GalCiv IV: Supernova Dev Journal #29 - What's new in Supernova

from GalCiv4 Forums

There is more new and changed in GalCiv IV: Supernova than all the changes coming from GalCiv II through GalCiv IV (base game) combined.

The chart below doesn’t really do justice to the magnitude of the changes. This journal entry will talk about it.

First, let me introduce myself. I’m Brad Wardell. I designed the original Galactic Civilizations for OS/2 back in 1992 which went into beta in (wait for it) October 1993 which is when I incorporated Stardock from my dorm room in college. Back then, I designed, programmed and did most of the art (poorly).

When our company moved to Microsoft Windows, I designed the Windows versions of Galactic Civilizations I and II.

Then I took a break from GalCiv to go co-found Oxide Games and Mohawk Games with my friends and with the money we had earned selling Impulse to GameStop.

After GalCiv IV was released in April 2022, I began to take a long look at the game. It had been a long time since I’d really looked at GalCiv. During GalCiv III, I designed the Crusade expansion but just didn’t have the opportunity to work on GalCiv much until recently.

I saw what they were going for with GalCiv IV but I really wanted to take the game in a different direction. And the Steam release was the opportunity to do that. So for the past several months, my life has been all GalCiv. If you’re on Discord or the forums you probably see me as Frogboy or Draginol (a character that came from the original GalCiv lore I wrote back in the 1990s). It would not be an exaggeration to say that this game has been my life for the past few months.

If you liked GalCiv II, you will probably like GalCiv IV. If you liked GalCiv III, you…hopefully will like GalCiv IV.

And this isn’t the end. Not by any means. I feel like we’ve just scratched the surface with what this game can do. And with your help, we’re going to do things that no space strategy game has ever done.

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Galactic Civilizations IV: Supernova Dev Journals

galactic civilizations iv galciv iv dev journals
31,466 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

GalCiv 2 is a high bar to reach for. I still play it from time to time. While you guys done much for Supernova, there is still much further to go. I wish you guys good luck. Godspeed.

Reply #2 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

MAJOR FEATURE

GC I

GC II

GC III

GC IV

GC IV: Supernova

STARBASES CLAIM TERRITORY AND BOOST PLANETS

X

X

X

X

X

SURVEY SHIPS TO INVESTIGATE STELLAR ANOMALIES

X

X

X

X

X

PRECURSOR RELICS TO MINE FOR CIV BONUSES

X

X

X

X

X

ETHICAL AND STORY-DRIVEN EVENTS

X

X

X

X

X

PLAY AS AN ALIEN CIVILIZATION

 

X

X

X

X

FREE FORM SHIP DESIGN

 

X

X

X

X

STRATEGIC ZOOM

 

X

X

X

X

PLANETARY ARTIFACTS TO USE AS POWERS

 

 

X

X

X

MULTIPLAYER

 

 

X

X

X

LORE BASED EVENTS

 

X

 

 

X

SHIP CLASSES

 

X

 

 

X

IDEOLOGY / CULTURE TREE

 

 

X

X

X 

PIRATE HIVES / SPACE MONSTERS

 

 

X

X

X

BLACK HOLES, STORMS, NEBULAE (SPACE TERRAIN)

 

 

X

X

X

CUSTOM CIVILIZATION BUILDER

 

 

X

X

X

GALACTIC BAAZAR MARKET

 

 

X

X

X

CUSTOMIZE MAJOR CIVILIZATIONS AT SETUP

 

X

 

X

X

LEADERS

 

 

X

X

X

CHARACTERS (PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN STATS)

 

 

 

X

X

INCLUDED CIVILIZATIONS

8

12

10

18

24

MERCENARIES / COMMANDERS

 

 

X

X

X

INTERNAL FACTIONS (INTEREST GROUP W AGENDAS)

 

 X

 

X

X

SECTORS (ABILITY TO PLAY WITH MULTIPLE MAPS AT ONCE)

 

 

 

X

X

POLICY SYSTEM (MANAGE CIV WITH POLICIES)

 

 

 

X

X

MULTI-SPECIES CIVILIZATIONS

 

 

 

X

X

ON MAP BATTLE TACTICS (RANGE BASED ATTACKS)

 

 

 

X

X

EXECUTIVE ORDERS (DIRECT ON MAP COMMANDS)

 

 

 

X

X

PRESTIGE VICTORY CONDITION

 

 

 

X

X

AI GENERATED CUSTOM CIVILIZATIONS (ALIENGPT)

 

 

 

 

X

CONSEQUENCE EVENTS

 

 

 

 

X

INFLUENCE CONQUEST

 

X

 

 

X

ARTIFACT VAULT

 

 

 

 

X

MISSIONS / TUTORIAL / CAMPAIGN

 

X

X

 

X

UNIQUE TECH TREE / IMPROVEMENTS PER CIV

 

X

 

 

X

TERROR STARS

X

X

 

 

X
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from GalCiv4 Forums Top

Hi, whilst the chart is informative it does ignore the fact that quite a few features of each evolution were introduced via Expansion Packs and whether "SuperNova"  is classed as a further evolution or is merely an Expansion Pack needing the GCIV base game to be playable ?

Whilst there is always something to Love and something to Miss in each evolution the things i miss most are from GC2, particularly the ability to Mod all the feature files to be able to tweak them [and "cheat" with the values for things like reward credits awarded for otherwise random anomaly encounters that would work in game], and the now missing final Expansion Pack which featured an in-game-editor wherein you could tweak the game assets properties [e.g. dismissing exclusivity features to make some buildings available on all planets].

Yes i have always liked easier games with easier abilities to enable winning much more likely [i'm not competitive enough to go multi-player, my enjoyment comes from solo-play without high difficulty levels but with acceptably high reward levels.  i am still undecided whether i want to play  GC4 [with or without "Supernova"]   because of the features you basically stole from "Endless Space 2" and possibly enhanced the Multiple Galaxies / Universes features - i never finished the "Trainer" game  in "ES2", the tasks although fairly original were never enough Fun.  But all that is probably just me and the lack of motivation i have for 4X games currently.