Zydor

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

If the general direction and pace of Change in China was back towards a Totalitarian State - of whatever nature - I would have more sympathy, maybe even support " the protesters" more than I have. However, the change is towards a more liberal existence, for that we should all be grateful and supportive, not hyper-critical. As always in Major events and trends, there are a significant group of people who love to pick away at the edges citing individual events and actions as somehow indi

Reply to Thank you, Brad, for a truly remakable experience in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]So as the last page of the last chapter is turned on this wonderful tale that you've spun for us, I'd like to thank you for all the effort the team has made on our behalf, but mostly I salute you, Brad, for having us along for the ride.[/quote] My bet is it will return as GalCiv III in due course, although not for a while yet (aka 2010?). I think the clammer from the fan base, even the devs themselves, will be too strong to ignore. There's lots of life left in the "old dog" yet

Reply to Does anyone one else find that they play the game zoomed out far enough for icons? in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

Almost always play zoomed out as I play on Gigantic & Immense. At those sizes you need to stay zoomed out a lot to keep a perspective on what is going on around you. I think the larger the map size, the more people play zoomed out. The graphics are still appreciated a lot though, as its very easy to zoom in for detail on a particular battle etc. As always, "One Size Dont Fit All". The game's flexibility is a good thing as it widens its appeal. Regards Zy

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I think China's government is shifting back to its old ways.[/quote] They couldnt do that even if they wanted to. "The Genie" is out of the bottle, abd there's no chance of getting it back in again - even if they wanted to, which I dont believe they do. 1.4Bn people have started to get a taste of more liberal practices - there's no going back now. You cant suppress 1.4Bn people when they have a mind to go in a direction. Its a bit like King Canute and the waves - a myt

Reply to Insignifica in Twilight of the Arnor GalCiv2 Forums

Its just a game mechanic to let you know what research stage they are at, that can be useful if there is a tech race going on, assessing when to invade, etc etc. Its a bit of levity in the game designed to make you feel either "superior" - or - "Oh C%^p, I'd better get a move on with research" - or - "Opppsss I've no defence yet against [weapon tech]" etc etc Anyone taking them too seriously should not be playing the game - its a game not an egofest :LOL: Regards<b

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

My perception is China has gone down the road of Change away from Communism in its traditional form, and its past the point where it can turn back. Its people now have a far greater sense of what is achievable under more liberal conditions. They still have a centrally controlled & directed economy etc, but I cant see that surviving for long. My guess is when the older generations who knew China before and during the 1946-50 revolution have passed on, then change will occur even quicke

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I think the idea that the old times were better is not just an 'older generation Tibetan' issue. I think it might be an 'older generation of China' issue.[/quote] To a significant degree "the old times were better" will always be a prevailing emotion. We all have our views, beliefs and actions shaped by the environment in which we live and grow up - obviously, because we know nothing else ( a reason why education is so, so, important to gain a balanced perspective). Life does n

Reply to Does the U.S Prison system need a new direction? in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Does the prison system need a new direction? Oh yea, very much so! Not to be soft on crime but to be very very hard on it... to reduce it and to make it unacceptable in our society![/quote] Totally agree. In discussing this kind of issue, there tend to be two prevalent principles that drive peoples thoughts: A belief that prison is there as a punishment, or a belief its there to rehabilitate and ensure the miscreant does not do it again. I tend towards the la

Reply to Go to bed already! in Game Talk GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Whatever happened to this? I need some sleep already![/quote] Geez - you want to sleep as well - thats a mere irritating pastime between game sessions :LOL: I dunno, whippersnappers these days cant take the pressure ;) Regards Zy

Reply to Newbie questions before purchase in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

There are as many opening styles and gambiys when you start learning as there are after more experiance. My only comment at your very early stage is dont get put off if you went in "feet first" on suicidal (some do - crazy people ;) ) and got blown away like a piece of loose flotsum amidst the ravaging demons from hell descending on you ..... :D Use the lower levels as a learning experience - they give you time to react and think about the basics and Strategy, as the AI gets cripp

Reply to Sudden and extreme tech cost increases in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

Ow! Got the suspected bug today, first time. Also first time using research bonuses since updating to the release version (it was a clean install I had zapped the Beta first). No idea whether or not ability research bonuses were a significant cause. One thing I did notice was it happened when I had reduced the Production Slider to 60%. I'd had a rush of enthusiasm at the two game year point, and expanded too fast, dumping colonies everywhere. Cost spiraled of course, and I paid the

Reply to Why PC Gaming is Dying in PC Gaming GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Dying? No. A paradigm shift? Definitely. I think that there has been a "visual revolution" where games look prettier. However, there has been lacking (in my opinion) an element of fun and creativity.[/quote] Yup you hit the mail on its head. Eventually the "pretty" element will die away as a saleable feature when the Bar becomes permanently raised. At that point there will be a new "norm", and the herds will stop stampeding around for short term glory as "all will do it". <b

Reply to Brad's life philosophy, for what it's worth in GalCiv Journals GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]I'd pay $100 for some of the games the Stardock team has turned out.[/quote] Shhhh .... Geez dont give him those kinds of ideas ..... :LOL: Regards Zy

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Later, I saw the pictures of what happened to the Olympic torch in France and England and the US. I was particularly angered by the attack on the wheelchair girl. I read that the IOC wanted to cancel the torch relay because it was too political.[/quote] They must not cancel it, its precisely what a very very small minority of "protesters" want to happen. A lot of this has been caused by a Media Feeding Frenzy. The latter know perfectly well that such an issue will get emotion r

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

Russia threw off the mantle of an overpowering Monarchy in the 1918 revolution. Some may say they replaced it with something even worse *snif*. Thats certainly true. However here we are 90 years later and arguably Russia is changing - slowly - but it is changing, to a more "liberal" society. Whilst external pressures had their impact, it was in the end, the people themselves who said "enough", and forced change, fortunately without a major civil war. The declaration of independence

Reply to Sudden and extreme tech cost increases in Galactic Civilizations II GalCiv2 Forums

I played the Beta and final, and not noticed this one. One thing that seems to be the case, it looks as if the posters so far reporting this were ae "non-Terran". I always play as the Terrans. If as I suspect the basic game mecanics underneath it all are fundamentally based on Terrans, maybe its the way the other Races were customised in code that caused this? Just a vague thought, as it seems on the face of it significant that reports appear to be coming in from "non-terran

Red Arrows Banned - Unless You Help in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

I dont usually get involved in "email blasts", they can get very annoying. I am however outraged by this one, its the usual insane interference by petty politically correct Bureaucrats. It beggars belief. If you live in UK, and you feel able to support it, please click the link to the PM Petition website below to register your opinion - a safe link I promise! Only UK based votes will count.<b

Reply to The China Post in Everything Else GalCiv2 Forums

Just spent a fascinating 30 mins reading this lot - long time since I did that with a big thread .... We all should be a little more careful in Blanket condemnation of a large group of people because of the actions of a few. Every Country in World has done, or is doing things it should not. I live in UK, and no doubt our Colonial Cousins across the Pond will attest to some of our past activities, as will the Scottish re The Clearences ;p No one is a paragon of vertue. <b

Reply to Forum Bug in Bug Reports GalCiv2 Forums

I'm running V2 - still have hassles. There is a known Forum Bug they are trying to track down. One thing I have noticed which is interesting. When I use Firefox there is a continual stream of messages in the bottom left bar refering to brightcove.com (waiting for services, waiting for goku.brighcove.com etc etc), when that happens its slow to navigate away from a page, even crashes. When I use IE no messages like that are echo'd to the screeen, and I dont get nearly as much delay na

Reply to Good Starter Tactics in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

grrrr sorry re the typos - dang this edit bug, cant get in to change things when it happens. Regards Zy

Reply to Good Starter Tactics in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

A Trade Good is there to "Trade" - you own it, rather like a copyright on software. Someone wants to use your software, they pay, someone wants to use your Trade Good they pay for it. Like the software, you still own the Trade Good. The brackets mean that planet currently has no military or social production on the go, the figures inside them are the levels of production being wasted because of it. Its a king size hint for you to go look at the Planet and do something about it to pr

Reply to Brad's life philosophy, for what it's worth in GalCiv Journals GalCiv2 Forums

A CEO is a target the second he/she walks out the office door, your attitude is "the glass is half full". Too many people believe "the glass is half empty", and will continually refer to and speak about anything from the negative standpoint. The end result is they have a negative character. Life is a mirror, they end up being a negative downbeat person. The latter dont achieve, will never get what they dream of, they believe there is always something or someone else who has stopped t

Reply to Corporate America’s rejection of Vista in Personal Computing GalCiv2 Forums

[quote]Too bad Microsoft doesn't agree with us[/quote] Why should they? As long as they still sell the latest beast to meet targets (their targets, not headline induced commentator targets). When enough walk from it, they will change, until then they will move on. Thats fair enough, they are a business not a charity. [quote]I'm still running Windows 2000. It's a great OS, very stable, much less of a resource hog than XP or Vista, and also actually safer than these two. It r

Reply to Maybe I'm dumber than I thought.... in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

grrr the edit - gone again ... sorry double post. Forgot to emphasise one thing - do lots of early games (for say, 2 game years or so) then ditch the game start another. And another, and another , etc etc get into the early game, it is so important. Once you feel you have consistently nailed the early game, you are good to go. Little point struggling through a full game until you nail the early game, you only end up fire-fighting, not dictating the pace, and learn little. W

Reply to Maybe I'm dumber than I thought.... in Strategies GalCiv2 Forums

An overview of the game principles to follow and note for the early game - its in the latter where the whole thing is won or lost. 1. Economy Rules - particularly at the Gigantic / Immense maps. Its essential to really understand the economy model and how things are paid for and gained, it permiates everything, and is a signifcant background game control mechanism. 2. What you do in the early game has a HUGE effect on your later outcome - its an exponential effect. Visualis