediately take orders
+ AutoLaunch
+ Option to have rallypoints follow same rules as autolaunch
+ Min num of defenders in orbit before auto launching attack ships
+ Option to AutoLaunch transports

+ NEW: Improvement images
+ Biosphere Modulator
+ Dark Energy Lab
+ Doomsday Generator
+ Interstellar Refinery
+ Mercenary Academy
+ Molecular Fabricator
+ Robotic Farming
+ Shrine of Tandis
+ Shrine of the Mithrilar
+ Stellar Forge
+ ZeroG Amusement

+ NEW: Enabled custom maps and scenarios

+ NEW: Korx get festival of capitalism to help improve morale

+ NEW: Custom races are now enabled, with the ability to pick which tech tree they are using

+ NEW: Added treasury to the InvasionOptionsWnd so that you can decide which tactic to use

+ NEW: Drengin now design scouts

+ FIXED: Made it so that you can't select the default tech tree for a custom race

+ FIXED: Bug on missionwnd where the spinner for difficulty was obscured by the string for the galaxy size

+ FIXED: Bug where AStar wasn't checking for Ascension Crystals, which caused stuck turn button

+ FIXED: Bug where graphs were not drawing the last point

+ FIXED: Changed it so that negative values are set to 0 for the graphs - we may want to change this eventually but we would need the ability to draw in a zero line

+ FIXED: Made the graphs use their min value as the 0 value so that the graphs fill the whole area

+ FIXED: Bug in collision detection code when checking for colliding with a star that was causing stuck turn button

+ FIXED: Bug where negative values were messing up the graphs

+ FIXED: Added code to try and prevent anomalies from respawning on AI rallypoints

+ FIXED: Added code for the AI ships to deal with rallypoints that are blocked (which causes a stuck turn bug)

+ FIXED: Bug where AI wasn't checking to see if a rallypoint was marked as destroyed before assigning it as a location. This should fix stuck turn issues and possibly crashes

+ FIXED: Changed the settings in release mode to use more accurate floating point numbers, because it was causing rounding errors

+ FIXED Bug where resource graphics were not being created

+ FIXED: Bug where Terror Star gfx was in the wrong place after attacking a star

+ FIXED: Bug where spending sliders on the Economy tab of the Finance Management screen didn't update their slider positions from a previous in a new game.

+ FIXED: Crash when going to the CivManager's stats tab after starting/loading a game from within a game

+ FIXED: Bug where having a negative weapons ability would make attack ships have 0 attack. Now they get at least one.


+ TWEAK: Fixed typo in War Profiteering

+ TWEAK: Added labels to the screen where you pick your techs for your custom civ for available and selected

+ TWEAK: New colony maintainence decreased from 15 to 12.

+ TWEAK: Only constructors, terror stars and attack ships get charged maintenance now

+ TWEAK: Updated Twilight's icon

+ TWEAK: Techs are now more expensive

120,337 views 81 replies
Reply #51 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I ask again, I'm seeing a lot of "string not found" items in the Game Options. I assume these are the new things. Is there something wrong with my install, or does anyone else see this? I also have a "string not found" on the new option to allow tech stealing.
Reply #52 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
dfalken i am not getting any string messages so far.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #53 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Note to designer of the program icon: Excellent! Nice to see the contrast from the Dreadlords. Fire VS Ice.I say BAh HUMBUG! That silly blue thing replaced my ObjectDock terror star icon without my consent.


The new TA icon looks awsome. Wierd because i was thinking about wha the TA icon would look like when i preordered it.
Reply #54 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
FIXED: Bug where AStar wasn't checking for Ascension Crystals, which caused stuck turn button+


What's AStar?
Reply #56 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have played my 1st game with the new beta and I have to say the money problem is much better now. I got the memory error when a drenin ship attack the altarians. I have sent you my saved game yesterday. Hope you got it.
Reply #57 from Stardock Forums Top

I've got a quick question. My install shows several items in Option as having "String Not Found". I'm guesing those are the toggles for the new stuff like AI ship builds. Do I have a corrupt install, or are these just not labeled yet? If the later, would someone mind posting what each toggle is? You could just post them in the order they show up. Thanks!

You should probably re-install, as it sounds like it didn't overwrite your screens.str file. This can happen if you have the file open or the game running while updating.  It may have affected other files as well.

+ FIXED: Changed the settings in release mode to use more accurate floating point numbers, because it was causing rounding errors

+ FIXED: Bug where spending sliders on the Economy tab of the Finance Management screen didn't update their slider positions from a previous in a new game.

+ FIXED: Crash when going to the CivManager's stats tab after starting/loading a game from within a game


Given that the first one applies to DA and DL (assuming it is the rounding error I first reported in DA that appears to exist in DL as well), the second one applies to DA and I would be unsurprised to find that it applies to DL, and that the third one also applies to DA (but fortunately I cannot manage to duplicate this in DL), what kind of time frame are we looking at for a backport of these fixes?

I'm not saying I want them next week (well I do...), but is there any chance it will happen before 2.0?

I don't know when I'll get a chance to backport the fixes. 

I was expecting the new auto ship design to be an in game option but it must be chosen pregame from the game options so I didn't see it in action this time.

You can still enable it from the options menu after you've started the game.  The game still tracks whether you've unlocked ship components, and it start the limit for every 48 turns until after the first time that you've designed ships.  I'm also fairly certain that it doesn't reset the flag for the ship components being unlocked until it has designed ships, but even if it didn't, you'd just have to research another tech to proc it. 

What's AStar?

A* (known as AStar in our code because you can't name variables or class names with a * in them) is a pathfinding algorithm.  A lot of games use it, or a variant of it.

are we finally allowed to use custom mods as well as the races?

 
Please don't.  I don't want to have to sort out bugs caused by mods from the bugs in my code.

Hmmm. I notice that the option to let ships be auto designed means not much when you already have designs on file.

I expected the user designs to be ignored but they always pop-up as the next option. I also can't figure out the custom design thing.

I go through the process of choosing and saving custom designs for a custom race and the game options do not change. It just gives me the standard Terran (in this case) designs without over riding the core designs.

If you design your ships already, you may not find this option incredibly useful.  This option is for people who don't want to design their own ships.  It uses the templates specified in the ship style (accessible from the appearance tab in the customize race screen) and then adds weapons, defenses, engines, etc using much the same code as the AI uses to design its ships. It doesn't override the core ships that exist because it would cause problems with the campaign, random ship events, etc.  Also, it's not going to insist that its designs are better than yours, so it's not going to ignore your designs. You're not saying that you created a custom ship style and that it didn't use the templates, are you?

 

Reply #58 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Will do! Thanks a bunch!
Reply #59 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

If SDC is showing the latest version installed but your titlescreen does not say the correct version, you can either try re-installing or you can edit the registry to force it to re-update.

Here are instructions on how to edit the version string in the registry:

First, close Stardock Central. Go to Start->Run and type in regedit.  On Vista, type it in the search box.  As soon as the registry opens, click on the My Computer icon and choose File->Export to backup the registry.

The install info for GalCiv2 is under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, in the path Software\Stardock\Drengin.net\GalCiv2\Twilight.

Just change the version string to a lower number and when you restart SDC, it should show the update button again.

Here are instructions to make sure that you get the latest version once you've either re-installed or changed the version string in the registry:

Befiore installing the update, go to Tools->Settings and click on Internet.  US-1 is usually the best choice for servers because sometimes we have sync errors with US-2.  Click Refresh XML Data.  Also, if you have the setting turned off to check for updates to Stardock Central, turn it back on and then re-start Stardock Central.  If Stardock Central finds an update, let it update then restart SDC when prompted. 

If the above method doesn't work for you, it may be a more general issue with Stardock Central and I'll need you to send in these files:
 Program Files\Stardock\SDCentral\Installed\gc2_Twilight.log
 Program Files\Stardock\SDCentral\Installed\gc2_Twilight.xml

Reply #60 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I don't know when I'll get a chance to backport the fixes.


Well, I was hoping for a timeframe, any timeframe really, but I understand that an estimate might not be possible, for a multitude of reasons.

I just want to thank you again for those fixes (as well as all the others)-from my point of view, in particular the civ manager stats screen crash and rounding error.

And didn't I tell you all to take the week off? ;)
Reply #61 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You're not saying that you created a custom ship style and that it didn't use the templates, are you?


Not exactly, I am saying that in the new custom design window, I changed and saved the default templates for colony and constructor and the next game continued to use the default core templates. The system named the new templates Terran ship styl vs Terran ship style. I assume this just means the original core ship templates are hard wired.

So, you pretty much answered my question. I gather that for someone that wants to fully utilize the AI design function, it would be advisable to empty their cumtom design folder.

Either way, not a problem for me since I enjoy the designing ships but I am not sure I fully understand the new "Create custom desugn" feature.

Reply #62 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm sorry to be a bother... It looks like I've still got an issue with "String Not Found". It's showing up in the Game Options screen for what seems like all the new options, on the Game Setup screen for the Allow Tech Stealing option, and in the new auto ship design screen. I've removed and re-installed the game twice. I even tried manually deleting the game folders in both Programs Files and my user Profile with no change. I'm running Vista Business. Has anyoen else seen this behaviour? If not I'm most likely dealing with a local problem that probably isn't game related.
Reply #63 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Not exactly, I am saying that in the new custom design window, I changed and saved the default templates for colony and constructor and the next game continued to use the default core templates. The system named the new templates Terran ship styl vs Terran ship style. I assume this just means the original core ship templates are hard wired.

The core ship designs don't actually use the ship templates; the AI designed ships (either for the player or for the AI) are the only ones that use them, unless you use one yourself when designing a ship. This would be fairly difficult to change at this stage.

I'm sorry to be a bother... It looks like I've still got an issue with "String Not Found". It's showing up in the Game Options screen for what seems like all the new options, on the Game Setup screen for the Allow Tech Stealing option, and in the new auto ship design screen. I've removed and re-installed the game twice. I even tried manually deleting the game folders in both Programs Files and my user Profile with no change. I'm running Vista Business. Has anyoen else seen this behaviour? If not I'm most likely dealing with a local problem that probably isn't game related.

It could be a permissions issue.  Are you running as an administrator?  Do you have any temp files created in your Twilight\Data\English folder? Did you install the game for all users?

Reply #64 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How exactly does one find/use the map editor?
Reply #65 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
are we finally allowed to use custom mods as well as the races?

Please don't. I don't want to have to sort out bugs caused by mods from the bugs in my code.


oh... ok.

how about custom ships? or is this considered a 'mod' as well?
Reply #66 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How exactly does one find/use the map editor?


c:\Program Files\Stardock\totalgaming\GalCiv2\twlight\tools



Reply #67 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The betas seem to come on well, but since I have been out of the loop for quite many months could somebody clear up couple things.

Is the Twilight Arnor still up for March launch?

Has there been any news on ground combat or pictures about the new ground combat screen?
Reply #68 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There's only one downside to all the new bling:

The old graphics elements (starports, etc.) really stick out like a sore thumb at 1920x1200. And, of course, the classic "evil advisor robot" still has that unmoving chest glow and grate...

Reply #69 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
CariElf, that was right on! Thanks a million. Instead of running as Admin all the time, I finally broke down and disabled UAC in Vista. I'm tired of the Allow or Deny messages anyway. :)

Thanks again!  :D 
Reply #70 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
How exactly does one find/use the map editor?


Also if you use the updated GC Desktop shortcut it allows you to switch chapters and the TA chapter has an editor selection
Reply #71 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
CariElf, that was right on! Thanks a million. Instead of running as Admin all the time, I finally broke down and disabled UAC in Vista. I'm tired of the Allow or Deny messages anyway. Thanks again!   


Running as administrator solved my problem too. Now i can use the "invisible" options that were not available to me despite the game saying it had the latest update. Thanks a bunch.
Reply #72 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

oh... ok.how about custom ships? or is this considered a 'mod' as well?

If the ships were created in game using the Stardock's parts those should be fine. 

Is the Twilight Arnor still up for March launch? Has there been any news on ground combat or pictures about the new ground combat screen?

It's April, actually.  The new invasion screen is in.  There's not actually ground combat.  The screen still uses the same mechanics, but the display is different (no little tanks).

CariElf, that was right on! Thanks a million. Instead of running as Admin all the time, I finally broke down and disabled UAC in Vista. I'm tired of the Allow or Deny messages anyway.

It bugs me that running as an administrator in Vista actually causes more problems than not running as an admin.

Reply #73 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to start with saying what a great imporvement you made on an alread phantastic game.

As this is a game under development where you allow us user to provide you feedback I would like to take the chance and do so.

- Sometimes costructurs loss there texture and become invisible. The can still be selected (if one knows where they are) but one cannot see them. I can fix this problem with my games by saving and loading the game.

- On conquered worlds it is not possible to replace a central mine with another type of factory. Maybe this is intendend, but then it would be nice to get it in the tooltip text that this is not possible. "The deep core drilling of this mine connects the structure permanently with the planets hull which makes it impossible to every remove it" ;-).

- The AI (I know you haven't worked with that but anyhow) could be a bit smarter when using planetary resources. I frequently find that the AI place a completly wrong building on such a resource. That seems unreasonable - and I guess fairly easy to fix by scripting it.
Reply #74 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi! I've downloaded the beta 5 and my computer totally freezes up when Galactic Council window pops up. I mean it totally locks up - I need to restart it just to get back into windows :-( And another thing that I've noticed in both Dark Avatar and TA - my colony ship can only carry 250 colonists, while the module is supposed to carry 500. It's incredibly annoying since planets grow REALLY slow when starting with 250 colonists. I've tried enabling hardware cursor in TA to see if that solves the problem, but it didn't. Is there a way to disable Galactic Counsil? Let me know what I need to do as otherwise beta is great!
Reply #75 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
@Heal
The Central Mine is indestructible, thus it will always remain upon invasion, as will their farm building. That farm building is the divil when they place it on a farm tile. There are various other buildings, super projects, wonders and trade goods that are like this. Check out a tech/political/manuc capital some time and you'll get the same results.

@nyudude
The reduction to 250 colonists was done in 1.6 (I think) of DA. The text however obviously wasn't ever updated. I beleive it was done for the very reason you have issue with.