I actually managed to read all 50 of the replies preceding the one I'm making now.  I agree with some and disagree with others... With that on my mind, I can only hope that any significant changes will also be made "optional".

In the "long run", though, I may simply have to hold out for Gal Civ III; as the changes I would like to see don't eactly fit the current story lines.  Although I suppose they could be implemented as a new expansion that jumps back in time...  As I'd like to see more pre-warp stuff and the different civs starting off at different times...  One should conquer one's own solar system prior to the Galaxy...

The name of the game is Galactic Civilizations, but the general focus seems to be on Galactic War and/or Conquest.  It seems to me that diplomacy and trade should be major aspects of the game and play a bigger role.  In either case, Logistics and resources should be the primary concern, but are currently somewhat secondary.

The game is so close, yet so far away that it's frustrating: How is it that I start out with a Flagship (that has a hull and technology) that I can't reproduce?  Why am I only able to trade with other Civ's?  Shouldn't I be scanning Asteroids to see which one's I should mine first (or is that there and I missed it)?  Why is it all my constructors are used up when I construct (or upgrade) a Starbase, but my mining ships aren't?

I never build a barracks, yet I'm immediately able to convert citizens to troops once I've researched Planetary Invasion.  In addition, I'm better off using Troop Transports (rather than Colony ships) to transport citizens from one planet to another.

I know, I know; it's only a game...  But it's so close to being way more.

So, since you're currently talking minor fixes: Add a Passenger module; way points (as opposed to Rally points); and yes, fix the hardpoints so that they are symetrical. (it may only be eye candy, but for some of us it's extremely sour!)

I've looked through all the mods recently and there are a handful I'll be attempting to implement and I hope you'll add a lot of them (again, perhaps making some of them options that can be turned on or off).  The biggest amongst them being the ability to utilize all hulls and sructures (upon proper research and/or spying).

In the future, I'd like to see more diplomatic options (ie. "You're encroaching upon my territory; turn back now or be destroyed!").  In addition, I hate it when my speed 4 (5 or 6, etc.) freighter reaches it's destination and then only travels at speed 1 (not to mention that it makes that return trip instantly immediately after establishing the route or that it dissapears completely if and when the route is erradicated).

Oh, and I don't play the campaigns.  I don't play them because they consist of repeating the same research over and over again!  I mean, I could see that (to some degree) had the research been conducted outside and beyond the scope of the previous mission...  But there are those that keep turning that card over that says "Want to see something really amusing?  Turn this card over-->" on both sides.  I'm guess I'm just not one of them.

Although it may seem otherwise, these comments are just personal observations.  I think the game is great.  I'm just impatiently waiting for it to live up to it's full potential! 

SK

PS, When you do get ready to begin work on GC3; I strongly suggest you dust off an old computer and try out "Outpost" and perhaps "Space Bucks",  I'd really like to see the ability to conduct research on more than one thing at a time, and also see commerce take a much bigger role in the game.  

Several UI things I'd like to see improved in GC2++:

1)  When a ship is launched from orbit, that ship should immediately become selected.  All too often I will launch a ship, select a destination, and have the previously selected ship go there. 

2)  All operations that are doable with a keystroke should be undoable with a keystroke.   I.e. <F2> to bring up the colony/ship list: another <F2> should toggle between lists once (optional) then close the list window.  AFAICT, only the mouse will close the window or toggle the list.

3) Bring back the <F9> "strategic" display, even if it is only 2D. And if you do, please make (at least some of) the contents selectable like the mini-map.

4) Cheat codes?

The strategic display is still available, just click the triangle to the left on the mini-map (next to the zoom controls).

I say, first things first, get the Mod Library back up and running. I don't know about you, but it is this rampant and encouraged customization that has kept me playing all these years.

The Mod Library requires a few little bits and pieces that aren't required if you're just posting a mod on the forums.  And the forums are actually working for the most part.

Not on my display.  Other than the map itself, the only active controls in the area are the zoom buttons.  There are two triangles next to the zoom panel, both formed by the border - the one above it and the one to the right.  Were you referring one of these? If so, both are inert.

If you mean the 'Hide the Control panel' button at the top of the mini-map, then no, that is not what I want.  It doesn't change the zoom level, which is the entire point at any size larger than 'Tiny'.  (Nor does it change the display selection.)

More, most of this gripes about the UI:

5)  Improve the "square" font used for some things like the Treasury balance on the control panel, and 'weeks to complete' on the tech display.  At hi res it very hard to distinguish certain digits, particularly '3' and '8'.

6)  CENTRALIZE important fields AND LEAVE THEM THERE!  I speak specfically of the 'moves left/total moves' field.  This is critical info during tactical sequences.  Yet not only is the field difficult to distinguish from its non-critical neighbors, depending on whether the thing moving is a single ship or a fleet it's on different sides of the screen!  (Btw, I think this is another use of the dreaded 'square' font.  Is that a '5' or a '6'?)  GalCiv1 got this right with the fixed display panel; GalCiv2 took a big step backward on this issue.

7) Mouse navigation controls are generally at the edges.  Fine.  But why spread them all over the bloody screen?  Worst offender is the Colony Management Screen sequence.  'Previous' and 'Next' are upper right, as is 'Build Ship', but most everything else is at the bottom. Solutions: 7.1) Group the controls; 7.2) enable keystroke navigation (my preference).

If this were a dedicated game machine I could turn up the mouse speed, but I'm running with a relatively slow mouse because at 1600x1200 I display multiple windows and the mouse operates within each window - except for GalCiv.  Surely this is the predominate usage pattern... 

7a)  I hate having to go to the main 'Build Ship' panel just to see what's in orbit of the world which map I'm looking at.  Surely there's enough real estate for that tiny display - at least at high res.  (What's the minimum res you intend to support?  Perhaps it's time to implement one UI for hi-res and another for the poor and oppressed...)

7b) Edit: This works correctly sometimes, so put it down as a bug rather than a design flaw:  [The 'Details' and 'Summary' buttons are one-way doors: you can't go back to the Colony Management Screen.]

8a)  Why only 8 (10?) ships in orbit max?  Display size?  High and low orbit would be nice, btw.  Low orbit accessible only after high orbit is cleared; low orbit gains benefit of ground support...

8b)  There must be an announcement when a shipyard stops producing because orbit is full.  [Nuff said.]

9)  Is there some way to review a battle after it occurs?  What the heck was that I just blew up?  And no, I don't want to require the Combat Viewer for single-ship battles, but it would be better than nothing.

10)  Is there any graceful way to cancel 'Auto-move' functions for a ship?  E.g. Auto-Explore is not on the main control panel, and the only way I know to get the ship detail panel up is to double-click on the ship, but that results in the move you're trying to cancel.  Catch-22.

11)  The 'Hint' screens (during game load) are nice, but on modern machines they go by too fast to read. 

12)  I want to build a Corvette.  What techs do I need?  NO FRIGGING CLUE!  Surely there's some way find out! Btw, I HATE "scrolling" through the tech tree.  Yes, having a tech tree is a step forward from the original blind options, but I'd much rather have the GC1 implementation, and I don't particulalry like that one either.  Look at JavaScout's web site for possibilities...

13) "Class 6 through 8: Unpleasant, like northern Michigan."  MORE OF THIS!  You guys do smart-ass better than anyone I know (well, maybe Ron White...).  Well, maybe not "more" - doing it well means not doing too much.  I guess I just want to emphasize how much I appreciate the little bits of humor you've woven into the game. Keep it up.  [The humor, I mean.]

Related:

GIVE ME AN OPTION ON THE SKIN OF THIS FORUM.

White-on-black at high res is almost impossible to read!

Thenk yew.  Thenk yew very much.

*point point* I think this is the button you were looking for.

Any news on when we might expect an update? 

I will love that we keep getting random event where they are a morale choice to do, event after we have selected an ethique.

If I went with good path, still offer the neutral and evil options but at even greather cost (monatary, population moral, even diplomatic with other races).

I alway find funny that you can select any of the 3 ethic paths when you get the xeno ethic, and only pay some credit to get the one you want what ever the morale choice you have made until now. And after a lot of the random events no longuer happen.

--

Also about the space station, can we get a way to see from the main map if a station is fully upgrades for our present thec level. On huge map, it a chore to look at the number of installed modules base by base (maybe something like the planets (space station with a green spot for station needing upgrade, yellow for when enougth constructors are going to it and red for fylly upgraded for the present tech research).

--

And to finish, maybe some star sectors with special rules that differt a little from the rest of universe (lower vision range, some weapon/defense not working, ships suffering domage eat turn or better minig...). With some new technologies to lesser/emplify these changes.

Eridalafar

a new combat engines

try gratuitous space battle.

it's not really a game in fact, it's a combat solver, meaning that even if you would skip the battle, you would still get the very same final result. Perfect for a civ game where you dont want to play every fight.

I dont need to select the AI for each ship like in that game, it could be pre-design... or not!

drop that wierd 3d combat engines. and give me a better combat log!

Fighter A

1 Dam = (laser A = 3 damage Vs shield A = 2 Def)

2 Dam = (laser B = 2 damage Vs Hull = 0 Def)

Defender B destroyed

-------------

Great game!

Has there been any news on when this update will see the light of day? Looking forward to it.

If possible i would like to see the ability to move your Homeworld added back into the game (previously removed).

Modding keeps the game alive

Some of the comments seem quite ambitious in what they want to be done. I'd be content with just improving the AI of ToA. (Though an 'update all of this type' feature mentioned previously would be useful). If the AI for all the races was as good as expanding as the Torians, Thalans or Terrans then that would be great. Multiple construction modules per ship would also save having to order about a lot of constructors in order to build a starbase.

Other than that, GC2 is a great game.

I think that the AI sells its planets off too readily, not taking into account how many credits they have invested in colonising and developing it, and what it will be worth in fifty turns.

Changes to AI/glitches

Gigantic map/suicidal difficulty

1. Thalans - The Thalans have a problem during/after the colony rush. I noticed that all their colonies have 0 military, 0 social, and 0 research. The Thalans are bankrupt and take a long time to pay off the debt, they like to build too many expensive factories during the colony rush. After the colony rush the Thalans are busy paying off the debt while other races are catching up, this is where they drop down. After they are finished paying off the debt after a little bit they need to pay off more debt again. It seems around 66% of the buildings on their planets are factories. A fix might be to give the Thalans a "One per planet" factory on the techtree (Torians' One per planet factory?) early on and move the manufacturing matrix factories techs back. A second suggestion might be to make the a new building with weaker stats than the Hyperion Matrix "One per planet". The AI should try to avoid building the Hyperion Matrix in their capital. The AI usually builds it in its capital and have 18-22 bil population with 20-30% approval rating. Would it be possible to add an exception line ("any planet except capital") to the building so the AI doesn't build it in its capital.

2. Altarians - In one of my games the Altarians had no attack ships/miltary for 2-3 years after the game started. They kept researching hulls, think they had huge hulls researched but still no weapons. Altarians like to research new hulls too much in my opinion. They had 30-40 planets. In the same game the Kyrnn kept researching factories they had 60-70+ planets with industrial sectors and had nothing to build. They have not yet research any weapons tech to build any attack ships. Same thing for the Korx in my game, but forgot what the Korx were doing/researching.

3. Terrans - Never play games with Terrans before. Their tech tree in my opinion isn't very good. Only one unique tech Innovation Complex. The rest of the techs are shared by other races, Terrans need a few more unique techs.

4. Arceans - I think this race is handicap/doesn't get the same bonuses as the other races. In all my games they are always rank #10, last in population, economy etc. Description saids they have a strong military but they don't. Other races can colonize around 50+ colonies they have around only 15. This is such a big difference. In the 2.03 update notes it saids they are more aggressive at colonizing. Is it the speed of their colony ships that is the problem?

5. I think the Arceans have always been affected by the "colonizing bug". The bug started to happened in my games a few days ago. The AI would stop launching colony ships from its planets, the starport would get filled up. Once in a while 20 turns? it would launch three? colony ships from its planets. Below are the races that are affected in my games, it's starting to be annoying. Drengin, after a while Kora, sometimes Yor, Korx. The Dregin have a serious problem than the other races, they stop laucnhing colony ships after they have 7-8 colonies. I turned cheat mode on just to see and it seems the colony ships do not get auto launch from their planets and do not go to their rally points properly. I stopped playing because of the above.

6. Torians - I did noticed some glitch, the colonies that the Torians colonize later they stop building any structures, not even a starport. They have 8 bil max population on these colonies and all tiles were empty except the Initial Colonies. Torians had around 20+ empty planets when they had 70+ total planets.

7. Iconians - "Barter Station" markets not being able to auto upgrade to "Merchant Emporium" is annoying when you have to go to every colony to remove the old market and build the new one.

8. Ability for AI to demolish population buildings and replace it with something else once the population on the planet reaches a certain point, 75%? Sometime the Torians or another race builds two population increasing buildings on the same planet. What a waste later on.

9. Initial colones no longer take 1 tile!

10. Military Star bases-modules added to military starbases to build ships

11. Less memory usage for GC2, was done to Sins hope it's possible on GC2.

12. Maintaince cost for ships lower by a lot, 35-50%

13. Cost of weapons, engines etc cost lower.

14. Rebel faction- at war at everyone, rebel ships can spawn anywhere where there is low approval rating.

15. Pirate ships- can spawn anywhere where there is low approval rating or near trade routes. Once you have the tech you can have diplomancy with the pirates.

16. New scripted AI for all factions. On planets with low population the AI would treat them as uncolonize, gives all those unused colony ships the AI has after the colony rush. Say a planet has low population, the AI would load colony chips with population from very high population planets to low pop planets.

17. New tech that gives players the ability to restore planet quality. Takes a long time to build and cannot be purchase.

18. Three? new techs that adds thrusters to starbases. 1-3 movement per turn.

19. Higher regen of anomalies, and depending on the bonus the anomaly give, it can take multiple turns to explore.

Just fix the damn AI.  I'm getting cranky.

Any suggestions on how to improve the AI...

Here's an idea, how about the AI not spamming improvements when there isn't cash to fund them?

In other words no more Xeno Labs clogging up every other tile.

No "point" in that message.  All I see is an image that flashes.

Do you mean the Minimap??  Not nearly enough resolution.  A full-screen Minimap with filter controls would be good, though.

The minimap isn't what I'm pointing at.  The flashing triangle is a button which brings up the strategic display.

While I'm here... the scenario editor doesn't seem to play with the other tools.  If you come up with a modified tech tree it just shrugs and presents the technology list for the base tech tree, when picking out techs for the playing races.  By the way, the scenario editor needs right-click or double-click functionality to make it easier to move technologies on or off the lists.

Now I know, I can just open the scenario file with Notepad and edit in the new stuff.  But that effectively means I was better off using Notepad all along.

Any hope to get the "Dread Lords Mega Event Crash when they spawn on a hostile atmosphere planet" (tm) bug fixed?

I love to play with environmentally hostile planets, since it opens up yet another "race" to compete in.

Pretty sure the way to do this is to give the Dread Lords those colonisation techs at basic level for free.

Yeah.  Checked it out and the DL have no problem starting from a barren planet if they have the requisite technology.

However, one test doesn't necessarily indicate success.  Crashing may still occur.  It may just be that an extreme planet start is incidental to the thing which actually messes things up.

Hm okay. A few years ago I'd happily have started modding away at the game to implement this kind of fix. These days, I'm happy to find the time to actually play the game.

Can you give me a short "to do" list of what steps are needed to patch this in, or do you have a modified tech tree file for me to simply dump into the appropriate game folder? I think this would make a few more people happy if they find it on the forums.

Easy enough to try out.

Get a copy of the Dread Lords tech tree in the game's Twilight folder, put it in a mod folder or backup your original.

Use the Tech Tree Editor (it's in the tools folder of Twilight) and open up the Dread Lords tech tree where you have it stashed.

Find each of the basic colonisation techs for extreme worlds, and in the Research Cost box, just delete that value completely.  Then hit Apply to Selected Tech.  Repeat for each one, then save your modified tech tree.  What this does is make those techs researched automatically, so this would actually work for any race.

To test, load up the game with cheats turned on, start a new game, and press Ctrl-Y to set off a mega event.  The arrival of the Dread Lords should be the second one that you get.