21-05-2003 11:35									#1
	Re: Galciv vs. RoN Tired of ads?

quote: Originally posted by Tassadar5000 Galciv vs. RoN Which should I spend my money on?

That's comparing apples and oranges. Which do you like better AoK or Civ3 - if civ, then GalCiv, if AoK then RoN.

	21-05-2003 12:16									#2
	Remove this text

Yeah, what The Templar said; these are two games from very different genres. There are extensive demos available for both games, so you can try them out before buying.

Having spent too much time on both of them, I'd say they both do a great job extending their respective genres; GalCiv is a terrific 4X TBS game, and RoN is a great RTS game. Ironically, one of the best new parts of RoN (expanding culture with attrition) was taken directly from TBS games. It's implemented beautifully, though; after this and Civ3, I can't imagine a TBS game coming out that doesn't have "culture" in some form.

The AI is one of the few things you can attempt to compare between them, I suppose. GalCiv has more clever acting AI opponents and gives the feeling of a personality to the main races. RoN AI feels a bit weaker overall but handles tactical movement intelligently and is much more aggressive about pushing towards a win.

	21-05-2003 20:24									#3
	Put an end to popups!

I agree with everyone else here adding one more thing. Both games are great and worth your money. They are not botched attempts at gaming while extorting your hard earned cash like Moo3 is et al.

I have them both and if you like TBS get Galciv, else RoN. If I had to chose at owning only one based on what I know now I would choose GalCiv only because I'm a TBS'er at heart.

	21-05-2003 22:34									#4
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

What a bizarre comparison...

Download the RoN demo. Download the GalCiv demo. Decide for yourself.

	22-05-2003 00:01									#5
	Got spare money?

Throw both games up in the air ... the first one to land is the one you should buy. Then, a few weeks later, do the same thing, except leave out the first game you bought. The game that hits the ground in that toss should then be purchased. Hope this helps.

	22-05-2003 01:38									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Wait just a sec...

Tass, over in the RoN creation forum, you have a thread in which you posted a mod. I assume, given the date, that means you had the beta. So you should be pretty familiar with RoN right now, yes?

	22-05-2003 07:06									#7
	Get a bigger avatar today!

quote: Originally posted by Boris Godunov Wait just a sec... Tass, over in the RoN creation forum, you have a thread in which you posted a mod. I assume, given the date, that means you had the beta. So you should be pretty familiar with RoN right now, yes?

We just got played................

	22-05-2003 07:27									#8
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

quote: Originally posted by Haupt. Dietrich We just got played................

Consider this:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthre...&threadid=82423

Tass...what's the dealio?

	22-05-2003 22:53									#9
	Support Apolyton

I'm biased but I also really like Rise of Nations. I've been playing it for awhile (Stardock makes the Rise of Nations visual style for Microsoft in one of those bizarro world coincidences).

The single player is good and the AI is quite good in single player too. It's the first RTS I've enjoyed playing single player.

Multiplayer is a bit of a tougher issue. I've had trouble getting games started. It's finicky with routers for instance. But it is remarkably free of cheese tactics.

If I had any suggestions it would be:

1) Make air units much much much more expensive
2) Make artillery units much much more expensive
3) Make the default speed slightly slower.

But these are very minor things overall. I highly recommend it.

	23-05-2003 01:43									#10
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by Draginol I'm biased but I also really like Rise of Nations.

Now I'd really like to know Brian Reynolds' view on GalCiv.

	23-05-2003 06:23									#11
	Suffering from ads?

Both of them are nothing more than slightly improved retreads of games everyone was sick of two years ago.

Personally I think Age of Kings is still a better game than RoN, primarily because it is set in a single era instead of inappropriately trying to cover the whole history of civilization in an RTS. Sending a horde of paladins against an enemy city, for instance, does not offend my sense of immersion. Sending twenty tanks racing overland to take "London" does.

Galciv does a nice job with the alignment system, but other than that it is mostly a step backwards for TBS games. The economic system is ridiculous, even by 4X standards. Combat is tedious and highly exploitable.

Personally, I recommend spending your money on game designers with new ideas, instead of encouraging producers to rehash the same old designs over and over.

	25-05-2003 09:53									#12
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Originally posted by Tassadar5000 It was highly unstable. HIGHLY unstable. I mean, unplayable unstable.

Doesn't stop you from trying.

	26-05-2003 00:49									#13
	Suffering from ads?

quote: Originally posted by Vanguard Galciv does a nice job with the alignment system, but other than that it is mostly a step backwards for TBS games. The economic system is ridiculous, even by 4X standards. Combat is tedious and highly exploitable.

The combat system is just par for the course with purely strategic 4x unfortunately. This is one of those instances where MoO3 had a damn good idea (although somewhat lacking in execution). Even MoO2 and SE4 tactical combat somewhat cuts down on the first fire advantage. I actually like the economic system - even if it is a little trade dependent. Has Brad been reading lots of interdependency theory or something?

	26-05-2003 05:16									#14
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I like the trade dependency. It makes economic warfare viable.

	26-05-2003 06:09									#15
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

I think this actually works pretty well in the game. However, I also think the idea of trade interdependency is somewhat bogus. Prior to WW1, many people thought that war had become "impossible" due to the economic interdependancy of the major European powers. As it turns out, of course, not only did the European powers not collapse due to the war, they actually expanded quite nicely.

	26-05-2003 08:16									#16
	Full PM-box? Change here!

It doesn't make war impossible. It makes economic war possible (closing trade routes, pirating them, fighting a war near them, etc.). It adds a lot of (realistic) depth to the game.

	29-05-2003 23:54									#17
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

quote: Originally posted by Pyrkaige Yeah, what The Templar said; these are two games from very different genres. There are extensive demos available for both games, so you can try them out before buying.

Sorry if this was answered already, but where can I find these demos?

	30-05-2003 03:12									#18
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

For Rise of Nations (~ 190 MB):

http://www.gamesdomain.com/demos/demo/1854.html

For Galactic Civilizations (~ 50 MB):

http://www.strategyinformer.com/dow...downloads.shtml

	03-06-2003 06:42									#19
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

galciv or RoN, ok, take the money and go to the a Party, drink lot's and take a girl, maybe more than one, to the Motel, it's more fun.

	05-06-2003 19:24									#20
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by Brazuca galciv or RoN, ok, take the money and go to the a Party, drink lot's and take a girl, maybe more than one, to the Motel, it's more fun.

	06-06-2003 23:51									#21
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Check out the RoN forum boys 'cause Tassy bought RoN, not GalCiv!

	15-06-2003 10:39									#22
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

HELP ME! I'M FLIPPING!!! The evil Microsoft empire has planted a starbase in my sector and added the Rise of Nations module to it. I'm flipping, help me help me!