John Hamp John Hamp

TO STARDOCK: Delay GalCiv!

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TO STARDOCK: Delay GalCiv!

from Stardock Forums
With Masters of Orion now coming out at almost the same time as GalCiv, I really think Stardock needs to seriously consider delaying the game's release by at least 4 weeks.
Based on what I've read on both and from playing the GalCiv betas, I think GalCiv is a far superior game to MOO3. But I'm going to also buy MOO 3. It's a MOO game. 'nuff said. And I bet I'm not the only one.
How many mag covers has GalCiv had? None as far as I know. It's going to be succesful as a sleeper title. The game that the mags paid almost no attention to.
But it'll never get a chance to do that if it has to be on the shelves at the same time as MOO3. Even if MOO3 is total junk, it'll still get all the attention.
But if you delay GalCiv just a few weeks, for good or bad MOO3 will have had its time to sink or swim and GalCiv will be poised to either capitalize on the renewed interest in space strategy games or on picking up disappointed MOO3 players. It's win-win.

I also think that GalCiv players should hope for MOO3 to be successful. If both games come out at the same time then they're going to hurt each other. Lots of people can't afford 2 games at the same time. They'll buy one or the other. That'll hurt MOO and it'll hurt GalCiv and it'll hurt strategy gamers.

So please consider delaying GalCiv by a few weeks. Listen to your customers. Think of the stuff you could add to the game in another 4 weeks. GalCiv deserves its own day in the sun, not having to compete for air time with another big name strategy game.
1,114 views 31 replies
Reply #26 from Stardock Forums Top
Brad,

I agree with all of your reasons for the delay but one, and it comes right back to my question "suppose MOO3 delays another month". It CAN happen. If it does, you loose the external reasons you had for your delay. At this point I have to agree that the risk is very low, but if I were you I would address the possibility now had have a plan layed out, and agreed to by Strategy First, just in case.
Reply #27 from Stardock Forums Top
MOO3 is already in manufacturing. It's gone gold. The only thing that would cause MOO3 to be delayed at this point would be if some kind of asteroid hit the earth or something at which point we would probably need to delay further too...
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #28 from Stardock Forums Top
I appreciate your choice, and appreciate the relationship with your publisher that makes this choice possible. Kudos to teamwork and publisher support (which Moo3 has been shown a tremendous amount of)!

I forsee a possibility that interest in Moo3 could help sell more copies of GalCiv than it otherwise might have as a standalone product, owing to a higher generated interest in the genre by the release of Moo3 and GalCiv in a short time frame. I hope this proves to be the case, and a resurgence of deep and engaging space strategy/sims emerges.

-M^3
Reply #29 from Stardock Forums Top
I think a few weeks delay could, and should, be well used to polish the game a bit. It seems like there was a big push here to "get the game out" and polish the little things later, judging from the replies to many of the issues brought up by the beta testers.

If the intent was to beat MOO3 to market, it was a good strategy. Given that MOO3 is out now, I think remembering how long it was delayed while being polished and play-balanced would be a good thing.

When GalCiv comes out, I'd like to be able to click on any monster or ship and see correctly displayed stats. (one of the many minor bugs still existing)
If the dev team feels they have too much time on their hands (hard to believe), how about looking at the user suggestions and knocking off some of the easier ones that really enhance gameplay? (you know, like being able to easily see who you're at war with, etc. etc.) I've heard many great suggestions, and I'll bet the dev team has their personal favorites...

GalCiv is a great game and I've enjoyed playing it. It would be a shame to see it get knocked by the magazines/game sites because its a little rough on the edges.

SD
Reply #30 from Stardock Forums Top
The plan all along was to come out after MOO3. You cannot beat MOO3 in retail, that is not the strategy. What the strategy should be is to build an effective community over the course of the long term.

A motivated community has proven to be more important to the long term success of a game over the past 10 years and I believe if we bank on that it will prove to be the edge Galciv will have over M003. Just look at all of the passion in this thread alone........
Reply #31 from Stardock Forums Top
Delaying GalCiv 1 month is a brilliant idea. I have a very strong suspicion that MOO3 is going to sizuk, and tizank. After a bunch of guys buy it and realize it stinks, GalCiv will come out, probably get better reivews, and BANG there you go. I cant wait for the full GalCiv version! Already pre-ordered! I am anxious to see MOO3, too, but the project was screwed from the begining, and my sense is that they needed to start from scratch, but instead just removed features and did a big bug hunt. We'll see, but I am puilling for Gal Civ!