Chippoka

Reply to Calling Chippoka: Borg Cube in Mods Stardock Forums

Thanks Moser... I was that's what I already have, and in tinking earlier this evening, I stumble onto a item in a menu to permit importing Paint Shop Pro pal files. Err, "user error" on my part in trying to get up to speed. I've spent a good deal of time at Dark Rain's site this past several weeks, but missed that tid-bit. I don't know where'd we be without the stuff Dark Rain has done to aid the mod creation process! [Message Edited]

Reply to Calling Chippoka: Borg Cube in Mods Stardock Forums

Hmm, I'll need to investigate the race 35 graphic... there shouldn't be any Dreadnaughts popping in as Borg Cubes; the graphic file names where actually taken from the Excaliber MDL and swapped with the Borg Graphic; and changed as required for the new graphic. I'm surprised it was a Dreadnaught. It'll have to double-check that I didn't miss swapping out a file inside the MDL for race 35 (minor AI). Yes, the color is still something I need to figure out. The MDL uses a *.PAL_ file and m

Reply to Where can i get the newest version of GalCiv Writer? in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

For ships you need more than GC Writer. You'll need a good graphics art program that can permit you the ability to make only certain areas "transparent" and work in the *.png format (like JASC Paint Shop Pro -about a $129 at Office Max or similar store), a PAL editor, a ship rotater, Sprite Editor, and an MDL file unpacker/packer. 1. GC Writer in it's newest form needs an additional program (Net Framework) in order to work (I'm told), but the version prior to the latest does not, and i

Reply to Breaking the 'normal' barrier. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Thanks Peace Phoenix. Inspite of some of my comments, I still kind'a like the economic system, due to the fact I appreciate original design (as it seems to me); and it becomes clear the player must look at other ways of earning income (like trade and other things you mention), and that adds a new dynamic missing in many other space 4X games (or were not explored enough in thier innate designs); the end result is the diplomatic route is advanced greatly, as is social construct (culture); so that

Reply to How do production bonuses work? in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

As I continue to learn the details of the game, mostly from playing it, it is becoming clear to me, especially after reading threads like this one, that it is important to use those governers in order to specialize (I wish they would remember build ques as default without having to re-enter them each game - I hate that). I only recently started to refuse construction of every kind of improvement in favor of specilizing... it has helped my games greatly.

Reply to Well Done Stardock! in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

I would also like to say "Thank You" and "Well Done." Any issues I have regarding the game are fairly small in my mind and are far out weighted by the things I do like about it. Even though it is a 4X game (I've tried near every 4X space game ever broadly marketed in the US since the 1980s), it is very original in it's design which is refreshing, especially since there isn't really too much to dislike in it's concepts. I will be buying the next edition of it :)

Reply to How do production bonuses work? in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

I suppose one might wish to build at least one decent planet loaded up with all the possible manufacturing bonus improvements in order to get, say, an Overlord, built in minimum time at full spending (100%)? Or is that false? If false, then why even designing improvements to have maintenace costs beyond the threasholds (whatever) that you stated earlier, as no player in "the know" would want to build them... knowing there is a catch that basicly makes them useless and rips the player off, so to

Reply to Breaking the 'normal' barrier. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Only reason I did that particular thing, even when the AI do it (which I don't mind), was I have always felt that the game economics algoritim is a bit of hog on preventing the player from having a decent surplus of the collected taxes. I still do fine with or without the mod, BTW, and I just see it as yet another feature to research. Toward the end of the game, even with this mod active, most of my planets still have total maintenace costs that are still well positive in the 3 digits (most of m

Reply to The Monstrous Mod V2.0 in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Perhaps the AI looks for balance in Attack and Defense and since the Monsters have a low defense, it may not be so "willing" to make them? They don't make the Phoenix or Antimatter missile much either, which are also ships with a low defense. It'll be some time with the Leviathans, as my time is limited (my job keeps me pretty busy), but it is my next project when I finish tinkering with my Borg cube color improvements. That's available if you want to see it (there a readme file and i

Reply to Slow Ship Graphic On High-End Graphics Cards/PCs in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

[quote]#8 by Citizen NameisToad - 1/3/2005 7:26:08 PM You are correct, sir. I missed your stats in the original post. (getting blind in my old age...)If you are experiencing similar slowdowns to what I am, perhaps your allusion to large arrays is the best answer. I know I don't mind the (very slight) slowdown due to the "large stacks" of 50+ ships. [/quote] True, on my new PC, is really is not "an issue," I exaggerated some trying to make the point... it aught not even be? [qu

Reply to Breaking the 'normal' barrier. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

[quote]About manufacturing power: don't forget that a part of the bonus given to manufacturing must be paid. So if you aren't at 100% spending rate (default is 50% in january 2178), and generating a lot of free production (manufacturing capital is a must but can only be nuild on one planet), having manufacturing bonus and lower spending rate is generally the same that not having manufacturing bonus and a greater spending rate. Especially if production is wasted (ie more production used than requ

Reply to The Monstrous Mod V2.0 in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Now that I know how to do the ship MDL files and make new ship graphics, I'm thinking of giving the Leviathans white noses so that I can tell them apart from the Monsters ships. :) Monsters and Leviathans... couldn't the AI be coaxed to making them more often by increasing the AI value (in both the tech tree and imp)? The Monster Mod is one of the only true functioning self-contain MDL ship mods I know of at this site.... I wish there were others that are mostly "stand-alone.

Reply to Slow Ship Graphic On High-End Graphics Cards/PCs in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Thanks for the replies. @NameisToad: I did at the beginning of this thread. That should be enough? Perhaps not? Should I up the ram some more (I may give that a try)? Yet, what you and I have as PCs should have been far more than enough given the relatively simple graphics of the game, right? It certainly is way less complex, for example, than the 2D graphics of Master Of Orion II or Pax Imperia, yet the latter two games perform extremely well even on older machines. It does s

Reply to FAQ's - Galactic Civilizations in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

I use a mouse... but key... looking.. top left diagonal route... key pad 7.

Reply to FAQ's - Galactic Civilizations in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Woops, no they really don't move diagonal very well... it's like they have minds of thier own when on auto-pilot, lol. But yes, diagonal movement is possible.

Reply to FAQ's - Galactic Civilizations in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

I think you'll like the full monty better (two new races). Play AP. It's really the same as GC, but it has the extra stuff. Be sure to get it all patched-up after installing it. Use the Star Dock update program to retrieve your patches (not all of them are listed at thier downloads page).

Reply to Bug Reports in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

In AP, why do game graphic in rare instances sometimes come to a near stand-still needing a minute or two before completing a simple ship weapons firing sequence and an enemy ship subsequent explosion (also needing a few minutes)? I use a high end PC (if that matters). It happens if mods are used or not. Has anyone else had this problem?

New Borg Ship Graphic Mod For Modders (Preliminary) in Mods Stardock Forums

Have fun with a Borg Cube ship graphic.... This is in a zip file for those wishing to take a peak or use it in its current state which is fully fucntional in the game. It won't cause issues with any existing installation of GC or AP with or without mods. The Borg Cube graphic MDL file requires no tech file in order to be built... and it can built on the first few turns of the game in order to be looked upon and tried. It will change color when you give it to an AI player, but n

Reply to Newbie here with ideas in Mods Stardock Forums

[quote]1) Okay, do not like the fact that after researching wormholes one can not blink from one end of the map to another, if not, what is the point of researching the tech?[/quote] Heh, yep, the tech screen description makes you think you might eventually get to gain such possibilties, given the traditional expections for "Worm Holes" in SciFi. I was disappointed to find they do nothing and don't exist in the game. I thought as an near the end tech tree - near the end of the game, it

Reply to Breaking the 'normal' barrier. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

[quote]Soil, Nucleur Power (mod), Fusion Power, Entertainment, Bank, Manufacturing, Habitat Improvement... then money sorts of improvements; more production improvements, and more moral improvements... Phoenix: Well, at the early stage of a planet, Fusion power has a too high cost for its benefit. I generally go for : Soil enrichement, habitat improvement (PQ bonus means greater production and better morale), bank (for money), entertainement network (35 Bc for a +20%

Reply to Guns Vs. Butter - - Macro and micro. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

[quote]If I read you correctly, there is but one slider for production... true... so how are the funds divided out between ship building verses social improvements? Reply: On the domestic screen (the one with the Tax Rate slider and the Overall spending slider) you will notice on the bottom left a box which contains 3 vertical sliders. The one on the left tells what percentage of your spending goes to Military construction, the middle one is for Social construction, and the ri

Reply to Guns Vs. Butter - - Macro and micro. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

[quote]As I see it, only improvements which increase "Star Ship Quality" result in gains for faster warship construction. Improvements in factories result in reduced times to make social improvements (banks, entertainment improvements, etc) Wrong: starship quality give bette stats. Planetary maufacturing bonus work on social AND military production (contrary to empire wide manufacturing bonus that are specialized). And to some extend to research[/quote] Thanks for clearing that

Reply to Guns Vs. Butter - - Macro and micro. in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

I'm not too happy with the economic system myself, but I can live with it as being an original concept that works... with which I can well live with. That said... My thoughts... To me, the social aspect is the ability of the culture to make a shipyard or bank or store in a given period of time, whereas the production (military production) is the shipyard's abiltity to produce warships in a given period of time. Honestly, I don't know if they are related in the game's algorithm.

Reply to game help in Galactic Civilizations I Stardock Forums

Menu... erm, it's one at the center top of the screen of the game... not the pre-game configuration menus (assuming here). Are you running mods? If there are typos or errors... perhaps such are the cause... the menu can be slow to access (a few minute wait - a known bug) if the GCTech file is modified (to what degree of changes, I'm not sure).

Reply to are there any good skins for the human ships? in Mods Stardock Forums

An aside for those keeping tabs... I've got all 3 png pictures required for my Borg Cube and have created a seperate BorgCube.MDL. To use the MDL, a player will need a ship file. I will place these at my ftp site in a zip file for those wishing to take a peak. It won't cause issues with any existing installation of GC or AP with or without mods. The Borg Cube requires no tech to build and can be built on the first few turns of the game in order to be looked upon and tried. It will chan