Galactic Civilizations III Released!

[Jeff V]

Would it kill you to have a race of cute girls?

[El Guapo]

Would it kill you to have a race of cute girls?

What, the Asari weren't enough for you?

[tgb]

Have they said if the space hamsters will be back?

[Kraken]

This thread inspired me to play another game of MOO2.

I think we can take Stardock's silence on the subject to mean that they are not adding tactical combat.

[JonathanStrange]

Some additional concept art and screenshots were added to the GC3 media section today. What do you think?

http://www.galciv3.com/game/media" target="_blank

Except for the switch to hexes, it looks a lot like GalCiv2.

Yeah. Need stronger reason to worship GC3. Although if 64-bit architecture really is utilized (as reported), I'd bet the graphics and the AI will take the game to the next level.

[Pyperkub]

Some additional concept art and screenshots were added to the GC3 media section today. What do you think?

http://www.galciv3.com/game/media" target="_blank

Except for the switch to hexes, it looks a lot like GalCiv2.

Need to use bigimg tag too

[baelthazar]

Some additional concept art and screenshots were added to the GC3 media section today. What do you think?

http://www.galciv3.com/game/media" target="_blank

Except for the switch to hexes, it looks a lot like GalCiv2.

Yeah. Need stronger reason to worship GC3. Although if 64-bit architecture really is utilized (as reported), I'd bet the graphics and the AI will take the game to the next level.

It is a bit early to make too much of a judgement call. Stardock games tend to change dramatically during alpha and beta.

[Kraken]

Some additional concept art and screenshots were added to the GC3 media section today. What do you think?

http://www.galciv3.com/game/media" target="_blank

Except for the switch to hexes, it looks a lot like GalCiv2.

Yeah. Need stronger reason to worship GC3. Although if 64-bit architecture really is utilized (as reported), I'd bet the graphics and the AI will take the game to the next level.

It is a bit early to make too much of a judgement call. Stardock games tend to change dramatically during alpha and beta.

The AI in GC2 was among the best I've ever seen. Don't know how they could improve on that very much.

[Island Dog]

It's still early in the process, there's lot of work to be done especially with input when the alpha/betas start.

[Island Dog]

A new journal went out today giving some more info on Elsys Mue, the leader of the Altarians, and the artwork is pretty cool too.

Also, Paul Boyer, the Lead Designer for GC3 was on the Space Game Junkie podcast. Of course, GalCiv3 was a big topic.

[Kraken]

This is a half-baked ramble that's been nagging at me for some time now.

I really enjoy the early exploration phase of 4X space games. But astronomers have been able to determine star types for a long time. And in the past few years we've gotten very good at detecting planets around other stars as well. Even if an alien race bequeathed FTL travel on us tomorrow, we'd have a very good roster of potentially habitable targets by the time we built our first scout ships. In a couple more decades our next-gen telescopes should be able to detect life-bearing exoplanets.

So the traditional game model of sending scouts to generic white points of light gets a little more ridiculous with each passing year. Pushing back the "fog" is a big part of the fun of exploration, but I think the nature of tat fog needs a major creative update to reflect current and near-future astronomy.

I don't know if GC3 can be the game to make that conceptual leap, but I have some preliminary thoughts that I will sell you for $100,000 to get your designers started.

[Island Dog]

Another journal is up, this time talking about the Starbases in GC3 and the special modules they will contain.

http://forums.galciv3.com/451607

"We’re adding some great features to starbases in Galactic Civilizations III. Like in the previous game, each starbases specializes in a particular function: economics, military, cultural, or mining. However, players no longer choose a type upon construction. Instead players add a Specialization Ring that allows the starbase to perform special tasks. Once the ring is built, players can further upgrade it with special modules. These modules are key to a starbase’s strengths, such as expanding your civilization's cultural influence, defending your borders, boosting planetary economics, and mining the new resources such as antimatter that fuel the deadliest ships in any game of Galactic Civilizations III.

Other new starbase features include unique styles for each race and unique starbase modules. Fleets can now dock at a starbase, much like they can garrison friendly planets. Players can also add multiple constructor modules on a Constructor ship now."

[Island Dog]

Just a note:

The $10 Founders discount is ending on March 2nd, so if you were holding out then be sure to get in before then.

[Stuie]

This is a half-baked ramble that's been nagging at me for some time now.

I really enjoy the early exploration phase of 4X space games. But astronomers have been able to determine star types for a long time. And in the past few years we've gotten very good at detecting planets around other stars as well. Even if an alien race bequeathed FTL travel on us tomorrow, we'd have a very good roster of potentially habitable targets by the time we built our first scout ships. In a couple more decades our next-gen telescopes should be able to detect life-bearing exoplanets.

So the traditional game model of sending scouts to generic white points of light gets a little more ridiculous with each passing year. Pushing back the "fog" is a big part of the fun of exploration, but I think the nature of tat fog needs a major creative update to reflect current and near-future astronomy.

I don't know if GC3 can be the game to make that conceptual leap, but I have some preliminary thoughts that I will sell you for $100,000 to get your designers started.

I think this comes close to elucidating the problem I've always had with GalCiv - I want more science in my science-fiction.

While I understand the need to abstract various aspects in a 4x game, I feel like GalCiv goes too far. Individual solar systems should be the focus, with the space inbetween being pretty much meaningless. GalCiv seems to flip this on its head, and put more emphasis on the emptiness. This is caused by the abstraction method, a two dimensional map on which the distances between planets and stars compared to stars from other stars are non-sensical. I find the treatment provided by Sins or Endless Space to be much more palatable in this regard.

[Island Dog]

There's another Dev Journal up today expanding on the Terran leader. This is an effort to bring more character to the game and expand on the GC universe.

The self-imposed exile Admiral D.L. Bradley led his fleet into has taken its toll on the once-friendly leader. Giving the order to turn tail and run from forces he knew would simply turn their guns on undefended Terran colonies cost Bradley dearly, and he is determined to make that sacrifice count.

Sixteen years have passed in our galaxy since the Terran First Fleet escaped into the pocket dimension that previously housed the Dread Lords. Sixteen years of the fleet being cut off entirely from the fate of the rest of the human race.

Sixteen years for Bradley and his veterans to prepare the hell they so dearly wanted to unleash on the treacherous Drengin and Yor that shattered the Grand Coalition and killed untold billions of humans and their allies.

[Island Dog]

The first gameplay video is up today! The alpha is set to arrive for Founder's Elite on March 27th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwU6YFOq0Dw

[jztemple2]

The first gameplay video is up today! The alpha is set to arrive for Founder's Elite on March 27th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwU6YFOq0Dw

I got a kick out of the announcer . Still, from the number of features mentioned that have not yet been implements, I might hold off a while on ordering.

[baelthazar]

The first gameplay video is up today! The alpha is set to arrive for Founder's Elite on March 27th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwU6YFOq0Dw

Island Dog, I'm contemplating upgrading my pledge. But I wondered if you could elucidate the projected plans for DLC and expansion packs? Does the Founder cost result in a savings from buying the DLC/expansions outright?

I know I will get my money's worth from the game, given that Gal Civ 2 is one of my most-played games of all time. But I do want to know what one is getting in the Founder pledge, and I'm not overly anxious about playing an unfinished alpha.

[Citizen]

The fuck?

$99.00

[Island Dog]

The first gameplay video is up today! The alpha is set to arrive for Founder's Elite on March 27th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwU6YFOq0Dw

Island Dog, I'm contemplating upgrading my pledge. But I wondered if you could elucidate the projected plans for DLC and expansion packs? Does the Founder cost result in a savings from buying the DLC/expansions outright?

I know I will get my money's worth from the game, given that Gal Civ 2 is one of my most-played games of all time. But I do want to know what one is getting in the Founder pledge, and I'm not overly anxious about playing an unfinished alpha.

I can't speak of a specific list, but it's been said that there are at least 3-4 expansions planned, and a great deal of DLC packs that will be made for GC3, so yes there would be an overall savings.

Playing an early alpha like this isn't for everyone, but even if you are a Founder's Elite you can wait until it's further along or the actual release.

[Island Dog]

The fuck?

$99.00

That's for the Founder's Elite edition which is part of the Early Access.

-A lifetime subscription to all GalCiv III DLC and expansion packs
-Create your legacy* – Suggest a star name and get special thanks credit
-Founders' Vault* – Access exclusive art, music and more from the development team

[Butterknife]

Normally I would be all over this (well, for a reasonable price, anyway). I've watched your pre-alpha videos though and I haven't seen anything to differentiate it from GalCiv2, except for hexes. That really isn't enough to get me to buy this version.

Are you guys just remaking the same game again? What is new? I own GalCiv2, I can just play that again if I want the exact same experience.

[tgb]

I know the domestic policies interface is different, but other than that it may be awfully close to the last game.

[Kraken]

I'd like to see how it looks at maximum zoom-out (minimum zoom?), where I always played GC2.

The tactical combat that I was hoping for obviously isn't going to be in there. Lacking that, I suppose there's no reason to change a successful formula.

[tgb]

James Allen's gameplay video of the Alpha. I've not watched it yet, but I hope it clearly shows the changes made so far.

[Kraken]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

[tgb]

From what I've been reading, most of the new features aren't implemented yet. Still, it did inspire me to start a new Twilight of the Arnour game.

[Island Dog]

This is the early alpha, there's lots of things not even available yet.

This is the tentative schedule:

March 2014: Alpha 1
(the version you have now along with some minor updates)

April 2014: Alpha 2
(this version will begin to address early feedback and some new UI improvements, tech tree changes, ideology tree changes)

May 2014: BETA 1!
(This version is when the Founder Elite Edition goes away and is replaced by the normal, $49.99 game which is expected to be priced at a discount. So those people who don't like the $99 Founder Elite Edition who just want GalCiv III and would like to get it early and at a discount, this is the version you'll want.)

June 2014: BETA 1A
(this version is expected to bring in the Shipyard -- the in game ship designer amongst other things)

August 2014: BETA 2
(Diplomacy, Trade, Influence victories, culture, more in depth economics)

October 2014: BETA 3
(The Fleet Combat screen)

Beyond this point: Polish, Tweaking, Fixing, repeat.

Expected final release is 2Q2015 (April through June).

[Jeff V]

So...you're telling me that I may only have one year left on my Civ 5 obsession. I guess I should make it a point to start deliberately playing each of the nations instead of leaving it to chance.

[Grifman]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

I'll be honest, so far I'm not impressed. It looks too much like the last game. I was looking for something new and fresh but this just looks too much like the last game.

[Kraken]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

I'll be honest, so far I'm not impressed. It looks too much like the last game. I was looking for something new and fresh but this just looks too much like the last game.

At this very early stage it looks like the same basic design on the same game engine, probably made by the same core team. The logical result is lots MOTS. I really liked GC2 so I'm fine with merely getting a better version.

[Jeff V]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

I'll be honest, so far I'm not impressed. It looks too much like the last game. I was looking for something new and fresh but this just looks too much like the last game.

At this very early stage it looks like the same basic design on the same game engine, probably made by the same core team. The logical result is lots MOTS. I really liked GC2 so I'm fine with merely getting a better version.

Unfortuntely, more people say this than actually mean it. If the game came out as a minor face lift to Gal Civ II, it will get brutalzed in the media, and the player community will certainly contract around the die-hards rather than attracting new blood. I can't think of any game that enjoyed a surge of interest without significantly embellishing the player experience.

That said, this is still Alpha build which means often they are using old assets as place holders. The main reason I stopped playing alpha or beta builds is because it saps enthusiasm for the final product.

[Island Dog]

The first alpha patch is out today with lots of fixes, especially in the typo department.

Patch notes are here.

[Kraken]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

I'll be honest, so far I'm not impressed. It looks too much like the last game. I was looking for something new and fresh but this just looks too much like the last game.

At this very early stage it looks like the same basic design on the same game engine, probably made by the same core team. The logical result is lots MOTS. I really liked GC2 so I'm fine with merely getting a better version.

Unfortuntely, more people say this than actually mean it. If the game came out as a minor face lift to Gal Civ II, it will get brutalzed in the media, and the player community will certainly contract around the die-hards rather than attracting new blood. I can't think of any game that enjoyed a surge of interest without significantly embellishing the player experience.

That said, this is still Alpha build which means often they are using old assets as place holders. The main reason I stopped playing alpha or beta builds is because it saps enthusiasm for the final product.

I expect the final game to be as much of an improvement over GC2 as GC2 was over GC1. Recognizably the same game, just lots more of it. I will wait until it's on sale, as usual, so I'm easier to please than the Day One full-price crowd.

[Island Dog]

The next alpha patch is out today, and includes the ship designer for those who have been waiting for that.

There's also a dev livestream happening today at 3pm EST which will be showing the ship designer and taking questions about it on Twitch.

[ColdSteel]

Watched the first 10 minutes. I chuckled when he almost immediately started playing at maximum zoom. Appreciated seeing the game at the iconic/strategic level that I always use.

So far it just looks like GC2 with some interface improvements. The zoomed-in graphics might be prettier, too, although I rarely saw them in GC2 so I wouldn't know.

I'll be honest, so far I'm not impressed. It looks too much like the last game. I was looking for something new and fresh but this just looks too much like the last game.

At this very early stage it looks like the same basic design on the same game engine, probably made by the same core team. The logical result is lots MOTS. I really liked GC2 so I'm fine with merely getting a better version.

Despite the fun ship designer in the second game, it overall bored me to tears. The combat was particularly terrible. All in all, I preferred GalCiv1. If they didn't want tactical combat, I think they'd have been much better off going with combat similar to Birth of the Federation or Dominions 3/4. That is no hands on combat but you can give your ships orders about strategies and tactics before the battle and then watch it all play out in glorious 3D while the neat looking ships you designed do their stuff. The fact that the designer was completely cosmetic and that battles were just ships aimlessly wandering around the screen at random totally killed the fun for me.

Not looking forward to this.

[AWS260]

Despite the fun ship designer in the second game, it overall bored me to tears. The combat was particularly terrible. All in all, I preferred GalCiv1. If they didn't want tactical combat, I think they'd have been much better off going with combat similar to Birth of the Federation or Dominions 3/4. That is no hands on combat but you can give your ships orders about strategies and tactics before the battle and then watch it all play out in glorious 3D while the neat looking ships you designed do their stuff. The fact that the designer was completely cosmetic and that battles were just ships aimlessly wandering around the screen at random totally killed the fun for me.

According to this developer post, one of the new mechanics in GalCiv3 is "fleet combat decisions." I don't think it's in the current alpha.

[ColdSteel]

According to this developer post, one of the new mechanics in GalCiv3 is "fleet combat decisions." I don't think it's in the current alpha.

I guess it depends on what that means. Got my fingers crossed.

[Island Dog]

The tentative schedule was updated with the current timeline. Just to keep you updated.

June 2014: Alpha 3 - Starports and more!
We’re adding some big features and making huge changes to a few more with this alpha release. This includes larger maps, improved AI, starports, multiplayer fixes, an improved ship designer (based on your feedback from Alpha 2), resources, performance improvements and numerous UI updates.

Summer 2014: Alpha 4 - Even more systems!
We will discuss the features introduced in this patch at a later date.

Late Summer 2014: Beta 1 - (Mostly) feature complete!
Thanks in part to the valuable feedback provided by our Elite Founders, we’ll have most if not all of the major systems and features implemented in the game at this point.

This is also the point during Galactic Civilizations III development at which the Founders Elite Edition goes off sale forever, replaced by the normal $49.99 game.

Fall 2014 to Release: Beta iteration
Anything that didn’t make it into the initial beta release will be added in the following months, and we’ll be polishing, tweaking, and fixing bugs throughout until we’re happy with calling the game “finished.”

And then we’ll get to work on post-launch patches, DLC and expansions, naturally. But it’ll be officially launched at that point.

[Island Dog]

The latest alpha patch 0.30 is out today for those in the Founder's Elite.

Changelog here

Dual queues for social/military construction are back (sort of, except much cooler than before – mobile deep-space starports!), planet generation and management is reworked and vastly improved, and performance has taken a huge step forward.