15-07-2003 14:58									#1
	Is the Metaverse desirable? Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Bear with me and eventually you may see me point (or decide that I am a loony ).

This might seem like a really stupid question given that the purpose of the Metaverse is to find ways to improve the artificial intelligence. Improving the artificial intelligence is certainly desirable and the Metaverse seems to be very useful for that purpose.

On the other hand, many of the people here would be Civ2 veterans. Civ2 is a game with a notoriously stupid AI which relied heavily on AI cheating yet it was a game that really had that "just one more turn" quality.

Civ2 had many tactical and strategic choices which had discernible consequences even if sometimes it took quite some time for those consequences to fully manifest themselves. There was a certain complexity to city management and tile working although city management and tile working was kept refreshingly simple.

In summary, I would say that Civ2 was an excellent game concept that was put together very well. Concept and execution were so good that we continued to enjoy it despite the braindead AI.

On the other hand is Galciv. I think Galciv has a most excellent concept and an AI as good as any. I suggest there are some problems with respect to the execution of the game concept that need to be addressed. In other words Stardock should spend its time reviewing the actual gameplay instead of devoting its time to an AI which is already quite adequate (ie. overhaul the improvements).

GalCiv does not have enough tactical and strategic decisions to make. For example the opening strategy is a no-brainer, build as many colony ships as fast as possible and grab as many worlds as possible. After that there is limited planet management because most things ought not to be built on most planets because the maintenance costs are grossly overpriced.

In most games I knew that if I won the initial land grab then I would win the game. I can't remember the last game that was still in doubt by the time I obtained battleships.

I have spent the last month fooling around with new buildings, adjusting building costs, ramped up IU costs of colony ships and constructors. In my current game I really wasn't sure whether I should build factories and so forth first so I could then build colony ships faster or should I just go for colony ships (the Civ3 problem of should I build a granary first). During the course of the game all those extra planet management options arising from the new buildings had me scratching my head about build sequences. The costly constructors had me scratching my head about where and when to build starbases instead of just spamming space with them like I usually did. In my current game I have Overlord technology and I still do not know if I will prevail and I like that. (The AI is much more vigorous because it does not build itself into finacial difficulties. Interestingly the Yor are usually very strong in my mod!)

Also people do not seem to be modding Galciv on anywhere near the same scale as the Civ series because any mod needs to be acceptable to the Metaverse to get other people to play it. I think we need more diversity of mods. A greater diversity of mods means more ideas about how that excellent GalCiv game engine can be made to reach its full, and very considerable, potential.

So, umh, do you think there is any sense in what I just posted or should I stop babbling?

	15-07-2003 15:03									#2
	Full PM-box? Change here!

A note to those who respond without reading.

I am not advocating that Stardock cease making any attempt to improve the AI. Read the above post again if you think I am suggesting anything of the sort.

I am advocating that the finite time of developers and programmers be temporarily focused elsewhere.

(Umh, I remember posting for some other game that AI is not everything and some attention needs to be devoted to gameplay. I got flamed something shocking).

I am not knocking this game BTW. I have already decided to buy the sequel and the map editor if Stardock decides to produce such things.

Last edited by peterfharris on 15-07-2003 at 15:18

	15-07-2003 17:19									#3
	Increase the size of your Attachments

SD is trying to put a stamp of approval on some mods. Maybe after the expansion pack comes out they can spend more time verifying mod packs. What would be really nice would be a mod contest held by SD with drengin.net subscriptions or something as prizes.

	16-07-2003 05:20									#4
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by Harry Seldon SD is trying to put a stamp of approval on some mods. Maybe after the expansion pack comes out they can spend more time verifying mod packs. What would be really nice would be a mod contest held by SD with drengin.net subscriptions or something as prizes.

Umh, Mod contest, now that is a good idea!

Your comment made me think some more. it seems to m, that GalCiv just needs a bit more meat on its bones (as set out in my rant above and in my "Why are you putting GalCiv aside" thread) and I suppose a fair bit of this meat might already be acceptable to the Metaverse.

A fair few of the problems with GalCiv can be addressed by changing building costs and adding new buildings. OTH The efforts a player must make to dampen the effect of destabilisation really slows down development of ones empire which takes away the perception that one is moving forward. (I think it is very important that a player feel that he is/ or could make progress. If one feels one is accomplishing nothing one puts the game aside).

I am trying to stick to the things I think GalCiv needs rather than mentioning my wants. This is because I think GalCiv will die (seems a slow death has already started) if does not get some tweaking. In a couple of years I will be wanting GalCiv 2 so I don't want to see this game die.