Each time I install the beta, is still shows up as an install option. Anyone else notice this?

~SDC~

First I'm wondering if the cirrent AP beat has some new ships/races/tech in it already?

Also, I can't tell if when I launch from the AP launch screen if I'm in the new AP exectuable or not since I don't see a version number.

Thanks for the help and info!

I cannot use the map editor I get a error message D3D9.DLL file is linked to missing export DDRAW.DLLdentry10 gc editor.exe A device attached to the system is not functioning" any idea? Where do I download DX9?

Seeker Master: Which version of DirectX do u have? I had a missing d3d9.dll error when I first tried running the Map Editor too. Turns out I had to install DirectX9 (only had 8.1). After that it ran fine.
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]

Yes I just finished downloading DX9 and its working fine, but how do I load the map I created to play in Galciv?

I keep getting CTD after 10 or 11 turns. :notsure:

Bits and pieces with the map editer

Tips to map makers
1. Don't hit randomize star if you have a star on the map. It will CTD. Clear first then randomize.
2. When giving a star to a civ make sure the first planet has a high PQ (or you start off with a very unhappy planet)
3. No way to delete a planet. Must delete the star and start again.
4. You can't place stars within one map grid of each other.
5. Game will give you a Survey and a Colony ship when you start as well as any ship you put on the map
6. Right click a star to gift a star to a civilisation
7. If you don't allocate a starting star to a civ the game will change a star at random to a yellow and allocate it to a civ. (this includes minors)
8. Un-named stars will be named via the games default listing.
9. Humans must be allocated a star in the map or the map will cause a CTD when you use it.
10. To get the game to load a map you must copy (or move it) from the "Beta maps" directory to the "data/custom maps" directory.


Suggestions to Stardockians
1. Would be nice to have a multiple input area.
or a data file import. eg
x y star name p1 p2 p3 p4 p5
108 108 yellow Sol 20 08 03 09 15
150 093 Blue Siruis 10 18

2. Scroll bars on the map please, or even a clickable minimap map (same as in game). Need some way to move around the grid.
3. Maps sizes are different from the game. Made a 18 by 18 size map and when I played it the game loaded it as a 28 by 28 map. 460 blank sectors on the right and bottom.
4. All icon menu's are visable after looking at print preview.


Bakka
Edit: Added points 9 and 10 in tips for map makers
[Message Edited]

Hod do I load a map I created?

I moved the map to the folder you said, but how I can load the map into the game, where do I click to get the map to load, when I click play the game, I am playing the same like playing Galciv, except the AI ()minor races) have 2 new faces. I click in Metaverse, but there is nothing there.

Seeker

In the game setup screen click the right arrow for map size
after gigantic it goes random and then custom
once you have custom the right box will be highlighted you select this and load your map

Questions after playing for the 1st time:
1) How do I know I"m playing the Altarian prophecy vs. vanilla GalCiv?
2) After playing for 4 hours, a CTD occurs, and then I cannot reload or restart. I figure the problem is that if the saved game has the bug that caused the CTD, it'll cause a CTD. Wassup wit dat? If I play a game for 4 hours and I messed it up, it'd be nice to know that I lost, vs. nada noodles.
3) Liked the new faces, but that's the only thing I see different. Should I be clicking on some sort of hidden icon to be able to see the embedded new storyline? Hint: If the storyline is new, you might just wanna make it an everpresent theme, I dunno, I just design multi-million dollar defense systems, dunno.
4) WTF?

Did I miss anything?

VandyCan, (can you?)

~SDC~

Jebus Chripts!

I tried to play the game a second time and the same thing... The Load game would not work when I attempted to load a game that did not fail (eg. I saved the game before a major maneuver). Also, the restore last function failed.

OK. (breathe, this is only the beta, you had some fun, you're just bitching because you couldn't close the deal... breathe...)

I still don't see the whole Altarian tie-in. This time, I even let the altarians live until the end, still no story line.

Listen, I'm just a novice... Ok, published author... but your tagline is the reason to buy this game is that you have a storyline which makes this game transcend the already awesome GalCiv. This is nowhere apparent in the beta. If this game hits the streets without the game having a STRONG upfront short that explains the Altarian background (which is not the exact same one used in the original GalCiv) your game will be given away free with any purchase over 20$ in Best Buy. Understand?

Bad: No Alterian prophecy tie ins that are apparent to the user. (this is not a beta issue, this is a serious design flaw).Storyline Storyline Storyline. The whole reason you modified your product was so that you could create a storyline. So... why didn't you make it obvious to the user? Oh, and if you have some techie reply that "if you cant see it, you must be too stupid", I'll do what any other consumer would do... Not purchase your product.

Bad: You guys have seriously screwed something if you can't load games that you've saved. I mean, Jebus Chripts! This is such a basic function of game development... You create a game scenario in the load format, load it, and see if it works.. Did you guys forget to update the save feature? Please, tell me that you tested this game in some manner. Please tell me that you applied some testing principles to this game other than (uh, yeah, sure, I'll hit the bong and then code that... dude...)

Bad: I don't see any improvement, only problems. If you cant' fix it by release, I won't buy it and you'll lose a customer and an advocate.

Oh, and I'm not just any beta-tester, I just paid 70 bucks (joining Drengin.net) to help you. I believe in GalCiv, but if you push out a substandard product, I will not purchase it. I mean, we still have Starscape if we want something with the kewlness factor that FalCiv gives,.. If you need help, let me know.

VandyCan (Can you?) PMP

~SDC~

Because it is a 'beta issue.' The two new races that aren't on the major AI screen yet tie into the storyline that isn't in the program yet. Things are there, they're just being added in slowly. The UI is probably going to come before most of the storyline, in-game.

~SDC~

I know this is a beta, but I could not keep plying & testing it: whenever there is a problem, you can't reload! As soon as frogboy & cari correct the save game feature, I'll resume playing it. I don't mind the other beta-shortcomings. Just this one :notsure:

~SDC~

they are aware of the can't load save games problem with Altarian Phrophecy

the stuff isn't fully there its the 1st beta don't expect it to be complete already

the reason they released it was to let us play with the editors nothing more

actually they really shouldn't even be calling it a beta at this point cause alot of the stuff isn't in it yet the full release isn't supposed to be out till sometime in Febuary

Give the gang time to get it finished before you say its no good

~SDC~

Yes I know. I didn't mean it as criticism -- and I didn't say it was no good: I said that I wouldn't play it right now, which is just what you wrote me, "the reason they released it was to let us play with the editors nothing more".
I'm just happy to try the editor . A lot of possibilities there. But it's just a pity that I can't play on the maps I may create. But I patiently await the next version, while playing galciv

~SDC~

yeah me too.... I want it myself more for the stuff thats not in it yet

(the 2 new races the ships the events etc) more then the editors tho I probably will play with them when they make it so you can use what ya make with em

right now the fact ya can't save the games and play em more is a bummer

~SDC~

Thanks for the responses, my game CTD evry time I click on the diplomatic screen on Minor Races, but if they are visible in the map I can click in their plantes and speak with them without CTD, why??? :notsure:

Just a quick question about the map editor, anyway to get the grid to be smaller in the screen, that way I can see the whole map, and know where I placed the planets???

I suspect it's because of the two new major races that aren't major races yet. Part of the code is there, and it's confusing the rest of it.

~SDC~

If I undesterstood what you wanted, have you tried the mouse wheel? Here I can get it to reduce the scale, so I can get the whole map on the screen (small maps). But I'm not sure that's what you were asking for

~SDC~

Yes, that was what I was asking, thanks. Hey don't you want to join us as the Empire of The Light?

LOL

~SDC~

I have a map+scenario question/issue

I created a basic 4x4 map, Human, Alteran and Drengin homeworlds, not much else worth populating. In scenario editor I placed two nd conditions.
first, if human owns alteran homeworld human victory
second if drengin owns alteran homeworkd then defeat
using either the planet name or the Star 23,45 location, the first condition results in an instant turn 2 human win. However, removing condition 1 does not gice an instant drengin win. So how does one write a planet ownership victory condition and tie it together with a map?

~SDC~

#42 did the trick for me. Turning off "Prompt to enter an installation directory" solved my problem! Finally able to install, hope to play this in 4 days when my weekend starts! Thank you!

Kimberly

~SDC~