I give up - what are all the map bonus icons?!?!?

when you have that tile selected, there are 2 icons that accurately descibe the effect. there's green arrow pointing upward and next to it the game displays some bonus - like "+3 manufacturing". that bonus applies to structures built on that tile (but only if they are of the appropriate category - ie. a tile with +3 manufacturing improves factories, power plants or other buildings that are in the manufactuing category)

the other icon (4 small orange arrows/triangles pointing outwards) is the bonus adjacent tiles get. it's usually a +1 bonus since it can apply to multiple tiles. if there's a "+1 research" next to that icon, that means all research buildings adjacent to that tile get a +1 research bonus.

in most cases a +1 simply means 5% bonus,so a factory on a bonus tile with "+3 manufacturing" basically gets +15% manufacturing. some buildings get different effects (an approval building on a +3 approval tile gets +3 approval for example, not +5% approval) 

the icons are located on the top left of the screen when the tile is selected the abstract info is more flavor text

What they said   here is a pix with arrows

http://screencast.com/t/f4YCpx9bgOx

Many thanks, apparently answer was I am stupid! Mebbe the game needs to include more help for lowest common denominator, so meester Frogboy I am available for consult if you need help in dumbing this thing down.

Speaking of the tard factor (I got a whole lot of these to ask, one at a time) - I was playin benevolent and saw these lovely boxes I could tick that said I got like 300 research, or 600 research! Sounds exciting right? Well up until I couldn't figure out how many research points any techs cost. I mean I click on them, but just like the hieroglyphic icons above, I can't for the life of me figure out where each tech's cost is listed. This time I'm like scanning even the upper right corner that I apparently forgot to notice with the building icons, and yet still it does not appear to be listed there.

Can one of you sharper lads or lasses point me in the right direction to observe each tech's costs so I can choose my tech strategically before clicking 300 or 600 etc.

Ta in advance.

Appreciated that pic by the way a0152570  (are you a computer program?) - flow charts, pics, scribbles on cave walls - all these things go a long way.

Not at all.  The game can be very overwhelming for the newcomer with no GC2 experience .  I highly recommend you check out the Steam GUIDE section.  Some are V good some so-so.   There are also a large number of youTube tutorials, everything from beginner to advanced.  I even learned a trick or 2 but watching.

Hang in there, the game is ju going to get better and better.

PS, After you have found your way around some more please do a Steam review with your thoughts about the game.  What did you like/not like ... It really helps                

Unfortunately there is no direct way to observe how much a tech costs in research points at the moment. They could be reverse engineered but who wants to do that.

i don't think there is a display of the research points for techs. at least i haven't seen one yet. but it looks like excess research points aren't lost - the "overkill" is stored and applied to the next technology you choose, so you i guess it doesn't really matter all that much that the exact point costs is hidden.

Correct on both points.  And the third

I would prefer if they showed it also, but is really that big a deal.  I mean if your trying to optimize spending when you getting 700-1000 POINTS A TURN, isn't that taking micromanagement to the extreme?  Just saying...

In fairness this was way more intuitive in GC2 - orange was always manufacturing and was typically cogs or something machine-like, blue was science, green leaves/wheat was food, etc.

I think tourism, influence and approval/public order need making clearer. Also, the red (military) stuff - it isn't totally clear from the text whether they pertain to a planetary defence/resistance (what's the difference please?) bonus, or a bonus to military production.

Probably not absoultle correct but it something like this.  Resistance if how much fight your population put up against attackers.  planetary defenses comes in many flavors, some improvements /techs  increase your resistance, others give you a buff (or make you practically immune) to a certain type of invasion, like bombardment of bio warfare.  So keep an eye on what invasion type your enemies have and get the appropriate defense.  Cousrc i perfer to just meet them head on with my fleets and blow em to hell 

Try this website, it contains all sorts of useful facts. And it will only get better with time:

http://galciv3.gamepedia.com/Official_Galactic_Civilizations_III_Wiki

Wow WOPR dude! I can see why from you're perspective it is not a big deal. According to steam I have played for 54 hours, and well over 10 games in that time, and I am yet to see my research above I think 200 before everyone kills me. For me, spending 600 points wisely feels like life and death. Well prolonging life before death anyway.

e.g. Do I get the harpoon for my ship to try hold them off, or get the academy tech so maybe it will take two transports to take out my last planet instead of one?

Encountered another need for it today as well. I picked a new ability intuitive but felt like I was choosing blind, with one tech half-way researched with like 26 turns to completion which didn't feel like a good choice, but I had no way to know how far the pick would get me into that tech until I had already picked it.

Not to be argumentative for the sake of it - I suspect detailed maps of all tech costs would not buy me more than a few turns of extra life anyway, but what seems like micromanagement in the extreme to you is trying my best to stay alive as long as possible for me.

I'll do the steam review when I can survive long enough to lose to something other than conquest.

Great link Achro btw, thanks.

On to next question - is there a way I can adjust my ship without making a new one each time? Over several games with the one civ I'm really starting to crowd out my ship list with like 30 very similar designs of tiny and small ships. I tried everything I could think of but can't figure out how to just edit a ship instead of making a new one each and every time, and if I keep going like this, sooner or later I'm going to end up with 30 versions of the same medium ship as well (how many sizes are there incidentally?).

In the latest patch...which I haven't played yet... they said you could now "edit" your ship designs, but I have no idea how, as I haven't played the latest patch yet.

As for hull sizes, there is Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, and Huge. (and Cargo)

very easy, just select and use the ship you want to change, make you changes and hit save.  If you do not change the name a "are you sure dialog" pops up and say yes. you just edited you ship