Don't expect a sale for a while.  SD isn't really a big fan of putting their stuff on huge sales like Paradox is (I understand why, Brad posted his philsophy once on that).  That said, you'll get a sale at some point this year.

It was on sale over the holidays I believe.

By today's standards, the game to me is still an 8/10.  It was a lot of fun, but there are some issues/flaws which I'd have loved to see fixed (and Brad admits there are things he would have reworked, and you can see some of those ideas in Elemental).  If GalCiv III can take what worked about GalCiv II, add in some of Kael's charm, and fix those gameplay issues Brad has talked about, and add in a good new idea from Jon, GalCiv III would be up there with Civ IV and MoM in terms of being a classic.  This is why I will be hype for GCIII when it is done, but my expecations will be as high as most people's were for Elemental (I had lower expectations for Elemental then most, I kinda expected growing pains)

That said, GCII to me, is still the best Single-player space 4X game out there right now.

Enjoy trying out the game; I'm sure that once you do you'll like it enough to buy it yourself. A few tips for you while you are trying it out though

1. The "Luck" trait is truly "Golden"; theres nothing better than getting a Ranger or a Arnor BattleSHip to play aroound with for free. (be carefull though they have high upkeep costs and could make your early Empire go broke... but well worth it for the sheer firepower they bring you early in the game
2. Watch the time when you start designing your own ships... it's very likely you may all of a sudden say... "Where the **** did the last 2 days go!"

I loved GalCiv2 but I think Sins of a Solar Empire is more fun

I tried so hard to like that game, but I just couldn't get into it for some reason. I don't know, maybe I secretly wanted it to be GC3. I also am not a fan of RTS', so that doesn't help. Yes, I know it's slow, and almost turn based, but it isn't. This always bothered me. It also didn't draw me in as much as GC did. Even though I got my ass handed to me quite a bit in the beginning, I simply couldnt stop playing GC for several hours, which turned into days, which turned into weeks, etc, etc. 

Yes, I suppose there are things that could be "fixed" in GC2. But, in my mind, there is no perfect game. It's impossible. There's always going to be SOMEthing that someone doesn't like. I think GC2 Twilight is as close to perfect as you can get for a game from it's time. But thats my opinion.

I suppose I was a little disappointed with the release of Elemental, because I was expecting that magnetism of GC2 in it. And, even though it's fun now, it still has a ways to go before it has that same feeling. I've dropped countless hours into it already, but a lot of that is due to modding. I can see it getting there, and I think it will. Perhaps even sooner rather than later.

I'll also throw a recommendation out there for GalCiv2, it's a pretty incredible game with a lot of different possibilities for victory which make it fun for me.  I love replayability, but more importantly, I like having a solid reason to replay other than "I just want to try and win a different way".  Each victory condition is equally valid and difficult to accomplish with the right map and AI settings. Unlike Civ IV which was always, either win using military, or use my military to bring the other nations to the brink of death before researching my way to victory or something like that.

I think I got a deal for Gal Civ 2: Ultimate around the 29.99 mark, so definitely worth it.

sorry to repost this, but i've been thinking a lot about the game recently, and the boards over there are pretty dead.

Actually I am a really big fan of Sword of the Stars and its expansions, and I think it's right on par.

Also Emperor of the Fading Suns, if you install one of the two mods that make it worth playing.

Edit:  How the heck did I end up posting this in the wrong thread?    I don't see a way of deleting this to fix my mistake either.  Welp, might as well fix it by contributing to this thread properly. 

GC2 has definitely taken up a lot of my time in the past.  Its a good game, but there were a few things I didn't like about it.  Specifically the way the combat worked.  Combat in GC2 isn't like traditional 4x games where you move a unit over to attack another unit.  Its all automated and resolved behind the scenes mathematically and then you see a graphical representation (ships firing at each other) of the outcome of that math.  There are variables so reloading a save and trying the same combat sequence again can give different results, but for the most part its not to overwhelmingly different.

Starbases were also completely useless for anything other than an econ bonus or influence bonus.  It was pointless to even try to upgrade their defenses since the AI would never attack them unless they knew they could blow it up, and that was very very easy to do by early mid game.  Heck, even 1 ship with 45 HP worth of fire power (pretty easy to get) would 1 shot a fully upgraded starbase.

Building asteroid bases was also very pointless and extremely time consuming.  If there was one mechanic I could change it would be to get rid of the distance penalty in favor of having a freighter being required to ferry the ore back to the designated planet.

What I absolutely loved about GC2, however, was the different methods you could use to build your planets up.  There wasn't one set way you could win.  There where all kinds of methods.  All econ, all factory, all tech, or a mix of whatever worked for you.  They each had their advantages and weaknesses.  The AI was also very smart about how it reacted to your moves.  I remember the first time I went to invade an enemy territory.  The obvious method of placing my ships around their planets and declaring war didn't work because the AI knew what I was doing.  It totally threw me off because I've never seen a game where it was able to predict that move.  Whats even more mind blowing is the AI contacted me and it TOLD me it knew what I was doing!  4x games are notorious for falling for that move.  Build up large forces at the border or outside the cities, declare war, and crush them in 1-2 moves.  GC2 doesn't let you do that (unless you massively out tech them) because it knows this trick and builds viable counter measures, or goes to war with you prematurely so it can destroy your fleets before you've had a chance to build up.  I actually have to think about my strategies if I wanted to win in a conquest game.

The special structures and buildings also do neat things for your economy and military strength.  I like how you have to space your super structures out among several planets instead of hoarding them at one well protected planet.  If you try to do this it actually hinders your economy.

Over all I'd say GC2 is worth dropping $30 for the Ultimate Edition which contains all the expansions.  Its definitely fun and I'd say the strongest part of this game is its AI.  This game can actually be a real challenge.  Not "OMG this game cheats!" kind of challenge, but an actual honest to goodness challenge.

It's a shame you got treated so shabbily. 2K Forums are extremely bad for that.  The mods are horrible and there are many bootlickers and immature civ fanbois. It's essentially a police state.

I am positive you would have got a much better reception on Civ Fanatics. You would have at least gotten a decent answer and wouldn't have gotten banned by the mods.

Anyway, 2K games is steadily killing the golden goose which is Civ and that's a shame.

I'd rather see Stardock remake Kohan instead of Emperor of the Fading Suns.

Toby told me they are remaking Dark Wizard.  It was in a dream and he said it right after the flying unicorn dropped us off on the rainbow so we could buy ice cream cones from a strange man wearing only a large mustache and tiny shorts.  So it must be true.  But seriously, remake Dark Wizard, that game was the shit.  Shit AI and no challenge, but otherwise, bad ass.

I agree with your last thought, the game is most certainly worth that price for hours and hours of quality 4x space goodness.  I disagree with your first point however.  Mumblefratz of the Galactic Diplomats developed an incredible strategy for the Dread Lords version of the game that still worked in all the later variants.  He would put up 16 military Starbases that overlapped each other in the center of a quadrant.  He would slowly build them up whith constructors while using a secondary planet to pump out 1 ATK 1 DEF fighters every turn and put them in the center of the overlapping zone.  In short order he had a massive military power ( a paper tiger of course, they couldn't leave the quadrant they were in ) and could declare war and wrangle enemy "Planets for Peace".  Many a game on a massive galaxy was won using that strategy.

Also, if you played the Krynn, you could win through influence using influence starbases. They had some pretty sick techs for it, in addition to the bonuses that all the races get. I've only had the patience to use this strategy on smaller to mid sized maps. On a large scale, it's difficult to get 75% of the galaxy. 

YESYESYESYES  !!! ... i'm a firm believer that EotFS should be remade with todays graphics (I've stated as much in a few places in the SD forums allready^^). No other game has had the same scope that it did with as rich a background as it either... nothing like a game that has a wealth of lore to add to that sense of emmersion. Gotta thank Holistic for putting out a decent space/empire pen & paper role playing game. Tried to buy a copy on EBay to replace my damaged originnal CD but alas that one was damaged as well... bloody rip; I'd have a host of problems trying to make it run on todays systems.

 Played that one for a very long time indeed, nothing better than conquering Holy Terra & silencing the Churchs' outcry over my empires illegal research projects... oh, it was also a great way to remove the stigma of being excomunicated.^^ Hmmn, and that "alien" race known as the Symbiots & there fleets of bioships... hmmn...

 That is another game that would do well with a good remake.

 What a blast fromt he past... haha... I agree with you as well. Remake that classic. LOL.

While I'm at it one last game that could do with a good remake would be the old SHADOWRUN RP video game made ages ago. Not the garbagge shooter they released a few years ago. 

 Yeah. I was banned from the 2K forums on day one. But I admit I called one of the MODS a 'Nazi Bootlicker' (he really was acting like one though in my defense) A few days after that I contacted my credit card company and filled out the paper work to have my purchase of Civ5 charged back since I was getting no where with customer support for a refund. It's too bad really, even though I didn't really like may of the changes to Civ5 I was still willing to hold on to the game (I've owned & played them all.. oh ty Kael & everyone else for FfH2, what an awesome mod) thinking that mods & other future releases would eventually make it more enjoyable. But after the treatment I witnessed on the forums, and the treatment I was subjected too, I was mad as hell & had no inclination of supporting them financially.

well, ive played Galciv2 a bit and it just isnt catching on for me, im not sure why, but i cant play more than 20 imnutes then i just get bored :/.

Pax Imperia was AWESOME, i loved that game so much!!

I'm with nrich61.  I have played galciv2 off and on for years.  With the expansions it is a good game.  But Distant worlds is very engaging on a whole different level - and from me thats a lot - because I don't like RTS games.  (OK, i'm older - and the nimble fingers are ancient history.) Distant worlds allows players to automate in a cafeteria style - pick and choose which tasks you want automated- and which you want to keep your hands (tentacles / claws / mandibles / fins ) on.  It has a steeper learning curve than galCiv.  But I am liking it - and i don't get bored - as i do with some GalCiv2 games.

BTW, yes, 40$ is worth it for GalCiv ultimate edition.

I hope this post isn't considered in the wrong place..... sorry if it is, my bad, then.

I think EoFS has such great appeal not only because it was one of the first 4X games where action occurred both in space between plants, and on the surface, but also because its lore mixes the best parts of Dune, Hyperion, and WH40K, which are arguably the 3 best sci-fi lore franchises suitable for making into games.

 Heres a qoute from the Holistic website regarding the pen & paper rpg. (who's Lore was used for the computer game)

It is the dawn of the sixth millennium and the skies are darkening, for the suns themselves are fading. Humans reached the stars long ago, building a Republic of high technology and universal emancipation — and then squandered it, fought over it, and finally lost it. A new Dark Age has descended on humanity, for the greatest of civilizations has fallen and even the stars die. Now, feudal lords rules the Known Worlds, vying for power with fanatic priests and scheming guilds.

I'm just pointing this out again incase the SD team want to take a look at a classic that was ahead of its time.   hint hint-nudge nudge-wink wink

The ultimate edition is the one with all 3 , on the stardock/galciv2 website theres a link towrds the bottom were it shows teh games for sale, that says want all3 get ultimate, its 29.95$ . i think its def worth it , i like it much more then any civ game, the ship design system is great, def worth teh 30 bucks, i just started playing a little while ago myself, it takes a little effort to figure the game out but its def worth it.

I havent played the demo myself but imop it should give u a layout of weather or not youll like the game , make sure you play the twilight of anor , it will say it in the title screen text, if u cant find it its in the game dir under twilight.

Note - "Galciv2 Endless unvierse, is the same as the ultiamte edition just made for europeans wihtout internet or something i belive , but its a clone of ultimate"

Who is "froggy-poh?"

I thought Galactic Civilizations II was good. I never got Twilight yet, just because I don't care for the space combat system. Part of the 4X experiance for me is controlling my combat.

Distant Worlds I love. I would recomend that game. Another game, that is not bad is Star Ruler. It was released way early just like Elemental. The designers apologized for this as well. They said if the didn't release the game the would have folded. Patch after patch after patch is being released to make the game good.

Also the game is $25 bucks. $25 BUCKS!!!!!!! I would say try that game now, since it has been patched up alot.