Stolen concept!!!

LOL.

When I wrote GalCiv for OS/2 in 1993 I'm not even sure Space Empires existed. If it did, I certainly wasn't aware of it.

That said, even now the two have only the most mild things in common (i.e. both space based strategy games).

I've downloaded the demo for SE IV and played the permitted 100 turns. I see nothing in common between the two other than they are both turn based and both are space strategy games. Also, it looks more like Space Empires is a knockoff of MOO. Which beggers the query: When did the first Space Empire come out? Can it beat the 1993 date for GC/OS2 V1.0?

I found the page for SE 2 (couldn't find SE 1).

http://www.malfador.com/se2/se2.html

It came out in 1997. 3 years AFTER the release of Galactic Civilizations.

Here are some screenshots from GalCiv from GalCiv II (1995):
http://www.stardock.com/products/gcgold/gcg51.jpg
http://www.stardock.com/products/gcgold/gcg81.jpg
http://www.stardock.com/products/gcgold/gcg70.jpg

NOw, here are some screenshots of Space Empires II from 1997:
http://www.malfador.com/se2/pics/se2scrns/se2cmbt.gif
http://www.malfador.com/se2/pics/se2scrns/se2tact.gif

Now, do you see ANY resemblance between the two? No. They're completely different in concept and execution.

Now flash forward to 2002 with similar shots:
http://draginol.stardock.com/images/galciv-nov02.jpg
http://www.galciv.com/images/screenshots/8162002122345AM.jpg
http://draginol.stardock.com/images/galciv-oct02b.jpg

While GalCiv's graphics today are much nicer than they were a decade or so ago, the basic concept has remained very similar (with game play vastly expanded thanks to the technology advances since back then).

I am sure SE's design is very original. But the evidence seems to indicate that GalCiv was first and has been consistent in its vision.

Perhaps in the future you'll actually learn about a game before you start accusing it of "Stealing" ideas.

(and like I said before, the two games have virtually nothing in common when it comes to actual game play).

Ummmm, whatever blackday.

I've played SEIV, and this is no SEIV!

Have you even played GalCiv much less SEIV?????
:notsure:

I bought Space Empire myself I could not wait for GC for windows, so I was looking for a knockoff of GC.

It was a waste the game is nothing like GC.

I have played most of the space games (MOO, MOO2, Reach for the stars, Imperium Galactica, Imperium Galactica 2, Space Empire IV, Birth of the federation, Star Wars: Rebellion and Pax Imperia: Eminent domain).
All this games are Space Empires games...and therefore some aspects will come in all the games (diplomacy, Espionage, Ships building, space events and so on). However all this games have proper aspects (for example in SEIV and Pax Imperia, you can travel only with Star lanes). I haven't played Galactic Civilization yet, still i can see from the game concept that it is different from the games i have played: ship movement and combat is different, Unit planets is deeper than what we had until now (MOO3 has something similar, but both games are new), more events than in the previous games, the idea of good or evil path, real options to different victories, internal politics, deep diplomacy that works (here again only MOO3 has something similar)

That's all for now...anyway, if i had to compare Galactic Civilization to another Space game, SEIV wouldn't be my first choice. I would say something between MOO3 and Birth of the federation

For everyones culture

http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/history_spaceempire/index.html

It's kinda silly to throw accusations around without doing some research first--silly and irresponsible. Unfortunately, the internet is full of such misinformation. Geryk's article, to which Pascal has provided a link, is a good start, offering an enjoyable overview of space 4x games.

As for these two games, there is little cause to accuse either of ripping the other off, as the resemblence is purely generic. I happen to think Space Empires IV is a good game. I just purchased the Galactic Civilizations beta, but I haven't been able to get the game to show up in the the game manager [yes, the "Show Betas" item is checked], so I'm waiting for the support people to help me out. Once they do, I'll be able to speak from experience, but it's clear from all the info available that the two games have different focuses, different approaches, different styles. I'm looking forward to playing GalCiv.

I have played em both, they are similar in that they are space strategy games - like C&C is to Age of Empires. Last time I looked it was certainly no crime to write games in the same genre! - so we will let the space empires guys over at Shrapnel off even though theirs' followed GalCiv!

They are both good but I prefer the way GalCiv is developing things like Culture, Economics, Influence etc.

I wouldn't be overly upset by the comment, the world is full of sillyness.

Blackday the troll

I Object!
that is dissing trolls

Anyway, aren't all of these, morally, clones of Spaceward Ho!

*evil grin*

Does it matter, everybody steals ideas look at lord of the rings it's just a copy of older myths but its still great.