Have any of you played Galactic Civilizations 2? If so, how does it compare to the scenario Final Frontier? More fun? Harder? Graphics? Keeps you coming back to play?

stwils

there's really no comparison....if you want to play civ in space, get GalCiv2.....final frontier is just a mini-game

Have any of you played Galactic Civilizations 2? If so, how does it compare to the scenario Final Frontier? More fun? Harder? Graphics? Keeps you coming back to play?

stwils

Final fontier is kind of lame i don't like the units that it has. (Only 5 or so miltary units[research just gets them more powerful). In gal civ2 you can make your own ships in civ4 you can not. (In final frontier you have about 3-6 planets and you can build in all of them but you have to one at a time which is a very long time) Anyways i like gal civ 2 a tad more but because civ4 bts can be moded and be changed i'll play it alot more!

Do you all mean Galactic Civ2 is a better space game adventure than Final Frontier? Is it easier to learn?

stwils

I've been playing FF more then regular BtS, so I've been enjoying it. FF plays very much like Civ 4 (obviously), about the only thing that's really different is how you improve your planets. GC2 is a different game, it has the ship designer, customizable aliens, a totally different economy, etc. It is definitely much bigger and longer than FF, and I'd say GC2 is overall better. It's worth trying out if you like sci-fi and games like civ.

FF is fun, but GalCiv 2 is so utterly far above it that there is no real comparison.

There is no comparison, GC2 is not as fun as civ4 but it's a lot better than FF.
GC2 was developed for 3 years by an entire team of developers, FF has been created by a single Firaxis developer for only a year, so you can imagine how much better is GC2.

FF is a good mod but it doesn't come close to GalCivII, but neither are very good replacements for MOO2.

One more vote for GalCiv2 -- FF is a fun Civ diversion GalCiv2 is in depth space civilization -- fun too.


Oh hey this post makes me a King! woot

It's not even a contest: GalCiv2 is an actual full blown game, not just a mod someone put together in a couple months.

GalCiv2 is by far the more complex and detailed of the two.

This can be good or bad, depending.

Personally, I find Final Frontier more enjoyable generally, though I'd like to see depth added to it (ie, the missing Civ IV features added back in).

I've been a bit disappointed with how much FF feels like galciv. Like galciv 2 light. It could almost have been a demo version of galciv, with many of its features present, but trimmed down. I know there's only so many ways of doing civ in space, but I feel that neither hit the mark.

As other people said, galciv is a full game though, so the sheer amount of content blows FF away already. All the more reason for FF to have been something different.

Heck, even the espionage system for the epic game made me think of galciv when I first read about it. It seems like Firaxis has been shopping from another game's content for BtS.

I really like FF - it lacks some more wonders, but I really appreciate how it was made. I think it's much more like MOO2 (which is and as it seems always will be the state of the art) than GC2. GC2 is a wonderful game, but it's interface is really a pain. Also the "build ship" option was not so great. The research tree is funny, but not "civ-ish". At least all in my opinion ;)

I hope the MOO2-Mod for FF will be a revival of MOO2 with CIV4-Rules, that's something to look forward too.

Yeah, it's no comparison to Galactic Civlizations. GC is great and I definitely recommend it!

:)

Occassionally I load up a game of Stars! for my space civ fix.

wow surprised to see so much feedback.. I was about to post the same question. just dl the demo version to see if it is any good. but so far all of you believe its better than FF.

NaZ

I could'nt really take FF seriously ,to be honest after playing GalCiv2. I gave it a couple games just for passing some time but I'd have to throw in GalCiv2 and throw down that way from this point on. It was more fun to me to play it from the Civ4 perspective/UI/Tech tree, but in the end I was missing quite a few things and like someone else said already , like I had just stumbled across a DEMO.

Gal Civ is in the same vein as Civ, but quite a bit different in flavor, theme, rules. And for one, you actually design ships and research specific ship technologies in Gal Civ. For two, in Gal Civ fleet combat is simultaneous, not one on one battles.

They're both good games for what they are. Mr. Schafer did a good job of taking Civ to a space/Alpha Centauri theme and not making it a copycat of Gal Civ.

Like others have said, there's no comparison, nor is there meant tobe. FF is a fun little minigame, GC2 is a deep space strategy game largely influenced by Civ and Master of Orion.

That said there's one thing FF and Civ for that matter do better than GC2, and that is inviolable borders. GC2 has culture borders much like Civ IV except that aliens can trespass at will and setup colonies deep inside your territory. Annoying as hell, I tell you.

Glad to see the general response here as I do have a soft spot for GC2! :D

GC2 is fairly deep and involving - I don't find it particularly challenging unless I make a custom race (DA expansion) that has no pop growth, econ or tech boni.... but FF is not comparable.

GalCiv2 has one asset that is far and away better than any of the Civ's -- you don't need to put the CD into your computer to play it. Just click the game icon and play.

I know Civ has Direct to Drive but their previous issues with patches for D2D led me to again buy the disk -- Stardock's method of equalizing disc and D2D programs and patches is the way to go.

I really have to disagree (slightly): Galciv 2 surely is a great game, but the unit building is (like in Space Empires 5) just time eating, and the research tree is a bit strange, compared to the civilization series. I think FF should have MUCH more wonders, units and technologies, but after all it's much more fun, you can play civ 4 in space, which is not possible with galciv 2 because you need some kind of doctor in strategy (west point academy or something like that) to "play" it.

;)

I really have to disagree (slightly): Galciv 2 surely is a great game, but the unit building is (like in Space Empires 5) just time eating, and the research tree is a bit strange, compared to the civilization series. I think FF should have MUCH more wonders, units and technologies, but after all it's much more fun, you can play civ 4 in space, which is not possible with galciv 2 because you need some kind of doctor in strategy (west point academy or something like that) to "play" it.

;)
Oh, no doubt about it, GalCiv2 is more complex -- and just like Civ if you play at the higher levels you need to use ALL the tools. GalCiv does make you use "design your own ships" to be successful at the higher levels. I'm not knocking FF -- it just GalCiv2 lite.
My PhD was in strategy --how'd you guess:smoke:

The best thing is FF is FREE with your copy of Civ 4 : BTS!

With the new expansion coming up in Nov. it sound like Galciv2 will have even more depth than it already has.

The best thing is FF is FREE with your copy of Civ 4 : BTS!


:lol:

and when you buy a car you get free wheels, free windows, free chassis, free engine, free doors, free mirrors, free headlights, free seats etc etc :p

:lol:

and when you buy a car you get free wheels, free windows, free chassis, free engine, free doors, free mirrors, free headlights, free seats etc etc :p

Well I don't buy Civ expansions for the scenarios.

yeah just got an email from stardock anouncing the new expansion....not sure if i'll pick it up but it's nice to see they're still actively developping the game =)

I got it too.... but not convinced.

A) I never liked the idea of star destroyers (yes I know a million people want them!)

B) The only improvement I really want to see now to GalCiv is some LAN capability so I can convince my flatmate to have a game with me. The trick that currently lets you run a LAN game is very buggy and unworkable on my PC.

In my humble opinion (I love this phrase, only English could came up with something like that), it's more fun to build already created ships, like in civ-ff and also in moo2 and slightly change it's abilitys (promotions, or like in moo2) than to have to build everything anew from chassis to phasers. everytime you start a new game...

but of course this discussion is not about my humble opinions *smile* - I like both games, but I am to much Civ addicted so my vote goes for FF :)

You know that in Galciv 2, you save all your designs and can use them in every game right? :)

GalCiv 2 4tW !!

You know that in Galciv 2, you save all your designs and can use them in every game right? :)

actually... I did not know :) - but I suppose, this works only if you always have the same research path. At least in space empires V - saved designs are quite useless if you have not researched all the components, that are in your saved design.


My PhD was in strategy --how'd you guess

lol - have not seen this the first time I read it. Great: now you see my point :goodjob:

yeah that's the problem with ship design and the tech tree

a specific design is tied down to a relative spot on at least 8 branches of the tech tree...the odds of needing to build a batch of ships at exactly the same tech levels is pretty much non-existent

yeah just got an email from stardock anouncing the new expansion....not sure if i'll pick it up but it's nice to see they're still actively developping the game =)

How can you say no to Terror Stars? I can't wait.

actually... I did not know :) - but I suppose, this works only if you always have the same research path. At least in space empires V - saved designs are quite useless if you have not researched all the components, that are in your saved design.

In GalCiv2 you can store your designs as templates that have no components so they're always available.
Yes you have to add components yourself every time, but it's not nearly as laborious as Space Empires V. Slap on a few guns, defenses and extras and you're good to go.

You can save all barebones models first of all - these require no techs..... this is the best way to make ALL your ships - save them as a template to add guns etc to - yes obviously if you make a huge hulled ship, you wont see it in your build queue until you research huge hulled ships, but would you want to?

I've got some fantastic designs here - spent many an hour on shipbuilding! :D

Moved to Mods/Scenarios sub-forum.

thanks to your replies I just restarted Galciv2 and I have to say, that I really don't like it too much. It's interface is just not as intuitive as in civ4 / FF. The ship upgrading takes very much time (especially if you have to upgrade every time you research a new tech...) while in FF you can get a new tech and go for the new units. of course FF is not nearly as "finished" or "complete" as it had to be, to be comparable. But if I play 5 hours, it gives me "more" than GC2.

Ke? GalCiv2 ? Anyone plays that s...crappy game?

I do not say that FF is absolutely awesome but comparing it GalCiv2 is a nonsense. Ok, so FF is not finished in my eyes but GalCiv2 [and the first one too] is terrible, almost just like Master of Orion 3.

For me the winner is Master of Orion 2 but FF has the chance to at least reach its level.

GC2 is much better.

Don't forget one thing, gc2 has no multiplayer ... that is why i don't play it.

So ff not that bad with a multi ^^

If one day gc2 has a multi maybe i will change my mind but i cannot understand no mutli (hotseat or lan) with a game with so many possibility like gc2.

Even moo2 had a multi and god knows how old it is :p

Don't forget one thing, gc2 has no multiplayer ... that is why i don't play it.

So ff not that bad with a multi ^^

If one day gc2 has a multi maybe i will change my mind but i cannot understand no mutli (hotseat or lan) with a game with so many possibility like gc2.

Even moo2 had a multi and god knows how old it is :p

GC2 drags on too long to play MP. If it were more streamlined like MOO2 then I would say sure add it in. I don't think enough people would play MP GC2 as it is now.

Have any of you played Galactic Civilizations 2? If so, how does it compare to the scenario Final Frontier? More fun? Harder? Graphics? Keeps you coming back to play?

stwils

Having now just played the BtS Final Frontier mod twice, and Gal Civ 1 & 2 my own preference is for BtS Final Frontier.

Gal Civ in my opinion forces the player to continually design new special purpose spaceships because of the various research orders that may be pursued on the tech trees, and the fact unlike the Civ series there are there different types of attack and defense, and if an unmatched attack and defense occurs, the result is much much different than a matched attack and defense.

There is one advantage both versions of Gal Civ have over the Sid Meier Civ series, a uproarious sense of humor regarding the aliens.

The only flaw I have found to date in Final Frontier is that when I took over the main planet of a neighboring civ this crashed my ability to build non-military items on all the planets of all my star systems. The fix is part of the first post at

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=234998

joel west

The only flaw I have found to date in Final Frontier is that when I took over the main planet of a neighboring civ this crashed my ability to build non-miltary items on all the planets of all my star systems. I plan on submitting a bug report to try and get a fix to this.

joel west

That sounds reminiscent of [civ2] . During war the player could opt to "militarize" his society. This would restrict all production to military units and buildings until there was peace. IIRC it was easier to build units or there was less war weariness.

That sounds reminiscent of [civ2] . During war the player could opt to "militarize" his society. This would restrict all production to military units and buildings until there was peace. IIRC it was easier to build units or there was less war weariness.
Except in this case it's actually a pretty bad bug which occurs when you capture a city with a Starport. ;) Fortunately it'll be fixed with the next patch. :D

Jon

Except in this case it's actually a pretty bad bug which occurs when you capture a city with a Starport. ;) Fortunately it'll be fixed with the next patch. :D

Jon
The bad part is that it's automatic. The benefits were only useful if you were overmatched by the AI. A long war with you stuck with only units to build was harsh.