GC4 EA Feedback Live Branch | VERSION 0.40.186711

Here's my feedback separated into several sections. I really am excited about GC4 and want to help make it the best 4X possible. I've exclusively been playing the Test Build since it dropped on Epic. I've started several playthroughs to get a feel for the early and mid game.  

Gameplay (Version 0.4.0.186711)

1. Colonization Micro - I like the concept of "Core Worlds", but it's created another problem. With the amount of low quality worlds we need to colonize, there is quite a lot of unnecessary and not fun micromanagement that goes into colonizing. As you can see from my screenshot, my galaxy spawned with 7 low quality star planetary systems outside of the starting Solar System.
   
   
   
   
   Typically this part of the game is the most fun and rewarding for me in any 4X. Unfortunately, trying to figure out which to colonize first and sending out all of those colony ships feels more like a chore than something fun. 
   
   Possible solution - An order for colonizers: "Colonize Closest Planet" and/or "Colonize Highest Quality Planet" could replace "Explore" (See below). Barring this, creating some sort of colonizing management system in the interface that would allow you to select the planet that the colonizer will go to upon being created.
   
   
2. Food and Growth - There are too few opportunities early game to increase food output, leading to starvation quite quickly. This is not fun at all and makes early game tedious right off of the bat. Part of it has to do with colonists consuming too much food and part of it is that the tech required to increase food (agricultural districts) is locked behind a system that is RNG based, meaning you can't reliably solve the problem. 
   
   Possible solution - It doesn't make sense that a civilization that can easily colonize and terraform entire planets would have issues with food and growth. The whole system of food and growth needs to be rethought for GC4. It would be a good time to iterate on this system entirely and try out different ways of approaching growth.
   
   EX. Here is my mid-game setup for Earth, but it took pulling the agriculture district tech luckily early on to reach this point at turn 257. Now that all the tiles are filled out, there's hardly any choices to make on this planet aside from occasionally swapping on a building for something else. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Science and Technology - Unlocking technologies is a bit opaque right now, due to having no tech tree reference. I like the system of choosing techs from a possible "draw" of techs, but I don't like the problems that it can sometimes create (like with the food example). These problems make you feel like the choices you are making matter a lot less because RNG is controlling your draws, making it really difficult to plan ahead and make good planetary choices. In addition, you're punished for re-rolling, which also takes away some player agency. 
   
   Possible solution - Normally problems in society create a catalyst for scientific breakthroughs. What if the game looked at the problems you're currently having and was more likely to draw techs for those associated issues? (i.e. your citizens are starving, so it draws techs that increase food production). Barring this, we just need more visibility for why the choices that we're making matter. Along with a visible tech tree, we need more transparency built into the interface with tooltips that explain this progression clearly. Lessening the cost to re-roll, or perhaps implementing some sort of "Paradigm Shift" where your scientists have a chance to achieve breakthroughs would be more rewarding.
   
   
   
4. Technology Tooltips - trying to figure out what techs unlock and what they lead to is extremely unclear right now. We really need to be able to lock tooltips and be able to hover over an explanation of what something leads to, if you want to keep this current system. 
   
   Ignoring the bugged tooltip not lining up to the proper tech, I understand that unlocking this tech will lead to future advances in missile weapons, but I can't see any information about what all of these things actually do. 
   
   
   
   
5. Control Accumulation - currently there's a lot of control accumulation and not much to spend it on. There need to be more choices for utilizing control and/or the cooldown for executive orders needs to decrease.
   
   Ex. Turn 257 with 279 Control and not much to spend it on.
   
   
   
   
6. Quests - Quest conditions are not clear. For a lot of the quests, it doesn't seem feasible to accomplish them quickly, or in some cases, at all.
   
   
7. More Notifications - we need some notifications for when tech finishes, when our ships are attacked, when colonies are attacked etc.

Bugs (As of Version 0.4.0.186711) - Here are the major bugs I've run into.

1. Planetary Interface Orientation Shifts - the UI slides off to the left, occluding most of the interface.
   
   
2. Invisible Buildings - building icons disappear, though you can still hover over the tooltip.
   
   
   
   
3. Tech Tooltips Incorrect - Techs sometimes show tooltips from a different tech choice.
   
   

Overall, for an early alpha it's been remarkably stable and fun to play. I'll come back and update if I notice anything else and provide a new post when you release new builds. 

-Sedghammer

It's probably odd, possibly not helpful, but in early Alphas my attention tends to focus on quality of life. I've not had much time to play yet, but I already think:

• The core/colony icons on the zoomed-out map need to be much, much smaller--they can block out too much info sometimes. Perhaps shrinking to just the faction icon unless we point to that icon and ask for the details and maybe setting a shrinking scale of some sort that reflects the map size, zoom level, and density of local objects?
• On the Core management screen, rearranging the queue feels clumsy. Drag and drop isn't working for me if it's supposed to be there and the five-button mini toolbar moves with the selected improvement, making us have to move our pointer before moving the item another slot up or down.

Re bullet two, within quality of life I have a growing awareness (both personal and professional) of accessibility concerns. For some users, e.g. people with tremors or some forms of chronic pain, being able to minimize mouse use is very helpful. Maybe a helpful modder will someday create a GC4 analog to the Vimium add-on, but it would be nice if the design team bumped up accessibility concerns a little on the priorities list.

To wrap up my first feedback post, I would like to again beg, plead, and pray for some options to modify the background art. Since GC2, me and some others I vaguely remember from the boards have found the nebulae regularly making large sections of maps very hard to read. GC4, even at this point, is indeed a great leap forward visually, but those lovlier nebulae can still make it very hard to see things easily even on a largeish 4k monitor with a good GPU.

Maybe we could get an adjustable-in-game option that just reset the background so folks like me don't have to close a game and reload it just to see better? (I'm greedy, though, and would really love a set of sliders to putter with until I was happy with the settings!)

Anomaly Doesn't Give Weapons

Some anomalies have a choice that claims to add +2 to a weapon.  The addition is made, but only briefly, then it vanishes.

Load this save.  The survey ship has already done the survey, and you will get the Survey Report.  Look at the lower-left of the screen to see that the survey ship has no attack of any kind.  Select the bottom choice in the Survey Report to get +2 Beam Attack.  Notice the survey ship now has 2 beam attack.

Put the cursor on any tile next to the survey ship.  Watch the information box in the lower-left corner, then right-click on the chosen tile to move the survey ship there.  You will see the 2 beam attack vanish as the ship begins to move.

This also happens for missile and kinetic attack and for any type of survey ship.

Precursor Anomaly Can't Be Surveyed

Here are four ways to survey a Precursor Anomaly that is heavily defended:

First - use a fleet strong enough to win and have a survey ship in the fleet.  Defenders are destroyed and survey works.

Second - use a fleet strong enough to win but don't have a survey ship in the fleet.  Defenders are destroyed.  Send a survey ship to survey the anomaly.  It will fail.  I haven't found a way to survey the anomaly after using this method.  Most players seem to be using this method, which is why there are a lot of complaints.

Third - use a fleet that isn't strong enough to win, so it loses.  Use a second fleet that is strong enough to win and doesn't have a survey ship in the fleet.  Defenders are destroyed.  Send a survey ship to survey the anomaly.  The survey will work.  NOTE:  The first fleet can be one ship with one attack, like an armed shuttle.  All that is needed is a failed attack.

Fourth - use a fleet that isn't strong enough to win, so it loses.  Use a second fleet that is strong enough to win and have a survey ship in the fleet.  Defenders are destroyed and survey works.

Look at this screenshot.
The anomaly labeled 1 has had the first part of possibility 3 already done.  The anomaly labeled 2 has not been touched.  There are enough ships in the vicinity to try all possibilities on the anomalies, with the understanding that anomaly 1 has already been attacked once.

Load this save.

Try the four ways listed above to get the information to find the cause of the problem.  Also, more ships will arrive in the area, but they probably won't be needed.

Also note that the tool tip always reports the anomaly is defended, even after all defenders are destroyed.


I haven't investigated the anomalies that are lightly defended since my starting survey ship can handle them as long it isn't damaged too much from a previous lightly defended anomaly.  I'm going to guess the same information applies to them.

Upper Left Notification Icons Are Sometimes Visible, Sometimes Not

I saw a blank space in the icons for Notifications.

I clicked on the arrow to close the list, then clicked on it again to open the list.  The icons were back.

TYPOS

planets isn't needed; if it is kept, it should be planet's.

our should be something else, maybe more, unless it should be all.

Sentry not working on this fleet.  Won't let the fleet enter sentry mode.  (This happened over and over again. with different fleets.)

Starting a new game, at 2560x1440 resolution, some of the fonts need to be adjusted. Here's part of the Galaxy Options window:

I'm really liking this.

I think having more auto options on ships would, in general, be a good thing.

For me it also ties in with the new concept of Colonies. This now simplifies the whole thinking behind colonization. The attitude is now:

Step 1 Colonize Planet.

Step 2 Check: If Planet Quality <= Okay Ignore. If Planet Quality > Okay Then Send Governor.

There's really no reason not to colonise whatever you can, obviously within constraints, so why shouldn't your Colony Ship automatically plant your race's flag as per your options? Obviously setting it to prioritize Colonizing the Highest PQ Planet In Range over the Closest Planet In Range would be the best move.

Even easier: what about a "colonize mission" in the ship yard. This could automatically build and send out colony ships for you as long as there are colonizable planets in-range.

Starting a new game, choosing customize civilization along the bottom...  Starting from top left, has the name of the faction, with three dots.  These three dots, pull up a tool tip of Edit, but it doesn't actually do anything.

Moving down on the upper left, the next option is to customize your factions logo, you are able to, but it doesn't change right away on the screen.  It won't change until you change something else on the screen such as citizens, foreground, or background.

Description of your faction (right below the faction name in the upper left), this needs to allow you to customize, and edit. (This needs a copy/paste feature where you can just quickly delete what's there and paste in your story.)

Changing citizens  (Please note right now there doesn't appear to be an easy way to customize your citizens, maybe that's not all the way in yet, but there needs to be a way to add your custom citizens to match your custom faction easily.)

Moving over to the History option near the upper right.  There needs to be a copy/paste option here so you may quickly add in your factions history. (I haven't found anywhere once you enter the game that this shows up.)

Ship Syle, once you click on the three dots, in the bottom right, the check box to lock in your ship style never hides again.  It just stays up as if it's not locked in, however, it will be.

There needs to be an option to remove Space Monsters or the other pirate like people from the game.  I understand there may not be any pirates, but pirates play a fairly small role when there are monsters everywhere and the other pirate like faction picking off all of your colony ships/survey ships.

Once you start the game, note the history of your faction that you customized is not there anywhere. Please note I don't even see anywhere in the current customize screen that strengths and weaknesses are even a part of it to edit.  Also note the ship colors in the description of the survey ship in the bottom left.  This is a carryover bug from Galactic Civilizations III when you change your faction colors the default ships in their little description are always the wrong colors there, but correct on the main map.  It seems the color settings don't carry over correctly.

Should you ctrl+n it doesn't remember your faction settings that you customized completely bringing it back to the default faction traits

I think that's everything I have at the moment.

There is a light blue bar with an arrow at the top on my screen near the top left.  doesn't appear to belong to anything...

I think you are refering to the scroll bar for the notification list.  It has been shrunk to just icons, so it's not as wide as it was.  It looks like it still takes up the same amount of width, and the scroll bar is still on the right edge.  Maybe the width of the the list needs to be reduced.

Received a colony ship in battle.  This colony ship art is missing on the map, notice it's just empty as if nothing is there...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ca8pc9zjfxjqjis/Test08-blank%20colony%20ship.GC4Sav?dl=0

The new way the icons for the quests and notifications work is great.  However, they are not perfect yet.  Some icons go to the wrong race.

This screenshot shows a notification that refers to the Torian.  Clicking on the icon goes to the Mimot Brotherhood

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The next turn an icon refering to the Arcean appears.  Clicking on it also goes to the Mimot.

The save that shows this is available here.  When is has been loaded, click on the icon that mentions the Torian to see that it goes to the Mimot.  Go back from the Mimot, then go to the next turn.  Click on the icon that mentions the Arcean to see that it also goes to the Mimot.

I've played a few turns and noticed a few minor issues not already mentioned above. But first, I have to say I like the overall look and feel of the game. It holds true to its origins but provides a fresh and in many ways streamlined experience. This being alpha, I have high hopes for what this game will blossom into.

1. When you double click a ship and go into its info screen, only the lower half of the "Done" button works. If you hover your mouse over the top half of the button, it doesn't highlight yellow or function.

2. On the tooltip for Diligence on Leaders, the word "manufacturing" is misspelled as "manufacurting". I don't know if you are planning to hire a professional editor/proofreader, but you really should. I'll shamelessly promote myself and would make myself available for this project--feel free to message me if you want to discuss my qualifications, rates, etc.

3. In diplomacy, the other species are happy to give me their colonies... without offering anything, their favorability is either neutral toward the trade or increases when I propose they give me their colonies.

That's all for now.

Citizens/Leaders should be upgradeable, make them smarter, better leaders, or similar.

Second these observations. (edited to include quoted post)

A potential solution have a UI size slider in the options to allow the users some more control, rather than the current (too small|too large) option.

For the backgrounds, they are lovely, but I find myself moving the map just to avoid brighter sections of the cosmos and that's really annoying. Could we have a brightness adjustment for the background, that would help us deal with the issue?

Upon surveying an anomaly and discovering Lost Cargo, the option to "Integrate them into our ship's systems" says it will grant +10 experience. The notification for that event, however, says it only granted +5 experience, and that is what seems to have happened,

Awarded colony ship when destroyed ship yard, however, no colonist came with it. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/g1jukukmxrn1dl3/Test08-empty%20colony%20ship.GC4Sav?dl=0

Survey event for saving a stranded Snathi ship was supposed to give me +3 Arnorian Spice, but afterwards I didn't have any.

Chimeric Biomass says it awards 2 usable tiles, but only awards 1. See pictures below.

There may be an issue in general with Arnor spice, as I've had it and spent it, but have never seen the resource icon for it displayed. To be fair, I've only ever had it through missions.

I would note as feedback, the new subsector mode of operation really extends the feel of "exploration is useful and necessary" for far longer than GCIII. The new mechanisms are really effective in this purpose. There's a lot more of a feeling that its a big galaxy, and I can indulge my desire to explore and find new goodies, rather than make a rush to go at the other civs. That's playing with a sparse galaxy and less than huge number of opponents, but that's a preferred game play mode for me. Good Job designers!

I believe we are still missing some resources or they are not easily found. I think the Contract traders should bring the last rare resources (randomized of course) like the tech before it (Scavengers) does with Elerium and 2nd tier rares. The contract traders build cost is pretty steep and for the amount of time with them there should be a return chance for every resource available in game with the exception of drones and constructor modules. 

I have played several 100 turns on a gigantic map with 18 civs. I have met only 8 so far! I have also encountered many sectors which are devoid of 'civs' but every hex was filled with an anomalies. This seemed  odd but almost a gold mine for the civs who can reach these 'mid-point' sectors first. 

Also I do not think the AI is trained to prioritize subspace streams as a need, this should be weighted a bit more heavily mid game so that the player will see many more 'new' ai in his home sector which are 'not from around here'. The sector break up of the map is pure genius. It moves me to keep exploring and seeing what's in this new sector I cant see. 

The ai is not trained yet to wage war outside of its own sector. Teach the ai how to do this will be a huge and fundamental game changer for the player. This means attacks on the player which will force the player to 1) change his research focus immediately to subspace streams, and 2) force him to reactionary moves initially instead of pro-active moves. 

I look forward to the day when by turn 100 I am just getting medium hulls and the Drengin entered my sector with a 36 point logistics armada and is 'conquering' my neighboring civs. Glorious War! 

Hovering my cursor over the Food icon at the top gives a tooltip that looks like this

The other icons up there behave as expected.

Note: Trying this again after a save and reload makes the food tooltip behave normally.

Another typo: When clicking on a planetary tile to build something on it, "Agriculturial District" should be "Agricultural District".