[Other games] Galactic civilizations released March 26th. - Page 3

Fyron · #21 March 16th, 2003, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taz-in-Space:
I agree. To those who don't Try:

Hard AI, no neutral empires, many computer opponents, Max AI advantage, and check all computer vs human. I have tried this repeatedly, in many different sizes of galaxys, and have never managed to win. (Oh, I also use the TDM AI's)

That is not a result of good AI, it is a result of stacking lots of bad AIs against you.

raynor · #22 March 16th, 2003, 11:18 AM

LOL!

neomax · #23 March 16th, 2003, 03:51 PM

Well, the developer of GalCiv declares that their strong AI is due to the multi-threaded mechanism. I remember there is an option to set a total ship number uplimit in order to reduce end-game AI calculation time. So calculation is very time-consuming for the computer. But using multi-threaded mechanism, the GalCiv probably won't have such kind of issue, because the computer thinks while the player is still making his arrangement!

Fyron · #24 March 16th, 2003, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neomax:
Well, the developer of GalCiv declares that their strong AI is due to the multi-threaded mechanism. I remember there is an option to set a total ship number uplimit in order to reduce end-game AI calculation time. So calculation is very time-consuming for the computer. But using multi-threaded mechanism, the GalCiv probably won't have such kind of issue, because the computer thinks while the player is still making his arrangement!

So? They could just as easily make a deep, feature-rich game and use a multi-threaded AI mechanism. Instead, they chose utter simplicity.

raynor · #25 March 17th, 2003, 06:01 AM

[quote]Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

Quote:

So? They could just as easily make a deep, feature-rich game and use a multi-threaded AI mechanism. Instead, they chose utter simplicity.

You are mistaken. Gal Civ is a much more complex game than SEIV and has many more features. To top it all off, it has a rock solid AI. As a single player game, it will easily be a better game than SEIV.

Fyron · #26 March 17th, 2003, 06:31 AM

Just attack and defense value of ships for combat resolution? Sounds very complex to me.

What features does it have that SE4 doesn't? Besides multi-threaded AI (which does nothing for the complexity of a game).

[ March 17, 2003, 04:32: Message edited by: Imperator Fyron ]

raynor · #27 March 17th, 2003, 09:40 AM

The socio-economic and diplomacy models are more complex. The planetary infrastructure is more complex. In effect, Gal Civ makes SEIV look like a game that is just about moving about fancy looking ships. SEIV really is a pretty simple game when you get down to it. Given that the author of SEIV didn't have to consider politics, social forces, planetary infrastructure, etc, it really is disappointing that he couldn't come up with at least a checker-like AI. Still, the Eliza-like intelligence simulation does well enough when you give it a bonus that is about 2000% of the bonus in any other equivalent space conquest game.

Fyron · #28 March 17th, 2003, 10:26 AM

If you can only interact with the AI, complex diplomatic models do not mean much. It all boils down to "do we like you or not". SE4 actually has a complex diplomatic model; the AI just does not work with half of it.

So basically, GalCiv has a lot of needlessly complex information and models. There is often beauty in simplicity. From what you have said, it sounds like GalCiv will be a micromanagment hell.

That level of detail for each and every planet looks like too much for a 4X game. You are not developing a planet, but an inter-galactic empire. The focus should not be on planetary infrastructure and the socio-economic forces of each planet, but more on a galactic scale.

SE4 could use a little more complexity in planetary infrastructure and such, but not too much.

Mephisto · #29 March 17th, 2003, 11:31 AM

Why don't we just wait and see?

gregebowman · #30 March 17th, 2003, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

FQM can be used with nearly any other mod, so it can easily extend the playing time of any other mod. Just play some games with FQM Deluxe: it makes the maps much richer and more varied, and overall gives (IMHO) a better experience than using the standard quadrant/system schema.

As one who had just started to use FQM, I guess the question would be asked which mods can't use FQM?