GalCiv Dev Journal: Thinking about starting conditions

from GalCiv3 Forums

The first impression of gameplay in a 4X strategy game tends to be what the opening choices are.  And this is something we have tried our best to optimize in GalCiv III.

In version 3.96, we are giving players the shipyard again by default (which we used to have back in 1.0).   The presence of the starting shipyard has everything to do with having meaningful starting decisions.

For example, here is v3.96 without the shipyard as an option now:

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We added a new build-once project called Industrial Center (retribution) that is the equivalent of the Computer Core except for manufacturing.  Combine that with trade resources and (in Retribution) artifacts and you have some interesting options.

Then you go over to the shipyard and you have a 4 obvious choices:

image

Note that we no longer have any weapons at the start of the game (retribution). Your ships are unarmed.  So this allows us to clean up the first impression a little bit so that weaponizing ships makes an obvious difference to your shipyard choices.

Also, having the shipyard combined with the recent increase in starting funds means players can move out a bit faster than they could before.   This gives a little more room, especially for new players, to not get economically over their heads.

These changes, along with the visual update to the planets (you can see the visual update in the first screenshot) will be in v3.96.

217,804 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock.net Forums Top

I would always rush buy the shipyard first turn. I wouldn't dare imagine starting without one. Glad to have it back as default.

I will miss having weapons at start. Combat ships is my default thing to autobuild when I ran out of colonizable planets and resources to nab.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

(you can see the visual update in the first screenshot)

I preferred the improved version (Land Tiles) from your Planet Improvement thread tbh. (With the water from your first shot here)

Looks more real, above still has that "cartoon" feel ;)

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Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Sooo impressed that Stardock continues to support this game ... so much so in fact Stardock has become my favourite game developer!

Would be interesting to see sales stats for all Stardock games ... I hope Galciv3 is one of the better ones!

 

Note: Galciv3 is about to overtake Sins Rebellion as my most-played game of all time, however I still have the urge to play Sins so I'll no doubt get back to it at some point  :)

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Where are you getting that I looked it up, and found out that was Minecraft was the most popular game of all time which sold 176,000,000 copies. I would like it to be.

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Does the visual pass include our planets lighting up with activity more? I miss having my planets with huge populations lighting up like a Christmas tree.

 

Also, looking forward to seeing what you guys have cooked up with the upcoming dlc hinted at on the steam post!

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

It's commendable the degree to which Stardock is still supporting this game, but the fact that DLC's are still in the offing is just incredible. 

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Personally, I think you should start with a shipyard and with basic weaponry to ensure the possibility that you can't (easily) sneakily curb-stomp an AI because they have no weapon techs and you rushed it.

Reply #8 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I think starts would be more interesting without the colony ship.  Give the survey ship a few turns to find a suitable planet.

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

In my games I don't have room for building anything else than colonyships and constructors. Even, if I don't found the things yet, I build them for stock to move them later.

After the colonizing Phase ist time to build up Forces.

 

Reply #10 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Oh. I forgot that pirates are a thing. Are we supposed to be without weapons when pirates are chasing your colony ships and constructors?

Reply #11 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Two solutions to pirates in a start-with-no-weapons situation:

1: Make them appear only after, say, Turn 30. By which time you should have some sort of weaponry.

2: Early game pirates can only hold your ship hostage - so your colony ship gets freed by paying some bcs. Actually, I'd personally like to see pirates be able to take ships hostage at any point in the game rather than just shoot-to-kill ships.

Reply #12 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

With the big starting money it was never really a choice.You built it anyway..

Reply #13 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I rushed the shipyard and never bothered with researching military techs. I waited till I met the Drengin or another militant ai and traded for it.