Keeping the game fun for veterans...

from Stardock Forums
Recently I have started to try different methods of playing in order to keep the game fun and challenging, the only rule is: anything goes.

Eg. I self impose a restriction that I can only colonise my Home Sector (small maps) or HS + adjacent ones (9 in total) for larger maps. AI is Intelligent or genius, I don't like maso even though I could try the starts in other posts.

Other stuff I have done is try and get a minor to destroy and take over as much of the galaxy as possible, but this is best when the minor in question has been spawned in an event so they have several planets already eg. I league.

In Another I gave the last major left in the galaxy ships every 3 turns for free or a little cash. Eventually they get totally bankrupted and cant produce anything anymore.

Despite these things the game is starting to lose its appeal for me. Does anyone else have any strategies or methods they have tried just for the hell of it - not for metaverscores?

In my next game I think I will completey block a Major by spreading small ships from one side of a tiny or small galaxy to the other so that it will become weak, but noone else can attack it :) Then I will trade exclusively with it... Kind of tried this already to protect a minor though.



~SDC~
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Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I was thinking of an interesting restriction (but never tried it out).

* Keep a 100% approval rating for the entire game. (i.e. 100% morale on every planet every turn)

Notice that you can tell at the end of game statistics if you had a perfect approval rating, because it says "average approval rating".
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Try playing non-militarist. You only get the Hero, scouts, & constructors. You get no transports, combats transports, frigates, etc. Win through diplomacy. I play almost all my Gal Civ games this way.

After playing a lot a really good military strategy and tactics games, it was either Sid Meier's Civilzation or Alpha Centuri that introduced to me an option to win without conquest. IMO, Gal Civ has developed the diplomacy factors very well. If you want a tactical combat game, there are many like Sid Meier's Gettysburg or Combat Mission that are superior to Gal Civ but for a "civilization-like" game with the best diplomacy development and choices on how to win, Gal Civ can't be beat.

Besides, it seems more fun to invade my opponents star systems with culture/party palaces (which I picture as stellar decadence-to-the-max gambling casinos/resorts) than using combat transports. Or invade with earth culture (McDonalds, Nike, Disney, Sony, BMW, LOL) belching out propaganda about name brands and shutting down the lame alien corporations as the masses flock for the latest fashion trend from Earth. Sometimes it is more fun to role-play the mob boss (Tony Soprano or "The Godfather") and run the party palace rather than play General Patton or Napoleon. LOL. Just have fun . . .

Rick
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I've only tried this once, and it didn't work out well due to the vagarities of the map. But you might want to try a 1 on 1 game, you versus a single AI.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I think it rounds down.

Back when transports had zero upkeep, I would always "space" population whenever morale dropped below 100. Then, I would milk the score by researching every tech and dragging out the game. I was getting a 99% average approval rating, and I'm pretty sure it was closer to 100% than 99%.

The rule in GalCiv seems to be "round down by default", but someone would have to perform an experiment.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Should be easy to test. Play five turns at 100%, one turn at 99%, and retire.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
- do not trade with minors (trade via diplomacy)
- do not build more than 1 Culture SB per sector
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Besides, it seems more fun to invade my opponents star systems with culture/party palaces (which I picture as stellar decadence-to-the-max gambling casinos/resorts) than using combat transports. Or invade with earth culture (McDonalds, Nike, Disney, Sony, BMW, ) belching out propaganda about name brands and shutting down the lame alien corporations as the masses flock for the latest fashion trend from Earth. Sometimes it is more fun to role-play the mob boss (Tony Soprano or "The Godfather") and run the party palace rather than play General Patton or Napoleon. . Just have fun . . .
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That's what I do, too. It is fun, isn't it?
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top

One of the things I'd like to see us do is put together a scenario editor where you could create a game with a gazillion special settings.

The reason we don't have more game setup options is the cost of doing the UI and such (i.e. major pain in the butt to add stuff to the screens).

But if we could put together a Win32 program (GUI) that let you tweak a zillion different settings then that I think would add a lot of life to the game.

One trivial example:

Have teams. Have the Drengin and Arceans start out allied. The Altarians and Torians allied and you and the Yor allies.  Team games I think would add a lot of fun to things.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
Another thing I'd like to see is the option to take fewer or more racial ability points at game start. There could be a suitable bonus or penalty to score (or the game just doesn't count for the metaverse).

That's a good question. What is the WORST way to spend your initial racial ability picks? Cultural resistance? Soldiering? Espionage?
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
That sounds pretty cool. Not being a programmer by nature, how hard would that be?

~SDC~
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Frogboy: Ain't there any lil' space left for a checkbox "no minors"? :(
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
Frogboy: Ain't there any lil' space left for a checkbox "no minors"?
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Why would you want that? They add so much to the game.
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Why would you want that? They add so much to the game.
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i want the opposite: 30 minors at the beginning, the rest can spawn later.
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
The reason we don't have more game setup options is the cost of doing the UI and such (i.e. major pain in the butt to add stuff to the screens).
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There are some very talented people drifting around the Metaverse. With, obviously a lot of time on their hands.

Could you not point them in the right direction and get them to do the hard work? For free?
I am sure they would enjoy it. :)
Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top
Lots of intersting ideas...

I really like the idea of having scenarios, this is what kept Railroad Tycoon II going for years.
Not only will it make the game interesting for longer but would probably keep it selling for longer too
as per RTII. In the end increasing the chances of a great GCII :)

I really like the improvements done in the expansion but though the game is now better and more balanced, it is variety which will keep me playing. If secanarios can be done, could they be saved in some kind of file format and uploaded to the library, to get other players to try it? In this way maybe someone can break the trend of Crip/Maso Military only wins :(

On a side note: If you gain a Military win where > 50% of planet takeovers were won through culture flipping and not invasion then the game should give you a CULTURE win. This rule would sure scupper me ;)

~SDC~
Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top
user friendly, I suggest you mod the ship stats (range/speed mostly).
You can also LEAVE THE UP (I wonder what this gives when you issued a law prohibiting more than 2 modules per starbase - can you get as many as you want at the cost of not trading with other civs?)

One of the things I'd like to see us do is put together a scenario editor where you could create a game with a gazillion special settings.The reason we don't have more game setup options is the cost of doing the UI and such (i.e. major pain in the butt to add stuff to the screens).But if we could put together a Win32 program (GUI) that let you tweak a zillion different settings then that I think would add a lot of life to the game.One trivial example:Have teams. Have the Drengin and Arceans start out allied. The Altarians and Torians allied and you and the Yor allies. Team games I think would add a lot of fun to things.
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Don't fret too much about the UI. People like Hawaii5O can code it for you for free. If you give us plain text files with everything moddable inside, it's already enough.
What I wanted to do was change the range and speed of ships, so that you can have fast long range fighters used to disrupt trade routes/attack transports, slow transports, fast transports able to carry few troops, and big defenders that can't leave orbit.
I also wanted to have colony ships with 0 range so you need range techs/starbases to expand, but the ai can't cope with that (or I'd have to play at a level where it doesn't get +1 range).
Colony ships with 0 speed would be fun too, but again, the ai must be told to go for +speed tech ASAP or focus on building an infrastructure. Tehre's no point in building a military if you'll never be able to expand.