Twilight Beta 6

Published on March 20, 2008 By CariElf In GalCiv Journals

I know that you guys have been waiting for this update for awhile, and I apologize, but we've had a nasty bug going through the office and as soon as someone recovers enough to come back to work, the next person gets it. I'm still recovering from it, actually, but since it's a viral infection only time will get rid of it.

If you can't see the beta, try switching to US-1 as that's the server that gets the updates first, then it synchs to US-2. You may also need to Refresh your XML Files (tools->options->internet).

As vague as "Various AI changes" is, the majority of the changes are actually to the AI in this beta. However, rather than delaying the beta to allow Brad write a comprehensive list of the changes, we're putting up with the vagueness.

+ NEW: Now including the Scenario Editor

+ NEW: Now including the Campaign Editor

Note: We've had a report that the new editors require mfc71.dll. We've fixed the problem here but we can't put up another update because the person who does that has already gone home for the 4 day weekend (we get both Friday and Monday off). If you Google the file, you can download it for free. Sorry about the inconvenience.

+ NEW: Added InfoIcon for new ship design notification

+ FIXED: Some incorrect thumbnails for updated ship components

+ FIXED: Bug where trade route was cancelled after the freighter was destroyed too few times, fix also fixes the freighter command.

+ FIXED: Bug with research all cheat key that gave you bonuses for techs you already researched

+ FIXED: Added code to make sure that the Dread Lords never make peace

+ FIXED: Bug where if you had more than 1000 Ascension points, you wouldn't win

+ FIXED: Crash due to null Civ pointer in alien message dialog

+ FIXED: Added check for null crystal pointer in ai drengin function

+ FIXED: Bug where galaxy not clearing ascension crystals from game to game

+ FIXED: Bug where sector mapper was not clearing ascension crystals from game to game

+ TWEAK: Various AI changes

Comments (Page 2)

Frogboy

on Mar 20, 2008

Oh yea, The AI coding begins in earnest this weekend. So far, I've been just scrunching around the edges.

Frogboy

on Mar 20, 2008

Yes, I made up that word. Scrunching.

Vinraith

on Mar 20, 2008

Thanks Cari, hope everyone at SD is feeling better. There was mention in another thread of this being the last expansion because you "weren't going to be able" to put out more expansions. Could anyone clarify why that is? I know *I*'d pay for one...
I can't say for certain, but Brad probably meant that there's diminishing returns on making additional expansion packs, the amount of work it takes to make an expansion pack vs the number of people who will buy it. It's not really that we aren't actually able to, it's just that it's in our better interests to put the developer hours on new titles which will sell more than another expansion for GalCiv2. Also, GalCiv3 will benefit greatly from the technology we're developing for our fantasy strategy game.

I suppose I can understand that. It's a shame though, it seems like there's still an enormous amount of potential in the current game engine.

Emperor_Seth

on Mar 20, 2008

Can you at least try to allow two custom races, just two? Because i don't enjoy modding, plus it's unfun for me. And do the videos have to be bink because the internet connection on my desktop is messed up so i have to use my lap top's wirless in order to use the internet so downloading anything is impossible ? I wanted to make a Star Wars themed campaign without using mods so please can you because, i've been making movies with windows movie editor and i've completed half of them so can you guys please try to allow non-bink videos to be used?

Emperor_Seth

on Mar 20, 2008

*
It's a MFC (Microsoft Foundation Classes) dll that is included with Visual Studio 2003. We forgot to test on machines that didn't have Visual Studio installed. We've fixed it here, but the person who puts up the updates has already gone home for the 4 day weekend so we won't be able to update the game again until Tuesday at the earliest. You should be OK downloading it from the sites that google comes up with.

my coumputer is from 2006 so will the editors still work?

Stanley Tarrant

on Mar 20, 2008

Do we have the ability to completely edit technologies? This is the part that I would kill for!!!

For example, will we eventually be able to name a tech, determine the prereqs and techs after it, and say it gives you that does say 45 damage, and uses the built in doomray animation? And if we are not satisified, we can choose instead the built in laser animation?

Stanley Tarrant

on Mar 20, 2008

The real question is: will Brad put up some notes on AI changes LATER? Thanks, I'm looking forward to giving this a shot!

Dang, the AI is already approaching Sky Net functionality.....

Stanley Tarrant

on Mar 20, 2008

Thanks Cari, hope everyone at SD is feeling better. There was mention in another thread of this being the last expansion because you "weren't going to be able" to put out more expansions. Could anyone clarify why that is? I know *I*'d pay for one... I can't say for certain, but Brad probably meant that there's diminishing returns on making additional expansion packs, the amount of work it takes to make an expansion pack vs the number of people who will buy it. It's not really that we aren't actually able to, it's just that it's in our better interests to put the developer hours on new titles which will sell more than another expansion for GalCiv2. Also, GalCiv3 will benefit greatly from the technology we're developing for our fantasy strategy game.I suppose I can understand that. It's a shame though, it seems like there's still an enormous amount of potential in the current game engine.

I will second this, we need to be able to use custom races for this. To edit a map, campaign, scenario, tech tree, it only makes sense to not have to use drengin, yor, etc.

di55ec7ion

on Mar 20, 2008

The question may sound stupid - to all those that already own TA and have played the beta:

Would you advise me buying it? The unique technology trees are very appealing, but just be honest. Any critics yet?

Zydor

on Mar 20, 2008

Would you advise me buying it? The unique technology trees are very appealing, but just be honest.

The euphemism "Die for it" is overused, but it really does apply to TA. I have never seen a more comprehensive "Expansion Pack" on the market, and they are still adding to the Beta, its stunning. In the hands of a less scrupulous Publisher, the Marketing Director would be insisting on calling it GalCiv3.

Sins made a huge impact on release, in my view TA will make a relatively similar impact, even to the extent that other Fan Bases might even challenge their favorite publisher "if they can do it, why cant you ..." A little fanciful maybe, but I'll bet many will think that way at the very least.

There will be an unspoken Gauntlet thudding on the floor when TA is released, and I don't believe many other gaming houses can at present respond to the incredible Value For Money TA gives, and will have a hard time picking up the Gauntlet.

Watch out for the 2008 Awards season at year end - Sins and TA will figure way up there on the list, and will pick up a few "Best of" awards, of that I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever.

Regards
Zy

DSep

on Mar 21, 2008

Was the fix with the Race Specific tech trees not loading from the correct mod path in TA fixed?

-Dave

SIR NASTY OF TANG

on Mar 21, 2008

Thanks for the INFO Cari I hope you and Team start to feel better Soon !!!

Thanks Drengin for the MFC71.DLL Link too !!

Now off to get Beta 6

Nasty

SIR NASTY OF TANG

on Mar 21, 2008

Cari FYI I had to D/L Mfc71.DLL msvcr71.DLL and Msvcp71.DLL to get Campaign Editor and Scenario Editor to work not sure why I needed all three

Nasty!!

Edit add d3dx9_27.DLL too !!! for map editor

DivineWrath

on Mar 21, 2008

Its not a stupid question if thats what you are asking. I've enjoyed the game thus far, and I can only expect it to get better. I already consider it worth my money, even if the game isn't ever finished.

________________

As for critics, I'm one of them. Though I have mentioned problems here and there, the only one I really want fixed is how the Yor economics have been handled thus far. The mixing of morale and food structures, known as charging stalks, though an interesting approach, it doesn't provide nearly the same economic support as the civs have with the ability to freely build economic structures.

The Yor don't have the ability to build as many economic as you want. You are currently restricted to 2, 1 per planet stuff that actually provide a bonus to economy. This makes it difficult to do stuff without spending points into economics and morale, and hunting down every economic and morale galactice resource. Because of the 25 bil population limit that effectively restricts population growth due to horrible morale, many high PQ worlds might have unused tiles, simply because it isn't worth the cost to add more structures.

Many have argued that you can get around this problem by buying techs from the other races, but that only shows how inept the Yor's economy is currently is.

DivineWrath

on Mar 21, 2008

By the way, has anyone had any troubles downloading the recent update, I haven't had any success. I have swithced to US-1. I've refreshed the xml data and asked SDCentral to check for new application updates several times. I've even uninstalled TA, and it still doesn't show the new version.

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