BortiiS, The
11-18-2003, 01:23 AM
Okay, I was probably a bit too hard on this game in my other post, but I still stand by what I said, that is, in regards to the sluggish graphics engine with graphics about as old as MOO2, if not older.
As well as various bugs and alot of rough edges.
I said the game is still OKAY, and it is.
It's not bad.
It's better that alot of other 4X games I've played, and it's a relief to play a game like this, which is very inspired by MOO2 and others 4x games, and tries to capture the spirit of those games, while adding plenty of features of its own.
For a hardcore fan of science-fiction, the game is a gem.
One of the things I appreciate about it, is that there is plenty to do besides warmongering and wiping out the other side.
I wish more could have been done in the diplomacy section (you have to "Research" the ability to make "alliances"--which is absurd, for example), but you can establish trade, explore, or concentrate on research, and special projects.
The game does a seemingly good job of balancing and pacing the game enough, so that you won't have a game like in MOO2, where an intergalactic war can wipe everyone out in just a few turns.
As far as war goes in the game, it's very hard to take over a planet, and is similar to ST:Birth of the Federation, in that you have to build military transports, and transport millions of troops to attack.
One thing that is cool, is the ability to choose from a variety of invasion tactics.
Do you fight traditionally?
Or, do you use any of an assortment of unconventional tactics, like Information Warfare, Mass Drivers (borrowed from Bablyon 5-heheheh, you can lob asteroids at the planet in support of your invading forces), gas attacks, mini-death-drones (is some of this borrowed from Battlefield:Earth?), etc.
When you colonize a planet, about over half the time, you are presented with a dilemma regarding that planet...in that it may already have natives, for example.
At this point, you get three choices of what to do, "moral" choices.
Do you work around them and take penalties? Do you try to move them to reservations or other areas? Do you exterminate/enslave them?
A variety of random events with dilemmas also come up, and it reminds me of Castles 2 where you had colorful random events that presented you with situations where you could decide on what do to.
Can you make moral decisions? Or give in to greed?
I thought this was great, I mean, we see alot of this in RPG games (well, the Bioware/Black Isle and Troika games, anyways), so it was nice.
Your decisions effect your standing, obviously, and if you become "too good" or "too evil", the game interface graphics actually end up changing to reflect it!
There is the United Planets, which is a UN-like body. It presents galactic-situations where you vote on, sort of like in Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
However, the difference is, that you cannot propose any measures, they seem to be picked randomly at each meetings (which is every X number of years, I think).
In Alpha Centauri, you could propose measures and even elect a chairman. Of course, some of the choices were few in that game, but it was disappointing at first, that this feature was not in Galactic Civilizations. Also, you cannot have the planetary council in SMAC until you discover all the other civilizations.
In GC, if you know just one, you get this, which is kinda unrealistic, if you ask me!
YET, you get used to it, in that they probably sacrificed the ability to make your own proposals, in favor of a randomly-generated system, which probably allows them to offer a whole bunch of dilemmas.
Ship construction is simple, simple classes of ships.
This is a bit off-putting, considering I've been spoiled one 4X games that let you build custom ships and all, but by keeping it simple, it keeps the game balanced, like a RTS game, where each side has the same units.
This makes it, so that the real determination, of who wins a war, depends on who has the ability to make the strongest ship.
But it goes beyond that, because your technology to build the ship is useless unless you can churn it out as fast as you need to.
Thus, your economy, industry, and other domestic aspects affect directly your ability to wage a war.
Realistically, it effects everything, including how everyone view's you, which, for example, can affect your political party in your government's senate, which can affect a host of others things.
Most 4X games, at the most, will have an "unhappiness" level rise up, and that's it.
Overall, the game is engrossing, in that there is considerable detail put into in "others areas". It's not just some "conquer-the-galaxy" game.
It borrows alot of other features I haven't mentioned, from alot of other games, and it takes some of the best ones (like in SMAC, you can achieve victory through diplomacy, economics, conquest, and some alien-ascendancy-type thing, I think, at least 1 other way, I don't remember it exactly).
I guess you can best describe it as MOO2-meets-SMAC-meets-ST:BOTF.
Considering that MOO3 bombed, SE4 isn't readily available (order-only, and from only like a couple online stores, last I checked), then I'd recommend this game, especially to any fan of 4X games.
But, with worthy reservations, because of the problems I mentioned before. If you're willing to put up with its annoying aspects, then you should get along just fine with this game, obviously.
As well as various bugs and alot of rough edges.
I said the game is still OKAY, and it is.
It's not bad.
It's better that alot of other 4X games I've played, and it's a relief to play a game like this, which is very inspired by MOO2 and others 4x games, and tries to capture the spirit of those games, while adding plenty of features of its own.
For a hardcore fan of science-fiction, the game is a gem.
One of the things I appreciate about it, is that there is plenty to do besides warmongering and wiping out the other side.
I wish more could have been done in the diplomacy section (you have to "Research" the ability to make "alliances"--which is absurd, for example), but you can establish trade, explore, or concentrate on research, and special projects.
The game does a seemingly good job of balancing and pacing the game enough, so that you won't have a game like in MOO2, where an intergalactic war can wipe everyone out in just a few turns.
As far as war goes in the game, it's very hard to take over a planet, and is similar to ST:Birth of the Federation, in that you have to build military transports, and transport millions of troops to attack.
One thing that is cool, is the ability to choose from a variety of invasion tactics.
Do you fight traditionally?
Or, do you use any of an assortment of unconventional tactics, like Information Warfare, Mass Drivers (borrowed from Bablyon 5-heheheh, you can lob asteroids at the planet in support of your invading forces), gas attacks, mini-death-drones (is some of this borrowed from Battlefield:Earth?), etc.
When you colonize a planet, about over half the time, you are presented with a dilemma regarding that planet...in that it may already have natives, for example.
At this point, you get three choices of what to do, "moral" choices.
Do you work around them and take penalties? Do you try to move them to reservations or other areas? Do you exterminate/enslave them?
A variety of random events with dilemmas also come up, and it reminds me of Castles 2 where you had colorful random events that presented you with situations where you could decide on what do to.
Can you make moral decisions? Or give in to greed?
I thought this was great, I mean, we see alot of this in RPG games (well, the Bioware/Black Isle and Troika games, anyways), so it was nice.
Your decisions effect your standing, obviously, and if you become "too good" or "too evil", the game interface graphics actually end up changing to reflect it!
There is the United Planets, which is a UN-like body. It presents galactic-situations where you vote on, sort of like in Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
However, the difference is, that you cannot propose any measures, they seem to be picked randomly at each meetings (which is every X number of years, I think).
In Alpha Centauri, you could propose measures and even elect a chairman. Of course, some of the choices were few in that game, but it was disappointing at first, that this feature was not in Galactic Civilizations. Also, you cannot have the planetary council in SMAC until you discover all the other civilizations.
In GC, if you know just one, you get this, which is kinda unrealistic, if you ask me!
YET, you get used to it, in that they probably sacrificed the ability to make your own proposals, in favor of a randomly-generated system, which probably allows them to offer a whole bunch of dilemmas.
Ship construction is simple, simple classes of ships.
This is a bit off-putting, considering I've been spoiled one 4X games that let you build custom ships and all, but by keeping it simple, it keeps the game balanced, like a RTS game, where each side has the same units.
This makes it, so that the real determination, of who wins a war, depends on who has the ability to make the strongest ship.
But it goes beyond that, because your technology to build the ship is useless unless you can churn it out as fast as you need to.
Thus, your economy, industry, and other domestic aspects affect directly your ability to wage a war.
Realistically, it effects everything, including how everyone view's you, which, for example, can affect your political party in your government's senate, which can affect a host of others things.
Most 4X games, at the most, will have an "unhappiness" level rise up, and that's it.
Overall, the game is engrossing, in that there is considerable detail put into in "others areas". It's not just some "conquer-the-galaxy" game.
It borrows alot of other features I haven't mentioned, from alot of other games, and it takes some of the best ones (like in SMAC, you can achieve victory through diplomacy, economics, conquest, and some alien-ascendancy-type thing, I think, at least 1 other way, I don't remember it exactly).
I guess you can best describe it as MOO2-meets-SMAC-meets-ST:BOTF.
Considering that MOO3 bombed, SE4 isn't readily available (order-only, and from only like a couple online stores, last I checked), then I'd recommend this game, especially to any fan of 4X games.
But, with worthy reservations, because of the problems I mentioned before. If you're willing to put up with its annoying aspects, then you should get along just fine with this game, obviously.