Adding more "character" to the Expansion Pack

from Stardock Forums
GalCiv is an awesome game with great depth. Reading other boards, some of the people who seem to be leaving it are doing so because although it is addictive and challenging, it is somehow not "fun." Often it is described in terms of "special events only adding percentages" and feeling sterile/chess-like. This applies less to the hardcore players, but will affect the size of the GalCiv community in six months or a year.

Along with the great suggestions for the expansion pack already listed, does anyone have ideas to retain the people who are leaving by adding more role-playing or "character"?

Would more more graphics of interactions with the foreign races do it? Different graphics as your relations with them change? More contact between the player and the AI when the AI is the initiator?

What events in other games gave them "character" that GalCiv lacks? Maybe it is just the blackness of space.

I think Mods that adopt known Universes (Star Trek, Starwars, B5, etc.) will help, but wanted to raise it in time to get some ideas into the Expansion Pack.
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I think GalCiv would go a long wayyy towards a more Roleplaying feel if Brad created a series of messages or questions that the AI could deliver whenever it comes to trade with you.

Instead of the trade screen going straight to
"we want this [tech] for that [tech]"

Rather it would start up with a short paragraph or statement by the race (for example the Altarians theorizing on the simularities between themselves and the humans) OR it might ask a morale question that the player has to answer which could affect to a small degree the relations between the players and AI.

After the player acknowledges the conversation or answers the question then the normal trade continues just as it always does on that screen.

This could all be done right in the trade screen with minimal coding (but I admit a lot of thought and effort to write all of that extra dialog!)

The benefits are that it would make the races seem more "alive" and not just automated leeches coming to try and pry technology or cash from you. Furthermore if thought is put into the dialog strings a lot of backstory could be brought into the game and really expand it's depth.

If something like this is implemented I would recommend:

1) restricting the conversations to only when the races are neutral to friendly in relations to the palyer... after all races that are angry at the humans aren't going to be real "chatty" ;)

2) only letting the AI intiate these extra conversation strings. Otherwise the player may keep trying to "dial up" the AI every turn to trigger the strings ("Hey Torains it's me Alan Bradley again... listen do you have anything interesting to say? No? O.k. well I'll catch you next turn. Bye" )

and

3) putting the strings in the English.str file so we can mod them like everything else (hey I'm a modder at heart! I can't help it :D)
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
a history summary file! when the game is over :D
Ashes of the Singularity II