Twilight 1.92 Alpha

Old School Digital Distribution

http://sd.stardock.com/GalCiv2/GC2_Twilight_1_92_Alpha.zip
from GalCiv2 Forums

For your weekend amusement, we've cobbled together a fresh build of GC2:Twilight with some significant fixes.

http://sd.stardock.com/GalCiv2/GC2_Twilight_1_92_Alpha.zip

You'll be seeing the official build make its way onto Impulse and SDCentral next week, but in the meantime, just copy the contents of this ZIP into your 'Program FilesStardock/TotalGaming/GalCiv2/Twilight' folder and you should be good to go! :)

Here's the change log:

+ NEW: Improved Starport improvement graphics

+ NEW: Zoom to Mouse ursor option

+ NEW: Added ship components for Disruptors IV and Photonic Torpedo III techs

+ NEW: Removed a duplicate entry in the StarbaseModules.xml file.  Also added some starbase modules with "Mining" and "ProductionAssist" abilities to compensate the races that do not have the factory line of techs in their tech trees (Iconians, Thalans, Korath, Yor).  And I didn't just blindly add these, I made a spread sheet of all the starbase modules that each race has access to and filled in a few of the holes with new modules the best way I saw fit.  They are tied to race-specific techs, so no other races will inadvertently be affected.

+ TWEAK: Made sure some techs were non-tradable and non-stealable because they now unlock starbase modules that I intend to be race-specific.

+ TWEAK: Fixed a few spelling/grammatical errors in the Yor tech tree.  Specifically, changed "York" to "Yor" and "significant" to "significantly"

+ TWEAK: Fixed a typo in the Thalan tech tree.  Changed "product" to "produce"

+ TWEAK: The research cost penalty has been reduced

+ TWEAK: Removed the description for the Divergent Evolution tech from both the Drath and Altarian tech trees so I could put it in techTree.xml.  The description was exactly the same in the race tech trees including a bunch of misplaced linebreaks, which I fixed.

+ FIXED: A few typos in the descriptions of some ship components.  Namely, when describing the numeric amount of HP or % boost a component gives.

+ FIXED: The Krynn were using the Torian's description for Aquatic World Colonization.  Removed that, so it'll use the default description now

+ FIXED: Added "Space Weapons" and "Space Defense" techs back into the Thalan tech tree in their usual place right before the weapons and defense branches.  I made them cheaper than usual so you can still have a quick research route to those branches of the tree.  The reason I had to add them back in is because they provide starbase modules that are prereqs to other starbase modules that are still being unlocked in the thalan tree.  Without access to the prereq starbase modules however, any modules that depend on them are impossible to use.  Simply adding the two techs back into the tree fixes the issue.

+ FIXED: Bug where you could buy several improvements for the planet on the same turn from the quick build screen.

+ FIXED: Bug where if you bought a ship on a planet, you couldn't buy an improvement that turn

+ FIXED: Bug where the colony management screen didn't always have the most recent data

+ FIXED: Planet height maps that were placing tiles in the 'ocean' parts of the planet images

+ FIXED: Mind Control Center improvement

+ FIXED: Modified plague and disease mega-events to notify a player that they must research antivirus software or firewalls as a robotic race to find the cure, not plague cure or disease cure

+ FIXED: Gravity Accelerators were missing a Special ID, which was causing a crash when they were built

+ FIXED: Now can't trade Ascension starbases

EDIT: Please make sure you have the most recient version of Twilight downloaded.

161,872 views 72 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If I start a game with this alpha patch, will it be compatible with the final patch next week?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Also, are there any known issues with this patch? Why is it 'alpha'?
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Why is it 'alpha'?


It's not an official SDC/Impulse release. There shouldn't be any actual issues with it.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

1.) Yes.

2.) One player reported that he couldn't start a metaverse game (caused crash) but he's the only one I've heard having that problem.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
+ NEW: Added ship components for Disruptors IV and Photonic Torpedo III techs


Glad to have those fixed now. I'll be certain to double check.

If I find others, I'll be certain to report them. In the mean time, I'll go check for modules that need spell checking (I forgot to report them).

+ FIXED: Bug where you could buy several improvements for the planet on the same turn from the quick build screen.


I'll miss you!

You made my planets build up quickly. Thats something I'll never forget. If only there was some way to provide money to help specific planets develop quicker. You know, stuff gets built every turn as though you bought it every turn using money from a reserve (hint hint, nudge nudge).
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
[quote]
+ FIXED: Mind Control Center improvement
[quote]

Really?
So it... works? As was intended?
(Hopes so.)
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I finished checking the starship modules that needs a spell checking.

Needs spell checks:

-These 2 atlas modules (internal names) "WeaponAmplifier" and "KillZone Computer" have the same display name of "Weapon Amplifier". That kind of makes things weird because those 2 atlas modules are significantly different. Also makes it difficult to pick which one to use.

-These 2 hp boosting modules (display names) "IntegrityGrid" and "HyperionHullPoint" looks like they are missing spaces inbetween the individual words (could be intential, but not likely).

I'll come back with more comments later...
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Notes myself:

Mostly concentrated on the research issue, but couldn't due to event that sped up research. It looked like research inflation wasn't noticeable, which means it's working correctly. Drengin conquering everyone else ruined my day though.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
+ NEW: Removed a duplicate entry in the StarbaseModules.xml file. Also added some starbase modules with "Mining" and "ProductionAssist" abilities to compensate the races that do not have the factory line of techs in their tech trees (Iconians, Thalans, Korath, Yor). And I didn't just blindly add these, I made a spread sheet of all the starbase modules that each race has access to and filled in a few of the holes with new modules the best way I saw fit. They are tied to race-specific techs, so no other races will inadvertently be affected.


I've recently finished adding them to my spread sheets, and found something weird. Many of them seem to have the same module as their required module instead of needing the previous one installed.

-The modules "Mfg. Mining Matrix" (L1 to L3) all have "Mining Center" as their required module instead of:
Mining Center -> Mfg. Mining Matrix L1 -> Mfg. Mining Matrix L2 -> Mfg. Mining Matrix L3.

-Similiar story for the Yor's "Collective Mining" (I to IV). They too all require "Mining Center" instead of each other.

-Similiar story for the Yor's production assist modules "Mfg. Vortex Factory" and "Energy Matrix Center". They both require (internal name) "FactoryAssistantOne".

________________
I'll let you know if I notice anything else.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Have you fixed the problem with the aspect ratios if the movies being stretched?

It also happens when in the trade screen.

This occurs when you use a wide-screen monitor.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for the patch but I found some bugs/suggestions I would like to report which aren't listed in the patch notes. I am playing against all "tough" AI's and still whomping on them militarily. Explore OK, Expand OK, Exploit Problems, Exterminate Problems.

1. Minor bug-Eyes of the Universe galactic project. After it is built I must activate (click on) a starbase or ship or whatever for it's increased vision range to show on the map, this should be automatic.

2. Medium bug-Terran Alliance hasn't built a single mine and it's half way through the game crippling their potential production. All other races I have encountered seem to mine aggresively so should be OK.

3. Medium scale building should be a very high priority for the AI so they can get cruisers fairly quickly. This should be doubly so if any other species has researched it. Mid-game I could have killed off the entire Torian Confederation fleet with a single cruiser and they had a huge fighter fleet. Even on tough I could easily wipe out any AI fleet as I exclusively had medium scale building tech.

4. Miners-please have a "stay in own territory" option on automation! It is so annoying when you get mining II and mining III and your automated miner wonders off half way across the universe to get an unmined asteroid rather than improving one closeby. ARGH. To me currently automate miner option is useless.

5. Survey ships-option to explore uncharted territory instead of just looking for anomolies. Automate should do both with a priority given to getting those anomolies.

6. Constructors-automate option similiar to a miner in that the constructor goes to the least developed owned starbase. I.e. your sb with the least modules on it, in case of tie it goes to a random sb that is tied for least number of modules built.

7. Please please make an influence overlay. I would love to see how that +114 influence sb looks on the minimap. ;-)

Again thanks for the patch and incorporating the zoom to cursor! You made my day!
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You guys are the best!
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi guys, how are you guys feeling about the technology pacing in this alpha?
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I did some more reviewing. Here is what I have to say:

-The Thalans get the starbase module "Resource Collector", a very high powered production assist starbase module. It is unlocked by "Hyperion Starbases" along with some other modules. I was thinking that maybe instead of getting 3 mining starbase modules unlocked by the "Industrial Adaptation" techs, we could get a single high powered module unlocked by "Hyperion Starbases".

-As for the civ other modules, I don't like the idea of having starbase modules being unlocked by factory techs. It forces me to consider "Do I want this extra starbase mining/production assist module, or do I want to stay away from industrial sectors since they take like forever to build?" (plus they have a bad maintaince to industrial output ratio). I liked how the Drengin were able to keep their separate and would like it if other civs followed that trend.

The Thalans and Iconians having modules unlocked by their industrial techs is not so bad since their factories generally turn out pretty good. The Yor however, don't do so well with their inept economy. Because its better to stick with first generation collectives than to improve (to advance would put further strain on their inept economy), giving us new modules from those techs is nothing more than a tease.

-One of the techs the Thalans recently got was "Space Weapons". Every other civ that can research it gets a +5% bonus to military production after researching it. The Thalans however don't. It appears to be one of those added bonuses added to a tech tree from the base, but its a common enough alteration that it might as well be standard.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi guys, how are you guys feeling about the technology pacing in this alpha?


I'm kinda busy recording TV shows with my computer and my defective capture card will not let me multi-task recording and game playing (for instance, muting it mutes the whole computer). Plus I've been analyzing the new starbase modules, adding data to my spread sheets, and have been trying to finish off TA 101. I'll be playing again tomorrow.

By the way, if you haven't noticed, I'm having many thoughts about the changes being made. If I get around putting together a report, would you read it?
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Tech pace seems great. I've played one game so far and haven't noticed any weird behavior. Before the patch, some of the races wouldn't build ships even though they would research the techs.

Torians were the second biggest race in my game and I think they build all tiny, small ships, not sure if this is intentional play style (painful on huge, occasional stars).
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The Mind Control Center has been fixed =)

But what does that mean? Does it now work as intended, which means easier defection of worlds? Have you corrected the 100% economic bonus?

Thanks guys, you are great. Hopefully the alpha will not interfere with the upcoming official one. I do not want to reinstall because i cant wait.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Re the MCC:

With most races, the they influence a planet enough, a 'Skull n Crossbones' icon will appear over their planet. THe planet then has a small random chance of defecting every turn.

THe MCC removes this aspect, and once enough Yor influence has been exerted on a planet, the planet automaticially flips.

Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
enough Yor influence? Do you mean enough of "your" influence? Or do i have to play Yor to use the MCC now? ;)
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hmm, got a 'cannot find binkw.dll' error, any ideas?
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hmm, got a 'cannot find binkw.dll' error, any ideas?


Oh and im on Vista btw, sorry should have mentioned that.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Update running perfectly once i deleted my prefs.ins as i got a BSoD! Love the new Starport graphic :D

Many thanks
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
About the mining I should say all of the AI's are mining too slowly. It is midgame and most of the AI's have most of their asteroids undeveloped whereas I am +20 with all of mine. This is with them all being on the tough AI setting.

Need to play more to judge the tech speed adjustments.
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
+ TWEAK: The research cost penalty has been reduced

Do this mean that the exploding research cost bug has been eliminated? The description sounds like a major understatement.